I’ve just returned from Paris Couture Week—here are four moments that are still on my mind.

      Fifteen years after I stepped into the fashion world with an internship and aspirations, I finally had the chance to fulfill a significant bucket-list dream: attending couture week. And let me tell you, the wait was absolutely worth it. The Haute Couture shows in Paris represent the zenith of fashion, showcasing the industry's finest craftsmanship, imaginative flair, and dramatic presentations. This season's events exceeded expectations on every level. Read on for my impressions of the Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2026 collections.

      For the Dior Haute Couture show at the Musée Rodin, I donned an Erdem dress I had purchased at a significant discount years ago, accompanied by a Strathberry East/West Bag, Staud Brigitte Mules ($295), and Warby Parker sunglasses.

      1. The New Dior Bride

      Just 72 hours after Taylor Swift's wedding in a Dior Haute Couture dress by Jonathan Anderson in New York City, the designer debuted his fall 2026 couture line in Paris. Naturally, I was eager to catch hints about Swift's still-secret wedding dress—any clue would suffice! However, true to form, Anderson kept the details closely guarded, sharing with WWD only that "it was a joy to work with her." Nonetheless, the collection's concluding piece highlighted Anderson's vision of the Dior bride. The final model showcased a wedding gown made of white hand-pleated chiffon layered with dégradé cactus flower and fern-motif white lace, exquisitely re-embroidered with beaded ferns and delicate white feather dandelions. You can see the soft, romantic, semi-sheer gown in this mesmerizing video. It was utterly fairytale-like. Time will tell if Swift's wedding gown can evoke the same imagery. Until then, this enchanting Dior bride will hold your attention.

      2. The Balenciaga City Bag Goes Couture

      We've certainly come a long way from the wine-stained Balenciaga moto bag that often rested in Mary-Kate Olsen's arm back in 2004. For his first couture collection since taking the lead at Balenciaga, Pierpaolo Piccioli transformed the iconic Le City bag with crystal-studded mesh and metal detailing. Which celebrity will be the first to wear this striking bag? Perhaps it will be Balenciaga's latest campaign star, Sarah Pidgeon? Whomever the brand selects for this new accessory, you can be certain they'll cherish this museum-quality design. But beyond accessories, one of my favorite pieces was an emerald green dress adorned with feathers and fringes. "Feathers are a metaphor—weightless, delicate, yet possessing tensile strength," explained the show notes. I was also quite fond of an ombré dress in pastel pink, reminiscent of Taylor Swift's wedding vibe. On the celebrity front, I spotted Lily Collins and Hudson Williams meeting at the Balenciaga show, delighting fans of Emily in Paris and Heated Rivalry in the comments on Who What Wear's Instagram. Additionally, I recorded several other celebrities arriving at the show at the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris, including Teyana Taylor, Shailene Woodley, Naomi Watts, and Cynthia Erivo.

      3. Same-Day Delivery

      Zendaya and Law Roach just redefined the concept of "straight off the runway." Just hours after Schiaparelli's fall 2026 couture collection was unveiled in Paris, Zendaya was already spotted in London wearing the show's final look. What kind of fashion magic is this? To make it happen, Roach personally flew the garment on a private jet and delivered it directly to Zendaya. Schiaparelli's creative director, Daniel Roseberry, described the look as "a glowing dress with a molded bustier in white glazed porcelain-effect silicone."

      4. A World of Pure Imagination

      One of the standout moments of reporting live from the 2026 Met Gala red carpet was witnessing Robert Wun's whimsical designs for Lisa and Naomi Osaka. Fast forward two months, and I was equally impressed by his couture show in Paris. In front of a star-studded audience that included Cardi B, Fan Bingbing, and Maura Higgins, Robert Wun demonstrated a masterclass in creativity and storytelling. The Dôme de Paris, with its rich history of breathtaking artistry—having hosted the original musical production of Les Misérables in 1980—was the ideal venue for a couture house as theatrical as Robert Wun. "The collection unfolds as a timeline of growing up," Wun noted in the show notes. "From being a 'plain paper' as a child, to being colored, then shaped and formed. Characters evolve like toys, weaving childhood stories that lead to emerging dreams, redefined and embroidered within the brand’s universe, yet with an intent to reorient. The closing chapter showcases customized balloons, colors bursting from tailored figures, embodying the childlike essence we all carry within. Like balloons, they are beautiful