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

At Tom Ford's Fall 2026 show, held in a spare white space at Place Vendôme, creative director Haider Ackermann offered pinstripes, white shirts, and military-flecked tailoring, with a dash of sultry eveningwear — classic, dark-edged clothing that the designer said mirrored 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," said Ackermann, referring to his models, who walked in 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.

His solution was to double down on the house's signature tailoring with a lineup of dark pin-striped suits, some worn with white neckties or rosettes on their sharp lapels. Striped dress shirts carried an '80s power edge, some with contrasting collars, including a black-and-white Dalmatian print that added a dash of humor. Even the high-waisted jeans had rigor, with tuxedo stripes running down the sides.

Ackermann layered transparent plastic raincoats over many of the suits — perhaps a response to the dismal weather across much of Europe this year, or a sign that people need as much protection as they can get.

The women's looks were just as classic, but more soft-edged. Kristen McMenamy walked out in a boxy gray suit dusted with sparkles, carrying a pair of long gloves, while other models wore cropped military jackets paired with pencil skirts or sharp-edged A-line coats in black-and-white Dalmatian spots. Ackermann dressed his women in protective plastic too — transparent coats and skirts, some fused with croc — and topped a few looks with playful hats resembling the plastic cone collars dogs wear after surgery.

Softer notes came through beefy knits paired with leather skirts in caramel or olive, leather trousers with whipstitching down the legs, and roomy bathrobe coats. Unlike past seasons, evening looks were minimal, including a black gown edged with fluttery fabric shaped like bat wings — a nod to these dark days. AM