Update: It's Haute Couture Week
- Leon
- Jul 12
- 7 min read
Updated: Jul 13
They spoke. I listened. What was haute couture walking about?
Bioluminescence, culture, and innovative prosthetics are just a few of my favorite things about Paris Haute Couture Week. The Parisian runways are not just forecasting wardrobe trends. They are reflecting what we crave, question, and imagine. What does our collective consciousness look like today?
ALL ABOUT QUESTION AND PLAY
Not too long ago, I created a presentation envisioning a future where science and the natural world shape our creative narratives, carrying us into places of illusion and fantasy. Seeing that same spirit echoed as a recurring theme across the Haute Couture runways was incredibly exciting.
Schiaparelli
This year, Schiaparelli pushed the boundaries of fashion by embracing the unknown. Blurring the lines between reality and fantasy, The Abyss used LEDs, silicone, latex, and prosthetics to create mesmerizing illusions. My favorite detail on the runway was an understated earpiece that resembled a flower petal. The collection came alive with "beings of light" as meticulously crafted bodices, adorned with tiny LED lights, glided down the runway. The unknown can be a beautiful place to explore and play. That said, this approach requires restraint. Without it, the balance between innovation and costume can quickly tip.
@Irisvanherpen via Instagram
Iris Van Herpen
The world of Iris van Herpen exists at the intersection of science and fashion, and this Haute Couture collection debuted a bioluminescent dress that immediately captured my attention. With my background in science, the Sonic Starquakes collection resonated with me unlike any other. Inspired by the life cycle of stars, from plasma to nebula, the collection transforms astrophysical phenomena into wearable art.
The phenomenal Plasma dress left me intellectually stimulated, but a little aesthetically hungry. I admire Iris van Herpen's commitment to unconventional materials and scientific exploration, yet I found myself wanting more from the way those innovations complemented the silhouette and overall fit of the garments. The concepts are extraordinary, and I am excited to see how she continues to develop this dialogue between science and couture.
@bymadestudio via Twitter and @oddmagazine, @madisonaycoth @anabelachan via Instagram
Robert Wun
I could feel the creative process just by looking at it. Robert Wun's Child's Play felt as though it had been created with exactly that: playful carelessness. It balanced restraint, precision, and one of my favorite qualities, whimsy.
There's a dark signature woven throughout the collection, as if restraint were the lens through which adulthood looks back on childhood. Call it whatever you want, but this is one of those collections that reminds you couture can also be a joyful spectacle.
Much of the collection's success comes from the nostalgia it evokes, inviting the audience to reconnect with the emotions Wun is expressing. Extra brownie points for using the garment's silhouette to serve the body wearing it.
@jeanpaulgaultier, @oddmagazine, @camillecharriere via Instagram
Jean Paul Gaultier
I was a little surprised by the whimsical direction of Jean Paul Gaultier's Fall/Winter 2026 Haute Couture collection. The exaggerated bows trailing across the floor, the distorted body jackets, and the warped silhouettes gave the collection an AI-generated quality, reminiscent of Backrooms, which debuted earlier this year.
I also couldn't help but notice nostalgic details, like knee-length trousers paired with colorful long socks. "I started thinking about Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette and trying to mix it with futurism," Creative Director Duran Lantink told Vogue. It seems the time has come. Futurism infused with nostalgia is clearly in demand, and I'm excited to see where this conversation goes next.
IDENTITY WITH A TWIST
Some fashion houses have such a strong, established voice. The name of the game then becomes staying true to the brand while still adjusting to the current times. During the Fall/ Winter 2026 Paris Haute Couture week, the themes remained whimsical and playful.
@Dior via Instagram
Christian Dior
Lynda Benglis' sculptures served as Jonathan Anderson's inspiration for the Dior F/W 2026 collection. It is an exploration of form through knotting, molding, and the act of pouring materials. Throughout the collection, there is a strong emphasis on pleating and Indian craftsmanship, particularly chintz and gemstone carving. Dior's feminine voice remains, enriched by a more sculptural and cultural perspective.
@channelofficial via instagram
Chanel
Taking a more literal approach to whimsical and fairy-like fashion, the highlight of the Chanel show for me was the intricate set design. Unlike Dior's sculptural interpretation of whimsy, this collection embraced something more playful and nostalgic.
While the internet has been praising the shoes from this collection, I found myself more drawn to the details woven throughout the accessories and garments. The trinkets dangling from an ear and the jewelry cascading from collars were especially magnificent. Childlike imagination and nostalgia seem to be the overarching themes here.
@Ashistudio via Instagram
Ashi Studio
What if we could see the layers of time as we borrow from them to create something different? That is the question Ashi Studio poses as dramatic silhouettes take the runway. The new collection, A Different Skin, tells a story of time through layers and transformation. "Behind every mask, there is another mask," referring to our ability to borrow from different eras without being constrained by them.
Today, we can only time travel through books and films, but Ashi Studio seeks to deliver that experience through clothing itself. Each layer becomes a fragment of history as he invites us into a warped experience of time.
@pppiccioli via Instagram
Balenciaga
As I sipped my morning coffee, I watched the looks descend through the garden at the Balenciaga fashion show. I first met Balenciaga during its darker phase, but today the house felt transformed: bubbly, colorful, and bold.
Once again, I found myself encountering this sculptural and whimsical approach to fashion. Pierpaolo Piccioli's interpretation of the City Bag immediately caught my eye, alongside the rounded silhouettes that gave the collection its signature "bubbly" quality.
This collection definitely posed a question for me: In our pursuit of honoring an original vision, where do we find the balance between refreshing a legacy and simply recreating the past?
HOMAGE TO HOME
It's like adding nuance to a conversation. My favorite creative voices are those shaped by cultural perspective. It is fascinating to see culture influence a designer's point of view, but more importantly, the celebration of culture is what connects us all.
Art without culture is like a language without an accent: missing a part of its identity. Within these strong cultural voices, we still found ourselves exploring deeply personal and existential themes.
@rahaul_Mishara via Instagram
Rahaul Mishara
Walking down the runway was a three-headed, clay-gray sculpture. Rahul Mishra's new couture collection, DEVI, was an homage to Hindu spirituality, expressed through intricate beadwork, handcrafted details, and sculptural references to the Hindu goddess Devi. "The three faces represent the past, present, and future, coming together as one for DEVI," Rahul writes on Instagram.
The collection was meant to remind audiences of culture through the lens of reimagination. The beauty of fashion is that anything can be transformed, and in Rahul's world, thread and beadwork can mimic the permanence of stone.
The three themes that stood out to me most were the concepts of time, religion, and garment illusion.
@imane_ayissi via Instagram
Imane Ayissi
In the world of Imane Ayissi, culture is bright, bold, and eloquent. Ozouandam Ollat (meaning "haute couture" in his native language, Ewondo) was more than a runway collection; it was an homage to his mother. Classic silhouettes met vibrant color and rich texture in an exhilarating presentation of African culture.
His mother's career as a flight attendant was reflected in the airy quality of the silhouettes, capturing a sense of movement, glamour, and freedom. The garment shape continues to be the theme messenger. Ayissi brought a piece of home to the Parisian runway in the most heartwarming way possible. The best part? Watching him dance to African rhythms at the end of the show, transforming the finale into an immersive celebration of culture.
@luresmagazine @manishmalhortaworld @cassiacarter via instagram
Manish Malhotra
In his Maa collection, Manish Malhotra expresses his Indian heritage through stunning silhouettes adorned with crystals, intricate patterns, and sculptural details. Throughout the collection, he explores the connection between himself and his mother through four phases: Cocoon, Bond, Becoming, and Abundance. Even the color palette felt intentional, reinforcing the emotional narrative of the collection. It was a breathtaking display of identity expressed through garment shape and sculptural elements.
@YuimanNakazato, @oddmagazine @firstviewphoto via Instagram
Yuiman Nakazato
Yuima Nakazato tells a story of transformation and duality through his point of view in Inferno. Exploring the elements of fire and water, we see a relationship between strength and softness, destruction and rebirth. On Instagram, he writes that the collection was "inspired by the traditional Japanese theatrical technique known as 'monogi,' found in both Noh and Kyogen theater, in which the act of changing costumes is presented visibly on stage as part of the performance." By incorporating porcelain into his materials, he was able to mold ceramic pieces onto the models live during the show.
The story being told here is an existential one, expressed through the transformation of color, shape, and form.
DRIVING THE NARRATIVE
Even within the more conventional Haute Couture gown, there continue to be themes that drive the design process. This year, those themes seem to follow a storybook and existential wavelength, exploring ideas of fantasy, identity, and human experience.
@bymadestudio via Twitter and @Cassiecater via Instagram
Ella Saab
The Ball of Untamed Dreams ironically reminded me of Sarah J. Maas' A Court of Thorns and Roses series, a world filled with fantasy and romance. The theme was immediately clear through the addition of masks and the enchanted quality of the dresses as they moved down the runway.
Although I found myself becoming distracted by the masks throughout the show, as opposed to it merging with the dress to form the final look, they were ultimately a detail that strengthened the collection's fantastical atmosphere.
@bymadestudio via Twitter
Zuhair Murad
The vision of a heroine who refuses to surrender. The woman as a heroine is one of my favorite storytelling archetypes, and it was beautifully represented in Murad's FW 2026 collection Love & Dominion. His interpretation of power came to life
through bold feathers contrasted with fitted silhouettes, delicate florals, butterfly motifs, and crystalline lines that traced the garments.
@bymadestudio via Twitter and @georgeshobeika via Instagram
Georges Hobeika
The Visitor takes inspiration from James McRae's poem "Instructions Before Visiting Earth," which deconstructs humanity into a soul experiencing life through a temporary 3D simulation: fleeting, yet rich and beautiful. This was one of my favorite sources of inspiration I encountered while exploring these collections, and if you have not read the poem, I highly recommend taking the time to become acquainted with it.
In parallel with the poem's message, the collection encourages the audience to
remember the beauty that exists in the world before our time here passes. Through extraordinary rhinestone work and delicate lace, The Visitor transforms this reflection into something tangible. It almost reminded me of architecture, and if you know me, you know I live for the intersection between architecture and fashion.
And with that, I leave it to you: what spoke to you during this FW 2026 Haute Couture Week? What themes do you wish to see in the future?
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