Harrods buyer impressed by Chanel and Dior debuts at PFW SS26

Paris Fashion Week spring/summer 2026, which took place from September 29 to October 7, saw debuts at Chanel, Dior, and Balenciaga, and delivered a season of “extraordinary reset,” according to Simon Longland, director of buying for fashion at luxury British department store Harrods.

Longland told FashionUnited over e-mail: “Paris offered a fashion week unlike any other. With so many debuts and sophomore collections, we saw an extraordinary reset that brought out the best in some of the industry’s most talented designers.

“There was a renewed sense of creativity and purpose throughout the week, which I believe will resonate particularly strongly in the months ahead. Nowhere was this more evident than in the accessories categories, which felt invigorated and ready to capture the imagination of clients globally.”

When it came to favourite collections, Longland was drawn to Tom Ford, Alaïa, Schiaparelli, Balenciaga, The Row, Céline, Givenchy, Chanel and Dior, as each collection “remained true to its heritage while offering a fresh perspective, ensuring they will resonate both with industry insiders and our clients at Harrods”.

Matthieu Blazy at Chanel impressed Harrods buyer Simon Longland

Favourite debut went to Matthieu Blazy at Chanel, who Longland said delivered an “outstanding” collection that managed to “strike the perfect balance between respect for the house’s storied codes and a clear forward-looking vision,” which set “a powerful tone” and an “exciting new chapter for Chanel”.

Blazy’s debut collection for Chanel was one of the most highly anticipated shows of the Paris Fashion Week season. The elegant and playful collection was unveiled at the Grand Palais, illuminated by the solar system, which Longland adds, “felt almost like a big bang: the beginning of something new”.

“Blazy delivered a debut that was nothing short of a masterclass,” said Longland. “He showed complete respect for the house, its codes and its ateliers, while at the same time shifting the look and feel of Chanel into a new chapter. His modernisation was both intelligent and beautiful, rooted in Coco’s own starting point – menswear codes and techniques. Nowhere was this more evident than in the crisp shirting, recalling the shirts Coco herself wore, which brought a lightness and purity not seen in recent collections.

“With this collection, Blazy has achieved what felt almost impossible: creating a vision that will draw in a legion of new admirers, while remaining deeply resonant with Chanel’s loyal clientele. A new beginning, perfectly staged and brilliantly realised.”

On Jonathan Anderson’s debut at Dior during Paris Fashion Week

Northern Irish designer Jonathan Anderson received a standing ovation for his debut womenswear collection for Dior, staged at the Jardin des Tuileries, with a collection flooded with Dior heritage references, from the bows to the hydrangeas, as well as modern interpretations of the luxury fashion house’s iconic Bar jacket, and red carpet-worthy gowns.

Dior said in the show notes that “change is inevitable,” and Longland adds that Anderson’s debut marked “a revolution rather than an evolution”.

“The show was a collection of contrasts - couture against everyday ease, femininity with androgyny, covered versus sheer,” explained Longland. “Striking in its modernity, youthful energy and elegant ease, the collection reimagined Dior’s most iconic codes through Anderson’s singular lens. His update of the Bar jacket and skirt will undoubtedly be on countless wish lists, setting the tone for a bold new chapter at Dior.”

Pierpaolo Piccioli debuts his vision for Balenciaga

There was also a new chapter for Balenciaga this season with Pierpaolo Piccioli presenting his first collection for the storied fashion house, following his long tenure as creative director of Valentino. With so many debuts on the schedule this season, you’d think it was hard to stand out, but Piccioli had royalty on his front row with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, making a surprise appearance at PFW to support her friend.

On his debut, Longland said Piccioli was “extraordinary,” showcasing a collection that “balanced reverence and renewal with rare precision,” with an exploration of the fashion house’s archive of Cristóbal Balenciaga, while also “reimagining of signatures - from sculptural silhouettes to something as elemental as the T-shirt - revealed a couture-level sensibility”.

“The collection was both powerful and poetic: gowns of couture stature sat alongside impeccable leather and denim, proving his ability to elevate every facet of the wardrobe,” added Longland. “This was not only a beautiful collection, but a confident new direction for the house — one that feels entirely authentic to its heritage while opening an exciting new chapter. It was everything we had hoped for from a designer of his calibre.”

Best show format at PFW SS26

PFW has long become known for its elaborate catwalk settings, and this season, Longland said that Céline, Saint Laurent and Chanel impressed him the most.

Longland added: “Format and setting played a key role in how collections were experienced this season. Céline’s show in the Parc de Saint-Cloud created a rare moment of calm and intimacy, immersing us in nature in the midst of an intense week. “Saint Laurent, staged against the illuminated Eiffel Tower at night, delivered sheer theatricality, while Chanel transformed the Grand Palais into a galaxy, offering a spectacle as ambitious as the collection itself.”

PFW SS26 trends: Elegance, feathers, elevated wardrobe staples and tailoring

On the trends from PFW SS26, Longland notes a “return to elegance,” with many designers referencing the refined silhouettes of the 1920s and 1950s, with designers including Balenciaga, The Row, Givenchy and Chanel exploring this “through cut, proportion and fabric, creating collections that felt timeless yet relevant”.

There was also a sensuality running through the collections, expressed through “lingerie-inspired details,” such as lace trims, slips and bra tops, which Longland adds were “reimagined with couture-level craftsmanship”.

Decorative volume was very much on display with “feathers, fringing and shaggy textures adding movement and drama,” while at the same time collections were anchored “by wardrobe staples such as shirts and T-shirts, cleverly juxtaposed with more opulent pieces to create a dialogue between high and low”.

Tailoring remained essential, “with sharply cut black and white jackets serving as the backbone of many collections,” while statement sleeves, sculptural skirts and striking colour stories “broke the dominance of monochrome and injected vibrancy into the season”.

Longland also notes that accessories were very much front and centre this season, with silk scarves and bold belts, providing “the finishing touches, underscoring how detail completes the narrative of a look”.