OUR FAVOURITE SPRING/SUMMER 2026 TRENDS

editor MAREK BARTEK

The fashion month is officially over. Somewhere between New York and Paris, we have witnessed it all. Debuts, tops, and flops; but most importantly we’ve seen designers’ visions for our industry in the coming season. We’ve been confronted with commentary on what’s happening in the world, we’ve been invited to escape, just for a while.

We live in strange times, no doubt, and that directly translates into not only what we put on but also trends, aesthetic shifts, and how we perceive beauty. Without further ado, these are our favourite — or at least, according to us, the most defining — trends of Spring/Summer 2026.

GOTHIC PRETTY

left to right: DIOR, SIMONE ROCHA, ANN DEMEULEMEESTER, COMME DES GARÇONS, MAGDA BUTRYM, DIOR ACNE STUDIOS and DIOR MEN provided by the brands

Everyone’s gone through at least one emo/goth period in their lives, and fashion seems to be doing the same thing. Only this time, it feels slightly more glamorous. It’s gothic but through a lens of elegance and beauty. Is it a form of escapism? Is it our way of daydreaming about past events and romanticising times we’ve never lived through? It just might be. It is our version of fairytale dressing in the modern world.

We’ve seen a resurgence of hussar jackets, ornaments that, for lack of a better word, seem dark. Headwear has become more elaborate, often referencing its historical counterparts. Prime examples are Dior’s tricorns or Magda Butrym’s take on Edwardian hats. There have been capes and cape coats, bows, and many versions of bloomers. And then there has been experimentation with boning. Often exposed, it created fascinating forms, mimicking the dressing that featured bustles and panniers.

 

FEATHER ME THIS

left to right: BOTTEGA VENETA, STELLA MCCARTNEY, LOUIS VUITTON, BOTTEGA VENETA, SIMKHAI, ISSEY MIYAKI, BOTTEGA VENETA and CHANEL provided by the brands

Fall/Winter 2025 was defined by everyone’s obsession with (faux) fur, and this season we’ve exchanged fur for (faux) feathers. Coats, dresses, you name it, there were feathers. But digging deeper, this is a part of a bigger trend. In the times when we spend so much time engaged digitally, there is a yearning to feel and to touch. Tactility has become a desire, and designers are sensitive to this.

Beyond feathers, there’s been a lot of experimentation with materials that make you want to run your hands through them. Bottega Veneta’s recycled fiberglass and Intrecciato, Chanel’s flower-fringe skirts, or Simkhai’s fish scale dress. Givenchy, Louis Vuitton, Area, Rick Owens, Stella McCartney, Balenciaga… the list just goes on. Each, in their own way, turn texture into something emotional.

 

THE LIFE OF A HOUSEWIFE

left to right: MIU MIU, PRADA, CALVIN KLEIN, RAVE REVIEW, CHLOE, PRADA, MIU MIU, ANDREAS KRONTHALER FOR VIVIENNE WESTWOOD and AUGUST BARRON provided by the brand

Going back to going back — though not quite to the witch burnings. The nostalgia took us aesthetically to the post-war 1950s, when the idea of the “perfect housewife” ruled the house. However, this time around, it’s not about submission but a celebration of hard work, using the aesthetics as ironical commentary on patriarchy, one look at a time.

This one is particularly interesting because we can see these references through rather distinct lenses, even within one collection. Prada’s Womenswear opened the collection with utility workwear sets and halfway through the presentation offered knees length space age-inspired tea dresses. We’ve seen iterations of this also at Chloé or August Barron. Miu Miu dedicated the entire collection to aprons, pinafores, and floral wrap-overs, and even though it was maybe the most apparent collection doing so, it most certainly wasn’t the only one. Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood gave us red-and-white stripe apron-like dress, Rave Review, Alainpaul, David Koma, Calvin Klein — all pitching their own interpretations.

 

GOING ALL OUT

left to right: DILARA FINDIKOGLU, MCQUEEN, HERMÈS, GIVENCHY, PRADA, JIL SANDER, GIVENCHY, VERSACE and VALENTINO provided by the brand

Not literally, but there has been an abundance of bras on the runways this season. Even if they were layered underneath other pieces, it was made sure that we get to see them. This feels like a yet another stage of what we’ve witnessed trending over the past seasons. Cone bras have been making a comeback with brands like Dolce & Gabbana or Miu Miu. It was always about a subtle recognition of underwear, and this time it finally got its spot in the light. From Prada to Jil Sander, and from Versace to Hermès.

As shallow as this trend might seem, it is important to put it into the context of the world’s events. At the time when women’s rights are being questioned and stripped away, when feminism is frowned upon, bra becomes a tool of liberation, a symbol of resistance, a reminder that women are their own autonomous beings, and a reclamation of women’s rights to their own bodies.

 

CHECKS AND DOTS

left to right: ACNE STUDIOS, KHAITE, BRANDON MAXWELL, HENRIK VIBSKOV, BURBERRY, VALENTINO, BRANDON MAXWELL, CONNER IVES and BURBERRY provided by the brand

The two patterns of the season — besides the ever-so-groundbreaking florals — are checks and polka dots.

Usually connected to the autumnal mood of Gilmore Girls, pumpkin spice lattes, and all things lumberjack, checks are making a rather surprising appearance in the spring/summer collections. With that being said, they, of course, got a slight upgrade, and instead of muted colours, we saw bright colourways. Brandon Maxwell, Henrik Vibskov, Maximilian Raynor, Acne Studios, Kiko Kostadinov and Burberry (Duh!), all went out of their way so that we can wear checks all year long.

When it comes to polka dots, they tend to make an entrance to the industry every now and then, only to be forgotten until they resurrect again. It is an endless cycle but I’m glad we’re back at polka dots obsession. Inseparable from the retro feel, it might be yet another indicator of us looking for something in the past, but this time something whimsical, almost childlike. Something that can bring back the good memories and help us forget about the troubles for at least a while. From big to small, from Coach to Valentino, dots are back!

 

BUT DOES IT COME IN PINK, GREEN OR PURPLE?

left to right: BALENCIAGA, ANN DEMEULEMEESTER, TORY BURCH, CALVIN KLEIN COLLECTION, BALMAIN, SAINT LAURENT, PRADA, BALENCIAGA and GIORGIO ARMANI provided by the brand

You know a colour is trending when a brand like Ann Demeulemeester can’t resist.  And that’s exactly what’s happened. ‘Think pink’ from Funny Face was on the minds of all creative directors this season. Pink suits and skirt at Ann Demeulemeester, pink set at Calvin Klein, pink dress at Prada, at Alaïa, at Balenciaga.

Another colour of the season is green. It appeared in many shades, from khaki at Prada and Balmain to absinthe at Balenciaga or Burberry. It is a colour of life, nature and renewal, and now also of Spring/Summer 2026.

Last but most definitely not least, is the royal purple. Just like green, it came in different shades, but all in all, it brought a sense of excitement and mystique. Valentino paired it with green, Stella McCartney presented a beautiful feather dress, and at Giorgio Armani, we saw the unforgettable purple skirt and top with the  late designer’s portrait.

Next
Next

TIFFANY & CO. MEETS FRANKENSTEIN ON NYC'S FIFTH AVENUE