While Paris often hosts the final act of fashion month, this season it felt like a stage for new beginnings. Spring 2026 saw a poetic slowing down — not in energy, but in intention. Big names remained present, but it was the rise of emerging voices, alternative formats, and surreal gestures that helped reshape the rhythm of the week.
Across the board, designers let go of spectacle in favor of spirit. Whether through the dreamy psychedelia of Craig Green’s Beatles-inspired silhouettes or the mischievous surrealism of Doublet’s egg-carton bags and branded breakfast, collections felt more personal — and paradoxically, more universal. There was a gentler kind of storytelling happening here, one that privileged atmosphere, emotion, and the artistry of everyday life.
This was also a season that gave space to those still writing their chapters. Rising talents like Kartik Research stepped into the spotlight with work that fused cultural memory and material craft. And while legacy houses anchored the week, it was often the quieter, offbeat shows — staged in gardens, side streets, or reimagined salons — that lingered in memory.
Throughout it all, a thread of lightness connected the collections: lighter silhouettes, airier palettes, and a freer attitude toward dressing. This wasn’t just a vision for spring; it was a call to simplify, to dream, and to dress with clarity of intent — whether you’re heading to Versailles or just out for a walk.
Here are The Impression’s picks for the best men’s runway shows of the Spring 2026 season in Paris, as selected by our Editor-in-Chief, Kenneth Richard.
10 – Lemaire
9 – Hed Mayner
8 – Juun.J
7 – Willy Chavarria
6 – Wales Bonner
5 – Amiri
4 – Rick Owens
3 (tie) – Craig Green
3 (tie) – Louis Vuitton
2 – Dior Men
1 – Dries Van Noten
