What's actually trending this summer?
A chat with famed luxury sourcer, Gab Waller
If you’ve been on this Substack for a minute, you know that every year at the start of summer, I bring Gab Waller back on the pod. This is our third year doing it, and at this point it feels like an official Let’s Get Dressed summer tradition.
For anyone new here, Gab is the most in-the-know fashion sourcer. She lives inside the DMs of the women buying the most coveted pieces in fashion, and her job is to find them whatever they want — which means she sees, in real time, what’s actually selling, what’s not, and what’s about to break. There is genuinely no one with better data on what’s moving than her (if only you all could she the spreadsheet she pulled up during the recording), so once a year I get her on the show to walk us through what’s actually going to define the summer.
And I have to say, this season, the conversation took a really interesting turn. Because we are heading into summer 2026 and… there aren’t really any massive trends.
Every year there is usually one stand out product everyone is obsessing over, à la the Miu Miu cowboy hat or last year's jelly flats, but this year it feels different. We have yet to see that must-have viral piece.
And I actually think that’s the most interesting story of the summer… so with that in mind here’s everything you need to know on Summer 2026 trends.
Listen to the full episode now, and shop it here! 🎙️
1:06 The Chanel Golden Era
We’ve talked about this on the pod before, but Matthieu Blazy’s debut at Chanel has truly been a phenomenon. The demand for that first collection was unlike anything the industry has seen in recent memory — requests started rolling in before it even hit stores, and they haven’t slowed down weeks later.
What’s most interesting is who’s buying it. A whole new younger clientele is tapping into Chanel for the first time — clients who previously may have only shopped vintage Chanel are now buying new season, and they’re obsessed.
If you’re trying to get your hands on something from the collection, the most in-demand categories are:
Shoes — by far the most requested category.
Handbags — specifically the Maxi flap in burgundy and black
The pony hair ballerinas — these are single-handedly driving the pony hair shoe trend across the industry. While these are sold out, Lisa Says Gah makes a fun pair.
The one Chanel category that hasn’t popped off the way you’d expect is Coco Beach. The spring/summer main collection is so strong that the specialty/themed drops aren’t getting the same heat they once did. I think this is going to be a really interesting long-term shift for Chanel — for years, the viral Chanel moments came from the supermarket-runway-type specialty collections. Now it’s the main line doing the heavy lifting, and the beach bags (at $8K for raffia, btw) aren’t as highly requested.
11:45 The Row is playing the long game
Here’s a brand strategy moment I genuinely think every fashion person should be studying. After the Margaux exploded, The Row could have easily kept dropping bag after bag in that same viral lane. Instead, they pulled way back. The Marlowe came out as a solve for the Margaux demand, but since then? They’ve been deliberately quiet.
That restraint is what’s kept The Row covetable. Compare that to brands that release trendy item after trendy item — eventually the consumer becomes indifferent, and the pieces stop feeling special.
The Row’s newest release is the Idaho bag in a shoulder style, and they’ve made one really smart decision with it: it’s available in store only. You cannot buy it online — not on their site, not on Mytheresa, nowhere. You have to walk into a Row store to get it. I haven’t seen another brand do that, and I think it’s a brilliant strategy. It makes the piece feel rarer, it protects long-term resale value, and it brings people back into the physical retail experience.
P.S. If you’re a Row girl, this is the bag to watch this summer.
6:10 The brands and pieces that are actually selling this summer
Outside of Chanel, the three brands dominating the data right now are:
Celine. This one surprised me, because Celine is not a viral brand. It doesn’t blow up on Instagram. You don’t see Celine unboxings on your feed every day the way you do with Chanel or Miu Miu. And yet it is consistently top three most requested. I have a theory on this — Celine has the most loyal, under-the-radar consumer in luxury right now. People who wear Celine are tapped in, they know they’re buying into the brand, and they don’t feel the need to broadcast it. Michael Rider has done an incredible job, and the new strap sandals with the little Celine logo wrapped around the foot are going to be everywhere.
Saint Laurent. While they haven’t had a standout bag moment in a while (please, Anthony, give us a bag), their jackets are dominating. The reversible new season jacket they just released this past week is already moving fast. There’s also a beige track jacket Gab is now calling “the Rosie Huntington-Whiteley jacket” because she’s been wearing it everywhere, and the YSL windbreakers have not stopped selling. No other brand is selling jackets the way Saint Laurent is right now.
Dior. A year ago Dior was barely getting requests. Now, thanks to Jonathan Anderson, the brand is back in a major way. The most requested piece? The bow heels. They just dropped a new color way in pink with white, red, and bright lime green floral appliqué that I am OBSESSED with and will likely be released in very limited quantity, so move fast!!
And here’s the rundown by category:
Bags: The Row Idaho (shoulder style), Celine’s new raffia tote with the small logo on the closure, Miu Miu’s new wicker basket bag
Shoes: Chanel’s new season styles (across the board), Celine’s new wrap-around style, and of course, the Dior bow heels.
Belts: The big buckle belt is having a MOMENT. Dior and Celine started it, and now we’re seeing it everywhere. The new Celine belt with multiple buckles at the front is the one to watch.
18:34 The trends I am paying attention to
While there isn’t one dominant summer trend this year, there are smaller through-lines I’m watching:
Color. This summer is going to be bright. The desire for playfulness in fashion is driving a major color moment, and you can feel it across collections. My pick for color of the summer is blue — and not just any blue. We saw the cerulean moment last year with Devil Wears Prada, Hailey wore that deep blue at the Met, Charli XCX was in blue eyeshadow on British Vogue, Zendaya on Brazilian Vogue. Blue is everywhere, and to me it’s the color of ease — it just makes you feel like summer.
Light pink isn’t going anywhere either. Baby yellow, though, feels like it’s slowing down after its big moment last summer.
Animal print (specifically pony hair) is still going strong, and it’s living mostly in footwear.
Vintage-inspired athletic wear. With the World Cup this summer, there’s a sport-enthusiast energy bleeding into fashion. Think track jackets, windbreakers, capris and a little sporty topper. We called this out at the top of the year on the pod — that great weather-wear was going to be a big category in 2026 — and I’m seeing it play out now.
35:01 The piece I am buying for summer
If I had to recommend one thing to buy for the season ahead, it would be a great colored tee. People overcomplicate trending colors — they think they need to wear it to a wedding or in a big way. The easiest way to play with color is honestly just a great colored tee. Reformation and Renggli have tees in the perfect blue (Gab was wearing the blue Renngli when she came in and it was IMMACULATE), or the Reformation one I bought a few months ago that I haven’t taken off.
Pair it with baggy vintage jeans, a great pair of Loro Piana Rebecca flats (my favorite shoe — I have them in every color), or a slide-on mule, and call it a summer uniform.
I hope this inpsired you all and I’m curious…what are you buying for summer? Let me know in the comment because I genuinely love hearing what you’re all eyeing!
xx Liv
Dior/celine belt is so high on my wish list but I want the cult Gaia bag and miista mules first