PARIS FASHION WEEK SPRING/SUMMER 2026: DAY 3

editors ELIANA CASA, MAREK BARTEK, MARIA MOTA and MARIE-PAULINE CESARI

ALAINPAUL
review VERONICA TLAPANCO SZABÓ

all images ALAINPAUL provided by the brand

You may not know that Alain Paul first left Hong Kong for France at the tender age of nine, soon finding his footing in ballet at the Opéra École National Supérieur de Danse de Marseille. Dance, then became a lived language for the designer, one that he continues to translate tenderly into his clothes. For SS 26, Alain Paul returned to his conceptual métier, with a collection that revolved around a familiar ritual—the audition. Carrying a double meaning, for the dancer, auditioning is a proving ground; for us, it is echoed in the intimate daily act of dressing. We are both a performer and a jury, dressing and redressing until the mirror grants its approval. The collection was steeped in this vulnerability, mirrored in the space itself, with guests sitting behind desks, pen in hand ready to decide who gets to stay and who has to go. The runway unfolded under this gentle scrutiny as the clothes themselves carried the need to demonstrate range, a vest knotted about a coat suggested hurried layering backstage. Silk polos melted into warm-up tops, denim trousers balanced upon dance belts, while elastic bands, essential in a dancer’s kit, wrapped silhouettes. A collaboration with artist Cécile Feilchenfeldt birthed these looks from bands suspended in knitted filters extending this interplay of fragility and form. Dresses and jackets were adorned with falling poppies and carnations, printed upon black cloth and veiled in translucent overlays like flowers tossed onstage at curtain call. Through it all, Alain Paul reminded us that the most poignant auditions are less about perfection than about the courage to show vulnerability.

MARIE ADAM-LEENAERDT
review by PHOEBE PHOEBE GIBSON-DOUGALL

all images MARIE ADAM-LEENAERDT provided by the brand

At first glance, I wasn’t sure about Marie Adam-Leenaerdt’s SS26 collection. Just from looking at the runway shots I wasn’t sure I got “it”; I wasn’t sure of my connection to the clothes. Funnily enough, this uncertainty is exactly what the Belgian designer invites with her creatively subversive approach to fashion. Everyday objects and observations are reimagined in wearable form, and the SS26 showing was no different. Set amongst the backdrop of an airport, Adam-Leenaerdt was inspired by her travels and the cast of characters one observes in transit. Each look embodied an “identity in motion” and sought to blur boundaries and affirm the freedom of clothing. Upon learning this, everything clicked for me. The vast array of looks, whilst not immediately cohesive, suddenly formed a collection of highly wearable pieces. An assortment of giant leather bags could easily act as vessels with which to schlep and lug one’s life around, whilst sparkling slip dresses and structured suiting could smoothly transition from day to night. Jewellery also played a large role in the show, adding a touch of sparkle and glamour to Adam-Leenaerdt’s clever exploration of the spectacle. Bravo, Marie; as always, her ability to surprise and delight reigns supreme.

MAITREPIERRE
review by FIONA FROMMELT

all images MAITREPIERRE provided by the brand

Alphonse Maitrepierre’s SS 2026 collection, “En plein cœur”, unfolded as a beautiful homage to Paul Poiret, the couturier who helped shape 20th-century fashion. Drawing from archival references, Maitrepierre reimagined Poiret’s designs with a daring, sensual energy, creating a collection unlike anything he had shown before. Poiret once said, “Yes, I freed the bust, but I shackled the legs,” and in this collection, Maitrepierre took that as a point of play. Busts were liberated, literally, with lace tops that left little to the imagination, while the spirit of the hobble skirt was reinterpreted through dresses, pants, and trench coats. Poiret’s presence echoed throughout the collection in textures, prints and draped silhouettes that transformed his almost theatrical silhouettes into a distinctly modern Maitrepierre vision. Dreamlike pleated trenches, balloon dresses, and cascades of fringe and leather feathers created almost dramatic silhouettes. Chokers and body-skimming dresses pushed the sensual side of his aesthetic further than ever. Injecting humour into the elegance, a cat-print T-shirt and mouse-inspired shoes, designed in collaboration with Carel, showcased Maitrepierre’s signature irony. Poiret was part of the revolution that liberated women from the corset, and Maitrepierre’s interpretation celebrated this by creating his sexiest collection to date, which was filled with vibrancy, wit, and seduction.

DIOR
review by MAREK BARTEK

all images DIOR provided by the brand

The videos of Jonathan Anderson smoking outside of Gare du Nord or near Seine have been slowly but surely flooding my FYP. The closer to the fashion week the more often have I come across them, and no wonder. If there was anyone under immense pressure this season, it was the Northern Irish designer who was about to show his debut collection for one of France’s biggest fashion houses.

“I’m not a couturier,” Jonathan Anderson confessed to press before his first womenswear show at Dior. It was less an apology than a statement of a refusal to be boxed in by legacy or weighed down by the ghosts of ateliers’ past. Anderson’s mission this season was clear. To not mimic Dior’s history, nor to erase it — but to test its elasticity, to see how far it could stretch into the present.

That spirit of confrontation and curiosity showed before the first look even appeared. Adam Curtis’s film, projected onto an inverted pyramid, mixed together horror flicks, fragments of Dior’s past, and flashes of Hitchcock heroines. It was a reminder of the enormity of the task at hand — Yves, Galliano, Ferré, Chiuri, but also of Anderson’s knack for turning cultural noise into fashion’s sharpest commentary. As he put it backstage: “Of course it’s a challenge, but the more you love the brand, the more it gives back.” On the runway, that meant a constant push and pull between the house codes and Anderson’s own hand. A white bell-shaped dress swirled with jersey bows opened the show, followed almost immediately by a black tuxedo with an exaggerated peplum and lopped-off denim mini — Dior silhouettes meeting streetwear. Speaking of Dior silhouettes, it was inevitable for the Bar jacket to appear in the collection. And it sure did midway through the show; however, not as a museum piece but remade in sparkly tweed, its proportions shrunk to girlish scale and paired with a pleated skirt.

Anderson’s fascination with structure and collapse played throughout. Chantilly lace dresses drifted like butterflies, as if referencing the Cigale dress but dissolving it into near-nothingness. Capes — sometimes sculptural, sometimes cosy enough for the street — came back by popular demand, ever since we fell in love with them during Anderson’s first Dior Men collection. Same happened with the cargo Elsewhere, a frilled lace collar rose dramatically to veil half the face, topping a scarlet satin blouse and cargo trousers; fashion highwayman chic, complete with Stephen Jones tricorns. “It’s about the tension between dressing up and dressing down,” Anderson said, a theme made literal in polo shirts layered with couture-grade skirts. Maria Grazia Chiuri might’ve liberated Dior from its corsets, but Anderson seems to intend to loosen the mythology altogether. His princesses came not in stiff satin but in forget-me-not embroideries, bubble skirts, and light, sheer layers that could be scrunched up and tossed in a suitcase. Romantic, yes, but practical too.

The accessories are a chapter of its own. After all, it is Anderson’s eye for small things that brought Loewe its global success. Even a decade later, the Puzzle bag remains one of Loewe’s best sellers. Considering that Dior’s two bag prides — the Lady Dior and the Saddle Bag — are over twenty years old, could that be partially the reason why Anderson landed the job? Under his direction, the Lady Dior softened into bowling-bag suede; Roger Vivier’s Louis heels resurfaced, one pair sprouting floppy bunny ears and another with giant blooming flowers; bags shaped like triangles or cinched with ribbons hinted at what the next “it” bag might be. These were not just props but pieces clearly destined for the street, crafted with just enough eccentricity to stand apart.

Though the collection at times seemed like it was trying to tell as much as possible, rather than focusing on a more edited story, it’s worth remembering, Anderson only had two months to realise this debut. “Things take time,” he admitted, positioning this collection as an overture rather than a full symphony. But even in draft form, it had all the Anderson signatures — a colliding of decades, a refusal of hierarchy, an embrace of the strange. And crucially, it was fun. Anderson wasn’t asking us to choose between Dior as fantasy or Dior as reality. He was arguing it can be both, simultaneously. So, yes, he’s not a couturier. But he is something Dior has always needed: a storyteller unafraid of contradiction, willing to show us that the house’s past isn’t a burden but a provocation of new thought.

CASABLANCA
review by PHOEBE PHOEBE GIBSON-DOUGALL

all images CASABLANCA provided by the brand

Casablanca, colour me shocked! Perhaps I shouldn’t have expected anything less from the brand, but Charaf Tajer’s SS26 collection was alive, buzzing with soul and energy. Titled “For the Love of House”, and staged in Paris’ American Cathedral, the show celebrated house music and its history with vibrant clothes that packed a punch. The looks paid homage to rave culture and clubbing; nearly all the models walked down the runway wearing shades, and there was an abundance of colour and texture. Rave-ready neon miniskirts and tracksuit jackets shared the runway with silk button-downs and belt buckles that recalled the last days of disco. A gospel choir accompanied DJ Louie Vega to soundtrack the show, the soaring voices adding a rapturous energy to the room. Tajer wants us to remember that the dancefloor is a spiritual place, where community and connection abound. Fashion, much like music itself, has long influenced the nightlife scene. With this latest offering, Tajer proves that one can explore history, whilst creating something that is still forward-thinking and of the present. Casablanca, I’m well and truly ready to join the club.

ACNE STUDIOS
review by MARIA MOTA

all images ACNE STUDIOS provided by the brand

Acne Studios Spring/Summer 2026 took archetypes apart and rebuilt them into something in-between, charged with fluid, androgynous energy. A genderless wardrobe with no fixed gaze and no single protagonist.

There was a duality and playfulness in the collection, mixing everyday wear with extreme pieces. Couture lace corset dresses were grounded with loafers. Patchwork collages of fabric and texture. A lumberjack shirt tucked into a gauzy slip skirt. Earrings, blown up in amber, turquoise, and sage, swung like tiny sculptures. Shoes were distorted into new shapes: wedge-heeled loafers, tilted pumps, cowboy boots that climbed dramatically high. That same tension ran through the hairstyles: messy and untamed at the front, with slick, perfectly braided updos down the back.

Clothes played with transparency and texture. Leather and suede were waxed and spray-painted until they looked worked-over, almost lived-in. Fine knits hid underneath, while chunky sweaters with windowpane holes were worn outside. Bags, as always, were central characters. The Camero returned—now in a wood-like print, shifting from suede to leather, fringe to studs. “I’ve always felt that creativity is perhaps about being able to see the world in a way you didn’t realize could be seen. There are people who can do that to you: they make the world feel different, they stand out and tell you a new story,” says Jonny Johansson.

Robyn’s soundtrack gave it a heartbeat, with clothes and lyrics asking the same question: “What is female identity now?” She debuted new material alongside a re-recording of Robotboy (2005) with Yung Lean. “There was an unexpected dialogue between the music and the clothes that I didn’t see coming. We had no prior knowledge of one another’s latest work, yet both question and celebrate the typical idea of female identity. It’s been fun and interesting to hear my lyrics in this context,” says Robyn.

Even inside the Collège des Bernardins, in a moody cigar salon with high ceilings and inspiring arches, amidst a sophisticated historic vaulted hall, it felt intimate. Images on the walls from Pacifico Silano, a lens-based collage artist, served as a graphic leitmotif carried into the show space. Hot, confident, and uncompromising, Acne Studios SS26 didn’t give answers—it gave energy.

LITKOVSKA
review VERONICA TLAPANCO SZABÓ

all images LITKOVSKA provided by the brand

LITKOVSKA’s (DIS)CONNECTED was built upon the precarious balance between belonging and detachment, rooted in the philosophy of art brut (outsider art essentially) the collection asked what it means to reveal oneself in a world that so often asks us to hide. This tension took form in camouflage mesh, typically used to shield Ukrainian warriors, now reimagined in a commanding pink. A fabric once meant to conceal became instead a banner, now raising awareness of the ongoing fight for freedom. For Lilia Litkovska, the struggle happens not only on distant battlefields but also within ourselves. The collection reflected this turmoil with silhouettes that breathed and billowed, blouses puffed outward as if carried by a sigh, while locks of hair were conveniently swept into side-bangs. Light, fluid textiles revealed oversized flowers, some seemingly doodled, others hand-carved from wood. Tailoring on the other hand had jackets transformed at will, with seams peeking through, and edges remaining undone.The atmosphere was heightened with live performances by Ukrainian figures, musician-composer Yuri Khustochka and singer Irena Karpa, where music and poetry have long borne witness to stories of resilience and longing. Their voices carried (DIS)CONNECTED into something larger than fashion.

TOM FORD
review by FIONA FROMMELT

all images TOM FORD via vogue.com

We all wondered how Haider Ackermann's second show for Tom Ford would look. We all wondered how he could follow up on the magnificent debut he laid down last season. Back then, he showed us what Tom Ford could be under his vision, establishing the groundwork with precision and allure. This time, he didn't just continue; he deepened those roots. If last year was seductive, this year took it one step further, and the collection collectively stole our breath. The set, the sound, the atmosphere, everything pulsed between the alien and the intimate. It was raw and electric. From the sound of a heartbeat to vibrations that thudded higher and faster, it all somehow screamed Haider Ackermann's DNA, and the collection went from seductive to luxuriously screaming sex. 

Every piece enhanced the body to its core. Dresses and tops plunged into V-necks so deep they dropped below the belly button. Slits in dresses climbed high up to the thigh, just like the Super-short, almost iridescent shorts. Sheer skirts clasped at the neck like jewellery, while lace dresses dangled from the thinnest straps, plunging into Vs at the front and back. Cut-outs in dresses revealed the flesh underneath, and the dresses held the body at its centre rather than draping over it. There were tiny Bralettes under blazers and blouses, and sometimes none at all. Lace and silk teased against bare skin. Frills reappeared as scarf details in tune with the suits, while silk suits almost melted into the body. The tailoring was razor-sharp, moving between precision and provocation. Ackermann punctuated the muted palette of whites, blacks, beiges and khakis with jolts of colour, such as light blues, pinks, greens, and bursts of orange. The iconic red lipstick even made a comeback on select models, amplifying the drama. The cast, hair, and makeup were as genius as the clothes. Hair shifting from jet black to stark white, sleeked-back cuts, bowl shapes, and eyes that sliced straight through the audience. Through every meticulous detail, Ackermann managed to keep he room charged with suspense. 

One thing has become crystal clear now: Haider isn't just continuing Tom Ford's story; he is rewriting it, enhancing it in his own code, and while doing so, pushing seduction to its limits. He leaves us in a state of exquisite angst, filled with tension, as we wonder what comes next. This collection feels almost like great sex, so good so, that we almost want to say thank you. 

BALMAIN
review by PHOEBE PHOEBE GIBSON-DOUGALL

all images BALMAIN via vogue.com

You’ve heard the whispers-boho is back!-and Balmain is more than happy to lead the charge. Last night, Olivier Rousteing presented his SS26 collection for the brand, unveiling a new, softer direction for his “Balmain Army”. The khaki was still there, only this time, it accompanied slouchy, off-the-shoulder knits and draped, silken pants. Balmain has embraced boho, but with its own seaside twist. There were macrame minidresses, and beaded tassel belts. Models donned chunky bangles and seashells hung from their fringed suede bags. Elegant sandals were paired with haram pants and knotted halter-necks. The muted palette of earth tones and the pared-back pieces signalled a tone change for Rousteing this season. We know he can do glitz and glamour, and now we’ve seen him master his softer, more approachable side, too.