The New Year may be behind us, but the urge to reset remains strong. With fresh collections and cultural moments beginning to roll in, January always carries a quiet sense of anticipation.
In the weeks ahead, Melbourne will play host to the Australian Open, bringing with it a wave of tennis-inspired fashion, while global Houses and heritage brands begin to set the tone for the year.
Luxury labels are revisiting their archives, contemporary names are pushing creative boundaries, and the result is a landscape that feels equal parts nostalgic and forward-facing.
From Chanel Beauty’s moody Rouge Noir revival to Fendi’s playful reimagining of the Peekaboo and Van Cleef & Arpels’ cultural collaborations, the month is delivering heritage, innovation and artistry in equal measure.
From retail to the runway, these are the must-know launches shaping January.
Chanel Revives Rouge Noir With A New Makeup Collection
Chanel Beauty revisits one of its most iconic shades with the launch of the Rouge Noir Makeup Collection, created by Ammy Drammeh of Chanel’s Comètes Collective. Rich, sultry and unmistakably Chanel, the collection moves beyond the nail polish that made the shade famous, spanning eyes, lips and cheeks in a palette of deep garnet, magenta, purplish pink and rich brown tones.
Rouge Noir’s origin story is pure fashion folklore. The shade was conceived overnight on the eve of the Autumn-Winter 1994/95 runway show by Dominique Moncourtois, Heidi Morawetz and Karl Lagerfeld, inspired by the dark lining of the house’s iconic 2.55 handbag. What emerged was a near-black red that felt radical at the time, redefining what “classic” beauty could look like.
Launched as a nail colour in 1995, Rouge Noir was initially dismissed as a passing trend. Three decades on, its return proves otherwise. The Rouge Noir Makeup Collection is available now at Chanel.com.
A Peek Inside Fendi’s Most Playful Bag Yet
FENDI is giving its iconic Peekaboo bag a playful new twist for Spring/Summer 2026, and it all began on the Milan runway in September, where models carried their bags slightly ajar, letting colour, sparkle and surprise spill out.
Designed by Silvia Venturini Fendi and first launched in 2008, the Peekaboo has always been about hidden beauty, a wink wrapped in leather. This season, the secret is proudly on display. Clean, minimal exteriors open to reveal jewel-like interiors adorned with paillettes, beads, studs and crystals, all handcrafted by FENDI’s artisans.
From shimmering sequins and floral mosaics to crystal motifs and a pink mink version requiring over 200 hours of work, each bag feels like a small reveal party. The collection is available for pre-order now and lands in boutiques on February 5.
Van Cleef & Arpels Brings Dance Reflections To Sydney Festival
Van Cleef & Arpels’ Dance Reflections program is deepening its commitment to Australia this January with a new collaboration at the Sydney Festival. Following its support of DanceX with The Australian Ballet in 2025, the initiative will present two acclaimed international works: Alessandro Sciarroni’s Save the Last Dance for Me and Eun-Me Ahn’s Post-Orientalist Express.
Sciarroni’s piece revives the near-forgotten Italian folk dance polka chinata, while Ahn delivers a vibrant, high-energy exploration of contemporary Asian identity. Performed across venues including Sydney Town Hall and the Roslyn Packer Theatre, the works bring global choreographic voices to Australian stages as part of the Festival’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
