I know everyone's talking about 2026 being the new 2016, but when it comes to fashion, I'd argue that we're dressing a lot more like it's 1996 than the mid-2010s, when Alessandro Michele's maximalist designs for Gucci shaped the sartorial zeitgeist. This year, an entirely different Gucci era is influencing our style, with references to Tom Ford's decade-long tenure at the Italian house showing up across the 2026 trend landscape. The designer from Texas brought a new kind of sex appeal to the forefront during his time as creative director, and while he officially stepped down from the role over 20 years ago, in 2004, his impact continues to be felt to this day.
Silk blouses and velvet trousers in rich jewel tones, fitted pencil skirts in supple leather fabrics and eye-catching animal prints, and fur-trim coats that lead to rich-looking outfits, no matter what's styled underneath—these are just a few examples of 2026 trends that we have Ford's Gucci portfolio to thank for. In recent months, Hailey Bieber has been seen sporting vintage pieces from his collections to press events, on red carpets, and in L.A. and NYC hot spots on the regular, and local It girls in both cities have followed suit, scoring red velvet pants, black GG-logo bags, and deep-V polo sweaters on The RealReal and eBay. Meanwhile, other celebrities like Elsa Hosk are wearing trends that appear to have been inspired by the designer's most popular creations.
Hailey Bieber is wearing an ice-blue spring/summer 1998 Gucci dress, sourced from The RealList, according to Vogue. The dress has also been seen on Anna Wintour and in the pages of the magazine, in a March 1998 spread shot by Steven Meisel.
Plus, if the spring/summer 2026 shows informed us of anything, it's that Ford's sway on fashion is only just getting started. Haider Ackermann's second collection for Tom Ford brought the same level of sex appeal and drama that the brand's founder presented at Gucci, and Hermès, a brand known to many for its modest and sophisticated approach to dressing, changed its approach, still using its signature leather but developing it into more revealing silhouettes. Mugler, Schiaparelli, Versace, and Coperni, all too integrated sex into their runway designs more than usual, leading us to believe that sensuality's current hold on 2026 fashion will only continue to strengthen as these collections begin to hit stores throughout spring and summer.
Get ahead by scrolling through and shopping six 2026 trends that were inspired by Tom Ford's Gucci era.
2026 Trends Inspired by Tom Ford's Gucci Era
1. Silk Blouses
A vibrant silk blouse is probably 2026's most talked-about trend that ties back to Ford's time at Gucci, with Hosk and Bieber both donning the trend recently (Hosk in turquoise and Bieber in emerald green). Hosk's brand, Helsa, even released a similar version in a variety of colors, many of which are already selling out, as is popular UK-based label Aligne's take, which comes in an icy blue. Gucci's exact blue silk blouse is one of Ford's most well-known creations, with everyone from Kate Moss to Madonna wearing it in the '90s.
2. Fur-Collar Coats
Look around—everyone is either desperately searching for or already wearing the 2026 fur-trim trend, be it in the form of a long coat or a cropped jacket. Nearly every brand is playing around with the sophisticated detail, adding it to collars, hems, and cuffs to add an elegance to their outerwear offerings, but real ones will remember how prominent this coat style was in the '90s, with Ford debuting version after version at his runway shows for Gucci. My favorite? This white wrap coat from the house's fall 1996 collection.
3. Velvet Trousers
The Tom Ford Gucci inspired trend that I'm currently hunting down with the more fervor is a pair of velvet trousers. Though, if I could find the original red pair that was worn by Gwyneth Paltrow at the 1996 MTV VMAs for a good price, I wouldn't complain about it. He designed the pant trend in a number of styles and colors, with the best ones being made in rich shades, like red, sapphire blue, and deep purple.
4. Leather Pencil Skirts
Of all the skirt trends being talked about in 2026, leather pencil skirts are by far the most worn, particularly with knee-high boots. Bieber actually wore one in this fashion at the end of 2025, likely sparking the outfit formula to become one of winter's most popular. You can't go wrong with a classic black leather version, but opting for one in suede or embossed leather is far from wrong.
5. Sexy Knee-High Boots
If you're going to lean into this year's leather pencil skirt trend, then you'll need a pair of sleek, knee-high stiletto boots to wear with it. For the full Gucci effect, try the brand's current-season logo-covered Bombshell Boot, which is guaranteed to earn you compliments, or, for a subtler take, Reformation's Claudette boot in either burgundy or tan is foolproof.
6. Ostrich Leather
For the first time in a long time, the animal print of the year isn't the same one as the year before, aka leopard print. By now, a leopard skirt or coat is more of a classic wardrobe item than a trendy staple, leaving room for a newcomer (or fashion returner) to take its spot at the top of fashion's food chain. The animal print in question? Ostrich print, and like all the buzzy pieces on this list, it has ties to Ford's Gucci era. For spring/summer 1998, Ford played around with the embossed pattern, featuring it on knee-length coats and pencil skirts alike.
