Earlier this year, our creative team journeyed Europe, a trip grounded in purpose and inspired by possibility. From industry trade shows and cutting-edge fibre innovation to an endless stream of cultural cues, the trip fed directly into the early stages of our 2026 collection development. In this journal entry, we open the pages of their travel diary to share what caught their eye, stirred their senses, and sparked the design thinking behind what’s to come.
Milan
Touching down in Milan we were instantly reminded of why it shares a crown with Paris, as the fashion centre of Europe. We headed straight for the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Italy’s oldest shopping arcade. A spectacle of neoclassical grandeur, its ornate stonework meets finely wrought steel in perfect harmony, a marriage of old-world elegance and restrained industry. The architecture speaks a language of legacy, it has endured, and will endure still.
The creativity flowed through the streets here, where people drew and painted. Moira wore the Runa Shirt in Casper with the Inayah short in Natural, the natural fibres providing the perfect breathable base for exploring in the heat.
Even everyday details on the streets caught our eye. A small city car, designed with swooping lines and painted in soft gelato hues. In another context, purely functional, here it's proof that design and beauty can be infused into the everyday.
Stockholm
Stockholm welcomed us with understated elegance. The first spark of inspiration? A modest flower stall, simple greens and blush-toned blooms artfully arranged. The colours were soft, deliberate, and pared back, like nature itself. A perfect embodiment of our own design ethos at Untouched World.
The city’s architecture mirrored this quiet confidence. Not as grand as Milan’s, but innately beautiful in a distinctly Scandinavian way; restrained, harmonious and deeply personal.
We loved lingering around the ceramics stores here, that pared back, organic aesthetic a huge inspiration.
Barcelona
Barcelona brought us warmth, colour, and a creative jolt. No trip here is complete without marvelling at the work of Gaudí, and Parc Güell didn’t disappoint. This was creativity unleashed, a world where function dances with fantasy, and convention is joyfully cast aside.
Beyond the Gaudí spectacle, the city brimmed with visual moments. Ultramarine doors, sun-washed shutters, worn paths that invite wandering. Colour was indulged with purpose, while even the quietest alleyways felt like curated moments on a moodboard.
The Moco Museum offered a perfect selfie shot, with Lucinda (left) wearing the Indigo Vest in Cobblestone and Gianna Skirt
Porto
If Barcelona was a celebration of the vivid, Porto continued the theme with its own rich and historic voice. The Ribeira district, with its tumbledown charm and cobbled streets, radiated warmth. But it was Porto’s famed Azulejo tiles that truly captivated us, a study in rhythm, form and ornamental storytelling.
The tiled façades brought pattern into play in the most soulful way, something we’ve carried with us as we begin sketching out prints and layered textures for seasons ahead.
The fabric mill we visted here had a history in keeping with the rest of the city, we were able to flick trhough archives that dated back to the 1920’s, revealing decades of beautiful design and innovation.
Paris
We couldn't resist a return to Paris, a city where design heritage and modernity walk hand in hand. From Hausmannian buildings to sleek store fronts, even the street signs are iconic here. Parisian style to us, is effortless elegance. Timeless classics such as tailored blazers and white shirts wafted down the boulevards, bringing a sense of sophistication to our musings so far.
Echoing Milan’s quiet confidence, Paris offered duality: timeless beauty and avant-garde edge. We sought inspiration in both. In this city of lights and legacy, it’s impossible not to notice the details, we left feeling both reverent and recharged.
This journey across Europe wasn’t just about the sights, it was about sensibilities. From considered minimalism to joyful maximalism, we’ve returned with sketchbooks brimming, fibres on our minds, and a deeper appreciation for the beauty found in both the bold and the quiet.
We can’t wait to show you how these moments of inspiration will shape the collections of tomorrow.
