AUGUST, 2026
COVER STORY STORY COVER
TONY WARD A MASTER A MASTER OF OF CRAFTSMANSHIP CRAFTSMANSHIP SHAPE BY SHAPE BY TIME TIME
THE BEAUTY OF AOMORI HOSHINO RESORTS HOSHINO RESORTS CELEBRATES JAPAN’S CELEBRATES JAPAN’S LIVING HERITAGE LIVING HERITAGE
HEIKE TASCHNER TASCHNER JESKE’S JESKE’S HEIKE INMERSIVE WORLD WORLD INMERSIVE
PETALS IN MOTION
World in Beauty ®
World in Beauty ®
Tony Ward Couture:
A Master Of Craftsmanship, Shaped By Time by Robyn Tucker-Peck
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or decades, Tony Ward has remained one of couture’s most distinctive voices, creating collections that place craftsmanship at the heart of contemporary design. Season after season, his work reveals an unwavering commitment to the art of couture—where hand embroidery, sculptural silhouettes, intricate draping, and exceptional attention to detail transform fabric into expressions of movement and emotion. His latest collection, Tony Ward Couture Fall/Winter 2026/27, Whispers of the Dunes, continues that enduring conversation between craftsmanship and imagination. Inspired by the desert’s quiet yet everchanging landscape, the collection explores the delicate tension between stillness and transformation. 6RIW GUDSLQJ ŴRZLQJ IDEULFV OD\HUHG YHLOV LQWULFDWH crochet, spiraling embroideries, and suspended crystal work evoke dunes reshaped by the wind, creating silhouettes that seem alive with movement. WiB – The desert has a powerful presence throughout this collection. Beyond its visual beauty, what is it about the desert—its silence, movement, and changing landscape—that speaks to you personally as a designer? 7RQ\ :DUG Ŋ 7KH GHVHUW KDV D TXLHW VWUHQJWK WKDW , ƓQG very inspiring. Nothing stays the same; the wind is constantly reshaping the dunes, creating new textures, new forms. That idea of movement and transformation felt very close to Couture, where we take fabric and transform it into something completely new. August 2026
WiB – Every couture collection begins with a vision. What inspired your Fall/Winter Haute Couture collection, and what emotion did you want it to convey? What story did you want these creations to tell? Tony Ward – Whispers of the Dunes was inspired by the beauty of the desert and by the way nature creates movement effortlessly. I wanted the collection to IHHO ŴXLG VFXOSWXUDO DQG IXOO RI OLIH 0RUH WKDQ WHOOLQJ RQH VSHFLƓF VWRU\ LW FHOHEUDWHV WUDQVIRUPDWLRQ KRZ something simple can become extraordinary through craftsmanship, patience, and creativity. WiB – Couture is built by the hands of many talented artisans. Can you share more about the craftsmanship behind this collection and the people whose expertise brings your vision to life? Tony Ward – A Couture collection is never the work of one person. It is the result of many skilled artisans,
each bringing years of experience to their craft. This season, we explored techniques such as hand crochet, sculptural draping, intricate embroidery, braiding, and architectural pleating, all created by the magical hands of my Atelier. Their dedication is what allows every idea to become reality, and I believe they are the true heart of Couture. WiB – A single couture gown can represent countless hours of creativity and dedication. Can you describe WKH MRXUQH\ RI RQH SLHFHŋIURP WKH ƓUVW LGHD RU VNHWFK WR WKH ƓQDO FUHDWLRQ" Tony Ward – Everything begins with an inspiration, then a sketch, but that’s only the starting point. From there, we experiment directly on the mannequin, testing proportions, fabrics… Every embroidery, every GUDSH HYHU\ GHWDLO LV UHƓQHG WKURXJK PXOWLSOH ƓWWLQJV until everything feels right. Sometimes a gown evolves
PDQ\ WLPHV EHIRUH UHDFKLQJ LWV ƓQDO IRUP EXW WKDWōV WKH beauty of Couture for me. :L% Ŋ 7KH ƓWWLQJ SURFHVV LV DQ LQWLPDWH DQG PHDQLQJIXO moment between designer and client. What do you hope a woman feels when she wears a Tony Ward FUHDWLRQ IRU WKH ƓUVW WLPH" Tony Ward – I hope she feels like the dress truly belongs to her. A Couture gown should never wear the woman; it should reveal her personality and make her IHHO FRQƓGHQW FRPIRUWDEOH DQG EHDXWLIXO 7KRVH ƓUVW PRPHQWV GXULQJ D ƓWWLQJ DUH YHU\ VSHFLDO EHFDXVH WKDWōV when the piece really comes to life. WiB – Before a couture show begins, there is always a quiet moment before the lights come on. What emotions do you feel backstage as you prepare to present a new collection to the world? Tony Ward – It’s a mix of excitement, anticipation,
and gratitude. After months and months of work, \RX ƓQDOO\ VHH HYHU\WKLQJ FRPH WRJHWKHU %DFNVWDJH is where you realize how much every person has contributed to the collection. Then the music starts, WKH ƓUVW PRGHO ZDONV RXW DQG WKH FROOHFWLRQ EHJLQV LWV own journey. WiB – Throughout your career, you have created a unique language of beauty through movement, structure, and craftsmanship. How does this collection continue or evolve that vision? 7RQ\ :DUG Ŋ 0RYHPHQW KDV DOZD\V EHHQ DQ important part of my work, but this season we explored it in a different way. We transformed materials through pleating, draping, braiding, crochet, and embroidery so that nothing remained exactly as it started. It is an evolution of our craftsmanship while staying true to the house’s DNA.
August 2026
World in Beauty ®
World in Beauty ® WiB – Couture carries a legacy that goes beyond a single season. What do you hope people will remember about this Fall/Winter Haute Couture collection in the years to come? Tony Ward – I hope they remember the craftsmanship, the savoir-faire behind it. Trends come and go, but true Couture is about creating something meaningful and timeless. If people remember the emotion, the movement, and the work of the artisans who brought these pieces to life, then I believe the collection has achieved its purpose.
Rather than simply interpreting the desert, Tony Ward captures its rhythm—the invisible forces that sculpt its horizons and the resilience of those who move through it. From the muted tones of sand and earth to burnt amber, nomadic reds, and the fading gold of sunrise, Whispers of the Dunes unfolds as a meditation on change, beauty, and the enduring power of couture craftsmanship. $IWHU D FDUHHU GHÀQHG E\ FRQVLVWHQF\ artistry, and an unwavering dedication to the handmade, Tony Ward once again demonstrates why his collections continue to resonate: carefully crafted stories told through fabric, form, and light. Explore Tony Ward Couture Fall/Winter 2026/27, Whispers of the Dunes, a collection that honors exquisite couture skills with sculptural shapes, detailed KDQG HPEURLGHU\ ÁRZLQJ PDWHULDOV DQG the desert’s dynamic beauty. August 2026