SEASON REFRESH: BROWN
7 September 2026Season Refresh is the blueprint to dressing well as we move into Autumn
At some point, summer has to come to an end for normal life to start again. After crazy temperatures, a serious lack of rain, and weeks of wondering why we don’t have air con, there’s a fair few of us ready to welcome autumn with open arms.
Our Season Refresh series exists as a blueprint for dressing through the season transition. Over the coming weeks, we’re covering the major style movements that END. buyers have seen guiding the latest collections across menswear and womenswear. They’re a solid framework when it comes to building out the new rotation.
Last week, we focused on the concept of Modern Heritage; a trend that our buyers picked out as a definitive guide for the coming season, blending military heritage with modern utility. This week, it’s a little less conceptual: the colour brown takes the spotlight. Sure, brown is always there, but this season it has become an unshakeable central anchor for collections across the spectrum from the likes of Róhe to Rick Owens. Earth tones are a styling cheat code in Autumn: versatile, seasonal, and perfectly aligned with tactile fabrics like suede to upgrade your fits.
Róhe’s ability to deliver pared-back styles that never feel boring is rarely paralleled. There’s no better example than the label’s Pankou Overshirt which features a long, slim silhouette that’s incredibly clean, laying the foundations for a range of beautiful fabrics. Here, supple suede lays the backdrop for premium details like the braided leather of the titular Pankou closure.
The word minimalism might be the most overused word in menswear. It’s become shorthand for lazy and boring. Not at Porter James. Here, minimalism thrives in its truest sense: every detail has a purpose, nothing is added if it doesn’t add something. The result is a collection populated by pieces like this brown blouson which slots in effortlessly as a mid layer in colder temperatures or can take centre stage with subtle details like the double collar.
Rick Owens’ signature darkness sometimes makes way for a slate-coloured masterpiece. This season, the Brad Jacket lands in a grey-brown Dark Pearl colourway, making it genuinely tough to style badly. Cut from some of the world’s finest suede, this is a lifetime investment that’s going nowhere regardless of which way the trend pendulum swings.
