Chanel show finale, Grand Palais, Paris, January 27. CHANEL
As the Paris fashion week ready-to-wear calendar grows increasingly packed each season, crowded with ambitious brands from around the world, the haute couture week appears more subdued by comparison. Twenty-eight shows are scheduled for the spring-summer 2026 season, taking place from January 26 to 29, matching last season's count. Among them, only three historic French fashion houses – Schiaparelli, Dior and Chanel – remain, with few names generating real excitement.
Many designers continue to stick faithfully to princess gowns, and those who try to break away often struggle to avoid the grandiosity that seems inherent to haute couture. Two events made Tuesday, January 27 particularly notable: Matthieu Blazy's first haute couture show for Chanel and the debut Armani Privé collection without Giorgio Armani, who died on September 4, 2025.
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Giorgio Armani, one of the makers of modern fashion, is dead
