The Who What Wear Podcast

Episode: Fashion Month S/S 2026 Recap: Disruptive Designers, Cinematic Color Combos, and the End of Quiet Luxury

Date: October 8, 2025
Host: Bobbi Schessler
Guests: Kristen Nichols (Associate Director of Special Projects), Lauren Eggertson (Editorial Director), Cat Collings (Editor in Chief, via voice notes)

Episode Overview

This episode is a dynamic and insightful debrief on Spring/Summer 2026 Fashion Month, recapping shows and trends from New York, London, Milan, and Paris. The team—Bobbi, Kristen, and Lauren—discuss their favorite collections, the disruptive new designers making headlines, the resurgence of bold colors, and the clear shift away from quiet luxury. Special voice memos from Editor in Chief Cat Collings provide real-time updates from Paris.

Comparing the Cities: New York, London, Milan & Paris

[03:14] Kristen Nichols:

• Each city’s fashion week carries a unique vibe:
  • New York: Very wearable—"a lot of the collections are very wearable... outfits are very wearable."
  • London: Young and experimental.
  • Milan: Known for color and inventive layering.
  • Paris: Elegant, classic, with a magical atmosphere and heritage houses anchoring the season.

[04:40] Cat Collings (Paris):

• Paris is the grand finale: “Compared to the other cities, it is really the high point of the season… You’re just spoiled for the amount of amazing fashion that you can see.”
• Heritage brands and international presence converge to set the tone for future trends.

Unprecedented Change: New Creative Directors Set the Mood

[05:44] Kristen:

• Season characterized by over 15 new creative directors at major houses.
• Shift between long-standing visionaries like Ralph Lauren and bold, disruptive newcomers.

Standout Collections & Moments

London Highlights

[05:44] Kristen:

• “I loved Burberry and Simone Rocha and Dallara... some of the strongest collections are designers who are doing something new—cinematic, disruptive, bold, fun.”

Milan: Debuts, Color, Layering, & Heritage

[06:54] Lauren:

• Prada:
  • Intentional distillation of contemporary culture.
  • Standouts: “Workwear shirts paired with lady bags, satin opera gloves, Frankenstein skirts” ([07:36]).
  • “Bras that came down the runway that were basically floating and hanging off…the opposite of what you think the bra should be.”
  • Saturated, unconventional color combos and shapes.
• Versace (Dario Vitale’s debut):
  • Nostalgia with 80s/90s reference points: “Statement denim, embroidered leather, strong shoulders, beautiful color pairings” ([09:06]).
  • Subdued branding, new ‘it’ pumps, iconic beaded bra tops.
• Jil Sander (Simone Bellotti):
  • “Clean attention to detail, precision... timeless items with a forward, futuristic feel” ([09:50]).
  • Subtle but innovative: “Oxfords and classic pieces that have an exaggeration or uniqueness.”
• Bottega Veneta (Louise Trotter):
  • “Surpassed everyone's expectations...she really leaned into the craftsmanship.” ([10:20])
  • Talk of the season: recycled fiberglass looks (“looked like furry, almost”), pristine tailoring, and signature woven bags.

Paris: Big Debuts & Playful Takes

[12:37] Cat (Paris):

• Jonathan Anderson’s Dior debut:
  • “He gave people what they wanted…elements that are signature to the brand but reimagined through a more experimental lens” ([12:50]).
  • “There’s something for everyone from that collection, from gowns to, like, what the chicest travel lady is wearing on the plane.”

Memorable Moments

Runway Drama

[11:17] Lauren (Dolce & Gabbana Show):

• Surprise appearance by “Nigel and Miranda” (from The Devil Wears Prada), filming in full character:
  • “I don't even know if anyone looked at the clothes...How could you not be staring at them?” ([11:53])
  • “This is full circle. And I know it's just a movie, but it just defined so many things for, I'm sure a lot of us growing up. And so getting to see it was just so meta.”

The End of Quiet Luxury: Trends and Color

[13:43] Kristen:

• “Preppy bourgeois trend” across shows, from Celine to Tory Burch and Prada.
• “Off kilter, contrasting color palettes”—unexpected yet harmonious color clashes (powder pink with chartreuse, canary yellow; butter yellow with lilac, kelly green, cobalt at Versace).
• High-octane color as a rejection of ongoing neutral minimalism:
  • “I think it'll really make a big impact...be a big turn away from the neutral minimalism that's been reigning.”
• Strong sex appeal and glamour: “Versace and Gucci...in your face in the best way possible” ([16:30]).
• Elegance re-examined: “Off kilter bras, splice skirts...everything just a little reworked and reimagined in a less formulaic way for spring.”

[17:03] Lauren:

• “We're really moving away from this quiet luxury movement...designers are encouraging this push away.”

[17:49] Cat (Paris):

• Noticing a lot of 90s-inspired minimalistic layering—thin tanks and knits for dimension.

Hero Pieces and Key Accessories for Spring/Summer 2026

[18:21] Kristen:

• Preppy 80s/90s revival.
• “Spring 2026 will be the time to buy your next bag.”
  • Gucci: new, slouchy Jackie bag.
  • Bottega: new interpretations of woven bags and open-top crocodile totes.
  • Prada: new flap bags and satin pouches.

[19:21] Lauren:

• “That Gucci bag is going to be huge... the softness of the leather makes it feel truly like an everyday bag.”
• “Figuring out how to incorporate color will be huge this spring...at Fendi, looks that had just a pink T-shirt with red pants, or red or pink paired with a green pencil skirt...the colors take it to a new level” ([19:44–20:16]).

Styling Takeaways & Street Style

[22:18] Kristen:

• Inspired by stylist Brian Molloy’s approach—subtle color, creative layering.
• Example: “Pink Ralph Lauren Oxford shirt with a pink knit layered on top and a pink bag” for London Fashion Week.

[23:03] Lauren:

• Channeling Prada’s balance: workwear mixed with ladylike, structured with soft.
• Experimenting with unexpected layering (dresses over pants, popped collars, tied knits).
• Mini capsule wardrobes of pigmented pieces.

[26:54] Street Style Vibes

• Kristen: Mixes personal closet staples with key new finds. “Margot 10 bag from The Row...Gucci pencil skirt...vintage Ralph Lauren shell top.”
• Lauren: Milan’s glamour pushes her style: “It’s fun to be in a place that encourages you to be your true self...Milan is just such a fun excuse to pull out all of my favorite items...I also wore this old Marni skirt...big polka dots...black trench coat...”
• Balance of basics with statement accessories.

[29:38] Popular Items Seen on Attendees

• A-line skirts, croc details, pumps (classic and the distressed Prada pumps), almond toe flats, car coats, plaid shirts, leather bomber and funnel neck jackets, aviators and optical glasses, knits tied over looks.
• “Carried the Margot bag...I saw it on a hundred other people” ([29:20]).
• Soft pops of color (powder pink)— “Lauren, loved your look in Milan with your pink jacket” ([30:50]).
• “My favorite looks are worn by people that just really look like they're tapping into their personal style...taking it up a level, rather than dressing for the fashion week photographers” ([30:51]).

[32:01] Cat (Paris):

• Power clashing: “Mixing different prints and textures and colors together...whimsical and playful.”

Designers to Watch

[24:22] Kristen:

• New York: Colleen Allen—known for slow, thoughtful presentations.
• London: Dallara (Naomi Campbell walked in their show).
• Milan: Dario Vitale at Versace, Louise Trotter at Bottega Veneta, Simone Bellotti at Jil Sander.

[25:44] Lauren:

• Simone Bellotti at Jil Sander: “Takes these classic items and really twists them...really about the craftsmanship.”

Overarching Themes & the Future of Fashion

[32:25] Kristen:

• 2026 is set to be defined by “bold new ideas, strong color, cinematic collections, and exciting moments.”

[32:44] Lauren:

• “This season is all about embracing newness and challenging old ideas of what is cool or trendy. With the large handful of debuts...we’re being almost forced into an era of change...designers are helping guide us into the new era of personal style, color, uniqueness, craftsmanship.”

Notable Quotes

• Kristen, on the new season’s mood:

  “Cinematic, disruptive, bold, fun. Which really came to light in Milan.” ([06:09])

• Lauren, on Prada’s collection:

  “Truly thinking outside the box, that’s exactly what we saw with this collection.” ([07:30])

• Lauren, on the Dolce & Gabbana show surprise:

  “They stayed in character the entire time...This is full circle. It just defined so many things for a lot of us growing up.” ([11:17–12:20])

• Bobbi, on color stories:

  “Even simply, like, two colors together, like that Fendi look...for everyday life is totally doable, and I’m excited about that too.” ([20:52])

• Cat, on Paris street style:

  “A lot of power clashing, mixing different prints and textures and colors together...feels...whimsical and playful.” ([32:01])

• Lauren, on the end of quiet luxury:

  “I’m so tired of the quiet luxury sameness...I think we needed this shakeup and I think designers are helping guide us into the new era of personal style, color, uniqueness, craftsmanship.” ([32:44])

Timestamps: Key Segments

• [03:14] – City-by-city fashion week comparison
• [05:44] – Favorite shows and new creative directors
• [06:54] – Milan deep dive: Prada, Versace, Jil Sander, Bottega
• [11:17] – Dolce & Gabbana’s “Miranda Priestly” moment
• [12:37] – Cat’s Paris picks
• [13:43] – Major trend breakdown: color, preppy, 80s/90s revival
• [18:21] – 2026 hero accessories and bags
• [22:18] – Noteworthy styling moves
• [24:22] – Rising designers to watch
• [26:54] – Street style reflections
• [32:25] – Final trend predictions and direction for fashion

Closing Thoughts

This spirited episode paints Spring/Summer 2026 as a pivotal turning point: bold colors and prints are in, “quiet luxury” is officially on the out. Across all four fashion capitals, disruption, experimentation, and a return to fun and individuality are the guiding forces. The team predicts a sea change toward personal style, unique accessories (especially bags), and strong color stories both on the runway and the street.