Haider Ackermann Scales Back the Drama at Tom Ford's Fall 2026 Show

Held in a bare white venue at Place Vendôme, Tom Ford's Fall 2026 show saw creative director Haider Ackermann present pinstripes, white shirts, and tailoring touched with military details, alongside a touch of sultry eveningwear — dark-edged, classic clothing that the designer described as a reflection of the times.

"It's about standing straight in life, facing everything that's happening in this world. Before, there was a kind of debauchery. They had another life," Ackermann said, describing the models who crossed the spare white show space. "Then — suddenly — there they are, standing straight, facing it all honestly."

Mobbed by colleagues and fans following the show, as always, Ackermann also spoke about getting back to basics. "We're living in quite a violent world where everybody has a very loud voice, screaming and shouting and telling lies. There's a lack of humility in this world. But we're all human. We may be different, but we all want the same thing, so let's come together," he said.

To address this, he leaned further into the house's signature tailoring, presenting dark pin-striped suits, several paired with white neckties or rosettes pinned to sharp lapels. An '80s power influence ran through the striped dress shirts, some featuring contrasting collars, among them a black-and-white Dalmatian print that brought in a note of humor. Rigor extended even to the high-waisted jeans, which had tuxedo stripes running down the sides.

Over many of the suits, Ackermann added transparent plastic raincoats — possibly a response to this year's dismal weather across much of Europe, or an indication that people require all the protection they can get.

Equally classic but softer in feel were the women's looks. Kristen McMenamy appeared in a boxy gray suit dusted with sparkles, a pair of long gloves in hand, while other models wore cropped military jackets with pencil skirts, or sharp-edged A-line coats in black-and-white Dalmatian spots. Protective plastic found its way into the womenswear as well — transparent coats and skirts, some fused with croc — with a few looks finished off by playful hats resembling the plastic cone collars dogs wear after surgery.

Quieter tones appeared through beefy knits matched with leather skirts in caramel or olive, along with leather trousers featuring whipstitching along the legs, plus roomy bathrobe coats. Evening looks, unlike those of previous seasons, stayed minimal, among them a black gown trimmed with fluttery fabric cut like bat wings, nodding to these dark days. AM