Fashion week follies: Forget the runway — catch the real show in the front row

Fashion took a backseat to fame in the City of Light this fall.

Paris fashion week’s spring/summer 2026 shows wrap Tuesday, Oct. 7, after nine jam-packed days of couture, chaos and celebrity cameos — but this year, it wasn’t the clothes turning heads.

Last year, Rick Owens’ sci-fi balaclavas, Dior’s archer Grecian sneaker-goddesses and Miu Miu’s delightfully disheveled bandage chic ruled the runways and inspired trends on social media.

This time? The real show was in the seats.

It’s the battle of celebs versus couture — and this season, the stars stole the show.

Paris, Milan, Manhattan — same circus, different tent

Across fashion month — from New York to Milan to Paris — fans may be struggling to name a single standout look.

The spotlight has shifted from hemlines to headliners, with A-listers in the front row stealing more thunder than the models strutting past them.

The flashes, of course, were blinding — but not for the clothes.

Zendaya memorably shimmered in a bow-bedecked metallic mini coat dress at Louis Vuitton.

Kylie Jenner sultrily turned Miu Miu into her own lace-clad circus. (Remember when Karl Lagerfeld’s strut could outshine the Kardashians? Now the Kardashians strut past the runway.)

And in the most meta moment of fashion month, Meryl Streep showed up to Dolce & Gabbana in full “Devil Wears Prada 2” mode — alongside co-star Stanley Tucci — to face off with the real Anna Wintour in Milan.

Gone are the days when Hubert de Givenchy was as famous as Audrey Hepburn, or Karl Lagerfeld stalked the runway in his flirty, little black gloves.

It’s a testament to how the power dynamic is shifting.

These days, it’s not about the clothes — it’s about who’s paid to sit in them.

Booty shorts and big names steal Saint Laurent’s shine

At Yves Saint Laurent’s Spring 2026 show beneath the glow of the Eiffel Tower, few could recall exactly what Anthony Vaccarello sent down the runway — but everyone remembered the front row.

Hailey Bieber, Zoë Kravitz and Charli XCX stole the spotlight, ditching pants for frilly, fairy-core “booty shorts” so sweet they could give you a cavity.

And since they wore them, expect every sidewalk to turn into a cheeky runway soon.

Balenciaga becomes Anne Hathaway and Meghan Markle’s runway

Anne Hathaway turned heads at Balenciaga’s Spring 2026 show in a custom high-low graphic tee with a floor-length back that was inspired by the collection — not that anyone could tell you what was actually on the runway.

Meghan Markle also made her Paris Fashion Week debut at Balenciaga, swanning in wearing a white cape over silky trousers — and just like that, the catwalk became an afterthought.

The designers, poor things, are simply trying to keep up.

Demna Gvasalia’s highly anticipated premiere at Gucci — yes, the boy wonder who left Balenciaga for the Italian powerhouse — was supposed to be the tectonic shift of Milan.

Designers play catch-up

Gvasalia debuted his first collection with a short film, “The Tiger,” a sophisticated but ultimately self-aware nod to the “House of Gucci” drama.

While the collection showcased his subversive aesthetic and promised glamorous family values for the brand, the conversation shifted toward the steamy, dreamy glitterati.

Gucci’s market dominance was largely driven by strategic celebrity appointments, with K-pop ambassador Jin of BTS single-handedly generating massive media value and brand mentions online.

Give us a waxed chest and a BTS singer in a low-cut shirt, and all bets are off.

The future of fashion: fame first, designs second?

Rumor has it Sydney Sweeney is dipping her toes into lingerie, reportedly with backing from a Bezos-linked investor, according to US Weekly.

Celebrity launches are nothing new for the Kardashians or Jenners, but Sweeney — still rising in the A-list ranks — is a gutsy pick for the lingerie world.

Owning a celebrity-backed brand is a whole different game than simply lending your face to an existing label, like the recent GAP campaign with K-pop girl group KATSEYE or the upcoming GapStudio collab starring Gwyneth Paltrow and her daughter, Apple Martin.

It seems the future of fashion may belong to celebrities as household names — with designers cast as supporting players you can’t quite name but can’t forget.