Wild Rose & Sparrow: Ex Libris S/S 2026
Poetry and romance, chapter by chapter.
Wild Rose & Sparrow just dropped their Spring/Summer 2026 collection, Ex Libris, and it’s the kind of romantic fever dream that reminds you why fashion still belongs to the poets. Designed by Montréal-based sisters Ariana and Liana Dancu, the collection reads like a triptych novel — three chapters of storytelling stitched into lace, silk, and whispered references to literature’s most haunted corners. It’s not just clothing; it’s costume as confession, textile as text.
Chapter I: Coven
The opening act dives straight into gothic waters. Picture reimagined Victoriana — sheer tulle, novelty lace, and diaphanous silk that moves like breath underwater. There’s a sensual austerity to it: siren gowns paneled in lace, bustled mini skirts, and a floor-length lace piece crowned by a tulle capelet inspired by Klimt’s Mermaids. The result is a cinematic coven — sisterhood meeting soft power, black magic rendered in fabric.
Chapter II: Chevalière
Then comes fire. Scarlet replaces shadow as medieval heroines take center stage. Think chainmail-inspired embroidery, stiffened cotton jackets, and tapestries turned into wearable relics. Antique chatelaines and keys dangle as amulets, while fleur-de-lys ribbons trace the waist like a sigil. The closing gown channels Waterhouse’s Lady of Shalott, all gossamer chiffon and hand-sculpted gold threads — a love letter to tragic beauty.
Chapter III: Sonnets
The finale drifts into the tenderness of verse. Edwardian silhouettes return in airy cottons and broderie anglaise, translating poetry into motion. Bloomers and chemisettes peek through sheer panels; collars migrate from necklines to hips in quiet rebellion. The collection ends with a tiered white cotton gown, open-backed and windowpaned — a breath of purity after passion.
The Soul of the Story
Ex Libris isn’t just a collection; it’s a bibliophile’s dreamscape, where the language of fashion meets the syntax of feeling. Three chapters, one vision — an ode to women who write, wear, and live their own stories.