Pre-Fall 2026 collections are already dropping into the stylish man’s grid. But before deciding on your new wardrobe edit, rewind to the takeaways of summer's ready-to-wear runways, where the attitude was about loose tailoring, soft lines and subverted detailing.

Easy does it

Deconstructed suiting and oversized outerwear: formality and structure shifts to a more fluid modernity. The continued focus on oversized tailoring leans into a laid-back, androgynous aesthetic. Giorgio Armani’s September SS26 show – the final collection personally created and overseen by the designer – emphasised a lightness in material and construction, with low fastening jackets and wide teardrop pleat trousers tapering at the ankle or falling softly in movement. Louise Trotter introduced suiting with louche lines in her debut for Bottega Veneta: layers moved effortlessly under supple leather trench coats and, like Armani, she explored double-breasted tailoring – note the wide-shoulder top coat with a dropped waist, pictured below. Dario Vitale's relaxed suiting at Versace (pictured above) referenced the opulence and vibrant maximalism of Gianni Versace in the 1980s.

Colour chameleons

Colour clashing hues, bright tones and unexpected combinations at Versace, Fendi and Prada summoned a playful mood in Milan. The palette was punchy: sky blue, bright red and candy pink, while vibrant primary colours were layered on top of each other at Versace. Willy Chavarria’s show, a standout in Paris, was positively carnivalesque. Purple reigned in many collections and at Louis Vuitton it was proclaimed the new black by Pharrell Williams

Tied up

Ties are trending, from knitted to vintage styles. But on the runway, preppy perfectionism was skewed: ties dangled undone, some were tucked into top pockets as pocket squares (Ferragamo), and others were strung together in multiples loosely around the neck. The happy medium? Tuck a tie into the placket of a button-up shirt taking cues from Saint Laurent (pictured above), and Giorgio Armani. 

Both ties and scarves were key to Jonathan Anderson’s vision at Dior: collars were worn high above chunky knots, and ties turned inside out (as pictured below), this "intentionally undone" aesthetic extended to loosely secured bow ties. Long fringed scarves lent movement to the collection, which were tucked into belts or taken over the shoulder under a jacket. Ferragamo's Maximilian Davis also played with scarves that glided over suiting and created opulent sashes around tuxedos.

Layer on layers

A jumper tied in a knot around the shoulders or secured around the waist instantly conjures preppy, but there are other, more creative ways to layer next season. Louise Trotter layered shrunken sweaters over other sweaters at Bottega Veneta. Maximilian Davis styled knits over knits at Ferragamo (as pictured below) and at Prada, Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons teamed tailored jackets with vibrant sports tops, rolling the sleeves to create a cohesive look. At Dries Van Noten, Julian Klausner tied sarongs in bold print over trousers and shorts.

Hang loose

Jewellery with purpose is your new stylish companion. Phones, wallets, keyrings and glasses cases – the accessories that bury themselves in the recesses of a bag – are worn elegantly around the neck. String pieces on a long leather cord in the manner of Michael Kors, whose wallets were reimagined as wearable accessories at his summer show. Coach did the same with kiss-lock pouches and Versace adorned models with decorative amulets – Dario Vitale also clipped accessories to belts. Giorgio Armani showcased pochettes and wearable glasses cases, some worn over the shoulder and others hanging from belts with keyring chains, and Pelagia Kolotouros embraced “athletic energy” at Lacoste: the vibrant palette riffed off vintage colours and models wore tags around the neck with inscriptions such as “Tennis for Everyone” and “For Tennis Use Only”.