The marathon dedicated to women’s collections for next winter ends. Between confirmations and little news, a reassuring season awaits us.
The curtain falls on month of women’s fashion. With last night’s Pierre Cardin show in Paris, it’s time to take stock of the style of next autumn/winter 2026. Starting from New York, the style tour de force unfolded between London, Milan and Paris, recounting the creativity of over 440 brands. Between famous fashion houses, high-class debuts and new names, fashion reflects the uncertainties of contemporaneity, favoring safe choices and postponing thrilling opportunities until next season. With a few exceptions, in fact, the style becomes cautious, almost shy, it is appropriate to say that even fashion is waiting for better times to give space to the most disruptive creativity. A clear trend since the first shows in the Big Apple, where there is no shortage of confirmations, Calvin Klein designed by Monica Leoni, Michael Kors and Carolina Herrera in the Wes Gordon version, but it was above all Nicola Brognano who sparked attention who made his debut at the helm of 7 For All Mankind. The designer, former creative director of Blumarine, confirmed what everyone knows, but perhaps doesn’t say out loud enough: not only is he talented, but he knows how to seize the moment, synthesizing nostalgia and sex appeal. London fashion week, despite the commitment of the British Fashion Council, continues to go through a transition phase, where big names like Burberry are noticed but the disruptive avant-garde that has always characterized the work of talents across the Channel cannot be seen on the horizon. Of course, names like Themperly London, Julien Macdonald, Jhon Richmond and then Joseph are back on the calendar – and this is a good sign, but the feeling is that the most interesting collection is that of Lidl, the German supermarket chain, which after the Croissant of 2024, is teaming up again with the American designer Nik Bentel with the new Trolley Bag. There was then great anticipation for Milan with five hot tickets: Maria Grazia Chiuri from Fendi; Izumi Ogino from Anteprima, Emporio Armani with the co-ed show signed by Silvana Armani and Leo Dell’Orco; Meryll Rogge at Marni and Demna Gvasalia at the helm of Gucci. The result? Maria Grazia Chiuri and Demna Gvasalia did what they do best, the former underlining rigor and method and the latter reinterpreting the golden era of Tom Ford. The collections are beautiful, but what triggers the hype are the parterre and the participation of Kate Moss. Probably the most interesting show in terms of news was Marni’s: Meryll Rogge rekindles the original spirit of the brand, well done. Prada is a different matter – but until when? – the collection is intellectual and talks about the transformative power of femininity, but then you remember the accessories. Among the new names, it is Liwen Liang’s material aesthetic that awakens the presentation calendar. Last stop Paris with a hundred appointments including Antonin Tron’s first collection at Balmain; the farewell of Pieter Mulier from Alaïa and the second tries of Jonathan Anderson from Dior, Matthieu Blazy from Chanel, Mark Thomas from Carven; Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez at Loewe with a co-ed show and then again Miguel Castro Freitas at Mugler, Pierpaolo Piccioli at Balenciaga and Duran Lantink at Jean Paul Gaultier. And the latter, after a questionable debut, repositions itself among the brands to watch. The French calendar lacked the creativity of Coperni, who is going through a crisis phase, and the vision of Margiela who is away at Shanghai Fashion Week. On the maison side, Saint Laurent does not disappoint, but it does not exalt even though the celebration of the 60th anniversary of its tuxedo has found quite a bit of acclaim; Tom Ford under the creative aegis of Haider Ackerman is increasingly interesting, Hermés is business as usual, Louis Vuitton relies on the wow effect of volumes and a dizzying front row and Miu Miu approaches the aesthetics of Prada and plays on casting, bringing Chloë Sevigny and Gillian Anderson to the catwalk. Dior and Chanel underline their couture DNA, highlighting the undoubted talent of their respective designers, but perhaps a season of testing is still needed to complete the handover. At the forefront, moreover, are Hanna R. Dalton and Steven R. Bhasaskaran of Matières Fécales, and Henry Alexander Levy of Enfants Riches Déprimés.
