While September’s New York Fashion Week looks ahead to spring and summer 2027, fall 2026 fashion has already had its moment on the runway. The February shows offered both a preview and prediction of what would eventually trickle down from designer collections to department stores, social media feeds and eventually, college campuses.
Fall is, in theory, a California university student’s dream fashion realm. Depending on the state of global warming, the weather has the highest likelihood of sitting at that perfect temperature for a lightly layered look that perfectly encapsulates your fall Pinterest board.
When it comes to UC Irvine, fall is less of a season and more of a nurtured thought. Pumpkin patches look more like “The White Lotus” season one b-roll than a scene from “Over The Garden Wall,” our leaves have an anxious attachment to their trees, and the only snow we get is the snowball effect that occurs when you skip class on week three. It lives in Trader Joe’s seasonal dessert aisle, fall-themed Petr stickers and the pumpkin spice latte the girl in front of you in your 300-person lecture chugs while browsing Princess Polly formal dresses.
In the absence of a stereotypical fall, fashion becomes one of the easiest ways to recreate it. From a myriad of 2000s runway looks to that one photo of Taylor Swift serving Roberto Cavalli realness to global village coffeehouse chic, these aesthetics have infiltrated the social media explore pages of countless fashion divas trying to build their own fall aesthetic.
But what pieces will actually make it to the streets of SoHo and the Anteatery? Looking at the designers dominating the fall fashion conversation, one thing is clear, experimentation is prevalent. From Maison Margiela’s Interview with the Vampire-esque utopia to Miu Miu’s city girl stuck in a Wes Anderson film lookbook, it’s safe to say fall is no longer an echo chamber of autumnal, understated garb.
Rich textures and tones are at the forefront of the catwalk. Ralph Lauren’s medieval countryside romanticism and Chloé’s airy feminine styling offer two very different interpretations of fall, but both leave plenty of room for adaptation.
However, translating the runway to Ring Road does not necessarily mean recreating a look piece-for-piece. Third-year math major Jacob Macias is the chief creative officer of The Fashion Collective at UCI (FITS) for the 2026-27 academic year, a student fashion organization that produces its own runway shows and an annual magazine.
When it comes to how students can incorporate runway trends into their everyday student wear, Macias sees it as a matter of picking and choosing.
“Most students, including myself, are not going to be able to obtain any of these designer looks,” Macias told New University. “But I do think that the little styling, tidbits here, maybe textures or specific patterns, will be taken inspiration from.”
Macias has done this himself. After Coach styled its belts with the buckle shifted toward the side of the hip in a previous runway, he adopted the detail, wearing it around campus. For him, it is these smaller choices — rather than an entire designer ensemble — that allow high fashion to filter into student wardrobes.
That same approach applies to the way students consume fashion online. While TikTok may be responsible for pushing the latest micro trend onto a student’s For You page, Macias believes Pinterest serves a different fashion purpose.
“You could say TikTok is trendy and Pinterest can help develop your style,” Macias said. Pinterest, he explained, feels more “tailored to you,” while TikTok tends to push content based on what is performing well. This distinction matters because students are not simply consuming fashion trends; they are constantly remixing them. A look saved to a Pinterest board can become an outfit on campus, where it is then seen, interpreted and eventually borrowed by someone else.
As chief creative officer of FITS, Macias said his own wardrobe is less influenced by a single designer or social media platform than by the people he sees every week.
“I always find the most inspiration from the people around me,” Macias said. “We all subconsciously inspire each other.”
That collective influence may be FITS’ greatest contribution to UCI’s fashion scene: not dictating what students should wear, but creating a space where experimentation can circulate. Macias hopes the club’s work ultimately encourages students to look beyond simply following the next trend and toward appreciating fashion — and the creative work behind it — as an art form.
“I hope people at UCI’s campus just sort of respect the creative industry more,” Macias said. “I really hope people will just see and respect it and are able to just kind of get the exposure to it, and maybe get inspired.”
If Macias’ predictions are any indication, UCI’s fall wardrobe will lean less toward one singular aesthetic and more toward a collage of references. Jewel tones — deep purple, teal, espresso brown and other saturated shades — could bring some much-needed color to the usual Irvine neutrals.
Macias also sees a future for tailoring and tuxedo-inspired pieces which offer a sharper alternative to the oversized casual wear that has dominated college campuses. He’s observed the style choice in a few runways and thinks it will “come into the younger generation and definitely infiltrate into the UCI campus.” The key, however, is interpretation.
A student does not need a floor-length Margiela gown to channel its drama; a structured jacket, unexpected texture or dramatic accessory can carry the same spirit without looking like they accidentally wandered into a couture fitting. The same goes for Ralph Lauren’s pastoral romanticism or Chloé’s softer styling. A lace detail, flowing silhouette or earthy layer can evoke the collection without turning a 10 a.m. lecture into a Pride and Prejudice reshoot.
At UCI, where practicality and personal expression have to coexist, the most successful runway trends will likely be the ones that leave room for individuality. That is what makes campus fashion so interesting in the first place. The runway may tell us what is coming, but students decide what stays. Trends will inevitably make their way from February’s catwalks to TikTok, from TikTok to Pinterest boards and from Pinterest boards to closets.
But somewhere in between, those trends become something entirely different. A thrifted jacket paired with a designer-inspired belt, a jewel-toned sweater layered over an otherwise ordinary outfit or a vintage piece styled in a way its original designer never intended. Fall 2026 doesn’t ask UCI students to dress like they’re walking a runway. A little inspiration, individuality and fun can go a long way.
Jordan Salter is an Arts & Entertainment Intern for the summer 2026 quarter. She can be reached at jasalter@uci.edu.
Edited by Avani Kumar and Elizabeth Gregg.
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