Paris Fashion Week: A Showcase of Innovation and Provocation

Published
October 5, 2025

As Paris Fashion Week reaches its fifth day, the spotlight shines brightly on the womenswear ready-to-wear collections for Spring/Summer 2026. This year’s event has been marked by a vibrant exploration of themes such as freshness, lightness, and, in some cases, stark provocation. Designers like Leonard Paris and Giambattista Valli have embraced a celebratory spirit, while Vetements has taken a more controversial approach, challenging traditional norms in fashion.

Leonard Paris: A Nod to Hollywood Glamour

Leonard Paris, under the creative direction of German designer Georg Lux, transported attendees to the sun-soaked landscapes of California, evoking the glamour of Hollywood and Beverly Hills. The collection featured a range of evening and cocktail dresses, characterized by fluid minidresses and ethereal gowns crafted from lightweight silks. These garments appeared to float effortlessly, creating a mesmerizing effect with each movement.

Lux drew inspiration from iconic figures such as Faye Dunaway and Jerry Hall, as well as the vibrant illustrations of Puerto Rican artist Antonio Lopez. The collection paid homage to the opulence of the 1970s jet set and the golden age of Hollywood, showcasing draped gowns adorned with sequins that shimmered under the lights of the elegant private mansion in the 16th arrondissement, where Leonard Paris has been based since 2018.

Prints played a pivotal role in this collection, with designs featuring Californian palm motifs sourced from the brand’s 1980s archives, alongside an Art Deco floral theme that Leonard developed in the 1970s. New motifs, such as a striking red-and-orange poppy, adorned cotton-poplin dresses and were also incorporated into accessories like enamelled metal earrings and transparent recycled-plastic bags. The collection was a riot of colors and textures, with flowers in every conceivable shape and hue.

The upcoming summer wardrobe promises to be voluminous, featuring generous balloon sleeves, puffed silhouettes, and flared dresses. Contrasting elements, such as “cricket club”-style striped looks and tailored blazers, added a touch of masculinity while maintaining an air of glamour, crafted from greige twill and embellished with gold sequins and rhinestones.

Giambattista Valli: A Celebration of Nature

Just a stone’s throw from the Opéra on Boulevard des Capucines, Giambattista Valli welcomed guests into a whimsical setting adorned with baskets of fruit and wildflowers. The Italian couturier’s collection was a heartfelt tribute to nature, infused with a sense of innocence and simplicity.

Models donned colorful headscarves, blouses, and ample petticoats, evoking images of peasant women returning from the fields or shepherdesses from fairy tales. The garments were adorned with bucolic motifs, including flowers, bouquets, and butterflies, creating a pastoral aesthetic that resonated with the audience.

Natural materials such as linen and cotton dominated the collection, lending an authentic touch to the dresses, jackets, and shorts suits, which were embellished with hand-painted floral designs reminiscent of the still lifes of Dutch masters like Vermeer. Valli’s use of ruffles and airy volumes in delicate dresses created a sense of lightness, with colors inspired by summer fruits-peach, raspberry, lemon, cherry, strawberry, and plum.

The collection’s emphasis on organza, whether in embroidered cotton or crinkled silk, further enhanced the ethereal quality of the garments, making them perfect for the warm summer months ahead.

Vetements: A Controversial Return

In stark contrast to the celebratory themes of Leonard Paris and Giambattista Valli, Vetements made a bold statement with its latest collection, showcasing a provocative and controversial approach to fashion. After a hiatus from the runway, the brand returned to the iconic Champs-Élysées, this time taking over a concrete basement that once housed an Adidas store.

The show opened with a striking silhouette descending the stairs, clad in leather trousers and a white T-shirt emblazoned with a swastika crossed out by a prohibition sign. This jarring image set the tone for a collection that sought to challenge societal norms, but the execution left many observers questioning the intent behind the designs.

The show featured a series of outfits that appeared to objectify women, with models being systematically undressed at the back while male models were spared similar treatment. This stark contrast raised eyebrows and sparked discussions about gender representation in fashion. The garments often morphed into high-cut bodysuits, and even classic pieces like tweed suits were subverted, replaced by high-cut briefs.

The collection culminated in a dramatic finale, with a model in an elegant black crinoline gown, entirely open at the back, crossing the catwalk in tears. This poignant moment prompted speculation about the underlying message-was it a critique of the hypersexualization of women in fashion and the excesses of social media?

Guram Gvasalia, who took over as creative director in 2021, faces the challenge of balancing conceptual experimentation with a coherent narrative. While Vetements has a history of pushing boundaries, the latest collection’s execution has left some questioning whether the brand has strayed too far from its original ethos.

Conclusion

Paris Fashion Week continues to be a platform for innovation, creativity, and, at times, controversy. Designers like Leonard Paris and Giambattista Valli have embraced themes of lightness and nature, offering a refreshing take on summer fashion. In contrast, Vetements has sparked debate with its provocative approach, challenging the fashion industry to reflect on deeper societal issues. As the week unfolds, it remains to be seen how these diverse narratives will shape the future of fashion.