Paris Haute Couture Week for the FW25/26 season is currently in full swing – unfolding from 7–10 July 2025.

The festivities commenced with a dramatic show courtesy of Daniel Roseberry at Schiaparelli, whose theatrical presentation set the tone for the days ahead (a show punctuated by a striking appearance from Cardi B, who turned heads with a live crow poised on her hand.)

This season is poised to be one of pivotal transitions. Demna will present his final collection for Balenciaga, marking the end of an influential chapter, while Glenn Martens is set to unveil his highly anticipated debut at Maison Margiela, signalling a bold new direction for the storied house post-Galliano.

Notably absent from the schedule are Dior and Valentino, both of which are recalibrating their couture calendars amid leadership changes under newly appointed creative directors, but nevertheless, anticipation remains high as the week promises major moments ahead, with presentations from CHANEL (not yet under Blazy), Giorgio Armani Privé, Robert Wun, and Viktor & Rolf.

For all the highlights, read on...

Maison Margiela

Martens' debut at Margiela was another of the season's hotly anticipated shows. Steering the house into a raw, dark, and DIY aesthetic, he paid homage to its avant-garde roots. Held in the cavernous Le Centquatre venue, the show featured weathered fabrics, eerie face coverings, and repurposed materials.

Viktor&Rolf

Viktor & Rolf’s Fall 2025 couture show took flight with a whimsical exploration of feathers, presenting 15 mirrored looks – one adorned in vibrant faux plumes, the other stripped bare – highlighting the contrast between theatrical fantasy and wearable elegance. Inspired by freedom and humour, the collection balanced Victorian nostalgia with modern playfulness, topped with exuberant headpieces by milliner Stephen Jones.

Balenciaga

Ending his decade-long tenure at the helm of Balenciaga, Demna's final couture collection was a star-studded affair, and homage to the greats – Monroe, Taylor. Staged at the House’s salons on Avenue George V, tailoring was sharp, referencing Victorian sihouettes but reengineered for the modern wearer. The closing soundtrack was a rendition of Sade’s No Ordinary Love, a personal choice the designer described as the soundtrack of his life since childhood.

Robert Wun

Robert Wun’s Fall 2025 couture show was typically surreal and theatrical, inspired by the chaos behind the scenes at the Met Gala, and blending cinematic storytelling with fashion as a tool of transformation. From blood-stained satin quilts to sculptural garments with phantom limbs, the collection explored identity through elaborate trompe-l’oeil tailoring and eerie, dreamlike silhouettes.

Giorgio Armani Privé

Armani's Privé collection was as French as they come – smoking suits and berets, slinky gowns and Bohemian influences. Luxurious black velvet ensembles were adorned with glittering details, presented at the label’s opulent headquarters. Although Armani himself was absent due to health reasons, the House attests he remotely directed every aspect of the show.

CHANEL

CHANEL’s last collection before Matthieu Blazy takes the reigns in September celebrated a return to nature, with countryside-inspired scenography and wheat motifs subtly woven through the collection. Highlights included soft mohair tweeds, menswear-inspired silhouettes, and a finale bridal gown accompanied by a bale of golden wheat in hand. Guests like Laufey, Gracie Abrams, Lorde packed the Palais Garnier for the show.

Schiaparelli

Packed with notable guests like Dua Lipa, Hunter Schafer and Cardi B (holding a live black raven, no less), Paris’ Petit Palais came alive with the latest from Daniel Roseberry. The collection was at once Gothic, regal, futuristic and regency-inspired, the palette restrained to monochromes and reds, the silhouettes inspired and unconventional. Highlights included a the “Apollo of Versailles” cape – originally designed for actor Elsie de Wolfe in the late 30s – reimagined for the show, and a trompe-l'œil  chest fashion to the back of a gown, and complete with a jewel-encrusted, beating heart necklace.

Iris Van Herpen

Dutch designer Iris Van Herpen unveiled her FW 2025/26 collection, Sympoiesis, a visionary fusion of biology and fashion that imagined garments as living, breathing organisms. The show’s centrepiece – a glowing dress embedded with millions of bioluminescent algae – captivated guests with its eerie, oceanic shimmer. As one of couture’s last independents, Van Herpen reaffirmed her place at the cutting edge, using cutting-edge materials and radical ideas to reimagine the future of fashion.

Tamara Ralph

Ralph's La Perle Rare collection was a harkening back to old school cinematic glamour. Gowns cinched in at the waists formed subtle hourglasses, hugged by mother of pearl breast plates, or encased by strands of dripping pearls. The palette for the season was soft and champagne-inspired – ranging from ivory whites to soft nudes and skin-like pinks. And of course, it was all about the glitter. From gold-fringed dresses (that were very Bond-girl-esque), to bulbous sequinned gowns perfect for a red carpet moment.