sacai has unveiled its Winter 2026 collection.
Chitose Abe skipped the women’s show this season as part of an internal reset for the brand, and is set to return to the regular show schedule starting with the Men’s 2026 season in June.

The most noticeable aspect of this collection is how sacai takes its long-standing hybrid design approach one step further.
Abe added double-breasted dickey jackets over various pieces, including cardigans, shirts, and jackets.
When buttoned up, they look like actual layers, but when unbuttoned and draped over the shoulders, they can be worn like a scarf.

What Chitose Abe wanted to express through these designs is freedom.
Rather than following the idea that clothes have to be worn in a certain way, she allows the wearer to change the form of the clothes however they want.
This also connects to sacai’s recent focus on “the wearer’s choice.”

The silhouettes also continue sacai’s signature approach to reconstruction. Parkas are combined with men’s blazers, while cardigans and jackets are brought together into a single form, with the waist cinched to create a more feminine curve.
Curved bell sleeves, leopard patterns, and faux fur are added to give classic pieces unexpected volume and texture.

The collaboration with Robert Mapplethorpe is also a highlight of this season.
Mapplethorpe’s iconic photograph Calla Lily is printed on the back of a black leather bomber jacket, with a phrase reflecting his approach to his work added to the inside.
Mapplethorpe’s pursuit of the unexpected naturally connects with sacai’s approach of constantly deconstructing and reconstructing familiar clothing.

Ultimately, sacai’s Winter 2026 collection focuses less on creating entirely new designs and more on rediscovering the possibilities of clothes that already exist.
A shirt doesn’t have to remain just a shirt, a jacket can become another layer, and a scarf becomes part of the clothing itself rather than a separate accessory.

And this approach is directly connected to the design philosophy sacai has shown so far.
Combining one familiar thing with another, while giving a single piece different functions and silhouettes at the same time. This season, Chitose Abe expanded that familiar formula in slightly different ways rather than simply repeating it.

Meanwhile, sacai has presented the collection separately on its official website as the “Winter 2026 Collection,” with a total of 33 looks showing the overall direction of the season.

sacai Winter 2026 is less about presenting a grand theme and more about rethinking the way clothes themselves are worn.
For Chitose Abe, freedom doesn’t only come from creating something new, but starts with being able to wear the clothes you already have in completely different ways.