L’Oréal Paris Opens Fashion Week to the Public at the Eiffel Tower
Paris, September 28, 2026 — Paris Fashion Week’s first evening will extend beyond the invitation-only runway system when L’Oréal Paris stages Le Défilé at Place Joffre, facing the Eiffel Tower. The ninth edition begins at 9:00 p.m. Central European Summer Time under the theme “Express Your Worth.”
What is confirmed for tonight
L’Oréal Paris’s official viewing guide confirms the September 28 date, 9:00 p.m. start and Place Joffre location. The brand says the show will be streamed worldwide across its digital and social channels. Online viewing does not require a paid subscription or registration.
In-person access is different. Paris’s official tourism office describes the event as free and open to the public, but subject to advance registration. That distinction matters: “free” does not mean unrestricted entry, and attendance remains dependent on confirmation and available capacity.
The Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode also lists “L’Oréal Paris Le Défilé. Express Your Worth” among the official events surrounding the week. It is not presented as one of the calendar’s individual designer collection shows; it is a fashion-and-beauty event operating alongside them.
A public-facing counterpoint to the private calendar
Most official Paris Fashion Week runway shows remain invitation-only. Le Défilé uses the scale of a landmark outdoor setting and a global broadcast to give consumers a direct point of entry. L’Oréal Paris says the production will bring together its ambassadors, fashion designers and beauty teams around messages of confidence, inclusion and self-expression.
The announced ambassador lineup includes Simone Ashley, Viola Davis, Cara Delevingne, Jane Fonda, Kendall Jenner, Eva Longoria, Andie MacDowell and Aishwarya Rai. Those names are confirmed participants in the brand’s preview materials; their exact runway order and individual looks were not public at the time of writing.
Paris Runway Official’s analysis
Editorial assessment: Le Défilé is a useful example of how a beauty brand can participate in fashion week without pretending to be a traditional seasonal collection. Its media value comes from access, recognizable talent, live beauty creation and an unmistakably Parisian setting.
For communications teams, the public format changes the content strategy. A private runway is often optimized for editors, buyers and invited creators. This event must also communicate to viewers watching on phones across multiple time zones. Close beauty shots, clear product-free storytelling, short ambassador moments and rapid replay clips are therefore as important as the full runway view.
The Eiffel Tower backdrop will generate instant recognition, but landmark visibility alone does not measure impact. Useful post-event indicators will include livestream reach, replay viewing, earned media, audience sentiment and whether individual hair and makeup moments continue circulating after the spectacle ends.
How to follow Le Défilé
- Date: Monday, September 28, 2026
- Time: 9:00 p.m. CEST / 3:00 p.m. EDT
- Location: Place Joffre, Paris
- Online: L’Oréal Paris digital and social platforms
- In person: Free with advance registration and confirmation, subject to capacity
For the wider schedule—including Dior, Chanel and Louis Vuitton—see our Paris Fashion Week SS27 final calendar guide.