The Anti-Minimalist Trend Every It Girl Will Wear This Fall
For fall 2026, the mood is shifting, and the fashion set is ready to trade understated essentials for something more extravagant. Enter art deco, the early-20th-century movement that made a lasting impression with its architectural geometry, sumptuous materials, and glamour. More than a century after its emergence, the aesthetic is finding fresh expression on the runways, where designers are embracing the art of getting dressed up again. From Conner Ives to Kallmeyer, the season's collections channel the spirit of the design movement through richly detailed textures, dramatic silhouettes, and rich embellishment.
Nowhere is the revival more apparent than in eveningwear, where the evening jacket has emerged as the season's unlikely hero. Floor-sweeping velvet opera coats, sharply tailored tuxedos, and metallic brocade bring a sense of occasion to the everyday ritual of getting dressed, blurring the line between classic evening attire and modern power dressing. Consider it a new golden age of art deco dressing with refined eveningwear, intricate textiles, and high-design accessories.
Kristen Nichols is the Associate Director, Special Projects at Who What Wear. She oversees luxury and runway content, and covers fashion within the luxury market, runway reporting, shopping features, trends, and interviews with leading industry experts. Kristen has worked with brands including Prada, Chanel, and Tiffany & Co., and her style has been featured in publications including The New York Times, Vogue.com, Vogue France, WWD, and the CFDA. Kristen began her career at Rodarte and Allure. She graduated from the University of Southern California, where she studied art history and business, and currently lives in New York.