Opulent Textures and Ethereal Luminosity Combine to Signal Fall’s Next Mood
By Angela Baidoo
Across the runways of New York, London, Milan, and Paris designers responded to this time of instability with emotion. Tactility, nostalgia, and a renewed focus on the glamour of dressing up. What emerged, alongside the key themes of the season, were new feminine dress codes that amplified texture, opulence, and retro silhouettes. All three combined are set to build and instinctively shape women’s wardrobes over the next year.
From the return of the drop waist and stirrup legging to the resurgence of silk scarves and velvet, these trends point to a desire to return to individuality and dressing for self. At the same time, the dominance of fur textures, gold hardware, jewel tones, and iridescent finishes signal a reintroduction of materials and colours that feel reassuringly sensual and substantial.
Over the coming year, these emerging trends will translate from runway to everyday. Gold jewellery will accent casual outfits, silk scarves will migrate from accessories into garments, and jewel tones will sit alongside brights in a return to maximalist colour palettes that make a joyful statement, gradually reshaping how luxury and personal style are expressed in 2026.
1. The Dropped Waist
In lieu of the promised second iteration of the Roaring Twenties, designers still took their lead from the silhouettes of the decade. The dropped waist is a detail on the rise for 2026. Matthieu Blazy has been a champion of the revival since his debut collection for Chanel and for fall he made a stronger case for its adoption with straight-cut shift dresses emphasised with low-slung belts. This combination was also favoured by Prabal Gurung and Anthony Vaccarello at Saint Laurent who belted outerwear. But for evening Simone Rocha and Tory Burch paid homage with draped twists and oversized bows.
2. A Cruel(la) Winter
Fur has always been a winter mainstay for statement coats and handbags, now even more so, as a response to the need for tactility. These cosy textures took a glamorous turn as Cruella de Vil, and her black-and-white Dalmatian uniform, became the muse of the season. The most decadent style was seen at Tom Ford, where Haider Ackermann’s highly praised collection brought a heady dose of unfiltered sexiness back to fashion month. His cocoon silhouette paired with stiletto croc boots conjured the Disney villain’s persona. Leopard and tiger prints were also used to striking effect at Celine, Carolina Herrera and Antonin Tron’s Balmain debut.
3. Bet on Gold
The price of gold has sky-rocketed as consumers seek to buy into certainty at a time of instability, with the maximalist metal also signalling a return to 1980s style opulence.
Chunky gold jewellery in the form of heavyweight drop earrings and necklaces set with gem stones accented Sarah Burton’s Givenchy collection. Embossed and pleated metallics referenced the ostentation of the Gilded age at Cult Gaia, Schiaparelli, and Mugler. Lamé’s crinkled and textured created a candy wrapper effect for a casual take at Ulla Johnson, while devoré and liquid satins were an ostentatious incarnation of the goddess dress at Akris and Gucci.
Bet on Gold Accessories Too!
4. The Silk Road
Call it the Celine effect, but ever since Michael Rider began his tenure at the French luxury house – and wrapped his show invitation in a keep-sake silk scarf – the accessory of choice for ladies who lunch has taken on a new life. Nicky Zimmermann patch-worked billowing silk scarves into dresses and blouses with graphics celebrating pioneering Australian women. Conner Ives reworked equestrian-inspired squares with plisse textures and Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski proposed a fur-trimmed capelet trimmed in a classic Hermès scarf print.
5. Soft Sensuality
This fashion month texture took precedence over tame surface decoration. Satin was the go-to for all occasions, but velvet emerged as an alternative which offered a subtle dose of sensuality. The rise in jewel tones paired perfectly with the sumptuous short pile fabric. Sapphire blues were seen at Diesel and Victoria Beckham, ruby reds at Conner Ives and Giorgio Amani and emerald green at Ulla Johnson. Smokey grey offers an easy entry point into the world of velvet and was embroidered and draped at Zimmermann and Rick Owens.
6. The Stirrup Legging
Long seen as a fashion hero when it comes to essential wardrobe-building, the legging has recently had a downturn in fortunes as wide leg trousers and barrel-leg jeans up-trend. Not so the stirrup legging, especially when combined with the slingback pump à la Saint Laurent. Driven by a renewed interest in 1980s nostalgia and luxury fashion’s tie-in with ski resorts the stirrup legging was used to slick effect at Tod’s, Stella McCartney, and Jil Sander. Each brand choosing to update the style with pop colours, adjustable details, and sporty stripes.
7. Everyday Opulence
Primary brights sparked a moment of joy at a time of heightened anxiety, but more aligned with the fall season were the deeper jewel tones that were the other side of the romantic resilience coin i.e. dark romance.
Following the release of the latest adaptation of Wuthering Heights during New York fashion week, it is little wonder that the gothic novels tragic love story seeped into collections across the season. Intense shades of garnet, navy, teal, and chartreuse were featured across sheer sets at Ferragamo, cut-out maxi dresses at Cult Gaia and boudoir-ready slips at Saint Laurent. Sergio Hudson highlighted his contrast-coloured red-carpet dresses with onyx jewelled trims.
8. Ethereal Iridescence
As was widely reported, Matthieu Blazy’s first collection for Chanel was credited with causing a furore at the brands boutiques during Paris fashion week. Due to the (no small) feat of knocking the proverbial stuffing out of the French luxury house. See his most recent couture collection which featured light-as-a-feather flap bags made from the sheerest of silks. Pulling on that thread Blazy continued his wander through the ethereal for fall.
Channelling the luminous qualities of iridescence, from his glittering runway to the embellished sheer layers and chainmail tweeds, the designer harnessed a new way to add a dreamy essence to the Chanel woman’s wardrobe. Other designers taking note were Louise Trotter and her coral-coloured fibreglass creations at Bottega Veneta, Daniel Roseberry’s liquid metal column dresses at Schiaparelli and shimmering sequinned knitted sets at Rabanne.
