CAROLINE Hú SPRING/SUMMER 2026

Caroline Hú’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection, aptly titled “Reverie,” served as a profound invitation into a world defined by dreamlike distortions and the beauty of subtle disruptions. Staged with a practice grounded in a rare marriage of fragility and meticulous craft, Caroline Hú used the season to experiment with human perception, testing the boundaries of how far familiar silhouettes could be stretched while retaining their essential soul. Throughout the presentation, her manipulations of the everyday were delivered with a blend of calculated surprise and quiet humor.

A standard T-shirt was elevated through the rigid, quilted structure of a Victorian corset, while shirtdresses were cleverly inverted with collars repositioned at the hem, and internal linings were brought to the surface to serve as bodices. Perhaps the most whimsical expression of this ethos was a playful minidress featuring integrated socks as pink paneling, a gesture that embraced the absurd with a confidence that kept the collection vibrating with unpredictability.

The true emotional weight of “Reverie” was found in Caroline Hú’s extraordinary surface treatments and embroidery. Jackets appeared to dissolve in real-time as stitches melted into the fabric, and organza dresses adorned with trompe l’oeil bows showcased her mastery over visual illusion. In a particularly striking moment, a sheer column dress appeared to pixelate, its tiny floral fragments shifting into digital-like geometry—a testament to Caroline Hú’s ability to bridge traditional handwork with a modern, almost algorithmic abstraction. This theme of revelation continued with a cropped black jacket worn inside out, exposing its intricate internal embroidery to the world and transforming the hidden process into the design itself.

Personal history and fine art were woven directly into the materiality of the clothes, with delicate tulle printed with floral motifs derived from Caroline Hú’s own oil paintings. This painterly softness contributed to the collection’s broader fascination with collage and the blurring of motifs, a theme further emphasized by a visceral performance by choreographer Emma Portner. Portner’s movement highlighted the kinetic relationship between fabric and the human form, reinforcing the dialogue between fashion and dance that has become a hallmark of the Reverie by Caroline Hú identity.

Grounding these ethereal, layered “living canvases” was the brand’s ongoing collaboration with Adidas. The CLOT Taekwondo sneakers appearing in shades of black, pink, and off-white—provided a necessary functional balance, ensuring that Caroline Hú’s theatrical energy remained tethered to reality. Ultimately, the collection stood as an equilibrium of poetry and experimentation, proving that Caroline Hú’s pursuit of breaking “invisible rules” is exactly what makes her one of the most compelling designers on the Paris Fashion Week calendar today.

All images courtsey of Caroline Hú