Department Five menswear and womenswear, FW26 plays with volume
The character of a garment can also change through proportion. This is precisely the territory explored by Department Five FW26, connecting menswear and womenswear through different silhouettes, fits and volumes.
At the core are some of the brand’s recognisable references, from military and workwear influences to functionality and material research. This season, these codes take on different forms across menswear and womenswear, creating slimmer, more relaxed or wider silhouettes depending on the garment.
One shared code, different proportions
Looking at the two collections together, one characteristic immediately stands out: Department Five explores several silhouettes within the same season.
Menswear combines wide-leg and regular chinos with relaxed, regular, cropped and tapered jeans. Womenswear introduces wide-leg and barrel-leg denim, tapered trousers, oversized shirts and outerwear with different constructions.
A wider volume in men’s trousers creates a different balance from a women’s barrel-leg jean. In the same way, an oversized shirt changes the upper part of a look differently from a parka or field jacket.
What connects them is the way proportion changes the character of each garment.
FW26 starts from familiar categories and reshapes them through fit. This creates continuity between menswear and womenswear, while volumes and proportions give each side of the collection its own identity.
Trousers set the balance of the look
Trousers are probably where this research becomes most visible.
In menswear, Rushen gives the chino a wide-leg shape, while the same collection includes regular jeans such as Roots, relaxed Vontier, cropped regular-fit Talk and tapered Musso.
Womenswear explores the same category through different proportions. Pop interprets wide-leg denim, while Good introduces a barrel silhouette; alongside them are tapered, fatigue and wide-leg trousers.
These variations go beyond a simple fit description. A wider leg changes the relationship with a knit or jacket; a barrel shape concentrates volume in different areas; a tapered cut gradually narrows the line and changes how the trousers meet the shoe.
Trousers therefore become a starting point for building the rest of the outfit. Department Five takes a category that remains central to its identity and develops it through different silhouettes, making fit an active part of the look.
When volume moves to shirts and outerwear
The exploration of proportion continues through the upper part of the silhouette.
In Department Five FW26 womenswear, the Pag shirt comes in an oversized fit and sits alongside bombers, parkas, field jackets, peacoats, blazers and coats. In menswear, overshirts, parkas and shirts are paired with coats and other outerwear featuring different constructions.
Here, the relationship between menswear and womenswear becomes even more visible.
In some looks, trousers create the widest point of the silhouette; in others, volume shifts towards the shirt or outerwear. The position of volume becomes part of the overall balance, moving from the lower to the upper half of the body.
This makes it possible to combine more relaxed elements with more defined constructions within the same look. Fit becomes part of the way garments work together, changing the way even familiar categories are perceived.
Denim tells the story of fit
Denim remains one of the most interesting areas in which to observe this research.
In menswear, regular, relaxed, cropped and tapered fits create different lines; in womenswear, wide-leg and barrel-leg constructions shift volume more noticeably. The same material therefore produces different silhouettes through cut and fit.
Denim becomes a way to read the silhouette, within a broader wardrobe of shirts, knitwear, blazers and outerwear.
Wide-leg jeans paired with a more compact upper layer create one kind of balance; layering several volumes produces another. Department Five therefore uses denim as part of a wider construction, where each element changes the presence of the others.
It is precisely the relationship between material and fit that shows how much an everyday category can change through proportion.
The Department Five codes behind the volumes
Fits and proportions evolve, while recognisable elements of the Department Five identity remain at the core.
The brand builds its visual language through military influences, workwear, functionality and practicality. Music adds another layer, connecting Department Five with past and present subcultures and shaping the way different references come together.
In FW26, parkas, field jackets, overshirts and other functionally inspired pieces enter a broader wardrobe, where construction and fit continuously change their character.
Italian manufacturing also plays a role in this process. Department Five entrusts the production of its garments to Catria Confezioni, an Italian company based in the Marche region, where craftsmanship and technological solutions support the different stages of production, from cutting and garment making to dyeing, pressing and shaping.
This is complemented by the expertise of Lavanderia Adriatica, specialising in garment washing and dyeing processes.
Within this context, fit, fabric and workmanship contribute to the same result. Shape begins with design, while the behaviour of the material and the way the garment is made give it further character.
The Department Five menswear and womenswear selection at Pier Abbigliamento
Within the Department Five menswear selection, trousers and everyday pieces bring attention to fits, cotton fabrics and garment construction that reflect the brand’s identity. Department Five womenswear expands the offering across different areas of the women’s wardrobe.
The Pier selection highlights recurring elements of the Department Five identity: attention to fit, the importance of trousers and denim, material research and Italian manufacturing.
The assortment evolves from one season to the next, making the Pier offering a constantly updated selection, distinct from the full Department Five collection.
Where to buy Department Five menswear and womenswear
Explore the Department Five menswear and womenswear selection offered by Pier Abbigliamento.
Visit our online store or our boutique in Vailate to discover the brand’s trousers, denim, fabrics, fits and construction details up close and find the pieces that best suit your style.
Our boutique is within easy reach of Crema, Cremona, Lodi, Caravaggio and Treviglio, and our team will be happy to help you choose the products that best suit your style.
With over 40 years of experience, Pier Abbigliamento is a dynamic, constantly evolving destination for those looking for style, quality and authenticity.