The 10 Most Watched SS26 Shows on Vogue Runway

Introduction to the Latest Fashion Trends

Coco Chanel famously said, “Fashion changes, but style remains.” Still, Chanel’s designer change this season has sent interest in the Parisian house soaring. Matthieu Blazy’s collection was heavily influenced by what he discovered in the Chanel archives – "it was almost too much beauty," he said of the experience – and on the Grand Palais catwalk, the variety of clothing reflected what he found there, and of course his own keen interest in fine, surprising textiles.

The Debut of the Season

Blazy’s Chanel was widely praised as the debut of the season, including on Vogue catwalk; Not only because of the sensitive way in which he reinterpreted the famous codes of the house, but also because of the way in which he lit up our pleasure receptors. That’s no easy task considering the dozen or so other debuts we’ve seen. In fact, the top four collections on our list of the most-watched shows of the season came from new designers: Blazy was joined by Dior’s Jonathan Anderson, Gucci’s Demna and Maison Margiela’s Glenn Martens.

Surprising Trends

Margiela is the surprise here. Maybe it’s the fallout from Martens’ electro-couture launch in July, or maybe it was the enchanting children’s orchestra from suburban Paris that he invited, but I like to think that it was the clothes themselves that owed a debt to Martin Margiela’s 1990s experiments with deconstruction and recycling without looking like pure reproductions. “My ambition has reconnected a little with the reality on the road,” Martens said during a preview. It was Margiela for the real world.

Notable Jumps in the Rankings

Of the six remaining entries, Alessandro Michele’s Valentino made the biggest jump, from ninth to sixth place. That shows me that people are responding to his sanitized interpretation of the label. “I tried to simplify,” he said, “but it’s my way to be simple.” In his Balenciaga debut, which landed at number 10 on our list, Pierpaolo Piccioli combined simplicity, elegance and his own unique brand Joy in life. For fashion Chief critic Sarah Mower, it was a winning combination; She summarized it as "beautiful and realistic fashion that shows an optimistic path forward."

The Rankings

The really interesting developments took place in spots 11 to 20. We’re not revealing this part of the lineup, but I can say there are five other debut collections in the mix. That’s good news for brands like Marni and probably Fendi, which have new beginnings of their own next season.

1. Balenciaga
   Pierpaolo Piccioli for Balenciaga SS26.
2. Prada
   Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons for Prada SS26.
3. Louis Vuitton
   Nicolas Ghesquière for Louis Vuitton SS26.
4. Miu Miu
   Miuccia Prada for Miu Miu SS26.
5. Valentino
   Alessandro Michele for Valentino SS26.
6. Saint Laurent
   Anthony Vaccarello for Saint Laurent SS26.
7. Maison Margiela
   Glenn Martens for Maison Margiela SS26.
8. Gucci
   Demna for Gucci SS26.
9. Dior
   Jonathan Anderson for Dior SS26.
10. Chanel
    Matthieu Blazy for Chanel SS26.