After a few seasons of uncertainty, largely caused by significant changes in creative directors over the past year, this edition of Paris Fashion Week felt like things were finally getting back on track. Sarah Burton debuted her first collection for Givenchy, which we described as “the perfect blueprint for how a new designer should debut at a legacy house.” Haider Ackermann presented his vision for Tom Ford, blending sex appeal and danger. And Julian Klausner made his runway debut for Dries Van Noten, taking us on an opulent journey through a night at the opera.

Burton’s Givenchy collection was inspired by a collection of calico patterns from Hubert de Givenchy’s 1952 debut collection, which were discovered during renovation work on his first atelier. She was just one of many designers who explored the archives of their iconic houses this season. Maria Grazia Chiuri at Dior drew inspiration from Gianfranco Ferré, who led Dior in the 90s, as well as referencing John Galliano’s era. Nicolas Ghesquière looked to the very origins of Louis Vuitton, drawing on the brand’s early travel trunks to create a collection centered around train travel. Meanwhile, Vaquera revisited their early days in New York, reflecting on their roots to see if the past could offer guidance for the future.

All this being said, this doesn’t mean we’re back to full speed just yet. This season’s Chanel collection was created by the in-house team while we await Matthieu Blazy’s debut for the house. We’re also still a few months out from Michael Rider’s Celine collection, which is set for July 6th. Loewe, notably, chose a presentation format this year amid rumours that Jonathan Anderson may be departing soon. All of this suggests that September’s SS26 Fashion Week will look quite different.