This spring/summer is serving up more ideas than any single issue could possibly hold. Utility dressing gets an elevated update at Lemaire, Balmain, and Akris, where cargo jackets and pocket-laden shorts were reworked in buttery-soft leathers and suedes, while Rick Owens and Ralph Lauren carried those same military-inspired codes into sheer fabrics.
Collegiate dressing made its own comeback at Thom Browne and Ralph Lauren in hyper-saturated colours rather than the usual muted plaid. And lace is pushing its case as a season-defining detail at Dolce&Gabbana, worked through trousers and full silhouettes rather than confined to necklines and hems. The runways gave us no shortage of ideas, but these are the five trends we’ll be taking into the season ahead.
1. Flat Out Chic
Ballet flats are giving way to something with a little more attitude: the hybrid ballet-derby. Slim-soled, glove-fitted, and finished with delicate lace-up detailing reminiscent of an elevated jazz shoe, the style made its runway debut under Michael Rider at Celine’s resort 2026 collection, styled with everything from jeans to sharply tailored separates. Dries Van Noten, Tibi, Jil Sander, Bottega Veneta, and Ralph Laurenall offered their own takes, proving the evolution of the flat shoe is only just beginning.
The derby borrows the polish of a loafer and the ease of a ballet flat, combining the two in a single silhouette. Pair it with a breezy midi skirt, ankle-grazing denim, or dress it up with a slip dress. Its appeal lies in that tension between polished and practical – a shoe that can move effortlessly between the two.
2. Cobalt Rush
A new hue is taking over as the season’s most saturated shade of choice: cobalt blue. This unmissable shade appeared everywhere from apparel and accessories to eyewear. Lanvin used it to punctuate classic silhouettes, while Chanel, Victoria Beckham, Loewe, and Tove each wove it into their own take on the trend, from sculptural accessories to head-to-toe looks.
For anyone easing into colour after seasons of neutrals, cobalt offers an easy yet high-impact entry point: one considered hit of colour can transform an otherwise restrained look.
3. Wrapped Up
The scarf is stepping out of the accessories drawer and into the main look. Hermès and Ferragamo styled theirs wrapped, draped, and layered as an integral part of the outfit – no longer an afterthought, but the centrepiece. Ralph Lauren, Valentino, Louis Vuitton, Celine, and Alaïa each offered their own version of the styling trick, whether knotted at the neck, tied at the waist, or draped over the shoulder like a second skin.
Locally, Ardmore’s hand-illustrated twill scarves bring that same statement-making quality, alongside Something Good Studio’sown take, proving this trend has a place beyond the European runways. The ultimate multi-tasker, a single scarf can double as a top or belt, be slung over the shoulder, or knotted around the waist, making it one of the easiest ways to refresh a wardrobe without buying another thing.
4. Turn Up the Volume
Skirts are grounding the season, offering a canvas for texture and vibrant colour. Bottega Veneta, Dries Van Noten, Loewe, Louis Vuitton, and Alaïa all explored fuller silhouettes, treating volume as the statement.
Locally, collections by Black Coffee, Helon Melon, and Irene Makhavhu at SA Fashion Week worked in that same sculptural register, proving fullness and drama translate just as powerfully on home soil. It’s a silhouette built for the season’s climate as much as its mood – enough volume to catch the breeze and move with the body, yet structured enough to anchor a look without trying too hard.
Styled with a fitted top or a cropped jacket, a full skirt brings instant proportion and drama to even the simplest pairing.
5. The Pouch Effect
Bags are softening into slouchy, boho-leaning shapes this season, trading structure for ease. Valentino and Loewe led with relaxed, unstructured pouch silhouettes, while Prada explored the same free-spirited mood with a softer, low-slung bag.
It’s the anti-hardware bag moment, with a softer, more instinctive silhouette that feels almost secondary to the outfit rather than its focal point. The shape suits the season’s mood: lived-in, unfussy, but still distinctly polished.
Get the look
- D&G Majolica print poplin dress, R38 000, dolcegabbana.com
- Burberry Gabardine asymmetric trench skirt, R33 600, burberry.com
- Karl Lagerfeld tie waist blazer in nougat, R8 990, europaart.co.za
- Boggi Milano herringbone linen and wool jacket in light blue, R17 990, europaart.co.za
- Celine half moon soft triomphe, from R53 000, celine.com
- Polo unisex 6 panel herringbone peak cap, R599, polo.co.za
- Camie Lyons x Trenery brooch, R1 000, woolworths.co.za
- GG extra fine cotton jacquard polo shirt, R28 000, gucci.com
- Gucci horsebit Ristretto medium shoulder bag, R71 200, gucci.com
- Birkenstock Repetto Arizona natural leather patent sandals, R8 999, birkenstock.co.za
- Christie Brown Shika burgundy corset, $450, christiebrownonline.com
- Fendi “Arco” colorblock slingback sandal, R24 900, apsley.co.za
- Karl Lagerfeld Ikon textured cardigan in cannoli cream, R4 890, europaart.co.za
- Christie Brown Ellie pants, $380, christiebrownonline.com
- Country Road Gwen mule, R 1 799, woolworths.co.za
- BOS Retro Running Kicks in Chilly Red, R2 999, boysofsoweto.co.za
- Vivienne Westwood platinum cream rose pearl earrings, R3 990, europaart.co.za
