Fashion as a whole suddenly appears to be mired in some kind of mania. Rather than a trend or an evolution of fashion, what I see is a fashion takeover. The dark silhouettes, velvet, and unapologetic use of corsets all contribute to this fashion takeover , upcoming gothic fashion brands are not waiting for permission to dominate the industry. Congratulations if you weren’t aware until now, but let’s just say that it’s already happened; the time for the pastel moment to end in fashion history (conventional styles) will soon come. If you have been consistently keeping an eye on recent runways or any of your For You page feeds, you should see that “goth” is no longer hiding within the shadows of alternative fashion trends…it stands out clearly dressed all in black with an amazing appeal! So let’s take some time to discuss who create future gothic styles and also who to look out for between 2020-2026 is going to be a handful of very talented people creating these future styles.
The Brand That Has Everyone Talking: Boloria
If you’re still unfamiliar with Olivier Theyskens, I’d like to tell you about a designer whose creations have caused quite a bit of attention in recent years (i.e., his black satin hook-and-eye gown worn by Madonna at the 1998 Oscars – the one that dropped jaws all over the world). Last week, Boloria – a new fashion label funded by Belgian company “We Are One World” (which owns the Tomorrowland electronic festivals) – announced that they have appointed Olivier Theyskens as their creative director.
Essentially, those who have turned Tomorrowland into such a massive success have decided that fashion should be their next big project-what an impressive choice!
What Makes Boloria Different
The brand is set to launch its very first collection in 2026, but is already being made known by the plans they have for it, particularly with their pursuit of beauty and meaning without apology or compromise. This will be further evidenced by its name, which pays homage to the taxonomic classification of butterflies; this is a great example of the philosophically poetic way in which it is going to differ from all of the fast fashion dark aesthetic companies that seem only to be interested in making money off of consumers.
As part of their marketing strategy, Boloria began to release a series of short teasers showing a figure with a disguised/divided face who could either be male or female and is simply wearing a black suit with a few minor couture embellishments. The figure was purposely designed to be ambiguous, mysterious, and filled with intentionality. Before anyone will have an opportunity to see a complete look from Boloria, they will already evoke some form of feeling.
The basis of Boloria’s design ethos stems from what would be considered typical Belgian characteristics including sensitivity, integrity, and the ability to evoke emotions all through the process of creating their garments, which, for Boloria, will always be a part of the reasoning behind what inspires the design process and ultimately determines whether or not a new collection is created. Although the namesake of Boloria has ties to other Belgian brands, such as the late great, and world-renowned designer Olivier Theyskens, the addition of this new Belgian design house to that list reinforces the notion that Boloria will ultimately become a household name.
The Established Brands Evolving Into Something Bigger
Not every brand worth watching is brand new. Some of the most interesting upcoming gothic fashion brands stories are about existing labels stepping into a more intentional, elevated version of themselves.
The corporation Killstar has been developing a world of its own with clothing lines including dark dresses, occult accessories, and dramatic layering pieces, and this momentum is continuing. They have a reputation for producing stylish, dark, edgy, and romantic apparel (dresses/ jackets/ accessories). The biggest change that has happened with these items over the last few years is that they have moved from being specialized/ niche items to being considered part of people’s everyday wardrobes for young adults who were raised watching Wednesday Addams and who have therefore determined there is truth in her view point.
Foxblood
Foxblood is the brand for consumers craving long-lasting gothic apparel. Foxblood manufactures garments in limited numbers using ethical production standards; ultimately, Foxblood’s mission is merely to produce high-quality clothes while avoiding the fast fashion trend cycle. As such, Foxblood is quickly becoming the preferred brand among everyday goth-style audience members looking for more than just a regular goth outfit to wear daily but rather something special yet easy to wear on a daily basis. With the rise of mass-production clothing brands that are responsible for creating disposable corsets, Foxblood is a breath of fresh air as they create slow, intentional, and built to last!
Disturbia
Disturbia is a brand of contemporary Gothic streetwear with punk elements. It is also located within the intersection of an authentic subculture and an everyday fashion, which, currently, most young people could find comfortable in their daily life. While not everyone dresses in a long velvet dress everyday (though we respect that option), Disturbia appreciates the value of / to making an effort to offer clothing that fits within that niche.
The High Fashion Houses Making Gothic Mainstream
These are exciting times for luxury fashion fans, especially since the luxury brands seem to be catching up on the previous disregard they had shown towards subcultures.
The three brands that take the top three positions now for 2025 are all luxury brands that have a very dark aesthetic and demonstrate a new interest in a darker approach to style and mood. Chrome Hearts is still number one, while Balenciaga and Rick Owens have also made a name for themselves as being part of the new staple uniform.
Rick Owens gets credit here as well because he has been doing this longer than most people even believe he has. His collections continually blur the lines between both avant-garde and gothic and that fact that the resale market is treating him like a staple pretty much says it all. One of the major influences on dystopian streetwear is Rick Owens’ “Uncertain Future” collection, which features extremely oversized, deconstructed, extremely artistic and darkly poetic silhouettes.
The Trend That’s Reshaping What’s Coming Next
Beyond individual brands, there’s a macro shift happening that’s going to define what upcoming gothic fashion brands look and feel like for the next few years.
For the spring/summer season of 2026/27, the experts from Première Vision predict a new type of gothic trend, known as the New Dynasties. The silhouette will be extremely radical in some respects, with a dramatic oversize sculptural centrepiece coat usually made from textured fabric, typically black or dark red in colour. The experts believe that the New Dynasties reflect the current fascination with the concept of dystopian universes as metaphors for a world that is experiencing a crisis of various sorts.
Which makes complete sense to me because fashion has historically served as a reflection of our society, and currently, we seem to have plenty of source material to draw from.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Klarna’s data offers additional evidence of this beyond merely aesthetic excitement. Four cross ring sales, 69% bat ring sales, 120% cross earring sale increase. In wearable apparel: corsets up 43%, fishnet bodysuit sales up 86%, velvet tops up 90%, and velvet coat sales up 134%. In one year, black lipstick increased sales by 738%.
738%. Not a trend but a revolution.
Sustainability Is the New Black (Literally)
This is one of the most incredibly inspiring developments in this area; specifically, the goth culture is no longer engaging with the fast fashion industry that attempted to assimilate into gothic culture.
The fast fashion industry is manufacturing items such as inexpensive corsetry, plastic lace, and “goth-like” clothing that are simply not built to last. This has taken away the distinguishing characteristics of goth style and added to the environmental and ethical difficulties gothic culture has always resisted using to create its own unique subcultural identity.
Foxblood and Trued Apparel are two brands that have created their entire brand identities to be opposite of the fast fashion industry. Trued Apparel represents a mix of gothic, streetwear, and a little bit of activism. They openly share their practices and everyone who is employed by Trued Apparel is treated rationally as an individual and wear their products because they last!
This is the direction the most interesting upcoming gothic fashion brands are heading , craftsmanship, intentionality, and pieces that don’t disintegrate after three wears.
What to Actually Watch For
What do you think of when you think about the future of goth as we crossover into 2026? One of the most prominent shows to watch will be the debut of Boloria, which is sure to be filled with bold, beautiful creative pieces created by serious industry players. The idea of romantic goth is not as easy to come by as it once was; therefore, it will be exciting to see how “New Dynasties” will flow throughout the entire market in such a way that we will see incredible sculpted types of coats and rich reds everywhere!
Gothic fashion in 2026 will continue on its path of developing a bolder direction away from its traditional roots of mourning and rebellion (think of the Victorians mourning their loved ones or the punk rebellion after the birth of the post-punk era). Today, it encompasses many styles, including, but not limited to: elegant darkness, modern-edge fashion (**futuristic**) – combining revolutionary changes to how we view garments in conjunction with sustainability. In addition, gothic fashion has benefited from other aspects of pop culture (for example: the new Netflix series Wednesday, Classic film Nosferatu, designers such as Olivier Theyskens et al.) creating the new cultural phenomenon presence in the everyday style of goth fashion.
The designers creating the new cultural trend are not toning it down; they are building upon it and going to the extreme of what it means to have access to goth fashion today. The new styles that are referred to as “new age” and are becoming very visible are eloquently designed and display quality. It is time to embrace these changes to gothic fashion! The underground will become overground but will retain its original character. The definition of dark fashion is to no longer “ask” for a chair, as dark fashion has created its own throne. And by 2026, we can rest assure that dark fashion will be taking a seat at its new throne!
