The Spring/Summer 2026 Trends And How to Wear Them Now

Have you ever wished you could see into the future? While the veracity of clairvoyance is up for debate, designers are true visionaries, and their sartorial predictions for 2026 suggest a joyous year ahead for fashion. We’re in a period of creative transition with many creative director roles still in flux. Of course, with this comes a period of renewal and rebirth as newly appointed designers infuse brands with their own aesthetic language. “With so many creative shifts happening right now, there is definitely a sense of anticipation for what’s to come and we’re feeling excited to see a lot of newness,” says Brigitte Chartrand, NET-A-PORTER’s chief buying and merchandising officer. “The industry feels energized and ready for a fresh perspective.”

A celestial energy took hold as designers looked to more incorporeal sources for inspiration. At Dries Van Noten, Julian Klausner described his spring collection as “a celebration of summer and the primal energy of a ray of sun… The tranquility of the simple things.” At Chanel, Matthieu Blazy transformed Paris’s Grand Palais into a swirling solar system to stage his first collection for the storied maison, and quoted the late Gabrielle Chanel – “I love everything that is above: the sky, the moon, I believe in the stars.”

As for the clothes? Otherworldly. Spring/summer 2026 has brought us some of the most exciting, most creatively and technically astonishing, and most desirable collections to date. Behold – the SS26 trends and how to wear them now…

Mischievous, irreverent, experimental, fun – this season, designers surprised, delighted and at times broke away from their usual aesthetic languages to bring us a welcome dose of levity. Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez injected a sense of joy into their Loewe debut with bold and bright primary colors. Elsewhere, designers played with proportions, pumping them up with exaggerated pannier-style hips, extravagant sleeves, oversized bows or shrinking them down into bralettes. “Bralettes feel especially versatile this season, so we’re buying them to wear in many ways,” says Chartrand. “They bring a fresh, playful element to summer styling.” This is fashion with un clin d’œil – and we’re here for it. Add a touch of whimsy to your look with Valentino Garavani’s blazer festooned with a pretty silk-satin bow on the lapel, styled with Jacquemus’s wide-leg tailored pants, Amina Muaddi’s polka-dot pumps and a bold manicure.

When it comes to landmark moments over fashion month, the Saint Laurent show is pivotal. Beneath a twinkling Eiffel Tower, Anthony Vaccarello presents collections that never miss the mark. This season, he opened Paris Fashion Week with a series of black-and-white looks, featuring his cult leather jackets styled with matching pencil skirts, for attendees including Madonna, her daughter Lourdes, Zoë Kravitz and Hailey Bieber.

While Paris is known for its pomp, New York is recognized for its pragmatism and polish. So, it makes sense that monochrome looks dominated the city’s runways. Veronica Leoni’s sophomore outing at Calvin Klein Collection began with an effortlessly elegant off-white mini dress and matching headscarf, while emerging designer Colleen Allen crafted the most exquisite black, backless evening dress. “In New York, we saw a strong presence of monochromatic styling, which I really loved,” says Chartrand. “Toteme, for me, owned this trend with its full black-and-white collection.”

Channel timeless elegance – like New York’s minimalist muse, the late Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy – with Alaïa’s stunning ruched wool maxi dress and one of Nour Hammour’s cult leather jackets.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, and tapping into spring’s optimism, were vibrant primary colors. Chemena Kamali gave 2026’s leading purple hues the Chloé cool-girl treatment, pairing slim lilac pants with a classically Parisian sharp-shouldered top and a leather scarf belt. Meanwhile, Loewe’s aforementioned Crayola box of colors made sculptural tailoring and sleek separates really pop. Bring some summer vibrance into your spring closet with Proenza Schouler’s sunny-yellow midi dress or Savette’s lipstick-red tote.

Admittedly not groundbreaking, but very gorgeous indeed, floral prints bloomed across the spring/summer runways. The Chloé show opened with a series of cheerful floral tops and dresses inspired by pieces from the maison’s archive, designed by its founder, Gaby Aghion, and the colorful swimwear of the ’50s (the bags take cues from the era’s swimming caps). At Rabanne, Julien Dossena also referenced retro swimwear, creating a nostalgic collection of mini skirts, crop tops and capri pants in Liberty prints and pastels – topped off with 1960s-style scuba-mask, mirrored sunglasses. Add a romantic feel to your next evening event with Emilia Wickstead’s red strapless midi, adorned with blue lilies, or Erdem’s rose-appliquéd style in crinkled pink satin.

After seasons of highly structured tailoring, there’s been a mood shift to a softer, more romantic aesthetic. “Sheerness is also having a moment, with beautiful crochet dresses and delicate organza pieces,” says Chartrand. “There was a great balance between commercial apparel and emotional impact, highlighted by feature detailing and delicate embellishments.” Designers flirted with concealing and revealing as they layered diaphanous fabrics or opted for a trompe-l’œil effect, as seen at Valentino Garavani – where models in slinky sheer and lace floor-skimming dresses sauntered beneath strobe lights, while a voiceover of Pamela Anderson reading the show notes played. Meanwhile, Simone Rocha’s disheveled debutants roamed around London’s Mansion House in beautiful gowns with sheer overlays, some carrying silk pillows as though they might curl up and take a disco nap right on the runway. Make sensual sheerness your thing for your next big event and pair Calvin Klein Collection’s sheer spaghetti-strap top with Simone Rocha’s see-through pencil skirt.

Classic slingbacks were spotted at Bottega Veneta, Khaite and Saint Laurent, adding further fuel to rumors that heels are indeed making a comeback. Fear not – ultra-high stilettos are yet to make a reappearance in this post-pandemic era, where flats and sneakers have become acceptable evening attire. It has to be said, however, that there is something about putting on a real heel that transforms an outfit and, often, how you look and feel in it. Walk tall in Victoria Beckham’s 100mm-high pumps.