Where last season Jenny Packham looked to the scorched sensuality of Georgia O’Keeffe’s work, home, and personal style, this time the British designer turned her gaze to the starry sky. As Packham sees it, much of science fiction is populated by strong, boundary-breaking female characters: the women captains and colonels of Star Trek, the bazooka-wielding Barbarella. “I’m fascinated by what culture turns to for escapism right now,” she said. “I think we’re all a bit worn down by reality at the moment, and science fiction, for me, is a place that projected women into the future, to a place of empowerment, early on.”
The warm turmeric and saffron tones of pre-fall 2026 graduated into shades that recalled aurora borealis for fall: celestial silvers, the hopeful pink of a first daybreak, dusky blues, inky onyx nights. The characters of Packham’s universe stepped into some of her signature silhouettes, with refined details. Power shoulders abounded, while others featured daring dipped backs, slashed necks, and smoky sheer panels. One coppery dress featured sculpted shoulders, a high neck, and a bold keyhole front; its hand-beading lay over machinery beading, creating new depth and dimension in one of Packham’s most long-established hallmarks: super sparkle. A black caped minidress had swirling crystal shoulders like a star-drenched night—a look made for cocktails and opening oneself up to whatever the evening might bring.
Packham experimented with color and texture: Bronze embellished droplets sat atop a pale pink fabric, creating a shimmering effect. Clusters of Rivoli crystals and petal-shaped beads traced down the arms and up the neck. There were diamond-shaped, cut-chain sleeves and a honeycomb silver necklace lining a lavender fabric. One of Packham’s most daring gowns yet was dark and sheer, save for tendrils of crystals that were like comet trails across the body. The designer also continued to expand her offering of slinky satin dresses and those cut on the bias, appealing to a younger customer—one who will confidently see the night sky meet the morning sun.
