Balenciaga Fall 2026 Couture, photo by fashionweekdaily
Even before couture week officially got underway in Paris, cries of “He’s back!” echoed following Olivier Theyskens’ co-ed spring 2027 ready-to-wear show for Boloria, praised for its neo-Gothic romanticism and fluid tailoring without over-the-top gimmicks. “He’s back!” is how I initially felt looking at Pierpaolo Piccioli’s couture debut for Balenciaga, which marked the same return-to-form feeling.
“Pierpaolo Piccioli’s debut for Balenciaga couture was remarkably intelligent. What impressed me was the restraint. Piccioli’s instinct is emotion, but here he channeled it through construction rather than sentimentality.” – Maria Kublin, daughter of fashion photographer Tom Kublin and co-author, ‘Balenciaga-Kublin: A Fashion Record’.
Balenciaga Fall 2026 Couture, photo by Danielle Oberrauch for gorunway.com
But then I thought, back where? I quickly realized what I liked—the designs that showed the most restraint—was very much, if not exactly, like Pierpaolo’s work at Valentino. Feathers, continuing as a major theme across the fall 2026 couture runways in Paris, add a playful, tactile element to this collection. A little goes a long way.
Balenciaga Fall 2026 Couture, photo by fashionweekdaily.com
While I felt there was a bit too much Demna in Piccioli’s first Balenciaga outings, this couture show played to PP’s strengths, particularly his mastery of color, his way with sportswear, and his endorsement of pants. PP is still finding his way, but there is no question that Pierpaolo Piccioli and Cristóbal Balenciaga are a match made in fashion heaven, couturiers bound by a shared devotion to sculptural volume, architectural purity, and the elevation of craftsmanship.
Iris van Herpen Fall 2026 Couture, photo by fashionweekdaily.com.
While “modern couture” might sound like a paradox due to the traditional roots of handmade, bespoke fashion, it is not an oxymoron. Today’s industry embraces modern couture by marrying centuries-old Parisian craftsmanship with innovative technology, size inclusivity, and contemporary, highly wearable designs. At Paris Couture Week for Fall/Winter 2026–2027, the most interesting development was the blurring of the line between fashion and hard science.
Iris Van Herpen stole the show with a collection that practically functioned as a particle accelerator. She basically trapped plasma between two layers of fabric, supercharged it with a particle accelerator, froze it, and then put it on the runway.
Schiaparelli Fall 2026 Couture, photo by Acielle for Style du Monde
The Schiaparelli Fall 2026 Couture collection, “The Abyss,” is a surreal, avant-garde triumph, featuring creative director Daniel Roseberry’s use of unconventional materials to explore artificial intelligence and the digital age. At Jean Paul Gaultier, the standout was Duran Lantink’s boundary-pushing debut as the brand’s new creative director.
Jean Paul Gaultier Fall 2026 Couture, photo courtesy of Jean Paul Gaultier
Duran fused 18th-century French royalty with sci-fi futurism. He subverted traditional couture constraints by reimagining the iconic house codes through experimental silhouettes, glitch-inspired motifs, and advanced technologies. Jonathan Anderson is unquestionably a defining force of modern haute couture.
Christian Dior Fall 2026 Couture, photo by anothermagazine.com
Known for his artistic, sculptural approach, Anderson designs unconventional, thought-provoking pieces that function as wearable art. At the Dior Fall 2026 Haute Couture show at the Musée Rodin, he fused architectural sculpture and delicate natural elements, marking Anderson’s triumphant sophomore couture collection.
Christian Dior Fall 2026 Couture, photo by Acielle for Style du Monde
With his gender-fluid aesthetic, surrealist wit, and championing of contemporary craft, Anderson has masterfully recalibrated Christian Dior, delivering a textural wonderland and a modern twist on maison archetypes, including great iterations of the softened bar jacket.
Christian Dior Fall 2026 Couture, photo by Filippo Fior for gorunway.com
Assuredly, not everything works, but I applaud Anderson’s pure, unadulterated quirkiness, creativity, and ingenuity. Is it just me, or were there a number of pieces at Dior that looked more Chanel than Chanel? There are still many who argue that under Matthieu Blazy, Chanel does not look like Chanel. Ask 10 people what they think, and you will get 10 different responses.
Chanel Fall 2026 Couture, photo by Isadore Montag for gorunway.com
I do think that Blazy’s Chanel couture collection, rich with nature-inspired motifs and whimsical touches, needs to be seen up close to be appreciated. While I applaud the workmanship and relaxed silhouettes, I can’t help but feel that many of the designs are a bit dowdy and unflattering. I’m just not a fan of all the floral prints or the drop-waist 1920s Roaring Twenties aesthetic, which Blazy has shown a distinct affinity for. I loved the Chanel Subway collection a lot more!
Fendi Fall 2026 Couture, photo by Paolo Lanzi for gorunway.com
For her Fendi Couture debut, Creative Director Maria Grazia Chiuri focused on flowing, minimalist glamour evoking a sense of freedom. She eschewed rigid corsetry in favor of fluid, weightless silhouettes (kimono coats, caftans, satin suits, satin slips, sheer lace), played out almost entirely in black, ecru, and parchment.
“Minimalism is not a lack of something. It’s simply the perfect amount of something”. Nicholas Burroughs
It was stripped back, pared down, and simplified. Some argue it was too much so. While it read more like a resort collection than haute couture, it was like a breath of fresh air: a couture palate cleanser.
Alexis Mabille Fall 2026 Couture, photo by Salvatore Dragone for gorunway.com
Why does everything have to be so overdone in couture? Every house is different. Not everything has to scream. Minimalism, a certain refined austerity in haute couture, is the new black. Actually, black is the new black. It’s never looked better.
Standing Ground Couture Fall 2026, photo by Umberto Fratini for gorunway.com
Nobody knows this better than American couturier Ralph Rucci. While Ralph did not show in Paris this season, I can’t help but see Rucci’s enormous influence on many runways. I saw vestiges in the designs of Alexis Mabille and the sculptural, minimalist designs of Irish designer Michael Stewart in his Paris debut for Standing Ground.
Marisa Berenson wearing Schiaparelli, Instagram photo
In my previous column, I extolled the virtues of shirt dressing. Some of the best-dressed and chicest showgoers looked cool and chic wearing some form of shirt. That includes Tilda Swinton and Ines de la Fressange in Chanel, and Elsa Schiaparelli’s granddaughter, Marisa Berenson, in a Schiaparelli black silk shirtdress with a dramatic hem, attached to her hand with a gold chain.
While most of us will never be able to afford haute couture, the simplest way to look like you’re wearing expensive haute couture is to select something in black with a defined shape and silhouette. Add a touch of white, gold, or color. Or add nothing at all. You cannot go wrong.
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