Like clockwork, when the warmer months approach, so does the texture of raffia. At least that’s how the material has moved in the past couple of years, appearing on tote bags and clutches from Loewe to Chloe to Saint Laurent. This year, the texture remains just as popular, woven into clothes and accessories as a charming accent. It seems like with each year, the texture not only regains its popularity, but also enters with an extra force.
Derived from the raffia palm tree, the raffia texture is created from drying the leaves and weaving them. Its durable, flexible nature is what makes it such an easy fibre to use, passing down through weaving traditions and artisanal craft often as bags, hats, and other accessories. And compared to its leather counterparts, raffia can easily withstand the sun, no sunscreen needed, making the material an easy pick for the sunny months.
And for 2026, brands are utilising raffia in a broader way. While it continues to remain associated with beaches and pools, the latest pieces also present raffia as a formidable material that eases into everyday.
Luxury footwear brands such as Jennifer Chamandi and Aquazzura have contrasted raffia among other materials. For Jennifer Chamandi, raffia juxtaposes its natural texture with neutral leather pieces while Aquazzura sets the weave in mesh. Both styles take the material away from its sunny context and allows it to enter the space of occasion wear.
Whereas brands like Jimmy Choo make raffia playful with fringing, Marina Raphael keeps it polished with tortoiseshell accents, and LIMÉ switches it up with a darker palette, making the material a thoughtful neutral that works throughout the year.
For those looking to keep raffia as their defined Spring-Summer texture, accessories continue to keep the fabric light and breezy. Déhanche’s Mako belt is a refined take on the material, adding metallic accents that ground the material down, pairing well with other summer fabrics such as linen, cotton, and denim.
Another piece that utilises the fabric for the warmer months is the raffia-cuff shirt by Rosanna Ocampo. A fun, transitional piece between seasons, the light, natural texture of the cuffs signals the season without much work.
And if you’re ever looking to wear the raffia effect, you won’t have a hard time finding brands braiding cotton to present the same effect.
