NYFW’s Biggest Beauty Trend? Mess
Beauty is looking more lived-in, and these runways are the evidence.
Before designer Rachel Scott sent models down the runway for her debut Proenza Schouler show, she told reporters she wanted them to look as though they had been kissing someone.
As such, throughout the brand’s Fall 2026 collection, there was a certain unkempt romance at play. Hair was untidily tucked behind ears or into ponytails, eye makeup was barely-there and lips looked as if they had been quickly swiped with rouge. (And then promptly smooched.)
Proenza Schoulder, photo via launchmetrics/spotlight
The final result was glamour rooted in reality. And as it turns out, Scott’s vision for the Proenza Schouler woman—someone who is on the move and a little messy—was prophetic for the reigning beauty trend at New York Fashion Week. Across Fall 2026 runways, designers leaned into disarray by arming models with smudged brushstrokes and tangled hair.
Has the Clean Girl finally met her match? Below, a full rundown of the meaningful messiness across Fall 2026 runways.
Wonky wigs at Collina Strada
Collina Strada, photo via launchmetrics/spotlight
At Collina strada, models strutted with frizzed hair. Some had knots formed at the top of their heads as a result of neglecting to brush. Others had Renaissance-like wigs by Mustafa Yanaz sloppily sitting on top of their heads. One model in particular chugged from a bottle of Synergy Kombucha (a show sponsor), as rogue strands fell down the middle of her face. Attending to your gut health even when you feel dishevelled? Very 2026.
Sleep-deprived makeup at Sandy Liang
Sandy Liang, photo via launchmetrics/spotlight
Inspired by the early-morning fatigue of a Sofia Coppola character, Liang aimed to give her models an intentional “just-woke-up” glam. Makeup artist Romy Soleimani did so with soft red rimming around the eyelids for an air of soft sleepiness. Elsewhere throughout the show, some models had thick terrycloth headbands around their heads, ready for a before-bed cleanse.
Messy tucks at Lii
Lii, photo via launchmetrics/spotlight
For his Fall 2026 show, Zane Li was inspired by the 2013 alien thriller Under the Skin. The designer, known for his primary colour-blocking and geometric shapes, leaned into hyper-reality with boxy silhouettes and floppy fold-over details.
As for beauty, models appeared dewy and makeup-free, save for bold lips peppered throughout the show. And the hair? It felt like an intentional afterthought—particularly apt for a protagonist in an eerie sci-fi film.
Flyaways at Coach
Coach, photo via launchmetrics/spotlight
In keeping with his Wizard-of-Oz inspiration, creative director Stuart Vevers had his models looking like they had just endured a world-traversing transformation. Alongside wrinkled clothes and tattered edges, they sported frizzy, flyaway-laden hair—as though they had gone straight from tornado onto the runway.
Facelift aftermath at Elena Velez
Elena Velez photo via launchmetrics/spotlight
One would usually want to conceal their face post-cosmetic-treatment. But for Elena Velez, under-the-knife aftermath is a point of inspiration. More specifically, for her Fall 2026 show, Velez leaned into “looksmaxxing”—the online trend of obsessive self-improvement, or, as Velez put it, the “impulse to be beautiful and to cosmetically self-master.”
One model had a thick chin-holding face bandage, and another had visible implants poking out of their jawline. Instead of boasting put-together optimization, models appeared overly altered—illustrating a new kind of “mess” in the digital age.
Natalie Michie is the Fashion & Features Editor at FASHION Magazine. With a pop culture obsession, she is passionate about exploring the relationship between fashion, internet trends and social issues. She has written for Elle Canada, CBC, Chatelaine and Toronto Life. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and over-analyzing movies on TikTok.
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