Paris Runway Official Opens Paris Fashion Week with YSL under the Eiffel Tower
Tonight at 8 pm local time, Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) unveiled its Spring/Summer 2026 collection in a highly anticipated show during Paris Fashion Week. The runway event was staged at Place du Trocadéro, directly opposite the Eiffel Tower, with a striking floral installation of white hydrangeas arranged into the shape of the YSL monogram serving as a dramatic backdrop.
A Dramatic Setting & Bold Ambition
By positioning the show in one of Paris’s most iconic public spaces, YSL’s creative director Anthony Vaccarello transformed the cityscape into a theatrical stage. The garden-like setting contrasted softness and boldness: while the hydrangeas suggested delicacy, the garments themselves leaned heavily into structure, volume, and silhouette.
Vaccarello framed the collection as a response to modern isolation, commenting that “style becomes a form of discourse... not one that imposes, but one that connects.”
The Cast & Atmosphere
The show attracted major attention not just for its craftsmanship but for its star-studded guest list. Bella Hadid made a notable return to the runway despite recent health challenges, walking in a translucent backward trench coat accessorized with oversized sunglasses and bold earrings.
The event also drew legendary supermodels such as Linda Evangelista, Kate Moss, and Carla Bruni, who appeared for a highly publicized red carpet moment before the show.
Hailey Bieber and Abbey Lee were among the younger generation of models in attendance, contributing to the cross-generational energy of the event.
What This Show Means
As the first major runway event of Paris Fashion Week, YSL’s show set a bold tone. It emphasized that in a climate of social fragmentation and quiet isolation, fashion can act as a bridge... an aesthetic dialogue that speaks beyond words.
Vaccarello’s message was that style can connect rather than impose which resonated with the surrounding symbolism: nature (via the floral installation) against structure, lightness against power, and heritage against modern reinterpretation.
With press and critics already calling it a “supermodel summit” and a theatrical triumph, tonight’s YSL show reaffirmed the brand’s role as a leader in style as both craft and commentary.