On a sunny, warm Sunday in Milan, in the midst of Men’s Fashion Week, QASIMI presented its Spring/Summer 2027 collection. “Undercurrent,” the collection’s title, occupies a middle ground that is difficult to define—and all the more interesting for it: one of disciplined gentleness, of tenderness that does not sacrifice precision. The colors—drawn from a soft, muted palette of brown, mocha, camel, agave green, olive green, and pink, inspired by the hues of dawn—combined with minimalist silhouettes, create a sense of serene composure that I would dare to describe as almost meditative.
It is a sense of seriousness softened by subtle romantic details, which, however, never veers into the sentimental or decorative. A form of restrained poetry runs through the entire collection: minimalist-cut shirts are delicately cinched at the waist with thin laces, while loose threads emerge from the shoulders, pockets, and seams, gathered into small cocoons that evoke buds or barely visible flowers. These elements engage with one of Undercurrent’s central themes: making the traces of craftsmanship visible. Exposed threads, offset seams, visible construction details, and sheer panels that reveal the layers beneath bring to the surface the memory of the garment’s creation. Even the embroidered mesh overlays on tailored suits contribute to this narrative, introducing a sense of lightness that never compromises the solidity of the construction.
The jackets maintain a restrained presence, while the soft, flowing pants drape around the body without constricting it. The collection is defined by soft tailoring, light layering, and a workwear sensibility that has always characterized QASIMI’s design language. Of particular interest is the return of the brand’s recognizable check pattern on an ultralight modal fabric, as well as the twill suits treated with hand-applied dyes, which retain traces of the artisanal process on their surface. The accessories are also particularly well-executed, in my opinion: especially the small bonnet-style hats tied under the chin, which introduce an almost childlike touch, reinterpreted with sophistication. Delicate in both the men’s and women’s collections, they become the perfect symbol of the collection: a detail capable of evoking vulnerability and protection, innocence and self-awareness all at once.
The season also marks the beginning of a two-year project dedicated to Hassan Sharif, a key figure in Emirati conceptual art. The dialogue with his work does not take the form of direct references, but rather permeates the collection like a silent, delicate presence. The focus on process, repetition, layering, and the relationship between material and time finds a natural counterpart in Undercurrent’s garments, which seem to retain the memory of the gestures that created them. Thus, behind the collection’s apparent gentleness, a deeper reflection on construction, labor, and time emerges: an undercurrent that flows through every look without imposing itself, yet ultimately defines its most authentic identity—a serious, balanced tenderness.
[📷 Courtesy of QASIMI ]
