Published
October 2, 2026
Amid rumours of a departure from Balenciaga and the official announcement of Sabato De Sarno’s arrival at Icicle, Thursday brought the shows of two brands whose creative futures are yet to be defined.
Balenciaga’s corals: caught between two worlds
All smiles, Pierpaolo Piccioli stepped onto the runway to rapturous applause on Thursday afternoon and made a circuit, acknowledging the immense red-and-white gorgonian by artist Aude Franjou, which soared up to the skylight of the Tennis Club de Paris. Balenciaga’s creative director – whose sudden departure from the Kering-owned house has been the subject of press speculation in recent weeks – had just unveiled a substantive collection whose volumes, drape and harmony draw inspiration from marine organisms.
By naming his Spring/Summer 2027 collection “Les Coraux de la Liberté” (The Corals of Freedom), the Italian designer – who regularly emphasises the importance of the ateliers he works with – sought to convey a message of collective success.
“No one shines alone. Just like corals, we – and the ideas we champion – need two fundamental elements to flourish: protection and mutual exchange. Providing a safe space means allowing everyone to express themselves and be heard. Fostering mutual support means transforming what is fragile into something resilient and sustainable. Joy and light are never solitary achievements. They are, and always will be, the fruit of a continuous and shared commitment,” the designer wrote in his letter of intent, leaving his words open to interpretation.
The result of his approach built on the experiments from his well-received debut couture show for the Paris house earlier in the summer and, whilst it included strong references to the work of Cristóbal Balenciaga, it marked a clear break from the universe previously created by Demna.
Under the gaze of a front row that included François-Henri Pinault, chairman of Kering, alongside Anna Wintour and footballer Hugo Ekitiké, Balenciaga presented – extending the coral analogy – a multifaceted expression set to a reworked version of “Ready or Not” by the Fugees, with Lauryn Hill herself in attendance.
Piccioli’s expertise in draping and construction, drawing on couture craftsmanship, lent the pieces – inspired by various forms of coral – a captivating sense of movement, as if suspended in water yet imbued with contemporary chic. An asymmetrical cream tunic and a long orange dress were composed of hundreds of threads edged with cotton beads that came to life in unison, like alcyonarians. A white miniskirt, paired with a cream leather jacket and worn with a pair of black round-toed boots, mimicked a sea anemone with its cotton fringes, which also featured as a cascading, Acropora-like collar on a pink tuxedo jacket. All these ideas will undoubtedly yield compelling scenographic possibilities for the brand’s stores.
These experiments carried over to the trains of long dresses and to the collars of women’s jackets. In parallel, the designer proposed sweeping evening gowns with reimagined, flowing drapes, rebellious leather jackets with generous constructions, and sensual, openwork tops in unusual proportions.
With a more restrained approach, the men’s collection also featured its share of surprising volumes, seen in a leather jacket, a bomber jacket and asymmetrically cut jeans. Recurring ideas included chain earrings – sometimes hanging down as far as the waist – coral jewellery appearing here and there, and straight jacket collars rising to exaggerated heights. Deconstructed cargo trousers, cut out at the sides and available in both stiff and softer fabrics, were skilfully paired with different styles for both men and women. Leather bags, such as the Nodo and the Silhou Tote, leaned into the strong commercial appetite for supple leather, and Balenciaga presented its new shoe designs, including its deconstructed Lounge Sneaker.
“Was this the designer’s final show?” the house’s CEO, Gianfranco Gianangeli, was asked after the show. Smiling, he replied: “Let the rumours remain just rumours!”
The many lives of the Icicle woman
At Icicle, Bénédicte Laloux offered another masterclass in timeless minimalism, which she infused for Spring/Summer 2027 with a fresh boldness in its diverse, vibrant palette. The Chinese brand presented pieces whose rich detailing serves as a reminder that simplicity need not preclude sophistication.
The event took place on Quai Malaquais, in the Palais des Beaux-Arts, a favoured venue for Paris Fashion Week. In the vast, century-old nave of the Salle Foch, designed by architect Félix Duban, the brand’s two shows drew a crowd of artists, including actress Kelly Rutherford (Gossip Girl), Taiwanese actor Chen Haosen (Red Balloon), fellow Chinese actor Elk Zhan (Revenged Love), and model and influencer Narana.
They were treated to a show with an everyday focus, featuring a collection designed to accompany women through the experiences and emotions of the day. Trench coats, woollen coats, blousons, loose-fitting shirts, trousers, flowing skirts and structured shorts followed one another to form a cohesive whole, thanks to recurring details such as coloured lapels, plush-textured collars and bags, and belts and ribbons left to flutter freely.
“A woman takes on multiple roles in a single day: a mother, a professional, a friend, a sportswoman…”, explained Laloux to FashionNetwork.com.
“Even when offering her a minimalist silhouette, there can’t be just one silhouette. We need to cater to these different personalities, showing that she can be edgy whilst remaining approachable to the various people she’ll meet.”
When it come to fabrics, Laloux played on the texture of linen and the sheen of crepe and silk chiffon to bring a season to life that also makes the most of the lightness of poplin and the density of wool. In terms of colours, whilst white, beige and red are the brand’s hallmarks, this collection marked a kind of liberation, with the emergence of sky blue, pastel yellow, moss green and anise green, not to mention the pink and lilac ensemble that opened the collection.
“At first, I’d almost created a collection consisting solely of beige, black and white,” the designer admitted. “But we gradually introduced slightly more ‘pop pastel’ shades, because I wanted colour, and because I think women want it too, even if only in subtle touches,” explained Laloux, who, with each new collection, refines the dialogue between Western and Chinese inspirations.
“Anything drawing on Chinese inspiration is found mainly in the silhouettes, and in the choice of natural materials, particularly Chinese silk.”
As Icicle prepares to celebrate its 30th anniversary next year, the brand’s Autumn/Winter 2027/28 collection will see the first effects of Sabato De Sarno’s arrival as artistic director, following his early-September appointment. Laloux is set to remain in charge of the womenswear collections under this new leadership. With a dual presence in Paris and Shanghai, the brand currently boasts more than 200 boutiques.
Copyright © 2026 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.
