MCM Makes Taekwondo Chic For Spring/Summer 2026 At Milan Fashion Week

MCM's Spring/Summer 2026 collection featured a blend of East and West with dresses made of combat belts, judo knots on bag straps. — MCM’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection at Milan Fashion Week was rooted in Taekwondo style codes. All photos courtesy of MCM

For their Spring/Summer 2026 presentation at Milan Fashion Week, MCM looked eastwards. The German luxury brand drew on a tradition of motion, power, and precision with their new collection, debuting a series of pieces directly inspired by taekwondo and martial arts.

Designed by chief brand officer Dirk Schönberger, the collection’s design language is rooted in controlled motion. The taekwondo influences are evident at first glance—a cobalt blue mini dress with a judo knot centrepiece, a boxy white jacket bisected by a tied belt. But take a minute to absorb the larger themes at play, and you’ll find a layered tribute to a 2000-year-old Korean tradition. The structured lines of the pieces convey power and respect, and the lightweight, breathable quilted fabrics speak of activity and motion. Even the setting of the presentation, Milan’s Casa degli Artisti, was transformed into a dojo-style setting, with muted lighting and clean, spare lines putting a spotlight on the pieces.

The heart of MCM’s craftsmanship lies in leather goods, and the brand indeed applied its taekwondo design language to the accessories they showcased in Milan. Alongside their iconic studded and logo-emblazoned bags, they also debuted a minimalist white purse with a quilted strap tied asymmetrically with a judo knot.

This isn’t fashion’s first foray into the world of martial arts. The overlapping lapels and wrap belts of taekwondo and karate uniforms are details that can blend seamlessly into a variety of collections—Loewe and Alexander Wang showed tied wrap belts as far back as 2014, and Versace debuted Muay Thai shorts at Milan Fashion Week six years ago. MCM’s approach, however, is distinguished by its wholehearted embrace of the martial arts tradition, making it the central draw of the collection. Their nods to taekwondo aren’t subtle details rounding out a larger story—they are the main attraction.

Looking to Korean tradition for inspiration is a natural decision for a brand that resonates as heavily with Asian consumers as MCM. As the German house approaches its 50th anniversary in 2026, it’s a fitting time to examine its heritage and form new connections. “For me, the Asian influence in MCM is definitely very well present and reflected in the crossover [between] a Western idea and an Asian idea,” Schönberger told WWD, speaking about the Spring/Summer 2026 collection. So if you’re wondering where the next trove of inspiration for the fashion world lies—MCM says go east, young man.

Below, get a closer look at MCM’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection and presentation at Milan Fashion Week.