Pre-fall sits between spring/summer and fall/winter, often the season where brands translate their bigger creative ideas into pieces that feel easier to wear day-to-day. The collections focus less on elaborate looks and more on versatility, with lightweight outerwear, relaxed tailoring, denim, and layering. This season, luxury fashion houses balance the spirit of summer with richer autumn-like textures, introducing materials like leather and suede with airy silhouettes. From Dior’s denim tailoring to Fendi’s lightweight shirts, here’s what our favourite brands are doing for pre-fall 2026.
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Gucci
Gucci presented its latest collection through a series of 84 images photographed by Demna, reworking archival house codes through a sharper and more modern lens. Tailoring leans slim and structured, while leather and suede looks bring a tougher energy to the collection. There is also a sense of playfulness in the eveningwear, where underwear-inspired pieces meet fluid silk gowns and blouses. Familiar icons like the Gucci Jackie 1961 and Gucci Dionysus bag were refreshed, while a new Paparazzo bag featuring the web stripe and horsebit hardware was introduced.
Fendi
Inspired by the idea of a Roman Riviera getaway, Fendi’s pre-fall collection explores relaxed coastal dressing. Crisp white tailoring and airy dresses anchor the collection, while hues of terracotta, coral, saffron, and turquoise add warmth to the otherwise sun-faded palette. It’s relaxed yet polished, capturing the balance between resort dressing and everyday wearability. Accessories lean into artisanal finishes, with the Peekaboo ISeeU crafted in hand-placed floral beads and the Baguette reimagined in a softer multicoloured crochet design.
Chanel
Chanel staged its Métiers d'art collection within the Bowery Street station in Manhattan, a subway-inspired set. As Matthieu Blazy’s second collection for the House, the show blended the glamour of Chanel with the gritty energy of New York City. It opened with Bhavitha Mandala in a simple denim jeans and sweater look, before unfolding into a lively mix of colour, prints, fringe, and layered textures. From ‘70s-style journalists to power-dressing businesswomen and downtown socialites, the lineup aimed to envision a cast of personalities crossing paths. Despite the rather cinematic styling, the pieces remain wearable, with relaxed separates and tactile fabrics giving the collection a youthful spirit.
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Dior
Jonathan Anderson’s pre-fall 2026 collection for Dior continues his exploration of modern French grandeur through subtle twists on classic dressing. Photographed along the Seine, the collection blurs the line between couture and casualwear. Jeans are crafted from silk denim, jackets are cropped and volumising drapes knot across hips. These design details were carried forward from the previous collection into pre-fall, but with increased wearability. Gender lines were blurred, continuing Anderson’s mirrored approach to menswear and womenswear first introduced in his spring/summer 2026 debut.
Max Mara
Rather than leaning into excess, Max Mara is focused on simplicity and versatility for pre-fall. The collection centres on wearable staples that can easily transition between occasions, proving that impactful fashion does not need unnecessary embellishment. Pleating appeared in fluid trousers, sleeveless blouses and soft skirts, adding movement without overpowering the looks. While touches of florals and graphic spots surfaced occasionally, the key pieces were the cleanest ones. With blazers, pants, and simple dresses, it’s meant to be a collection that can easily be styled up and down.