“Commercial” is not a word commonly associated with the runway, but it seeped into the Spring/Summer 2026 collections presented last month at men’s fashion weeks in Europe.
In a webinar last week, Noemie Voyer, fashion curation manager for Heuritech, an AI-powered trend forecasting firm, and senior fashion analyst Agata Kupryjaniuk provided an overview of key themes and trends emerging for the season.
“The collections this season weren’t just beautiful. They were realistic,” Kupryjaniuk said. “Designers turned their focus toward real lives, real needs, and a renewed sense of purpose, which gave us passion that felt personal, but most importantly, wearable.”
Kupryjaniuk pointed out how his sensible design mindset comes in the wake of a turbulent time in the luxury industry, when consumers struggle to see value and innovation. “Buying luxury isn’t perceived as an investment anymore. So what consumers are looking for is not just good design, but things that fit into life in a meaningful way. That means pieces that hold both beauty and value,” she said.
In Milan, this was evident in the number of elegant colors and soft textures such as cotton fleece, which Voyer said stood out with a 25 percent increase from last summer. Wearable silhouettes like straight pants were also prevalent, up 86 percent from the previous season.
Botanical references, preppy styling and nods to cricket—the next big sport that Kupryjaniuk said is set to inspire fashion—were identified across collections. Desert landscapes also had a strong influence over collections as designers experimenting with eroded surfaces and structures.
Uneven textures brought depth and visual intrigue to otherwise minimalistic garments. This was balanced by soft, desert-inspired tones—like beige and light brown—and light fabrics such as linen and slub jersey, which Kupryjaniuk said were chosen to reflect the “calmness that the desert can evoke” and applied to fluid, relaxed tailoring.
Beyond neutrals, various shades of purple were prominent. Kupryjaniuk said the color trend is an evolution from the burgundy that consumers have loved but may be growing tired of.
Giorgio Armani
“We see orchid pink and magenta that offer a playful purple-pink vibrancy, as well as indigo and ultraviolet, introducing blue-toned depth. The standout is taro milk purple, adding a pastel softness to the deep purple range,” she said.
Heuritech’s data-driven forecast shows the U.S. market will adopt taro milk purple outerwear. European consumers will choose purple-pink colors for T-shirts, while men in China will favor purple-blue tones.
While commercially viable fits anchored the collections, Kupryjaniuk noted that unexpected fabrications and silhouettes brought an edgier twist. Luxurious slip tops with soft draping and fluid necklines replaced the basic white tank top. The tops were balanced by muted colors and loose, deconstructed denim. Sheen fabrics elevated baggy shirts.
And in a season where short shorts continued to dominate, Kupryjaniuk said baggy styles stood out because of their volume, texture and unique hem finishes.
