The crowds, the commotion, and, of course, the collections of Paris Fashion Week can feel like a days-long blur. How does one celebrate all the best parts of the biannual event, especially the smaller—but no less thoughtful—details that might go unnoticed? Below, we’ve rounded up every little thing we saw and loved during the fall 2026 runway shows and presentations.
All the Flourishes at Chanel
With all of the big “firsts” (first ready-to-wear, first métiers d’art, and first couture collection) behind him, Matthieu Blazy released his fall 2026 collection for Chanel—a stunning exploration of the brand’s classic woman, through the lens of a caterpillar/butterfly metaphor. The designer seemed in a more relaxed and playful mood this season, no longer so intent on crushing the bourgeois codes of the maison. At the re-see in Paris, we were able to check out the collection up close; the details, which we didn’t catch at first glance on the runway, were breathtaking. The iconic Chanel skirt suit was done in chainmail in one instance, while endlessly fun pairs of shoes included thigh-high boots. Even the buttons on blazers and cardigans were handmade and unique, like they’d been picked out of a basket at a marché aux puces.
Balenciaga’s Euphoric Moment
Former W cover star Danielle Deadwyler provided the opening voiceover for Balenciaga’s show—and took a seat in the front row. Pierpaolo Piccioli’s latest collection also features a collaboration with Euphoria, in which Deadwyler will appear next season.
A Stroll Through the Tuileries With Dior
We were obsessed with Jonathan Anderson’s myriad iterations of the Bar jacket at Dior—from cropped peplum versions to fuzzy, high-low styles with petticoats underneath. Anderson’s brilliance lies in the way he remixes references with a streak of mischief. Coat dresses carried a rakish insouciance, and those cropped Bar jackets were a nod to the designer’s menswear looks.
Water lilies appeared as oversize brooches with yellow centers and fluttery pink metal petals, as well as in prints and three-dimensional motifs on bags and shoes. Coming from a man with a thing for anthuriums, they felt entirely Anderson while also acknowledging Dior’s own love of flowers, from lily of the valley to roses.
The Row Remixes Quiet Luxury
There were tons of new styling ideas for quiet luxury grails at The Row—think gray tights with neutral and white shoes and a single strand of pearls worn beneath a sheer top.
Loewe’s Hot Crustacean Band
Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez went “Under the Sea” for fall 2026. Cosima Von Bonin-designed giant plushies of ocean creatures mingled among the front-row guests at the runway show. Later, editors discovered the brand had created a special lobster claw air pump specifically for the collection’s inflatable looks.
Le Smoking Parade
During Saint Laurent’s fall 2026 show, a procession of more than a dozen models wearing ever-so-slightly different versions of Yves Saint Laurent’s Le Smoking suit appeared on the runway. It was a sweet and low-key honoring of the house’s 60th anniversary.
A New Balmain Army Assembles
Antonin Tron made his debut for the French house, presenting a fall 2026 collection that drew upon founder Pierre Balmain’s signatures, including strong-shouldered silhouettes and military-inspired outerwear.
Twisted Elegance at Tom Ford
Tom Ford’s fall 2026 show was full of slyly executed, soon-to-be timeless ideas. A pinstripe suit with a flower brooch was the perfect evening look; a set of men walked in colorful shirting with perforated leather collars and ultra-skinny ties, a look that felt ’80s New Wave. In designer Haider Ackermann’s Tom Ford world, Patrick Bateman can be a man or a woman. Traditional silhouettes—including a clear plastic bonnet—become seductive and surprisingly subversive.
Pieter Mulier’s Alaïa Swan Song
Mulier’s final collection for Alaia began with pared-back, body-conscious dresses that slowly blossomed into more voluminous, layered looks—a reflection of his own creative journey during his five-year tenure with the maison.
Chloé’s Modern Boho
It’s astounding how, every season, Chloé manages to push the boundaries of what boho can look like. We loved the floor-sweeping skirts, which the brand styled with ’70s collegiate blazers.
The Theatrics at Junya Watanabe
Particularly when the model, Maggie Maurer, removed her shawl and tossed it into the audience. Talk about real fashion drama!
Michael Rider’s Tribute to Personal Style at Celine
Everything about Michael Rider’s Celine collection was spot-on. For fall, Rider looked to the way in which an individual’s personality shines through their ordinary wardrobe. “I love when messy, complex, layered inner lives come through underneath great clothes,” he explained in the show notes. “Thinking about people with style who wear beautiful clothes in a personal way. People you want to look at, get close to, spend holidays with. People with flair. People with bite. Putting on clothes, a look, can change the day. Change how we walk and feel. I love that.”
Givenchy by Sarah Burton’s Artful Accessories
At Givenchy fall 2026, milliner Stephen Jones stepped in to create hats that look like a T-shirt being pulled over the head but also gave a hint of Vermeer. Models wore the coverings with big doorknocker earrings—the result being a distinctly Girl With the Pearl Earring feel.
The Details at Hermès
Ostrich bags and clutches with built-in watches? Say less.
