Paris Fashion Week S/S26: The Moments That Made Us Believe in Magic Again
From otherworldly species at Thom Browne to Mathieu Blazy’s stellar odyssey at Chanel — topped with some of our all-time favourite stars gracing the runways — this season was one for the memory books
If there’s one thing you can count on Paris for, it’s bringing the magic. Not for nothing is it known as the city of love, because what is love if not the purest form of magic? So it’s safe to say that at Bazaar Arabia, we were expecting nothing less than to be wowed this Paris Fashion Week — and that, we certainly were. Here are our favourite moments of the week.
Jonathan Anderson’s Dior Debut
Set at the Tuileries Gardens, graced by the presence of celebrities from Rosalía to Jenna Ortega alike. The show started with a direct yet thrilling message: “Do you dare enter… the house of Dior?” displayed on a giant inverted pyramid screen above the runway. It was followed by an Adam Curtis mash-up of old Dior footage featuring previous creative directors — including Christian Dior himself — turning it into a 60s horror classic film, think Psycho.
It was very telling of Jonathan Anderson’s knack for tapping into intellectual humour and setting the tone for a new, fresh beginning — yet, for connoisseurs, not far removed from the house’s history. After all, this is not the first time the maison has been involved in some sort of cinematographic thriller: from the very early days of Christian Dior designing costumes for Hollywood, such as Marlene Dietrich in Hitchcock’s Stage Fright, to Galliano’s Lady Blue Shanghai directed by David Lynch.
Gaining a standing ovation from the audience, the collection was the reinterpretation of house codes and silhouettes while bringing them into the modern day — making them wearable for the contemporary Lady Dior, while keeping Jonathan’s language many of us know and love. It brought back an unmatched joy to fashion, one we don’t always see as often.
Daniel Roseberry’s “Dancer in the Dark” for Schiaparelli
If there’s a maison synonymous with magic and illusion, without question it has to be Schiaparelli. Daniel Roseberry has truly learned how to honour a house with such rich heritage, while keeping it current and infusing it with his own personal magic. And this season again proved just that.
Staged at the Centre Pompidou, the SS26 collection titled “Dancer in the Dark” told exactly that story — from salt-lamp accessories glowing in the dark to my personal favourite, the golden brass brushes look.
Glenn Martens’ Maison Margiela Debut
Set to the soundtrack of miniature musicians with larger-than-life talent from the Orchestre à l’École, Glenn Martens’ debut took us back to one of the maison’s most famous shows by Martin Margiela — the 1989 presentation staged in a public playground, mixing press and children, all coming together to witness fashion.
Glenn stated that part of his inspiration behind the collection came from his days as a fashion student, when he and his peers would covet the brand’s pieces, wanting to live in them. That’s what he wanted to create — clothes that people would want to live in — while staying truthful to the brand’s ethos of deconstruction, unconventionality, and mystique.
Pierpaolo Piccioli’s Balenciaga Debut
Set within Kering’s Paris headquarters, the collection — aptly titled Heartbeat — delivered exactly that: a revival pulsing with the brand’s archival spirit. There have been mixed reactions on social media, but perhaps that’s because some have grown so accustomed to Demna’s disruptive Balenciaga that they’ve forgotten Cristóbal himself — the master couturier, celebrated even by Gabrielle Chanel. Pierpaolo channelled that same mastery into ready-to-wear, translating architectural precision into silhouettes that felt sculptural yet romantic.
And, as if the debut needed one more headline moment, Anne Hathaway delivered it — commanding attention in a killer look that reminded everyone why fashion loves a red-carpet star.
Thom Browne’s Extraterrestrial Elegance
For unearthly magic and quirkiness, leave it to Thom Browne’s aliens who descended on Paris, dressed in impeccably tailored suits — quite literally out of this world. The show opened with shiny silver characters handing out cards that read “We come in peace.” What followed was a joyful play on proportions: extra limbs, exaggerated silhouettes, and a tongue-in-cheek dialogue between structure and fantasy.
While we don’t plan on wearing four-legged trousers anytime soon, we have to admit — it was impossible to look away.
Matthieu Blazy’s Chanel Odyssey
And to close the week, Matthieu Blazy took us to the Milky Way — or perhaps brought the Milky Way to us. Another debut that has divided opinions online, it’s one of those “if you know, you know” moments: a show built on nuance and quiet brilliance.
Chanel codes were reimagined for the modern woman — the tweed, camellias, drop waists, and the masculine-feminine interplay that define the maison. It felt fresh, youthful, and delightfully unexpected. And, of course, Nicole Kidman’s return as house ambassador added a touch of nostalgia; her appearance marking a full-circle moment since her iconic 2004 Chanel No.5 film — still one of the most expensive ads ever produced.
From otherworldly fantasy to planet-earth icons, Paris Fashion Week once again reminded us why it remains fashion’s beating heart. Magic was woven through every collection — from designers who are no longer with us to the new talents carrying their legacy forward with pride. As we bid farewell to fashion month, we’re left with a sweet aftertaste, one shaped by Paris’s emotion, artistry, and an unmistakable touch of wonder.
Lead image courtesy of Instagram /@chanelofficial