Who What Wear lists five maximalist trends

Who What Wear published a May 20, 2026 feature that framed summer dressing as a turn away from “quiet luxury” and toward five more decorative trends. The article, written by Rebecca Rhys-Evans, said the season’s mood is “all about colour, fun and texture” and presented a shopping-and-styling guide built around five categories. Rebecca Rhys-Evans anchored the piece to a direct contrast with the muted wardrobe formula associated with brands such as The Row, Khaite, Toteme and COS. In the article, she wrote that summer 2026 is less about restraint than about visible embellishment, brighter color and more layered accessorizing. ### Which five trends did Who What Wear actually name? Who What Wear listed five sections in the story: “Colour Theory,” “Jewellery-maxxing,” “Prints Charming,” “Mermaid Magic,” and “The F-Words: Fringe, Frills, Froth.” Those labels were presented as the framework for a “maximalist summer,” rather than as a single-item shopping list. (whowhatwear.com) The article’s own examples pointed to saturated color, statement jewelry, overt prints, ocean-themed dressing and textured trim as the core ingredients. (whowhatwear.com) That package matched other recent Who What Wear trend coverage, which has also highlighted louder summer styling and accessory-forward dressing in 2026. ### What does “jewellery-maxxing” look like in practice? (whowhatwear.com) Who What Wear described the jewelry direction in concrete terms: beaded necklaces, door-knocker earrings, and pendants shaped like fish, shells and combs. The article said jewelry boxes “have never had so much personality,” using those examples to show how accessories are being treated as the main event rather than a finishing touch. (whowhatwear.com) A separate Who What Wear accessories report published in December also pointed to brooches, gold cuffs and chunky belts as part of a broader maximalist direction for 2026. That earlier piece cited Pinterest search growth for “brooch aesthetic” and linked the look to Spring/Summer 2026 runway shows from labels including Miu Miu, Tory Burch, Chanel and Mugler. (whowhatwear.com) ### Why is the article drawing a line against quiet luxury? Lena Dunham’s quote on the “Las Culturistas” podcast was used near the top of the story to set the tone. Rhys-Evans cited Dunham saying, “If I’m going to have luxury, I want it to be loud,” and also quoted her criticism of elegance being reduced to “oatmeal, with bone, with beige, with tan.” Who What Wear then positioned quiet luxury as the dominant look of the past decade, built around neutrals, tailoring, denim and polished leather goods. (whowhatwear.com) The new piece did not say those staples had disappeared; it said shoppers were now “hungry for fun and colour.” ### Which brands and runway references did the piece use? Chanel was the clearest runway reference in the article. (whowhatwear.com) Rhys-Evans wrote that Matthieu Blazy’s work for the house, including a recent Cruise collection set in Biarritz with mermaids in the campaign, offered a key reference point for summer style. Dior, Schiaparelli and Mugler were also cited for nature-linked motifs and decorative flourishes. (whowhatwear.com) In the article’s telling, those references supported the broader case that summer 2026 styling is favoring fantasy, texture and visible ornament over understatement. ### Where can readers see the full examples and product picks? Who What Wear has the full feature posted in its fashion trends section under the headline “Forget Everything That Quiet Luxury Taught You: Looking Chic and Expensive Is About These 5 Maximalist Trends.” The page includes the five trend categories, runway references and linked shopping suggestions published on May 20, 2026. (whowhatwear.com)