Tag: Fashion

The Best 2026 Handbag Trends To Carry Around

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Woven leather bags seem to peek out of people’s wardrobes in the spring and summer, so there’s no doubt that they’ll be everywhere again when the weather gets warmer. The most recent Fashion Month, however, has made a case for the versatility and timelessness of this high-quality style.

“The Bottega Veneta influence here is undeniable,” notes Alejandro V. “From Daniel Lee to Matthieu Blazy, they did an incredible job reintroducing this silhouette and reminding people how timeless it really is. We’re at a point where consumers understand that great design can live forever.”

Louie agrees — though he notes that the target market is shifting slightly, too. “There will also be more emphasis on men wearing bags, which continues to shift how these silhouettes are styled and perceived,” he said, giving a particular shoutout to a certain movie star and noted Bottega Veneta lover. “Thank you Jacob Elordi.”

A woven bag — whether finished in leather or suede, and shaped as an oversized shoulder bag, utilitarian tote, or a trend-forward bucket bags — can tag along for nearly any activity. (I personally wear a woven suede tote as my work bag throughout the year!) “You can dress it up or down, and there’s even the idea of passing it on someday as a family heirloom,” Alejandro V suggests.

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Victoria Montalti

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February 26, 2026
This New Target Collab Embraces Colorful Prints & Spring Getaways

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The 250+ item collaboration spans apparel for the whole family (available in extended sizing and adaptive styles), home and entertaining essentials, beauty, and more, with most items falling under $35. And for the cherry on top, it also features limited-edition, print-covered items from more brands like Poppi, Olive & June, and Byoma.

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Victoria Montalti

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February 26, 2026
Chiuri makes Fendi creative debut with fur-forward looks and star-filled front row

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MILAN — Uma Thurman’s casual front-row look for Maria Grazia Chiuri’s debut as Fendi creative director during Milan Fashion Week on Wednesday provided a sneak peek of a cold-weather collection that veered from solid daywear to sensuous evening looks, anchored by fur-forward outerwear.

The front row was star-packed, including Thurman in a classic white blouse under a dark blazer and Jessica Alba in a double-breasted pantsuit. Both echoed looks on the runway.

Dakota Fanning and Monica Bellucci also were present, along with a host of K-pop stars, including Fendi ambassador Bang Chan. Hundreds of K-pop fans waited outside with homemade signs and drawings of their favorite singers, across the street from a dozen anti-fur protesters.

Fendi was born a century ago in Rome as a furrier and leather goods maker, and heritage fur looks were strong on the runway, from bombers to patchwork coats. Wispy fur collars complemented silken dresses and sheer, beaded eveningwear; fur-lined hoods adorned parkas, while plush collars topped trench coats.

Dark blazers and overcoats defined the opening looks, layered over trousers, casual dresses and sheer lace. Lace was reinterpreted on laser-cut leather dresses, anchored by starched white collars and dainty bangles.

Boho florals made a quick appearance, along with a sheer Art Deco–style dress. A smattering of denim and animal prints punctuated the mostly black and navy palette.

Chiuri’s was one of the most highly anticipated debuts during this Milan Fashion Week of mostly womenswear collections. She started her career at Fendi as a handbag designer and later was co-creative director of Valentino and creative director of Dior.

The creative director shuffle reshaping European fashion has been male-dominated, with Chiuri among a handful of women taking top jobs at major houses. They include Louise Trotter, who will show her second collection at Bottega Veneta, and Meryll Rogge, who will make her debut at Marni this week.

Silvia Venturini Fendi, who stepped aside as creative director of the fashion house last fall, took a front-row seat for Wednesday’s collection.

“It’s very moving,” said Venturini Fendi, who until this season has been busy backstage during shows. “It’s the first time I have watched a Fendi runway show.”

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February 25, 2026
Kelly Klein: The Muse Who Shaped ’90s Fashion With Her Friend Carolyn Bessette Kennedy

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Together with Kelly, Calvin Klein took his eponymous brand to the next level. She was the one who came up with the idea of adapting men’s underwear for women. From the casual comment “there’s something sexy about wearing your boyfriend’s underwear” came one of the brand’s best-sellers and iconic designs, generating $70 million in 1984. Kelly Rector became a true reflection of the Calvin Klein woman, one who encapsulated glamour and sophistication in a simple cashmere knit dress. The couple married in 1986 while on a business trip to Rome. She wore an ensemble of silk pencil skirt, matching blazer, and a lace bodice, designed by Calvin. They were married until 2006, when their divorce was made official, although the couple had separated 10 years earlier.

Ron Galella, Ltd./Getty Images

But beyond being Calvin Klein’s wife or his muse, Kelly now defines herself on her Instagram account’s bio as a “designer, photographer, interior designer, author, ceramacist, and mother.” She has edited seven photography books. The first one, Pools, launched in 1992 at a party in New York where all the personalities of the moment were present. In 2015, she published a retrospective of her own photographs, many of which have been published in magazines such as Vogue and Interview. In an interview with Equestrian Living, she credited her parents with helping her develop her aesthetic sensibility. “I think both of my parents were quite stylish,” admits Kelly. “My dad was a film director, so he was quite creative, and mom was an antique dealer who collected art and antiques. She’s had many stores, so I think I got a lot of my art background by growing up with ‘50s and ‘60s furniture in the house, and maybe that inspired me for my modernism background. I was surrounded by the arts growing up, so yes, they definitely had an influence on me.”

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Marta Martínez Tato

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February 24, 2026
New York woman buys $4.5K wedding dress for $100 at sample sale. The gag? She’s single AF: ‘I couldn’t pass it up’

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A New York woman saw the perfect wedding dress available for only $100 at a sample sale. The only confusing part? She’s single.

TikToker Shayla Quinn (@shayla.quinn) proved it was never too late to purchase a wedding dress, even if you’re currently single. She made the decision to grab a wedding dress early at a steal price, saying, “It had to be done,” in her video’s description. Since then, the TikToker’s post has garnered 1.3 million views.

Many commenters took her purchasing the dress as a manifestation. They predict that Quinn will be married within the year due to her decision to snag a dress now rather than later.

However, others remained cautious, letting her know that she could sell the dress if she remains single forever.

What are sample sales?

Sample sales are usually multi-day sales where designers try to offload a portion of their inventory. Typically, these sales exist to offload merchandise that’s no longer in season or merchandise that just finished its trial run, aka prototype clothing.

Both definitions fit, although more traditional sample sales only sell items that were trial-run clothing. Often, these items can’t be sold in retail stores. They’re used for photoshoots, shows, or other events and may not have the inventory or stock to get sold traditionally.

Luxury brands like Gucci, Prada, and Hermès sometimes have sample sales. Alternatively, websites like 260samplesale.com post physical sales in cities like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Miami for keen customers.

Many sample sales are exclusively in-person events, drawing thousands of people to purchase items. New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, and Miami are some of the most popular cities for sample sales, although some companies host sales in cities like Houston. Bridal sample sales, for instance, take place all over the country.

It all depends on the retailer. 260samplesale.com has a selection of online sales for customers. Other companies let customers know about potential sales via newsletters or social media posts.

Why do single women go to bridal sales?

There are a variety of reasons why single women go to bridal sales. For one, some bridal dresses are just casual enough to be used for regular outings, which can make them a cheaper alternative to white dresses.

Another reason why single women go to bridal sales events is to find their wedding dresses in advance. More and more, women are looking for their dream wedding items—like rings, dresses, and decorations—well in advance of their actual wedding. It can be for biblical reasons, such as “faith of a mustard seed,” or it can be because women simply want to manifest their dream day in advance.

Wedding planning can also be extremely difficult. Having a wedding dress picked out months, if not years, in advance can actually decrease stress for many women and simplify their planning.

“This also means you can add an extra $4000 to the budget for your wedding cuz you would’ve spent that money anyway so it doesn’t really even exist – girl math,” one commenter said.

Another added, “[I] have [three] wedding dresses. all different… just in case,” echoing the idea that early planning is the new strategy for most women.

All in all, it seems that more and more women are taking an early step toward the future. Plus, it’s hard to beat a $100 price tag, even if a wedding isn’t in the near future.

@shayla.quinn

It had to be done!!!!!

♬ original sound – Shayla Quinn

The Mary Sue reached out to Quinn via TikTok direct message and email for comment.

Have a tip we should know? [email protected]

Rachel Thomas

Rachel Joy Thomas is a music journalist, freelance writer, and hopeful author who resides in Los Angeles, CA. You can email her at [email protected].

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Rachel Thomas

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February 24, 2026
Kimora Lee Simmons Takes Us Back In Time To 2005

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Refinery29 celebrates 20 years by going back to where it all began: 2005. The year that defined pop culture, fashion, and modern ambition.This special episode of R29 The Rewind features Kimora Lee Simmons, who sits down with Refinery29 Chief Content Officer Brooke DeVard to revisit the year through Kimora’s lens.Together, they unpack the rise of the Baby Phat empire, the influence of early-2000s music and pop culture, Kimora’s life at the height of it all, and how that moment continues to shape fashion, money, and culture today.R29 The Rewind is an episodic series where we sit down with icons from every era to go way, way back and revisit the moments that shaped culture then and now.

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Refinery29 Staff

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February 23, 2026
Met Gala guests (and the rest of us) learn the next dress code: ‘Fashion is Art’

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NEW YORK — You certainly don’t have to tell Beyoncé this: Fashion, when deployed properly, is nothing less than art.

Now, the fashion-forward superstar will have another chance to make the point. When she co-chairs the Met Gala in May, all eyeballs will be glued to the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art to see how one of the most watched women on the planet, in her eighth gala appearance, interprets the dress code: “Fashion is art.”

The museum announced the dress code Monday, along with some gala-related details including new guest names. Joining the top co-chairs — Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman,tennis champ Venus Williams and Vogue’s Anna Wintour — is a “host committee” chaired by designer Anthony Vaccarello and filmmaker Zoë Kravitz, and featuring names from Sabrina Carpenter and Teyana Taylor to Lena Dunham and Misty Copeland. Additions include actor Angela Bassett and athlete Aimee Mullins.

They, and everyone else attending, will be figuring out what to wear come May 4. The code seems to have been chosen for maximum flexibility. And, quips Andrew Bolton, curator of the Met’s Costume Institute: “Hopefully, it will put an end to the rather obsolete ‘Is Fashion Art?’ debate once and for all.”

For Bolton, though, the show’s the thing, to paraphrase Hamlet. As gala-watchers know, the big party is not only a fundraiser for the institute — a self-funding department — but a launchpad for the annual spring fashion exhibit. Curated by Bolton and his team, this year’s show, “Costume Art,” seeks to present fashion as a through-line in the entire history of art.

The exhibit will be the biggest, in terms of objects, that the institute’s ever done: nearly 400 in total, or 200 garments and 200 artworks from around the museum, placed in pairs. “It’s a beast,” Bolton said, looking a tad exhausted as he guided a reporter around the beginnings of the exhibit on a recent visit.

The idea, he noted, is to examine “the dressed body” in all its aspects, and to make the point that not only is fashion art — something previous shows have shown — but that art is fashion. “It’s reversing what we’ve done before,” Bolton says. “Now we’re looking at art through the lens of fashion.”

What that means, in practice, is that you might see an art object in a glass case — say, a vase from ancient Greece. Displayed above the case will be a garment from the museum’s vast costume collection, echoing the fashion on figures in that vase.

Right now, that vase is represented by a small color snapshot, affixed with dozens of others to the walls of a small conference room in the bowels of the museum — along with countless Post-it notes. Bolton has been spending lots of time in this space, which looks rather like a teenager’s room (albeit a very cultured teenager.)

Bolton walks along the walls, pointing out each of 12 sections organized to show the range of bodies — and body types — in art. Some are pervasive, like the classical body or the naked body.

Others have been overlooked, like the disabled body, the aging body, or the corpulent body. Bolton notes that in art, the corpulent body has almost entirely been used as a fertility symbol. “It’s like the notion that corpulence does not exist without fertility,” he says.

Then there’s the pregnant body, also much overlooked in both art and fashion history. It’s represented here by the pairing of Edgar Degas’ “Pregnant Woman,” a naturalist sculpture that gives a rare look at 19th-century maternity, with designer Georgina Godley’s 1986 dress featuring exaggerated padded curves — defined as “a radical feminist critique” of traditional fashion.

The exhibit, which seeks to emphasize diversity in body types, also aims to enable viewers to see themselves in some of the fashions. Thus, mannequins will feature heads with polished steel surfaces — as in mirrors – designed by artist Samar Hejazi.

Bolton, who’s curated the Met’s biggest costume shows, nonetheless says he felt special pressure here to do “something spectacular.” That’s because “Costume Art” is inaugurating, with fanfare, a prominent new home for the museum’s fashion exhibits. The new Conde M. Nast Galleries — created from what was formerly the museum’s retail store — will occupy nearly 12,000 square feet (1,115 square meters) off the museum’s Great Hall.

For one thing, that will mean gala guests now can conveniently view the exhibit and then stroll easily to the dinner portion of the evening at the Temple of Dendur — or toggle between the two. A more lasting result: it will prevent snaking lines elsewhere in the museum, once the show opens to the public May 10.

For “Costume Art,” the galleries, still being completed, consist of two main rooms with different heights — one with an 18-foot ceiling, one with a 9-foot ceiling. The idea is for viewers to weave in and out of each space. “There’s a permeability,” Bolton says.

He calls the new show, already, one of the highlights of his career — and a statement of intent.

“We’re trying to make a statement here — that this is something WE can do at the Met,” he explains. “We have access to 16 curatorial departments across the museum.” And, of course, access to the institute’s more than 33,000 garments. “Really, nobody else has this capacity,” Bolton says.

He hopes the show will inaugurate not only new galleries, but an era of collaboration with the rest of the museum – one that puts fashion, well, forward.

“Costume Art” will run from May 10 through Jan. 10, 2027.

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February 23, 2026
The Best Looks From The 2026 BAFTAs Red Carpet

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Awards season is in full swing, and we’ve been busy cheering for all the talented winners left, right and center. The BAFTAs 2026 were filled with glorious moments, like Wunmi Mosaku finally being recognized for Sinners, but there was another part of the awards show we couldn’t tear our eyes away from: the fashion. The outfits the celebrities show up in are always a delight, from the bold and provocative to the safe and demure.

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Rachel Choy

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February 23, 2026
BAFTAs 2026 Live Updates: See All the Winners

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Alan Cumming hosts the biggest night in British cinema—with an assist from his Traitors-famous dog.

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Eve Batey

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February 22, 2026
All the Most Exciting Fashion on the 2026 BAFTAs Red Carpet

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Gracie Abrams and Paul Mescal. Getty Images for BAFTA

After three awards shows, all in Los Angeles, Hollywood’s A-list is heading across the pond. Yes, it’s time for the BAFTAs, the annual ceremony that honors the best in British and international cinema. Presented by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, the BAFTAs are once again taking place at Royal Festival Hall in London’s Southbank Centre tonight, Feb. 22, but with a new host. This year, Alan Cumming is taking over duties from David Tennant, who hosted the ceremony for the past two years.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another netted the most nominations at 14, followed by Ryan Coogler’s Sinners with 13 and Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet and Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme, tied with 11 nods each. Leonardo DiCaprio, Timothée Chalamet and Michael B. Jordan are all up for Best Actor, while Kate Hudson, Jessie Buckley and Emma Stone are among the stars nominated for Best Actress. Along with the celeb-studded roster of nominees, the slate of presenters is equally impressive, including Aaron Pierre, Aimee Lou Wood, Alicia Vikander, Alia Bhatt, Bryan Cranston, Cillian Murphy, David Jonsson, Delroy Lindo, Emily Watson, Erin Doherty, Ethan Hawke, Gillian Anderson, Glenn Close, Hannah Waddingham, Karen Gillan, Kate Hudson, Kathryn Hahn, Kerry Washington, Little Simz, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Mia McKenna-Bruce, Michael B. Jordan, Miles Caton, Milly Alcock, Minnie Driver, Monica Bellucci, Noah Jupe, Olivia Cooke, Patrick Dempsey, Regé-Jean Page, Riz Ahmed, Sadie Sink, Stellan Skarsgård, Stormzy and Warwick Davis.

But before the best and brightest in film head into Royal Festival Hall, they’ll walk the always-glamorous BAFTAs red carpet in their most dazzling sartorial ensembles. Last year’s red carpet did not disappoint, with highlights including Cynthia Erivo in Louis Vuitton, Mikey Madison in Prada, Monica Barbaro in Armani Privé and Lupita Nyong’o in Chanel—all custom, of course. So let’s get ready for the 2026 iteration—below, see all the best and most exciting fashion moments from this year’s BAFTAs red carpet.

Catherine, Princess of Wales and William, Prince of Wales. BAFTA via Getty Images

Kate Middleton and Prince William

Princess of Wales in Gucci

Alicia Vikander. Corbis via Getty Images

Alicia Vikander

in Louis Vuitton

Timothée Chalamet. Mike Marsland/WireImage

Timothée Chalamet

in Givenchy

Kathryn Hahn. Getty Images for BAFTA

Kathryn Hahn

in Lanvin

Carey Mulligan. Mike Marsland/WireImage

Carey Mulligan

in Prada

Milly Alcock. Variety via Getty Images

Milly Alcock

Erin Doherty. FilmMagic

Erin Doherty

in Louis Vuitton

Aimee Lou Wood. FilmMagic

Aimee Lou Wood

in Emilia Wickstead

Tilda Swinton. Getty Images for BAFTA

Tilda Swinton

in Chanel

Archie Madekwe. Getty Images

Archie Madekwe

Renate Reinsve. Getty Images

Renate Reinsve

in Louis Vuitton

Cillian Murphy. Mike Marsland/WireImage

Cillian Murphy

in Ferragamo

Harry Melling. Getty Images

Harry Melling

Freya Allan. Getty Images for BAFTA

Freya Allan

Little Simz. Getty Images for BAFTA

Little Simz

Noah Jupe and Sadie Sink. WireImage

Noah Jupe and Sadie Sink

Sink in Prada

Maggie Gyllenhaal. WireImage

Maggie Gyllenhaal

Glenn Close. FilmMagic

Glenn Close

in Erdem

Teyana Taylor. FilmMagic

Teyana Taylor

in Burberry

Patrick Dempsey and Talula Fyfe Dempsey. Getty Images for BAFTA

Patrick Dempsey and Talula Fyfe Dempsey

Maya Rudolph. Getty Images for BAFTA

Maya Rudolph

in Chanel

Ruth E. Carter. Getty Images for BAFTA

Ruth E. Carter

Jenna Coleman. Getty Images

Jenna Coleman

in Armani Privé

Minnie Driver. Getty Images for BAFTA

Minnie Driver

Emma Stone. Corbis via Getty Images

Emma Stone

in Louis Vuitton

Monica Bellucci. Getty Images

Monica Bellucci

in Stella McCartney

Kerry Washington. FilmMagic

Kerry Washington

in Prada

Chase Infiniti. Getty Images

Chase Infiniti

in Louis Vuitton

Jessie Ware. Getty Images for BAFTA

Jessie Ware

Maura Higgins. Getty Images for BAFTA

Maura Higgins

in Andrea Brocca

Ejae. Getty Images

Ejae

Tom Blyth. Getty Images for BAFTA

Tom Blyth

in Saint Laurent

Michael B. Jordan. Getty Images for BAFTA

Michael B. Jordan

Jesse Plemons and Kirsten Dunst. FilmMagic

Jesse Plemons and Kirsten Dunst

Chloé Zhao. Getty Images for BAFTA

Chloé Zhao

in Gabriela Hearst

Joe Alwyn. Getty Images for BAFTA

Joe Alwyn

Rege-Jean Page. Max Cisotti/Dave Benett/Getty Im

Rege-Jean Page

Kate Hudson. Getty Images for BAFTA

Kate Hudson

in Prada

Leonardo DiCaprio. Getty Images

Leonardo DiCaprio

in Dior

Gracie Abrams and Paul Mescal. Getty Images for BAFTA

Gracie Abrams and Paul Mescal

Abrams in Chanel

Olivia Cooke. Getty Images

Olivia Cooke

Stormzy. Getty Images for BAFTA

Stormzy

in Gucci

Rose Byrne and Bobby Cannavale. Getty Images for BAFTA

Rose Byrne and Bobby Cannavale

Byrne in Miu Miu

Harry Lawtey. WireImage

Harry Lawtey

Gillian Anderson. Getty Images for BAFTA

Gillian Anderson

in Roksanda

Odessa A’zion. FilmMagic

Odessa A’zion

in Dior

Jessie Buckley. Getty Images for BAFTA

Jessie Buckley

in Chanel

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Morgan Halberg

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February 22, 2026
Not a Trench Coat: Spring’s Coolest Jacket Trend Is Already Getting Major Buzz

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Cameron’s interpretation of goth girl spring felt effortlessly cool with the help of Nour Hammour’s Thalia leather jacket. It’s a popular style that checks all the boxes of 2026’s most-desirable spring outerwear pieces: a customizable cinched waist (a move away from the boxy silhouettes of previous years), a funnel neck design that sits up tall when fully zipped, and a slightly cropped silhouette that lands just below the waist. It’s leather jackets like these that will outshine any trench coat this year.

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Alexis Bennett Parker

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February 20, 2026
NYFW Has A Size Diversity Problem—But These Designers Are On The Right Side Of History

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When designers approach representation as part of their brand identity, it effortlessly translates to the audience. Both legendary R&B singer Monica and the Whoopi Goldberg independently praised Siriano’s commitment to making fashion for all backstage. “It was absolute elegance, and it was for every size, shape, color and creed, so many different types of women — and men! — in the show,” Monica noted. “Gives you all sorts of inspiration!” Goldberg summed it up even more succinctly: “Christian’s work just always inspires me and makes me so happy, because we can all wear it.”

That type of organic inclusion was also evident in Chuks Collins’s striking presentation, which ranged from lush topstitched knits to sharp suits to stunning structured ballgowns, all shown on a range of sizes and body types. (Collins was heavily influenced by how scarification, purposeful, ritual, and otherwise, can play into the way we present ourselves to the world.)

“I grew up seeing people that look like you, people that look like me,” Collins said. “My mom is not a size 2. My grandmother, who taught me to sew, she’s not a size 10. About 40 to 50% of my clients are plus size people. So I am not going to lie to myself and say ‘oh, my demographic, my ideal demographic is a size 2 to 4.’”

For Collins, who started the brand in 2006, building a collection for customers of all sizes is both a labor of love and a practical financial matter — after all, he’s building a label he wants to last. “I have to create clothes that people see themselves in, that they want to wear. With that, I’m becoming a successful business,” he noted. “I also just love dressing people with curves, because that’s what I started doing, that’s how I started my career. So I’m not going to — because of what, industry standards? — I’m not going to include that? And I love women. I love beautiful women with curves. I tell the stories of how I feel, and my work is a representation of myself.”

In the end, an outsized portion of the size diversity this season came from emerging designers and those making their CFDA debuts, such as Menyelek Rose of the eponymous label Menyelek. Designer Andrew Curwen, meanwhile, showed a sexy, directional, and haunting (complimentary!) collection. “Nocturnal Conditions” looked stunning on every figure, and the diverse cast (by F10 Casting agency) felt simultaneously natural and intentional.

Camryn Mcclain of RENÉE NYC also cited body diversity as integral to her inspiration: “For casting this season, we focused on different characters of everyday people of various shapes and sizes that reflect what I see in the city,” Mcclain said. That thoughtfulness complemented a presentation of some of the most interesting knitwear I’ve seen lately, with bold braiding and fringe details rendered in rich jewel tones and gilded neutrals.

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Sarah Chiwaya

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February 20, 2026
I Took Trend Inspo From The R29 Lookbook To Dress Up For NYFW

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As a fashion writer, dressing up for New York Fashion Week is both exhilarating and daunting to me (especially during the February shows when a winter coat can make or break your outfit). Do I opt for an all-black, NY journalist uniform? Do I try to go all out like one of the Getty-photographed fashion darlings? Or do I dress on-theme for specific shows? Decisions, decisions!

At this point, I’ve grown accustomed to the chaos and long days of NYFW, so I like to plan my outfits well ahead of time. When I was planning out this season’s looks for seven straight days, I predominately considered pieces that I’d feel most comfortable in — because when I left my BK home, I certainly wasn’t going back to do a not-so-quick change in the middle of my packed schedule.

Leaning on the Refinery29’s Winter 2026 Lookbook for some outfit inspiration, I decided that — with what I already had in my closet and what brands graciously leant to me for the week — I’d put my own twist on “The Demuralist” look (with hints of The Weather-Maxxer and The Holiday Host aesthetics) for Day 2 of NYFW.

In this reimagined Roaring Twenties look: “The all-black uniform gets a festive lift here with sequins and quietly elegant accessories.” While I’m not the most sparkly person, I took bits and pieces from this modern flapper aesthetic and styled a glam look that could take me from day to night, across the city, and confidently into five designers’ runway shows.

Ahead, see how I interpreted R29’s stylist-vetted Demuralist trend, the exact pieces I wore (including an on-trend hat moment), and outfit inspo to get you through the rest of the frigid winter in style.

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Victoria Montalti

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February 19, 2026
Being Dressed By Sergio Hudson For NYFW Meant A Lot

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I’ve been to a lot of fashion shows. New York Fashion Week is basically a sport at this point and I’m basically an Olympian. You prep, you glam, you Uber in heels because you can’t actually walk in them, and you pray the show starts late. I’ve mastered the rhythm. I know how to move. But this time, it felt different. Because for the first time ever, I wasn’t just attending a show, I was being dressed for one. And not just by anyone. By Sergio Hudson. For his Fall/Winter 2026 runway. On his 10th anniversary. I’m still pinching myself.

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Sandy Pierre

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February 19, 2026
The Winter 2026 NYFW Trends I’m Most Excited For

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Over the last week, New York City proved its status as a fashion capital of the world, with talented designers showcasing creative collections on the runways, in the streets, and on our feeds. From “let them eat cake” aesthetics and double-duty bags to fringed frocks and leather opera gloves, New York Fashion Week brought statement fashion trends and serious 2026 outfit inspo to the forefront.

In order to get the front-row scoop on what will be huge for the fall and winter of 2026, I attended so many fashion shows and presentations that my heels hurt and phone was always on the brink of losing power. The endeavor was more than worth it because I found the standout trends (that I think you can start implementing into your wardrobe while it’s still cold!). The wonderfully disheveled indie sleaze look and head-to-toe animal prints that dominated New York’s runways are especially great for party looks, while brooches and headwear can add flair to any winter outfit.

Ahead, see which brands — from New York staples like Tory Burch to NYFW debuts like that of designer-denim staple 7 For All Mankind — took on similar trends in their own unique points of view. Then shop styles to get the looks.

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Victoria Montalti

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February 18, 2026
North Carolina woman buys ‘one of a kind’ Coach bag that’s ‘the last one in the world,’ Then a worker gives it to the wrong customer: ‘I would’ve cried’

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It’s all fun and retail therapy until the “last one in the world” gets handed to a complete stranger. One North Carolina shopper was living her best luxury moment after snagging a supposedly one-of-a-kind Coach bag. Except, she didn’t actually snag it because an employee accidentally passed her prized purchase straight into someone else’s hands.

What followed was an awkward, laugh-through-the-pain scramble from the employee and a video filled with laughter. Though the creator kept it lighthearted, some viewers are questioning the professionalism.

What Happened to Her Coach Bag?

Everyone knows Coach bags cost a pretty penny. Especially if it’s a rare design. Having said this, Donielle (@travelgurl18) was definitely ecstatic to receive her bag, especially after being told it was “one-of-a-kind.”

Her clip is only a couple of minutes filled with laughter and explanation, but 3.9 million viewers and 2,000 comments later, people have opinions. The story kicks off right off the bat, with Donielle saying she came to the Coach store, bought a bag, and that the employee gave it away.

As she refers to the employee as “this young lady,” she pans the camera to show her standing at the back. The employee looks at the camera, grins, and turns away. Donielle says, “So, what is this?”

Donielle then says that she had bought “this one-of-a-kind” bag that was “last in the world.” She again makes the camera find the employee, and says, “Go ahead. Tell them.” The employee looks at the camera for a second, takes a breath as if about to talk, then ducks and runs from the camera. Donielle laughs and follows her, repeating that she gave away her bag to a different client. The employee then says while smiling, “I’m sorry, y’all.”

What Does the Employee Do?

Donielle continues her retelling of the story and says, luckily, the lady who got her bag is still in the mall and will return to the store. She says this thankfully, because if that weren’t the case, she would be having a “breakdown and be crying.”

As she says this, another employee chimes in and says that the bag is sold out everywhere. A third employee joins the conversation, and he says, “We weren’t gonna let you get out here without your bag, baby. That’s one thing. We were gonna take care of our girl.” He continues by calling her fabulous and saying he loves the attitude. Donielle agrees and then reiterates that the bag was still given away. The employee grins and gives her a bashful hug.

Does She Get Her Bag?

The video then cuts and shows two women walking into the store and one of them is holding a black Coach store bag. Donielle says, “Look at my bag. There it is. It’s back.”

It gets handed to the employee and the male employee then hands the other woman another box. He says it is the “black and gold.” He says he wrapped it for her and she says, “Are we sure?”

The women then ask Donielle which purse she bought. She says it’s a tabby. The other woman says at first, she was confused to see Coach calling her phone. The other employees start laughing and Donielle says, “I was literally about to cry.”

The video cuts again and Donielle is videoing the unwrapping of the bag while she is still in the store. She gushes over the design. The last clip is her and the other woman looking at the camera and Donielle says she’s glad she didn’t like her bag. The other woman says, “I’m glad you got to get yours back.”

@travelgurl18 @Coach haul almost gone wrong! Walking by the coach store in @southparkmall and stopped to look… of course I got sucked in to by a purse ??! my wonderful sales associate Jerri had someone pack it in a gift bag and another wonderful sales associate made a mistake and gave it to another customer!! ?? I can laugh now but the panic that went through their faces was evident that this could have went real wrong! I’m so glad the beautiful birthday Lady from Charleston hadn’t left the mall and came back to the store!! Crisis diverted!!! #coach #denimtabby #coachgirlie ♬ original sound – Donielle

The Viewers Aren’t Laughing Along

The atmosphere of the video was palpably light-hearted. However, some of the comments are anything but. One viewer says, “I’m sorry but it’s too much laughing going on after spending some coins & having your bag given away.”

“I need her to pay attention to what she’s doing. This is a teachable moment,” says another viewer, most likely referencing how the employee keeps avoiding the camera and giggling.

Another viewer says, “They laughing like ish funny.” Donielle replies, “It was funny.”

“They better be glad that they got you and not me lol,” says one viewer.

In a complete 180, other viewers are praising the customer service. One viewer says, “This is a cute story…no argument….just giggles and Cooperation.” Similarly, another viewer shares, “This is customer service. Made a mistake a pleasant experience. I love this whole thing.”

A third viewer says, “Seems like a family get together? Everyone is so personable and nice. And the bag is TEA!”

Others, of course, comment on the bag design. A viewer with over 800 likes says, “That bag Ugg Lee.” Donielle replies, “I love it still!!”

Another viewer says, “I would’ve brought it back too. Maybe I gotta see it styled.” Donielle responds, “It’s ok… we all have different styles. I love it. Jean and gaudy… just my style.”

The Mary Sue reached out to the creator via email.

Have a tip we should know? [email protected]

Gisselle Hernandez

Gisselle Hernandez-Gomez is a contributing reporter to the Mary Sue. Her work has appeared in the Daily Dot, Business Insider, Fodor’s Travel and more.

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Gisselle Hernandez

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February 17, 2026
New York Fashion Week Has Found Its Backbone: Diotima by Rachel Scott

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Photo: IK Aldama / Courtesy of Diotima

Photo: IK Aldama / Courtesy of Diotima

In the six years since, she has become New York City’s inarguable designer to watch. In September of last year, as an explicit confirmation of her talent and broad remit, Scott was named the creative director of Proenza Schouler, a label founded by Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez (who have relocated to Paris to helm Loewe) that emerged in the early 2000s and quickly became the go-to outfitter for some of New York’s most well-dressed women, including Mary-Kate Olsen, Ashley Olsen, Chloë Sevigny. Scott’s Diotima has come to occupy a similar space today, dressing the new generation of, albeit more diverse, fashion glitterati. She showed her first collection for Proenza Schouler on Wednesday, a terrific opening effort.

Much of Scott’s work at Diotima revolves around decolonization, be that by her centering of her home country of Jamaica or by considering elegance from a non-white, non-Eurocentric point of view, oftentimes with an emphasis on craft. This season, Scott partnered with the family and estate of the late Cuban artist Wilfredo Lam, whose work is currently the subject of its first US retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

A Cuban artist of African and Chinese descent, Lam would often refer to his art as an “act of decolonization.” His work expanded the context of modernist art into the realm of Black diasporic culture by way of transporting landscapes and living characters. He studied in Spain and developed his practice under a war-torn Europe, gaining the support of the likes of Pablo Picasso and Joan Miró. During the Spanish Civil War, he worked with the Republicans to create posters and propaganda, and later illustrated André Breton’s famous surrealist poem Fata Morgana.

Upon his return to Cuba in 1941, he became reacquainted with Afro-Cuban culture. His work developed in style as he merged European surrealism and cubism with Caribbean motifs. Above all, it continued to be political in spirit but this time with a singular focus, to reconnect Cuba with its African heritage. This is a tradition that Scott seeks to uphold by remarking on her own individual cultural lineage.

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José Criales-Unzueta

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February 15, 2026
All the Looks From the 2026 Film Independent Spirit Awards Red Carpet

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On Sunday, the Film Independent Spirit Awards 2026 kick off from the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles honoring some of the more under-the-radar films of the year. The ceremony will be hosted by SNL alumna Ego Nwodim and Honorary Chair filmmaker Lulu Wang.

The Spirit Awards come a few weeks ahead of the Actor Awards (formerly known as the SAG Awards) amid the awards season run-up to the Oscars, which are now exactly one month away.

In the film categories, Peter Hujar’s Day starring Ben Whishaw and Rebecca Hall received five nominations, the most for any film this year. Blue Sun Palace; Lurker; One of Them Days; Sorry, Baby and Train Dreams are all up for four awards.

The awards can help build momentum—or the perception of it— for films in the awards race. Train Dreams, starring Joel Edgerton, may be a strong contender, as it is nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Eva Victor, who starred in, wrote and directed Sorry, Baby, earned a Golden Globe nomination for her acting, but the film was snubbed by the Oscars.

The Spirit Awards ceremony also honors accomplishments in television. Netflix’s Adolescence and Forever, and the British drama Mr Loverman are tied for the most nominations for TV with four apiece. Adolescence has had a strong showing during awards season so far, as the mini-series swept all four categories it was nominated for at the Golden Globes in January, including best limited or anthology series.

Winners of the Spirit Awards are chosen by members of Film Independent, a non-profit arts organization focused on visual storytelling. Nominees were selected from 18 countries and had budgets ranging from $35,000 to $20 million. The show will be live-streamed on Film Independent and IMDb’s YouTube channels and on other social platforms beginning at 5:00 p.m. ET.

The Spirit Awards blue carpet (not red carpet, blue carpet!) brings a more funky energy to awards season fashions. See all of the stars as they arrive here.

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Lindsey Underwood

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February 15, 2026
‘Clueless’ -inspired app Alta partners with brand Public School to start integrating styling tools into websites | TechCrunch

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Much has changed for Jenny Wang, the founder who’s bringing “Clueless” fashion tech to life.

Last year, her company, Alta, raised $11 million in a round led by Menlo Ventures to let users create digital closets and try on their clothes with their own virtual avatars. It’s a tech once seen only in movies, most notably in “Clueless,” where Cher styles and plans her outfits using computer technology. Alta is similar to that, allowing users to plan and style outfits using the latest AI innovations.

A slew of big names participated in Atla’s round last year, including models Jasmine Tookes and Karlie Kloss, Anthropic’s VC arm Anthology Fund, and Rent the Runway cofounder Jenny Fleiss.

TechCrunch caught up with Wang during New York Fashion Week to talk about how the company has expanded since that round.

For starters, the product is officially in the app store; Time and Vogue named it one of the best innovations of last year, and Wang said more than 100 million outfits have been generated on the platform since its launch in 2023. It has partnerships with Poshmark and the Council of Fashion Designers of America, with more partnerships to be announced soon.

“Alta’s own app also features thousands of brands that users can shop from,” Wang said.

Right now, the company is focused on building app and website integration experiences for brands, she said, where customers can try on a designer’s clothing using a personalized Alta Avatar. This week, the company unveiled its first integration collaboration, teaming up with Public School, a storied New York City brand.

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“Shoppers can style looks from the new collection on their own Alta avatar,” Wang said.

She met the Public School team — Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne — through the founder of Poshmak, who is also an angel investor in both companies.

“Public School designers Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne had been looking for an AI partner and virtual try-on avatar solution, and Dao-Yi has been an Alta app user himself,” Wang said.

Public School actually went on hiatus for a few years, with this NYFW marking its grand re-debut. When asked, the founders of the brand said they rediscovered their voices and what they wanted to say.

“We have to look at tech as a partner in the business today,” Chow told TechCrunch, adding, “It’s not 2015 anymore,” so the team wants to take advantage of the latest technological developments. “We want to be thoughtful on how we use tech and AI,” he continued, “not as a design tool but as a tool to extend our storytelling and a tool to interact with the consumer and have them experience the brand even if they can’t do so in person.”

Image Credits:Alta

Wang said this is one of the first instances of a designer embedding personal avatar and styling technology into its own website. Near the bottom of Public School’s product page, there is an icon that says Style by Alta. Clicking that takes the customer to Alta for them to then style their avatars and test out how Public School clothing would look on them, should they purchase.

Users on Alta’s standalone app can also access Public School through Alta’s app. Wang said the goal is for Alta to integrate more experiences like this into other brands and websites, so Alta users can try on clothes on other websites even while outside the Alta app.

“Right now, a user would have to add a potential purchase into their Alta wishlist, then style outfits and try on their avatar, versus being able to do that directly on the brand website.” (For every site but Public School, that is.) “The goal is to bring their community on a new journey to engage with and shop the brand.”

Many major fashion brands, like Zara and Balmain, have already experimented with digital avatars. Wang said what makes Alta different here, especially compared to Zara, is that Alta avatars can put on at least 8 items within seconds, whereas Zara avatars can wear only four and often take around two minutes.

Overall, demand for virtual avatars has increased. Wang considers Alta both still the “Cluless” technology that it started out with, and a digital avatar business.

“The consumer Alta app is the ‘Clueless’ closet, while the enterprise Alta experience allows shoppers to style pieces and try the outfits on their pre-existing Alta avatar,” he said. Eventually, Wang said she wants Alta to be the “personal identity layer for the future of consumer AI and shopping.”

For agentic commerce to truly work, she said, “We need a data layer that understands the shopper’s style preferences, such as their closet, past purchases, and their avatar, likeness, and body, which is Alta.”

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Dominic-Madori Davis

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February 14, 2026
Jeffrey Epstein’s Quarter Zip and the Rise of a Fringe Fashion Obsession

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I was swiping through Instagram Stories last week when I was served an eBay ad for a very familiar sweatshirt.

Of all the accoutrements of the life and crimes of Jeffrey Epstein, a 2005 image showing him wearing a navy monogrammed quarter zip and a slight, characteristic smirk has acquired an endless digital footprint and a discomfiting resonance. With the Epstein story approaching the 10-year mark as a global preoccupation, this nth phase of the intrigue, largely prompted by fallout from the Department of Justice’s July proclamation that there were no further criminal charges in the works, has spawned a potent cottage industry. One can now purchase an Epstein quarter zip, as it’s invariably described, from an array of Etsy entrepreneurs, the white nationalist streamer Nick Fuentes’s web store ($69.99), or epsteinquarterzip.com ($49.00), which promotes its wares to its 129,000 Instagram followers with AI-generated images of Donald Trump and Bill Clinton sporting the titular apparel.

“Iconic merch” is how leading right-leaning gaming streamer Asmongold recently described it. When Fuentes wore his riff on the sweatshirt, with “USA” replacing “JEE”—the American flag on the sleeve is true to the original—for a third week running, one of the X accounts that faithfully tracks his commentary said the choice represented “pure aura.” The quarter zip, in this conception of Epstein’s much-scrutinized persona, amounts to a signifier of ease and insouciance—the late financier wore rumpled sweatshirts around the global elite presumably because he could. In April 2019, a few months before his arrest on federal sex trafficking charges, Epstein arrived at the artist Andres Serrano’s Greenwich Village home to have his portrait taken. “He acted the way he always acted,” Serrano told me in 2022. “Like a guy who didn’t have a care in the world.”

If there is any stylistic throughline in the immense tranche of emails released in the latest round of Epstein documents, it is that Epstein was similarly unbothered in his personal communications. He wrote to executives and public officials with little concern for spelling or syntax, and capitalization seemed anathema to him. The Epstein files, long held up in the public imagination as a kind of Rosetta stone for the sins of the wealthy and connected, included documents showing how the FBI had found little evidence to conclude that Epstein was running a sex trafficking ring for other powerful men; they also fed the bottomless appetite for glimpses into Epstein’s eccentricities and the corruption of the ruling class. Even if few of the wildest conspiracies found material support, his cultural imprint grew only larger.

The quarter zip took on a life of its own in September, when Restricted, a Miami luxury reseller that primarily stocks Chrome Hearts and accepts cryptocurrency as payment, claimed to be selling the genuine article. “Straight from Mar A Lago,” the shop wrote on Instagram. “This piece is very controversial and iconic.” A rumor spread that it was purchased by Ian Connor, the stylist affiliated with the artist formerly known as Kanye West and A$AP Rocky in the 2010s, and whose career was soon overshadowed by a series of sexual assault allegations that he has denied. (Connor had commented on the post with a moneybag emoji and indicated that he wanted to discuss the matter over direct message.) The shop’s owner told the Miami New Times that, after fielding more than 5,000 inquiries, he sold it to a different, unnamed client whom he described as famous. He was certain that the sweatshirt, which he purchased for $5,000 from another client and sold for $11,000, was authentic. (The client who sold him the sweater, he added, was from the Palm Beach area where Epstein had a home, and “also showed me, like, some mail he had, and medicine prescription bottles.”)

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Dan Adler

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February 14, 2026