su•per•la•tive

/suːpɜːlətɪv/

adjective 

1. Of the highest kind, quality or order, surpassing all else, or others. Supreme.

No Manners wraps up Fashion Month with a finely curated list of “most” and “best” moments—the hottest trends, biggest debuts and every moment that defined the Spring-Summer 2026 season.

Fashion Month has officially come to an end. Starting September 11, New York, London, Milan and Paris teemed with activity as the fashion industry witnessed a display of collections, runways and showrooms across fashion capitals. With a packed schedule and countless shifts within fashion houses, keeping up with all relevant moments on and off the runway was a challenging, near-impossible chore. 

If you missed any big moments from the four major international Fashion Weeks, below, No Manners recaps the superlatives from the four-week event. Read on to discover the highlights from the action-filled month, from the most confusing runway moment to the best creative director debut and everything in between.

The most WTF: Jean Paul Gaultier 

In a season of big debuts and grand announcements, Jean Paul Gaultier dominated fashion discourse—not necessarily for the right reasons. While many industry professionals praised Duran Lantink’s reprisal of Jean Paul Gaultier’s motifs and daring first showing for the brand, most agreed that his debut collection missed the mark. The New York Times’  Vanessa Friedman labeled it “ridiculous,” while journalist and commentator Louis Pisano called it the “most diabolical debut of the season.” Social media wasn’t any less critical with the runway, which struggled to find the balance between craftsmanship, provocation and beauty that identifies Jean Paul Gaultier as a brand. 

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The most cinematic: Gucci

Creative director Demna Gvasalia skipped the traditional Milan Fashion Week runway in favor of a cinematic introduction to the new Gucci. The chosen format was a short film starring Demi Moore and a cast of all-star actors, including Edward Norton, Elliot Page, Keke Palmer, Kendall Jenner and Alex Consani. 

Titled The Tiger, the audiovisual piece premiered at Mezzanotte Palace with a star-studded guest list in attendance. All dressed in looks from Demna’s inaugural Gucci collection, the guests introduced a new event format (equal parts red carpet and collection presentation) that favored storytelling and social capital building over show. Gucci’s predilect muses, from Indian actor Alia Bhatt and K-pop star Jin to The Tiger stars Demi Moore and Alex Consani, showcased the main looks from the Gucci Spring/Summer 2026 collection. 

The girliest: Simone Rocha

Irish designer Simone Rocha reflected on the challenges of coming of age with her Spring/Summer 2026 collection. Held at Maison House, the official residence and office of the Lord Mayor of London, her latest show explored the idea of outgrowing childhood. But far from idealizing growing up, Rocha embraced the uneasiness and awkwardness of teenage years.

The Rocha girl paraded down the historical building, holding her pillow (one of Rocha’s quirky and exquisite new bags), uneasy, but eager to introduce herself to the world. Her wardrobe was equal parts intentional and accidental; the sort of look you put together after playing around with clothes—purposely undone and playfully lived-in. Everything, from the color palette to the styling and cast choice, was a celebration of the real girlhood experience with its perks and downsides. Just in time for Simone Rocha’s 15th anniversary, the runway thrived on the female gaze, an approach Rocha has unapologetically championed and mastered throughout her career.

The most unexpected muse: the apron

For the Miu Miu Spring/Summer 2026 show, Miuccia Prada vindicated women’s work with an ode to the apron. Taking the piece as a “universal symbol of work,” the designer paid tribute to the complexities of women’s work. She addressed the challenges and adversities, but also the agency and autonomy that work allows women.  

The apron populated the runway, reinvented as armor, worn atop workwear-inspired clothing or taking the shape of mini dresses, blouses and vests. Although literal and perhaps lacking a wearrability factor—consider the world’s increasingly conservative environment—the collection brought an unexpected symbol of homemaking and industrial labor into focus.

The most star-studded event: L’Oréal’s “You’re Worth It” défilé

Although not officially part of the PFW calendar, L’Oréal’s annual “You’re Worth It” is a highly anticipated event unfolding amid Paris Fashion Week. Reuniting L’Oréal’s friends, ambassadors and a slew of notable names in entertainment and social media, this year, the show—half performance, half runway—reimagined the French civil rights motto, “liberté, egalité et fraternité” through the lens of women’s empowerment.

Titled “Liberté. Egalité. Sororité,” the show featured a high-caliber lineup of international stars and performances. Aja Naomi King, Anitta, Ariana Greenblatt, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Belinda, Gemini, Gillian Anderson, Helen Mirren, Isabela Merced, Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, Rebecca Armstrong, Yseult and Ye Zhou were just some of the night’s models and performers lighting up Hôtel de Ville with their star power. 

New York’s buzziest: Calvin Klein and Jungkook

Veronica Leone’s sophomore collection for Calvin Klein played on the minimalist chicness that defined the brand in the 1990s. The outcome embodied everything Calvin Klein is known for—the New York imbued simplicity, the urban spontaneity and well-crafted minimalism. Generating impressive Media Impact Value (MIV) figures ($57.4 million), the show topped Launchmetrics’ brand ranking at New York Fashion Week. 

Brand ambassadors and front row guests significantly contributed to the tallies. K-pop star Jungkook, in particular, was involved in media coverage and echo mentions worth $30.4 million in MIV, making his front row appearance one of the buzziest moments at NYFW.

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The best farewell: Fendi

Silvia Venturini Fendi staged her last show as Fendi’s creative director in a technicolor set dreamed of by artist Marc Newson. Echoing the space’s inspiration, the runway delivered a color-filled progression of everyday looks for all occasions. Workwear reimagined with sportswear details, resortwear fit of a summer vacation and bold texture juxtaposition channeled Fendi’s vision for her farewell show before taking an honorary role as the brand president.

“It’s about a relaxed and colorful sense of ease with a romantic elegance,” the designer said about the collection. “It’s not about a single definition but a fluidity between everyday life and exquisite craftsmanship. Simple gestures with complex work behind them. This duality has always attracted me.”

The best runway cameos: Boss and Miu Miu

Celebrities are in no way a rarity on the runways. However, this season, cameos by K-pop star S.Coups, walking for Boss, and a creative-filled cast at Miu Miu took Milan and Paris by surprise. The star-studded runways prompted immediate media coverage and incessant social media commentary.

In Milan, S.Coups walked down the Boss runway, effectively embodying the brand aesthetic for Spring/Summer 2026. In Paris, a cast featuring Milla Jovovich, Sandra Hüller, Towa Bird, Anya Chalotra, Richard E. Grant, among many more, brought to life Miuccia Prada’s concept for this season, dressed in workwear-inspired outfits that paid tribute to women’s labor. 

The chicest front row hairstyle: the bob (and the hime)

There’s nothing wrong with the hair down, soft waves and pin-straight hairstyles dominating the front rows this season. In fact, most of these classic hairstyles accompanied most of our favorite celebrity looks. However, the bob was arguably the most stylish and chicest beauty look spotted on the streets of New York, London, Milan and Paris. Whether super sleek and minimal or naturally styled (á la Pamela Anderson), the bob made for a bulletproof hair formula this Fashion Week. 

We saw fashion favorites like Chanel ambassadors Angèle and Gracie Abrams, US actor Michelle Williams and Emily in Paris star Lily Collins rocking the haircut across continents. Their takes spanned the style spectrum, but showcased the versatility of the bob effortlessly.  Layered, blunt, textured, French… every iteration found its place on the front rows with matching fashion styles.

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Then came the haircut for those who won’t compromise: the hime. Infinitely less prevalent, but packing the same punch, the hairstyle brought cool-girl, youthful energy to the front rows. The best hime in town? Arguably, Thai actor Orm Kornnaphat’s. The star embraced this it-girl hairstyle on the Dior front row. Instead of the regular, ultra bold takes, she opted for an update on the hime by combining the divisive hairstyle with a feminine outfit and minimal makeup. Chic. So chic!

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The best chest-baring looks: Jimin and Charlize Theron

Although the weather in Paris was chill and unpredictable throughout Fashion Week, stars didn’t shy away from baring styles. In fact, naked dressing and cold-defying looks were the order of the day on the front rows of major fashion shows. 

Attending Jonathan Anderson’s first womenswear show, brand ambassadors Charlize Theron and Jimin made headlines with chic sans shirt looks. Their front row ensembles modernized the image that Dior reinforced before Anderson’s takeover and departed from fall-leaning layered styling. 

Jimin, on one hand, went for a monochrome get-up consisting of leather pants and a matching blazer. A subtle color accent, courtesy of layered necklaces, updated the shirtless looks generally favored by men. Theron, on the other hand, opted for a leather jacket paired with olive green bermudas and black tights.

Milan’s biggest front row trend: monochrome dressing

The ultra-stylish guest lists at Milan Fashion Week favored monochrome dressing this season. Though tonal looks are no brainers, the A-listers in Milan updated the classic total look with texture play, fabric juxtaposition and fall-appropriate colors. The looks were everywhere, from Fendi and Ferragamo to Max Mara and Bottega Veneta. 

At Fendi, brand ambassadors Bang Chan and Ren Meguro avoided one-dimensional looks by layering contrasting tactile elements—think lace underneath a blend of wool and leather or total leather sets enhanced with fur details and accessories. 

Monochrome was king at Max Mara

Meanwhile, at Max Mara,  fashionistas like Olivia Palermo, Molly Chiang and Sai de Silva embraced head-to-toe autumn hues. Thai actress Faye Peraya, a consummate style icon in her home country, exemplified the tonal look in its most polished version. Her take combined a burgundy corduroy ensemble with matching color accessories: Mary Jane shoes, a mini bag and a double belt. Elevating monochrome dressing to its full potential, she added accents with a red overcoat and brown frames with burgundy-tinted lenses. 

Creating dimension and depth, these celebrities were just some of the few VIP bringing ton-sur-ton style to the next level. And we took notes.

The best creative director debut: Louise Trotter

In a season filled with major industry shake-ups, nearly any opinion remains debatable. However, Louis Trotter made a solid case for the best creative director debut with her first Bottega Veneta collection. 

The English fashion designer tapped into the brand’s leather craftsmanship, celebrating signatures like the Intrecciato. But her work went beyond the surface. Trotter looked back on the legacy of Laura Braggion, Bottega Veneta’s first female creative lead and other relevant figures in the brand’s history. The result was a collection that thrived on detail, rigour of construction and textile innovation—a balanced creative dialogue between Bottega and Trotter. 

The most relevant for the industry: Paris Fashion Week

Bringing unprecedented changes within the industry, Paris hosted the buzziest Fashion Week of the Spring/Summer 2026 season. Per Launchmetrics, the event generated $1.1 billion in Media Impact Value within the first 48 hours following the calendar’s official wrap-up—tallies are expected to grow to reflect extending tracking periods in the company’s final report, set for release in the coming weeks. For now, the figure is comparable to the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, which, according to Launchmetrics, “cements Paris Fashion Week’s evolution from a trade event into a key cultural moment of the year.” 

The data company also shared that Jonathan Anderson, Matthew Blazy and Pierpaolo Piccioli led the discussions with their debuts for Dior, Chanel and Balenciaga, respectively. The designers generated more value than most shows presented on the official PFW calendar. “Celebrity engagement further amplified the momentum,” added Launchmetrics. “Rebecca Patricia Armstrong’s post about Blazy’s debut generated $1.5M in MIV and Jisoo’s pre-show anticipation post for Anderson’s collection, $1.4M*, turning designer debuts into viral moments.”

Thai-British actress Rebecca Patricia Armstrong, who is a trailblazer in the Thai queer drama industry, and Jisoo, actress and member of the K-pop group Blackpink, serve as Chanel and Dior brand ambassadors, respectively. Their presence at shows and impressive Media Value Impact figures underscore the growing relevance of strategic associations for fashion brands, especially for those stepping into new chapters and in need to solidify their identity.

*Launchmetrics’ findings are based on data monitored between September 27 and October 9 (48 hours after the end of PFW). The data is forecasted to increase for their final report, which reflects an extended tracking period.