Fashion Weeks: Paris Record Shows, Armani Tribute

The European fashion calendar delivered institutional shifts and star-studded spectacle across Paris, Milan and London. Paris Fashion Week opened a record 111 SS26 shows and spotlighted eight houses debuting new artistic directors — including Jonathan Anderson at Dior and Matthieu Blazy at Chanel — while Nicolas Ghesquière staged Louis Vuitton’s show in the Louvre’s Anne of Austria apartments, presenting soft knits and pyjama-like separates with stars such as Zendaya and Emma Stone front row. Fendi named longtime designer Silvia Venturini Fendi Honorary President, and the Italian Embassy in Lisbon hosted a performative IED graduates’ show. Milan combined extremes of weather with an emotional tribute to Giorgio Armani and commercial runway highlights — from Boss and Max Mara’s earthy palettes to Ferragamo, Versace and Fendi’s bright colors — and viral moments like Meryl Streep at Dolce & Gabbana, even as the week was shadowed by an industry downturn, sweatshop allegations and a Gaza solidarity strike. London’s season closed under new British Fashion Council chief Laura Weir, with designers including Simone Rocha, Roksanda, Erdem, Chopova Lowena and Dilara Findikoglu emphasizing Victorian romance, dramatic silhouettes and punk-inflected looks. Across the three cities, the season blended heritage and commercial energy while intensifying debates over inclusion, sustainability and leadership that will shape the year ahead.