Paris Haute Couture Week often passes in a whirlwind. When decades of craftsmanship and savoir-faire are condensed into a four-day stretch on the fashion calendar, it can feel like a blur. This year, though, a slower, deliberate undercurrent pulsed through the conversation—be it at couture heavyweights like Dior and Chanel, or with younger voices like Robert Wun, the fashion world implored us to slow down, take a pause, and reflect.
It’s not surprising that 2026’s iteration of Couture Week is prompting deeper reflection. Debuts have been the dominating narrative across the fashion world for the past few months. Anderson at Dior, Blazy at Chanel, Michele at Valentino—as they make their couture debuts, they also grapple with fundamental questions about the art form. Must couture be synonymous with fantasy? How far can one bend codes of tradition without breaking them?
For Jonathan Anderson at Dior, it was about putting his own creative stamp on a rich legacy. The collection was striking in its exploration of silhouette and texture, showcasing draped silk, feathery chiffon petals, and gowns that ballooned out at the hem. Florals were everywhere, with cyclamens blanketing the ceiling and the runway looks alike. Anderson was in a clear dialogue with Dior’s past, yet unafraid to make his own mark on it.
Matthieu Blazy tackled Chanel’s weighty couture legacy by making it feel as light as air. The show’s enchanted woodland setting, replete with pastel pink floors and giant toadstools, led to speculation that Blazy would lean into the fantastical and theatrical. He did the exact opposite. Blazy presented a collection that reminded us that craft is often in the details, not the spectacle. The show opened with Chanel suits reimagined in diaphanous layers of silk muslin, bringing an airiness that carried on throughout the presentation.
At Valentino and Giorgio Armani Privé, the mood was bittersweet. Alessandro Michele presented his first haute couture collection for the maison just days after the passing of Valentino Garavani, making the show a poignant tribute to his legacy. “Today, Valentino’s absence is real, tangible,” Michele wrote in a letter accompanying the show. “It tears open a deep and painful void. Nevertheless, his presence is still warmly felt.” The collection itself was presented in a striking setting inspired by a 19th-century optical device—guests peered through holes in a wall into a brightly lit room where models stood clad in tulle, silk, and intricate headdresses.
Silvana Armani also made her couture debut in the shadow of an icon, following Giorgio Armani’s passing last September. As one of the few women at the helm of a major fashion house, her take on couture becomes especially significant—and it manifested in a quietly elegant collection that shone in its attention to silhouette and embroidery.
As the lights dim and the dust settles, take a moment to digest the sheer volume of craftsmanship and creative mastery displayed this week in Paris. Ahead, get a closer look at the most striking creations on the Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2026 runways.
Miss Sohee
Dior
Chanel
Valentino
Giorgio Armani Privé
Robert Wun
Phan Huy
This story first appeared on GRAZIA Singapore.
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