On the notable occasion of Paris Fashion Week, legendary fashion houses Chanel, Saint Laurent, and Valentino raised the curtain on transcendent fall/winter 2025/26 collections, reminding us that beauty lies in simplicity, and freedom is found in selecting the silhouette most in line with our fairytale of choice.
Chanel lit up the glassy Grand Palais with maison ideals such as symphonic strings of pearls, wandering ribbons, and blossoming flowers. The Saint Laurent womenswear presentation focused in pure fashion on shape, color, and texture, with meticulous attention to construction and echoing humanity’s multiform identity. Further, Valentino effortlessly simmered with playful and provocative looks, debuting new sculptural and ethereal eyewear.
The Chanel Catwalk Collaborates with Creation Studio and Willo Perron
Courtesy of and © Chanel.
In dynamic partnership with Creation Studio and scenographer Willo Perron, the Chanel ready-to-wear runway was centered by a hypnotic black ribbon which ebbed and flowed from floor-to-ceiling at the Grand Palais. Within this surreal and historic setting, a collection of great movement and masterful design was born.
An air of mysterious and protective femininity reigned supreme, with chiffon jeans, silk posing as tweed, and black wool lace trench coats inlaid with faux fur. Balancing and collaging softness and strength for contemporary adroitness, garments with trompe l’oeil effects left lasting impressions. A three-piece number in grenadine tweed was sensual and cinematic, while cozy sweater dresses were uplifted by heels spotlighting a single pearl.
Anthony Vaccarello Explores the Organic and the Celestial for Saint Laurent
Courtesy of Saint Laurent.
Courtesy of Saint Laurent.
From the imagination of Anthony Vaccarello, the Saint Laurent winter 2025 runway took the form of a mesmeric onyx oval, evoking the organic and celestial expressions inherent in the latest collection. Lit-from-within walls were both enigmatic and irresistible, swirling with patterns akin to our own undulating emotions.
Garments needed no excessive adornments, disclosing their power through intricate volumes and sensational cuts. Rich leather blousons made way for stone-washed skirts, and a rigorous palette of pleasing hues stayed true to the house’s individuality. Stretch fabrics imparted a technical know-how, couture materials were refreshingly distressed, and cigaline silk pieces were printed with Mother Nature’s masterpieces, bathed in silicone.
Valentino Simmers at Le Méta-Théâtre des Intimités
Courtesy of Valentino, photo: Umberto Fratini / Gorunway.
Courtesy of Valentino, photo: Umberto Fratini / Gorunway.
The Valentino fall/winter 2026/26 catwalk mesmerized within Le Méta-Théâtre des Intimités, where an otherworldly, Lynchian realm voyaged through the art of dressing and undressing, with subversive detail and intimate electricity. Collective and confidential spaces and gestures were illuminated in a fiery, crimson set which recalled a glossy public washroom.
Sheer, lacy leotards were styled with silk bralettes and powder-hued shorts, enhanced by floral headbands reminiscent of days of yore. A flurry of pink draped along the edges of a mini-dress, with embroidered heels striking conversation with the arch of feathers at the heel. Kimonos enhanced by gems were placed precisely over button-up shirts, boldly blending moments and moods of the day. Details including sci-fi green tights, whimsical gowns invoking ballet poise, and couture-like suiting were magnetic portals for stepping into our truest selves. The Valentino eyewear collection also honored interior and exterior perspectives, welcoming the retro form of the Oval Wrap-around, and the beaming acetate of the Flattop Style.
