Prior to Courrèges‘ SS26 show, each guest was sent a pair of jet black sunglasses – embossed with the brand logo on the side – with instructions to wear them to the show. Returning to their usual space of Carreau du Temple in Paris’ 3rd arrondissement, which has previously been transformed by Nicolas Di Felice into a breathing carpet and a confetti storm, this time it shapeshifted into a setting akin to the surface of the sun, designed in collaboration with Remy Brière and Matiere Noire. Washed in harsh, bright light, which reflected off the pristinely white backdrop, it immediately became clear why Di Felice equipped his guests with blackout shades.  

A soundtrack of spoken word charting a temperature increasing, “It’s 21 degrees, the sun is rising, it’s 22 degrees,” bellowed while the thumping sound system reverberated through the seats, shaking guests to the core. On the runway, the designer enlisted a stellar lineup of catwalk it-girls, including Alex Consani, Mona Tougaard, Loli Bahaia and Angelina Kendall. A series of draped cap looks opened the show, vaporous visors seamlessly met bodysuits, and mini skirts were patterned with tartan check, all arriving in varying hues of blues and black. As the temperature rose, garments became more fluid. Swimsuit-esque silhouettes were incorporated into slinky dresses, sleeves were slashed down the middle and skirts were made entirely of mini belts, working in conjunction with this season’s tailoring, which saw utilitarian outerwear transformed into amplified silhouettes.