Sandhya Garg · Brand Pillar
Maximalist Fashion
More, On Purpose · Colour · Print · Texture · Ornament · 12 Pieces
Quick Answer
Maximalism is more, on purpose: colour, print, texture and ornament chosen to work together. Let one piece lead, repeat one colour across the outfit, and keep one thing simple, usually the silhouette or the shoes. Add texture such as embroidery or tapestry, not just more print. It looks like a costume only when it's worn with hesitation.
I'm a maximalist designer. My prints have five colours where most have two, and my dresses have embroidery, tassels and scalloped lace where most have a seam. So people ask me how to wear it without looking like they're in costume.
Here's what maximalism is, the five rules I design by, and twelve pieces that put them into practice.
In This Guide
What Maximalism Actually Is
Maximalism isn't wearing everything at once. It's wearing more on purpose. Harper’s Bazaar India summed up the mood: "More is more, and we can’t get enough!" Who What Wear's October 2026 report lists print-maxxing, textured trims and brooches among the season's trends, and quotes Lena Dunham asking, "Since when did elegance mean that you are going to wear oatmeal, bone, beige and tan?"
My latest collection draws on Marie Antoinette, the original maximalist. As the V&A curator told Harper’s Bazaar, she represents "a kind of hyper-femininity that is a feast for fashion designers." If you're still deciding which camp you're in, take the quiz in Maximalist vs Minimalist.
Maximalism isn't wearing everything. It's wearing more, on purpose.
Five Rules From a Maximalist Designer
Hierarchy
1. One Piece Leads
Decide which piece is the star. Everything else supports it.
The thread
2. Repeat a Colour
Pick one colour from the leading piece and repeat it in a shoe, bag or earring.
Breathing room
3. Keep One Thing Simple
A simple silhouette, plain shoes or bare hair. Something has to rest.
Depth
4. Mix Texture, Not Just Print
Embroidery, beading, lace and tapestry add richness that print alone can't.
Confidence
5. Wear It Like You Mean It
The costume look comes from hesitation, not from the clothes.
Ready to wear two prints at once? That's covered in How to Mix Prints: A Print Designer’s Rules. For one bold print at a time, start with How to Wear Bold Prints.
The Maximalist Edit · Let Them Eat Cake Collection
Twelve Pieces, More on Purpose
Print, embroidery, trim and tapestry, designed to work together.
Start With One Piece That Leads
Layer Texture Over Print
Dresses run XS to 3XL and jackets XS to XL. Stock is limited, so check the size selector on each product page · Size chart · Made to measure
Frequently Asked Questions
What is maximalist fashion?
Dressing with more: more colour, more print, more texture and more ornament, chosen deliberately. It's the opposite of quiet luxury. Done well, every piece relates to the others through colour or theme, so the whole outfit reads as one idea.
How do you dress maximalist without looking messy?
Repeat one colour across the outfit, keep one thing simple (usually the silhouette or the shoes), and let one piece lead. Mess comes from pieces that have nothing to do with each other.
Is maximalism in style in 2026?
Yes. Harper’s Bazaar India called it "the comeback we’ve been waiting for," and Who What Wear's autumn 2026 trend report includes print-maxxing and textured trims.
Can you be a maximalist and still dress for work?
Yes. Choose one maximalist piece, such as a printed dress or an embroidered jacket, and keep the rest of the outfit structured. Maximalism is about intent, not volume.
Keep Reading
Quiz
Maximalist vs Minimalist
And why you might be both.
Prints
How to Mix Prints
A print designer's rules.
Colour
Dopamine Dressing
The science of wearing joy.
Collection
Let Them Eat Cake
The first queen who dressed for her image.
About the Writer
Sandhya Garg is a Project Runway Season 13 designer who won two challenges on the show and presented her collection at Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week. She studied womenswear at London College of Fashion and has worked at Alexander McQueen, Gucci, Liberty London and Alice Temperley. Her label has been featured in Marie Claire US, Elle, Cosmopolitan and Vogue online. Every print is drawn by Sandhya in Los Angeles and printed and made in India. Read her story.
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