Say hello to puffy, bubble-shaped fashion
Exaggerated sleeves, skirts with bubble hems and shoes with pom poms, it's time to embrace whimsical fashion and Lounge's style guide shows you how
Volume is in. Going by the recurring appearance of bubble hem skirts and puffy shoulders in fashion shows at the recent New York Fashion Week, London Fashion Week, and the glimpse we've got of the Dior show at Paris Fashion Week for Spring Summer 2026. The other trend that was well noted and had hands typing out loud headlines was of the return of balloon pants. It's time to channel MC Hammer's ‘You can’t touch this’ energy now and go big and drapy with your fashion next season.
Historically speaking, voluminous clothes with exaggerated silhouettes first appeared in the 16th century. In modern times, designers like Cristobal Balenciaga and Hubert de Givenchy were known to have experimented with the silhouette. Rei Kawakubo is another avant garde fashion designer who has presented clothes in extremely exaggerated spherical shapes. Today, the tone's a lot more understated and versatile to encouraging mixing and matching but sculptural pieces with big puffy sleeves, bubble hems or peplums aren't going anywhere anytime soon. If you need a primer on how to incorporate this bold style into your wardrobe, Lounge's round up for the week has some ideas up it's pooffy sleeve.
PUFF PIECE
Sometimes, a sharp top with a puffy neck is just about all you need to announce yourself. That's why we've picked this pant suit set from Indian label Tisharth by Shivani. Tailored in egg shell white fabric, the top stands out for its plunging neckline and the voluminous bubble drape around the neck. It's paired with matching fitted pants and is perfect for an awards night soireé. Available on Tisharthbyshivani.com; ₹20,000.
OYE! BUBBLY
If Dior's newest women's wear show under the creative directorship of Jonathan Anderson is anything to go by, the bubble hem is back, girl friend. The style was seen on dresses and miniskirts in the show. Other designers and labels whose SS ‘26 collections included bubble hem mini skirts were Prada, Miu Miu and Louis Vuitton. French label Patou’s new collection for the season has quite a few options. This vignola maroon-hued mini skirt is a straight-up winner. Made from recycled polyester faille, it is designed in a high volume silhouette that can be puffed out. It has a high-waist and comes with pockets and a zip fastener. Available on Patou.com; ₹61,447.
TIC TAC TOES
Another motif that appeared on runaways at the New York Fashion week that signalled the emerging popularity of whimsical, textured fashion was of pom poms. These style elements showed up on bags, clothes and shoes and in collections of labels like Area and Calvin Klein. Pom poms convey a tone of exuberance – much needed toda – which explains the selection of these mules from maison Alaïa. Crafted from leather with transparent uppers, the mules sit atop 90 mm heels. We love that it's only the right shoe in the pair that sports a turquoise-hued 3D leather flower, as if to suggest a friendly wink from the designer. Available on Maison-alaia.com; ₹1.89 lakh.
HAMMER TIME
Shout it out loud for the back benchers… “it's Hammer time!" Airy balloon pants in a relaxed fit stole the show at the NYFW. It's time to embrace them by way of denims or trousers in a draped style. If you someone who likes mixing Indian and western wear, go straight fo these mustard-coloured cotton men’s pants from label Mati. Paired with a cotton kurti, they are ideal for a decadent feast or a night of dandiya dancing. Available on Ensembleindia.com; ₹10,500.
BALL GOWN
We love puffy sleeves and the 2026 fashion forecast asks you to drop your reserve in wearing them. Whether it's a matcha date, lazy brunch or a dance, go big with the styling. This mini dress from label Bernadette is an ideal blend of comfort and coolth. Cut from crisp taffeta, the raspberry pink dress features voluminous sleeves and a gathered scooped neckline. We'd shimmy into it in the time it takes you to say, “Get, set, go!" Available on Net-a-porter.com; ₹1.13 lakh.
SLEEVE GAME
If you follow designer Simone Rocha's work, you'd know that she likes playing with volume. Her tutu skirts, dresses, tops and even bags sport the puffy silhouette. If you want to embrace the trend but are unsure, start with something as simple as a tshirt with big sleeves. This black t-shirt from Simone Rocha is made in contrasted nylon and features the designer’s signature double petal sleeve in voluminous detail. Pair it with a pair of jeans and long earrings and make a loud statement with little. Available on Simonerocha.com; ₹44,800.
DISCO BALL
You could experiment with the bubble silhouette by way of bags too. This sphere-shaped bag from Paco Rabanne is on top of our wish list. Made with gold-tinted brass metal discs, the bag is a tribute to the iconic 1960s collection made by the label's original founder and designer Paco Rabanne. The bag features some cute charms and comes with a chain shoulder strap. Did someone say “Shiny Disco ball"? Available on Mytheresa.com; ₹1.65 lakh.
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