6 Breakout Trends From the Fall 2026 NYFW Shows

New York Fashion Week has only just begun, but trends are already starting to take shape. We’ll be updating this little roundup as the week continues, so check back soon and often!

Tap That Tapestry
It’s giving couch cushion. It’s giving carpetbagger. It’s giving deadstock fabric found in the attic of an old country seat. But it’s also giving young and sexy and modern thanks to clean lines, plenty of structure, and just the right amount of skin.

Brownout
Brown is just a color. But for evening? That’s a statement! Years ago, I heard someone say that “brown equals markdown” in fashion because it never sells well at retail. But is that still the case? Ralph Lauren certainly made compelling argument for head-to-toe brown day or night and it’s hard to imagine anyone turning up their nose at Monique Lhuillier’s liquid velvet long sleeve turtleneck gown in deepest chocolate brown.

Grungecore
True, Coach, R13, and Collina Strada always skew a little grunge (okay, more than a little) but this season feels particularly “cutting class to smoke a spliff in the parking lot” coded.

The goth girls are also hanging out in the same parking lot. It’s nice that they’re friends.

Stems and All
These florals are about more than pretty petals. Rendered in black, white, and gray, they emphasize the beauty of the lines and silhouettes created by not just a flower’s bud, but it’s stem and leaves too. It’s more sophisticated than your usual floral print and looks particularly beautiful in 3-D.

Roughed Up Leather
Leather? For fall? Groundbreaking, I know, but there is something really nice about the textures and lived-in-ness of some of the leather pieces walking the runway this season. Buttery smooth leather can feel so precious. This leather feels tough, but still soft to the touch, so you don’t have to worry about breaking it in.

Bejeweled Outerwear
Clothing with built-in-bling can skew tacky real quick. If you’re gonna do it, you have to really go for it. Which is exactly what Cinq a Sept, Libertine, and Thom Browne did with their fabulous and densely embroidered outerwear. With coats this gorgeous, do you even need to wear anything underneath?

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