Finally, a brand targeting Gen Z that doesn’t feel forced or overbranded. It feels fresh, guileless, sincere and original. And as a 24-year-old myself, I would — and probably will — buy from it as soon as it drops.
The story of DAGGER started with a twist we all secretly dream about: getting fired and using your last pennies to start something of your own.
Founder Luke Raine lost his job unexpectedly and was left with just €300 in government benefits. Instead of looking for another job, he spent the money printing the final sentence of his dismissal letter —
“We wish you all the best with your professional future and personal wellbeing.”
— on the back of what would become DAGGER’s core T-shirt. From there came the brand’s now-infamous slogan: “All the best.”
That was 2020. Six years later, DAGGER has grown from that first T-shirt into an established Berlin label with its own visual language, collaborations, runway shows and an expanding international retail presence.
For AW26, Raine goes back to somewhere much more personal: Portrush, Northern Ireland, where he grew up.
“PLAY HARD”
That small seaside town in Northern Ireland must have a pretty specific kind of winter energy. PLAY HARD captures Portrush from its colder, darker and more isolated side, where young people create their own forms of entertainment and community through skateboarding, hanging out and building friendships.
And you can actually feel that in the clothes.
The collection plays with DAGGER’s skate and streetwear language without making everything look like it came straight from a skate shop. Ripped baby tees, comfy bright-coloured hoodies, knitwear, graphic pieces and layered styling are mixed with references to school uniforms, sportswear, workwear and Y2K skate culture.
It’s very easy to make youth culture look like a moodboard. A couple of baggy jeans, a vintage-looking graphic and suddenly you’re selling “authenticity.” DAGGER doesn’t really feel like that.
Maybe because the references actually belong to Raine.
Rather than directly reproducing nostalgia — which I think we’ve had enough of already — these pieces reconstruct fragments of his memories into an imagined version of home. Portrush isn’t being recreated literally. It’s being remembered, distorted and turned into something that can exist as a fashion world.
And honestly, I prefer that.
The clothes still have the slightly careless feeling that makes skatewear interesting in the first place, but there is more going on with the silhouettes and styling now. DAGGER is moving further away from being known mainly for its T-shirts and graphic language and towards something that actually feels like a full fashion wardrobe.
PLAY HARD was presented during Berlin Fashion Week in January 2026 at Kraftwerk Berlin, marking DAGGER’s debut runway show. Six years into the brand, it feels less like a beginning and more like a moment where Raine gets to see how far the world he’s been building can actually stretch.
And apparently, pretty far.
For AW26, DAGGER is also strengthening its international presence, launching with 20 retailers worldwide, including Dover Street Market Paris, Antonioli Italy and GR8 Japan. The collection will be available from September 2026 through DAGGER’s website and selected retailers.
Compared to the endless stream of Gen Z brands selling the same oversized hoodie, motivational graphic and carefully calculated “community” feeling, DAGGER feels a little less predictable.
It’s not trying to reinvent fashion, and honestly, it doesn’t need to. The clothes are fun, the references feel personal, and there’s enough weirdness in there to make you actually want to wear them.
Which, in 2026, is already quite a lot.