Mugler’s muscle mommy strips off for new campaign

Two collections into his reign at Mugler, Portuguese creative director Miguel Castro Freitas just unveiled his debut bag campaign. Honouring the brand’s history of celebrating strong women and diverse body types, the bags are modelled by female bodybuilder Tatiana Horslaville. She flexes her impressive muscles while wearing nothing but the Aurora and Lua – the house’s two new styles. 

The Aurora is named after another powerful woman: the designer’s own mother. Meanwhile, the Lua takes its name from the Portuguese word for moon. “For me, handbags are our most intimate objects,” explains Castro Freitas. “They become an extension of one’s body and carry memory with time. With Aurora and Lua, I wanted to create pieces that honour Mugler’s extraordinary heritage while introducing my expression for leather goods that is both sculptural and deeply sensual.”

While the Lua is an entirely fresh design, the Aurora is a reinterpretation of one of Thierry Mugler’s handbags, featured in his SS02 collection and famously photographed by Helmut Newton. As well as the new campaign photos – captured by Chris Lensz – there’s a video to accompany the line, which you can watch here. 

Elsewhere in fashion this week, we caught up with Oscar-winning director Barry Jenkins about working on the latest Prada campaign; cult 80s goth brand Pure Sex got a reboot; and we took a closer look at some feral fashion at Berlin’s WHOLE festival. Here’s everything else you need to catch up on… 

Those who are counting down the days until Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields festival will be pleased to hear that the artist dropped an exclusive festival-ready collaboration with Etsy on Thursday, July 23. You can now shop beaded jewelry, flower crowns, embroidered patches and junk journal kits all co-designed by Olivia herself, alongside ten female-owned shops, on Etsy (and at the festival on August 29). See here. 

It’s official: Stevenage FC fans and the fashion crowd now have something in common, London-based independent designer Joseph Brimicombe. Earlier this month, it was announced that Brimicombe has designed the new 2026/27 kits for the football club, in collaboration with Puma. See here. 

Chloé and creative director Chemena Kamali have revealed their AW26 campaign, photographed by Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. In the images, models are captured frolicking in cliffside meadows, at one with nature. “Nature brings us back to instinct, freedom and connection,” says Kamali. See here

Yesterday (July 23), Coach opened the doors to its brand new Coach Play store in the heart of Paris’ Marais. Located on the corner of rue Sainte-Croix-de-la-Bretonnerie and rue du Bourg-Tibourg, the store introduces its debut Coach Play destination to the French capital. 

When he’s not in Sicily checking into the White Lotus hotel, British actor Theo James is roaming the British countryside with Church’s. Earlier this month, the footwear brand unveiled its latest campaign, captured at Goodwood racing circuit in West Sussex. See here.