Spring/Summer 2026 ushered in a transformative chapter for several iconic fashion houses at Paris Fashion Week.
The much-anticipated reshuffling of creative directors earlier in the year brought fresh energy and vision to the runways, with influential names like Jonathan Anderson, Matthieu Blazy, Glenn Martens, Pierpaolo Piccioli, Alessandro Michele and the duo Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez reinterpreting the legacies of storied maisons including Dior, Chanel, Maison Margiela, Balenciaga, Valentino and Loewe.
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For many, denim was part of their vision. Anderson’s array of Y2K denim miniskirts was confirmation that Dior is vying for more youthful and accessible vibe. The skirts were paired with knit capes, vests and denim shirts with ruffles and bows. The collection also made room for easy straight-fitting jeans with gray-tinted washes.
Crisp jeans with center creases, patch pockets and elegant gold hardware framed Michele’s perfectly tailored jackets at Valentino. Furry textures added a tactile surprise to Loewe’s oversized jean shorts and slouchy jeans. Vintage dark wash shorts and bootcut jeans balanced Balenciaga’s luxe outerwear.
Meanwhile, Martens leaned into his denim expertise for Maison Margiela, showcasing jeans with elongated rises, deconstructed maxi skirts and a duster jacket with a pieced construction.
Outside the traditional houses, labels like Acne Studios and Casablanca added visual interest to jeans with bold and brash washes and finishing treatments.
In Paris, denim trends were less about traditional fits and more about unique constructions. Coperni showed several pairs of jeans with spliced legs, creating a skirt-like silhouette. Viktor & Rolf played with exaggerated pointed collars and shorts with built in denim jackets tied around the waist. Vaquera styled jeans on models backwards
There were still moments of statement fashion. Gold hardware and an abundance of pockets decorated Zimmermann’s range of true indigo flares, bell-bottoms and jackets with voluminous sleeves. Elie Saab showed silk trousers and skirts printed to look like washed denim and Stella McCartney played with various washes and seams to create striped constructions.
