This season, designers serve up an absolute feast of ideas and propositions that run the gamut from the pragmatic to the fantastical. In the former camp, there are alluring new takes on the white shirt, the khaki jacket, and the little black dress. In the latter, a flight of fancy in swirls of feathers and fringe, sprays of flowers, and clusters of jewels worn as tops.
Related article: The ELLE Word: Inside New York Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2026
Ready, Set, Shimmy!
Designers make a stand against the flattening effect of AI and our screens by going big on flouncy, fringed and tufted textures that can only be crafted by hand—and that are begging to be touched. In her Bottega Veneta debut, Louis Trotter put a hyper-modern spin on fur by crafting it out of recycled fibreglass. Pierpaolo Piccioli in his Balenciaga debut likewise put an emphasis on intricate tactility befitting the couture House. More glorious textures pop up at Louis Vuitton, Stella McCartney and Givenchy. These are pieces that look best in motion—better still, on the dance floor.
Related article: The Bags We're Eyeing From The Spring/Summer 2026 Runways
Through The Hourglass
Sculpting the body has never been more in vogue. This season, designers are interested again in that classical female form of snatched waists and padded hips—only this time around, it looks liberating instead of constricting. In his Dior debut, Jonathan Anderson paid homage to the "new look" by not just exaggerating it but also lightening it. Duran Lantink does a cheeky rendition of the crinoline at Jean Paul Gualtier, while Loewe and Stella McCartney go the modern route—the former's mini-crini dress is in moulded leather; the latter's is chopped into a going-out top and paired with jeans.
The Witching Hour
The goth girl is back and she’s all grown up. An abundance of details and surface treatments keeps the black dress from being anything but basic. See the nipped-in waists and corsetry at Mugler, Blumarine and Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood; the intricate lace and winged silhouettes at Dior; and the high-shine vinyl-like textures at Ferragamo.
Related article: The Peplum Is Back, But Not As You Remember It
Shell Yeah!
Underwater motifs are surfacing everywhere. Ralph Lauren Collection, Chloé and Loro Piana transform conches into jewellery; Chanel wraps corals around the neck; while Ulla Johnson and Loewe turn mussels into must-have bags. Balmain, on the other hand, goes into full siren mode with a dress encrusted all over with shells.
Crossing The Line
Someone call the traffic police—these stripes refuse to stay in their lane. Ganging up with glitz, edged along co-ords or deliberately running wild in different directions, these not-so-classic stripes are pushing the limits. Loewe, Missoni, Zomer and Anteprima rework the print in punchy colours to inject playfulness into what was once considered a classic pattern. Chanel and Dries Van Noten mix vertical and horizontal lines, while Rabanne toughens them up with metal. The verdict? Order is so overrated.
Pretty Tough
As brands seek to outdo each other with viral moments and clothes that will pop on the feed, fashion can sometimes veer towards the frivolous. Luckily, there are still plenty of designers who understand that sometimes all we want are no-nonsense clothes that will work hard for us. Enter the utilitarian shirt and jacket that feel like modern-day armour. Think tough khakis and canvas, and practical cargo pockets galore. That’s not to say they have to be boring. Prada jazzed things up with opera gloves and bubble skirts; Burberry showed them with disco metallics; and Sacai cut them into cocooning capes.
Related article: Why Pastel Pink Is The Shade That Matters This Spring
Petal To The Metal
It’s a perennial springtime motif but designers really do increasingly groundbreaking things with florals each season. For spring/summer 2026, the print is combined with inventive silhouettes and unexpected textures for a new take. Fendi does chintzy, Zimmermann goes carpet-y, and Jil Sander’s tabletop, plastic-wrap look tempers sensuality with something a little clinical and sinister. Chloé and Patou both looked to ‘80s couture boldness. Accessories are in full bloom too. Giant flowers and fronds sprouted from heels at Dior, Rabanne and Meryll Rogge.
Flight Mode
What once served as nothing more than a decorative trimming has been elevated to centre stage. Think sweeping trims, fluttering hems and full-body feathers that sway with every step. Givenchy and Bottega go head-to-toe with unapologetic fluff, while Chanel and Balenciaga add dramatic feather accents onto skirts. McQueen blends the sharp and soft with metallics and shredded chiffon, and Gucci does demure with subtle wisps around hems and cuffs.
Shirt Happens
The white shirt is one of those pieces that is such a staple we probably don’t think about them anymore—just something in our wardrobe we reflexively reach for. That makes it ripe for reinvention. Leading the charge is Matthieu Blazy in his Chanel debut, pairing shirts made using Charvet techniques (Coco Chanel was famously a client) with ballskirts—the ultimate in masculine-feminine dressing. Louis Vuitton uses it to ground its more fantastical offerings, while at Givenchy, it serves as a key building block in Sarah Burton’s vision of the modern woman’s wardrobe.
Related article: Louis Vuitton’s Spring/Summer 2026 Collection Recasts Luxury Through An Inward LensÂ
Into The Fold
Channel your inner Grecian goddess—she’s closer than you think. At Celine, Elie Saab and Coperni, fluid fabrics are twisted, knotted and gathered around the body, revealing just the right amount of skin. Elsewhere at Valentino and Tom Ford, gentle draping is contrasted with strong colours for an updated take on the look.
Body Of Work
Is it a necklace? Is it a top? Who cares—it’s fabulous. From cascading metal chains at Givenchy to gem-encrusted bodices at Maison Margiela and earthy beads at Balmain, designers blur the line between jewellery and clothing. Whether worn solo or layered under sharp tailoring, they turn the torso into a hot commodity.
Clash Course
The message is clear: Less matching, more mixing. Get ready for a glorious mash-up of clashing prints—florals with stripes, checks interrupting paisleys, lace layered over more lace—all instinctively spliced and collaged together. Sacai and Etro piece contrasting patterns together, while Elie Saab and Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood take a softer approach by twisting pastel florals into gentle drapes. It may sound chaotic on paper, but on the runway, these loud looks land with intention.
Related article: Bookcore: The Literature-Laced Fashion Trend Dominating Our Feeds
Chroma Drama
Get ready—we’re dialling the saturation all the way up. Vivid tones take centre stage with zero interest of blending in. Prada and Dior present sculptural coat dresses in violet and vibrant greens, with clean lines amplifying the impact. Alaïa, Celine and Givenchy turn up the heat in electric reds, while MM6 Maison Margiela, Tod’s and Ferragamo soften the palette with buttery yellows that feel refreshing. Meanwhile, emerald green collides with romantic magenta at Fendi in a way that makes colour clashing look utterly sophisticated.