Everywhere I Look, Fashion People Are Suddenly Wearing This "Divisive" Microtrend for Summer

The swirl motif is all the rage in summer 2026. Scroll to find out how this noughties throwback staged a fashionable comeback.

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Spiral fashion trend summer 2026
(Image credit: Who What Wear UK)
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If you’re an avid reader of Who What Wear UK, the wave of nostalgia sweeping fashion right now won’t exactly feel like breaking news. We predicted the indie sleaze revival and watched the "2026 is the new 2016" narrative unfold in real time. But now and then, a trend catches even us by surprise, especially when it's rooted in a heady mix of subcultures and microtrends from bygone eras. Case in point: the return of the spiral motif.

Gwen Steffani

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Drawing from the dark romanticism of the '80s punk movement and '60s biker culture (if your spiral is studded), with a little bit of '90s woo-woo thrown in, the spiral motif embodies a rebellious spirit. Its graphic, slightly mystical edge doesn't feel too far removed from the dark-fantasy vibe Gwen Stefani embraced during the '90s, whilst studs toughen it up a little. But what's making it a thing again in 2026? Well, the fusion of so many clashing retro aesthetics is something the Gen Z fashion set can't get enough of.

mkurtis

(Image credit: @lucywilliams02 @mkurtis)

The first indication that we'd be wearing spirals again came from a rather unique source: Lithuanian-based brand Urte Kat. Gaining popularity for its contemporary Marc Jacobs-at-Perry-Ellis-meets-Alexander McQueen vibe, the brand has quickly found fans with a cohort of current It girls, including Charli XCX, Doechii and PinkPantheress. Its biggest hit so far? The Studded Spiral Trousers (£260), which skyrocketed the brand's social clout after going viral on TikTok and Pinterest.

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elsiematilda

(Image credit: @elsiematilda)

Since then, Gimaguas’s Claude Studs Dress (£169) was also an instant hit (selling out within seconds), and jewellery brands like Ottoman Hands and YSSO have championed the swirl throughout their newest collections. Spirals are making their way into interiors trends, too. See Sophie Lou Jacobsen's spiral coasters or L'Objet's gold-plated cutlery; it seems this is the defining motif of summer 2026. Scroll to shop the best spiral pieces on the market right now.

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Imani-Nia Francis-Tsolaki
Imani-Nia Francis-Tsolaki
Junior Fashion Editor

Imani-Nia Francis-Tsolaki is Junior Fashion Editor at Who What Wear UK, where she expertly navigates Gen-Z-aligned editorial content and brand try-ons to unearth the most worthwhile pieces, while valiantly resisting the urge to add every single one to her basket.

At Who What Wear, Imani is committed to uncovering cool new brands to share with the WWW UK readership, and finding gems that make shopping accessible (and fun) for everyone.