Checks and autumn have always been a natural pair, but this season the tartan skirt is having a proper moment. Vanity Fair Italia names it one of the must-have pieces for Autumn/Winter 2026/27, with one important twist: the long, predictable kilt-style versions are giving way to bolder colours, asymmetric cuts and inventive details that make the old Scottish check feel genuinely fresh.
Straight from the runways
The trend did not appear out of nowhere. Reviewing the Autumn/Winter 2026 shows, Coveteur called plaid, tartan and checks one of the biggest runway stories of the season. Chemena Kamali filled her Chloé collection with check prints and tiered checked skirts, Acne Studios layered different checks together for a deliberately busy but coherent look, and Rabanne paired wool tartan skirts with coats cut from the same cloth. Burberry, as you would expect, offered tartan coats trimmed with fur in navy and garnet tones, while Louis Vuitton sent out a heavily textured tartan mini skirt with a cropped jacket.
Vanity Fair Italia sees two personalities living in the same print. One looks back to the punk spirit of the 1970s and the grunge mood associated with Vivienne Westwood, with ragged hems and distressed finishes. The other is polished and very British in the Burberry sense. Both work, which is exactly why the skirt is so versatile.
New colours, new details
Red, green and navy remain the classics, but the palette has widened. Expect burgundy paired with brown, grey lifted by yellow and pale blue, pink set against darker shades, and quieter neutral versions in black and beige for anyone who prefers understated elegance. The details matter just as much: asymmetric hems, structured waistbands with belts or layered panels, pleats that range from neat to deconstructed, plus well-placed slits and draping.
How to wear it
For the punk route, Vanity Fair Italia suggests leather lace-up boots, a biker jacket and a simple T-shirt. For something softer, try a cosy jumper and knee-high boots in neutral tones that let the check do the talking. Jewellery can pick up the colours of the weave: deep red garnet earrings or a ruby ring echo burgundy checks, an emerald pendant brings out forest green, and sapphire earrings suit navy tartan. Finish with a leather crossbody bag to keep your hands free on chilly autumn walks.
Sources: Vanity Fair Italia, “Gonna tartan, 10 modelli a quadri per l’autunno 2026” by Lucrezia Candelori (28 October 2026); Coveteur, “The Fall/Winter 2026 Runway Trend Report” (20 March 2026) and “Tartan Takes Over”. Featured image: AI-generated scene.
