Lidewij Edelkoort: Fashion becomes conventional

“Convention is becoming very important,” Edelkoort shared about AW26/27, speaking with wonder on her own appreciation for ‘very conventional clothing’. A photo featuring a pleated high-collar blouse; a classic, fine-knit crew neck jumper; and a pearl necklace, is among her favourite images from her presentation, alongside a cute cat picture.

“Streetwear disappeared almost overnight,” said Edelkoort, switching to English specifically for the handful of international attendees to ensure her message was understood. “The sneaker became a moccasin. The t-shirt became the shirt. The blouson became the blazer.”

What has already taken place in streetwear will now influence the rest of fashion. “A hoodie will at some point no longer be marketable, and be careful with trainers too,” she warned the audience.

Edelkoort calls the shift towards traditional and conservative styles ‘a new and exciting moment’ for the clothing sector. She shared that she is genuinely enjoying fashion again for the first time in a long time.

Edelkoort is particularly enthusiastic about the ‘ground-breaking’ menswear. Few trousers and many shorts are seen in the new collections from designers and fashion houses: bloomer-like models and other examples with strikingly short legs. “Just as skirt length once said something about the economy, I wonder if the shortness of men’s trousers today says something about our times,” she remarked. She calls Jonathan Anderson’s white and pink shorts for Dior Men downright desirable.

Fashion designers are already convincingly demonstrating that conventional clothing is not frumpy when humour is added to the designs, says Edelkoort. She also points out the importance of solid construction: how a garment is put together, or technical craftsmanship.

Workwear becomes an independent category in fashion

Good construction is another important aspect of workwear-inspired fashion.

Workwear is on the verge of a breakthrough and will become a fully-fledged category within fashion, according to Edelkoort. Moreover, it is a trend that could do particularly well in the Netherlands, due to its down-to-earth, practical character.

Think of garments like dungarees or trousers with loops to hold a hammer. Or a minimalist knitted turtleneck from The Row and a clean, brushed jacket with a concealed zip and sturdy seams, as Edelkoort’s presentation images show. Again, the power lies in simplicity and craftsmanship.

The silhouettes are slightly architectural and/or industrial. The colours are light and utilitarian.

Wool and cotton are key fabrics, and denim can be added to the styling.

“With a well-coordinated workwear outfit, such as a jacket and matching trousers, an alternative to a classic suit can even be created,” says Edelkoort.

Wool, fur and animalistic prints

Sheep, and especially their wool, will play a prominent role in next year’s winter season. “Wool is a fibre with amazing properties and a material that we actually always underestimate. Did you know, for example, that you can wear it in the summer, as people used to do, or that when you wash wool it looks just like linen?”

In terms of materials, ‘everything will be woolly’: from alpaca and mohair to bouclé and hairy textures. We are going to see coarse, heavy knits and literally wear sheepskin.

The sheep can also serve as inspiration for silhouettes, as Edelkoort demonstrates with an editorial photo: a woman in a meadow dressed in a large men’s checked tweed coat and a romantic white knitted bonnet. Next to it, we see a photo of a sheep with an enormous, dark, woolly fleece and a small, light-coloured head. The resemblance is striking.

The colour chart for AW26/27 features undyed wool or shades inspired by it, such as natural, greyish hues, complemented by accent tones like aubergine and brown.

At the same time, leopard prints are not going anywhere. Leopard print, put on the map in the 1970s and permanently featured in the collections of fashion houses like Dolce & Gabbana, is now just as classic as the polka dot, Edelkoort believes. This print lends itself particularly well to hosiery and other accessories such as gloves.

Reptile prints, such as fish or snakeskin, will also become very important in winter 2025. We are also going to see a lot of fur, ‘even in the summer’.

Grey becomes trendy again

“Grey is making a comeback,” says Edelkoort. “This while the colour was in fashion only recently, and now beige, brown and brick are dominant.”

Grey takes on a rational, chic character in perfectly cut trousers, herringbone coats and knitwear. She also calls the colour chic for details, such as a grey sock combined with ‘a heel’, a pair of long gloves or knitted underwear to go out in (à la Miu Miu).

Edelkoort thinks we will see grey return in richer shades, for example with a hint of green or blue.

“You can do all sorts of things between grey and brown, by the way,” the trend guru adds. Moreover, the combination no longer clashes, just as black and navy can now be worn together.

Taking cover: clothing as armour

For AW26/27, Edelkoort also signals the rise of a protective clothing style with a defensive look, ‘almost bulletproof’. In a world where uncertainty and threat are palpable, we need an increasingly thicker ‘armour’, she believes.

Appropriate garments within this trend are one-suits such as overalls. She also shows many outfits with military influences, space travel or Eskimo-inspired elements for going on expeditions. The puffer jacket is going to become much more extreme and voluminous, like the over-the-top padded coats from Moncler.

Materials underline the feeling of protection: fabrics are layered, with double or even triple constructions, Edelkoort explains. Also think of coated materials, felt and water-repellent fabrics.

Colour trends that fit this trend are metals such as bronze, rusted colours and faded, washed-out colours (think of a well-loved teddy bear). Old metal and ornamental details reminiscent of armour also fit in with this protective aesthetic.

Finally

Trends do not change quickly, but very gradually, Edelkoort reassuringly emphasises. For example, about 14 years ago, she put together a neutral colour palette inspired by the grains at grocers in Morocco. We now see that palette reflected in the trend colour beige, which was widely worn by the public.

A second example is the return of the low-rise jeans, a development that, according to her, took perhaps 15 years. It often takes years for a trend to really break through, and that, according to Edelkoort, is good news: ‘it means you don’t have to rush’.

TikTok hypes are so fleeting that it is better for most companies not to pay attention to them. “You are by definition too late if you spot it and still have to get on board,” Edelkoort explains.

It is better to stick to what you do and what works for you. Is a striped blouse a bestseller? Make new variations of it, for example one with different stripes or a contrasting insert, she advises. That shows you dare, attracts attention and strengthens your main products, just like manufacturer Philips once demonstrated: its orange vacuum cleaner helped sell the blue ones.

This recommendation ties in with Edelkoort’s broader vision, in which authenticity is central – something she considers essential in times when everything seems to be going wrong. She introduces the concept of favor for this: an attitude characterised by care, thoughtfulness and human scale. This is diametrically opposed to the rushed and superficial way of working that is often the norm in the fashion world, and beyond.

She advises designers and brands to constantly ask themselves, with everything they make, whether it actually adds value and truly has a right to exist. It is precisely this authenticity, she argues, that can provide direction in a time of uncertainty.

Sources:
- The trend seminar ‘Animalism’ and ‘Instincts’ by Lidewij Edelkoort at Modefabriek, Monday, July 8, 2025.
- AI tools were used as writing aids.