At Paris Fashion Week, Giambattista Valli reaffirmed his mastery of romance and spectacle with a Spring Summer 2026 collection that celebrated the poetry of volume, texture, and unapologetic femininity. Staged beneath vaulted light and mirrored panels, the show felt like an orchestrated dream, where every garment became a flourish in Valli’s ongoing ode to beauty.

Silhouettes bloomed with billowing tulle, chiffon, and organza, sculpted into cloudlike dresses that floated with weightless precision. Floor-sweeping gowns carried an operatic grandeur, their cascades of fabric balanced by flashes of bare shoulders or sheer layers that whispered intimacy. Mini dresses, trimmed with floral appliqués or sculptural bows, injected youthful vitality into the lineup, echoing Valli’s penchant for couture whimsy translated into contemporary ease.

The palette shifted between ethereal whites, blush tones, and delicate pastels, punctuated by bursts of vermilion, gilded embroidery, and inky black, a reminder that Valli’s romanticism is always tempered by drama. Accessories stayed true to this duality: sandals with sculpted heels, jewelry like gilded vines, and headpieces that crowned models as if they were characters in a modern mythology.

Though unmistakably grand, the collection leaned into wearability through lighter tailoring and pared-back separates, hinting at a broader dialogue between Valli’s haute couture signatures and the realities of daily elegance. The overall effect was theatrical yet modern, rooted in the language of fantasy while attuned to the present.

With Spring Summer 2026, Giambattista Valli did not chase reinvention but deepened his house’s defining codes: extravagance, romance, and unshakable confidence. The result was a show that captured the essence of the modern couture spirit: a fashion fairytale made tangible for the world stage.