Runway
Angel Schlesser's "Responso" collection is a masterclass in intentional restraint by Creative Director Alfonso Pérez. Moving inward from the expansion of "Liturgia," this runway review delves into the brand's meticulous tailoring, the architectural power of an all-black palette, and a sustainable ethos that proves how true design thrives within strict limitations.
Updated 12:51 pm EDT, March 26, 2026
Published 12:50 pm EDT, March 26, 2026
Photo Courtesy: © IFEMA MADRID
Angel Schlesser's "Responso" collection is a masterclass in intentional restraint by Creative Director Alfonso Pérez. Moving inward from the expansion of "Liturgia," this runway review delves into the brand's meticulous tailoring, the architectural power of an all-black palette, and a sustainable ethos that proves how true design thrives within strict limitations.
Updated 12:51 pm EDT, March 26, 2026
Published 12:50 pm EDT, March 26, 2026
Photo Courtesy: © IFEMA MADRID
For some time now, Angel Schlesser has been a brand I return to. Not out of habit, but out of curiosity. There is something about the way Alfonso Pérez approaches each collection that makes you wonder not what he will do next, but how he will choose to say it.
If Liturgia expanded outward, Angel Schlesser’s new collection Responso seems to pull inwards with measured intent. It’s not a step back but a sharpening. For Angel Schlesser, this season, everything can be expressed in just one single word: restraint.
On the surface, Responso looks pared back. Yet, the more you look, the more you realize that this isn’t minimalism for minimalism’s sake. It’s meticulousness. It is about knowing how much is enough and stopping there. Because restraint, when it is intentional, is the opposite of empty.
Under the creative direction of Alfonso Pérez, Schlesser continues to build a language that is unmistakably its own. A language that evolves by following and deepening its identity. Where Liturgia expanded, Responso refines. It edits and sharpens while never losing intensity.
What Schlesser achieves here is something incredibly rare. The ability to express an overflow of ideas within limitations. The collection lives in the lack of excess, while feeling rich, layered, and conceptually abundant at the same time. It’s here that the architecture and construction of the garments take center stage.
Black dominates the runway with authority. Not as a safe choice, but as a demanding one. Because black leaves no room for error. It requires precision. It exposes construction. It reveals intention. And here, it does exactly that.
As usual, Schlesser’s tailoring is impeccable. Sharp yet fluid. Structured but deeply feminine. Clean silhouettes become canvases for subtle complexity. Angular folds, unexpected volumes, and sculptural interventions emerge almost quietly, only to fully reveal themselves in movement.
What is most striking is how visible these details are. Despite the total commitment to black, nothing disappears. Every seam, every cut, every architectural gesture is not only present. It is amplified. This is a clear example that honest design doesn’t need color to stand out.
Dualities run through this collection like stitches on a seam. On one hand, you have the classic beauty: a woman who’s put together and has that je ne sais quoi kind of Madrid style. On the other hand, you have modernity. Skewed lines, unconventional transparency, volumes that feel oversized just enough, and effortlessly cool.
A sheer cape moves with quiet intention. A sharply tailored dress is paired with deconstructed elements that feel intentional, yet easy to wear. An oversized coat changes how presence is felt… and everything is done without relying on excess. And then, almost as an exhale, comes the finale. A release of volume that loosens the structure of everything that came before it to show us that less isn’t always more; it’s just controlled. This is not contradiction. This is range.
And what makes it even more compelling is that this range exists within such strict boundaries. One color. Controlled embellishment. A disciplined narrative. To achieve diversity under those conditions is not just difficult. It is exceptional.
Beyond aesthetics, Responso taps into a much larger and necessary dialogue. The upcycled fabrics and dedication to longevity prove that restraint isn’t only beautiful, but thoughtful. Quality over quantity. Intention over impulse. In a moment where fashion often feels driven by excess, speed, and noise, this collection offers something increasingly rare. It offers clarity.
Watching this runway, you realize something: constraint, when done with this level of mastery, is not limiting. It’s actually empowering. Because it forces the designer to hone in on what they’re trying to say. To rely on knowledge, not on embellishment. To focus on design, not decoration. This reveals something truly deep about the brand itself: Angel Schlesser is not just evolving. It is refining its voice, distilling it, and proving that within limitation, there is infinite possibility.
Fashion Designer and Professor, Mena believes that fashion completely transcends the surface and the most important is how one feels rather than anything else. Fashion is really about how empowered one becomes by it. She channels vibrant flares of vintage fashion and dreams of contemporary twists, inspired by her own life and travels.
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