In this guide
Some of my favorite headphones of 2026 aren't new models at all. They're Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), reimagined by designers, and the version I can't stop looking at comes from Brooklyn's Colm Dillane, better known as KidSuper.
I studied journalism, not fashion, but you don't need a design degree to see why this works. Headphones are one of the few pieces of tech people wear on their bodies all day. Of course they should look like art.
Who is KidSuper?
Dillane grew KidSuper from a high school T-shirt business into a Brooklyn label known for hand-painted, color-drenched designs. He won the Karl Lagerfeld Prize in 2021 and creative directed Louis Vuitton's men's show in January 2023. If you follow fashion at all, you've seen his work. If you don't, picture a painting that decided it wanted to be a jacket.
What I love most is how scrappy his story is. He started out selling shirts, and now luxury houses call him. That's the kind of glow-up I will always root for.
The collab
Bose × KidSuper dropped June 18 in two colorways, Moonstone Blue and Midnight Violet. Each pair carries Dillane's hand-painted artwork across the earcups and headband, so they look like a canvas you can wear. The collab was timed to the World Cup and draws on the soccer culture around his community. Dillane said working with Bose felt natural because its products are "part of our everyday creative process." Wearable art for your ears? Yes, please.
And the newest one
Last month Bose went full luxury with a Thom Browne edition: the same headphones wrapped in Italian cashmere with the designer's signature stripes, priced at $950 and on sale from September 28. Cashmere headphones! I'm not sure my bank account is ready, but I respect the commitment.
The headphones underneath
Here's the part I love: both collabs start from the same place. They're built on the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), with Bose's best noise cancellation and Immersive Audio. The special editions change the look. The sound and features stay the same.
That's the real takeaway if you're shopping. The designer editions are gorgeous, but they're limited and pricey. If what you're after is the noise cancellation and the sound, you get exactly that in the standard colors, whether it's for a flight, a commute or a long study session (I've survived a few of those).
Who should get them?
If you listen to music for hours, travel a lot or work somewhere loud, the QC Ultra Headphones are the ones I'd point you to. If you want something smaller for the gym or your bag, the QC Ultra Earbuds bring the same noise cancellation in a pocket-sized case.
Shop the gear
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) – Black
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) – White Smoke
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) – Midnight Violet (Limited Edition): Bose's own Midnight Violet finish, without the KidSuper artwork.
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) – Black: the same noise cancellation in your pocket.
Browse all Bose and headphones. Order by 5PM on weekdays for next-day delivery in the continental US.
Chloe Hall is one of Frontrow's editorial voices, a character our team writes as to bring a pop fan's perspective to the gear news we cover.
