There aren't many designer's paying homage to their roots, but Galib Gassanoff is paying close attention. Institution was named a semi-finalist for the 2026 LVMH Prize — the Italian label with Georgian and Azerbaijani roots, founded and creatively led by designer Galib Gassanoff.
Last September, Institution founder Galib Gassanoff explained the process behind the dress he was exhibiting at the Kering S|Style Denim Lab show, curated by Giorgia Cantarini. Fresh from the close of his spring/summer 2026 runway show, Gassanoff pointed to the piece constructed from denim strips woven on a vertical loom – a technique rooted in the traditional carpet-weaving methods found across his native Georgia and Azerbaijan. “While I was born and grew up in Georgia, I’m technically Azerbaijani,” he revealed. “I’ve lived through both cultures and traditions simultaneously.” Perhaps it is this duality that has inspired his latest collection.
Gassanoff explains this in English, one of the six languages spoken by the 31-year-old designer. “Knowing different languages helps me understand different cultures and people, how they see art and life in general,” he says. His Azerbaijani upbringing, shaped by fairly conservative traditions, had a profound impact on the women in his life – some of whom, he says, were forced to marry at a young age. “Although I love where I come from – the craft of the people, the language – I am also critical of certain aspects because I’ve seen how elements of negativity within the culture and traditions have affected those around me,” he explains. It is this perspective that underpins his commitment to working with women to help improve their lives.
Galib Gassanoff's spring/summer 2026 runway show, Su (meaning “water”), features garments made from woven rush, crafted by women in the south-eastern Azerbaijani districts of Masallı and Lankaran. He discovered their work through documentary filmmaker Sitara Ibrahimbayli. The female-led collective Rooted Hands gathers and harvests the rush before weaving it by hand. “It was important for me to showcase our collaboration and include their craft in my show,” Galib Gassanoff explains. His aim is to raise awareness of artisanal skills at risk of being lost or forgotten, while empowering rural communities and celebrating intergenerational knowledge passed down through women artisans.
The young designer is no stranger to the fashion world, having previously worked with the clothing brand ACT N°1. With Institution, Gassanoff places his Georgian and Azerbaijani heritage at the forefront, as recently seen in a denim dress presented during his September runway show in Milan. The piece exemplifies his distinctive approach, merging art, design and fashion seamlessly while drawing on Georgia’s carpet-making traditions. “When I started Institution, I was weaving with shoelaces instead of wool thread,” he says. “I wanted to use an alternative material and create something monochromatic, rather than mimicking our multicoloured traditional carpets. The aim was to create one-of-a-kind pieces that are wearable but also open to becoming objects of art.” @institution_official
Galib Gassanoff is a Georgian fashion designer of Azerbaijani descent who grew up in the culturally rich outskirts of Tbilisi before moving to Milan at eighteen to study fashion. He co-founded the brand ACT N°1 in 2016, gaining early industry recognition, and later launched his own creative project, Institution, in 2024. Institution is a social-artistic platform blending traditional techniques with contemporary design. Gassanoff’s work emphasises natural materials, community engagement and the preservation of artisanal skills. He is the most recent winner of the 2026 Zalando Visionary Award for his cultural storytelling and impact in the industry.
This article was published in the AD Middle East print issue for February/March 2026.
