Paris Haute Couture Week 2026 saw the world's leading fashion houses and a host of celebrities gather in the French capital for four days of exclusive shows, held amid a heatwave. Brands including Schiaparelli, Balenciaga, Chanel and Dior presented custom, handmade collections that take hundreds of hours to produce, in an event so selective that houses must be invited to present by the French fashion industry's governing body. The week drew star attendees such as Bad Bunny, Cardi B, Sabrina Carpenter, Emma Corrin and Hudson Williams.

Several collections marked notable debuts and themes: Pierpaolo Piccioli showed his first couture collection for Balenciaga, honouring founder Cristóbal's signature shapes, with Gigi Hadid walking in a black feather cocoon, while Duran Lantink presented his inaugural Jean Paul Gaultier show inspired by Marie Antoinette. Schiaparelli's Daniel Roseberry titled his collection "The Call of the Void", Matthieu Blazy leant into fairy-tale whimsy for Chanel, and Iris van Herpen used charged plasma in glass tubes to create glowing designs. Jonathan Anderson's Dior show drew attention partly because he was revealed as the designer behind the bridal looks at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding, with his collection itself referencing American sculptor Lynda Benglis.