If 2025 was a year for fashion marketers to test and learn, then 2026 is the time to put those lessons into practice.
Last year saw marketers push boundaries in hopes of nabbing attention in a saturated marketplace as well as experiment with artificial intelligence. Both tactics were met with mixed responses, courting accolades (Gap’s viral Katseye ad, brands working with OnlyFans stars) and controversy (American Eagle’s much-discussed “Great Jeans” ad starring Sydney Sweeney and Valentino’s AI-generated ad that was described as “disturbing”).
Described by WGSN head of consumer forecasting Cassandra Napoli as the “year of great exhaustion,” brands should head into 2026 with a renewed focus on what she calls “slow advertising.” In practice, that looks like finding opportunities for in-person connection, striking an emotional chord with shoppers through entertainment and retaining a human touch — even in the age of AI.
Of course, so long as the fight for consumer eyeballs remains cutthroat, brands will continue to push creative limits. But to do so effectively, they will need to be more intentional about how they get customers to stop and pay attention, whether through satirical mini-series, giving employees the reins to produce off-the-cuff content or staging in-person events in unexpected locations.
“Brands have to essentially play both ends of the coin,” said Napoli. “They have to entertain, but they also have to be super intentional and deliberate with their communications around serious topics.”
Below, BoF breaks down the five themes that will define fashion marketing in 2026.
Humanity in the Age of AI
In 2025, fashion marketers rushed to play around with technology’s shiny new toy — AI. But the majority of those efforts faced consumer backlash, highlighting just how important the human touch is when communicating with consumers.
Some are even using AI itself to underscore this very point. Luxury gym chain Equinox, for example, kicked off the new year with a campaign titled “Question Everything But Yourself,” where it positions outlandish AI-generated imagery (think former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau pole dancing) alongside real photos of gym-goers meant to illustrate “human potential,” according to the company’s chief marketing and digital officer, Bindu Shah.
Simple concepts rooted in emotion, meanwhile, won praise: Moncler was lauded for its black-and-white, friendship-focused ad featuring Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in October. Jacquemus also paired heartstrings with humour in a campaign for its “Valérie” bag featuring “The White Lotus” star Charlotte Le Bon acting out playful yet intimate scenes inspired by the designer’s late mother, making funny faces while doing her makeup and doodling during a phone call.
“[You need] a psychological anchor in the face of AI,” said media group Orchestra’s chief brand officer, Lisa Bubbers. “People really want to feel that things are very human and very emotionally driven.”
While AI will surely persist in marketing to some degree, any use should be clearly identified and serve a purpose. Reddit’s head of product insights, Lore Oxford, pointed to J.Crew’s use of AI to recreate what looked like its own vintage catalogues without originally disclosing the use of the technology, which she said robbed the sense of authenticity it was aiming for. Italian label Fiorucci, on the other hand, worked with AI artist Black Elephant to produce surreal imagery of its Love Boots as a telephone and as the feet of an armchair; the images were well-received for their playfulness and creativity.
The Evolution of Entertainment-as-Marketing
More brands are likely to double down on the 2025 trend of using entertainment-led content, from humorous spots to scripted mini-series in their marketing. Doing so helps brands bring some levity to consumers’ lives, particularly as they look for a break from the never-ending news cycle. WGSN predicts that “unserious everything” will be a macro trend for 2026.
Humour and satire, however, aren’t for every brand. Alexis Bittar, founder of his namesake jewellery label, launched a social media mini-series poking fun at the luxury industry. He said that in doing so, brands need to be thoughtful about who their customer is.
“Comedy is tricky, because it’s a fine line to make people laugh and then be like, oh, yeah, I’m gonna spend $400 on that,” said Bittar.
Humour should be juxtaposed with other forms of storytelling. WGSN’s Napoli highlighted Loewe, which often strikes a balance between play and intentionality by using humour where it’s best suited, like in short-form videos on TikTok, while simultaneously communicating its craftsmanship and luxury appeal across other touchpoints, from its Tokyo store designed to resemble “an art collector’s home” to social media content breaking down how a Flamenco clutch is made.
Brands Continue to Test Limits
Taking “big creative swings” is necessary in today’s attention economy. Even some backlash is acceptable, so long as the marketing effort is aligned with the brand’s ethos, said Orchestra’s Bubbers, and the team understands any potential risks ahead of time.
“Maybe it’s not bad to cause controversy, but you at least want to know if that’s the risk you’re taking, and then be prepared for both the upside and the downside,” she said.
Alexis Bittar, for example, continued its streak of comedic episodes with a new series titled “The Sexecutions of Amanda Gates.” Inspired by true crime series, the show is designed to get viewers speculating about whether its star is a vigilante or serial killer in the comments section.
“I have gotten comfortable with the fact that I am going to turn people off,” said Bittar.
Online and Offline Get Closer
As consumers seek out more opportunities for human connection, offline experiences are becoming a larger focus for brands.
But in 2026, this won’t just be limited to activations in major cities, or influencer trips that customers experience secondhand. Instead, brands are starting to engage different pockets of their communities IRL with moments like college campus pop-ups, sports sponsorships and clubs.
Womenswear brand Guizio, for instance, whose primary customer base is aged 16-26, staged a pop-up at the University of Wisconsin last year. Nearly all of the 2000 guests that attended made a purchase. The brand has plans for a similar activation at the University of Michigan this year.
“It’s getting that real customer in real life,” said Guizio’s chief marketing officer, Mark Shami. “That’s where we’re starting to win.”
E.l.f. Beauty, similarly, is working to activate in what its chief integrated marketing officer, Patrick O’Keefe, called “beauty deserts.” In December, for instance, it sponsored the Wonder Women of Wrestling Foundation’s Varsity Girls Wrestling Tournament in Columbia, Missouri to connect with and learn from a demographic it rarely gets to interact with “outside of DMs,” said O’Keefe.
The brand also connects online and offline moments. For a partnership with race car driver Katherine Legge at Nascar’s Coca-Cola 600 race, it built out a parallel Roblox experience paired with a Twitch livestream.
New Creator Power Dynamics
Influencers are increasingly important in the fashion marketing ecosystem — a fact they themselves understand better than ever. With that, they’re being choosier not only when it comes to what brands they’re partnering with, but also the form they take, with more opting for product collaborations, earning affiliate income on gifted product or even acting as brand consultants.
Brands are also looking beyond the classic influencer. Guizio gives its store employees free rein to produce off-the-cuff content, taking advantage of their inherent understanding of the brand’s customer base.
“They’re selling the product daily to our customers,” said Shami. “Why even go ship out products to all these people we don’t know?”
Creators themselves are also being more proactive about connecting with and growing their own audiences, hosting events like dinners and workout classes or offering special perks. Wendy Nguyen of Wendy’s Lookbook, for example, hosts a password-protected closet sale for her most loyal fans, for which the password changes weekly, according to Napoli.
“We’re going to bring the social back to social media,” said Idalia Salsamendi, founder of creator consultancy Idalia Inc.