The brutal Fourth of July heatwave on the East Coast has broken, but the Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2026 runways are just heating up in Paris. With couture debuts from Pierpaolo Piccioli at Balenciaga and Duran Lantink at John Paul Gaultier, not to mention Olivier Theysken’s introduction of his new ready-to-wear line, Boloria, the season will unsurprisingly be a memorable one. Beyond the impeccable craftsmanship of the fashion house’s ateliers, are the jaw-dropping Haute Couture F/W ‘26 beauty looks. Yes, the runway hair and makeup that complement the collections are often just as painstakingly intricate as the pleats, beading, and embellishments of the clothes.
Case in point: The sleek, glossy sculptural updos and illuminated skin at Schiaparelli tied into the collection’s underwater theme. Then there’s Dior, which featured various forms of shimmery green eyeshadow, a play off the foiled fabrics of Jonathan Anderson’s second couture collection for the house. Of course, no Haute Couture schedule is complete without a fantastical beauty moment, and Iris Van Herpen always delivers. Along with the 3D manicures the designer has become known for, the hair and makeup featured exaggerated lengths. Some models had extra-long lashes added to the outer corners of their eyes, while others had tie-dyed hair covering their face.
Below, see all of the standout runway beauty moments from the Haute Couture F/W ‘26 runways.
Chanel’s Statement Eyes
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Virgil CLAISSE/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images
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Virgil CLAISSE/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images
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Virgil CLAISSE/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images
All that glimmers was gold at Chanel. The models wore custom eye looks, ranging from gold glitter scattered across the lids to feather lashes. Some even had matching spray paint applied to their hair.
Dior’s Couture Green Eye Makeup
Green eyeshadow got the couture treatment at Dior. Creative and Image Director of Christian Dior Makeup Peter Philips used various shades from the upcoming Diorshow 5 Couleurs 365 Charmed Green palette to give models looks that ranged from a wash of shimmery chartreuse across the lids to sparkly shamrock liner along the lash line. For an air of ease, hairstylist Guido Palau left models’ hair natural, enhancing their textures and cuts.
Iris Van Herpen’s Extra-Long Hair
Along with the house’s signature 3D nails, lashes and hair went to new lengths at Iris Van Herpen. A few standouts include wing-like extensions on the outer corner of the eyes and white strands with blue tie dye.
Rahul Mishra’s Metallic Lips
Francois Durand/Getty Images
If the Rahul Mishra show is any indication, 2016 makeup trends are still going strong. The models’ skin was bare save for a metallic gold lip — not unlike the viral liquid lipstick look that was all the rage 10 years ago.
Schiaparelli’s Luminous Skin & Updos
The bodices on gowns weren’t the only things that illuminated the Schiaparelli runway. Legendary makeup artist Pat McGrath’s makeup look centered around an otherworldly glow with touches of shimmery bronze on the cheeks and eyes, while hairstylist Guido Palau leaned into the oceanic theme of the collection by creating super-shiny sculptural updos that mimicked waves.
Boloria’s Haunted Eyes
On the eve of Couture Week, designer Olivier Theyskens debuted his new line, Boloria. The designer lived up to this reputation for dark yet romantic collections, and the show’s beauty look was equally moody. Makeup artist Lynsey Alexander turned models into “haunting delicate little vampires” by enhancing their under-eye veins and using shades that created a “haunting effect.”
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