Twice a year, the fashion flock packs their bags and travels the globe to witness what the industry’s brightest minds have cooked up for the coming cold months. And while the clothes are the main event, there’s always another accessible element that can be borrowed: hair, makeup, and everything in between that regular folks can actually pull off without a stylist on speed dial.
RELATED: Runway Recap: The Trends that Ruled the F/W26 Fashion Month
From the Side
No one exactly knows when it happened or who even started it, yet Gen Z has widely declared that side parts are outdated without much room for argument. Apparently, parting your hair asymmetrically is a millennial trait. Be that as it may, the runways across the four fashion capitals are keen on bringing it back.
Free the Frizz
Those who enjoy a tight slick-back or a smooth blowout might hate this one. But yes, frizz and flyaways have been given the runway treatment recently. No hairbrushes needed; just hair with a mind of its own, taking up space exactly as it pleases.
At the Club
Smokey eyes with red lips are the beauty equivalent of a leather jacket and heels. When someone steps out in this combo, it’s usually the signal of a big night out. If the designers this month had their way, however, everyone would be wearing a look meant for after-parties even during the day. Not a bad offer, really.
All that Shimmers
Last but not least, there’s glitter. It’s understandable that when the word is mentioned, there’s a pause as many think of the tedious cleaning required after wearing minuscule sparkles. And yet, glitter is also joy. Plain and simple, whimsical joy that perhaps deserves to be smeared on the face every now and then.
Photos: GUCCI, CHANEL, and GABRIEL HEARST
Frequently Asked Questions
The four standout beauty trends across F/W26 Fashion Month were the return of the side part, frizzy and flyaway texture, club-ready smoky eye and red lip combinations worn during the day, and glitter. These looks appeared consistently across the New York, London, Milan, and Paris runways, with brands including Gucci, Chanel, and Gabriel Hearst among those showcasing them.
The side part made a notable return on the F/W26 runways, with designers across all four fashion capitals embracing asymmetrical parting as a deliberate styling choice. The trend pushes back against the Gen Z-led declaration that side parts are outdated, repositioning the asymmetrical part as a runway-endorsed look for the coming season.
Frizzy and flyaway texture was confirmed as a key F/W26 runway beauty trend, with designers championing undone, natural hair movement over polished blowouts or slick styles. The trend embraces hair with texture and volume rather than suppressing it, positioning natural frizz as an intentional aesthetic rather than something to be managed or corrected.
The F/W26 runways featured smoky eyes paired with red lips as a daytime beauty look — a combination traditionally reserved for evening or nightlife. Several designers sent models down the runway in this after-party aesthetic during daytime shows, framing bold, night-out makeup as an everyday option rather than a special occasion look.
Glitter and shimmer appeared on the F/W26 runways as a wearable beauty trend for the season, framed as an accessible source of whimsy and joy rather than a high-maintenance statement. Designers embraced sparkle in varying intensities — from a subtle shimmer to a full glitter application — positioning it as a playful, mood-lifting addition to everyday beauty routines.
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