From the Tiers
Five Icons, One Wardrobe
August 02, 2026 · 1 min read · ORBIS Editorial
Icons earn the tier by being irreplaceable: remove them and the whole category wobbles.
“Five houses, one coherent wardrobe, decades of service.”
Article references
From the Atlas
- 10 Corso Como Milan / Online
Carla Sozzani's pioneering concept universe — fashion, art, books, and the courtyard café that invented the genre. Established 1991. store page → · open in the atlas → - Acqua di Parma Parma / Online
Italian Eau de Cologne house founded in 1916, centered on Colonia’s signature bergamot-citrus profile and the brand’s distinctive Parma-yellow presentation. store page → · open in the atlas → - Aesop Melbourne / Worldwide / Online
Melbourne's apothecary-design skincare — Resurrection hand balm and interiors worth the visit. Rechristened Aesop in 1989 after the Greek fabulist — both because Emeis sounded like an established beauty brand and to mock cosmetics puffery. L Oreal completed the acquisition in August 2023 for A$3.7 billion. store page → · open in the atlas → - Alessi Omegna / Piedmont / Online
The design factory on Lake Orta — Sapper kettles, Graves birds, and Italian design wit since 1921. 1983 Tea & Coffee Piazza research with Alessandro Mendini led to Michael Graves and Aldo Rossi entering the catalogue. store page → · open in the atlas → - Alexander McQueen London / Online
Lee McQueen’s house of savage beauty — razor tailoring, skull scarves and the Armadillo legacy, today under Seán McGirr within Kering. Past-season collections at The Mall luxury outlet, Leccio Reggello, outside Florence. store page → · open in the atlas →