Paris couture week showcases Schiaparelli, Balenciaga, Chanel and Dior collections

The biggest names in fashion presented haute couture collections in Paris this week, organisers confirmed as shows ran over four days during a heatwave; the major outcome was a series of handcrafted looks highlighting designers’ seasonal visions for Autumn/Winter 2026-2027.

Schiaparelli’s creative director Daniel Roseberry titled his collection “The Call of the Void” and described it as a surrender to an unknown creative process. The house dressed guests in striking pieces, including Bad Bunny in a butter yellow suit and Emma Corrin in a pastel feather jacket with talon-like details.

Pierpaolo Piccioli’s inaugural couture collection for Balenciaga paid tribute to founder Cristóbal Balenciaga with flowing silhouettes and diverse textures. Gigi Hadid opened an outdoor runway in a black feather cocoon, and actor Hudson Williams attended the show.

Duran Lantink, recently appointed creative lead at Jean Paul Gaultier, centred his first couture collection for the house on transformation and theatricality. He cited Marie Antoinette as an inspiration while presenting designs that emphasised play and historical reference.

Chanel’s artistic director Matthieu Blazy presented a whimsical collection set against a vine and beanstalk backdrop. The show included floral, intricately detailed pieces and a model who carried a book of fairy tales once owned by Coco Chanel.

At Christian Dior, Jonathan Anderson offered looks with accordion-like pleating inspired by sculptor Lynda Benglis and displayed several bridal-adjacent designs. The show drew notable attendees such as Anna Wintour, Baz Luhrmann and Sabrina Carpenter.

Iris van Herpen’s collection explored scientific themes, incorporating charged plasma elements inside glass tubes attached to garments to create luminous effects. The runway progressed toward increasingly elaborate beading and ethereal draping.

Alexis Mabille focused on duality, presenting garments that transformed onstage from one look into another. The collection used a palette leaning on black, silver and gold and emphasised immediate changes in texture and silhouette.

Across the four-day haute couture week, shows required invitations from the French fashion industry’s governing body and drew a range of celebrities and industry figures. Each house highlighted traditional couture craftsmanship while offering distinct creative statements for the Autumn/Winter 2026-2027 season.