The Fashion Trends Defining Spring/Summer 2026

Words by Sophia Miller

The new season is here – and the winds of change have rarely whipped up such a frenzy in the fashion world. With new creative directors in place at Chanel, Dior, Bottega Veneta and Loewe – to name just a few – the mood was one of energy, joy and fresh perspective. As for the fashion itself? A focus on colour, silhouette and craftsmanship proved an antidote to subdued earlier seasons, as quiet luxury was replaced by bold experimentation and individualism. So, take a front-row seat: fashion’s next chapter has begun, and these are the trends that defined Spring/Summer 2026.

The first blush of spring often brings a softening of winter’s harsh lines and structured tailoring, and Spring/Summer 2026 was no exception. Sheer silhouettes, lace and florals all featured at Jonathan Anderson’s Dior debut, while McQueen, Schiaparelli and Givenchy were just some of the designers to embrace an unapologetically sultry take on femininity – think corsetry, nipped-in waists and trompe-l’oeil hourglass detailing. Borrow from both sides by toughening up diaphanous dresses with black accessories and chunky hardware.

When spirits are low, lift them with colour. This season, fashion taps into a sense of optimism – and the palette is big and bold. Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez came in strong for their Loewe debut with a crayon box of primary hues, from canary yellow to pillarbox red, and the likes of Tom Ford and Zimmermann offered a slightly more pared-back take on pink. Elsewhere, Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar are designating cobalt blue as the 2026 colour trend to watch, after appearances at Celine, Lanvin, Simkhai and Victoria Beckham. The only rule? The brighter, the better.

Luckily for office-goers, the season’s collections offered plenty of excitement where tailoring was concerned. Chloé, Alaïa and Balenciaga – the latter under the new direction of Valentino alumnus Pierpaolo Piccioli – lead the force with razor-sharp pleating, ’80s-inspired drapery and puffball skirts, while the oversized trench coat stood out as a hero piece.

In a digitised era, designers are increasingly gravitating towards the kind of fine craftsmanship that can only be executed by the (highly skilled) human hand. On the SS26 runways, that manifested as an exuberant bustle of feathers, tassels and fringing. At Bottega Veneta, Louise Trotter showed jackets and skirts made from iridescent recycled fibreglass, alongside a fringed cape that took 4,000 hours to make. And over at Chanel, Matthieu Blazy closed his triumphant debut with the “piña colada” skirt, a colourful explosion of a piece stitched with silk and feather flowers. Styled with a simple silk tee, it was the look that defined the no-holds-barred exuberance of the season. This is fashion that sparks joy.