Welcome to our new series: an unfiltered, stream of consciousness Paris fashion week fall 2026 diary recounting the real life moments, thoughts, and magical highlights that make the best week of fashion month so interesting.
The first day of Paris fashion week always starts late, and it almost always is only focused on smaller brands which makes it extremely fun and low pressure. At the same time, I always wonder if it disadvantages these tinier labels since some people won’t when arrive to Paris until later in the week. If I have the time, I love supporting newer labels. I wish we saw more people in the industry take a similar stance.
I got dressed in one of my favorite Marni coats and a colorful dress from Proenza Schouler and headed out around noon, with enough jewelry for all of Paris to hear me coming from a mile away, and one of my treasured gold sequin hats. Some of you may already know that I plan all my outfits in advance so I can maximize my time on other things like writing and seeing the shows.
However, I had a 4PM start. And if I’m not going to shows I will be going to vintage shops: I headed straight to the second location of Bobby, one of the best vintage consignment stores in Paris in my opinion, and tried on some random French gems including a vintage Jean Paul Gaultier sweater I didn’t end up getting. I did leave with an extremely Y2K-coded animal print and pink rose top. (Also, I’ll be sharing my list of best vintage in Paris and every single thing I bought soon).
My first show was Weinsanto which is always extreme; usually it involves some kind of eclectic component and this time two dancers performed a dramatic duet that involved snatching the iPhone of another front row guest, splits, aggressive ballet and dropping said iPhone on the floor (anonymous brunette guy was pissed!). This show always feels like the best opening moment of PFW; there’s a bold energy and the kind of vibe of not taking itself so seriously. You don’t see many mainstream editors attend this one because it’s kind of niche. The designer, Victor Weinsanto, is a total club kid and this particular collection was inspired by Manko Club on Avenue Montaigne, where he used to hang out (and the same place where he met Michèle Lamy.) It’s also one of the few labels where you will definitely see age, body and beauty diversity in a pretty profound way.
Burc Akyol was next; an emerging designer who makes a lot of interesting outerwear in really unusual shapes. The show took place inside the Institut du Monde Arabe, which was hosting a handful of designers this season. I made the mistake of walking instead taking the elevator because someone said it was on the 2nd floor. Dear reader, it was not. I was struggling in my backless sneakers. Instead it was on the 9th floor. Some really beautiful purple pants were the highlight for me. I also think purple is the biggest color trends of the fall 2026 season; but more on that later.
The next show was Hodakova; one of my absolute favorites of the entire fashion month. It was inside the Carousel du Louvre which is a corporate-like venue that somehow became the new favorite of PFW overnight. Designer Ellen Hodakova Larsson is really an artist. She takes the energy of the everyday and totally subverts it into the bizarre, weird and wonderful perplexing cuts that bend and contort the average idea of fashion. Fur coats and suits were removed and pulled away from the body, repositioned as kind of sculptural forms expelled from the frame. It’s deconstruction on a new level. Last season she had a model wear a cello and to tell the truth, I really look forward to her totally unwearable pieces too. We need to feel a bit of humor and shock to shake us to our core. This time, chairs and hair-covered structures were turned into outfits. Toward the end of the show, models sat down on carpets and turned them into dresses, skirts and tops. I thought of Hussein Chalayan. Very impressive and a reminder that performance art is always welcome when it serves the purpose of showcasing the function of unusual clothing.
Vaquera came next, inside a church. It’s one of those shows that has a really cool and crazy crowd outside but this time it felt a little dead; not sure if that was because the venue was particularly far this time or because they recently changed PR. However! The collection felt really new than what we usually see from the dynamic design duo. Cryptic show notes were on everyone’s seats, prompting some chatter as if to whether this was the brand’s last show or if they may be in some kind of financial trouble. The label delivered a campy, BDSM inspired collection with hints of 1960s couture and a bit of wacky Pierre Cardin thrown in, featuring music from Austin Powers. It read as a little ostentatiously unwearable (and this is coming from a girl who own over ten wild pieces from Vaquera) and a little out of touch in terms of nudity but it was definitely bold and interesting. Bring on the big shapes and weird face coverings!
All images © Sudden Chic.
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