Chemena Kamali continues to empower women in this collection where trouble meets chic, and the past collides with the present.
In an era where roaring means striking, masculinity is perceived as strength, Chloé stands to be an epitome of power in softness, sophistication, and femininity. Its mastery of empowering women through the “cool girl” aesthetic continues in its Pre-Fall 2026 collection, which is grounded on spontaneity, intuition, and elegance in everyday life.
For this season, creative director Chemena Kamali crafted a catalog of flowy dresses, tailored blouses, and flared denim inspired by Bettina Rheims’ 1989 photo book Female Trouble, as well as the portraits by Francesco Scavullo. The German fashion designer weaved this 1980s aesthetic together with the “no-rules” dressing habits of the twenty-something creatives within the house’s own atelier.
The result is a collection designed for women who resist conformity and prioritize self-expression and individuality. It’s for those who practice a spontaneous, liberated approach in life and bask in the joy of “dressing up for each other”—values Kamali believes make for the perfect Chloé woman.
“I was thinking a lot about not wanting to formulate things,” Kamali told WWD. She wanted the clothes to “feel familiar, but where there’s newness, inventiveness and surprise.” She then blended the Parisian house’s iconic history with the gritty rebellion in the streets. “It really inspired me to see how the new generation takes dressing as an extension of their own individuality,” she added.
The collection showcases the romantic, freewheeling spirit of Chloé in the opening look: a pair of jeans that are fitted through the hips and exploded into large A-line volumes on the legs. This distinct bohemian vibe is mixed with the contemporary rebellion in high-contrast combinations: soft lace-trimmed tops paired with fuzzy cropped sweaters, basic pullover shirts elevated into fashion-forward ensembles with draped pencil skirts, and a ruffled couture-inspired blouse paired with striking red jeans.
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This trouble-turns-chic narrative continues in the cropped rib-knit Donegal sweater that Kamali jazzed up with a Guipure lace, the ruched peplums matched with ballooning pants, and even the socks worn underneath suede, wood, and transparent platform clogs
Kamali crafted a more accessible alternative to static elegance through velvet stirrup pants, snug suede leggings, and garment-dyed workwear pants. It is also found in the “Paloma” blouse that was reimagined in blush pink as a nod to the dress Karl Lagerfeld designed for Paloma Picasso’s wedding.
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All these are “pieces that you instinctively and naturally reach for,” Kamali noted. They are staunchly “anchored in reality.” Still, she made sure to enliven it with whimsical touches, as seen in the pendant made to resemble an apple core, the clam-shaped ring that doubles as a mirror, and the Marcie bag reduced into a bag charm.
The Chloe Pre-Fall collection, designed by Chemena Kamali, is expected to hit stores between May and June 2026.
