5 Womenswear Trend Predictions for Fall/Winter 2026

Cupido took a page from Balenciaga’s recent performance collection, pairing soft bomber jackets with maxi bubble skirts – bringing a feminine influence to sporty looks. “We’d like to see more designs like this, including soft silhouettes, ruffles on the bottoms and balloon shapes in wide-leg pants, allowing the romantic influence to permeate a sporty or sporty aesthetic.”

According to Heuritech, new women’s silhouettes in performance fabrics are expected to surge on social media, including plunging tops (+47%), ringer T-shirts (+38%) and blouson trench coats (+10%), in sophisticated hues such as cream (+9%) and pink (+4%), or printed with delicate polka dots (+35%). Balloon-inspired sleeves (expected +5% growth), breathable nylon fabric, elasticated drawstring waist for an adjustable fit.

Mundy calls it “techno-romanticism,” blending utilitarian themes with softer, more romantic notes. “This includes utility jackets and coats, layered tops, organza, knits, jerseys and crease effect fabrics,” she says. The Cecilie Bahnsen x The North Face collaboration, which features cinched waterproof shoes in the brand’s signature floral pattern, sold out within three weeks of its latest launch in October and is a “clear reference point for the trend.”

This trend is already evident in the men’s season, with tailoring from Ralph Lauren paired with skiwear and Dior’s utility dungarees paired with well-tailored Bar jackets.

WGSN’s Cupido adds that another direction involves the Winter Olympics and cultural pride, incorporating cultural influences and techniques such as beading and prints into sportswear. “We’ll probably see this strongly from sportswear brands where designers already focus on heritage and it’s a natural evolution for the category,” she said. There is definitely an interest in the fusion of performance and culture. Ralph Lauren’s artist-in-residence collaboration with Indigenous-led brand Tópa, which includes a slew of traditional patterns on workwear and canvas, has been largely sold out, with 71% of styles sold out, according to EDITED.

Brown is the new brown and interesting color combinations

As micro trend cycles continue to slow, womenswear trends are moving at a slower pace than in previous seasons. Therefore, brown, a common color in previous trend prediction stories, remains an important color for autumn and winter 2026.

“Dark brown shades have become very popular over the past year and have replaced black in terms of growth,” says Todd Hager. But for Fall/Winter 2026, we can expect warmer, brighter browns, closer to dark beige. Heuritech predicts growth in online visibility for several brown shades, including dune beige (+4%), hemp brown (+6%), cinnamon (+8%), oak brown (+12%), camel (+11%) and maroon (+17%).