It’s quite challenging to keep up with J.J. Martin. The energetic editor-turned-entrepreneur just opened a store in Dallas, touched down in Paris for a La DoubleJ event and was gearing up for another work trip to Athens when meeting WWD for a walk-through of her latest collection.
In her 2026 agenda, some pages are already circled in red, coinciding with big activations including those at the brand’s new store in Palm Beach, Fla., and in Saint Moritz in January and February, before the opening of a new unit in New York’s Upper East Side, expected to bow in March.
Martin’s own schedule and her label’s retail rollout require plenty of options to pack and fill the shelves, so it wasn’t surprising to see La DoubleJ’s ever-expanding assortment in full force at the brand’s Milan showroom.
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The pre-fall 2026 collection — which Martin refers to as high summer given its delivery timing at retail — highlighted two key elements: the founder’s exploration of new weights and a heightened attention to versatility.
Answering her personal demand for unfussy pieces to wear while on holiday in Stromboli, Sicily, Martin revisited some of La DoubleJ’s bestsellers in lightweight fabrications, switching silk twill for cotton voile for her printed caftans or flouncy frocks with a boho vibe.
While terrycloth acted as a richer and unexpectedly fun counterpart in dresses jazzed up with bold geometric motifs, ruched printed designs crafted from stretch tulle and jersey delivered a sense of ease in figure-enhancing frocks splashed with optical patterns that could be tossed over swimsuits — or take a turn on the dance floor.
Elsewhere, Martin leaned on linen and macramé separates, as well as dégradé color effects, to convey that same summery effortlessness, while she relied on thick cotton and solid colors for more transitional pieces.
Versatility was further enhanced by reversible designs, such as fringed ponchos and printed scarf tops that could be tied and worn in multiple ways. Ditto for the feathery detachable collars that could dress up or down any outfit.
As Martin best put it: “DoubleJ, double the way.”