Carolina Herrera pays homage to founder’s 1980s glamour at New York Fashion Week

New York-based label Carolina Herrera delivered a confident collection celebrating its 1980s roots at New York Fashion Week, as creative director Wes Gordon leaned into the brand’s heritage codes while amplifying print, structure and sparkle for autumn/winter 2026.

When the founder Carolina Herrera described her debut collection in 1981, she famously said it was simply “my own style”. Decades later, that sentiment still defines the label.

Refined and unmistakably ladylike, the Herrera aesthetic has long centred on crisp tailoring, sculptural sleeves and one statement flourish – never fussy or overworked.

This season, that flourish arrived immediately.

A double-breasted leopard coat opened the show, signalling that horseshoe jeans are out and horseshoe coats are in.

It was textured and sharply cut, setting a bold tone for a collection that combined classic elegance with playfulness. Leopard appeared repeatedly, often rendered in monochrome with flashes of red, reinforcing animal print as a key outerwear statement for the colder months.

Sixties-inspired silhouettes ran throughout. Structured peplum jackets, drop-waist A-line dresses and oversized buttons gave the collection a retro, graphic precision, while bows and brooches added the decorative charm that has been trending for the past few months.

Florals – traditionally synonymous with spring – were reimagined for autumn.

Arum lilies appeared first as sculptural accents on belts, bags and brooches before evolving into rich reds and plum across dresses and separates.

The motif provided a softer counterpoint to leopard’s boldness, underscoring the brand’s enduring love of statement blooms.

Gordon also managed to incorporate the mesh trend that has been dominating the red carpet as of late. Sheer underlays peeked from beneath sharply tailored jackets before evolving into full-length evening gowns that combined transparency with structure.

Strong shoulders – a nod to the house’s 1980s roots – featured prominently in coats and formal day dresses, alongside the exaggerated peplums it seems this decade’s trends are here to stay.

As the show progressed, glamour took centre stage.

Sequins and square disco-style embellishments drenched body-con evening gowns, injecting a high-shine drama into the collection.

The silhouettes were evocative of the 2010s ‘business-casual’ trend, albeit elevated through richer textures and sculpted proportions.

Elsewhere, crinoline-inspired constructions introduced exaggerated hips and cinched waists, reviving a silhouette that has resurfaced across recent couture collections by Dior and Schiaparelli.

The sculptural shape brought a sense of theatricality, emphasising the hourglass form that seems to be trending in fashion.

Speaking about the collection ahead of the show on Instagram, Gordon emphasised his commitment to preserving the house’s defining elegance while evolving it for a contemporary woman.

He described the work as rooted in Herrera’s enduring sense of confidence, colour and joie de vivre – values that continue to anchor the brand decades after its founding.

Under Gordon’s direction – he joined the house in 2017 before being appointed creative director in 2018 – Carolina Herrera’s codes of femininity have been refreshed with youthful energy.

Herrera, who launched her label after encouragement from former Vogue editor Diana Vreeland, built her reputation on simple white shirts, couture-like dresses and dramatic sleeves. Early clients included Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and the brand has continued to dress high-profile women for red carpets and formal occasions.

For autumn/winter 2026, Gordon honoured that lineage while sharpening its message. Leopard outerwear, sculpted peplums and strong-shouldered tailoring spoke to modern-day power dressing, while lilies, bows and mesh layering introduced a much-needed sense of soft romance.