Caroline Hú Fall/Winter 2026 / FW26 at Paris Fashion Week
Reverie by Caroline Hú FW26 / Fall/Winter 2026 turns inward, drawing inspiration from aged garments and forgotten furniture — objects softened by time and memory.
At the heart of Reverie by Caroline Hú FW26 / Fall/Winter 2026 collection lies a deeply personal artifact: a towel the designer has kept since birth. Its fabric is worn, threadbare, and impossibly soft. No longer merely an object, it has become a vessel of memory — a quiet emotional anchor carried through time. From this intimate starting point, the collection unfolds as a meditation on attachment, fragility, and the courage to build one’s own world while holding onto what once shaped us.
Textiles are treated as organic surfaces, being built up layer by layer, evolving into something new. Hand-distressed cotton mesh appears torn and delicately frayed, while embroidery techniques recreate a cloud-like texture, evoking softness in visual form. Fake flowers are coated in silicone and enmeshed in tulle. Romantic sensibility becomes a method of construction: more than a dozen contrasting materials coexist within a single garment, layered and harmonized through instinct rather than logic.
Repetition plays a central role this season. Tuck-strip techniques are layered with woven tapes to form new textile structures. Pockets appear over and over, accumulating across silhouettes. Peter pan collars are layered building up volume. Through continuous repetition and time-intensive processes, the simplest and lightest materials evolve into complex, signature surfaces — a visual language uniquely belonging to the house.
Footwear echoes the themes of the collection with layers of chiffon ruffles and lace adorning a lace up boot. A preview of the upcoming exclusive collaboration with global footwear brand Crocs™ offers a first look at one of their signature silhouettes, the Bae Clog, reimagined into Caroline’s directional aesthetic. Custom knitted uppers create a cracked surface effect, from which silk ribbon flowers emerge. Each flower is handembroidered onto the shoe, growing organically from the fissures — a symbol of tenderness rising from rupture.
In a deliberate departure from convention, Reverie by Caroline Hú FW26 / Fall/Winter 2026 runway presentation replaces traditional models entirely with dancers. Acclaimed performers Emma Porter and Matt McCreary were invited to reinterpret the narrative of a fashion show through movement. Their performance transforms the runway into an emotional stage, expanding the storytelling dimension of the collection.
About the brand, Reverie by Caroline Hú is a womenswear collection, founded in May 2019 by Caroline Hu. Splitting her time between New York and Shanghai, Hu explores innovative construction with an eye for romanticism taken from daily life. Hu believes that clothing can define moments and by bringing her own experiences, she strives to have people experience her sentiments through her designs. Her style can be described as romantic – honing her craftsmanship to advance her creations’ modern aesthetic – intentionally and instantly invading the sight and imagination. In doing so, Hu redefines her vision of women’s independence, consciousness and freedom of the soul. Reverie by Caroline Hú is available internationally through Dover Street Market (Beijing), IT (Shanghai) Joyce (Hong Kong), Beams (Tokyo), Hervia (London), Sloan Hall (Houston), as well as select online retailers Net-a-Porter.com, Farfetch.com, and ModaOperandi.com. Caroline Hu received her BA from Central Saint Martins College in London and MFA from Parsons School of Design in New York. In 2019 Hu was shortlisted for the LVMH Prize and was the inaugurate prize winner of the BoF China Prize, while also being included in Forbes China 30 Under 30. Her work is part of The Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.About Emma Portner, A prominent voice in the movement industry, Emma Portner has become widely known for her inimitable quality and complex devotion to the craft of dance. The actor, dancer and director-choreographer has been recognized for her unique and “almost-paranormal” ability. In 2012, Emma moved to New York City to study at The Ailey School and soon thereafter became the youngest woman in history to choreograph the musical Bat Out of Hell on London’s West End. Before she was 20 years old, she had garnered millions of international views through dance on film and worked with some of the music industry’s biggest names. Her most recent work includes collaborations with Apple, Netflix, Vogue, The Norwegian National Ballet, Sony Studios, and indie music stars, Maggie Rogers, Blood Orange, and Sylvan Esso. Emma’s work has been featured by the Guggenheim Museum, Jacob’s Pillow, New York City Center and Théâtre Champs-Elys ́ ées, to name a few. She has been hailed as “beguiling” by the NY Times) and was listed as one of Paper Magazine’s “100 people to watch in 2019.” Most recently, Emma’s work Bathtub Ballet premiered to critical acclaim at the Royal Swedish Opera and her ballet islands shared a tour with quintessential choreographers Crystal Pite, Jirí̌ Kylián and Ohad Naharin. Emma’s newest work for Göteborg Danskompani Forever, Maybe premiered to critical acclaim in Spring 2024. Emma portrayed Gozer the Gozerian in Ghostbusters: Afterlife and stars in A24’s festival darling I saw the TV Glow (2024) directed by Jane Schoenbrun.
About Crocs, Inc. Crocs, Inc. (Nasdaq: CROX), headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado, is a world leader in innovative casual footwear for all, combining comfort and style with a value that consumers know and love. The Company’s brands include Crocs and HEYDUDE, and its products are sold in more than 85 countries through wholesale and direct-to-consumer channels. For more information on Crocs, Inc.
All images Reverie by Caroline Hú FW26 / Fall/Winter 2026 by the brand. CREDITS TO Designer Caroline Hú, Photographer Olivier Claisse, Styling Karen Kaiser/The Wall Group, Casting Nicola Kast, Hair Eugene Souleiman/Streeters, Makeup Shu Uemura International Artistic Director Uchiide, PR ROMCOM Global, Production Sitdown, Special Thanks: Shu Uemura and KEVIN MURPHY.