As the sun goes down and the seasons turn, a menagerie of animal prints comes alive against the backdrop of dusk. Tigers, leopards, zebras and bewitchingly beautiful exotic birds all come out to play under a starry sky, while wild horses — scattered with stars, some even galloping under the moonlight — gallop straight off a fairground carousel and onto your favourite jumper. It's a sophisticated, faintly magical collection of animal-inspired pieces, worked in autumnal earthy brown, rust, teal and olive, offset with pops of mustard and magenta. Bold enough to be the whole outfit, warm enough for the coldest months.
Homegrown, wholesome, joyful — our new season prints are a love letter to nature and to each other.
For AW26, we changed the way we design. Instead of one sprawling collection, we built four miniature ones, each with its own tight colour story and its own cast of characters — so that everything you pick up this season already knows how to get along with everything else in your wardrobe. The result is 157 pieces, half of them made from sustainable fabrics and yarns, and a set of prints that feel more considered, more wearable, and — we think — more genuinely joyful than ever.
Running through all four stories is a shared mood: connection. Connection to nature, to community, to the slower pleasures of an allotment or a Sunday walk. It shows up in cross-stitch embroideries, animal jacquards, ginghams and checks, and fairisle knits — homespun techniques given the Sugarhill treatment. And while warm burgundy and brown carry through every palette as our seasonal constant, we've layered in saturated jewel tones — mustard, chartreuse, rose pink, dusky blue and orange — to keep things feeling energised rather than heavy.
Why Prints Matter: Fashion with Feel-Good Energy
Prints aren’t just pretty—they’re powerful. They tell stories, boost confidence, and spark joy. Whether it’s a whimsical star print that adds celestial charm or a vibrant retro swirl that transports you to the 70s, prints have the ability to transform even the simplest outfit into something special. Sugarhill Brighton has always mastered this art, creating wearable yet personality-packed pieces that lift your mood the moment you put them on.
Meet This Season's Print Personalities
Here's a closer look at the four stories behind the AW26 collection, and the mood each one brings to your wardrobe:
- Autumn Folk — Handdrawn deer, foxes and folk ducks, cross-stitch hearts and mini florals. Storybook charm for anyone who loves a bit of heritage in their knitwear.
- Colourful Country — Cross-stitch roses, farmyard chickens and bold checks. A hearty, humour-filled trip to the countryside, Vitamin C included.
- Sundown Menagerie — Leopards, zebras, tigers and star-spangled horses under a twilight sky. Sophisticated, a little bit magical, made for statement dressing.
- City Lights — Dot prints, neon hearts and interlocking star motifs against darker grounds. Our most electric story yet, for after-dark energy.
Autumn Folk
🦌 Storybook Charm
Traditional folkloric motifs meet intarsia geometrics in a story that feels handed down rather than designed. Think woodland deer standing proud among berries and blooms, foxes and folk ducks rendered in that endearing, hand-drawn Sugarhill style, and cross-stitch hearts stitched with tiny florals. Colourful mini polka dots and stripes sit alongside detailed autumnal flower prints and embroideries, all worked in a palette of deep bottle green, burgundy, mustard and cream. It's a print story built for cosy cardigans, embroidered smocks and the kind of knitwear you want to live in from October through to spring — timeless, a little bit sentimental, and endlessly easy to layer.
Colourful Country
🌹 Hearty & Wholesome
Escape to the country for a breath of fresh air and a hearty, joyful dose of colour. Colourful Country takes traditional textiles — hand-stitched cross-stitch roses and hummingbirds, gingham and tartan-inspired checks — and hypes them up for the Sugarhill customer. Two-tone floral silhouettes and retro flowers modernise the look, while farmyard chickens and whimsical vegetable motifs add a good dose of humour to the mix. Worked through pinks, plums, navy and deep teal, this is the story for anyone who wants their wardrobe to feel like a countryside cottage: comforting, colourful, and completely unbothered by convention.
Sundown Menagerie
🐆 After-Dark Wild
City Lights
✨ Electric Nights
Inspired by city lights against the night sky, vibrant pop culture signage and dot-matrix patterns, City Lights is our most electric story of the season. New colourful dot prints and interlocking geometric star motifs lead the way, while fun galaxy prints scattered with pink stars and painterly pop hearts bring softness to the darker grounds. Rainbow-coloured and tonal stripes complete the story, worked through deep navy, aubergine and burgundy grounds. It's the print family for evenings out, city breaks, and anyone who wants their knitwear to do a little bit of showing off.
Print Power for Every Occasion
The joy of these four stories is how easily they slot into real life. Whether you're doing the school run, dressing for the office, or heading out for the evening, there's a print here for the moment.
- Everyday Layering: Autumn Folk knits and Colourful Country cardigans over denim, ready for allotment visits or the school run.
- Weekend Statement: A Sundown Menagerie jumper or jacquard dress, worn with confidence and not much else needed.
- Evenings Out: City Lights knitwear and accessories, layered under a coat for after-dark plans.
- Cosy Season: Fairisle jumpers, boucle fleeces and cross-stitch cardigans for the long stretch between October and February.
Ready to Meet the New Season?
Four stories, one cohesive collection, and a print for every mood between now and spring. Explore the full AW26 collection and find the story that feels like you.
