When The Earth Looked Up .

Purple Mountain Observatory presents its sixth chapter for Spring Summer ‘026. When The Earth Looked Up is an inquiry into the prospect of space travel, looking beyond the land as we know it and considering what lies ahead.

The collection draws from satellite imagery and space engineering, translating orbital perspectives into material form. Mineral greys, spectral whites, eclipse blues and burnt orange are deployed throughout, tones informed by otherworldly terrain, atmospheric glare and the machinery of exploration. Together, they create a cohesive visual system rooted in both the natural world and engineered environments.

Spring Summer ‘026 introduces an array of lightweight shells and adaptive layers, building upon PMO’s core silhouettes while refining their intent. Three years into its evolution, the brand continues to sharpen its pursuit of performance. This season advances two key pillars: the Anvil Shell, a core 3-layer waterproof, and the Stinger Set, a lightweight, breathable running system designed for high-energy output. Both represent progression — not reinvention, but elevation through fabrication and silhouette.

As with all Purple Mountain Observatory campaigns, Spring Summer ‘026 follows its explorers on a journey. Each chapter situates the garments within a lived narrative. For When The Earth Looked Up, that journey unfolds within an engineered landscape. Natural forms are reconstructed using industrial materials; metallic structures stand in for trees, fabricated surfaces echo the environments we recognise. The result is a speculative setting where nature and technology exist in unison.

SS26 is ultimately about perspective. About recalibrating our view of what lies ahead, and designing what is needed to move through it.