Paris Fashion Week FW26: A Season of New Beginnings and Strategic Shifts

Unveiling Tomorrow's Trends: Paris Fashion Week Redefines the Runway

Anticipated Schedule and Format Adjustments for Paris Fashion Week

The official calendar for Paris Fashion Week's Fall/Winter 2026 women's ready-to-wear collections has been announced. This season, spanning from March 2nd to March 10th, will showcase a total of 68 shows and 31 presentations. This marks a slight adjustment from the Fall 2025 season, which featured 71 shows and 37 presentations, indicating a streamlined approach by the organizing body.

Significant Debuts and Notable Departures Shaping the Season

While the Spring 2026 collections brought a surge of new designers, the upcoming FW26 season in Paris introduces a singular, highly anticipated debut: Antonin Tron, founder of Atlein, taking the helm at Balmain. Tron is set to unveil his inaugural collection for the iconic French house on March 4th. Concurrently, the fashion world will witness Pieter Mulier's final presentation for Alaïa, as he transitions to his new role as Chief Creative Officer at Versace.

Spotlight on Second Collections and Returning Brands

A major focus this season will be on the sophomore women's wear collections from several prominent designers. These include Jonathan Anderson for Dior on March 3rd, Mark Thomas for Carven on March 5th, and Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez's co-ed show for Loewe on March 6th. Miguel Castro Freitas will also present for Mugler on March 6th, followed by Pierpaolo Piccioli for Balenciaga on March 7th. Duran Lantink will show for Jean Paul Gaultier on March 8th, and Matthieu Blazy for Chanel on March 9th. Notably, Off-White, after a stint at New York Fashion Week, is scheduled to return to the Parisian stage.

Emerging Talent and Fresh Perspectives in Fashion

The official show schedule welcomes new faces with the inclusion of Ukrainian brand Litkovska and Georgian brand Situationist. The presentation calendar will also feature newcomers such as Co, Eenk, and Time, offering fresh perspectives and expanding the creative breadth of Paris Fashion Week.

Strategic Absences and Alternative Presentation Formats

Several established brands have opted for alternative approaches this season. Valentino will be absent from Paris, instead staging a show in Rome on March 12th, a move described as an homage to the brand's heritage by Creative Director Alessandro Michele, with plans to return to Paris for future collections. Coperni has decided to skip the season entirely, with co-founders Sébastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant citing a need to regain full control over the brand's trajectory. Meryll Rogge will present her namesake label during Paris Fashion Week Men's in June, but will first debut her Marni collection in Milan. Sacai will also sit out the show schedule, opting for a lookbook presentation for its women's collection, with a planned return to Paris in June (men's) and September (women's). Other notable absentees include Maison Margiela, Vetements, Leonard, Casablanca, Christopher Esber, and Thom Browne, who will unveil his FW26 collection at the GQ Bowl in San Francisco.