While, for many, the summer months are typically reserved for a much-needed reset and a return to a slower pace. However, as one also knows, fashion never sleeps, and the mid-year mark calls for designated design houses like Chanel, Dior, and Schiaparelli to charge Paris with their one-of-a-kind masterpieces for Haute Couture Week. Unlike ready-to-wear offerings, labels must follow a strict set of requirements, including presenting made-to-measure, custom handcrafted garments for individual clients and maintaining a Paris atelier with at least 15 full-time staff members. As a result, the twice-a-year event is often a true feast for the eyes, allowing labels to spread their wings creatively, and showcase exceptional craftsmanship and artistry. Case in point: Haute Couture Week Fall/Winter 2025.

Taking place between July 7 – 10, the summer spectacle is already off to a jaw-dropping start thanks to houses like Schiaparelli and Iris Van Herpen. The former kicked things off on a high note, with creative director Daniel Roseberry presenting a vintage-inspired showcase with a Jetsons-like edge. The latter on the other hand, glowed all on its own — literally — employing bioluminescent algae to light up its handcrafted offerings.

If you’re in need of a cure to your midyear doldrums, ahead, see all the highlights from Haute Couture Week as they unfurl.

Day 1: July 7

Schiaparelli Goes Back To The Future

For his latest couture installment, creative director Daniel Roseberry explained in show notes that he wanted to “blur the line between past and future,” leaving no trace of modernity in-between. To achieve this, he leaned into vintage details like ribbons sourced from the 1930s and ‘40s, intricate embroidery, and Old World silhouettes (Corsets! Bustle skirts!) and set them against futuristic shapes and angles.

Iris Van Herpen Is Feeling Blue

An illuminating first for a runway show, the Dutch designer’s Haute Couture show included a dress embedded with 125 million bioluminescent algae (co-created with biodesigner Christopher Bellamy of Bio Crafted), which allowed it to emit a bluish glow and tied together the collection’s ethereal, nature-focused theme.