When I hear Stardust Aphrodite, I think of something ethereal and romantic – almost magical. Mugler has gone complete 180, so you best let go of any notions you had of the Goddess of Love because this campaign is eerie and terrifying in the most gorgeous way.
Stardust Aphrodite is the first campaign with new Creative Director Miguel Castros Freitas, and he channels the House’s signature power, retro futurism, and sensuality into a visual universe of mystery and momentum. The campaign sets itself as a cinematic story, reminiscent of B-movies with neon-lit surrealism, uncanny stillness and the hypnotic tension of dream logic cinema. Models are set around like abandoned mannequins with heavy make-up around the eyes, adding to the synthetic aura – flitting between the idea of artificial humans or androids.
Lensed by Robi Rodriguez, the grain and atmosphere evokes an arresting appeal of midnight thrillers and off-kilter classics. The type of film you’d get at a rental store and wouldn’t be able to sleep afterwards. Unfolding through intense suspension between danger and desire, the world and its personas are crafted through shadow and intensity.
The women are enigmas, surveying the abandoned architecture of a concrete city. Through the bleakness of these empty industrial landscapes, the personas with their sculptural tailoring and crystalline embellishments stand out as aliens. There’s a message of unabashed femininity here, showing that the new chapter of the house remains timeless but aims to be radically forward – unafraid of being bold. With striking silhouettes, razor-sharp tailoring and draped leather, the ready to wear collection of Mugler’s SS26 aims to attract to the dauntless and sophisticated.
“At Mugler, I’m drawn to strong, glamorous characters where power becomes visceral,” says Castro Freitas. “This campaign, the first part of a trilogy, crystallizes that philosophy. It’s a story of identity and transformation, of strong women who refuse definition.”
The Stardust Aphrodite Spring-Summer 2026 collection launches in selected boutiques and on mugler.com from January 2026.