Paris Fashion Week Ignites with Bold New Voices and Radical Statements
Paris Fashion Week continues to be a vibrant stage for emerging talent, with young labels increasingly solidifying their creative presence and becoming essential appointments for the global press and buyers. The second day of women’s ready-to-wear shows for Spring-Summer 2026 proved particularly invigorating, injecting a much-needed jolt of fresh creative energy into the fashion scene. Among the standout presentations that truly shook up the calendar this Tuesday were the compelling showcases from Zomer and Matières Fécales.
Making its impactful debut on the coveted Paris fashion calendar, Matières Fécales delivered a powerful statement with a collection that masterfully blended dangerously seductive aesthetics with a unique vision. The brand’s presentation oscillated between the meticulous craft of couture tailoring and a striking techno-gothic sensibility. Models, cast with a highly inclusive approach to represent a mysterious tribe, seemed to emerge from a lost kingdom, taking the capital by storm in imposing and unforgettable looks. Their porcelain doll-like makeup and glassy gazes, sometimes obscured by enigmatic half-masks, were complemented by vertiginous platform stilettos featuring dramatically curved needle heels, all contributing to an otherworldly allure.
Conformity was clearly not a guiding principle for the brand’s visionary founders, Canadians Hannah Rose Dalton (29) and Steven Raj Bhaskaran (31). Dalton, who both opened and closed the show, and Bhaskaran, of Guyanese and Sri Lankan heritage, spent years honing their craft and proving their distinct vision. Their journey saw them move from Montreal, establish themselves as influential DJs in New York, and finally find significant success in Paris. Here, they garnered invaluable support from industry luminaries such as Rick Owens and his wife Michèle Lamy, before gaining further endorsement from Adrian Joffe, the esteemed head of Dover Street Market. Their unique creative perspective also resonated with global icons like Lady Gaga and Madonna, solidifying their reputation.
The duo at Matières Fécales demonstrated an exceptional talent for toying with established couture codes, subverting them with innovative twists without ever resorting to gratuitous provocation. A prime example of this nuanced approach was a pale pink, Chanel-esque tweed suit. This collarless and off-the-shoulder ensemble featured artfully frayed edges on both its jacket and skirt, a subtle yet rebellious detail that redefined traditional elegance.
The collection’s silhouettes showcased a dynamic range, transitioning from long and lean to strikingly sculptural forms, characterized by pronounced shoulders and rounded hips. Corsetry played a central role, strategically accentuating feminine curves, while an array of chic hats and elegant opera gloves added a sophisticated touch of glamour. The pinnacle of elegance was evident in impeccably cut pieces, including sharp masculine tailoring, luxurious satin ensembles, classic 1940s-style skirt suits, sensual jumpsuits, intricately ruched tulle cocktail dresses, and sophisticated trench-robe hybrids that playfully revealed suspender stockings. The show concluded with an unforgettable series of crinolines, frothing with layers of tulle and adorned with delicate roses, creating a dramatic and romantic finale.
Beyond the high-fashion elements, Matières Fécales also presented a more street-inflected wardrobe, broadening the collection’s appeal. This segment featured perfectly faded and ripped jeans, tracksuit tops emblazoned with the defiant slogan "Never conform," and a uniquely hole-riddled black T-shirt printed with a wilted rose and the poignant slogan "La vie en rose." Adding a darker, more audacious edge to the line-up, a distinct BDSM thread ran through the collection, manifested in various striking black leather pieces.
Over at Zomer, the presentation commenced with a large artist’s palette positioned centre stage, upon which models playfully rubbed their feet, leaving colourful footprints across the pristine white catwalk. This whimsical setup perfectly encapsulated the brand’s inherent playful streak, which consistently prioritizes joy, lightness, and witty details in its designs. Zomer’s aesthetic is always about infusing fashion with an uplifting and imaginative spirit.
This season, the brand’s two designers, Tatar Danial Aitouganov and Dutch-Caribbean Imruh Asha, grappled with a core creative dilemma: to exaggerate or to pare back? The intelligent result was a collection masterfully constructed between foundational neutral-hued basics and more elaborate, multicoloured statement pieces. Each garment was elevated by a quirky or clever twist, showcasing the designers’ unique ability to find balance and inject personality. Ties, for instance, were artfully knotted like bow ties and perched unexpectedly on shrunken blouson jackets or tiny short-sleeved shirts, while oversized belt buckles cinched the waists of elegantly draped dresses, playing with proportion in unexpected ways.
In a continuous exploration of proportions, the designers consistently dropped the waistline to thigh level, secured low with a belt, creating a relaxed yet deliberate silhouette. Skirts and Bermuda shorts appeared to have slipped down the legs, deliberately revealing the top of an undergarment in a completely different fabric or colour, fostering a cheerful mix-and-match aesthetic. This layered approach was further exemplified by a short denim skirt inset into a shimmering sequinned petticoat, and a crocodile-effect A-line skirt layered flush over a crisp white poplin summer dress, creating intriguing textural and visual contrasts.
The collection’s other striking original idea revolved around variations on the umbrella shape, lending a unique architectural quality to several pieces. Long dresses and handkerchief-hem skirts unfurled into elegant, pointed drapes, mimicking the form of an open umbrella. Volume at the shoulders was dramatically built through tiers of pointed leather ruffles. Elsewhere, a skirt would fall straight to the knees before ingeniously opening into arched panels below, creating the distinctive and playful silhouette of an umbrella. This motif underscored Zomer’s commitment to innovative design and playful structural elements.
