Paris Fashion Week, for all its glitz and pomp, is still a commercial event. Don’t let viral moments and fancy outfits distract you from the fact that this is just another cycle in the business of selling clothes and despite what Instagram may show, most of the action happens off the runway. Hundreds of brands showcase their collections in showrooms spread across the city. The largest showrooms can host 80 or more brands in large convention centers, while independent labels often pool their resources to rent pop-up space for their own DIY presentations. And then there are the lone wolves who either have the following and the capital to go it alone, or simply have the ability to do it from an Airbnb (or even a box truck). And these are just those brands Make Clothes—PFW is also a time for brand pop-ups and parties, which drive fashion convos in other ways, too.
Showrooms typically don’t have the glitz or drama of a high-production runway, but they do offer a closer look at the clothes. There, buyers and editors can touch the clothes, examine them, even try them on for size. You can interact with the designers themselves and learn about all the subtle nuances of the product and the processes that got them there. If Runway is a movie, Showroom is a video game.
While my colleagues were hopping from runway to runway all over the city covering big-tent shows like Louis Vuitton and Willy Chavarria, I was wandering between as many showrooms as my body would allow to see what was happening on the ground floor. For the spring 2027 season, I expected a lot of crisp lightweight fabrics in open weaves and loose silhouettes, yet the throughlines that emerged were exciting and surprising. From the dominance of dusty rose hues on everything from outerwear to footwear, the millionaire take on seersucker, to the constant experimentation with collars, here’s an inside look at the best things I saw at the second Fashion Week.
Carter Young’s Fire-Engine Red Swing Jacket
Carter Young’s latest collection felt transatlantic, with a distinctly American foundation filtered through more British sensibilities. It makes sense for the Michigan-born ex-pat who now lives in London. This season featured silky plaid shirts thin enough to be transparent, loose-gauge knits with vintage-style necklines, and soft tailoring. The standout was this red-hot jacket that was so cool I was considering wearing it — even when Paris was sweltering in record heat.
