Spring 2026 So Far

With so much attention focused on the numerous creative director debuts this fashion cycle, what has been most exciting is seeing designers paying homage to one another: Demna to Tom Ford and Alessandro Michele; Yohji Yamamoto to Giorgio Armani, and Pierpaolo Piccioli to Demna and Nicolas Ghesquière. It’s nice to see camaraderie in an industry known for being rather cutthroat.

That aside, the Spring 2026 shows so far have tapped many trends we’ve seen recently: 18th century remix, sheer fabrics, lingerie (especially bra tops), 1970s, 1980s, rock n’ roll, and surrealism. And while this isn’t an exhaustive roundup of trends for the season – since the shows are ongoing – it is a recap of things that have visually stood out for me over the last few weeks.

I feel like I’ve been talking about the Rococo for at least a year now, but designers still have not moved on from that era’s overt femininity, which has been the overarching trend this season. This V&A article on the Rococo is a great primer on the style and discusses it from the perspective of it being a rebellion against the order and rules of the more masculine Classical aesthetic. Which is one of the reasons the style is sticking around, particularly in our current global socio-political environment. As some designers mentioned, it’s also about romance in dark times. Regardless, the corsets, panniers, underskirts, and yards of lace – all elements intrinsic to the style – have been prevalent in every city.

Also ongoing is the interest in old school haute couture silhouettes. Classic 1950’s shapes were seen at Carolina Herrera, Richard Quinn, Erdem, Prada, Huishan Zhang, Cecilie Bahnsen, and Balenciaga. At Jason Wu, Pauline Dujancourt and Matières Fécales, there was an exploration of the same era, but 1950’s polish was replaced with distressed fabrics and unraveled seams.

With luxury under fire from numerous scandals (manufacturing, low quality, pricing), the element of the human hand is another trend that is still going strong. From crochet and beading to 3-D floral appliques (Altuzarra) and sculpted tulle ruffles (Aknvas, Diotima and Fendi), designers put a spotlight on their workshops. Feathers and fringe were everywhere, except at Stella McCartney, who brilliantly embroidered blades of grass on dresses to mimic the concept in an animal-friendly way. And at Louise Trotter’s incredible debut at Bottega Veneta, she thoroughly embraced the idea of artisanship by showcasing the brand’s Intrecciato leather technique on everything from jacket lapels to luxurious, midi-length leather coats. Trotter even had the house’s artisans assemble colorful recycled fiberglass into chubby jackets and fluffy skirts.

A few designers went in a completely different direction and looked to Morocco for inspiration. Through fluid tailoring and desert hues, punctuated with neutral tones, designers explored a relaxed, but polished North African vibe. Calcaterra, Ports 1961, Adam Lippes, and Sa Su Phi showed beautiful collections that embraced the idea.

And finally, as I am still reviewing shows, here are a few favorite Spring 2026 collections to check out in addition to the ones mentioned above: Simone Bellotti for Jil Sander (a beautiful, colorful reset of the brand, which referenced both Jil Sander and Raf Simons), Yohji Yamamoto (ultra light materials and delicate pleating), and Alaia and Balenciaga (both super chic).