Since the boho renaissance following Chemena Kamali\u2019s debut at Chlo\u00e9 (SS24), there\u2019s been a rise in soft femininity season-to-season. And the trend is set to continue for SS26. \u201cBig macro trends like romance never go away. There\u2019s always that little bit of an evolution happening every season,\u201d says Kim Cupido, catwalks senior strategist at trend forecasting agency WGSN. It\u2019s expected, in the challenging times we are living in, that some people will seek escapism and whimsy from fashion, he adds, which is galvanising certain hyper-feminine items like blouses, bows and babydoll dresses.<\/p>\n
There are signs already on the red carpet: early looks from Jonathan Anderson\u2019s Dior womenswear at Venice Film Festival align with this mood, from Rebecca Marder\u2019s pussybow, silken shirt dress to Greta Lee\u2019s showstopping navy blue number, with a giant bow at the hem, and Chlo\u00eb Sevigny\u2019s baby pink Simone Rocha dress, covered in satin ribbon and bows.<\/p>\n
Blouses have been trending already this Spring, with arrivals in stores up 28 per cent vs. SS24, according to retail intelligence firm EDITED, which tracks the arrival and sellout of certain styles online and in-store, to determine trends bubbling up for future seasons. Bold and feminine blouses with statement sleeves and collars, including Peter Pan, pussybow ties and ruffles, are set to trend for SS26, says EDITED retail analyst Aoife Byrne.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we\u2019re going to see a soft voluminous blouse come through quite strongly, specifically, because it\u2019s very versatile,\u201d says Cupido. \u201cYou can dress it up easily. You can dress it down more casually, easily. I think we\u2019ll see a lot of that coming through.\u201d Soft voluminous dresses, as seen frequently in Copenhagen Fashion Week, will be another key item to watch out for, notably those with big sleeves, per WGSN.<\/p>\n
Lace skirts were identified as a key trend both on and off the runway at Copenhagen SS26, and arrivals of lace in early season arrivals have grown by 121 per cent year-on-year, according to EDITED data. According to Heuritech, fine lace is set to grow 29 per cent for SS26, while English embroidery will grow 16 per cent.<\/p>\n