Fashion thrives on novelty, yet few years in recent memory have been as transformative as 2025. High-profile departures, strategic reshuffles, and behind-the-scenes leadership changes reshaped almost every major house, setting the stage for Spring/Summer 2026.

The season has been hailed as historic, not for any single collection or trend, but for the unprecedented number of new creative directors stepping into the spotlight and revealing their visions. Even with months of advance notice, surprises and unexpected shifts kept the industry on its toes, creating a sense of anticipation and uncertainty alike. Taken together, these changes marked a year of profound creative recalibration, where the stage was set not only for SS26 but for a broader reshaping of fashion’s landscape.

A year of change

The year, however, was not only marked by headline-making debuts, but also by changes that, in the flurry of announcements, almost fell by the wayside – and understandably so. After all, it was a year that saw Demna Gvasalia unveil his first collection for Gucci, charting a bold new direction, while Simone Bellotti clarified his vision for Jil Sander. Dario Vitale offered an initial glimpse of his short-lived tenure at Versace, and Louise Trotter stood out as the only woman to deliver a major debut this season with Bottega Veneta.

In addition, Miguel Castro Freitas presented his first collection for Mugler, while Glenn Martens left his distinctive mark on Margiela. Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, the founders of Proenza Schouler, officially debuted at Loewe, succeeding Jonathan Anderson, who in turn delivered his first womenswear and menswear collections for Dior. Pierpaolo Piccioli returned to the runway with Balenciaga, and Duran Lantink assumed full creative control at Jean Paul Gaultier, both marking their first collections for the houses. The season’s crescendo came with Matthieu Blazy’s highly anticipated debut for Chanel, nearly six years after Karl Lagerfeld’s passing.

Taken together, these debuts were more than collections; they represented a rare moment of synchronised reinvention, with multiple houses embracing new voices and reshaping the trajectory of contemporary fashion in one remarkable season.