SOFT Sensations

The notion of everyday couture springs to life in UNIQLO's and Cecilie Bahnsen's Spring/Summer 2026 collection, which features womenswear and childrenswear in jersey with feminine motifs and flourishes

- Words IAN LEE in TOKYO

Fresh, versatile, youthful. UNIQLO’s and Cecilie Bahnsen’s collaborative Spring/Summer 2026 collection is many, many things, but perhaps above all, it is a full circle moment for the two brands. In mid-May, journalists from around Asia gathered at Fast Retailing Global Headquarters in the Ariake district of Tokyo, and Yukihiro Katsuta, the group’s Senior Executive Officer and Head of R&D for UNIQLO, shares with us that he first met Bahnsen, who is best known among the fashion cognoscenti for her “everyday couture” signatures of floral motifs, and poufy sleeves with frills and shirring, about seven years ago, when the Japanese brand opened its first store in Copenhagen. What followed was a foundation of mutual admiration between the two seemingly disparate brands — Katsuta says that while romance, softness and femininity can be found in the works of other designers, Bahnsen shows a true “love for clothes and love for the women wearing them”, which sets her apart.

Fast forward to the end of 2025, UNIQLO and Bahnsen began to turn their enduring connection into this tie-up, which took around six months to complete. It is quite the feat, merging UNIQLO’s essence of practicality, and simple yet considered design with Bahnsen’s knack for sculptural silhouettes, ultra-feminine flourishes, and intricate textures. The result is what Bahnsen calls a “big step” for her brand — an offering of women’s tops, skirts and dresses, with prices starting at S$19.90. Through this collection, the Danish designer also makes her foray into childrenswear, with a range of tops, skorts and dresses.