Los Angeles label EMPATH has dropped its Spring/Summer 2026 collection, built around the idea of relaxed and understated dressing.
Founded by Japanese-Singaporean designer Emily Arakawa, EMPATH shaped the lineup around hot, sun-drenched days, leaning into ultra-soft cottons and silks that keep things airy. The color story runs through icy blues, sun-washed creams, and faded yellows, giving the range a warm-weather palette that feels both relaxed and considered.
"That balance between polish and ease is something I’m always chasing in Empath,” Arakawa told Complex. “I want the clothes to feel distinctive and expressive, while still feeling easy and natural to wear day to day.”
Comfort and everyday wearability sit at the core of EMAPTH’s SS26 collection. Each piece was conceived to move with the wearer rather than demand attention, making the collection a practical case for minimalist warm-weather dressing.
“I think people can feel when something is made with genuine care and intention,” Arakawa added.
Where to shop EMPATH SS26
If you’re ready to add a new piece to your collection, shop EMPATH on Complex.
Read Complex’s interview with Emily Arakawa below.
How does Los Angeles influence your designs and the way you create?
Traffic aside, LA living is lux and laidback — we’ve got beautiful sunsets, easy retreats into nature, and this overall feeling of openness and freedom that I think really shapes the way people move and dress here. Living in LA has definitely deepened my appreciation for comfort and ease, and that naturally carries into the way I design. I’m really drawn to pieces that feel breathable, soft, and sensual.
There’s also such an interesting contrast in LA that inspires me creatively. People here can look incredibly put together while still appearing relaxed and understated. That balance between polish and ease is something I’m always chasing in EMPATH. I want the clothes to feel distinctive and expressive, while still feeling easy and natural to wear day to day.
The environment itself influences me a lot too — golden hours, long summers, the way people layer for shifting temperatures throughout the day. Even though I grew up in Tokyo and still feel deeply connected to Japanese aesthetics and fashion culture, I think LA softened my approach to dressing. It made me appreciate a more relaxed sensuality and a kind of casual confidence that feels very true to the city.
What does building a brand on your own terms look like day to day?
Building a brand on my own terms with our small team means wearing a lot of hats—designing, fitting samples, sourcing fabrics, overseeing production, directing shoots, planning pop ups… the list honestly never ends. Every day looks a little different depending on the season or what stage we’re in. One of the most meaningful parts of running EMPATH has been how collaborative it’s become over the years. I’ve been really lucky to work with so many close friends across styling, production, shoots, music, creative direction, and I’ve genuinely found a kind of chosen family through building the brand. I’m involved in pretty much every aspect of EMPATH, which has allowed it to grow in a way that still feels very personal and intentional.
A big part of building independently is choosing to move thoughtfully, even when it would be easier or more profitable to do things differently. We produce in small batches locally in Los Angeles and Japan, work with high-quality fabrics, and try not to overproduce. At the same time, I want my friends and community to actually be able to afford the brand, so I keep prices as accessible as I realistically can. All of those choices definitely eat into margins, and balancing cash flow as a small brand can be stressful sometimes if I’m being honest. But even if it means growing more slowly, I think people can feel when something is made with genuine care and intention. There’s so much pressure in fashion to scale fast or cut costs through mass production, but I’ve never really been interested in building EMPATH that way. I care deeply about how things are made, who makes them, and creating pieces that people will want to keep and live in for a long time.
How did social media change the way you share your work?
I’ve always loved photography and immersive editorial imagery — the kind of photos that tell a story and create an entire world around the clothing. EMPATH has given me a space to explore that side of creativity too. But social media has definitely changed the way fashion gets communicated now. A cinematic horizontal campaign image doesn’t always connect the same way on a phone screen or in a feed. I’ve had to learn how to communicate through content that feels more immediate, casual, and spontaneous, and let go of the idea that everything needs to be perfectly polished or overly serious all the time. In a way, that shift has actually been really freeing. It feels less like broadcasting to an audience and more like sharing things naturally with friends or community.
Who are you designing for?
The women I design for have a strong sense of self. They’ve spent time curating their own taste and personal style. They’re inspired by art, fashion, music, film, and they care deeply about the world around them — not just aesthetically, but ethically as well. They think about how things are made, who made them, and the impact that process has on people and the environment.
What do you want people to feel when they wear something you made?
I want people to be able to throw on my pieces without overthinking them — minimal effort to feel instantly put together, comfortable, and completely themselves. Like you can be wearing EMPATH in flip-flops and a messy bun and still feel completely elevated. People will still come up to you asking where you got your pants.
