Khaite Spring 2026 RTW
Images via Khaite
The Khaite woman arrives with a fierce grace, one born of contradictions and quiet risks. Catherine Holstein admits that confidence often springs from moments of insecurity and self-awareness. She feels like an outsider even though nothing about her presence suggests that. As a child she would take scissors to her clothes, reshaping what was given. This season the question she asked herself was simple: how do you twist something familiar until it becomes new.
The collection opened with a leather blazer cut on the bias, split up the sides so that it draped at an angle across the body in a kind of embrace. Later dresses were treated similarly. One strapless cocktail number had a fluttery bodice lifted from a corset and stuffed with tulle in places so it lost its stiffness and felt playfully exaggerated. Holstein spoke about risk.
Some pieces flirted with excess but in a way that felt generous, not showy. As Holstein expands Khaite’s presence in the world, with a new store in Los Angeles, there is a subtle shift in spirit. Polka dots cover skirts hit high on the hips. Knits loosen around the body so that shape matters less than texture and movement. The aesthetic hints at both urban edge and relaxed warmth.
Holstein’s signature tension between polish and naïveté was everywhere. A silk blouse with padded shoulders paired with a tie neck felt impeccably chic. Button-up shirts bore childlike embroideries. Traditional silhouettes such as basque waists and pinafore tops were joined by raw denim that looked as though it had been cuffed, worn in, lived with. It felt like Holstein was allowing flaws into the picture to soften the idea of perfect chic.
Footwear and accessories made their own statements. Deeply cuffed jeans met leather moccasins with kitten heels. Caramel slingbacks in low heel shapes paired with structured denim or a red leather jacket-cape hybrid. A little black dress revealed a dramatic back that plunged to the sacrum, offset by simple loafers in front. The contrast was deliberate and magnetic.
By the close of the show one felt that Khaite has offered more than beautiful clothes. It has shown a woman who holds paradox in her posture. She is confident yet tender, meticulous yet unpredictable. The collection takes familiar forms and twists them until they begin to feel like something deeply personal. It suggests Holstein is not just designing fashion but shaping character.
