Shades Of Brown Have Never Looked More Enticing Than At Ralph Lauren’s Fall/Winter 2026 Show

It would be an understatement to say that Ralph Lauren’s Fall/Winter 2026 collection wasn’t exactly a riot of colour. In fact, almost the entire run of the show was confined to shades of brown, with little delineation from this palette. In the hands of another designer, the decision might have resulted in a one-note collection—but with Lauren, the colour split into a symphony of shades and textures. Distressed mahogany leather, Donegal tweed shot through with coffee-coloured graining, the odd pop of fiery cheetah print—the collection was an instant classic, and a masterclass in the kind of chic minimalism Ralph Lauren has made its signature.

This collection was presented on the heels of Ralph Lauren’s much-anticipated Fall 2026 menswear showing in Milan, and it’s a sharp departure from the vibrant streetwear spirit of the latter. The menswear show felt plucked from a Gen Z fashion boy’s moodboard, giving urban style codes a preppy twist, and incorporating pops of green and yellow into a series of eclectically layered looks. The women’s Fall collection, on the other hand, is seemingly the glamorous and aloof black cat to the menswear’s golden retriever.

“A modernist with a nod to history, [the Ralph Lauren woman for Fall 2026] demands chic pragmatism with an emotional rush,” the show notes read. “Her clothes must work but also excite.” They delivered on both fronts flawlessly. Gigi Hadid opened the show in a cashmere vest and skirt inspired by Donegal tweed—which, incidentally, seems to be having its own moment, with Jonathan Anderson’s debut Dior menswear collection featuring a Bar jacket in the fabric. The look’s contrast of staid and sensual was a theme that continued throughout the show. The fabrics used here are sturdy—tweed, leather, velvet jacquard—but the silhouettes feel sleek and streamlined nonetheless.

Outerwear and eveningwear provided many of the standout style moments, in luxuriously draped cashmere capelets, distressed leather jackets, and double-dyed velvet gowns. It was an icily chic approach to winter wear, sure to appeal to the Upper East Side mom demographic—couldn’t you swear you’ve seen Lily van der Woodsen wear that windowpane wool coat on an episode of Gossip Girl? The collection was also a wonderland of texture and craftsmanship, featuring metal embellishments and meticulous techniques like feathered motifs worked into velvet jacquard.

After almost 60 years of being in the business, one might think Ralph Lauren would run out of ways to surprise. But with this latest showing, he proves that the key to reinvention often lies in mastering the basics. Ahead, get a closer look at the best moments from Ralph Lauren’s Fall/Winter 2026 womenswear show at New York Fashion Week.