Everything our fashion editor is loving this season

TACTILE TEXTURES
Craft was firmly at the heart of this season’s runways. Designers showcased tassels, crochet, patchwork and hand-driven surface detail as key textural statements to bring clothes to life through movement, reinforcing craft as emotive expression rather than ornament.

& Other Stories Dress, €89, Prada Skirt, €1,100, Ganni Printed Jeans, €350

RETRO REVIVAL
On the SS26 runways, vintage floral prints emerged as one of the season’s defining trends. Nostalgic, yet reworked for a contemporary wardrobe. Designers revisited botanical motifs from the past with fresh eyes. In Paris, Chloé drew directly from its mid-century archives, splashing classic 1950s and 1960s florals across breezy cottons and silk dresses that felt retro yet revitalised. At Rabanne, Julien Dossena referenced retro swimwear with Liberty-style florals on mini skirts, crop tops and capri pants. In London, Simone Rocha and Emilia Wickstead presented delicate ditsy florals layered in organza and silk, while Erdem delivered painterly blooms on voluminous, romantic silhouettes. In Copenhagen, Ganni and Ulla Johnson clashed florals of varying scales and textures. Whether micro or bold, SS26 florals proved that heritage prints can feel directional, bridging past inspiration with present-day optimism.

Zara Slingbacks, €45.95 

TO THE POINT
A quietly pervasive footwear moment at SS26 was the elevated return of the kitten heel. A refined silhouette that bridges comfort with ladylike elegance, designers leaned into delicate slingbacks and pumps that injected polish into city- ready looks. Easy, elegant and endlessly wearable.

Loewe Flamenco Clutch, €3,000, Toteme T-lock Clutch, €800, Arket Croco-embossed Clutch, €149, Cos Ingot Clutch, €119.

GRAB AND GO
For SS26, the clutch shed its evening-only reputation to become a daytime essential. Designers re-scaled and softened silhouettes into larger, effortless shapes designed to be carried under the arm. At Bottega Veneta and Khaite, elongated east–west clutches emerged as standout pieces, while Stella McCartney introduced clutches in lilac, seafoam green and silver. Functional yet polished, the daytime clutch became the season’s ultimate arm candy.

DREAMY DEBUTS
Across the runway, there was a sense of ease and optimism, a confidence that was most palpable in the season’s debuts. In Louise Trotter’s first for Bottega Veneta, oversized tailoring, leather outerwear and sharp suiting were softened by sweeping fringe, fluid draping and tactile knitwear. Matthieu Blazy’s inaugural ready-to-wear collection for Chanel felt both homage and forward motion, where classicism and contemporary ease coexist with understated sophistication. Jonathan Anderson’s first ready-to-wear outing for Christian Dior explored proportion, lightness and craft, with silhouettes that felt subtly off-kilter in the way he does so well. Miniskirts injected youthful energy, while oversized bows and draped dresses brought theatricality.

Catwalk and street style images by Stefan Knauer. This article originally appeared in the Spring 2026 issue of IMAGE. Have you thought about becoming an IMAGE subscriber? Our Print & Digital Magazine subscribers receive all four issues of IMAGE Magazine and two issues of IMAGE Interiors directly to their door along with digital access to all digital magazines and our full digital archive plus a luxury gift from La Bougie worth €75. Visit here to find out more about our IMAGE subscription packages.