MFW Trend Forecast: What’s Next for Fashion and Beauty | Ginger Sparks No.10
First signals worth watching before they catch fire: where identity, texture, and attitude take shape
Milan solidified the season’s direction, centering on sculpted silhouettes, tactile surfaces, and garments that balance protection with presence!
Diesel: Welcome to D-Land
Glenn Martens brought “kidulting” to life for those simply looking to have a great time - unapologetically, the messier, the better! Where Nicola Brognano, 7 For All Mankind, tapped into the darker side of youth culture, Martens brought Diesel and the nostalgia of rave culture back to life. The set featured more than 50,000 objects, including campaign props, invites, and memorabilia from Diesel’s archives and offices worldwide. Somehow it felt like a weekend Lincoln Road vintage market in South Beach—strewn with inflatable dolls, Santa Claus figurines, animal plushies, sex toys, balloons, confetti, and real pizza slices! 🍕
Beauty cheekily hinted at the morning after as well (7 For All Mankind), or rather the morning glow, covering models in glitter. The makeup for the Diesel Fall/Winter 2026/2027 show was designed and created by makeup artist Inge Grognard, produced in collaboration with MAC Cosmetics. Textile manipulation and techniques moved Diesel thoroughly into the future, with what looked like pressed “shoddy” upcycled fabrications, and as upnextdesigner revealed, jeans that literally morphed into shoes.
Ginger Spark: Brilliant branding from Martens, as a snapshot of D-Land, where everything can coexist and counter troubling times with nostalgia and forward motion. The look also played a very large role in MAC’s DNA and may usher in a comeback of sorts for the brand’s artistry roots.
Missoni: Playful Hair, Powerful Silhouettes
Alberto Caliri knows Missoni intimately, and this season, that confidence translated into something quieter, yet undeniably strong. A thread of masculinity ran through the collection, expressed through broad shoulders, grounded trousers, and deliberate, structured layering. That strength only heightened the femininity. Soft knits slipped beneath sharper shapes, and layers revealed subtle flashes of shine that felt sensual without ever becoming obvious.
These are clothes made for a real sidewalk, warm and thoughtfully layered, comfortable yet commanding. The shoulders felt intentional, lending structure to fluid knits without compromising ease. Black-and-white maxi stripes drew the eye immediately, while Lurex woven through jacquards and knit frocks shimmered rather than shouted. Even the opening trousers carried an unexpected luminosity, catching the light with each step. Texture, silhouette, and styling spoke louder than overt pattern, signaling a refined evolution of the Missoni code.
Beauty sharpened the narrative. As WWD noted in its coverage of the show, the return of pigtail braids at Missoni reflects a broader fatigue with the ultra-polished “clean girl” idea. Hair artist Damien Boissinot introduced playful side braids and low pigtails that felt youthful but grounded, bringing back personality and movement. The subtle hair tuck into a collar or scarf delivered an instant cool factor, a small but impactful styling cue. Faces remained nearly bare, with fresh, real skin allowing attitude rather than perfection to define the look. The balance between powerful silhouettes and playful beauty felt both current and commercially resonant.
Ginger Spark: What makes this moment compelling is how restraint can quietly signal the next wave of maximalism. Rather than relying on overt patterns, Caliri built richness through layered textures, Lurex threads, strong tailoring, and confident styling. The mix of color, texture, and attitude felt refreshing, proving that impact does not require excess. In a season craving authenticity, the return of bare faces, visible personality, and strong styling suggests that modern maximalism may be less about volume and more about confidence.
Prada: The Architecture of Identity
Speaking of brilliant, the show, NYT Fashion Director and Chief Fashion Critic, Vanessa Friedman, called “the best show of the season” (so far). With 15 women and 60 looks, Prada F/W ‘26 turned dressing into identity: told in four layered chapters. Co-creative directors Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons used the collection to excavate the many strata of a woman’s life. As Miuccia was quoted, “As a woman, your life is layered, each day demands not only a shifting of clothes, but a richness of identities within yourself. You make choices; you decide who you want to be, how you want to present yourself, and adopt characters; you redefine yourself. This collection reflects the complexity of life and the inherent complexity of women. We were interested in a fundamental expression of these endless possibilities.” Always fashion sociologists and psychologists of sorts, Prada and Simons used fabrications to fuse disparate identities, superimposing materials that had been eaten away to reveal. While Prada fan CBK has been causing much buzz of late, Shop Rat by Emilia Petrarca was bold enough to suggest Prada’s design team may have been pinning JFK Jr.’s famous photo with a multi-knitted scarf to their inspiration board! Sidenote: We know some of you fabulous people lived the hype in the ’90s, but we’re really enjoying Love Story. For further reading, check out Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy.
Ginger Spark: Aside from playing into investment Prada house codes, this show became radical in its practicality and business sense; this is how lives and modern dressing work. As a marketer, you learn to map out typical consumer routines and paths to purchase. Prada not only provided beautiful, layered looks likely to create multiple cravings, but Miuccia and Raf also provided contextual understanding.
MM6: Commuter Chic, Rewired
While MM6 has historically been designed by an anonymous collective, once again Glenn Martens led the brand’s overall direction, resulting in an experimental collection. A French label staged at Milan’s Centrale Station (similar to Chanel at the Bowery subway station), WWD labeled the look“Commuter Chic,” while Hypebeast called it Peak ‘90s Normcore, noting a Midwestern sensibility. A focus on commuter-appropriate outerwear was evident, with the hems of several car coats rolled up (as some cyclists do) and held in place with metal snaps. Track jackets and mélange quarter-zips in generous ’80s proportions appeared throughout the collection. The Americana influence could be read as equestrian chic: streamlined sweats with the allure of jodhpurs, trim shirt jackets and pants backed with jersey, riding boots galore, and frilly petticoats, worn with everything from plaid shirts to fuzzy, cowl-neck sweaters. The fullness of the skirts lent a modern “New Look” vibe. Very impressive were the leathers that mimicked distressed or bleached denim. Censor-bar sunglasses were worn by the entire cast, not only adding a futuristic vibe to every model and look, but also making them perfect for fending off panhandlers and unwanted conversations at a busy station.
However, what most reviews failed to note could only be observed by watching a livestream or an MM6 video of the proceedings. Somewhere in the midst of the show, as models were walking away, back views revealed skirts that were half in front/bare in back, showing only a longer tucked-in horse-print tee or sweater hem, as well as trench coats. This styling feat resembled chaps—now you see it, now you don’t!
Ginger Spark: While normcore and practicality traverse the collections, Glenn Martens’ influence on MM6 Maison Margiela renders it thought-provoking. Youthful, accessible luxury delivered through a lens of just enough twists and surprises to keep the cool wanting more. A “vintage finds” feel, styled with cyber glasses and a dose of futurism.
Bottega Veneta: Protective Drama
Louise Trotter continues to refine the identity of the new Bottega with a collection grounded in movement and outerwear that carries real presence. After sharing last season that she wants people to go places in her clothes, Fall 2026 translated that vision through sculpted coats, cinched waists, and curved lines that created shape without stiffness. Outerwear held the emotional weight of the collection, balancing control with ease and reinforcing Trotter’s focus on garments designed for motion.
Texture shaped the conversation. Plush shearling and brushed finishes added depth and dimension, building toward a finale where volume became amplified and expressive. By the end, the silhouettes edged into what Jamie called “a little Muppet,” which, frankly, felt joyful. A funny comment on W Magazine’s Instagram compared some of the looks to “car wash thingys,” underscoring how polarizing exaggerated texture can feel in a luxury context. BUT WE LOVE IT! That tension only strengthened the impact, proving the collection was willing to provoke rather than simply please. Styling reinforced the message, with beanies and head coverings framing nearly every face. Alongside the half-collar neckline treatments seen this season at Jil Sander and Ferragamo, the emphasis on the head and neck introduced a protective, grounded sensibility that felt practical yet assertive.
Ginger Spark: This collection highlights a growing appetite for pieces that combine comfort, coverage, and character. Trotter’s focus on cinched silhouettes, enveloping textures, and deliberate head styling suggests consumers are leaning toward garments that feel substantial and emotionally resonant. When outerwear carries this much personality, it becomes the defining statement of the wardrobe rather than a supporting layer, signaling a shift toward protective drama as a key driver for the season ahead.
Gucci: The Return of High-Gloss Sex Appeal
Gucci sparked conversation with Kate Moss in a thong and clear nods to Tom Ford’s late-’90s dominance, reviving the house’s most unapologetically sensual codes. While reviews were mixed, the reference felt deliberate rather than nostalgic for nostalgia’s sake. Makeup by Sam Visser leaned into smoky, early-2000s glamour with sculpted skin and high-impact eyes, reinforcing the message that this was about controlled provocation. As Elle noted, the beauty direction tapped into a renewed appetite for bold, party-girl excess over pared-back minimalism. The result was less about shock and more about reasserting Gucci’s historical confidence in sex appeal.
Ginger Spark: Gucci’s return to Ford-era sex appeal suggests luxury is using high-impact sensuality to regain attention and authority.
Paris is next, and we’ll be reporting live as the narrative evolves. Expect sharper statements, deeper storytelling, and the signals that will define what comes next.
À très vite, Paris. 🇫🇷🥖🍷⚜️
