BUYER’S GUIDE MEN’S FW26
The return of the playful knitted sweater, sensual plum-coloured coats and scarves, the comeback of the grey suit and an unexpected focus on cuffs. These are just some of the trends awaiting menswear next autumn. What should buyers invest in at the trade shows now, and which style directions will shape the wardrobes of Norwegian men when summer once again turns to autumn?
Texcon’s fashion expert and trend curator Marianne Jemtegård draws inspiration from the latest shows at Pitti Uomo and Paris, international trend reports and the fashion landscape on social media to curate a buying guide specially tailored to the Norwegian market.
PERFECT PLUM
After summer’s refreshing wave of blue and playful flirtation with soft pink, the pendulum swings this autumn towards deeper, more sophisticated and less ostentatious shades. One of the most prominent colours on the runway for autumn/winter is purple in all its variations. From midnight-dark plum to sweet lilac and almost red-toned purples, this is an exciting colour palette that will resonate well with Norwegians’ often understated taste preferences.
Purple knitwear layered under dark wool coats, as seen at Giorgio Armani, or an entire suit in rich plum tones are among the standout options. The possibilities are endless for those looking to inject fresh colour energy into their autumn wardrobe.
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Knitwear offers a natural introduction of purple into the autumn wardrobe. It pairs beautifully with black or grey coats and trousers. Wide scarves and coats in deep plum are a sophisticated choice for the trend-conscious man looking to elevate his outerwear. I am also seeing more and more purple appearing in shirts, both printed and plain.
LEATHER & TAILORING
Photo: Giorgio Armani, Soshi Otsuki, Giorgio Armani
Japanese designer Soshi Otsuki was the guest designer at Pitti Uomo this year, and his runway debut in Florence certainly did not disappoint. In fact, it was one of the menswear collections that inspired me the most this season, thanks to its understated mix of brown tones, orange and pink, soft leather and striking silhouettes.
The pilot-inspired cropped leather jackets with belted waists gave us a younger and softer interpretation of power dressing. Styled with wide-leg trousers, leather jackets became one of the key statement pieces on the runway and appeared everywhere from Giorgio Armani to Prada.
Another important detail to watch is belts. Wide and narrow belts appeared on cropped leather jackets, sporty anoraks and leather trench coats, making this one of the defining details of next season.
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Look for leather jackets with cropped waists, whether bomber jackets, varsity-inspired styles or short trench-inspired silhouettes. Focus on belted waists. Brown leather is the dominant trend, though plum and black are also appearing frequently. The coolest styling combination is pairing these jackets with grey wool suit trousers.
OVERSIZED CUFFS
When it comes to styling that challenges the way we think about fashion, nobody does it quite like Prada. The combination of Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons is now giving us an entirely new perspective on cuffs and cufflinks. Who would have thought?
At first glance, this season’s dramatically oversized cuffs appear strikingly extravagant when paired with everything from sporty apple-green jackets (with belted waists, of course!) to lemon-yellow knitwear and slim, structured coats. But perhaps this extreme version is exactly what will make us all pay a little more attention to cuffs and the exciting styling possibilities they offer?
Personally, I think this is an exciting styling detail that gives us the opportunity to experiment more with colourful shirts and decorative cufflinks as we move closer to the 2026 party season.
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More substantial shirt cuffs and detachable cuffs worn underneath sweaters and jackets as a styling detail could quickly become a major trend. Keep an eye out for jewel-encrusted cufflinks and brooches designed for lapels. Perhaps this will be the winter when Norwegian men truly embrace masculine jewellery and decorative accessories?
THE GREY SUIT
Rarely have I seen more grey on the runway than right now. Both womenswear and menswear are flooded with a grey wave of wool, tweed, silk blends and knitwear. In menswear, there was hardly a single autumn collection without at least one grey suit.
This season’s hottest suit is undoubtedly grey, double-breasted and impeccably tailored, while wide-leg trousers remain firmly at the top of the trend hierarchy. Those looking to introduce something fresher should turn to Prada and its sharp, slim and straight silhouettes, complete with matching streamlined coats.
Colour is often introduced underneath the suit through knitwear in bold and vibrant primary shades.
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The grey suit is the safest investment of the season. Preferably double-breasted and paired with generously wide trousers. The most fashion-forward customers will likely ask for slimmer trouser silhouettes inspired by Prada, though for most Norwegian consumers there is still plenty of room to explore the ongoing wide-leg trouser trend.
SKI BUM
The easiest trend for Norwegian men this winter is undoubtedly the ski-inspired look that dominated many of the season’s most talked-about shows. Think cheerful knit sweaters and jackets decorated with everything from skiers and mountains to slogans and artistic reindeer motifs. Add sunglasses inspired by ski goggles, sporty wide-leg trousers in technical fabrics and shearling details on everything from lapels to shoulder bags.
In short, it is everything you need for a long weekend in Hemsedal.
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The line between sportswear and leisurewear is almost completely erased by this trend. Look for knitwear featuring slogans and graphic motifs, sporty silhouettes and après-ski-ready sunglasses. That said, the ultra-sporty eyewear can easily be replaced with oversized seventies-inspired frames, as seen at Giorgio Armani.