The top FW26 fabric trends you should know

These Fall/Winter 2026 fabric trends will make you feel things…literally.
Texture is the name of the game for the colder seasons this year. Tactility, clashing prints and textures, and layering will all be key themes to watch — it’s all about showing the (very human!) skill of pulling together a seemingly random but confidently cohesive look.

We’ve been trawling the catwalks to bring you the latest intel from the world’s most exciting designers, totally free from agenda or bias. These are the facts as we see ‘em, so come on through and don’t forget to take notes!

1. Romantic opulence

Okay, okay — ‘romantic opulence’ isn’t a fabric type; it’s a vibe. However, the vibe is so potent that it encompasses several fabric types and spans about 100 years of fashion history, from French Rococo in the 18th century to Victorian Gothic in the early 19th century.

Let’s start with lace; designers like Erdem and Dreaming Eli have been using this in lingerie-style dresses, and Sinead Gorey used it in full-coverage garments with corsets and lingerie over top, ruffled at the neck and cuffs. It’s sexy, but it’s also hella dreamy.

You can’t have an aristocratic historical trend without silk; heavy weights give structure and volume to skirts, while lightweight silky ribbons (like those used in Simone Rocha’s designs) create a historical feel and add a pop of color and movement. Pays des Fées’ Fairyland collection uses thick quilted fabrics for leg-of-mutton sleeves and sheer fabrics to create whimsy, theatricality, and a sense of play via layering and ruffling.

You’re going to need a lot of this fabric, too. Several seasonal collections, like Khaite, Sandy Liang, and Prabal Gurung, made use of what the fashion world is calling the ‘everyday train’ — long, layered tails of fabric designed to add drama.

2. Heritage plaids and check

Prepare for trench coats…with a twist. Whether it's unexpected embellishments, clashing prints, or multiple tactile surfaces at play with one another, these aren’t your standard coats! Many have a distinctly upcycled, patchwork vibe, like the standout trench from AGRO Studio’s The Wanderer collection, which rocks clashing, overlaid prints with shearling details. Natasha Zinko showed an upcycled-style long trench, and HUI showed a long, simple trench with a contrasting brushed wool bottom layer. Burberry also got in on the plaid mixed-material action, showing two leather-trimmed, fur-collared trenches for Fall/Winter: a plum number with oxblood fur and leather trims, and a gunmetal grey version with black trims.

When it comes to plaid, knee-length skirts are the thing — Rabanne, Anna Sui, and Coach all showed knee-length, form-skimming skirts paired with other textures (lace tights or lace slips) and clashing prints or colors for visual overload

3. Faux fur and raw wool

The first place you’ll find faux fur is outerwear. We spotted standout looks at Valentino, Bottega Veneta, Erdem, and Gucci, all of which showed fur coats that hit the knee or dared to go lower. We spotted plain and printed varieties, designed with oversized slouch to be worn belted or open to reveal a peek of the killer outfit below.

Wool and fur are also a key trim for the military jacket trend. Ann Demeulemeester layered an oversized cream shearling collar (a huge trend in its own right, btw!) over a velvet military jacket. George Keburia turned out military looks in two colorways — a tone-on-tone charcoal jacket with shearling trim and gold braiding, and a Prussian blue jacket with grey-and-white striped fur trim and silver braiding.

The curly, wild texture of wool made a statement on runways for Burberry and Toga, who gave us variants on the classic shearling jacket, the latter teaming it with a raw, shaggy wool scarf for maximum volume and warmth. Connor Ives and Toga chose to feral-ify simple tops by adding shaggy wool collars and cuffs, taking basics into a new realm of texture and interest. And if the addition of a wool or fur collar to an outfit isn’t statement

4. Moody velvets

Is this a 70s throwback we spot? Velvet was spotted all over catwalks for Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and Alaïa, as sharp tailoring and military jackets make their comeback. Calvin Klein and Alaïa used the tactile, sumptuous fabric for sharply tailored suits that prioritize simplicity, plunging necklines, and strong silhouettes.

Ralph Lauren used velvet to give a dropped-waist Grecian-style dress some edge, and Ann Demeulemeester went full Jimi Hendrix, using midnight blue velvet for a Napoleonic military coat. The colors for these looks are typically sultry in tone — think dark oxblood, black, muted bronze, and midnight blue.

5. Minimalist, elevated fabrics

If you thought the ‘Clean Girl’ trend was out of our lives, you’d better think again (she’s just got a new dress). The popularity of Disney's recent Love Story TV series put Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s work with Calvin Klein back on the map — simple, classic silhouettes and undeniably chic, understated fabrics that ooze quiet luxury.

Calvin Klein, Alaïa, and Gucci all showed simple, pencil-length dresses on their FW26 catwalks; each in neutral shades of black, nude, and green, with clean lines and figure-skimming fits. The look is clean and elevated, and it goes with anything — these are investment pieces designed to look effortlessly chic and put together for years to come. If you sashay to the other side of the spectrum, you’ll find designers like Patrick McDowell and Di Petsa showing minimalist, form-skimming Grecian-style silk dresses that let the body do the talking.