Think of pre-fall as the opening act to fall’s headlining trends. Quietly situated at the end of summer, when swimsuits and sandals are still working overtime but visions of cold-weather looks are creeping in, designers use this short window of time to offer a little taste of what’s to come along with one last look at summery favorites. In that sense, it’s your transitional wardrobe handbook, full of styling tricks you’ll want to take note of—with pieces you can instantly add to cart. This year, the pre-fall trends deliver on all points, and we’re here to share every piece worth noting.
A Guide to Pre-Fall 2026’s Top Fashion Trends:
Even though the word pre-fall technically does mention fall, these collections aren’t through with summer dressing quite yet. Heat-wave friendly trends include long shorts and cropped capris—as seen at Khaite, Dior, and Maria McManus. Slip dresses and pencil skirts are all about making a statement in summer brights with heavily embellished finishes, thanks to Chloe and Saint Laurent. White broderie anglaise remains in heavy rotation (Labor Day is still ages away), styled head-to-toe at Erdem and Sea NY.
That said… We are excited to get a headstart on fall, which means transitional outerwear is on the docket—we’re eyeing funnel necks and sporty zip-front jackets from the likes of Kallmeyer, Nour Hammour, Carven, and Nanushka. Designers are still mad for plaid, and a palette of paprika-esque colors (think burnt oranges and brick reds) stood out amongst neutrals. And we must mention the Chanel show, held in New York City’s subway, which showed us that a great pair of blue jeans is still the only staple you really need, no matter the season.
If any of that catches your ear, you’ll want to keep scrolling. We’ve assembled our 13 favorite pre-fall trends and all the newly arrived pieces you can start shopping, below.
