A different scenario ahead.
2025 was a year of total reset for fashion. A period of rupture and creative reconstruction that left the industry in a state of constant agitation. New names, shifts in direction, unexpected exits and rushed debuts followed one another at a relentless pace.
2026 promises a different outlook. Less noise, more perspective. It will be the year when many of those initial ideas begin to solidify through second and third collections, and also the moment when several new creative directors face, for the first time, the real pressure of the runway and clearly defined expectations.
These are the creative directors who will present their first official collections in 2026, listed in order of appearance on the calendar:
Jaden Smith at Christian Louboutin
The first debut of 2026 will take place in January during Paris Men’s Fashion Week, and it will also be one of the most closely watched. The appointment of Jaden Smith as creative director of Christian Louboutin’s menswear line sparks both curiosity and a degree of caution. His profile, spanning music, film and fashion, raises questions about the true weight of his creative vision.
Even so, the move makes strategic sense. Compared to its iconic womenswear offering, the maison’s menswear universe still has significant room to grow, and a contemporary American sensibility applied to footwear, accessories and leather goods could open an interesting new chapter for the brand.
Maria Grazia Chiuri at Fendi
February will mark Maria Grazia Chiuri’s return to the runway, this time at the helm of Fendi. Following her departure from Dior, her arrival was one of the most anticipated moves in the industry. Fendi has long been seeking a clearer identity within the LVMH group, and Chiuri brings consistency, structure and proven experience.
Demna at Gucci
Although there have already been early previews, the real debut will also come in February, when Demna presents his first full collection for Gucci. Previous steps — a conceptual fashion film and a pre-collection with a nineties-inspired aesthetic — served as an introduction to a vision that must now take definitive shape on the runway. Beyond creativity, this moment is crucial for the brand, as Gucci’s direction directly affects the balance of the entire Kering group. This makes the show one of the most anticipated of Milan Fashion Week and the season as a whole.
Antonin Tron at Balmain
The transition at Balmain marks the end of an era. After more than a decade of maximalism, spectacle and visual excess under Oliver Rousteing, Antonin Tron takes over with a clearly different proposal. Through Atlein, Tron has developed a more restrained and technical approach, far removed from the theatricality that defined Balmain in recent years. His first collection will be unveiled in March and is set to be one of the year’s most revealing moments.
Meryll Rogge at Marni
Meryll Rogge’s debut at Marni has generated strong anticipation within the more conceptual fashion sphere. After years of transformation under Francesco Risso, the brand is not facing a creative crisis but rather stands on a solid and recognisable language. Rogge’s role will not be to reinvent it, but to introduce a new energy that renews desire. With a career that is still young yet firmly established, her arrival points to a smooth and coherent evolution rather than a rupture.
Grace Wales Bonner at Hermès
The most anticipated debut will not arrive in 2026, but in January 2027, when Grace Wales Bonner presents her first menswear collection for Hermès. Even so, expectations are already high: a single image from her SS26 collection was enough to hint at the sensibility she could bring to the maison’s ateliers.
2026 will be a key year in understanding where these new projects are heading. It will be worth paying close attention, as many of the answers will begin to emerge then.
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