As we begin to enter the fall season, everyone takes a moment to reminisce on how nice the weather was during summer. For a few months, people took part in outdoor activities, and arguably the most important thing: meticulously planned their outfits were based on the events of the day.

We need to look back and recognize the transcendent looks that were inspired by some pop culture moments that made Summer 2026 fashion incredibly unique. Some looks didn’t quite make sense and left people wondering why someone would pair florals with pinstripes or other ridiculous patterns. However, no look was judged or overly questioned because every article of clothing told a story.

Whether you saw a New York Knicks jersey being dressed up with a pair of heels on the way to a Finals watch party or bright colors being paired together because Zara Larsson sang, “Summer isn’t over yet,” these looks moved mountains to become a statement that inspires.

Let’s look at some moments in pop culture that made the looks of the summer so iconic!

Zara Larsson: Midnight sun

Zara Larsson, the Swedish popstar who wrote legendary 2016 songs like “Lush Life” and “Symphony,” created a new definition of summer for many people. Everyone, including myself, began dressing brighter, incorporating hibiscus flowers and glitter, and incorporating dolphin accessories into their outfits to celebrate the “never-ending midnight sun.” While the song was released Sept. 2025, her audience disregarded the overused muted tones that were commonly expected of fall, trading brown plaid for pink, and winter, trading burgundy puffer jackets for bright pink ones, just to carry it all the way to the following summer where we continued to see her aesthetic inspire everyday outfit choices.

This summer, a lot of celebrities switched up the “clean girl” makeup looks for bold eyeshadow and gemstones inspired by the looks that Sophia Sinot, Larsson’s makeup artist, compiled for her Midnight Sun Tour.

Additionally, I noticed many people putting together colors, patterns, and textures in their looks that we probably wouldn’t have seen being used in years passed. I saw bold orange sequins with purple and blue flowers, splotches of tie-dye with snakeskin print, and so many other combinations that turned heads in the best way possible. I personally enjoyed this side of Zara Larsson’s influence because as someone who would typically wear these color combinations on a beach vacation, I was now able to put together vibrant shades of teal, pink, and orange in a way that would be understood and admired.

Larsson also continued the trend by creating “Main Rose,” a swimwear and undergarment brand that mixes muted colors with brighter ones with gemstones and prints that are fashionable to any audience.

The Devil Wears Prada 2

Are florals for spring still as groundbreaking as they were in 2006? Yes, but so were all the other new patterns in this sequel. “The Devil Wears Prada 2” paved way for an emergence of bold colors and voluminous apparel that made people yearn to have one of these pieces in their closet.

We saw tassels make their mark in the RUNWAY office worn by the iconic Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep). This Dries Van Noten tassel jacket worn in the movie influenced many new ways to make an outfit that incorporates larger than life tassels. I personally wanted to run to the nearest Neiman Marcus to see if I could find something similar to this stunning piece to wear this summer.

In addition, Stanley Tucci’s character, Nigel Kipling, represented a new definition of men’s fashion. His looks represented elegance while also adding pizzaz to work apparel. (I mean, come on. Who wouldn’t want to show up and show out if they worked for the Editor-In-Chief of RUNWAY Magazine?!) A couple of pieces that stood out to me were designed exclusively for Tucci by the designers at Richard James who made plaid the main statement in his everyday apparel. The stacking of the plaid, while oversaturated for some, really changed my viewpoint on pattern matching and made me want to experiment outside of my comfort zone.

My personal favorite look is the Gabriela Hearst Multicolored Patchwork Linen dress worn by Anne Hathaway. This dress is what I consider my roman empire in fashion because not only is it beautiful, but it also gives that nostalgic feeling of vintage fashion. It’s probably something you would’ve seen Carrie Bradshaw wear to the Hamptons during the summertime back in the 90s. This collection—not just the dress—showed me a new color palette and introduced ways that the color lime green could make a statement in a look.

Love Island USA

Then we had “Love Island USA,” a cultural phenomenon that changed all our mood boards.

I believe that the most monumental part of meeting the islanders is seeing what they’re wearing and automatically assuming the aesthetic they’ll be carrying on for the rest of the season. Nobody has ever forgotten Leah Kateb’s vintage Roberto Cavalli dress from Season 6, and to this day they’re still calling her the people’s princess. Olandria Carthen from Season 7 has made such an impact on the fashion industry; some of the most powerful and legendary magazines worldwide can’t get enough of her.

Trinity Tatum showed up this summer in groundbreaking shoes, lace up boot heels and Giuseppe Angel Heels, that brought extra life to her outfits. She’s now being endorsed by brands like Verizon and Maybelline, while also being invited to attend shows for Gucci and Tommy Hilfiger. Every summer, “Love Island USA” becomes a way for us to identify new stars and icons who ultimately become new faces of the fashion industry. We see their iconic quotes on T-shirts, people rushing to recreate their makeup looks, and stylists posting about ways that they would style the islanders for the recoupling, the finale, and the reunion.

In addition, Ariana Madix, the host of Love Island USA, has had looks this summer like the Tom Ford Asymmetric Gown for the premiere and the Jean Paul Gautlier Blue Polka Dot High Neck Long Sleeve Top and the matching flared pants that left everyone wanting more. The “Queen of the Villa” became a fashion icon every summer in my household, and I even did extensive research on one of her designers, Taylor Jean Cox, and stylist, Emily Men.

The NBA Finals: The Knicks Win

Just when you thought that the Knicks winning transcended the vibes of New York this summer, so did the looks that were made from spirit wear. People dressed in their jerseys and Knicks caps up for high-end restaurants that showed the game while chanting, “Knicks in 4!” They even dressed them down with sneakers and jeans for their local dive bar. Spirit wear introduced versatility in fashion and even became a staple when mentioning up and coming trends this summer.

While I wasn’t living in New York during the time of the finals, the thing I remember wanting to observe was how people continued to implement Knicks’ jerseys into their everyday attire. Let’s just say that the proud New Yorkers and Knicks fans haven’t disappointed me in the slightest because every day I am amused by cool trims and patterns on jerseys or even color combos that allow the Knicks logo to stand out. I especially enjoyed seeing celebrities like Taylor Swift and Mariska Hargitay create a play on words when it came to showing off their spirit wear by wearing matching shirts that said “Stevie Knicks”. Times like these also represented solidarity and allowed everyone to understand and admire a look because it was celebrating a common purpose.

Overall, Fashion embodied the concept of subjectivity this summer because everyone stepped out of their comfort zone to represent a part of entertainment that they were passionate about. Whether an idea for an outfit dropped in your lap the way Andy Sachs thought her job dropped into hers (thank you, Nigel) or you’re America’s Hottest New Bombshell (Cue Ariana’s Slow-Mo walk); entertainment was a big part of fashion this summer and something we will continue to see impacting fashion forever.

What moments in pop culture are you hoping to see impact our runways and algorithms next summer? Leave a comment below.

An Iconic Summer of Fashion: My Favorite Looks inspired by Entertainment

Zara Larsson: Midnight sun

The Devil Wears Prada 2

Love Island USA

The NBA Finals: The Knicks Win