Paris Fashion Week SS26: A Season of Emotion, Atmosphere, and Reinvention
Saint Laurent SS 2026
Paris Fashion Week began with a breath-taking moment Saint Laurent’s show beneath the Eiffel Tower, framed by a white hydrangea flowers garden sculpted into the brand’s logo. It was one of those rare fashion moments where everything aligned: the view, the mood, the music, the silhouettes. The collection opened in a crescendo, from power women in black leather and white bow shirts to floating eveningwear that felt like a modern Marie Antoinette. The front row was a dream Hailey Bieber, Zoë Kravitz, Kate Moss, Rosé from Blackpink the brand’s cool, loyal circle. It was a show that reminded us why Paris is still the capital of fashion: not just for the clothes, but for the atmosphere, the storytelling, the emotion.
Louis Vuitton followed with a quieter kind of magic. Zendaya, the brand’s muse and modern icon, teased the show with a countdown, and then we were inside the Louvre, in the former summer apartments of Anne of Austria. Nicolas Ghesquière doesn’t chase trends—his work is always about individuality. This season, he offered a celebration of intimacy and the private sphere. It felt personal, like a wardrobe for someone who lives beautifully, not loudly. The collection was soft, fluid, and quietly luxurious. It was a reminder that fashion can be introspective, that elegance doesn’t need to shout.
Dries Van Noten was possibly one of my favourite collections this season. Julian Klausner, now in his second season as creative director, delivered a collection that spoke of texture, wearability, and design. It felt like fashion, but also like something you’d want to live in. There was emotion in the fabrics, in the way the pieces moved. Klausner, who worked closely with Dries since 2018, understands the brand’s DNA layered prints, sculptural shapes, and unexpected combinations but he’s also bringing a new rhythm, one that feels grounded and real.
Courrèges gave us a show titled Blinded by the Sun, opening with UV-blocking face coverings and a voice reading out rising temperatures. It wasn’t about religion—it was about climate. The show was a commentary on global heating, a subject that André Courrèges never had to address in the sun-worshipping 1960s and ’70s. But today, fashion must respond to the world we live in. Anrealage, as always, used technology to create garments that felt otherworldly. Kunihiko Morinaga’s pieces responded to light and movement, creating a sense of magic and innovation. These are designers who don’t just make clothes they make statements.
Stella McCartney’s collection was effortless and desirable. Her tailored jackets with voile trims and bustier dresses had a modern ease. Stella understands how women want to feel: confident, comfortable, and chic. Her collection was a masterclass in understated glamour, with sustainability woven into every detail. It’s not just about looking good it’s about doing good.
Acne Studios, on the other hand, spoke directly to the younger generation. It wasn’t about who was sitting at the show—it was about the pieces. Jonny Johansson’s exploration of sheer dressing and masculine/feminine tension felt fresh and honest. Six months ago, he started thinking about all the sheer looks he was seeing, and decided to go in his own direction. The result was a collection that performed exceptionally well on social media, especially on our Luxury Endless platforms. It’s a reminder that fashion today must speak to digital audiences as much as physical ones.
Hermes suede “Birkin”
Haider Ackermann confirmed his cinematic flair. “I told them I want them to seduce,” he said backstage. And they did. His models moved like actors, aware of their power but playing it cool. There’s only one Tom Ford, but Ackermann shares the brand founder’s love of drama and direction. His show felt like a film, with every look telling a story. It was seductive, elegant, and unforgettable.
Rick Owens returned to Palais de Tokyo, his spiritual home, with sculptural layers and a palette that whispered apocalypse and rebirth. His shows are always strong messages, and this one was no exception. The open-air setting added drama, with guests climbing bus stands just to catch a glimpse. Owens doesn’t just present fashion—he creates rituals.
Balenciaga
Daniel Roseberry’s Schiaparelli show at the Pompidou was among the last before the museum’s renovation. Inspired by a Brancusi exhibit he saw a year and a half ago, the collection marked a shift from surrealist drama to daywear elegance. It started with tailored separates and ended with Kendall Jenner in a look that redefined evening glamour. Roseberry is evolving the brand, moving away from spectacle and toward substance.
Sarah Burton at Givenchy delivered a collection that even in pictures radiated luxury. Her leadership continues to shape the brand with quiet strength. The tailoring was impeccable, the fabrics rich, and the mood sophisticated. Burton understands that luxury is in the details, in the craftsmanship, in the way a garment makes you feel.
Hermès turned the streets into part of the show, with guests wearing the most exclusive pieces. Street style photographers captured the magic before the runway even began. The collection featured earth tones and soft silhouettes, but the highlight was The Super Wish, a new suede Birkin bag that felt like a dream. Hermès knows how to create desire quiet, powerful, and lasting.
Pierpaolo Piccioli’s debut at Balenciaga was a true masterclass. A poetic pivot from Demna’s streetwear to refined couture. The collection featured princess skirts, feather trims, and futuristic visors. Meghan Markle’s presence added weight to a show that felt like a new chapter. Piccioli brought emotion, elegance, and depth to a brand known for provocation. It was a show that reminded us of fashion’s power to evolve.
Valentino
At Valentino, Alessandro Michele responded to criticism with restraint. His collection, Fireflies, was minimal, poetic, and otherworldly. With Pamela Anderson’s voiceover, the show became a meditation on fashion’s emotional power. Michele used the brand’s archive to craft a collection that felt personal and profound. It wasn’t just a show it was a manifesto.
Sacai hosted its show at the brand’s new headquarters, presenting silhouettes that felt both innovative and grounded. Chitose Abe continues to explore hybrid design, blending tailoring with streetwear, tradition with innovation. Her work is always surprising, always smart.
Miu Miu moved away from the preppy girl in micro skirts. The story was called At Work, and Miuccia Prada spoke of women’s labour. The apron layered and pure was one of my favourite pieces. It gave that sense of Milanese radical chic, and I truly believe Miu Miu will shine with this direction. “The apron is one of my favourite pieces of clothing,” said Miuccia. It gives that sense of purity at work. It’s a style that speaks to women who are strong, stylish, and grounded.
Thom Browne staged his show at Karl Lagerfeld’s former Left Bank home, the ornate Hotel Pozzo di Borgo. But it felt like deep space. His tailoring, his storytelling it’s like he reinvents the collegiate code every season. We were enchanted. Is he an alien? Maybe. But what’s certain is that Browne continues to push boundaries, blending American prep with surreal fantasy.
And finally, Chanel. Under a full moon at the Grand Palais, Matthieu Blazy launched a new era. Gone are the maximalist codes of Lagerfeld and Viard. In their place: a magnetic, minimalist Chanel. The set was a planetary universe, the mood cosmic. Blazy’s collection featured boxy suiting, British tweeds, and fluid gowns. It felt like Chanel reborn modern, crisp, and quietly revolutionary.
Chanel
Paris SS26 wasn’t just a fashion week it was a mood. A season where atmosphere sold as much as the clothes. Where storytelling mattered. Where fashion felt like poetry again. We saw designers respond to the world, to the climate, to the culture. We saw emotion on the runway, in the fabrics, in the casting. We saw fashion that made us feel.
At Luxury Endless, we always believe that fashion is more than product it’s experience, it’s memory, it’s emotion. This season, Paris gave us all of that and more. From the grandeur of Saint Laurent to the intimacy of Louis Vuitton, from the innovation of Courrèges to the purity of Miu Miu, the week was a celebration of creativity, connection, and the power of beauty to move us.