The Season of Beginnings: What to Expect from the Fashion Month

As the languid days of summer give way to la rentrée, that bittersweet return to routine, productivity, and renewed purpose, the fashion world, too, reawakens. September marks not just a change of season but the beginning of a new chapter, and all eyes turn to the four style capitals: New York, London, Milan, and Paris.

This Spring–Summer 2026 season promises to be one of transformation and anticipation: debuts at the helm of the biggest maisons, sophomore outings set to confirm or challenge the hype, long-awaited comebacks, and a scattering of headline-making events. Consider this your insider’s guide to everything not to miss as the global fashion caravan makes its way from city to city.

New York

11 September - 16 September  

Traditionally, the fashion marathon begins in New York, with shows unfolding across five packed days around Labour Day (1 September). This season, however, the calendar shifts slightly later, giving the fashion crowd a moment to catch its breath before diving into the new season. The week will open with Ralph Lauren, who is set to present his collection in his private Madison Avenue studio one day before the official start of NYFW.

So, what’s on the agenda? First, the highly anticipated debut of Nicholas Aburn at Area (formerly part of Demna’s couture team at Balenciaga), now stepping into one of the city’s most closely watched creative roles. Then comes Veronica Leoni’s sophomore collection for Calvin Klein, following a debut that ranked among last season’s most talked-about shows. Ib Kamara brings Off-White back to New York, while the lineup of local talent remains as strong as ever, with shows from Khaite, Jason Wu, Diotima, Christian Siriano, Eckhaus Latta, Prabal Gurung, Collina Strada, Luar, Bevza, and Todd Snyder.

The stalwarts of American fashion, Michael Kors, Coach, and Tory Burch, will anchor the schedule, alongside Scandinavian heavyweights COS and Toteme. Alexander Wang also returns to the calendar. Other highlights include Brandon Maxwell, celebrating his 10th anniversary, and Colm Dillane of KidSuper, who typically shows in Paris menswear, this time staging a performance at Brooklyn Borough Hall, aptly titled The People’s Runway.

London

18 September - 22 September

With the arrival of the British Fashion Council’s new CEO, Laura Weir - a fashion journalism veteran and former head of Selfridges’ creative strategy - London Fashion Week is entering a period of transformation. The ambition? To reclaim its status as the most thrilling stage not only for emerging designers but also for homegrown powerhouse brands. At the BFC’s annual summer party, Weir outlined her vision: “to put designers at the heart, to make mentoring and business skills central to our offer, and to ensure our funding models result in long-term impact for the British creative economy.”

So, what can we expect this season? The week opens on Thursday with London’s fashion darling, Harris Reed, and continues with the sophomore eBay Endless runway show, H&M’s London celebration, the Pandora Talisman party hosted by British model Jean Campbell, and the launch of Barbour’s new Tartan collection.

The schedule is concentrated into a long weekend, punctuated by some of Britain’s most exciting voices: Dilara Findikoglu, Aaron Esh, Simone Rocha, Paolo Carzana, Chopova Lowena, Di Petsa, Erdem, Conner Ives, and Edeline Lee, among them. Highlights also include the latest showcase from Fashion East (London’s famed talent incubator), a presentation by Jonathan Anderson in his iconic Soho boutique, and the return of Hungarian label Nanushka, making its London debut after several seasons of showroom presentations in Paris. The week will close with a statement show from British fashion powerhouse Burberry.

Milan

23 September - 29 September

This season in Milan begins with fire and ends with legend. Glenn Martens sets the tone at Diesel, unveiling his first collection since stepping into the creative universe of Maison Margiela. And it will close with nothing less than a fashion pilgrimage: Giorgio Armani celebrating his 50th anniversary, a golden milestone for the maestro who helped define modern elegance.

Milan is, of course, the city of blockbusters, and the line-up does not disappoint. Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi under Silvia Venturini Fendi (with both women’s and men’s looks on the runway), Max Mara, Ferragamo, Emporio Armani, Missoni, Etro, Boss, Moschino, Roberto Cavalli, and Tod’s will each stake their claim on the season. Yet the thrill lies as much in the shifting guard as in the stalwarts. Attico makes its runway return with its once-a-year spectacle, KNWLS leaves London behind for its first show abroad, Simone Bellotti unveils his vision for Jil Sander, and all eyes will be on Louise Trotter as she takes her bow at Bottega Veneta.

Still, the true intrigue this season may lie off the main stage. Two debuts will unfold behind closed doors, in hushed, intimate presentations: Dario Vitale at Versace, bringing his Miu Miu-honed precision to one of Italy’s most powerful houses, and Demna’s first gesture at Gucci, a tribute to the brand’s heritage. But take note: this is only a prologue, an amuse-bouche before the full-scale spectacle of his official debut next February.

Paris

29 September - 7 October

Paris is always the last stop on the fashion month circuit, and the longest. Nine dense days of shows, stretching across the city, this season reshuffled to shield the biggest houses from potential disruption, a precaution born from the lingering memory of the 7 October tragedy.

The opening day sets the tone: a spotlight on new voices. LVMH Prize winner Hodakova makes her official debut, joined by Julie Kegels, one of the most promising Belgian graduates of the new wave, as well as Victor Weinsanto, Abra, Burc Akyol, and Vaquera. And then, as if to balance the scales, Saint Laurent closes the day with its first major show of the week.

From there, the schedule moves at full tilt. Paris remains the meeting ground of blockbuster maisons: Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu, Hermès, Valentino, Chloé, Schiaparelli, Rabanne, Alaïa, The Row, Lacoste, woven together with independent forces from across the globe. Japanese masters Comme des Garçons, Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto and Sacai return; the UK is represented by Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney and Victoria Beckham; Zimmermann flies the flag for Australia; and Ganni from Denmark, finally, secures its place on the official Paris schedule.

Yet the true electricity this season comes from the roll call of debuts. Matthieu Blazy will present his very first collection for Chanel on the evening of 6 October, marking the house’s bold decision to relinquish its traditional morning slot at Le Grand Palais. A quiet revolution in itself. At Dior, Jonathan Anderson unveils his first womenswear collection on 1 October, following his lauded menswear debut in June. Pierpaolo Piccioli takes his bow at Balenciaga; Proenza Schouler’s Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez debut at Loewe; Duran Lantink steps into Jean Paul Gaultier; Miguel Castro Freitas at Mugler; Mark Thomas at Carven; and Glenn Martens, fresh from his acclaimed Artisanal outing, shows his first ready-to-wear collection for Maison Margiela.

Comebacks will also command attention: Vetements and Thom Browne return to the Paris stage, while sophomore outings include Haider Ackermann at Tom Ford, Michael Rider at Celine, Peter Copping at Lanvin, and Sarah Burton at Givenchy.

And as ever, Paris is not only about the established names. Watch closely for the new generation making its mark: Meryll Rogge, newly appointed at Marni, alongside Christopher Esber, Niccolò Pasqualetti, Loulou de la Saison (already a darling among Parisiennes), and Zomer. Paris, in other words, closes the season as only Paris can: with grandeur, upheaval, and a sense that fashion history is being rewritten in real time.

Text: Lidia Ageeva