Paris Fashion Week AW26 is big on statements, not subtlety

Paris, we’ve finally arrived at our final fashion week stop, and things haven’t run out of steam just yet. Julie Kegels brought the theatrics, courtesy of her considered approach to ready-to-wear – philosopher Martin Heidegger was one of many inspirations this time around. Silk linings and quilted coats complemented pastel-pink pyjamas; raw-hem dresses were paired with makeshift ballet flats; cut-out eye masks worked in tandem with contrasting shirt and knit pairings. Gloves were cropped, cutting off above the wrist, while the end of the collection presented fine, sheer draping with zig-zag patterned tights, high boots, and sculptural dresses.

At Hodakova, the eccentricity continued (Ellen Hodakova Larsson’s MO, some might say), and wearable furniture stole the AW26 show. A wooden structure took centre stage, as models wore literal chairs as weaved throughout the set. One model carried a piece of glass with a cut-out hold which allowed her to carry it over her shoulder like a Sainsbury’s bag for life; perhaps Hodakova was feeling particularly introspective this season, too, as mirrors were placed at the back of models’ heads so the audience could see themselves reflected as they rounded the runway. Another model even stitched a carpet while sitting on the ground, before standing up and turning it into a makeshift skirt. Need we remind you this all happened on day one?

At the Vaquera show, JT of City Girls wore a massive ​“JT” necklace smothered in twinkling jewels, ​“Vaquera” emblazoned across suspenders and lucite platform heels. A dramatic outfit, to say the least, but JT was one of the more tame dressers on the front row of the AW26 show. Her seatmate, Ashnikko, wore a blue wig, red lipstick overlining her mouth, spilling across her face and neck, and a negligee-style asymmetric dress and trousers. All that to say: a Vaquera front row is always a good time. Now, onto the clothes.

Staged inside a church, showgoers took up various pews, and a bridal chorus signalled the start of the show. Fittingly a bride opened the show in a dress sprinkled with confetti as she sped down the aisle. Before you could blink, the next model, in a hooded, shrunken cape and a thong appeared with a green heart on her abdomen. Eschewing the ​’80s silhouettes that have become a staple of the brand under designers Patric DiCaprio and Bryn Taubensee, it quickly became clear that the ​’60s were more of a focus this season. Shapes weren’t voluminous, rather they were flat and neon-hued – pink, green, yellow – while shift dresses were sliced at the sides and ruched. Leather sets were geometric or covered in zips to conceal or reveal, and veils and shields were a core part of the looks.

A show invite encompassing the miniature green chairs that inhabit the Jardin des Tuileries was served to Dior guests for AW26. A little clue into the inner workings of Jonathan Anderson’s mind. The distinctive chairs – and legendary park – set the scene inside a glass sculptural building with a pond at its centre, covered in fake water lilies. Door boys saw the crowd outside, which included Love Story​’s Paul Anthony Kelly, Anya Taylor-Joy, Willow Smith and Charlize Theron, among others. We spotted Jonathan’s dad, who had some sweet words for his son ahead of the show.

This season, Anderson asked: what do we look like when we’re taking a stroll, whether in a decades-old park in Paris or through your local? What does that look like now? It turns out, nothing less than double jacquard, floral motifs, coats that are both refined yet still fluid in movement, as modelled by Mona Tougaard and Lily McMenamy; heady, decorated jeans, bows, and beading trailing at the end of hems. Take us to the garden, Jonathan.