As soon as the sunshine arrives, the first thing I do is unpack my summer dresses. Truthfully, I only started wearing dresses a few years ago, as I’d spent years depending solely on linen trousers and denim shorts to see me through. But finally, I gave in to the ease and instant polish of a great dress, and over the past few years, I have started curating an edit of sleek, timeless styles that I can rewear every single year. Now, I’m ready to add to my collection, so naturally, I turned to the three brands that know all about excellent dresses: Reformation, Dôen and Sézane.

When I first started my dress collection, I looked to stylish people and fashion friends for inspiration on which brands to try out. The resounding recommendations were Reformation, Dôen and Sézane. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to try on styles from each of these brands and understand why stylish dressers always turn back to these three stores. Whilst the three brands have their own distinct style—Dôen’s pretty detailing is well-documented, Sézane brings French flair to classic designs, and Reformation is known for its silhouettes and elegance—the three are united in their focus on quality fabrics and enduring designs that continue to feel contemporary well beyond the trend cycle.

For summer 2026, all three brands are leaning into what they do best. At Dôen, intricacy is at an all-time high with sweet embroidery, lace inserts and the return of a series of best-sellers from the Ischia to the Quinn. French brand Sézane brings the innate elegance and ease of Gallic dressing to its dresses through relaxed forms, sophisticated colourways and updated classics, like the twist detail on the Pippaé dress. Finally, Reformation’s eye for detail is celebrated in refined dresses from mini to maxi. Flowing skirts, square necklines and sculpted silhouettes define the brand’s pieces, primed to be styled with sandals for day or taken to evening with a pair of sleek mules. If, like me, you’re building a sleek dress collection this summer, the following dresses are the ones you need to know about.

Shop the Best Reformation, Dôen and Sézane Dresses for Summer 2026