Published
October 16, 2026
As the fashion world wraps up a hectic month of shows dedicated to the Spring/Summer 2027 collections, the marathon of catwalks is giving way to operational reviews and strategic decisions.
Against the backdrop of a tense international economic climate, where every assortment choice counts, FashionNetwork.com has chosen to give a voice to the decision-makers who turn runway creations into commercial reality. In these interviews, buying directors from leading department stores analyse the major trends, shifts in brand desirability and the calculated risks planned for the coming season. For Angélique Liautaud, women’s wear buying director at Printemps, this season stood out for its high level of sophistication, with the great houses – Dior, Chanel and Saint Laurent – very much at the forefront.
FashionNetwork.com: In your view, what was the mood in the sector around the September shows in Milan and Paris?
Angélique Liautaud: We experienced a season of boundless creativity on the catwalks and in the showrooms. Faced with the challenges of resilience and adaptation, we need emotion, innovation and performance more than ever.
The collections took a clear stance: freedom, escapism and optimism. Silhouettes are free, assertive, more sensual, light and colourful, and are gaining in strength of character. A very strong sense of individuality and the personalisation of looks are redefining a new femininity. Newness did not necessarily come from rupture, but from a more liberated, more contemporary take on existing codes and the houses’ heritage, setting them in motion again. We observed absolute sophistication this season, a multitude of attitudes, and various ways of constructing and deconstructing wardrobes. Fewer diktats, fewer imposed silhouettes: more individuality and more possibilities. This explosion of spontaneity was invigorating.
FNW: Looking beyond the market context, what conclusions do you draw from the creative direction seen on the catwalks for this Spring/Summer 2027 season?
AL: It was a vibrant season, driven by powerful creative energy. Women are revealing more of their bodies, blending styles and playing with different references. She can be sensual, masculine, neo-sporty, intellectual, bohemian – or all of these at once. In Milan, this newfound freedom was expressed through a fresh perspective on wardrobe archetypes. At Prada, the skirt served as the starting point for a multitude of constructions. At Jil Sander, Simone Bellotti brilliantly modernised tailored pieces by deconstructing them. Paris carried this bold momentum forward in a more refined, multichromatic and purposeful register.
The celebration of the body was very much in evidence: fluidity, transparency, and lingerie that was both deliberate and visible at Dior, Chanel, Tom Ford and Fendi. Saint Laurent’s majestic show remains a memorable exercise in style. Absolute preciousness was also on display at Dries Van Noten, with defined waists and jewel-like garments. Sporty chic is back at Miu Miu, as dynamic and elegant as ever. Colour features across several collections, asserting a confident optimism, as in Drew Henry’s work at Courrèges. At Celine, Michael Rider designs an efficient, sharply directional wardrobe. Bourgeois codes, precise tailoring, narrow coats and pieces borrowed from the menswear wardrobe are softened. The styling has real impact: layering, mixes of proportions and colours, and spontaneous combinations lend character to the looks. Numerous desirable accessories underscore the silhouette. A season that invites us to be free, spontaneous and creative. Let’s mix, layer and subvert.
FNW: Which three shows made the biggest impact this season?
AL: We saw different visions of womanhood, yet all shared the same ability to create emotion. At Dior, in the Tuileries Garden, Jonathan Anderson’s creative language continues to assert itself with great sensitivity and accuracy. Craftsmanship is omnipresent yet extremely subtle. An ethereal and delicate femininity, almost weightless. It was deeply moving.
At Chanel, Matthieu Blazy presented his vision of an independent woman. He brilliantly shifts the house codes by playing on contrasts and innovations in materials: lingerie elements and transparency with tailoring, softened or technical tweed, fluidity, but also great precision in construction. Movement, sensuality, abundance.
The Saint Laurent show was exceptionally powerful, once again set against a magical backdrop. The bold use of gold immediately transported us. I loved this Saint Laurent woman, at once powerful and sensual, almost cinematic. Haider Ackermann revisits Tom Ford’s emblematic codes with a more enigmatic approach. Provocation and elegance are perfectly mastered. And we should not forget the emerging designers poised to become tomorrow’s leading brands: Julie Kegels, Matières Fécales and Alain Paul.
FNW: In your opinion, what are the three standout pieces of the season in ready-to-wear and accessories?
AL: The skirt is the piece that best encapsulates the season. At Prada, it was the focus of an exercise in construction and styling. At Miu Miu, it took on a sportier, deceptively classic guise. At Dior, it was light, fluid and asymmetrical.
Lingerie and second-skin pieces are no longer concealed and are entering the daytime wardrobe: arm pieces, bodysuits, lace, and sheer layering. Often paired with more structured garments, as seen at Tom Ford. Bags and shoes offer a wealth of options: oversized bags at Bottega Veneta, the finesse of proportions at Celine, Prada’s ‘bra bag’ and new interpretations of the iconic Baguette at Fendi. Stacked jewellery, maxi pearl necklaces, statement earrings. A revival of the scarf and belt, notably at Celine and Dries Van Noten.
FNW: Following the major shake-up of previous seasons, what has now been firmly established?
AL: I believe that this season these visions are asserting themselves with greater depth and confidence, and with creative directions that are now much clearer. We have also seen some exciting debuts, with codes respected with great accuracy and perfectly modernised, and we are hopeful for greater stability going forward so that the full potential of these houses can be revealed.
FNW: What key directions are emerging for next spring-summer?
AL: I would say silk, chiffon, organza, lace, broderie anglaise, transparency and lightness. Leather and denim provide contrast and reassurance. The work on materials and craftsmanship remains essential. Worth noting: the return of crochet, as seen at The Row. Prints are omnipresent – florals, madras and stripes. Floral motifs are bold and sometimes vintage-inspired. Tartans and checks create graphic contrasts and are paired with sporty or ethereal pieces. Colour is assertive: pink, red, orange, purple, blue and zesty green. Gold and metallics bring radiance, balanced by natural neutrals or black. As for details: an abundance of fringing, draping, asymmetry and embellishment enhances the movement and texture of the pieces.
FNW: In terms of your positioning, what creative choices particularly appealed to you? What ideas could be expressed in your merchandising or window displays?
AL: I am drawn to the singular character of a piece or silhouette, and to the story it carries and conveys. For example, at The Row, I was moved by the sublime Line Vautrin necklaces, which brought a great deal of modernity to the silhouettes. At Chanel, Gabrielle Chanel’s personal 2.55 bag, seen on the catwalk, immediately added another emotional dimension.
The relationship with creation is fascinating to observe at Printemps Haussmann or Printemps New York. Customers are looking for reassuring pieces, but also for rarity and innovation. The blending of styles and genres remains the hallmark of the department store. On our floors and in our windows, our creative choices are deliberate and unmistakable. Vintage references, the liberation of the wardrobe, innovation and the ‘never seen before’ loosen the codes and broaden the merchandising playground: this allows us to create more visual and distinctive stories and scenography, to break down the boundaries between categories and uses, and to celebrate diversity and freedom of style.
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