Jacquemus opened its Spring 2026 runway under a bright Provençal sun that felt more memory than season, and from the first look it was clear Simon Porte Jacquemus was asking us to reconsider what fashion can be when it carries story, place and emotion all at once. This collection, titled Le Paysan, was born of his childhood in the rural south of France, a place where linen, aprons and the dust of earth were woven into daily life long before runway lights ever flickered. The choice of the Orangerie at the Palace of Versailles was both elegant and rooted; this was clothing shaped by earth and light, presented in a space that has seen centuries of ceremonial dress. In these 60 looks you saw Jacquemus’s quiet strength as a voice in fashion, one that does not need spectacle for its effect but builds instead through texture, proportion and an instinct for quiet power.
Right away it was obvious that Simon Porte Jacquemus was not interested in the predictable or the purely decorative. The palette was anchored in whites, beiges, soft creams and fragile pastels that felt like early light at dawn. Linen and cotton dominated, sometimes cut into simple shapes, other times folded and draped with the care of a story told slowly. Aprons became skirts, smocks became dresses, and fichus tied around necks gave an almost folkloric sense to the collection without ever slipping into costume. You saw crocheted tops paired with oversized linen trousers so that the body felt at ease, and light chiffon skirts that caught the breeze as the models walked. This was clothing rooted in lived experience but elevated by intention and craft.
In one memorable sequence the models walked with baskets held low or trays cradled in their arms. Accessories here were not decoration but narrative devices, as if the clothes themselves carried the tools of a life lived under sun and sky. Jackets cut in crisp cotton bore simple yet striking details: oversized pockets, ties at unexpected points, and soft collars that echoed the kerchiefs worn by farmworkers. Crochet and broderie anglaise embroidered with threads of white and cream brought a softness to tailored elements, inviting the eye to travel over surface and structure alike. There was a humility in these garments that paradoxically made them feel more refined, not less.
This return to origins was personal for Simon Porte Jacquemus. He drew upon memories of family meals, of fields at sunrise, of afternoons spent outdoors. These memories did not translate into literal costume, but rather into an aesthetic that understood simplicity and elegance as inseparable. Linen strapless gowns paired with flowing headscarves closed the show, models barefoot and moving with slow intention as if they were stepping out of a dream and onto a stage. The breathability of cotton and linen gave each outfit a sense of movement that felt natural, and the layering of fabrics created depth without heaviness.
The attention to silhouette was subtle but deliberate. Jacquemus allowed volume where it mattered and trimmed it where restraint was required. Loose trousers narrowed at the ankle, echoing traditional workwear, while dresses cinched gently at the waist to suggest shape without rigidity. In some looks the linen hung almost like a second skin, caressing the body with the ease of familiarity, in others it flared dramatically at the hem, turning simple walking into a visual rhythm. These choices spoke of a deep understanding of both form and function, a duality that ran through every part of the collection.
On the runway the result felt like a living landscape. Crisp whites against soft beiges, the interplay of textures from smooth linen to crocheted tops, and the breeze catching flowing skirts gave it a vitality that static images rarely capture. Yet even in stillness each garment hinted at motion. Linen aprons tied loosely at the back suggested women and men who moved, worked and laughed in these clothes as naturally as the fields that inspired them. This was not fashion that asked solely to be admired; it asked to be lived in.
Front row guests underscored how this collection resonated beyond the runway. Lori Harvey turned heads in a pale yellow sleeveless maxi dress that harked back to the collection’s sunlit palette. The dress hugged her figure at the top and then cascaded at her feet, paired with white sandals that completed the effortless, sun-soaked look. She carried a sculptural bag and wore minimalist sunglasses, letting the fluid lines of her dress speak first. Much like the clothes on the runway, her look suggested ease without sacrificing refinement.
Laura Harrier offered another expression of the mood that Jacquemus cultivated. She arrived in a sleeveless white textured maxi dress with vertical ruffle details that elongated her silhouette. Her ensemble paired with rich burgundy slingback heels and a compact burgundy bag created contrast while staying true to the show’s core tones. The interplay of texture and color in her outfit echoed the delicate details of the runway looks—simple fabrics elevated through thoughtful design.
Emma Roberts chose a playful yet chic approach. She combined a soft charcoal knit sweater with a white tutu skirt that nodded to balletcore while keeping strict French elegance. Her black slingback heels and a compact clutch balanced whimsy with polish, and her presence in the front row felt like a conversation with the collection itself, marrying street-level personality with high fashion sensibility.
Even beyond these standout attendees, the front row was a study in how Simon Porte Jacquemus’s vision resonates with a wide range of style personalities. Olympian Armand Duplantis showed up in a crisp cream suit that echoed the collection’s earthy tones, while Aya Nakamura impressed in a transparent striped white halter gown that felt both fresh and refined. Amina Muaddi’s black fitted jacket and capris with peep-toe heels spoke to modern minimalism, a quiet counterpoint to the natural narrative woven through the runway.
In these looks you saw how Jacquemus as a brand is flexible enough to translate a rural narrative into modern glamour without feeling contradictory. The clothes on the runway were at once grounded and elevated, and the guests’ interpretations of those codes off the runway proved the collection’s adaptability.
