Amid a constant flow of newness, fashion often forgets that every trend, every collection, and every sample is the result of actual people putting in time and energy to bring it to life. Chemena Kamali used her latest Paris Fashion Week runway for Chloé to remind us of that fact.
Titled “The Devotion Collection,” winter 2026 is Kamali’s love letter to the art of making clothes. The process of working on her latest runway assortment “has been a reflection on humanity, empathy, and devotion—on how clothing can both hold emotion and carry memory,” she wrote in the show notes. “In a world that often feels mechanized and accelerated, I felt drawn back to the essence of making.”
She draws attention to the “effort and time” that goes into each and every piece that walks down the runway, “every embroidery, knitted thread, and printed motif.” We may only see the garments for a few seconds during a 15-minute fashion show, but take the time to really look and you’ll notice “the unique irregularities that make them feel human.”
Kamali continued to play on pieces that are becoming signatures of her Chloé, such as the funnel-neck coat (now in a dark blue nylon-esque fabric, with contrasting collar and cuffs), the billowing puff sleeves, and the pleated pants gathered at the ankle. References to traditional dress and folkloric craft were everywhere in the form of homespun florals. And, of course, this being Chloé, there’s also always something for the horse girls—this time, a black belt with a large silver buckle depicting four galloping horses.
Beyond highlighting craftsmanship, the winter 2026 collection conveys the humanity of fashion in more figurative ways: soft fabrics, talismanic details, motifs that indicate human intervention in their creation. “This collection is an ode to those gestures of care,” the show notes said. “It is an invitation to see fashion not as escape, but as connection.”
Since she assumed the role of creative director, Kamali has masterfully toed the line between feeding into nostalgia (see: the rerelease of the iconic Paddington bag) and pushing the brand’s look forward in a way that speaks to a new generation. (Kamali’s fans span generations of It girls, from Addison Rae and Devon Lee Carlson to Sienna Miller and Jerry Hall). Part of the reason it has resonated so much is because it doesn’t feel forced. There’s an ease not just to the clothes, but to the whole proposition. As Kamali told W last year: “I love working with the past, and I love working with codes. I’m not afraid of them. I don’t want to fight them—it’s about embracing them but making them evolve.”
