You were in person at the Met Gala 2025 (images below), marking a new milestone moment of your career and for the Manish Malhotra brand--tell us more about this experience?

​Manish Malhotra -- Being at the Met Gala in person was truly special. It was a moment of celebration. I’ve always believed that fashion is about storytelling, and to see Indian design conversations naturally finding space on such a global platform felt exciting. It wasn’t about arrival or validation, but about being present, observing, exchanging ideas, and feeling grateful for the journey so far. It definitely feels like a new phase- one that’s calmer, more global, yet deeply rooted.

At the Met Gala 2025 we saw global icons wear your intricate creations with fascinating craft techniques and research behind them--as well as during the Cannes Film Festival. Is this part of your vision--to take Indian artistry to the world and share the passion for India’s craft traditions?

Absolutely. That has always been at the heart of my work. Indian craftsmanship is incredibly layered--there’s history, emotion, and human touch in every technique. When global icons wear these creations, it’s not just about fashion, it’s about showcasing the depth of our artisanship to the world. I want people to see India not as inspiration alone, but as a leader in luxury craft, storytelling, and innovation.

At the Met Gala 2025 we saw global icons wear your intricate creations with fascinating craft techniques and research behind them--as well as during the Cannes Film Festival. Is this part of your vision--to take Indian artistry to the world and share the passion for India’s craft traditions?

Absolutely. That has always been at the heart of my work. Indian craftsmanship is incredibly layered--there’s history, emotion, and human touch in every technique. When global icons wear these creations, it’s not just about fashion, it’s about showcasing the depth of our artisanship to the world. I want people to see India not as inspiration alone, but as a leader in luxury craft, storytelling, and innovation.
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​What is the research process for some of the looks, and what excites you about creating such iconic looks for global stars?

Research is very intuitive for me. It begins with understanding the person—their personality, their energy, their likes and wants. Then comes history, art, architecture, textiles, and technique. I spend a lot of time with my artisans, experimenting, evolving traditional methods in a modern way. What excites me most is creating something timeless yet current—something that feels personal to the wearer but also becomes part of a larger cultural conversation.

"WINGS OF GANESHA"

Elephant Princess SS2026 Collection “Wings of Ganesha”

At a time when elegance is often consumed by immediacy and sophistication confused with excess, Elephant Princess asserts a different vision, one of contemporary femininity shaped by grace, restraint, and a long-term perspective. Rooted in the heritage of haute couture and guided by an intuitive understanding of the female body, the house revisits classic silhouettes through a precise language in which craftsmanship, structure, and softness coexist.

For the Spring–Summer 2026 collection, founder Vivian Lee has pursued an exploration of the notion of protection not as restriction, but as an inner foundation. Inspired by the figure of Ganesha, a symbol of wisdom and silent guidance, she translates this protective presence into a subtle couture design, conceived for women who move forward with confidence while preserving lightness.

“Wings of Ganesha” did not seek to reinterpret a myth, but to distill its essence: that of invisible support, a quiet strength that enables progress without resistance. Her vision is shaped by trust in intuition rather than control.

Symbolic elements associated with Ganesha wings, butterflies, talismanic details, are expressed with restraint through couture constructions of great precision. Shoulders delicately structured with feathered volumes, embroidery light as glimmers of light, lace textures evoking a soft, enveloping form of protection. The silhouettes, enhanced by detachable skirts, allow couture to transition naturally from ceremonial to everyday wear.

The color palette unfolds in shades of nude, black, soft grey, and patinated gold. Nude suggests intimacy, black mastery, grey clarity, while gold appears as a discreet presence, never ostentatious. Here, luxury is defined by precision: airy feathers, fine gold embroidery, and balanced structures designed to support movement and comfort.

More than a collection, Elephant Princess offered an intimate and timeless couture wardrobe, conceived to transcend time. Each piece embodies an approach in which elegance is not imposed, but felt a type of fashion that supports, reveals, and accompanies.

In an industry marked by constant acceleration, Elephant Princess affirms a rare position: that of a discreet, conscious, and deeply human luxury, where true sophistication emerges from the balance between mastery, sensitivity, and authenticity

Titled, Hors-Champs, this ai generated collection was born of the mind and the hand, Haute Couture is a living heritage, one that must constantly be reimagined, show notes state. Presented on the morning of 27 January 2026 at the legendary Lido in Paris presentation is an immersive and singular experience, an invitation to see creation differently, and reviews of it were different, because, first of all there were no models presenting, but there were no clothes presented either, just a video, and an ai generated... is this the Emperor New Clothes, not necessarily, Mabille argues,

The visual expression of my Spring Summer 2026 collection is part of this forward-looking reflection. To bring it to life, I chose to engage with technological innovation, surrounded by a team of specialists. These new tools opened the way to unexplored creative territories, while preserving what remains essential: gesture and sensitivity, at the very heart of the creative process. Everything begins with intuition. I sketch a silhouette, it takes shape, is modelled, much like in the atelier, where the hand shapes and reveals the material, where volume finds its balance and precision becomes emotion.

This season celebrates the diversity and radiance of the personalities who have chosen my creations for over twenty years. The show opens with my friend Diana Gartner, who embraces the play of her own clone, and closes with Mireille Mabille, my mother, by my side since the very beginning, digitally top-modelled.
“Creativity is intelligence at play.”*
Alexis Mabille

SKINS is not about exposure. It is about presence.

At its core, the collection exists where power and desire quietly intersect. It speaks to those who choose how they are seen, when they are touched, and where their boundaries lie. Sexuality here is neither decorative nor performative: it is deliberate. Sensuality is not staged for validation; it is fully inhabited. Rooted in trichophilia, SKINS moves hair beyond ornament. Hair becomes structure, surface, architecture.
A second skin. Human hair is treated as a primary material, elevated through couture techniques while preserving its raw, emotional charge. The body is not corrected, softened, or explained. It is amplified. Each silhouette holds tension between control and release, strength and vulnerability, intimacy and distance.

This exploration questions beauty standards and gender codes, as well as the fragile boundary between the natural and the constructed. Hair is SKIN, SKIN is the armor. The body is not corrected or softened. It is amplified. SKINS rejects the idea that empowerment must be desexualized to be taken seriously. It refuses shame and refuses permission. You can be desired and autonomous. You can be soft and confrontational. You can enjoy being seen without belonging to anyone. There is punk in the restraint, in the refusal to soften the message. Just the body telling the truth. 

Designer & Creative Director — Charlie LE MINDU
Art Director — Florence TÉTIER
Stylist — Samia GIOBELLINA
Makeup Artist — Karin WESTERLUND
Hair Stylist — Mélissa ROUILLÉ
Nail Artist — Lora DE SOUSA
Casting Director — Conan LAURENDOT
Choreography — Grace LYELL
Jewellery — Stephanie D’HEYGERE
Textile Designer — Léa DOMINGUES
Shoes — ABRA
Lighting Director — Olivier SIMOLA
Soundtrack — Nils BÖ
Production — RAW MATTER
Press - KARLA OTTO

Invitations — Baptiste GERBELOT-BARILLON & Studio Gui BOUCHER
Design 1st Assistant — William RAEGAN
Atelier — Tarren GARCIA, Charlotte ABALÉ GNAHORÉ, Caroline ELIE, Joffrey GIL

Image
Live Director — Nicolas COULOMB
DOP — ATALIA
Lookbook Photographer — Jean MARQUES
Performance Videographer — Sally MOORE
Runway Photographer — Csaba KORNÉL VÁGÓ
BTS Photographer — Ibrahim ELHINAID
BTS Photographer Beauty — Renata KATS
BTS Videographer — May WIRTZ

Special Thanks : Alyson Cox, Antoine Gagey, Claire Vital, Jennifer Sarkis, Jonathan Moscatelli, Kelly Cutrone,
Maria Pelo, Ménagerie de Verre, Myriam Le Mindu, Nirina Metz, Novembre Magazine, Paris College of Art,
Peaches, Ryn Major, William Raegan

Galliano’s painted silk evening gown from the “Clochards” or “Homeless” collection for the Spring/Summer 2000 collection went for €510,000, minus fees. Another highlight was the black taffeta evening gown from the same collection, which went for €420,000, also minus fees. “The Clochards collection created a big uproar. Everybody hated it. I bought the whole collection,” Ayoub said to Vogue.

​On Thursday, one of Dior couture’s most robust collections went under the gavel in a three-hour-long auction at Le Bristol Hotel in Paris. “Dior Masterpieces: The Mouna Ayoub Haute Couture Collection” put some 95 lots up for sale, belonging to the long-time couture client.

“It will probably be the sale of the 21st century,” said Salomé Pirson, co-founder of Maurice Auction, the auction house behind the event, together with Kerry Taylor Auctions. It totaled over €6.19 million, breaking the world record for a haute couture sale, as well as a world record for Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, and Raf Simons pieces. 

​TARAJI P. HENSON, SHAY MITCHELL, JEWEL, LADY AMELIA AND ELIZA SPENCER, AND DIOR GOODJOHN
ATTEND THE ZUHAIR MURAD COUTURE SPRING 2026 SHOW 
 
Zuhair Murad debuted his Couture Spring-Summer 2026 Collection during Haute Couture Week on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. 
 
The following were in attendance front row:
 
Taraji P. Henson wore a chocolate-brown gown, embellished with sparkling beadwork and crystals, and styled with dramatic matching fur stoles draped at the arms from the ZUHAIR MURAD Couture Fall 2025 collection.
 

​Cinematic glamour lies at the heart of this collection, anchored in traditional couture savoir-faire. From the Maison’s Athens atelier to Paris and Hollywood, feathers, sparkle, and fantasy are translated into a modern language of sheer femininity. Deep black velvet curtains frame the hall as the stage is swathed in acres of white chiffon, conjuring both theatrical spectacle and the quiet intimacy of the couture atelier.
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The renowned Greek haute couture house Celia Kritharioti unveils its stunning collection for the Spring …

​Paris, 29 January 2026 Celia Kritharioti presented her SS26 Couture Collection at Pavillon Cambon Capucines returning to this venue across the legendary 29 rue Cambon CHANEL boutique after 2 years, following the grandeur of the Petit Palais show that set the stage for Celia Kritharioti’s Spring/Summer 2025 haute couture show, an event that blended historic icons of fashion that inspire designer. 

The legendary show presented this season is part of the official calender, titled, “Old Hollywood avant-première” Celia Kritharioti SS26 invites us to breathtaking stage at Pavillon Cambon, all in white, white staircase that resembles the steps of Greek ancient temple, the models come out as Greek muses wearing the lates Greek couture, to the latest global hit by Spanish artis ROSALÍA, Björk, Yves Tumor - Berghain. The mood is set - for the fierce woman and her timeless elegance that is celebrated in every couture piece by Celia. The fierce women seated at ge fron row included the First Lady of France Carla Bruni, Deborah Hung, Mahsa Nejati, Anna Stukkert, Liliya Tippetts and many more.

As the show notes state, cinema is the architecture of dreams.... The Golden Age of Hollywood was not merely an era of film; it was the genesis of glamour itself, a time when clothes were not just worn, but performed. As the storied Maison unveils its vision, and celebrates a defining chapter in its history: the debut as an Invited Member of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, this milestone is carrying the legacy of the oldest couture house in Greece, founded in 1906, that officially steps onto this global stage with a collection that bridges the distance between the ethereal flicker of the projector and the concrete power of the present day.
Combining opulence with delicacy, the looks are graceful and radiant. Cut-feather fringes, floral lace incrustations, chains of crystals, and organza rosettes speak to couture craft in its purest form. This collection draws on the expertise of the House’s own petites mains and a constellation of heritage Parisian ateliers, including Maison Lemarié and Maison Lesage.

Volume appears to defy gravity, as if inflated by air, in a series of taffeta, silk satin, and organza puff dresses. Airy tulle and chiffon silhouettes are crowned with extravagantly long, translucent veils that drift like shimmering smoke around the body. A procession of grand, screen-siren evening dresses—columns sculpted on the body and punctuated by revealing cut-outs—gives way to a moment of pure poetry: the show’s bride. Dressed in a monumental ballgown of ethereal white tulle, entirely covered in embroidered floral lace appliqués, she is poised like a ballerina inside a softly backlit musical box. 

Styling: Alexis Roche
Make up: Val Garland
Hair: Eugene Souleiman
Casting Director: Maida Gregory- Boina with Dominyka Angelyte
Production: Villa Eugenie ​

Ashi Studio unveiled a Spring Summer 2026 Haute Couture collection.
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​Presagio is a collection that speaks of transition and evolution. From uncertainty to triumph. From tension to balance. Each look is conceived as a sign, a signal of change and progress, reflecting a strong, poised, and serene woman who moves with determination toward her own destiny.

In this edition, Juana Martín once again surrounds herself with collaborators and artisans who are an essential part of the brand’s universe. Málaga de Moda renews its support, once again promoting the visibility of Andalusian talent on the international stage. This season, the Association of the Purebred Menorcan Horse joins the project, asserting the cultural and symbolic bond between the collection and the equestrian world.

The beauty team is led by Menchu Benítez in makeup and Maqueda 100% at the helm of hairstyling, shaping an aesthetic that extends the character and conceptual strength of the collection. ICON once again accompanies the designer as a regular collaborator, reinforcing the creative development of the project. Calzados Franjul signs the footwear for the show, bringing solidity, tradition, and character to each look. Loha Spain participates in the creation of leather pieces, enriching the collection with its artisanal expertise.

Following her debut in Paris in 2022 with Andalucía, Juana Martín reaffirms with Presagio her position as one of the most singular voices in Spanish fashion on the international stage. 
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Juana Martín presents Presagio during Haute Couture Week, a deeply symbolic collection that sets the Spanish horse as its central axis. In this new proposal, the Córdoba-born designer explores the horse as an ancestral omen: an announcement of war, change, and journey, but also an emblem of triumph and victory.

The show will take place in Paris, the epicenter of haute couture, where Juana Martín continues to consolidate her creative dialogue, remaining faithful to an identity that moves between tradition, history, and modernity. Presagio unfolds as a powerful visual narrative, charged with tension and beauty, where each silhouette anticipates movement and destiny.

Throughout history, the horse has been a companion in conquest, a witness to conflict, and a symbol of power. In this collection, its anatomy and spirit are translated into sculptural volumes, lines that evoke dynamism, and noble materials that reinforce the idea of armor and skin. The garments construct a couture language in which form and meaning advance together, creating a narrative of resilience, elegance, and transformation.