Stripes Are Literally Everywhere
2 min readFashion is showing its true stripes. The humble pattern has become so ubiquitous on the runways that it now feels like the new unofficial dress code. Stripes of all stripes permeated skirts, dresses, scarves, tops, and beyond on the spring/summer 2027 runways at Eckhaus Latta, Thom Browne, Tanner Fletcher, Zankov, DVF, Tommy Hilfiger, and Burberry.
It’s an interesting time for stripes to be trending. After all, in fashion history, stripes have represented everything from bohemian counterculture in the late 1950s to French naval uniforms in the 1850s. Stripes are a quintessential uniform staple with a fascinating history that spans beyond what most simple patterns have managed to do: from being made the attire for outcasts in medieval Europe to being born again as a high fashion staple under the guise of designers like Jean Paul Gaultier and Coco Chanel. That doesn’t even take into account the legacy of prep culture.
Today, designers like Henry Zankov are making stripes their own, with maximalist color juxtapositions. “To me, stripes are a seductive dialogue between color and form,” he tells ELLE. “They create movement, tension, and rhythm, drawing the eye through their quiet geometry. I’m drawn to their simplicity and sense of order, yet there’s something inherently provocative in the way they interact—contrasting, intersecting, and constantly shifting. Stripes feel both effortless and intentional, playful yet refined.”
DVF spring/summer 2027.
Thom Browne spring/summer 2027.
Vintage stripes are also on the rise. The cult following is part of the reason why stylist Julia Gall started Stripes Newport, an online curation of secondhand striped goods from the likes of Prada, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Sonia Rykiel, and the Japanese designers she is personally inspired by, including Junya Watanabe, Sacai, and Issey Miyake, who deconstruct and rethink stripes. “A stripe pretty much goes with everything and looks good on anyone,” she tells ELLE. “A stripe transcends style.” She points to the universal stripe love of preps, goths, and eccentrics. “Stripes have stood the test of time without feeling retro like a polka dot or too seasonal like a gingham or a plaid.”
Gall recommends styling stripes with jeans for a more considered look, or truly and fully going all out and over-the-top. “I think it’s always fun to pile on stripes on top of each other, layer them, and really play around,” she says. “Horizontal and verticals sometimes can get a little crazy together, but it’s fun to experiment with pairing them together to create something super fresh.” Earning your style stripes has never been easier.
Why Trust ELLE
Every product featured on ELLE.com is independently researched, tested, or editor-approved. We only recommend products that we stand behind, and the merchandise featured on our site is always driven by editorial and product testing standards, not by affiliate deals or advertising relationships. Any content created in partnership with advertisers is marked as such.