The top 5 unmissable SS26 fashion trends brands should plan for

Don’t you just love it when someone does the hard work for you? Come and sit by us, pal — we’ve trawled the industry’s favorite fashion publications to collect flaming hot intel on the five SS26 fashion trends that we think will dominate early next year.

We'll explore the designers, silhouettes, and styling behind garments that go from the sheets to the streets, demand the curated chaos of excess, and more. You won’t find a whiff of commercial bias here, either! Just pure relevance and core ideas. This is the first in a series of blog post roundups designed to give you a neat top-down view of the upcoming must-know trends for SS26 (because we're nice like that!).

Shall we get into it?

1. Go big or go home: Ultra maximalism

During times of austerity, we see maximalist fashion sweep in and dominate with a ‘more is more’ attitude. And make no mistake — this isn’t just maximum print or color, it’s maximum everything. That means exaggerated silhouettes, extreme volume, and layering, layering, layering!

Clashing or mix-and-match prints, jacquard, and ‘80s technicolor brights are all the rage for textures and prints (you can find more on that in a dedicated blog post), but 2026’s maximalism wouldn’t be ‘ultra’ if it weren’t delivering the OTT goods in other ways, too.

Next year’s maximalism also includes volume…and lots of it! We’re talking soft, sumptuous layering, power suiting, oversized sleeves, billowing chiffon culottes, and exaggerated silhouettes that play with the dimensions of human form. You’ll find examples of this ultra maximalism on SS26 runways from designers like Givenchy, Ferrari, and The Attico.

Hips have become the new favorite focal point of womenswear, too. Designers like Simone Rocha, Erdem, Stella McCartney, and TOGA are bringing va-va-voom to the hip using crinolines, draping, and shapely layers to add structure and volume.

2. Born to move: Fringing, tassels, feathers

Early 2026 is shaping up to be a fabulous year for anyone obsessed with garments that invite movement. We saw tassels and fringing edging their way into the limelight via jewelry and adornments during AW25, and they’re making their way into garmentry for 2026.

Roksanda, Bottega Veneta, Louis Vuitton, Edeline Lee, Alaïa, and Ahluwalia are fab examples of the different ways tassels and fringing can be used, from the bold masculinity of leather and chains to the fluid femininity of long silken threads.

Tassels and fringing are just part of a larger nod towards Art Deco and the Jazz Age. We’re seeing feather detailing, beaded embellishments, and drop waists—a la Tory Burch, Victoria Beckham, and 16Arlington—all over catwalks. We’re here for the movement!

3. Stand to attention: Uniform dressing and heritage chic

Are you loving the ‘high-low’ mix and match approach to upcoming fashion trends so far? We’ve got a feeling you’re going to love this next one — a fresh, novel approach to uniform and heritage dressing. Starched shirts buttoned to the throat, khaki color palettes, parkas, and utilitarian jumpsuits marched their way down catwalks for Dušan, Prada, and Hodakova.

Dare we say it, but shirting is a key trend for SS26, too. Designers like Chanel and Junya Watanabe showed shirt-centric looks, toying with the fashion staple through oversizing, layering multiple shirts, playful neck ties, and mixing with informal, unstructured maxi skirts and outrageous footwear.

You’re also likely to see Argyle checks hitting the streets in spring and summer. Like many of the trends in this list, you’ll find the formal diamond pattern and heritage vibe undercut with flowing skirts, denim, and layered with relaxed streetwear.

4. Historical haute couture: High-necks and Rococo flourishes

Some fashion elements are literally timeless, and nothing proves this more than SS26 fashion trends. Designers like Erdem and Edeline Lee made liberal use of high-necked, ruffled Victoriana-style pie crust collars, mixed with soft draping, structural tucks, and bare arms to strike a balance between structured formality and relaxed everyday wear.

Caroline Hu and Vaquera showcased layered petticoats, ruffles, embroidered embellishments, voluminous shapes, and even the odd pannier at SS26 runway shows, signaling a romantic nod to a time when feminine opulence was key for a killer look.

5. With a twist: Timeless classics get a makeover

A timeless and much-loved wardrobe staple, the little black dress, has seen extra care and attention from designers like Celine, Akris, and Balenciaga ahead of SS26. Unlike the short, irresistibly tight, coquettish dresses of yesteryear, the new LBD is slouchy, long, and dramatically draped. She’s a new classic for a new generation!

The LBD isn’t the only timeless garment classic getting a makeover, 2026 style — nightwear is also being reinvented…as daywear. We spotted PJ suiting, frothy lace chemises, and silky slip dresses on runways for August Barron, Isabel Marant, and social media posts worldwide. Prepare to see bralettes worn as tops, too; Versace and Prada were both doing it!

And finally, in what may or may not be a reaction to trad wife life on social media, aprons have also been spotted on runways. The humble apron is being reclaimed as a be-frilled, daintily patterned layer by way of Miu Miu and Levittown, or clean-cut, Spartan, and long-lined like Vivienne Westwood and BEVZA.