Fashion as Cultural Dialogue
January marks the return of Paris Fashion Week, once again positioning the city not merely as a fashion capital, but as a global cultural forum. More than a succession of runway shows, Paris Fashion Week continues to function as a space where heritage, innovation, emotion and identity intersect ; a dialogue between past and future, craftsmanship and modernity, artistry and commerce.
In a world moving at an accelerated pace, the Winter 2026/27 and Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2026 seasons offered a collective pause. Designers used Paris not to shout louder, but to speak with intention, through setting, music, symbolism and material choices.
For creative professionals, these moments go far beyond clothing. They shape the way image, silhouette, texture and attitude are perceived globally, values deeply connected to hair, make-up and the art of personal expression.
Louis Vuitton Men: Designing for Permanence
At the Fondation Louis Vuitton, Pharrell Williams, Creative Director of Louis Vuitton Men, presented his sixth collection on January 20, delivering a statement rooted in durability rather than immediacy.
Described by Williams as a collection “designed to last rather than disappear,” the show focused on functionality, know-how and human needs — a deliberate shift away from fleeting trends. The scenography reinforced this intention: a custom-designed glass structure, the “Drophaus,” surrounded by a bucolic garden, became the emotional core of the presentation.
Music played a central role in shaping the experience. An orchestra, accompanied by The Voices of Fire gospel choir, elevated the show into an immersive, almost spiritual moment. Models moved around and within the structure, blurring boundaries between architecture, fashion and performance.
This presentation highlighted a growing movement within luxury: creating with longevity in mind, both aesthetically and culturally.
📎 Video:
https://youtu.be/3VSghNTL_pY
📎 Louis Vuitton:
https://fr.louisvuitton.com/fra-fr/magazine/articles/men-fall-winter-2026-show
Jacquemus: Humility, Heritage and Sensual Memory
As the closing act of Paris Men’s Fashion Week, Simon Porte Jacquemus offered one of the most emotionally charged presentations of the season.
Staged inside the Picasso Museum, in the heart of the Marais, the show paid tribute to Paloma Picasso, blending personal memory, artistic heritage and contemporary relevance. The collection overflowed with references to Pablo Picasso, Paloma Picasso herself, and iconic elements of the Jacquemus universe.
Rather than relying on spectacle, Jacquemus made the deliberate choice to strip the garments of all artifice. Marked by humility, the collection echoed the designer’s origins and creative journey — a return to essentials that felt both intimate and confident.
The most striking moment came in the final look: a meticulous reinterpretation of a 1973 Helmut Newton photograph featuring Paloma Picasso. Recreated in every detail, the gesture was sensual, powerful and deeply symbolic — questioning femininity while reaffirming a recurring theme within the house’s identity.
The men’s wardrobe, intentionally uneven yet daring, explored playful colour palettes and inventive takes on the tuxedo. This experimental spirit reflects a tangible evolution: Jacquemus confirmed that men’s ready-to-wear now equals women’s in commercial weight, driven by the success of trousers, shirts and tailoring.
This balance between emotion, heritage and business maturity defines Jacquemus today — and signals a broader shift in how authenticity translates into success.
📎 Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4MXmKB4qkM
📎 Jacquemus:
https://www.jacquemus.com/fw26/lepalmier
Chanel Haute Couture: A Dreamlike Continuity
On January 27, under the glass roof of the Grand Palais, Chanel unveiled its first Haute Couture collection by Matthieu Blazy — a moment rich in symbolism and continuity.
Set within a dreamlike forest of willow trees and mushrooms, bathed in the soft glow of dawn, the Spring/Summer 2026 collection unfolded like a waking dream. Ethereal silhouettes floated through the space, reinforcing Chanel’s long-standing pursuit of lightness and movement.
Blazy reaffirmed the central role of haute couture within the house, stating:
“Haute couture is the very essence of Chanel — it is its foundation and its fullest expression.”
The show paid subtle homage to Gabrielle Chanel, who began her career as a milliner and presented her first couture collection in 1915. More than a century later, this heritage was reinterpreted through 54 couture silhouettes, delicate yet precise.
Iconic symbols appeared throughout the collection — a love letter, a N°5 bottle, a red lipstick — hidden in pockets, embroidered into linings, woven into chains or reimagined through airy versions of the house’s most emblematic bag. These discreet gestures transformed heritage into intimate storytelling.
📎 Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5QhKDc5V4Y
📎 Chanel:
https://www.chanel.com/fr/haute-couture/printemps-ete-2026/
Paris as a Global Creative Crossroads
Beyond individual collections, Paris Fashion Week reaffirmed its role as a global meeting point — where fashion converses with architecture, music, art and memory.
For hairdressers, make-up artists and creative leaders, these shows offer more than visual references. They reflect how identity, emotion and craftsmanship are expressed in today’s world — and how creativity gains strength when rooted in meaning.
Fashion, like beauty, does not exist in isolation. It absorbs cultural signals, translates societal moods and shapes how individuals present themselves to the world.
Official calendars and publications
📎 Paris Fashion Week – Men Autumn/Winter 2026–27:
https://www.fhcm.paris/fr/paris-fashion-week/collections
📎 Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2026:
https://www.fhcm.paris/fr/haute-couture-week/calendar
📎 Sources:
https://numero.com/en/fashion/fashion-week-en/jacquemus-pays-tribute-to-paloma-picasso/
https://www.lofficiel.com/fashion-week/chez-jacquemus-elegance-sculpturale-et-nostalgie-eighties
https://numero.com/mode/fashion-week/chanel-matthieu-blazy-fait-rever-la-haute-couture/
https://www.franceinfo.fr/culture/mode/fashion-week/
📎 Vogue analysis:
https://www.vogue.com/article/paris-fashion-week-mens-fall-winter-2026-and-couture-cheat-sheet
Intercoiffure Mondial
