What’s worse than braving Paris in plus-35°C temperatures? Braving Paris in plus-35°C temperatures while wearing an enormous ballgown made of intricately embroidered beads/feathers/crystals. Spare a thought, then, for the models at this week’s AW26 Haute Couture shows, which took place amid a record-breaking heatwave. Even the celebrities in attendance were forced to sit on al fresco front rows without so much as a parasol to shield them from the rays. Anything in the name of fashion, I guess.

But what fashion it was. Representing the most labour-intensive, exacting and ambitious designs to hit the runways each season, the AW26 Haute Couture collections really delivered when it came to fantastical silhouettes and skilled craftsmanship. Plus, with some fresh faces taking their place alongside the established heavy-hitters on the schedule, there was much to write home about. Catch up on all the must-see looks below.

Dior

Fresh from designing one of the most anticipated wedding dresses of the 21st century – for Taylor Swift’s wedding to Travis Kelce – fans were undoubtedly hoping for some hints as to what the as-yet-unseen dress may have looked like on the brand’s Haute Couture runway. And while Jonathan Anderson closed the show with a series of bridal-inspired looks, unless Swift tied the knot in a co ord made of looped silk, we may be waiting a little longer for the big reveal.

Instead, Anderson looked to the work of American sculptor Lynda Benglis, and her longstanding relationship with Ahmedabad, for inspiration. Taking Benglis’ signature process of transforming two-dimensional materials through knotting, pleating and moulding, so the collection took luxe gossamer-fine couture fabrics and added texture via hand-plissé, draping, ruching and embroidery, creating the effect of both structure and fluidity. Dior’s signature sculptural silhouette was in evidence in tailored overcoats in vibrant tweeds (once again, spare a thought for those models) while the lush colours of Ahmedabad met with the fine traditional handcrafts of India across a collection that eschewed the overblown gowns often associated with Couture in favour of something a little more refined and discreet.

Fendi

In her first Couture collection for Fendi, former Dior creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri made a mind-blowing debut by paying homage to the Eternal City of Rome that she once called home. Using drapery and texture to create clothes which do not constrain, but move to the rhythm of movements, key pieces included capes and kimonos, paired with bold gold jewellery and – in an interesting move since Chiuri created the brand’s Baguette bag when she initially worked there in 1989 – not a handbag in sight.

Elsewhere, a series of outfits were designed to deliberately subvert expectations: fur is a feathers, and black and white stripes are held by tulle. The biggest message Chiuri was trying to send, however, was how clothes were crafted to evoke sensuality. Given she was not only Dior’s first female creative director, but also quadrupled the brand’s from 2016-2025, we can see her signature feminine flair across the catwalks here.

Standing Ground

It isn’t too often a wholly new name shows up on the Haute Couture schedule. Given the strict requirements a brand must meet to qualify, particularly in terms of how and where garments are produced, even for major fashion houses it can simply be too logistically difficult and, let’s face it, financially burdensome, to enter the Couture sphere. So it was with great excitement that we awaited the debut Couture collection from Standing Ground, the eveningwear brand founded by Royal College of Art graduate Michael Stewart in 2022.

Presented amid the grandeur of the Irish Embassy in Paris (Stewart hails from Clare), the 28-piece collection was an ode to the designer’s steadfast commitment to craft and precision cutting, while evolving ideas and techniques explored in Standing Ground’s previous ready-to-wear collections. “I think you shouldn’t feel the need to move on so quickly because there’s so much richness when you start working on something,” explained Stewart. “And I think we shouldn’t feel pressure as designers to abandon everything and come up with something new every season. There’s so much wealth in what we do that we can continue to develop.”

In Stewart’s case, this came in the form of his signature embedded beading, used to trace lines around and across the body on minimalist column gowns, which later found echoes in studded wrap waistlines and sculpted silhouettes. Stewart also collaborated with celebrated corsetmaker Mr Pearl on a series of moulded bodices of the kind that have become almost de rigueur at Couture week since Daniel Roseberry first took over at Schiaparelli. The effect was a vibe that oscillated between sci-fi warrior and mid-century Park Lane princess, and gave rise to a collection that was, overall, a highly sophisticated and confident debut outing.

Schiaparelli

In the, frankly rather refreshing, show notes for his AW26 Haute Couture collection for Schiaparelli, Daniel Roseberry detailed the failure he inflicted on himself by trying to recreate the successful creative process he went through for SS26. He saw that show as a breakthrough and so, his thinking process went, he simply needed to repeat the same steps to achieve the same results this time around. Instead, he says, “I entered a possibility-denying, misery-making cycle where nothing new was given room to come forward. Formulas are antithetical to the magic of creation, which can be found only in total surrender to the unknown.”

Finally giving in to the invisible hand of coincidence, uncertainty and unrestricted creativity, The Call of the Void was born: a collection that pushed Roseberry’s avant garde leanings further than ever before. Less surreal and more intrinsically artistic than his previous offerings – Roseberry spoke of a conscious intention to move away from Schiaparelli’s house codes – among the standout pieces were a series of heavily embroidered designs made of hundreds of flowers rendered from hosiery stretched on metal wires and pearls. Colours also softened, contrasting the house’s ever present gold with cornflower blue, ecru, violet, tangerine, and pale green, instead of Schiaparelli’s usual shocking pink. Roseberry continues to send out some of the most interesting and accomplished collections in any given season, and by giving himself the space to experiment, they’re just getting better.

Armani Privé

Silvana Armani worked with her late uncle for years before his death in September last year – and it was clear to see his aesthetic fingerprints all over her latest collection for the house’s Couture offshoot, Armani Privé. Long a fan of a luxe evening trouser and jacket combo, the first 32 looks of this 57-look collection were variations on this theme, with Armani choosing the lush velvets, beaded silks, and deep blues and purples also favoured by her uncle.

Gowns, too, followed a classic theme, with the most experimental pieces coming via tops designed as if to represent shimmering knotted sweaters and exaggerated curved necklines adding an element of the asymmetric. Silvana Armani clearly isn’t in the business of reinventing the wheel and, having built a business worth in excess of $5 billion, clearly Giorgio was doing something right. One gets the sense he would be very pleased with his successor.

Tamara Ralph

"Returning to Paris each season is always deeply special. Couture is built upon heritage, artistry and a relentless pursuit of beauty, and to contribute to that tradition with my own maison is something I never take for granted,” said Ralph of her AW26 Couture collection. “This collection feels particularly significant as it reflects not only a new creative chapter for the house, but also the confidence that comes from continuing to grow and evolve as a designer. With each collection, I seek to honour the enduring values of couture while continuing to push my creative vision forward."

On the runway, this evolution was apparent in a collection that was more romantic, whimsical and fluid than the heavily boned corsets and pencil skirts we’ve seen from Ralph in previous seasons. While her signature glamour remained in a palette of luminous metallics, intricate beading, hourglass silhouettes and padded hips, a South Asian inspiration saw a greater emphasis on draping, floaty chiffons and clothes that move in tune with the body, rather than restricting it. Imbued with a vintage-style femininity that delivers drama without severity, this was a jewellery box of a collection that Ralph’s clientele will undoubtedly take much pleasure in picking from.

Read more: The most dazzling High Jewellery collections of 2026