The Spring 2026 collection marks a new chapter for Private Policy. Just before New York Fashion Week kicked off, the brand announced that Siying Qu would be stepping down from her role as co–creative director, leaving Haoran Li to present this season’s collection on his own.
Li chose to explore the evolving relationship between humans and artificial intelligence—asking the question: can we truly be friends with AI? While the theme sounded futuristic, the clothes themselves stayed grounded in reality. The collection leaned heavily into Li’s signature workwear aesthetic, with playful touches like polka dots adding a lighter tone. A robot even joined the models on the runway, bringing a literal nod to the show’s AI inspiration.
Li’s strength in crafting structured, utilitarian pieces shone throughout the collection. One standout look featured military-green trousers paired with polka-dot bubble pants, a clever balance between toughness and whimsy. Cropped jackets with sharp shoulders added a powerful silhouette that commanded attention on the runway.
Though the tech theme wasn’t fully translated into the designs, Li’s solo debut proved he knows exactly where his creative strengths lie—and how to make functional fashion feel fresh again.
