The Top 8 Spring/Summer 2026 Fashion Shows

Facts, images, and context from past Fashion Weeks—in the VILED Media review.

The Spring/Summer 2026 season was a historic and revolutionary fashion month, with several major themes converging. High-profile debuts, styling reversals, and a radical shift in direction for dozens of leading brands. Outrageousness was replaced by a celebration of femininity. Theatricality was replaced by a focused interest in cut and texture. Kitsch was replaced by mindfulness. Designers rejected ostentatious, excessive styling, offering clothes that require no additional techniques but are beautiful in their own right. But despite their apparent simplicity and understatement, these are some of the most expensive collections in the brands' history. We explain why it's worth it.

Gucci

As a longtime partner of Gucci, VILED Group is especially pleased to know that we didn't have to say goodbye to the absolute genius of modern fashion, Demna, after his departure from Balenciaga. We continue our collaboration with the designer, but this time at Gucci. His debut at the House was the highlight of Milan Fashion Week. For the Spring/Summer 2026 season, Demna eschewed the runway, presenting a lookbook and a grand premiere of the short film The Tigre, worthy of an Oscar nomination. The Milan premiere turned into a full-fledged event with a dinner and party at Casa Cipriani, where guests dazzled in looks from the new collection. As for the pieces? A hybrid reimagining of the brand's codes through cinema: accent shoulders, heavy velvet, a combination of low-slung denim and patent leather, satin bows, monochrome all-over looks, and, of course, the now-viral tiger fur coat. The "movie instead of catwalk" format allowed the collection to be presented as a sequence of characters and moods, rather than a conveyor belt of performances. This explains Gucci's return to the center of fashion conversation—with an eye on the catwalk show in February.

Saint Laurent

A waterfall at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, a maze of mirrors, a velvet cube... For fashion industry insiders, a Saint Laurent show is always like an Olympic pole vault. Anthony Vaccarello reaches new heights, breaking his own record once again. The designer opened Paris Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2026 with a spectacular evening show featuring a snow-white floral installation in the shape of the iconic logo. The runway featured a three-act fashion play. The first section featured leather and 1980s aesthetics with wide-shouldered jackets and pencil skirts. The second featured trench dresses with a wet-nylon effect, enhancing the silhouettes. The third featured Victorian dresses with crinolines and ruffles in deep shades of ochre and plum. An aura of power and glamour.

Maison Margiela

The most unexpected emotional highlight of the season: Glenn Martens brought an orchestra of 61 children in tuxedos down the runway, deliberately "disturbing" the guests' ears with their off-key performance of Mozart and Prokofiev. This provocation was a tribute to Martin Margiela, who staged his first show in a children's playground. The clothes cemented the effect: a return to the spirit of Margiela's 1990s, with its clear deconstruction, recycling, and distressed fabrics. Silhouettes were built on rounded shoulders, slits, and deliberate asymmetry, with the insides of garments appearing on the inside. The shoes, of course, featured variations on the tabi theme.

Valentino

Alessandro Michele is "not himself": for the first time, he has completely abandoned the baroque, excessive styling that had previously been his signature. The pieces are presented "as is," with the emphasis on cut and fabric. Without layering. The conceptual framework of the collection is built around the theme of fireflies: the invitation was a set of glowing fishing lights, and in the manifesto, the designer referenced an essay by Pier Paolo Pasolini, where fireflies are "a metaphor for fragile hope." From airy dresses to tailored jackets, the pieces are literally imbued with this light. The use of transparent fabrics and delicate drapes deserves special admiration.

Balenciaga

Pierpaolo Piccioli's debut at Balenciaga was the talk of the town, even in aristocratic circles—the Duchess of Sussex herself attended. It was truly a show you couldn't miss. The show opened with a new take on Cristóbal Balenciaga's iconic Sack dress. This was followed by a black "architectural" collection, flashes of trendy purple, almost couture-like leather floral appliqués, and a new accessories line featuring the Bolero bag. The result—a resounding announcement of a long new chapter for the House.

Balmain

We consider it a fashion crime that Olivier Rousteing's new collection has been so little discussed! Against a backdrop of endless debuts and changes in direction, 15 years at the creative helm feels like a feat and a testament to his undeniable talent. This is perhaps Balmain's most relaxed yet distinctly French collection in years—looks created for an "urban safari" with soft drapes and sand-colored and laurel-colored two-pieces. A beautiful and original women's wardrobe that begs to be worn daytime, not just on the red carpet.

McQueen

People at Alexander McQueen have finally gotten used to Sean McGuire and stopped picking on him. The designer himself has become noticeably bolder and has gone on the offensive. He doesn't just suggest, he insists: wear grunge, bare your abs, and wear your trousers as low as your confidence allows. Visually, the collection looks like the quintessence of British chaos: classic military jackets, but cropped and slashed; fitted shirts with open backs; soft corsets; contrasting leather, silk, and mohair—it's pure rebellion, rebellion, rebellion.

Chloe

Among fashionistas, discussing floral prints in summer collections has always been considered bad form. They joked ironically, "Let Kate Middleton wear those boring roses." But even hardened fashion snobs, upon seeing the first Chloé looks, conceded defeat. Nineteen dresses featuring floral prints instantly made it onto every fashion fan's wishlist. It's not just beautiful—it's boho perfection.