14/08/2026
Dark, theatrical and impossible to ignore.
That was my first reaction to Don Sebastian Mario (Don Sebastian Mario )’s Shattered Identity.
Masks, distorted silhouettes, fragmented forms and a red dress made from pieces that refuse to fit neatly together give the collection its unsettling quality. But the more I looked at it, the more I wanted to know about the designer behind it.
Mario talks openly about identity, expectations, rejection and discovering Alexander McQueen, whose work first made him want to turn fashion into something more than clothing.
But perhaps the most interesting part is what happened after that influence took hold. Mario realised that becoming too close to McQueen would contradict the very idea behind Shattered Identity. There will only ever be one McQueen, just as there is only one him.
For Couture Troopers, I spoke to Mario about the collection, the reaction when it appeared on the runway, the look that means the most to him and what he wants to explore next.
And his next chapter is already taking a different direction, towards craft, wearable clothes and giving overlooked materials another life.
Read the full conversation on Couture Troopers.
