The hits and misses of the spring/summer 2026 debuts

For months, the fashion industry has been speculating, discussing and looking for clues about one of the most important fashion weeks of the decade. After a wave of new creative director appointments, everyone was waiting for that one aha moment – a clear signal for a change of direction. Would it be a complete revolution? Would we see a seismic shift in tone and style as fashion enters a new era? Well – not quite.

There was evolution, yes, but also a lot of rotation. Fashion remains a game of travel to Jerusalem, with a small circle of designers moving between houses as soon as contracts expire or sales stagnate. This is not pessimism, but reality. In today’s market, few creative directors stay in their position for long periods of time. The French fashion house Dior, for example, is unlikely to be Jonathan Anderson’s last stop.

This is a reminder that the customers of many large houses are being courted again this season. The Dior customer who appreciated elegant tailoring may not see herself in Anderson’s vision. This seems more self-referential and less geared towards everyday clothing. The same customer could now turn to the French fashion house Balenciaga. There, Pierpaolo Piccioli removed the streetwear codes introduced by Demna Gvasalia and established a new understanding of elegance and lightness. Tailoring is no longer seen as an act of rebellion, but rather as a form of refinement.

Gucci

Commercial pressure was palpable at Italian fashion house Gucci, where Gvasalia stepped in to revive a flagging vision. The house needs bestsellers that sell well, and the designer knows that. He came clean and based himself on the archetypes of the modern Gucci customer.

In his tongue-in-cheek way, he reignited the discussion about the brand. This kind of buzz generates interest and hopefully sales. Whether this will last in the long term is another question. The French luxury goods group Kering has been quick to bring new products to stores. Hopefully this will lead to an increase in sales by the end of the year.

Dior

At Dior, one of the most anticipated debuts in women’s fashion this season, the mood was mixed after the show’s shine wore off. Anderson had goodwill on his side. However, the general consensus was that accessories were the strongest category. The hats, which quickly became memes as ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ merchandise, dominated online conversations. The clothing itself divided opinions.

Tunics tucked into culottes and artificial bows on everything offered plenty of charm for editorials, but perhaps less so for everyday wear. Menswear’s debut had a cooler casualness; women’s fashion appeared more playful. Nevertheless, the shoes and bags showed commercial potential. In the current market, this is crucial for a strong result.

Bottega Veneta

At the Italian fashion house Bottega Veneta, Louise Trotter, one of the few women at the helm of a major luxury house, made an outstanding debut. Their focus on technology and craftsmanship brought the brand back to what it does best: leather, weaving and construction. Even though the outerwear seemed more fall-like than spring-like, there was a real beauty and strength in the pieces. They served as a reminder of how much skill is required to produce quality clothing and accessories.

Chanel

The same attention to craftsmanship and detail could also be seen at the French fashion house Chanel. Matthieu Blazy, fresh from Bottega Veneta, celebrated his debut there with a standing ovation. After Virginie Viard’s departure in 2024, the collections were led by the in-house design team. Blazy managed to lead the establishment into a new chapter without alienating its regular customers.

Everything seemed lighter: wool checks became sought-after suits, tweeds lost their formality and classic quilting gave way to unstructured, loose shapes. A collaboration with the French shirt manufacturer Charvet connected the past and present. This showed Blazy’s sense of balance and progression that doesn’t erase the story.

Jil Sander

At German fashion brand Jil Sander, Simone Bellotti reminded us why minimalism still matters. His collection was an exercise in sophistication. He removed everything superfluous, emphasized the silhouette and maintained enough tension to avoid sterility. In a season full of ‘concepts’, his directness was refreshing and unobtrusively powerful.

Versace

Also in Milan, Dario Vitale achieved something that few expected: he made the Italian fashion house Versace cool again. That’s no small feat for a brand that, until this month, was owned by a mid-market operator. He didn’t always understand the nuances of luxury.

The new Versace was sexy, confident and self-deprecating – a touch of nostalgia with a modern twist. It had energy, and in a market where energy leads to sales, that’s worth its weight in gold.

Jean-Paul Gaultier

Duran Lantink’s first collection for the French fashion house Jean Paul Gaultier was less convincing. Shock effects, skin, spectacle – yes, it ticked all those boxes. But despite all the provocation, there was a lack of substance. Gaultier was once a master tailor who could combine irreverence with precision. Here the pendulum swung too much in the former direction. Attention, yes. Clothing, not so much.

Looking ahead, the season feels more like a realignment than a revolution. Accessories are once again the commercial lifeline. They will decide whether these collections are successful beyond the catwalk. Customer loyalty is more fluid than ever. When designers move between houses, their followers do the same. The challenge now is not just to make a good debut. It’s about maintaining momentum, converting applause into sales and creating long-term identity from storytelling.

Growth has slowed in an uncertain luxury market. Big corporations are under pressure to prove that creative new appointments can bring financial returns. This could be the real story of Spring/Summer 2026: Not who changed fashion, but who captured its attention.