Caroline Hu’s collection Daydream unfolded as a delicate meditation on beauty, escapism, and the contrast between tenderness and an increasingly harsh world for Fall/Winter 2025-2026. Through 17 meticulously constructed looks, Hu conjured an ethereal dreamscape where the boundaries between slumber and reality blurred, crafting garments that felt like whispered fragments of a waking dream.

Handmade, padded floral cutouts drifted across sheer tulle like quilted heirlooms, while voluminous silhouettes suggested duvets transformed into wearable poetry. A soundtrack infused with birdsong and models with artfully disheveled hair evoked a sense of ingénues stirring from an enchanted afternoon reverie. Yet, beneath the collection’s diaphanous romance, Hu’s vision carried a deeper resonance. “The world is getting harder, more cruel,” she reflected. “That’s why I wanted to create something more romantic.”

Her signature craftsmanship shone in every detail, from feather-trimmed warm-up jackets to abstract prints drawn from her own paintings, imbuing the collection with a deeply personal, painterly touch. A sheer tulle gown adorned with intricate floral embroideries revealed moments of quiet intimacy, while a floor-length cape of tufted pink tulle echoed the surreal elegance of Ernst’s Robing of the Bride.

Juxtaposing these poetic silhouettes with velvety Adidas Originals—an ongoing collaboration—Hu injected a modern edge into her dreamlike aesthetic. “I don’t want pretty-pretty,” she affirmed, striking a balance between delicate reverie and contemporary irreverence. The result was a collection that transcended fantasy, offering a vision of romance that is at once fragile, fierce, and utterly relevant.