On day three of Haute Couture Paris Fashion Week, the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode’s schedule served up the debut couture collection of Pierpaolo Piccioli at Balenciaga. The revered Italian designer joined the Spanish Paris-based fashion house in May 2025. Fast forward fourteen months, and Piccioli staged his inaugural couture outing, marking the 55th from Balenciaga (since it was founded in 1917 by Cristóbal Balenciaga). Presented in a scenic courtyard at the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris, Piccioli reflected back on the brand’s rich heritage, whilst updating quintessential Cristóbal silhouettes with an urban modern edge. Sculptured shoulders, dramatic capes, impeccable tailoring and voluminous gowns were reimagined under the warm Paris sunshine.
Balenciaga Haute Couture Fall 2026 Collection Review
Read below the reactions of theFashionSpot’s forum members:
“This is just his Valentino couture collection with a little bit of Balenciaga-ism. It’s pretty, but safe (and boring). Is it just me, or is the cutting/fitting kinda sloppy?” [Rigida]
“He’s really not going to last very long here. It was the most boring leftovers of his Valentino repackaged as Balenciaga and ended up looking closer to Christian Siriano. It feels flat and without any heart and soul for the most part.” [Salvatore]
“So dusty. Five seasons too late for this. I cannot see another sheath dress or these rounded tuft-of-fabric dresses. Also, the location, music, the way it’s put together is so dated.” [Grets]
“This was sooooo underwhelming. I get that those colour blocks are his style and one of his signatures, as are probably his ‘play’ with volume (nothing new), but you have to show us some novelty, some creativity!” [WAVES]
“I can’t stress how unimportant this show is. Why show all these clothes when you’ve done exactly the same at Valentino, in the same colors non the less.” [Norden]
See all the looks from the Balenciaga Haute Couture Fall 2026 collection and click here to join the conversation.
