This season, couture opened a door to imagination, inviting us to feel as much as we look.
At Paris Haute Couture Week Spring/Summer 2026 proved once again that fashion is more than clothes. For the designers, it is about storytelling, fantasy, and ways that they can make audiences feel. This season, designers drew inspiration from the natural world, the cosmos, and even the animals, turning runways into an experience. Designers seemed to respond to the overwhelming challenges of the past year, using couture as a chance to inspire reflection, joy, and a sense of freedom. Through their collections, they reminded us of the importance of pausing, focusing inward, and simply allowing ourselves to breathe and be fully present.
They leaned into fantasy not as excess, but as escape. Flowers bloomed in unlikely forms, animals took on symbolic life, and they pushed handwork to near-spiritual devotion. . With the world feeling increasingly loud, couture turned inward, focusing on beauty, detail, and emotional impact.
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Petals, please
One of the most noticeable themes this fashion week was nature, especially florals. Flowers appeared across many collections, showing up in different forms — from delicate embroidery to bold, statement designs inspired by the natural world. They appeared as symbols of renewal, softness, and a collective longing for beauty in its most romantic form.
Houses like Dior, Tamara Ralph, and Chanel all leaned into floral themes. Standout moments included Dior’s cyclamen-filled ballgown, Tamara Ralph’s embroidered flowers woven through much of the collection, and the jade-toned floral details at the Giorgio Armani Privé show.
The flowers were everywhere — fitting for the season and a clear reminder that, yes, florals for spring? Groundbreaking.
All that glitters
It would be impossible to talk about this season’s trends without mentioning the abundance of beading seen across the runways. From the now-viral beaded dress at Schiaparelli — still turning heads — to Georges Hobeika’s soft, feminine silhouettes and the intricate hand-beading at Rahul Mishra and Zuhair Murad, craftsmanship took centre stage.
Beading remains an essential part of fashion, especially in couture. It’s timeless, detail-driven, and something we can always expect to see — season after season.
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Into the wild
From the very first day of shows, animal elements were impossible to miss. Schiaparelli led the charge, from scorpions and blowfish to the iconic birds. CHANEL echoed the theme with bird motifs, while Miss Sohee pushed it further, featuring a striking dragon alongside peacock-inspired designs. These animal motifs spoke to themes of anger and joy as well as freedom, sparking curiosity and imagination.
Between earth and the stars
Nature continued to show up this season, but designers looked beyond the earth, drawing inspiration from the universe and the cosmos. The result was a more expansive take on the natural world.
Rahul Mishra explored Ether through his elements-inspired collection, while Robert Wun closed his show with a breathtaking cosmic bride, shimmering in gold and blue. Yuima Nakazato grounded the theme, drawing from Japanese forests, with flowing pieces inspired by “Wind in the Trees” and the quiet rhythm of life in nature.
Built to impress
As expected in couture, innovation and construction took centre stage. This season delivered volume, structure, and remarkable precision. From Viktor & Rolf’s kite-inspired couture to the many structured ballgown silhouettes that graced the runway, one being at Robert Wun, and the bold, architectural pieces seen at Stéphane Rolland, sculptural design took centre stage on the runway and remained a key focus throughout the season.
Eyes on the extras
This season, accessories were the look itself. Designers leaned into bold, almost theatrical details, letting jewellery, bags, and shoes carry as much weight as the garments themselves.
From Dior’s cyclamen flower headpieces to CHANEL’s playful mushroom shoes and Schiaparelli’s sculptural bird-head footwear. Accessories became expressive, memorable, and impossible to ignore.
Where innovation reigns
For me, the Spring/Summer 2026 couture was from the ordinary. Through nature, cosmic imagery, and painstaking handwork, designers reminded us that fashion’s highest form still thrives on imagination and creativity.
These collections showcased the boundless inventiveness of couture, offering viewers inspiration that goes beyond the runway and into everyday life. For anyone feeling low, this season felt like a gentle reminder of the joy of creation. As designers continue to preserve the art of couture, they show us that fashion still has the power to excite, inspire, and offer meaning in many different ways.
