When The Unexpected Becomes Predictable: Martine Rose and the Exhaustion Of Newness
Martine Rose Spring/Summer 2026 show wasn’t just a runway. It was a mirror held up to our overstimulated and trend-chasing culture. With prints that clashed and luxe fabrics that rubbed shoulders with everyday textures, each look somehow made you look twice and still feel like you missed something. The collection didn’t just bend fashion rules; it poked fun at our obsession with breaking them.
Craving Newness While Living in Trend Loops
Our generation craves newness like it’s oxygen. We chase microtrends, scroll fashion week clips at lightning speed and refresh our feeds hoping to see something we haven’t before. But Rose dares to ask: What happens when even the “weird” becomes routine?
Let’s be honest—ugly-chic isn’t shocking anymore. Purposefully mismatched socks, clashing patterns and silhouettes that challenge proportion aren’t as jarring as they were five years ago. And when every brand is trying to be the brand that “pushes boundaries,” it all starts to blend into one overstimulating, over-referenced aesthetic.
That’s where Rose cuts through the noise. Her SS26 collection didn’t scream “look at me” the way so many do. Instead, it lingered; it unsettled. It looked like your dad’s friend at a barbecue who accidentally styled himself into a look. It made you think and then double back for a second glance. A structured gray coat paired with Bermuda shorts? A satin blouse tucked into low-rise trousers with a belt barely holding on?
Somehow it worked.
Photo by Clem Onojeghuo on Unsplash
The Quiet Power of Surprise
The collection didn’t just ride the wave of ironic normcore or post-ironic parody. It reflected something deeper: our collective burnout with constant reinvention. When everyone’s trying to go viral for reinventing the wheel, Rose shows up and reminds us that true originality doesn’t need to be theatrical.
It’s not always photogenic. It doesn’t always perform well on TikTok. Sometimes, it just makes you feel something whether that be confused, inspired, unsettled, curious.
That’s the kind of fashion we as a culture need more of.
Our generation is overstimulated. We’ve seen it all. The underground becomes mainstream overnight. TikTok trends die faster than they rise. So we turn to designers like Martine Rose who don’t just throw spaghetti at the wall. She curates chaos with intention. She knows that “new” doesn’t have to mean “louder.” Sometimes, new is subtle. Sometimes, it’s weird in a way that sneaks up on you.
And in a world where unexpected has become predictable, that sneak-up feeling? That’s the real shock. That’s the newness we’ve been chasing without even knowing it.
Rose’s SS26 wasn’t a shout. It was a whisper that echoed louder than most of what we’ve seen this season.
And maybe that’s where fashion turns next.