Haute Couture Week 2026: All The Highlights From This Season
The most important Haute Couture season in decades saw fashion grounded in fantasy, craftsmanship, and modern reinvention of the most major maisons
Industry insiders and the world’s fashion press descended on Paris this week for perhaps the most anticipated Haute Couture season in recent memory. The week was marked by a resurgence of feathers, masterful threadwork, and bold experimentation with shape and form.
With Schiaparelli paying homage to pivotal moments in fashion history, and Dior’s whimsical codes reimagined by J W Anderson for the first season, Bazaar Arabia recaps the highlights from this week.
Day One: Feathers Took Flight, Florals Bloomed, and Love Unfolded
Schiaparelli Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2026
Inspired by a visit to the Sistine Chapel, Daniel Roseberry revisited the fantasies of adolescence in his S/S26 collection, allowing instinct to overtake intention and letting emotion guide the creative process. What emerged was fashion shaped not by expectation, but by feeling. Scorpion tails, horns, and birds took form alongside euphoric silhouettes rendered in bold colour. Emotion travelled seamlessly from atelier to runway, transforming inner sensation into a couture spectacle.
Chanelling ghosts of fashion’s past – Alexander McQueen’s Horn of Plenty, Widows of Culloden, and Isabella Blow – Daniel acknowledged how history lingers, forever present in the language of fashion. “I stopped thinking for the first time in years of how something should look, but instead about how I feel when creating it,” said the designer. This was unmistakably felt in the interweaving of agony and ecstasy – a reminder that what Michelangelo began in 1508, continues to influence exquisitely innovative fashion in 2026.
Dior Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2026
Jonathan Anderson’s exploration of historical objects – from fossils to textiles – formed the crux of his designs for his Haute Couture debut. Across the runway, flowers were cut, embroidered, and veiled; knitwear stole the spotlight, while sculptural accessories emerged as objects of adornment. Drawing from the artistic language of Magdalene Odundo, the collection was inspired by myriad artefacts and precious stones – including labradorite, ammonite, opal, azurite, aquamarine, and iron octahedrite meteorite.
Jonathan didn’t eschew the traditional final bridal look – sending a lavish white gown studded with silk flowers draped to the floor as his finale. To complete the look, snowball-sized ear pieces hung heroically from the ears – inspired by a bouquet gifted to Jonathan by John Galliano. Staged at the Musée Rodin, Grammar of Forms exhibits selected looks from Jonathan’s Haute Couture debut, shown alongside works by Monsieur Dior and Magdalene Odundo, creating a dialogue between fashion, form, and time.
Georges Hobeika Couture Spring/Summer 2026
Exploring human connection through vulnerability, Georges Hobeika presented a collection rooted in the profound strength of love. Each gown stood as a symbol of why one must love; to understand why each dress was created was to affirm why this theme remains the focal point of his work.
From sculpted silhouettes adorned with hand-woven detailing and bejewelled embelishments, the collection predominently presented hues of pink, showcasing delicate craftsmanship at its finest. L’Amour was represented through grandeur and subtlety – the Lebanese designer exuded elegance with quiet grace, prompting reflection through every piece.
Framing fashion as a vessel for meaning, humanity, and sincerity, the line-up offered gentle reminders that love is found not only in spectacle, but in tenderness, presence, and the acts we choose to carry forward.
Rahul Mishra Couture Spring 2026
Alchemy encapsulates the foundational elements of nature that shape life and matter: space, air, fire, water, and earth. Bridging philosophy, science and fashion, Rahul Mishra transformed each component through its inherent forces – revealing purpose, movement, and form within his designs.
Fire and water were expressed through contrasting motion, while space took shape as a living trajectory, most notably in his black hole interpretation – a striking silhouette that drew the eye with light-catching sparkles.
In the days leading up to the show, Rahul offered an insight into the roots of Alchemy as he teased visual narratives of each element inspiring his creations, inviting audiences into the conceptual journey, long before reaching the runway.
Day Two: Enchantment Cast it’s Spell, Elegance Reigned, and Performance Dazzled
Chanel Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2026
Mattieu Blazy debuted his first couture collection for the House, transforming the Grand Palais into an imaginative wonderland. Under his creative direction, he realised couture as a living, breathing fantasy, intertwining nature, craftsmanship, and exquisite art. Giant mushroom-dotted scenery set the ambience for a host of silhouettes that took to the stage. From sheer and muslin ensembles, to feathers in every colour and form, each piece was delicately embroidered with intricate detail. Accessories took varied shapes and expressions – from heels adorned with mushroom soles, to extravagant headpieces and eye-catching bags.
A standout moment featured Bhavitha Mandava, who wore the bridal look in a white jacket and midi skirt, accentuated by delicate petals and pearly sequins, finishing the statement attire with simple pumps.
The collection exuded freedom, boundless joy, and playful romance. It was a debut that felt less like a showcase and more like an invitation into Matthieu’s whimsical realm – nothing short of what one would expect from the legendary maison.
Giorgio Armani Privé Spring/Summer 2026
The Spring/Summer 2026 Haute Couture week marked a pivotal moment for the house, presenting its first Privé collection in the absence of Mr. Armani. Staged at the Palazzo Armani in Paris, Jade epitomised refined elegance. Silvana Armani made her haute couture debut, showcasing designs defined by ornamentation and fluidity. nuanced silks, tailored suits, and sculpted gowns graced the runway, with accessories carefully embroidered and curated to complement every look.
The collection delivered delicate tones of green, pink and white, punctuated by the occasional shimmery black moment. Heads turned as the final look took to the floor: an ethereal wedding gown completed by a head-to-toe veil.
Stéphane Rolland Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2026
Stéphane Rolland elevated couture to a performative level this season, transforming fashion into a circus-inspired spectacle at Paris’ Cirque d’Hiver Bouglione. The collection unfolded with striking intensity, where structured capes and three-dimensional silhouettes took centre stage. From cubic sleeves to conical layers, each look commanded both a solo moment and a powerful role in the circus narrative, resulting in a show defined by artistic excellence and breathtaking theatricality.
Spanning eight Ringmasters, each emerged in bold black-and-white ensembles, anchoring the show with graphic authority and stature. Here, form, space and movement were essential, as fine embroidery and sculptural materials shaped jumpsuits, dramatic gowns, and architectural dresses.
Gaurav Gupta Spring/Summer 2026 Couture
Divine Androgyne is an embodiment of duality, where both feminine and masculine energies coexist within a single space. Rooted in Indian philosophical spirituality, Gaurav Gupta presented a series of pieces that explored form, fluidity, and texture. His collection revealed architectural silhouettes brought together by several intricate threads that mapped points of energy across each creation.
From crystal and beaded hand-work, to feathers and three-dimensional rounded capes, every design carried its own significance. The gowns spoke for themselves, styled with minimal accessories and instead, complemented by striking statement jewellery.
A memorable moment was the yellow bridal sari gown, accentuated with temple jewellery. Through his finale, Gaurav seamlessly bridged Indo-Western influences, leaving a lasting impression.
Day Three: Hollywood Intertwined with Fashion, Shadows Danced, and the 1970s Sparkled Again
Valentino Haute Couture 2026
The show marked a significant moment for the Maison; the first since the passing of Mr. Valentino. Alessandro Michele made his couture debut with an innovative approach to presentation: a series of rooms built into the walls lining the catwalk, where guests peered through small apertures – a contemporary reimagining of the Kaiserpanorama – as models appeared one by one, embodying the designs.
Feathers made a distinctive mark on the collection, taking shape in the symbolic headpieces Valentino often conjured. The gowns explored remarkable, multi-angled structures, combining the ravishing flair of Hollywood with iconic artistry. Through meticulous craftsmanship and layered symbolism, Alessandro honoured Valentino’s legacy, translating the Maison’s deeply personal vision of couture into a contemporary expression of elegance and storytelling.
Zuhair Murad Couture Spring 2026
Chiaroscuro – the contrast of light and shadow – celebrates divine femininity through luminious embroideries and sculpted designs. Exuding a meditation on rebirth and radiance, each piece spoke for itself, embodying shadowed tones that unfolded along the runway, in a subtle game of hide-and-seek. Inspired by Renaissance art, the collection reflected the optimisim of light, reminding us that even after darkness, illumination endures – and through art, we find our way.
The runway shimmered with richly layered tones and textures, from delicate crystal embellishments, to intricately structured corsetry. Cascading along the pathway with effortless grace, each design read like a talisman of power and elegance – a motif Zuhair quietly reinforces through his art.
Elie Saab Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2026
For his Spring/Summer 2026 couture show, the Lebanese designer revisited the iconic era of the 1970s. Titled, Golden Summer Nights of ’71, the collection evoked the jet-set glamour of vibrant, gilded summer evenings. Through ethnic motifs and ornate needlework, his designs seamlessly combined high-fashion with personal expression.
His bridal vision featured a rose-gold gown layered over subtle beige, adorned with delicate stones and intricate embroidery, marrying quiet sophistication with artisanal craftsmanship – an ideal the designer is renowned for flawlessly executing.
Across the runway, layers, textures, and unmistakable patterns celebrated creativity at its finest, transporting guests to the gilded opulence of summer nights long past.
Day Four: Textures Layered, Poetry Moved, and Feathers Came to Life
Rami Al Ali Couture Spring/Sumer 2026
The Syrian fashion designer showcased a collection that radiated both allure and poise. Attention to detail was evident in Rami Al Ali’s signature lattice-style gowns, where silks and throughly trimmed chiffons were curated to enhance fluidity, draping elegantly over the models.
Each silhouette explored varied shapes and structures, casting multiple interpretations of form as the garments moved. A hallmark piece was a strappless gown that interwove layered chiffons with geometric latticework, creating an interplay of light, shadow, and texture.
The remainder of the collection featured crystals, subtle beadwork, and delicate embroidery, exemplifying Rami’s ethereal mastery of couture craft.
Ashi Studio Couture Spring/Summer 2026
Drawing on Victorian symbolism, Mohammed Ashi manipulated textures and materials to create looks that played with perception. From wet-look surfaces, to metallic tin-foil-like finishes, his designs exuded sublime quality, each one asserting its own authority.
Throughout the collection, control and precision were central to the Maison’s craftsmanship, with every piece standing as a story in itself, defined by its sculpted form. Feathers, deep palettes, and leather punctuated the collection, reinforcing the dramatic and tactile intensity of the moment.
Miss Sohee Couture/Spring Summer 2026
Miss Sohee’s Breathing Forms closed Haute Couture Week with a sense of calm and measured finesse. Feathers once again played a central role, not merely as decoration, but as a medium through which movement and form came alive. Each plume seemed to float with the body, emphasising the collection’s title by creating visual rhythm that mirrored the natural movements of inhalation and exhalation.
Feathers traced silhouettes, accentuated curves, and brought a sense of weightless grace to every gown, while embroidered beadwork and adornments sparkled in harmony. Through this interplay of material and motion, Sohee transformed the runway into a living study of breath and form – where couture intertwined with poetry.
Lead Image Courtesy of Instagram /@patricksawaya