The New ‘It’ Belt Isn’t a Belt at All

During the recent men’s shows in Paris, Celine designer Michael Rider gave the cummerbund an unexpected new context. Rather than styling it with classic tailoring, he recast it in rich plum and Barbie pink hues and paired it with the house’s cult jazz shoes and balloon trousers with upturned hems. It was a rejiggering of one of menswear’s most traditional pieces, and one that proved the black-tie staple has far more styling potential than its formal reputation suggests.

The modern cummerbund traces its origins to 19th-century British military officers in India, who adopted the local kamarband as a lightweight alternative to the traditional waistcoat. It later became a black-tie staple in the West—and, with it, a symbol of formal dressing at its most buttoned-up. Which makes its recent runway resurgence all the more unlikely.

As tailoring continues to loosen up—as do the confines of formal wear—designers are finding fresh ways to style the once-rigid accessory. Who knew the coolest belt of the season was hiding in a tuxedo?

Alessandro Michele has made the cummerbund a hallmark of his recent Valentino shows. On the brand’s fall/winter 2026 runway, the styling flourish featured prominently on Art Deco-style sequined tops, abbreviated minidresses, and, yes, even over humble blue (skinny!) jeans.

Rather than disappearing into the styling as it would beneath a tuxedo jacket, the accessory became the focal point and emphasized the waist for a subtle hourglass effect. The result was almost improvisational: as if a woman had borrowed her boyfriend’s old cummerbund, reimagined it in candy-colored satin, and fastened it around her waist in place of a belt.

Elsewhere during the fall/winter 2026 season, the cummerbund made appearances at Issey Miyake—in a sporty manner with capris and derby shoes—as a fastener on an Oxford shirt at Colleen Allen, and in its more classic version at Polo Ralph Lauren.

In many ways, the cummerbund’s revival is the latest expression of fashion’s affection for the “wrong” piece—the notion that styling something in an unexpected context is precisely what makes it feel modern or “right.” (See also: the “wrong shoe theory.”)

It also dovetails with the rise of summer 2025’s scarf belts and other improvisational waist treatments. Better yet, it’s likely already hiding in your closet—just borrow one from an old tuxedo and voilà.

The cummerbund has already enjoyed a quiet revival on the red carpet, with stars like Zendaya and Sarah Paulson embracing it as an unexpected alternative to a belt, or even wearing outfits with it built into the design. In fact, a growing crop of trousers (from brands including Kallmeyer and Brandon Maxwell) now come with built-in cummerbund waistbands; fortunately, the look is just as easy to re-create by cinching a classic cummerbund over pants you already own.

Now that the runway has caught up, expect the cummerbund to graduate from black-tie relic to everyday styling trick.