The Spring/Summer 2026 season is shaping up to be a once-in-a-generation moment for the fashion industry. Rarely has the carousel of creative directors turned so dramatically, ushering in fresh leadership across nearly every major house. From heritage maisons to experimental ateliers, the new guard is stepping forward, each with a unique vision poised to rewrite the codes of luxury.
For collectors, insiders, and true devotees of the art form, this is not the season to let slip by. In fact, it may be wise to resist the siren call of this Fall/Winter 2025 season entirely and save all sartorial investments for SS26.These debut collections will not only set the tone for the next decade of fashion, they will also be the pieces future generations point to as the moment when the industry shifted.
Here is a look at the designers who will be debuting at new houses during the upcoming fashion month.
Matthieu Blazy at Chanel
Matthieu Blazy’s move to Chanel is perhaps the most anticipated appointment of them all. After reenergizing Bottega Veneta with his intellectual approach to craft and silhouette, Blazy now inherits the ultimate French maison. Chanel is a house defined by its founder’s codes, tweed, pearls, camellias, the little black dress, and yet demands constant reinvention to remain relevant. Blazy’s strength lies in his ability to excavate heritage while making it feel startlingly modern, as evidenced by his much-lauded Bottega collections. His SS26 debut at Chanel will be scrutinized not just for its beauty but for its ability to reframe Coco’s legacy for the next generation. Collectors should expect masterful tweeds, subtle surrealism, and perhaps even radical reinterpretations of the Chanel suit. This will be fashion history in motion, and every piece will carry the weight of one of the most high-stakes debuts in decades.
Jonathan Anderson at Dior
No appointment has electrified the industry more than Jonathan Anderson at Dior. Known for his subversive wit and ability to manipulate craft into whimsical storytelling at JW Anderson and Loewe, Anderson now steps into the French maison that defined modern femininity. The stakes are enormous: Dior is both heritage and global juggernaut, a brand where every collection is scrutinized by millions. Anderson’s challenge is balancing his irreverence with Dior’s devotion to elegance. Fashion lovers have already had a sneak peek at the new direction he is taking Dior with his recent debut menswear show for the house, which garnered rave reviews.
His SS26 womenswear debut promises to be a cultural event, not just a runway show. Will he riff on the Bar jacket, the most iconic silhouette in fashion history, or dismantle it altogether? His artistry lies in making the familiar feel strange and the strange feel covetable. For collectors, Anderson’s Dior will be the ultimate prize: pieces that bridge surreal creativity with timeless desirability. If he lands the balance, he won’t just be writing a new Dior chapter; he’ll be rewriting its future.
Louise Trotter at Bottega Veneta
Louise Trotter’s arrival at Bottega Veneta is one of the most intriguing moves of the season, and she is the only female designer on this list. Known for her tenure at Lacoste, where she redefined the codes of casual luxury with a minimalist polish, Trotter brings a precise, intellectual rigor to a house celebrated for its discreet craftsmanship. Bottega’s DNA lies in its weave, the iconic intrecciato leatherwork, and in silhouettes that speak softly yet command attention.
Trotter has long been an advocate of functional elegance, of clothing that whispers rather than shouts, making her a natural heir to Bottega’s ethos. But the anticipation around her debut lies in whether she will inject the brand with an emotional depth to match its technical mastery. Will she stay rooted in the hushed power of quiet luxury, or dare to disrupt it with unexpected textures, daring accessories, or sharper tailoring? SS26 is her chance to define what the next decade of Bottega looks like, and collectors will, no doubt, be watching.
Jack McCollough & Lazaro Hernandez at Loewe
The appointment of Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, the design duo behind Proenza Schouler, to Loewe is a fascinating pivot. Known for their intellectual approach to American sportswear, experimental fabrics, sculptural tailoring, and a cerebral minimalism, they now inherit one of Spain’s most artisanal and craft-driven maisons. Loewe, under Jonathan Anderson, became synonymous with surrealist play and elevated craft; now, the question is how McCollough and Hernandez will steer that narrative. Their strength has always been in marrying functionality with artistic expression, and SS26 will test how well they can integrate Loewe’s legacy of leatherwork with their penchant for urban sophistication.
Will they maintain the whimsicality that Anderson infused, or ground Loewe in a more structured, modernist aesthetic? Whatever the answer, their debut will be one of the most closely analyzed of the season. Expect pieces that collectors will covet for their fusion of European craftsmanship and New York pragmatism.
Dario Vitale at Versace
The appointment of Dario Vitale to Versace signals an audacious new chapter for the house of high-octane glamour. Vitale, whose reputation has been forged through years of tailoring excellence and a razor-sharp understanding of contemporary sensuality, inherits a legacy defined by Gianni’s daring provocations and Donatella’s unapologetic maximalism. But unlike many of his contemporaries, Vitale seems intent on sharpening rather than softening the brand’s edge.
His early hints suggest a renewed focus on Versace’s Italian roots, silhouettes that sculpt the body with architectural precision, textiles that shimmer with unabashed confidence, and color palettes that unapologetically seduce. With a background that bridges heritage craft and forward-looking innovation, Vitale has the potential to deliver a collection that doesn’t merely restage Versace’s greatest hits but reframes them for a new era of power dressing. In an age where fashion often flirts with quiet luxury, his Versace could emerge as a bold counterpoint: brash, beautiful, and entirely unforgettable. SS26 will reveal whether Vitale can reignite the house’s mythic fire. If he does, these will be pieces destined for collectors’ closets.
Pierpaolo Piccioli at Balenciaga
The shockwaves from Pierpaolo Piccioli’s move to Balenciaga are still reverberating. After decades at Valentino, where he became synonymous with romance, color, and emotional storytelling, Piccioli now steps into a house defined by sharp edges, irony, and controversy. The tension between his poetic vision and Balenciaga’s abrasive codes is precisely what makes this appointment so riveting. Will Piccioli soften Balenciaga’s dystopian aesthetic, infusing it with humanity and beauty? Or will he adapt, allowing his romanticism to be filtered through the lens of Demna’s conceptual provocations?
For SS26, insiders expect a collision, perhaps even a reconciliation, between two seemingly opposing ideologies. The results will be unmissable. Collectors who crave pieces that embody a historic crossroads will see Piccioli’s Balenciaga debut as essential, garments that will tell the story of how one of fashion’s most beloved romantics reimagined one of its most polarizing brands.
Simone Bellotti at Jil Sander
Jil Sander has always stood as the high altar of minimalism, a place where restraint is celebrated and excess has no seat at the table. Enter Simone Bellotti, who has quietly honed his craft at houses like Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana, but most recently inside the Jil Sander studio itself. Bellotti is not an outsider arriving with grand gestures; he is a custodian of the house’s existing codes, elevated now to continue a lineage that demands subtlety and discipline.
His work promises to carry forward Lucie and Luke Meier’s careful modernism but with a touch more fluidity, perhaps even a hint of sensuality beneath the precision. For SS26, fashion insiders will be watching to see if Bellotti can keep Jil Sander relevant in a landscape dominated by spectacle. If he succeeds, his debut will reaffirm that minimalism, when done with mastery, can still be the most radical statement of all.
Miguel Castro Freitas at Mugler
Few houses demand boldness quite like Mugler, and Miguel Castro Freitas is stepping in with a reputation for pushing boundaries. Thierry Mugler built his empire on sculptural provocation, sharp shoulders, cinched waists, and theatricality that turned clothing into performance. Freitas, who has cultivated a following for his daring silhouettes and unapologetic approach to sensuality, seems primed to carry this torch. His Mugler promises to be both archival and futuristic, drawing on the house’s obsession with body architecture while exploring new technologies in fabrication and presentation.
With Casey Cadwallader’s recent run proving Mugler’s relevance in the age of viral moments, Freitas inherits a brand buzzing with cultural capital. The question is: can he keep Mugler shocking without slipping into gimmick? SS26 will likely be a spectacle, but beyond the theatrics, collectors will look for garments that truly embody Mugler’s DNA: clothes that transform their wearer into something otherworldly. If Freitas delivers, these pieces will be instant icons.
Mark Thomas at Carven
Carven is a house that has always danced between heritage charm and contemporary relevance, and under Mark Thomas, it may finally find its rhythm again. Thomas, who previously made waves at Joseph and served as creative director at Givenchy Menswear, is a designer who understands the power of cut and proportion. His work often balances Parisian refinement with a modern sensibility, exactly the formula needed to reignite Carven’s appeal.
Once known for democratizing Paris fashion with its accessible yet chic designs, Carven now has the opportunity to reclaim its voice in the crowded contemporary space. For SS26, expectations are that Thomas will lean into clean tailoring, effortless daywear, and subtle feminine flourishes. Collectors should anticipate a wardrobe built on versatility rather than novelty, garments that can move seamlessly from work to evening, embodying that quintessentially French notion of pragmatic chic. If executed well, this could be Carven’s renaissance moment, and Thomas its patient architect.
Glenn Martens at Maison Margiela
Maison Margiela is a house that thrives on subversion, and Glenn Martens is perhaps the only designer today capable of carrying that torch with conviction. Known for his work at Y/Project, where he twisted familiar garments into distorted, avant-garde creations, Martens has built a reputation for redefining fashion’s relationship with the body. At Margiela, he inherits John Galliano’s legacy of romantic deconstruction, and the challenge will be in balancing theatricality with wearability.
Martens excels at pushing boundaries (as was evident with his debut couture show for the house) while maintaining a wry sense of humor, and SS26 could see him blending archival Margiela codes, like repurposed tailoring, trompe-l’œil, and raw finishes, with his own architectural eccentricities. For collectors,Martens’ debut represents the chance to own fashion as concept art, garments that will likely become cultural talking points as much as wardrobe staples. His Margiela will not be for the faint of heart, but it will be essential for anyone who believes in fashion as intellectual provocation.
Duran Lantink at Jean Paul Gaultier
At Jean Paul Gaultier, the tradition of guest designers has kept the brand alive with fresh perspectives, but the appointment of Duran Lantink as creative director signals a new permanence. Known for his radical approach to upcycling and sustainability, Lantink brings a renegade energy that aligns perfectly with Gaultier’s legacy of challenging conventions. His work often blends luxury with discarded materials, creating one-of-a-kind pieces that question the very nature of consumption.
At JPG, this ethos is likely to manifest in couture collections that are both provocative and deeply relevant to contemporary debates around fashion’s environmental footprint. Expect corsetry made from unexpected textiles, tailoring spliced together from archival garments, and a runway that doubles as a manifesto. For collectors, Lantink’s debut will be irresistible precisely because it straddles fashion and activism, garments that will not only stand out visually but will also carry the weight of cultural commentary.
Demna at Gucci
Finally, all eyes will be on Demna, who makes his debut at Gucci in March 2026. The house, still navigating its identity in the wake of Alessandro Michele’s maximalist era and Sabato De Sarno’s brief tenure, is in need of clarity. Demna’s appointment is a bet on fresh blood, a new perspective that can harness Gucci’s duality: heritage luxury and radical reinvention. Very little has been revealed about his direction, but the anticipation alone is driving conversations across the industry.
Will he lean into Gucci’s archives, reviving Tom Ford’s hedonistic glamour? Or will he chart an entirely new course? His debut is likely to set the tone not just for Gucci but for fashion as a whole, given the brand’s enormous cultural influence. For collectors, this collection will be essential, an opportunity to secure the first chapter of what could be a transformative new Gucci era.
