Linen Suits and Maritime Blues Cement Coastal Grandmother Trend at NYFW

More than 50 shows across Manhattan and at times Brooklyn delivered a surprisingly cohesive message for Fall/Winter 2026: linen-infused suiting, maritime blues and soft Breton stripes kept surfside comfort at the center of eveningwear and tailoring. USA TODAY’s recap flagged those coastal palettes and relaxed tailoring as a recurring through-line among designers who otherwise ranged from concept-driven labels to heritage houses.

The week unfolded in a decentralized cityscape, with presentations scattered across downtown galleries and Chelsea rooms rather than centralized tents. The shift away from Bryant Park and Lincoln Center created creative latitude for established brands but introduced what veteran industry voices called a logistical obstacle course for emerging designers who rely on buyers and editors showing up in a single place.

Street style reinforced the runway mood while nudging it playful. News Lee’s street reporting and Nationaltoday’s summaries noted pillbox hats by New York milliner Gigi Burris, fur-trimmed jackets, bows big and small, polka dots and stripes stacked into looks that read both seaside and editorial. Those sidewalk appointments turned linen suits and Breton tops into background music for more statement-making accessories.

Ralph Lauren’s Feb. 10 presentation at Jack Shainman Gallery crystallized the trend into a full-blown spectacle. Ralph Lauren framed his collection as a tribute to a “renegade spirit” and enduring personal style, celebrating “a woman who is fearless in her pursuit of adventure, who honors heritage while embracing reinvention and explores what lies ahead by staying true to who she is.” Gigi Hadid opened in a tailored tweed set and closed in a sweeping velvet gown while the runway oscillated between backless gowns, cropped leopard coats over tailoring, sharp equestrian-tinged suits and moody florals. Anne Hathaway arrived with husband Adam Shulman and stylist Erin Walsh, described as relaxed and grounded in cowboy boots, and Ariana DeBose, on arrival, summed up denim glam: “This outfit is so Ralph to me with the jeans," and: "This look, it, encapsulates everything that I believe is like a perfect but comfortable and chic moment. It’s slimming, it’s flattering, but it’s also just, it, it’s, it’s just me.I mean, come on, come on, you can’t tell me nothing about this belt buckle.” Photo credits on the show included Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty and Ralph Lauren/Zach Hilty/BFA.com.

Chelsea’s Son Jung Wan leaned texture and color into the season’s quieter register. With June Ambrose, Kelly Bensimon and Patricia Cleveland in the front row, the collection paired structured wool and felt tunic dresses with quilted, coat-like bubble skirts in earthy russet, maize yellow, lacquered crimson and dusty mint green. Son Jung Wan said in a post-show interview, “I was inspired by sustainable values,” and "I wanted to layer and contrast the textures and silhouettes."

Conceptual moments arrived at smaller labels as well. Leblancstudios’ show titled Nada Es Inocente opened with an elder Black model declaring, "If I could control time," and presented knitwear, school-like jackets and statement skirts and pants. The show notes, as reported by Anika Reed, described the work as “the result of searching for identity and individuality in a political landscape that punishes it.”

That creative energy arrived under a hard economic backdrop. A Partnership for New York City study, reported in the New York Post, found the city’s garment business “saw a loss of more than 50,000 jobs — a 30% decrease — over the past decade,” a fact industry figures flagged as sobering. Eric Gertler said, “The fashion industry has been declining for years, but it is an important industry to maintain in New York City,” adding, “It’s not just about nostalgia. It’s part of the fabric of the city, pun intended, and adds to the dynamism of New York.” Kelly Cutrone pushed back on NYFW’s global rank, saying Paris remains the “most important fashion week in the world,” while Fern Mallis recalled the days when “everybody knew in New York it was Fashion Week” and the city was plastered with banners.

The visual takeaway is clear: linen suits, maritime blues and Breton stripes have been authorized by both runway and street for Fall/Winter 2026, and editors and retailers will nod to that Coastal Grandmother vocabulary. At the same time the industry faces structural challenges — lost jobs and a decentralized calendar — that will shape how those looks translate into commerce and what designers can realistically deliver in the seasons ahead.