Back to fun and unisex designs: the keys to Paris Fashion Week

BarcelonaAfter a month of catwalks in New York, London and Milan, fashion labels are finishing off the presentations of their autumn-winter 2025/2026 collections at Paris Fashion Week. But even though the calendar marks the preview of what will be seen in the shop windows in the coming months, this season there was a special expectation for the designs presented. In just a few months, fashion labels have experienced a great dance of musical chairs at the top management level, so it was expected that there would be a structural renewal of some of the most classic collections. And so it was. Let's review what we have seen at this key event in the fashion sector.

Louis Vuitton takes women on a trip

If there is a key theme on the catwalks seen in Paris, it is the rethinking of femininity. In the case of Louis Vuitton, the brand has depicted the modern woman as a free, intercultural and dynamic spirit, and has incorporated accessories such as travel bags and large handbags as another element of the style. In addition to this empowering leitmotiv, there have also been other key pieces in the brand's designs, such as scarves, large hats and structural coats.

To underline the versatility of the styles in the new collection, the French house has exploited the theme of travel to the point of seeing bags shaped like instrument cases in a setting that suited it like a glove: the Étoile du Nord station, one of the first symbols of railway innovation8, inaugurated5. The firm's own creative director of women's fashion, Nicolas Ghesquière, explained that the collection represents "all those crossroads that cross time and people's lives" and assured that the collection had been strongly inspired by cinema and literature, such as the book Murder on the Orient Express, Agatha Christie's take on this theme is nothing new for Louis Vuitton, as the French brand has been one of the pioneers in exploiting cruise collections, which, as their name suggests, are intended as a prelude to summer vacations and are intended to appeal directly to potential customers.

Valentino's genderless clothing

If Louis Vuitton's collection was an amalgam of fabrics and colours, Valentino has a clear idea of what the colour for next season's autumn-winter is: red. With the colour of sensuality and love, the French house has wanted to claim romanticism with lace fabrics, tulle and floral prints. However, this aesthetic historically linked to femininity has been blurred to serve a wider audience. From men with tight lace designs to models over 50 years old, they have all worn the same designs indiscriminately.

The transgenerational and unisex look has taken over the collection inspired by the 60s that bears the name Pavilion of Follies. As the name suggests, the designs presented reaffirm that the era of quiet luxury has come to an end. The confluence of layers, textures and colours has been revealed through styles that have been excessive and that have understood fashion as a performative game.

To reiterate the idea of entertainment, Valentino has launched one of the most anticipated collaborations of recent years. After the union between Adidas and Gucci seduced a large young public, the house The brand has also dared to relaunch the iconic sneakers from the American company Vans with models printed in different colors with the V logo, the first letter of both Valentino and Vans, on the sides of the shoes.

The deconstruction of Chanel's 'tweed'

Chanel was in charge of closing the French fashion week under the glass domes of the Grand Palais. The illustrious French firm has followed the trend of renewing the most classic styles, especially with regard to the outfits. tweedThe combination of both pieces has taken different forms, making them more portable and adding trendy transparent fabrics, to renew the aesthetics of what in the 60s had been a garment that marked the history of fashion.

Other elements that have stood out in the collection are the brand's accessories, such as pendants, earrings and large bracelets. These elements of different colors have been key to providing the touch folly who has also defended Valentino and who have been marked by the change of artistic director after the sudden departure of Virginie Viard. Despite the new air of the house, he front row has continued to be headlined by industry greats such as Anna Wintour, seated alongside singer Tyla, supermodel Naomi Campbell and the daughter of Princess of Monaco Charlotte Casiraghi.

Chloé's move

Although its catwalk was not held in a train station, Chloé has been one of the firms that has worked most with the movement of its pieces. Fringes and light fabrics have been key to giving the firm's designs a lot of movement in the styles, which gave them modernity, fluidity and presence, without losing the trend. boho chic that characterizes it.

Another key element in the collection presented by the house has been its accessories. After several seasons betting on metallic jewelry, this time it has returned to gold in bracelets and necklaces, as well as in belt buckles and clothing decoration.

The less risky firms

Following the success of the September catwalk led by Victoria Beckham, the British designer presented a new collection that attracted interest due to the presence of some of the most famous faces in the fashion industry. The designer has found the formula to remain faithful to structured, austere designs with the presence of blazers and large mussels.

Another brand that has advocated structural designs, as it has done in recent editions, has been Dior. Like Victoria Beckham, the French house has opted for dark winter colours, although unlike the British house, Dior has created large volumes through different transparent fabrics.