Hansen & Gretel’s AFW26 Collection Was Pure Coastal Escapism

Australian Fashion Week 2026 has officially entered its mermaid era.

Last night, Hansen & Gretel transformed the runway at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia into a shimmering, salt-kissed world of liquid movement, luminous fabrics and modern femininity with its latest collection, TIDE. Presented by Shark Beauty, the show leaned into an immersive dreamscape where wet-look textures, windswept hair and glowing skin blurred the line between runway and shoreline.

Designed by Creative Director Ainsley Hansen, the collection drew heavily from her upbringing along the South Coast of New South Wales, channeling the feeling of growing up around surf culture, salt air and endless summers.

“For my collection TIDE, I wanted to capture a sense of fluidity and sensuality that feels both nostalgic and modern,” Ainsley explains. “Drawing from Australian surf heritage while elevating it through shimmer, texture and luminous silhouettes.” Ombré silks mirrored the shifting tones of cowrie shells at dusk, crystal embellishments reflected light like water, and washed denim carried that perfectly worn-in ease synonymous with Australian beach culture. Relaxed resort silhouettes floated down the runway alongside sheer layers, sculptural draping and liquid-like fabrics that moved with the body rather than against it. “There’s a kind of effortless, sun-faded energy that comes from living in that world,” Ainsley says. “Clothes get worn in, colours get washed out, and nothing feels too precious.”

And that’s exactly what Hansen & Gretel continues to do so well. The pieces never feel overworked or overly styled, despite the level of detail involved. There’s always an ease to the Hansen & Gretel woman. Confident, feminine and polished, but still grounded in something relaxed and real. While the collection leaned into nostalgia, there was still an undeniable modernity underpinning the show. Hansen & Gretel’s signature balance of softness and strength remained intact, though Ainsley believes the Hansen woman of 2026 is more intentional than ever.

“She’s still romantic, but not delicate,” she explains. “There’s a sense of control, independence and modernity in how she dresses. So it’s less about duality now, and more about cohesion.” It’s this balance that has built Hansen & Gretel’s loyal following over the years. Elevated pieces that still feel wearable, directional fashion that doesn’t alienate the person actually wearing it. In an era where trends move faster than ever, there’s something refreshing about a brand that still understands restraint.That same philosophy extended into the beauty direction. Led by Shark Beauty Hair Director Madison Voloshin, hair was left soft, windswept and intentionally undone, as though models had just stepped out of the ocean moments before the show. “For the Hansen & Gretel runway, the hair channels a seductive force, effortlessly magnetic, naturally beautiful, and intentionally undone,” Madison explains. “Like it’s been swum in and left to dry in the ocean air.”

Backstage, the Shark Glam Hot Tool Air Drying & Styling System was used to create the subtle, irregular bends and salt-textured waves seen throughout the runway.

As for standout pieces from the collection, Ainsley points to the hand-beaded Crystal Fenella Dress, a finale look over a year in the making, alongside the heavily stone-washed Dash Jorts featuring a cowrie shell placement print.“To me, it really speaks to the collection and the boyish trance of the brand,” she says.

More than anything, TIDE felt like a reminder of what Australian fashion does best: relaxed but directional, sensual but wearable, elevated without trying too hard.

And judging by the reaction inside the MCA last night, TIDE struck exactly the right chord. In a week often dominated by spectacle, Hansen & Gretel delivered something more powerful. Clothes that felt aspirational, escapist and genuinely cool but casual enough to wear beyond the runway.