I left the Uniqlo Spring/Summer preview with a shopping list of must-haves for the moment the snow melts enough to allow me to show some ankle and don a bit of colour. The influence of the brand’s Global Creative Director, Clare Waight Keller, can be felt not only in her UNIQLO : C  collection, but throughout the brand’s looks for the coming season. 

Fashion people were already drawn to Uniqlo as their elevated basics go-to thanks to its functional, Japanese aesthetic. Now Waight Keller, with her high fashion luxury bonafides (she rose up through Gucci, Pringle of Scotland, Chloé and Givenchy), has brought her finely honed sensibility to mass-market fashion. Through her careful tailoring and choice of materials, she is trying to give fast fashion more longevity, or a slow life. 

Her clean, less-is-more aesthetic, that was so effective for Meghan Markle’s wedding dress with its simple bateau neckline, three-quarter sleeve and stiff, structured silk – created when Waight Keller was the artistic director of Givenchy – is in full effect here. The covetable pieces at Uniqlo are striking in their disciplined aesthetic, and also in the way that they are styled.Artful layering and unexpected pairings are the masterstroke here.

A simple box-knitted tee in black is shown with a white t-shirt underneath, the arms rolled for that fresh flash of white; linen shirts in stripes and solids are layered on top of each other, preppy style; a funnel-necked tomato-red Milano Full Zip sweater is shown worn under a taupe twill suit. Yes, a suit! Wrinkle-proof, handwashable and with an elasticated waist make it a smart and versatile outfit – far better for travel than donning sloppy sweats.

But my most important find was the perfect pair of white trousers, the building block of any spring-into-summer wardrobe, and for the rebels amongst us, your winter-whites look. The Barrel Pants in off-white are made of thick cotton – Waight Keller is a stickler for how fabric holds structure and drapes – and have a pleat at the front, flattering pockets on the bum and are wide enough to be cool but tapered enough at the ankle to look considered. Sold! I literally sprinted to Uniqlo after writing this to secure my pair.

This is a very runway-to-real-way moment. At Michael Rider’s first blockbuster spring 2026 collection for Celine, he showed white barrel pants and culottes, which were the other silhouette being snapped up by the fashionistas at Uniqlo after they were brought back to fashion consciousness by Dior designer, and Uniqlo design collaborator JW Anderson on his catwalk this year. Made, again, of a thick, structured cotton with tuck pleats starting from the waistline, the UNIQLO : C Cotton Culottes ooze style and are a playful alternative to jeans or chinos. At the event, one stylist was wearing her black pair with a block-heel, fishnets and a black turtleneck. Very chic.

The culottes, like much of the collection, are unisex. Waight Keller is known for her androgynous approach to style, and many of the looks here are truly fluid. 

Besides the bright red, the colours are soft: dusty rose, lilac, sherbet yellow, soft pink, powder blue, drab and chocolate – palettes made to complement and carefully clash. What Waight Keller has demonstrated this season is how reasonably priced basics can be elevated through volume, layering, colours and fabrics that make styling them effortless.

As well as putting a capital F on fashion, Uniqlo has done the same with functionality. I’ve already waxed lyrical about my PUFFTECH jacket that I won’t travel without. It has now been updated with an urbane, striped diamond-quilted version. There’s also an impressive breathable, moisture-wicking UV line DRY-EX that has a new twist – cooling technology.

Waight Keller’s finishing touch? Uniqlo’s first range of sunglasses. I chose the super-flattering tortoiseshell aviator style but was tempted by a black cat-eye that folds – genius for someone who is always flipping them up on their head – or by the granny-cool wrap-arounds with soft blush frames. At these prices, maybe I’ll get all three.