On Friday April 10, The BAM Collective returns with its latest collection, Romanticism 2026, showing at the Inside Out Centre for the Arts set within the photographic world of the Roger Ballen Centre for Photography.
The setting feels intentional in a very BAM way. Think raw concrete, controlled lighting and an audience pulled in close enough to catch every detail.
Led by creative director Jacques Bam, the collection leans into fashion as spectacle, but in a way that feels personal rather than overblown. As he puts it: “Romanticism 2026 is my love letter to the fantasy that made me fall in love with fashion. It’s fashion as theatre, as escape, as transformation.”
At the showcase, the runway will become less of a stage and more of a performance space.
Visually the collection is set to play with contrast. BAM’s sculptural silhouettes remain but with a sharper, more architectural edge. The palette deepens into rich, jewel-toned colour, while the textures do a lot of the talking.
Expect tiger motif tapestry alongside crocodile-embossed upholstery, glossy vinyl against soft flocked tulle, and moments of striped taffeta and liquid silver plissé offset by hand-dyed lace, distressed denim and intricate beadwork produced in studio.
It reads as layered, tactile and a little unexpected.
The show will unfold in two parts, with an invitation-only viewing at 5pm followed by a public presentation at 7pm. Tickets are available through the Inside Out Foundation, opening the experience to a wider audience while still holding onto the intimacy of the space.
Following the runway, the collection will be available online on a made-to-order basis, a move that continues BAM’s interest in pieces that balance expression with wearability.
At a time when fashion often leans towards restraint, Romanticism 2026 looks set to take a different position. It returns to the idea of clothing as transformation, not through heavy messaging but through image, texture and form.
Wanted
