The 5 most important takeaways from Paris Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2026

New Faces in Fashion

Matthieu Blazy, who landed one of the most coveted and demanding jobs in fashion, explored a new galaxy for Chanel, both with his solar system set and his front row, which featured many newcomers. Two ambassadors were announced, and there were also some new faces, including Pedro Pascal, Carrie Coon, Michaela Coel, and Imane Khelif, the Algerian boxer who attended Blazy’s last show for Bottega Veneta.

Creative Talent Booking

“It’s about every brand looking at their talent booking departments and thinking: How can we get creative?” "Regardless of the ambassadors, who is the moment and how can we capitalize on it? I would attribute this to Jonathan Anderson’s Loewe effect. He was the first to look for people who were just starting to make waves."

Loewe’s New Vision

Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, who succeeded Jonathan Anderson at Loewe, presented paper airplane shoes, shrunken leather coats, razor jeans, and strapless towel dresses that also felt like good conversation starters between the brand’s future and past. The front row didn’t disappoint either, with Pedro Almodóvar, Sarah Paulson, and Parker Posey, among other fashionable New Yorkers who have followed the pair since their early days at Proenza Schouler.

Front Row Highlights

Other brands also took advantage of coups in the front row to outline their new visions. At Pierpaolo Piccioli’s Balenciaga debut, Meghan Markle’s first-ever Fashion Week appearance made headlines in a draped, all-white look. Actors Naomi Watts, Pamela Anderson, and Elizabeth Berkley were invited to underline the Hollywood glamor theme of the collection. "They’re part of the story we’re telling. And it’s almost a screen test, like they’re characters in what we’re going to present,"

Controversy and Calm

Elsewhere, Duran Lantik took over Jean Paul Gautier’s house with probably the most controversial show of the week – also similar to the founder’s time. The hairy bodysuits, one featuring complete male nudity, were a point of discussion in the days that followed. Amidst all this, one debut – perhaps the least underrated – stood out from the crowd by being extremely understated. Mark Thomas’ debut for Carven took place on the ground floor of the Maison’s headquarters and featured just 34 looks. "The idea is that you come to our house. It will be a moment of calm to get out of the chaos of everything else that’s happening with the big brands,"

Cuts through the Noise

With all the debuts, continuing as before was not an option and forced everyone to give their best. The schedule also changed this season, meaning buyers and editors adjusted their usual travel plans to ensure they could see all the big shows. Saint Laurent opened the week on Monday evening as the day’s only major runway. At the show, which as usual took place in front of the Eiffel Tower, 1,000 hydrangeas lined the catwalk as supermodel Bella Hadid walked for the first and only time this season.