From left: Loewe; Prada; Versace

Spring/Summer 2026 arrives with rare momentum. With so many creative debuts at the big fashion houses, the season feels charged with possibility, each director eager to define a fresh era.

After SS25’s so-called “trendless summer”, a deliberate break from the relentless micro-trend cycle, it’s no surprise that SS26 pivots away from novelty aesthetics like Barbiecore. Instead, the season builds on broader, more enduring ideas, shifting the conversation back to silhouette, craft and mood.

A COLOUR-CLASHING PALETTE 
Colour this season behaves less like an accent and more like a proclamation. Designers sent out head- to- toe primaries, layered intentionally in clashing” compositions that radiate optimism. Designers toyed with unexpected pairings like cobalt and lemon, and electric reds with saturated yellows. The effect is bold, bright, and unmistakably confident. Wear multiple brights at once, and let them argue happily. 

From left: Dior; Junya Watanabe; Rick Owens

SCULPTURAL VOLUMES & SILHOUETTES 
Volume for SS26 is not just big, it’s engineered. Designers are exaggerating hips and skirts so clothes seem to hover around the body rather than trace it. Soft jerseys and chiffons are layered into fluid, almost gravity-defying shapes. However they are sculpted or draped, the silhouette stands away from the body. A single piece is enough to make a theatrical entrance.

From left: Alaia; Bottega Veneta; Chanel

FRINGE, TEXTURE & CLOTHES THAT MOVE 
Movement is a key SS26 storyline with designers sending out hems, panels and entire dresses that swish and shimmy with every step. Fringe dominated the runways, but this season’s interpretation traded bohemian sway for material experimentation. Leather fringes ripple like silk and precision-cut strands animate hourglass knits. Texture, rather than print, does the talking. So these pieces aren’t loud, they’re alive.

From left: Fendi; Dolce & Gabbana; Tom Ford

SKIN, LINGERIE & THE MIDRIFF (YES, SEX IS BACK)
Designers have stopped coyly hinting at sensuality and gone straight for the torso as the focal point. Tailored suits are broken up with exposed midriffs, bra tops seen through sheer layering, and underwear is literally daywear. The key is strategic reveal, one bold area of exposure balanced by structure everywhere else.

From left: Alexander McQueen; Chanel; Tory Burch

THE DESCENDING WAISTLINE 
Waistlines have officially relocated. Specifically, downward. Drop-waisted dresses create long, elegant torsos, while hip-sitting skirts brought back a modernised sense of 1920s ease. Whether via the flapper-like drop seam or the nonchalant low rise, the effect is elongating, streamlined and quietly sensual—all described as delivering effortless sex appeal.

From left: AREA; Stella McCartney; Maison Margiela

DENIM REFRESH: FROM DISTRESSED TO DEFINITIVE 
We thought it would be the “skinny jeans”, but denim is re-emerging across two contrasting directions. On one end, designers explored distressed treatments with sculptural intentionality: shredded seams, frayed panels, and uneven washes as textural language. On the other, there is the return of the “definitive jean”: clean, unfussy, and beautifully cut. The range is wide, but the takeaway is clear—denim is once again a designer canvas.