Paris Fashion Week drew to a close, bringing to an end a month-long circuit of international shows that began in New York before moving through London and Milan. With a schedule spanning nine days, almost twice the length of other fashion capitals, Paris continues to set the pace for the season. Its dominance lies not only in scale, but in the presence of the industry’s most influential houses, including Chanel, Dior, Louis Vuitton and Saint Laurent, among others.
While the previous season was defined by high-profile debuts, Autumn/Winter 2026 shifted focus towards second collections, as creative directors began to find greater confidence and clarity in their roles. Freed from the immediate scrutiny that accompanies a first outing, several designers delivered particularly assured results. Standout moments included Jonathan Anderson at Dior, Michael Rider at Celine, Jack McCollough and Matthieu Blazy at Chanel, each presenting their second ready-to-wear collections with a renewed sense of direction and vitality.
SAINT LAURENT
Anthony Vaccarello staged a sharply composed presentation within a set designed to echo a refined, modernist interior, anchored by an enlarged sculpture reminiscent of one that once occupied Yves Saint Laurent’s private residence. From this setting emerged the season’s Saint Laurent protagonist, defined by heavily smoked eyes and sleek, side-parted hair, subtly referencing Helmut Newton’s iconic 1975 Paris Vogue image of a model in the ‘Le Smoking’ tuxedo on Rue Aubriot.
Tailoring formed the backbone of the Autumn/Winter 2026 collection. The show opened with a sequence of eight trouser suits, with further variations woven throughout, including Vaccarello’s own reinterpretation of the tuxedo. This particular look, worn by Loli Bahia, who walked exclusively for the house this season, provided a striking conclusion. The tailoring explored a softened structure, with gently sloping shoulders and a cinched yet unrestrictive waist, offering a more relaxed, nonchalant interpretation of the traditional power suit.
Balancing this precision, Vaccarello drew on the fragile, complex female characters found in the works of Gore Vidal and Tennessee Williams, alongside the quiet intensity of Romy Schneider’s role in Max et les Ferrailleurs (1971), whom he cited as a key influence. The result was a mood of restrained melancholy, where elegance was infused with a sense of introspection and emotional nuance.
This sensibility was expressed through delicate slips and dresses crafted from lace treated with silicone, lending them an unusual texture and sheen. In contrast, voluminous fur coats introduced a bold, almost exuberant energy, creating a dynamic tension between vulnerability and confidence that defined the collection.
CELINE
Michael Rider has swiftly established a recognisable aesthetic at Celine, centred on a polished, preppy wardrobe that filters Parisian chic through a distinctly American sensibility. Having previously worked at the house under Phoebe Philo, and more recently leading Polo Ralph Lauren, Rider brings a transatlantic perspective that feels both considered and commercially astute. His collections to date have carried an effortless wearability, offering refined interpretations of everyday staples that translate seamlessly from runway to real life. Accessories, too, have played a significant role, from layered charm bracelets to vividly hued handbags and soft, slipper-style loafers that add a relaxed finish.
For Autumn/Winter 2026, Rider continued to build on this momentum with a presentation staged at the Institut de France, where a series of sculptural modernist speakers in wood and metal formed an understated yet striking backdrop. The collection leaned into longevity rather than fleeting trends, reinforcing a vision of style grounded in consistency and quiet evolution. As Rider described it, Celine represents ‘a dialogue between past and present that feels both immediate and aspirational’, with an emphasis on creating pieces people long to discover and wear.
Within this grounded, highly wearable framework, moments of exuberance surfaced. Oversized sequins caught the light, animal prints appeared in unexpected flashes, while feathered headpieces and vivid accents of colour introduced a sense of play and romance. These details disrupted the restraint just enough, injecting personality without undermining the collection’s core practicality. For Rider, clothing remains transformative at its core, capable of subtly shifting mood, posture and presence. It is this interplay between ease and expression that continues to define his evolving vision for the house.
DIOR
For Autumn/Winter 2026, Jonathan Anderson unveiled his Dior collection within the grounds of the Jardin des Tuileries, transforming one of its ponds into an immersive show space. The set was arranged in a circular formation, with the water’s surface dotted by carefully crafted lily pads reminiscent of Monet’s paintings, lending the scene a dreamlike, painterly quality. Guests received invitations in the form of miniature replicas of the park’s iconic green metal chairs, reinforcing the sense of place and detail.
An elevated runway cut across the centre of the pond, subtly referencing the historic Grand Allée, a central walkway dating back to the park’s opening to the public in the 17th century under Louis XIV. This setting framed a collection built around the idea of visibility and performance, where the simple act of walking becomes a moment of display. Anderson imagined a contemporary promenade populated by a diverse cast of characters, each reflecting different moments in Parisian history and style.
The clothing moved fluidly across eras. Echoes of the Belle Époque appeared in soft, undulating ruffles, reinterpreted into shorter silhouettes with trailing movement, while classic bourgeois codes were revisited through textured fabrics suggestive of traditional tweeds, structured blazers with gilt buttons, and shearling outerwear cut with sculptural, wave-like edges. These references were neither nostalgic nor literal, but instead reworked with a modern, slightly offbeat sensibility.
What distinguished the collection most clearly was its lightness of spirit. Decorative footwear adorned with lily pad motifs, playful polka dots, and denim embellished with crystalline detailing introduced a sense of charm and irreverence. Beneath the historical references, there was an evident desire to loosen Dior’s heritage from its weight, allowing it to evolve with greater freedom. Anderson’s approach suggested not a rejection of the house’s past, but a confident reimagining of it, infused with wit, movement and contemporary ease.
GIVENCHY
A focus on personal expression ran throughout Paris Fashion Week, and at Givenchy it was articulated with clarity by Sarah Burton in her third collection for the house. Formerly of Alexander McQueen, Burton delivered what felt like her most assured and expansive outing to date, approaching the season with a renewed sense of creative ease. At its core was a question around identity in a complex, modern world, and how women navigate the shifting demands placed upon them across different contexts.
This idea of multiplicity was reflected in a wardrobe that moved fluidly between structure and spontaneity. Burton’s well-established strength in tailoring remained evident, supported by the team she has brought with her from her previous role, yet it was balanced by more expressive and unexpected gestures. A vivid yellow leather dress, suspended from barely-there straps, introduced a striking note of boldness, while leopard motifs appeared in shimmering finishes that dissolved into fluid tassels.
Elsewhere, familiar garments were reworked with a sense of play and transformation. Silk T-shirts were elevated into sculptural headpieces by Stephen Jones, while oversized interpretations of carpenter jeans, slouched off-the-shoulder bomber jackets, and sharply cut high-collared white shirts added dimension to the collection’s visual language. Each look carried a distinct identity, yet together they formed a cohesive exploration of individuality.
Rather than presenting a singular narrative, Burton offered a series of characters, each reflecting different facets of contemporary life. The result was a collection that felt intimate yet expansive, grounded in technical excellence but open to personal interpretation, reinforcing the notion that modern style is not fixed, but continually evolving.
ALAIA
Following the recent acquisition of the Italian house by Prada, a period of transition has unfolded across several major fashion labels. Among the most notable shifts, Dario Vitale departed his role as creative director of Versace after a brief yet impactful tenure, with Pieter Mulier stepping into the position. As a result, this season’s presentation for Alaïa marked Mulier’s final collection for the brand, concluding a five-year period characterised by both commercial growth and strong critical reception.
The show, attended by prominent figures including Matthieu Blazy and Raf Simons, was staged in an intimate venue within the former Fondation Cartier. Mulier intentionally evoked the atmosphere of a pre-digital, 1990s runway, favouring a stripped-back, close-up experience over spectacle. The cast featured a group of models closely associated with his tenure, many of whom have become synonymous with his vision and are expected to continue collaborating with him in his next chapter.
In contrast to some of his more sculptural and experimental explorations in recent seasons, this collection returned to the core principles of the house. The focus shifted towards clarity and restraint, with garments distilled to their essential forms. Body-contouring tank dresses, sharply cut overcoats, second-skin knitwear, and controlled uses of peplums and ruffles reflected a disciplined, refined approach. Even decorative elements were handled with precision, maintaining a sense of modernity while honouring the brand’s heritage.
Rather than a retrospective, the collection functioned as a considered closing statement. It encapsulated the techniques and sensibilities Mulier developed during his time at Alaïa, emphasising rigour in cut, careful editing, and a redefinition of luxury grounded in craftsmanship rather than excess. The result was a quietly confident farewell, suggesting that true refinement lies not in embellishment, but in the exacting construction of a garment.
CHANEL
For his second ready-to-wear outing at Chanel, Matthieu Blazy drew inspiration from a remark by founder Coco Chanel, reflecting on the duality of dressing for different moments in life. The idea of clothing that serves both practicality and allure has become central to Blazy’s evolving vision, where everyday pieces are elevated through meticulous craftsmanship, yet remain grounded in wearability. These are garments designed not merely to be admired, but to live within a woman’s wardrobe.
The commercial response to his debut collection, which arrived in stores earlier in the week, underscored this approach, quickly becoming a point of discussion across Paris. Its presence was equally visible at the show itself, where attendees, including editors and stylists as well as established clients, wore the pieces with ease, reinforcing Blazy’s emphasis on relevance beyond the runway.
The setting reflected a house still in transformation. Towering structures in bold primary colours framed the show, suggesting an ongoing process of construction and renewal. Within this environment, the Autumn/Winter 2026 collection unfolded as a comprehensive exploration of modern dressing. On one side, there were relaxed, functional elements: generously cut blazers, reimagined tweeds fashioned into overshirts with a workwear sensibility, and understated jersey dresses that emphasised comfort and simplicity.
Balancing this restraint, the collection moved towards more decorative expressions in its latter half. A sequence of richly saturated looks introduced a heightened sense of glamour, with surfaces embellished through appliqué florals, lacework, and intricate beading. These were paired with softly tinted or metallic hair, enhancing the sense of transformation. Across the full breadth of the collection, a diverse range of identities emerged, each supported by a strong accessories offering, from polished metallic court shoes to softly structured crescent bags reminiscent of everyday forms.
Blazy’s proposition is one of choice rather than prescription, allowing space for both function and fantasy within a single wardrobe. His interpretation of Chanel suggests a house that accommodates shifting moods and identities, offering women the freedom to define themselves on their own terms.
LOEWE
Staged on a vivid yellow runway scattered with playful, oversized sculptures by Cosima von Bonin, the second Loewe collection by Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez delivered a surge of vitality to Paris Fashion Week. The set, populated with soft, cartoon-like clams, octopuses and dogs, set the tone for a collection rooted in imagination and experimentation. For the American duo, fashion operates as a space for creative exploration, and this season translated the breezy, colour-rich spirit of their debut into a colder-weather wardrobe.
The Autumn/Winter 2026 offering embraced bold form and texture. Sculptural shearling parkas appeared in fluid, gradient tones, while dresses featured exaggerated, tactile finishes, including shaggy hems that extended into trailing silhouettes. Elsewhere, sleek slip dresses produced through advanced fabrication techniques added a futuristic dimension, reinforcing the house’s ongoing dialogue between craft and innovation.
A subtle sporting influence ran throughout the collection. Accessories and outerwear carried a technical edge, from oversized sunglasses that shielded the face to brightly coloured anoraks and reworked knitwear inspired by ski apparel. Elements of transformation were also introduced, with garments designed to shift in scale and proportion through inflatable structures, allowing pieces to change shape dynamically. Accessories followed suit, including statement footwear that echoed the collection’s surreal, playful mood.
Such experimentation was underpinned by the technical expertise of the Loewe atelier, particularly in its handling of leather. Bouclé-style coats were constructed from finely looped leather strands, while shearling pieces were treated with a precision more commonly associated with sculptural grooming techniques, resulting in soft yet highly controlled finishes. These processes highlighted a commitment to pushing material boundaries while maintaining exceptional craftsmanship.
At its core, the collection explored the relationship between discipline and spontaneity. McCollough and Hernandez approached design as both an intellectual exercise and a source of enjoyment, where rigorous technique coexists with a sense of curiosity. The result was a collection that balanced innovation with tactility, offering a vision of fashion as both a serious craft and a space for continual reinvention.
LOUIS VUITTON
At Louis Vuitton, Nicolas Ghesquière unveiled his Autumn/Winter 2026 collection within a striking set conceived by Jeremy Hindle, known for his work on Severance. The environment transformed rolling countryside into a series of angular, almost sculptural formations, where soft green hills were reinterpreted as sharp, futuristic peaks. This interplay between the natural and the constructed set the tone for the collection itself.
Ghesquière drew on elemental landscapes such as mountains, forests and open plains, alongside the garments traditionally associated with life in such environments. These references were filtered through his distinctive design language, resulting in silhouettes that felt both historical and forward-looking. The notion of journey and endurance was central, expressed through protective outerwear including broad-shouldered jackets, shearling headpieces and heavy duffel coats trimmed with fur.
Accessories reinforced this narrative of movement and survival. Bags were carried in unconventional ways, suspended from long leather poles reminiscent of travelling bundles, adding a sense of narrative to the act of dressing. At the same time, there was an undercurrent of ceremony throughout the collection. Elements of rural or folkloric dress appeared in layered and reworked forms, though never in a literal or easily identifiable manner, reflecting Ghesquière’s tendency to blend references into something entirely new.
The collection also incorporated visual motifs inspired by the work of Nazar Strelyaev-Nazarko, whose interpretations of contemporary pastoral life introduced an additional layer of depth. Rather than offering escapism, the collection suggested a reframing of the present moment, merging tradition with speculation. The result was a vision of modern folklore, where familiar archetypes are reshaped to reflect an evolving cultural landscape.
MIU MIU
At Miu Miu, Miuccia Prada continued her ongoing exploration of the female experience, turning this season to the idea of the body’s scale in relation to the wider world. Her focus was not on physicality, but on the tension between the individual and the vast environments they inhabit, a theme that felt particularly resonant in an era defined by excess and acceleration.
The setting at the Palais d’Iéna reinforced this concept. The runway was layered with soil and moss, grounding the show in something elemental and quietly reminding the audience of a connection to the natural world. Within this context, the collection unfolded as a study in contrast, balancing resilience with intimacy.
On one side were protective, almost utilitarian garments: oversized trapper hats, sturdy hiking footwear and substantial outerwear lined in shearling. These pieces conveyed a sense of preparedness and strength, suggesting clothing designed to navigate uncertain terrain. Countering this were softer, more delicate expressions, including slip dresses, satin footwear and surfaces adorned with subtle embellishment, which introduced a quieter, more introspective mood.
A subtle nod to the 1990s ran through the collection, visible in its pared-back silhouettes and the interplay between practicality and glamour. Styling choices reinforced this duality, pairing functional outerwear with shorter, more decorative pieces, or offsetting simplicity with moments of ornamentation. The casting further underscored this sensibility, bringing together a mix of established figures and distinctive personalities, including Chloë Sevigny, Gemma Ward, Kristen McMenamy and Gillian Anderson, who concluded the show.
Rather than presenting a singular narrative, Prada offered a series of tensions: between protection and exposure, strength and sensitivity, individuality and scale. The collection ultimately proposed a wardrobe attuned to both the demands of the present and the emotional realities of contemporary life, where confidence is expressed not through uniformity, but through the coexistence of opposing forces.
BALENCIAGA
Few designers stepping into new roles face quite the same level of expectation as Pierpaolo Piccioli at Balenciaga. During his long tenure at Valentino, Piccioli became known for a refined approach to couture, marked by a masterful handling of volume and colour. Yet Balenciaga, reshaped in recent years under Demna, has cultivated a very different identity, one rooted in provocation, cultural commentary and a distinctly contemporary edge. The challenge, then, lies in reconciling these two sensibilities without losing the audience that has come to define the brand’s recent success.
For his second collection, Piccioli approached this tension through collaboration, partnering with Sam Levinson, creator of the HBO series Euphoria. The show’s visual language formed part of the presentation itself, with preview footage from its upcoming season projected throughout the venue. This interplay of brightness and shadow informed the conceptual framework of the collection, titled ‘ClairObscur’, a reference to the artistic technique of stark tonal contrast associated with Renaissance painting.
The garments reflected this duality. A predominantly black palette dominated, realised in highly polished materials that caught and reflected light with intensity. These darker tones were intermittently disrupted by flashes of vivid colour, echoing the saturated hues associated with Euphoria’s aesthetic. The result was a collection that moved between restraint and visual impact, balancing surface drama with a more controlled underlying structure.
While the collaboration introduced a contemporary, youth-oriented energy aligned with Balenciaga’s recent direction, the intellectual underpinning of the collection remained firmly within Piccioli’s own vocabulary. References to classical art and the manipulation of light and depth brought a sense of historical continuity, suggesting a dialogue between past and present rather than a departure from either.
This second outing indicated a designer in the process of negotiation, carefully aligning his own romantic and sculptural instincts with the sharper, more disruptive identity of the house. The outcome was measured rather than declarative, offering a considered step towards a new equilibrium for Balenciaga.
ISSEY MIYAKE
At Issey Miyake, Satoshi Kondo approached Autumn/Winter 2026 with a philosophy centred on restraint, where the act of design lies as much in stepping back as in shaping form. His perspective reflects a distinctly Japanese sensibility, one that values simplicity, material integrity and the quiet presence of beauty without excess intervention.
Entitled Creating, Allowing, the collection explored the delicate balance between control and release. Rather than imposing heavy-handed design, Kondo worked with a light touch, allowing the inherent qualities of each fabric to guide the outcome. Garments were constructed with precision, yet retained an openness that invited interpretation through movement and wear.
This was most evident in pieces defined by clarity of structure. Expansive panels of fabric were cut with technical lines that subtly shaped the negative space around the body, as seen in a deep wine-toned coat with an integrated cape, its geometry emphasised when lifted and extended by the wearer. The house’s signature pleating appeared sparingly, used with intention rather than as a defining motif.
In contrast, rigid elements were introduced through lacquered washi paper, forming sculptural components such as breastplates, bodices and belts. These pieces disrupted the fluidity typically associated with the brand, creating a dialogue between flexibility and constraint. Through this tension, Kondo shifted the focus towards the body itself, allowing the wearer to become central in determining the garment’s final expression.
The setting at the Carrousel du Louvre extended this concept. The floor was covered in a reflective layer of silvery sand mixed with finely shredded aluminium, designed to record the traces of movement as models walked across it. Over time, the surface became marked and altered, reinforcing the idea of interaction between material, clothing and human presence.
Kondo’s collection ultimately proposed a quieter form of innovation, where impact is achieved not through excess, but through precision, absence and the subtle interplay between structure, material and movement.
DRIES VAN NOTEN
For many, adolescence is a period best left behind, marked by uncertainty and awkward self-discovery. Julian Klausner, however, approached it with a sense of curiosity and affection in his Autumn/Winter 2026 collection for Dries Van Noten. Drawing inspiration from a visit to the Lycée Carnot, he explored the notion of identity in flux, capturing the experience of youth as an ongoing process of becoming.
The setting itself carries a rich intellectual and cultural legacy, with former students including Gilles Deleuze, Guy Debord and Daft Punk. Its grand hall, designed by Gustave Eiffel, has long served as a backdrop for Parisian fashion, lending the collection a layered sense of history and creative resonance.
Across 61 looks, Klausner examined the shifting identities that define adolescence, where self-expression changes from one moment to the next. Some silhouettes projected confidence, such as cropped knits paired with fluid silk skirts, while others leaned into protection and anonymity through enveloping outerwear. Elsewhere, references to school uniform appeared in tailored blazers and pleated skirts, though always reworked with individualistic details, from unexpected trims to decorative embellishments.
This sense of evolving identity was further expressed through surface design. Prints drew on 17th-century Flemish still life painting, digitally distorted to create a slightly blurred, almost fragmented effect, mirroring the way memory reshapes the past over time. The interplay between refinement and disruption became a defining feature, with luxurious fabrics offset by a deliberately informal, youthful styling.
The collection was underscored by a spirit of irreverence, suggesting that identity need not be fixed or overly resolved. Instead, Klausner proposed a wardrobe that embraces ambiguity, where clarity emerges gradually, and personal style remains in constant development.
Paris Fashion Week A/W 2026 closed with a clear shift from spectacle to self-definition, as second collections from newly appointed creative directors brought sharper clarity, confidence and intent. Across the schedule, designers balanced heritage with reinvention, from Jonathan Anderson at Dior and Matthieu Blazy at Chanel, to Michael Rider at Celine and Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez at Loewe, each refining a distinct point of view. A prevailing tension between past and future ran throughout, with archival codes reworked through contemporary lenses, while themes of individuality, transformation and emotional nuance replaced overt trend-chasing. Craft remained central, yet was increasingly paired with play, experimentation and material innovation. The result was a season defined less by singular statements and more by a collective recalibration, where fashion moved towards a more personal, adaptive and intellectually engaged mode of expression.
.jpg)
