Forget the runway — catch the real show in the…
Fashion took a backseat to fame in the City of Light this fall.
Paris fashion week’s spring/summer season 2026 exhibits wrap Tuesday, Oct. 7, after 9 jam-packed days of couture, chaos and movie star cameos — but this 12 months, it wasn’t the garments turning heads.
Last 12 months, Rick Owens’ sci-fi balaclavas, Dior’s archer Grecian sneaker-goddesses and Miu Miu’s delightfully matted bandage stylish ruled the runways and impressed trends on social media.
A row for the ages: Anna Wintour, Helen Mirren, Cara Delevingne and Anitta made for a splashy entrance row at Stella McCartney’s show. Matteo Prandoni/BFA.com/Shutterstock
This time? The real show was in the seats.
It’s the battle of celebs versus couture — and this season, the stars stole the show.
Paris, Milan, Manhattan — same circus, different tent
Pamela Anderson sports activities a fiery new ‘do alongside Naomi Watts at the Mugler show during Paris fashion week. Dave Benett/Getty Images
Across fashion month — from New York to Milan to Paris — followers could also be struggling to title a single standout look.
The highlight has shifted from hemlines to headliners, with A-listers in the entrance row stealing more thunder than the fashions strutting past them.
The flashes, of course, had been blinding — but not for the garments.
Jisoo, Jennifer Lawrence and Greta Lee attend the Dior gathering in Paris. REUTERS
Zendaya memorably shimmered in a bow-bedecked metallic mini coat costume at Louis Vuitton.
Kylie Jenner sultrily turned Miu Miu into her own lace-clad circus. (Remember when Karl Lagerfeld’s strut might outshine the Kardashians? Now the Kardashians strut past the runway.)
And in the most meta second of fashion month, Meryl Streep confirmed up to Dolce & Gabbana in full “Devil Wears Prada 2” mode — alongside co-star Stanley Tucci — to face off with the real Anna Wintour in Milan.
Groundbreaking: Stanley Tucci and Meryl Streep channel their “The Devil Wears Prada 2” characters Nigel Kipling and Miranda Priestly at Milan fashion week on Sept. 27. Courtesy of Dolce&Gabbana
Arianna Alessi, Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner got here out for the Maison Margiela show in Paris. Getty Images
Gone are the days when Hubert de Givenchy was as well-known as Audrey Hepburn, or Karl Lagerfeld stalked the runway in his flirty, little black gloves.
It’s a testomony to how the energy dynamic is shifting.
These days, it’s not about the garments — it’s about who’s paid to sit in them.
Booty shorts and big names steal Saint Laurent’s shine
Lady in pink: Charli XCX dropped by to witness the Saint Laurent runway in France. Getty Images
Zoë Kravitz also paid a go to to Saint Laurent. Getty Images
Saint Laurent welcomed Lourdes Leon and mother Madonna in Paris. Getty Images
At Yves Saint Laurent’s Spring 2026 show beneath the glow of the Eiffel Tower, few might recall precisely what Anthony Vaccarello despatched down the runway — but everybody remembered the entrance row.
Hailey Bieber, Zoë Kravitz and Charli XCX stole the highlight, ditching pants for frilly, fairy-core “booty shorts” so candy they might provide you with a cavity.
And since they wore them, anticipate every sidewalk to flip into a cheeky runway soon.
Balenciaga turns into Anne Hathaway and Meghan Markle’s runway
Meghan Markle made a headline-grabbing shock look at Balenciaga on Saturday, Oct. 4. Getty Images for Balenciaga
Simone Ashley and Anne Hathaway also stopped by the Balenciaga show. Getty Images for Balenciaga
Anne Hathaway turned heads at Balenciaga’s Spring 2026 show in a customized high-low graphic tee with a floor-length back that was impressed by the assortment — not that anybody might let you know what was really on the runway.
Meghan Markle also made her Paris Fashion Week debut at Balenciaga, swanning in carrying a white cape over silky trousers — and just like that, the catwalk grew to become an afterthought.
The designers, poor issues, are merely attempting to keep up.
Demna Gvasalia’s extremely anticipated premiere at Gucci — yes, the boy surprise who left Balenciaga for the Italian powerhouse — was supposed to be the tectonic shift of Milan.
Designers play catch-up
BTS singer Jin drew a lot of media consideration when he hit the Gucci show in Milan last month. Getty Images for Gucci
Gvasalia debuted his first assortment with a short movie, “The Tiger,” a subtle but in the end self-aware nod to the “House of Gucci” drama.
While the assortment showcased his subversive aesthetic and promised glamorous household values for the model, the dialog shifted toward the steamy, dreamy glitterati.
Gucci’s market dominance was largely pushed by strategic movie star appointments, with Okay-pop ambassador Jin of BTS single-handedly producing large media worth and model mentions online.
Give us a waxed chest and a BTS singer in a low-cut shirt, and all bets are off.
The future of fashion: fame first, designs second?
Starry scene: Edward Norton, Gwyneth Paltrow, Demi Moore and Halina Reijn cozied up for the Gucci show in Milan. Getty Images for Gucci
Kim Petras, Demi Lovato, Jenna Ortega and Taylor Hill had front-row seats for Ann Demeulemeester on Saturday in Paris. Getty Images
Rumor has it Sydney Sweeney is dipping her toes into lingerie, reportedly with backing from a Bezos-linked investor, according to US Weekly.
Celebrity launches are nothing new for the Kardashians or Jenners, but Sweeney — still rising in the A-list ranks — is a gutsy decide for the lingerie world.
Owning a celebrity-backed model is a entire different recreation than merely lending your face to an current label, like the current GAP marketing campaign with Okay-pop woman group KATSEYE or the upcoming GapStudio collab starring Gwyneth Paltrow and her daughter, Apple Martin.
It appears the future of fashion could belong to celebrities as family names — with designers forged as supporting gamers you possibly can’t fairly title but can’t neglect.
Stay in the loop with the latest trending topics! Visit our web site daily for the freshest lifestyle news and content, thoughtfully curated to inspire and inform you.