2 min readStyle Points is a weekly column about how fashion intersects with the wider world.
One of the perks of the dizzying pace of fashion these days is that, amid all the designer upheaval, we get ample debuts to look forward to. This coming couture week is no exception. And while previous seasons were full of new or one-off names, this week will be all about major players and insider favorites presenting their takes on fashion’s most extravagant category.
Looks from Balenciaga cruise 2027.
First up: Pierpaolo Piccioli, who took the reins at Balenciaga last year. His Valentino couture collections often centered on bold, saturated color and embellishment (and came with fabulous model lineups: Naomi! Gigi! Kaia!). In his time at Balenciaga thus far, he has shown some elevated athleisure-inspired looks, but has also turned out couture-worthy pieces like a ball gown skirt and “feather” top, both for cruise 2027—where he also explored this season’s sleeper-hit accessory, the jazz shoe.
A look from Fendi fall/winter 2026.
Piccioli’s former creative partner, Maria Grazia Chiuri, is also making a couture debut in her new post as chief creative officer at Fendi. However, that show will take place off-site, at Rome’s Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea, which is set to host an exhibit on the late Fendi creative director Karl Lagerfeld. Chiuri’s hometown feels appropriate for the unveiling, and the 17th-century monastery will certainly make for a grand setting (imagine the Instagram backdrops!)
Jean Paul Gaultier fall/winter 2026.
Noted provocateur Duran Lantink has had a talked-about tenure at Jean Paul Gaultier, and his first stab at couture promises more of his signature edge. The brand spent several years having young talents like Ludovic de Saint Sernin, Simone Rocha, Nicolas di Felice, Julien Dossena, and Glenn Martens guest design collections, so this will be a change of pace for JPG. And given how avant-garde Lantink’s ready-to-wear can get, he’ll surely enjoy the bigger canvas that is couture.
Ashi Studio couture spring/summer 2025.
Celebrity-loved brands like Ashi Studio—which has dressed Zendaya and Margot Robbie—and couture newcomer Manish Malhotra, known for outfitting Bollywood stars, are also on the schedule. Red-carpet watchers should keep an eye on both.
Olivier Theyskens spring/summer 2021.
And finally, two fashion favorites will be making appearances on the calendar. Olivier Theyskens, the Belgian phenom beloved for his tenures at Rochas and Nina Ricci, will debut his new brand Boloria. While information is thin on the ground, the king of Goth-inflected romance has been posting haunting teaser images by photographer Willy Vanderperre that give a hint about what’s in store.
Standing Ground spring/summer 2025.
And designer Michael Stewart of Standing Ground has won an ardent audience with his statuesque, minimalist creations inspired by the ancient landscapes of his native Ireland. He will make his couture debut as a guest designer on the calendar.
With all of this to look forward to, plus collections from Schiaparelli’s Daniel Roseberry, Dior’s Jonathan Anderson, and Chanel’s Matthieu Blazy, it promises to be a week to remember.
