Fair Isle & Berets: 2026's Quiet Comeback

Fair Isle and Berets Are Making a Quiet Comeback — Two 2026 Knitwear Trends You Shouldn't Ignore

Last winter, I was scrolling through my feed when I saw a photo that stopped me mid-scroll. John Travolta at the Cannes Film Festival, wearing a beret. Not a baseball cap. Not a fedora. A beret — slouchy, slightly off-center, and undeniably intentional.

A few days later, I saw Sienna Miller in a Fair Isle jumper on Instagram. Then Claudia Winkleman on The Traitors. Then Kate Middleton in a Fair Isle knit, again. I started noticing a pattern.

Two styles that had been quietly sitting on the sidelines were suddenly everywhere. And the search data confirmed it.

Fair Isle: The Pattern That Keeps Coming Back

Fair Isle knitting has been around for centuries. The technique originated on a tiny island in Scotland's Shetland archipelago, where fishermen developed complex geometric patterns using multiple colors — snowflakes, diamonds, zigzags — to distinguish their families and clans. The dense, multi-colored wool kept them warm in the harsh North Sea weather. But the patterns were also visual, a way to carry identity in every stitch.

Fast forward to 2026, and Fair Isle is having another moment. And it's not just a niche trend — it's showing up everywhere .

Search interest in Fair Isle knitwear has grown steadily, with a notable spike during the 2026 winter season. Fashion houses like Celine and Altuzarra included Fair Isle in their Winter 25/26 collections. High street brands like H&M, M&S, and Next followed suit . Vogue called Fair Isle "a look that transitions seamlessly from the countryside to the city streets" .

What's different in 2026:

- Low-saturation palettes. The high-contrast reds and blues of traditional Fair Isle are giving way to muted blues, oatmeal, and soft greys. It's the same pattern, but quieter — and infinitely easier to style.

- Softer silhouettes. No stiff, boxy knitwear. The 2026 Fair Isle beanie sits lower, slouches more, and works with a hoodie just as well as it works with a wool coat.

- Celebrity endorsement. Sienna Miller wore a Dior Fair Isle jumper while pregnant . Claudia Winkleman's Fair Isle knits on The Traitors sparked a surge in searches . Even the Princess of Wales has been spotted in Fair Isle . When celebrities at that level adopt a style, the market follows.

One customer review of a J.Crew Fair Isle beanie summed up the appeal: "The pattern makes it special for sure. It is definitely on the warmer side which works great for true winter weather. The colors and fair isle print really makes any outfit pop" . Another reviewer noted that the beanie was "perfect for cold weather and holiday outings" .

The Beret: From Art Studios to the Red Carpet

Berets are a different story. Unlike Fair Isle, the beret never really went away. It's been a quiet presence in fashion for decades, cycling through relevance without ever completely disappearing. But 2026 has been different.

The beret's resurgence has been driven by a single, unexpected figure: John Travolta.

At the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, Travolta arrived with a new look — dark beard, thin-rimmed glasses, and a series of slouchy berets. He told CNN: "I'm a director this time. You're an actor, play the part of a director, look like an old-school director... I looked up pictures from the '20s, '30s, '40s, '50, '60s, and the old-school directors wore berets" .

The internet noticed. "Beret fever" spread fast. Al Roker surprised Travolta by wearing a beret on The Today Show, and Travolta gave his approval: "Go for it, man!" . The trend had crossed over from red carpet to morning TV.

The data backs it up. Depop searches for berets increased by 92% compared to the previous year. At John Lewis, sales of women's berets rose by 29% during the past year . The Financial Times reported that "more traditional headwear is now back in style, including berets, flat caps, and baker boy hats" .

Why the beret is working in 2026:

- It's a low-commitment entry point. Unlike a bold Fair Isle pattern, a black or beige beret is neutral enough to work with almost anything.

- It signals "quiet luxury." The beret isn't flashy. It's not logomania. It's a piece that signals taste without shouting for attention.

- It has history. The beret has been worn by artists, revolutionaries, and soldiers . When you wear one, you're tapping into a long tradition.

What This Means for Your Shop

If you're selling knitwear, these two trends are worth testing.

For Fair Isle: Avoid high-contrast, high-saturation colors. The versions that feel modern are the ones that blend into a wardrobe, not the ones that fight for attention. Look for patterns where the geometric shapes are slightly uneven — that's the difference between a story and a print.

For berets: Start with classic colors — black, beige, and navy are the safest bets. If you want to differentiate, consider textured knits or subtle details like a small leather patch. The key is to make them look worn-in, not stiff.

One Final Thing

The trends that last are often the ones that don't announce themselves loudly. Fair Isle and berets are both examples of slow-burn trends — styles that have been around for decades, quietly waiting for their moment. In 2026, that moment is arriving.

If you've been thinking about adding either of these styles to your offerings, now is the time to test the waters. The search data suggests the audience is already there. They're just waiting for the right product to buy.

Which one would you add to your collection first — Fair Isle or beret?