Sheer has moved from shock to craft. Globally, it ran through the spring/summer 2026 runways and continued into fall 2026 collections, with Khaite, The Row and Valentino taking refined approaches. The same report notes that Valentino built entire looks from organza, treating it as architecture, and that Gucci layered sheer over structure so the tailoring underneath was glimpsed rather than announced. In India, organza, tissue and net have always been part of the couture vocabulary, and currently reign as a top ethnic trend of 2026. The trend mainly dominates occasionwear but is slowly establishing its place in contemporary fashion.
In casual dressing, the shift is from exposure to layering. Brands including The LittleBox India and NewMe are using sheer as the main fabric rather than a part of the garment, a sign of more mainstream adoption. Designer Rahul Khanna of Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna says sheer translates into everyday dressing, such as an overlay over a slip dress or blouse, or a translucent stole layered and cinched with a belt over a basic outfit. Roseroom’s layering approach is an organza jacket over a simple dress, lace over tonal separates, or a translucent dupatta over structured silhouettes.
Péro’s collection shown at Lakmé Fashion Week in October 2026 layered crochet, lace, bows and playful prints. Pernia’s Pop Up Shop’s 2026 sheer cover-up edit lists Label Deepika Nagpal’s rust organza printed shirt and Nineteen89 by Divya Bagri’s purple sheer organza shirt.
Formal and occasion wear is where the trend is strongest. Falguni Shane Peacock deploys organza for lehengas, and Gaurav Gupta layers chiffon and nylon blends into futuristic couture, including a net and brocade pleated lehenga with a sheer cape. Tarun Tahiliani treats sheer as structure, in an ivory tulle, net and chiffon pre-draped saree set and a hand-embroidered applique sheer top.
In Rahul Mishra’s Spring 2026 Haute Couture collection, organza panels rippled across a skirt, their transparency revealing light and movement beneath, and sheer draped silk formed an asymmetric cascade across the shoulder. Anamika Khanna’s Moonlit Palace at India Couture Week 2026 used sheer tulle, metallic embroidery and lace.
The same idea reached the autumn-winter runways. At Lakmé Fashion Week in October, Richa Khemka’s VESPER saw black give way to silver, with sheer organza meeting sculptural forms so each silhouette revealed just enough. CHOLA’s collection earlier in 2026 used layered organza, tulle, lurex and mesh. On the retail side, Ridhima Bhasin and Swati Vijaivargie appear in Pernia’s 2026 organza jacket-lehenga edit with an embroidered organza jacket lehenga set and a silk and organza printed jacket lehenga set.
Outerwear is where sheer works best for the cold season, because the transparent layer sits over something solid. Pernia’s 2026 sheer coat edit lists KLITCHE’s peach sheer organza jacket set with 3D floral patch embroidery and Love Kiki’s ivory satin organza sheer jacket set. Disha Patil’s silver grey satin organza and net jacket set and ISTYA’s rose gold organza jacket set sit in the same space.
