Cummerbunds Are The 2026 Style Statement No One Saw Coming

when in doubt, belt it out

By Victoria Lewis | 23rd October 2026

In another win for breaking down gender norms in fashion, the humble cummerbund, most commonly associated with men’s suiting, has been adorning the waists of the globe’s most fashionable women as of late, and it’s the style statement none of us could have predicted.

Though cummerbund-style waistbands did the rounds in womenswear of the ’80s, this bold form of belt has more recently been reserved for men’s sartorial dressing, until now. Seen strutting down international runways and snapped in street-style pics across the globe, the cummerbund is a trend we’re here to unpack as it stands today.

What actually is a cummerbund?

Great question. The cummerbund’s strict definition (albeit now looser in its most recent resurgence) is a type of wide, pleated sash, commonly made out of satin or silk, that is typically worn with a tuxedo or dress jacket to hide waist seams and keep a shirt neatly in place. However, the cummerbund’s history can be traced back to Persia, with the word derived from the Hindustani kamarband. It was used in this region as a form of protection against cold weather, before it was adopted by the British military in the 1800s.

Since then, the cummerbund has slowly but surely shed its functional uses and become more of a style statement, taking on new forms in 2026.

How the cummerbund is being worn today

Gone are the days when the cummerbund was saved strictly for formal occasions. In 2026, the cummerbund has broken up with the tuxedo and is instead finding itself partnered with more casual streetwear pieces. The cummerbund was seen cinching the waists of draped mock-neck dresses at Valentino’s Fall/Winter 2026–27 show, or styled with a more laid-back shirting and trouser combo at Kallmeyer’s New York Fashion Week outing. All of this is to say that the cummerbund knows no bounds in 2026. Taking on a myriad of textures and shades – jewel tones are especially prominent – the cummerbund is offering an outlet for the fashionably adventurous to get more experimental with silhouettes and play with androgyny, and I, for one, love to see it.