The Fashion Trends Set To Define 2026 — From Y3K Futurism To Lace Headwear

It's been an eclectic year in fashion. We saw everything from flirty micro shorts to freaky feet (looking at you, Vibram FiveFinger shoes). We embraced the anti-logic of miswearing our clothes and leaned into fantasy, with medieval motifs taking over our feeds with bonnets, corsets and even chainmail-inspired jewellery). And, of course, we haven’t forgotten Skims' infamous bush thong — a reminder to always expect the unexpected in fashion.

Now, it’s time to look ahead to the trends set to define 2026. Fashion’s appetite for play, fantasy and niche aesthetics isn’t fading. If anything, they're becoming even more specific (alien aesthetic? palaeontologist aesthetic? more on that later). We've looked to Pinterest data and runways around the world to identify some of the trends set to shape fashion in the year ahead.