Paris Haute Couture Week: a July line-up of stalwarts and international audacity

The summer session of Haute Couture Week continues to gain momentum. Coordinated by the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM), the event will showcase the work of 30 houses over four days, from July 6 to 9. Last winter, 28 were included in the official calendar, an increase that attests to the French capital’s enduring appeal for exceptional craftsmanship.

The week’s highlights are, as always, focused on the great historic houses and headline names. On opening day, Monday, July 6, Schiaparelli will begin performances at 10:00 a.m., before Christian Dior takes up his usual afternoon shift at 2:30 p.m. The next day, Tuesday, July 7, Chanel will open the morning with two events at 10:00 and 12:00, while Giorgio Armani Privé will close the day with consecutive shows at 6:00 and 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 8, also promises a packed agenda, with Balenciaga at 11:30 a.m., followed by Elie Saab at 2:30 p.m. and Jean Paul Gaultier at 5:30 p.m.

Beyond these institutional pillars, this edition will present new faces invited to Paris for the first time. Among them is the Indian couturier Manish Malhotra, who will present his collection on Wednesday, July 8 at 8:00 p.m. Celebrated for her opulent designs for the elite and major Bollywood productions, she brings her mastery of intricate embroidery and majestic silhouettes to Paris, combining traditional Indian craftsmanship with contemporary luxury. Another notable arrival is Standing Ground, the brand founded by Irish designer Michael Stewart, whose presentation is scheduled for Monday, July 6 at 6:30 p.m. Known for his sculptural and minimalist approach to evening wear, he has distinguished himself with his column dresses and sophisticated draping. This summer session also hosts Iris van Herpen on Monday, July 6 at 12:00 p.m. to reveal her technological experiments, followed that same day at 8:00 p.m. by the ArdAzAei house. On Wednesday, July 8, Pier Paolo Piccioli of Balenciaga and Duran Lantink of Jean Paul Gaultier will present their haute couture works. For her part, designer Adeline André will show her vision of purity on Thursday, July 9 at 4:00 p.m.

Calendar changes and notable absences

Among those absent is, logically, Giambattista Valli, who has just regained direct control of his brand. Valentino, which showed its haute couture in Paris earlier this year before presenting its womenswear in Rome in March, will not return to Paris in July. Julien Fournié, Gaurav Gupta, Miss Sohee and Phan Huy, who made their mark in January, are also absent this season. Finally, Fendi, under the direction of Kim Jones, follows an off-site strategy, choosing to present its haute couture collection directly in Rome, in an exclusive show scheduled for the evening of Thursday, July 9.

As the Federation points out in its press release, this calendar remains provisional and is open to possible adjustments before the first models take to the catwalk.