Silk chiffon Philippa top; Carine jersey bodysuit; Carlotta legging Photo: Gwen Trannoy / Courtesy of Mel Usine

Not all fashion events at the Met happen in the Costume Institute—at least not for designer Stephen Biga who is debuting his new brand for spring 2026 . On a walk through the galleries last year, the designer discovered and was seduced by the figure of Melusine, a water nymph whose myth was put down by Jean d’Arras in 1393. In brief, she married a nobleman who didn’t know her true identity. Included in their vows was the promise that he could not see her bathe on Saturdays, but he spies on her, she discovers his perfidy, and turns into a dragon and leaves him. “I come across this and I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh is, this is the narrative arc for me.”

A Parson’s grad, the designer

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