PARIS — Contemporary presentations for spring 2026 took a more elevated step.
Take French brand Sandro, which staged its event at the Bibliothèque Nationale Richelieu, a venue previously used by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton brands Celine and Kenzo. The location signals the brand’s intent to strengthen its positioning in the accessible luxury space.
It’s the second time Sandro has decamped from its traditional showroom format to align with a major cultural institution and play up its French roots, and it was a significant marketing spend for the brand. Scores of influencers were on hand making content, posing in the library’s stacks and giving the clothes lots of social play.
The clothes were a wearable mix of collegiate and nautical influences with an upscale preppy twist. The high funnel-neck jacket seen all over the runways was rendered in lighter, sportier fabrics here, alongside leather versions, while beading and studding added texture to tops and shorts.
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For menswear, the brand cited photographer Peter Beard as inspiration, channeling an intellectual-meets-bohemian aesthetic. Earthy tones like cappuccino and tobacco dominated, offset by vivid pops of blue and yellow on Cuban-collared shirts and casual trousers.
Collaborations, including one with Clarks, and an after party at Les Bains underscored Sandro’s ambition to compete in the premium fashion space.
Sandro’s sister brand Maje also upped its game this season with its first off-site presentation aboard a peniche on the Seine, echoing the nautical theme of its collection. The river setting added a layer of sophistication to the brand’s ongoing evolution.
Read: lots of takes on stripes, and subtle uses of maritime cues, such as a white sequined dress that subtly recalled the crisscross of fishing nets. The overall effect marked a transition from the brand’s Miami-club energy a few seasons ago to a more elevated yacht-party aesthetic.
There were other nautical nods — stripes, boat shoes and that preppy casual glamour of a popped collar — as well as work with more technical fabrics on jackets with paracord belting, which gave them both a sporty vibe and hourglass silhouette of the season.
The brand has spent a significant amount of effort on developing its celebrity dressing over the last year, and it has paid off with placements on Kerry Washington, and the coup of dressing Lady Gaga on the concert stage, as part of a broader U.S. market push. Maje also debuted a new “Maje Paris” logo to reinforce its French positioning.
Claudie, the last sister in the trio of SMCP brands, is undergoing a brand revamp under new chief executive officer Anne Cottin, who took the helm in August. Now that Claudie has been certified a B-Corp., focus has shifted toward working with more premium materials and communicating on fabrication and craftsmanship.
This includes improved outerwear and separates, handmade bags and thoughtful details such as cross-stitch denim and classic white shirts with clever button detailing on the sleeve.
Claudie plans to build on its bestselling Swing trainer will anchor a bigger move into accessories. Cottin said the collection, with its romantic touches and smart styling, is indicative where she wants to take the brand.
Longchamp’s spring 2026 collection, which will hit stores in November, doubled as a holiday capsule of sorts, featuring winter white looks and ice-skating references. Think cozy sweater dresses, fluffy faux furs and block-heeled boots cleverly riffing on figure skates. Accessories played with seasonal staples in new ways, such as mittens and winter hats reimagined as handbags.
Switching gears to summer, easy pieces from swimwear to shirtdresses came in an array of color bursts, and played with prints. One key look was a surfboard-inspired print that read as a rainbow of feathers. The surf theme carried through to this season’s collection for its Replay line, which was inspired by board carrier bags, available in nine colorways.
Longchamp is best known for its bags, but is making inroads in its ready-to-wear. The rtw is limited to four locations in the U.S. with plans to expand, while it is carried in 100 locations worldwide — about one-third of its points of sale. Its aspiration is to continue to grow the category, and become a “handbag-first, full luxury brand.”
At Iro, newly appointed artistic director Nicolas Rohaut unveiled his debut collection, drawing on the brand’s 2000s archive. The Dior, Rabanne and Lanvin alum tapped into retro silhouettes, such as broad shoulders and asymmetry. Striped shirting fabric was twisted and the lightweight cotton set an airy tone, while thick, low-slung belts reinforced the Y2K feel.
While windbreakers and laser-cut leather dresses showed promise, oversize blouses and shredded skirts proved less convincing. Still, Rohaut showed early signs of a refined direction, particularly in outerwear, especially the leather jackets the brand is revered for. He’s keenly aware that his challenge now is to elevate quality without pushing up the price, and define the 20-year-old brand’s next chapter, while he wants to expand into evening wear.
“It will take a few seasons to find the singularity of the brand, and create a personal signature,” he said. Cleverly draped blazers with a nipped waist yet roomy silhouette are an early indication of where he might go.
