PARIS | SEPTEMBER 28 – OCTOBER 6, 2026 Ninety-five illuminated birds hung beneath the glass roof of the Grand Palais. Evening at the Trocadéro, three gold chandeliers overlooked the fountain, with the Eiffel Tower glittering behind them. Rick Owens took his models outdoors at the Palais de Tokyo, down a steel-grating runway above the reflecting pool. As with every season debuts, Paris made full use of its monuments. Matthieu Blazy was a year into Chanel, Jonathan Anderson was still finding his footing at Dior, and Pierpaolo Piccioli had reached his third collection for Balenciaga. Sarah Burton continued her work at Givenchy, while Anthony Vaccarello celebrated ten years at Saint Laurent with a collection that would prove to be his last. Across the week, the contrast between designers was striking. Some were confidently advancing their houses; others were still searching for a convincing direction.
CHANEL — THE WOMEN WITHIN A WOMAN Matthieu Blazy called his collection “La Conversation, Part Three: Different Faces of the Same Coin”. Richard Peduzzi designed the setting, with a shimmering resin floor, a suspended moon and illuminated birds inspired by a river sanctuary in southern Italy. Swallows and swifts appeared on buttons, jewellery and embroidery. The opening look was a sheer ivory slip with a feathered corsage, carried with Gabrielle Chanel's 2.55 bag. The finale returned to the same bag, this time with a black tweed skirt suit. Between them, Blazy explored the freedom Gabrielle Chanel brought to women's clothing. The skirts had moved towards the knee. A sage tweed suit combined different weaves, its raw hems edged in gold. A black suit was finished with frills at the collar, pockets and hem. A red sequinned coat appeared over matching tweed, while a pale-blue cloud-print dress trailed a billowing train. Pleated miniskirts, cropped jackets and transparent fabrics brought a younger sensuality to the collection. Tiger-patterned tweed, metallic beading and sequinned fringes added moments of extravagance. Blazy's most accomplished work remained the tailoring. The familiar Chanel jacket had become lighter, its construction more flexible, allowing the body greater freedom. Open weaves and moving panels changed the silhouette without disturbing its identity. Masculine tailoring sat comfortably beside chiffon, lingerie-inspired pieces and fluid evening dresses. Across 83 looks, the collection was adventurous without losing the elegance that defines Chanel. Blazy infused spring and subtle fabrics interwoven into the unmistakable architecture of Chanel. A year into his tenure, Blazy has found an assured interpretation of the house. It was among the finest collections of Paris Fashion Week.
DIOR — GARDEN PARTY, MIXED MESSAGES Jonathan Anderson returned to the Bassin Octogonal in the Jardin des Tuileries on 29 September. The outdoor setting had been planted with camphor trees intended to remain after the presentation. Guests received two wénwán walnuts, Chinese hand-rolling nuts valued for their irregular shapes. Asymmetry provided a starting point for the collection. The lightest pieces were beautiful. Lace, silk mousseline and organza formed transparent layers, delicate dresses and floating skirts. A pink jacket covered in fabric petals appeared with a matching skirt. A sheer white blouse, ruffled at the shoulder, was paired with a pleated blue-and-white skirt edged in black lace. Anderson revisited Dior's 1952 La Cigale silhouette, translating its architectural form into a pleated georgette sundress tied at the neck. These were among the most successful of the 65 looks. The pale colours and fine fabrics worked particularly well in the garden, where their movement became part of the presentation. Elsewhere, metallic leather trousers, heavily worked skirts and competing decorative ideas interrupted the collection's rhythm. Some exaggerated proportions felt awkward, and several looks seemed disconnected from those immediately preceding them. Anderson is clearly determined to develop his own interpretation of Dior. His experimentation produced moments of considerable beauty
SAINT LAURENT — TEN YEARS, CUT CLEAN Anthony Vaccarello celebrated his tenth anniversary at Saint Laurent on 29 September with an extraordinary presentation at the Trocadéro fountain. Three enormous chandeliers hung above the runway, the Eiffel Tower illuminated behind them. Gold dominated the collection, from pale champagne and Byzantine yellow to bronze and burnished metallic tones. Vaccarello worked through lamé, organza, guipure lace, mousseline, brocade and latex treated with gold leaf. Yves Saint Laurent's fascination with the colour provided the historical reference, but the interpretation belonged entirely to Vaccarello. The tailoring was exact. Strong shoulders, firm collars and narrow silhouettes controlled even the most elaborate fabrics. Black appeared throughout as a counterpoint before taking over towards the finale, when velvet tailoring and voluminous evening gowns replaced the gold. Charlotte Gainsbourg performed during the presentation, lending a personal dimension to an evening already charged with the significance of Vaccarello's anniversary. On 9 October, Kering confirmed his departure after ten years as creative director. The announcement transformed the meaning of the collection. Vaccarello's final Saint Laurent show had been a remarkably disciplined expression of the aesthetic he spent a decade establishing: sharp tailoring, sensual eveningwear and an extraordinary command of presentation. The gold was spectacular, but the precision of the clothes gave the evening its authority.
BALENCIAGA — COUTURE FOR EVERY DAY Pierpaolo Piccioli presented Balenciaga at the Tennis Club de Paris on 1 October, in an entirely white interior dominated by Aude Franjou's monumental linen sculpture, Les Coraux de la Liberté. The coral forms appeared in the clothes. An overdress covered in orange beads was worn above white trousers; a black lace dress ended in beaded fringe. A white lace top descended into a feathered skirt, while a cream knitted cape appeared above an irregular, shaggy silhouette. The most interesting work, however, concerned everyday clothing. Piccioli applied couture construction to jeans, T-shirts, leather and bomber jackets. Shirt dresses closed diagonally, bombers acquired shaped waists and high collars, and Cristóbal Balenciaga's cocoon silhouette returned in rounded jackets and generous trousers. Minimal sneakers accompanied several looks. Colour was another strength. Cobalt, salmon and emerald appeared against cream and ivory, bringing the richness associated with Piccioli's work at Valentino into a distinctly different wardrobe. Cristóbal Balenciaga was celebrated for concealing complicated construction within apparently simple garments. Piccioli's interpretation of that principle was particularly persuasive in the casual pieces, where precise shaping gave familiar clothes unexpected elegance. There was warmth and femininity throughout, a considerable departure from the house's recent aesthetic. Piccioli's third collection suggested a direction with real promise. His future at Balenciaga subsequently became uncertain: on 22 October, Puck reported that employees had been informed of his departure, although Kering had not publicly confirmed the decision at the time of that report.
GIVENCHY — A FEW EXCEPTIONAL PIECES Sarah Burton presented Givenchy on 2 October, continuing her exploration of tailoring, altered proportions and sculptural construction. Of the eight collections examined here, Givenchy was the least convincing, although one piece was exceptionally beautiful. A cream embroidered stole or cape-like layer, worn over a pale dress, possessed an elegance that distinguished it from the rest. Its delicate surface work and controlled proportions made it the outstanding look. A stone-coloured trench was another success, its shoulders folded into short cape-like extensions and the waist drawn in by a belt. An elegant black trouser suit had square shoulders, wide trousers and sleeves falling into deep drapes at the wrist. A cropped black leather halter, zipped like a biker jacket, appeared above wide leather trousers. Burton's technical ability was evident in these garments. Her years at Alexander McQueen gave her an exceptional understanding of tailoring, and she can transform a familiar silhouette through a small adjustment to its construction. The wider collection was less persuasive. Ideas moved in several directions, and the more elaborate experiments rarely achieved the clarity of the strongest pieces. The cream embroidered look stood apart, followed by the black suit, leather ensemble and draped trench. They offered a glimpse of what Burton's Givenchy could become, even as the collection around them remained uneven.
ZIMMERMANN — A KALEIDOSCOPE OF BUTTERFLIES A kaleidoscope is also a collective noun for butterflies, the inspiration behind Nicky Zimmermann's Spring/Summer 2027 collection. Presented at Le Carreau du Temple on 5 October, Kaleidoscope drew on nineteenth-century scientific illustrations by Australian sisters Harriet and Helena Scott, whose work is held by the Australian Museum. The opening look featured a cropped top constructed from gold-toned butterflies above a full cream organza skirt decorated with flowers and wings. The appliqués moved independently as the model walked. Butterflies appeared again along the seams of white denim, in lace and across flowing dresses. A white blouse with a ruffled shoulder was worn with jeans, while delicate eveningwear moved through butter yellow, pale blue-grey and soft pastels. A particularly beautiful sheer dress combined soft ruffles with lilies and leaves that shifted with every step. Zimmermann has long been associated with elaborate floral prints and romantic dresses. This collection felt considerably lighter, with fluid silks, relaxed separates and casual tailoring balancing the intricate embroidery. The denim was especially appealing, giving the collection an ease that extended beyond its eveningwear. Even the elaborate butterfly pieces retained a freshness suited to spring. The result was feminine, flowing and sophisticated, with a more assured sense of proportion than some of the house's earlier collections. Zimmermann has always been romantic. This time the romance had a spine.
HERMÈS — CLOTHES MADE OF AIR Nadège Vanhée presented Hermès on 3 October inside the Garde Républicaine, the barracks of Paris's mounted gendarmes. The day was unusually warm, with guests fanning themselves. Vanhée's collection had grown from her experience of the summer heat, and the possibility of allowing air to move through clothing. For a house closely associated with leather, the technical solutions were fascinating. Fine calfskin appeared almost weightless. Open knits were combined with transparent mesh, while skirts were slit high and coats incorporated panels, perforations and adjustable fastenings. A dark brown dress, cinched with a leather belt and finished with patch pockets, descended into a fringed skirt that moved freely. The familiar double-wrapped Hermès leather strap appeared at the waist, wrist and throat. The most ingenious detail was almost invisible: ventilation holes in a suede coat spelled Hermès Paris in Morse code. Cream, camel and pale blue gave way to chocolate brown, terracotta, orange, sunflower yellow and red. Pleated silk scarves became tops, and equestrian references appeared in the buckles and construction of outerwear. There was greater sensuality than in some of Vanhée's earlier collections, particularly in the open knits and lighter fabrics. Her understanding of leather remained the principal achievement, with extraordinary technical work concealed beneath apparently effortless garments.
RICK OWENS — STONE Rick Owens presented Stone on 1 October, taking his womenswear collection outdoors at the Palais de Tokyo. Models descended a sloping steel-grating runway above the reflecting pool as dusk settled over Paris. Midway through the presentation, the fountains began to rise. Owens gave Stone several meanings: stoicism as dignity, the biblical stone rolled away at the resurrection, and the stones people throw at one another in aggression. The clothes explored weight and rigidity. Stone-coloured column dresses appeared almost immovable, some extending outward against the steel grating. Others were light enough to catch the wind. Bustles projected from the hips, while sharply constructed car coats appeared in double duchesse. Black chiffon, pleated transparency and tulle threaded onto elastic cords softened the more severe shapes. Lingerie elements and crystal-encrusted boots added further contrasts. The outdoor setting gave Owens's elongated silhouettes an extraordinary presence. Against the water and monumental architecture, the garments appeared almost sculptural. Owens has developed his distinctive vocabulary over decades. Here, the scale of the presentation and the movement of the lighter fabrics gave familiar elements of his work a different dimension.
PARIS, SPRING 2027 Chanel made the strongest impression. Blazy's interpretation of the house had acquired confidence, lightness and a slightly adventurous sensuality, while retaining the elegance of its original architecture. Saint Laurent's gold collection brought Vaccarello's decade to a remarkable conclusion. Balenciaga found beauty in the construction of everyday clothing, and Zimmermann delivered one of the season's loveliest interpretations of spring. Dior remained uneven, and Givenchy, despite its exceptional cream embroidered piece, was the least persuasive of the eight collections. Paris provided extraordinary theatre. The finest clothes needed none.