The Fall 2026 menswear season delivered a masterclass in creative freedom, blending historical references with modern rebellion. Here are the seven key trends and moments that defined the runways from Milan to Paris, from relaxed tailoring to the rise of global design talent.
The menswear shows this season operated on a condensed but explosive scale, packing a world of newness and intrigue into a near-fortnight. Across the board, the collections felt unbound by convention. In Paris, Jonathan Anderson filled his sophomore menswear collection for Dior with references to early 20th-century couturier Paul Poiret, while Pharrell staged his Louis Vuitton show in a pre-fabricated house and garden set to a gospel choir. In Milan, Ralph Lauren rejoined the calendar with its first men’s show in over 20 years, reminding us of the designer’s foundational role in shaping modern style, while DSquared2 sent Heated Rivalry’s Hudson Williams down the runway.
It was a season of pleasure to watch from afar—and to learn from. Here’s everything we’re taking away from this round of Fall 2026 menswear presentations.
1. Armani-Style Relaxed Tailoring Still Feels Relevant
Japanese designer Soshiotsuki won this year’s LVMH Prize for his relaxed take on tailoring, one greatly inspired by Giorgio Armani. He showed at Pitti Uomo for the first time with a collection that riffed on those louche, soft, formal silhouettes and added a kink in the exaggeration of shapes.
The foundation laid by Giorgio Armani in the 1980s, evident in popular films like American Gigolo, persisted throughout the week in the abundance of casual tailoring. That same mashup of traditionally structured silhouettes with fluid, draped materials in rich neutrals presented itself at Zegna, and even Louis Vuitton’s Pharrell toyed with these ideas in his relaxed, sloped separates.
Armani himself passed away this fall, and the brand’s show in Milan was its first without him. But his legacy lives on—in the house he founded and in the young designers he’s so clearly influenced.
2. The ‘Going-Out Top’ and Designer Jeans Are Essential
There was a lot to love about Jonathan Anderson’s second Dior mens collection, from the Poiret-inspired silhouettes to the designer denim to the coats with big Snuffleupagus-style shearling cuffs. He opened the show with three Deco sequined tank tops in jewel-toned purple, green, and silver, all inspired by a Poiret dress from 1928. It was as if Poiret time-traveled and became a greasy cig-addicted punk, an idea that felt odd and thrilling.
After the punks came Julian Klausner’s dorky eccentrics at Dries Van Noten, whose looks made you want to pile on every floral and knit thing you own. Rick Owen’s goon squad followed in ultra-copped jackets, jorts, and body-length fringe masks, reminding us that the Rick tribe has never adhered to rules and makes us all better fashion people for it. In all these collections, rules were broken, and the boys had a blast—which is exactly the kind of fashion we need now.
3. The Best Pieces Were a Little Bit Slashed and Burned
Combing through the collections this season, garments felt like they were missing elements. Mrs. Prada and Raf Simons gave us just the top portion of jackets, slashed just below the shoulder to form a sort of capelet. Cuffs, upturned at sleeve hems, appeared as if they had been dragged through the mud.
Rick Owens did something similar, though his included sleeves to take on more of a bolero silhouette, paired with denim that had been hacked below the knee. Louis Vuitton sent crumpled shirting down its runway. At Dries Van Noten, Julian Klausner also experimented with capelets on tops and outerwear, and in other ensembles, he laid knitwear with asymmetrical button plackets and zippers over deconstructed shirting, almost as if they had been ripped apart with haste then sewn back together with care.
4. Ralph Lauren Is Still the Greatest Merchandiser on the Planet
Few mens collections this season were as truly covetable as Ralph Lauren’s, with a lineup of Polo-meets-Purple-Label goodness that mashed up deliciously color-blocked Rugby shirts with baggy jeans and Realtree camo pants. Lauren is the original world builder, the guy who made us all want to live and dress with class and sophistication, but also a warm sense of cool.
The show made you want to shop, which doesn’t happen often with fashion shows these days. The vibe he invented radiated in this collection, reminding us all that when it comes to merchandising and styling a whole universe, not just clothes, he is still the greatest of all time. The cherry on top? Closing the show with a devastatingly handsome Tyson Beckford in a tuxedo, teddy bear coat, cowboy hat, and hiking boots. In RL we trust, again and again.
5. We Should Be Paying More Attention to the Designer Who Made Mayor Mamdani’s Inauguration Tie
New Delhi-based Kartik Research, designed by Kartik Kumra, has quietly been gaining traction in menswear since its launch in 2021. In January, New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani selected a textured silk tie from the brand to wear for his inauguration. For Fall 2026, Kumra presented denim with a beaded floral motif splashed across the hips, polished evening jackets coated in tonal embroidery, and trousers patchworked with panels of silk. There’s Indian artistry evident in each and every flourish—and you want it all, men’s and women’s.
6. Bury Me in Wales Bonner
While she didn’t have a show this season, designer Grace Wales Bonner released a lookbook for her fall 2026 men’s collection which also included some divine women’s pieces. I fell hard for a black tuxedo with a cropped jacket that buttoned slightly to the side, creating a modernist, sculpted shape. A studded button-down nipped just so at the waist felt fresh in a sea of classic shirting. Though I bow down to Véronique Nichanian, who ended her incredible 37-year run as creative director of Hermes men, I am beyond excited for Wales Bonner to begin her tenure helming men’s for the house next year. She is a singular talent, as is Martine Rose. These two women’s visions are like the two sides of my sartorial brain—daring and a little eccentric on one side and cooly buttoned-up on the other.
7. True Inspiration Is When You Want to Shop Your Own Closet
At first glance, Auralee, a brand by Japanese designer Ryota Iwai, appears to be a collection full of commonly recognized silhouettes. So much so that it sparks a million different outfit equations you just might be able to recreate with your own closet. That’s because Iwai’s precision is most evident in its simplicity—his easy pieces are perfect.
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