From one fashion capital to another, fashion’s most anticipated week is finally here. Kicking things off with French Rococo and ending it with Parian glamour by the Eiffel Tower, here are all the highlights from day 1 of Paris Fashion Week SS26.
Weinsanto
Opening this season’s Paris Fashion Week was Weinsanto with his SS26 collection. And no, you’re not reading this wrong; this is the same Weinsanto that was on the runway at Dubai Fashion Week. Now, three weeks later, we have our debut cover star, Ameni Esseibi, in Weinsanto’s French Rococo-inspired collection—corsets, pin-up curls, and intricate floral embroideries. Accessories ruled the collection with plenty of 24 karat gold and diamond creations by jeweller Maxence Van Der Bauwede and an embroidered hat tilted to the side, enveloping half the face. Modest looks were few and far between in this collection but to the dressers who love corsetry, there are plenty of ways to implement Weinsanto’s collection through clever layering.
Julie Kegels
Showcasing her SS26 show under a Parisian metro train riding above, Julie Kegels’s “Quick Change” was all about the magic (or rather the work) of performing femininity and the rush of modern life placed upon her. Models were not really strutting, but rather changing their clothes, as they walked down the runway. Buttons left undone, dresses unfastened into skirts, and shirts were half tucked and bunched up. Transformation and change were the spotlight and the silhouette, defining and redefining each garment. Pleated skirts were dominant in this collection, and we also saw plenty of fluid silks and satins that drape and define the body. We also saw a cheeky nod to a garment bag redefined as a carry-on, a statement to Kegel’s overall message of rush and change.
Saint Laurent
And closing Day 1 was Saint Laurent in a powerful show of power dressing. Right at the heart of Paris, with the Eiffel Tower as a statement accessory, models strutted down hedges that were shaped in a giant Cassandre logo. Speaking on quiet confidence, the clothes were sharp with bomber jackets, leather trenches, and absurdly dramatic shoulders that added weight and power with every movement. One of the many translucent trenches from the collection made its way onto supermodel Bella Hadid—a golden hue paired with sheer black tights and oversized accessories to match her oversized shoulders. A series of dramatically draped dresses followed through, where balloon sleeves and ruffles dominated the silhouette, adding flair and boldness through their movement, and cementing the Saint Laurent woman as unapologetically fierce.
