Why I Collect Her: Marie Adam-Leenaerdt

There are moments in fashion that remind you why you fell in love with clothes in the first place. This was one of them.

I know I'm a little late, but some news deserves more than a quick Instagram story.

When Marie Adam-Leenaerdt was announced as the winner of the 2026 ANDAM Fashion Award, I found myself genuinely smiling. Not because I know her personally, but because I know what her work has meant to my wardrobe over the last few years.

That distinction matters.

As someone who has spent almost two decades working with luxury clients, fashion houses, and thousands of garments, I rarely buy something simply because it's new. Every purchase has to answer one question: Will this still feel like me years from now?

A few years ago, while walking through Bergdorf Goodman with one of my closest friends, Liana, I stopped in front of a blazer unlike anything else on the floor. I tried it on almost as a joke, made a ridiculous face in the fitting room because I instantly knew what was about to happen, and bought it.

I wasn't following a trend.

I wasn't chasing a logo.

I wasn't even particularly familiar with the designer.

I simply recognized a feeling.

That blazer has since become one of the most worn pieces in my wardrobe.

Looking for a Feeling, Not a Trend

People often ask why I become so attached to certain designers.

The answer has very little to do with fashion.

For years, I admired what Demna brought to Balenciaga. Not because it was oversized or because it challenged conventions, but because it changed the way many of us thought about proportion. Suddenly, volume wasn't hiding the body—it was empowering it. Tailoring became softer, draping became more architectural, and femininity no longer relied on obvious femininity.

That language shaped the wardrobes of an entire generation.

Including mine.

As Balenciaga naturally evolved into a different chapter, I realized something important.

I wasn't looking for another "Balenciaga."

I was looking for that feeling again.

Not the logo.

Not the hype.

The feeling.

When Clothes Feel Like Home

The first time I put on Marie Adam-Leenaerdt's blazer, it felt strangely familiar.

Powerful without being loud.

Oversized without overwhelming.

Architectural without becoming a costume.

Everything I love about dressing has always lived somewhere between structure and softness. Strong shoulders balanced by fluid movement. Masculine tailoring softened by unmistakable femininity.

Marie speaks that language fluently.

Not because she's trying to recreate anyone else's work, but because her own point of view happens to resonate with mine.

That is incredibly rare.

Paris Confirmed What I Already Knew

During Paris Fashion Week this year, I finally visited Marie's showroom.

Seeing the collection in person only reinforced what I already believed.

Every seam had purpose.

Every proportion had been considered.

Nothing felt excessive.

Nothing felt accidental.

The restraint was perhaps the most luxurious part.

I left Paris with even more admiration than when I walked in.

Collecting Designers

I've realized that the older I get, the less interested I am in collecting trends.

I'm interested in collecting designers.

Designers whose work quietly becomes part of your life.

The ones whose clothes you instinctively reach for years later.

Yesterday, after hearing Marie had won the ANDAM Fashion Award, I wore that same blazer I bought almost two years ago.

I didn't plan it.

It simply felt right.

Maybe that's the greatest compliment you can give a designer.

Not that you admire their work.

That you continue living in it.

Why This Award Matters

Awards don't make great designers.

Great designers make awards meaningful.

The ANDAM Fashion Award has always celebrated designers with a strong point of view, and seeing Marie Adam-Leenaerdt recognized feels like watching the industry acknowledge something I quietly discovered years ago in a fitting room at Bergdorf Goodman.

I'm certain I'm not the only woman searching for intelligent tailoring, thoughtful proportions, and clothes that feel powerful without trying too hard.

If you are, I have a feeling you'll eventually find Marie too.

And when you do, don't be surprised if one blazer turns into a collection.

Congratulations, Marie.

This feels like only the beginning.

—

Love,
Olya