Romance Is Back — And Couture Set the Mood
Couture leaned into romance this season — and here’s how it’s translating into real-life date-night outfits right now. Just in time for Valentine’s.
January is always a revealing month in fashion. Couture strips things down to instinct— what designers are drawn to when they can (almost) fully lean into their vision, inspiration, and artistic aspirations. This January, across Paris, romance was unmistakably back.
At Chanel, romance appeared through a focus on the body and movement. Matthieu Blazy’s inspiration included a wall covered with birds and a poem titled "A Bird on a Mushroom." With an entry point like that, how could the result be anything but romantic? Blazy put the body first—how fabric responds to it, follows it, releases around it. The collection carried a sense of lightness, physical and mental. The sheerness of the clothes was deliberate, and the lucky ones who got to explore the collection in person said they weighed absolutely nothing. Romance lived in the way the fabric moved with the body through space.
Dior’s vision of romance centered on admiration and dialogue. For Spring/Summer 2026 Haute Couture, Jonathan Anderson drew inspiration from other disciplines, inviting craft beyond fashion to shape the collection. Among the primary influences, the work of artist Magdalene Odundo offered a pivotal lens — one that reframed couture through the poetics of sculpture. Her ceramic forms informed silhouettes, bringing softness and structure into quiet conversation.
That same spirit extended into the accessories. Anderson collaborated with textile artist Sheila Hicks to reinterpret the Lady Dior bag through texture, movement, and a sense of play, turning an iconic house symbol into something tactile and alive. Both women attended the show in the front row, a visible gesture of creative lineage and support. Nature ran through the collection — organic forms, tactility, the quiet excitement of discovery. It felt intimate in a different way: romance as curiosity, as respect, as the pleasure of being moved by someone else’s work.
Schiaparelli leaned into romance through spectacle and emotion. Daniel Roseberry, too, turned to the animal world, but rendered it with intensity rather than softness. The show’s theme — agony and ecstasy — sat between the theatrical and the religious, and it was palpable. You could feel the agony, then the relief of ecstasy—feelings most of us recognize from falling in love and seeking the assurance of being seen by another. Desire and feelings sat at the center of the collection.
And finally, I couldn’t leave this creation out. This sculptural piece by Gaurav Gupta was inspired by the human nervous system and the flow of energy, but can you honestly look at it and not think of lovers? Relationships? The idea of dependence between two entities—bodies, souls—is so strong that it feels like a tangible link between the two. Bodies linked, circulation shared. Romance rendered as anatomy, impossible to separate or ignore.
Across these collections, one thread kept resurfacing: nature—birds, animals, organic forms, the body itself. Fashion’s fascination with the natural world isn’t new, but this season it felt pointed. Yes, nature is beautiful, but it’s also an escape, a place to look when daily realities feel too sharp. And so nature, in its romantic manifestations, became a form of refuge. What further linked these collections wasn’t a shared aesthetic, but a shared willingness to engage emotionally. Couture this season didn’t feel guarded or ironic.
This season, couture didn’t just reflect romance—it helped set the emotional tone for now and into Q1. Surprisingly, this isn’t a one-week Valentine’s spike. It’s been building since the end of last year, gradually filtering into how romance shows up in everyday fashion—through lace, the trick-playing sheerness of organza and chiffon, and the structural return of peplum.
How Romance Translates to Real Wardrobes
I’m not a huge trend person. I don’t really believe in full-blown aesthetic shifts or changing my personality because fashion says so. But I do like to switch it up once in a while—to embrace a certain notion for a season rather than a complete reinvention.
As a mom of two toddler boys, I’ve leaned (hard) into my practical, it-has-to-have-pockets side of life. With the change of seasons, I’m finding myself craving a bit more softness again, a return to something more feminine.
The brands have definitely read the memo, as finding just the right piece proved to be quite easy. Here are a few pieces I’m considering, and how I’d style them. Links (not affiliated) included, in case you want to check them out:
Starting strong with this perfect red top — instant Valentine’s-date energy in under five minutes.
Pair it with denim and your favorite boots for low-effort chic (and expect compliments).
Another strong Valentine’s option: this dress, paired with your favorite oversized leather jacket and a soft hair up-do?
Umm, yes.
Had to include this little number — I immediately pictured it under an oversized white button-down, just peeking out slightly. Your leaning-sexy-cocktail-hour option.
And a few day-to-night chocolate-brown pieces for your consideration.
I love that these tops and skirts can easily be layered with a big cozy sweater, peeking out underneath — that feminine, flowy contrast is what makes the outfit feel interesting. From the left: laced top, skirt, chiffon shirt.
These feel to me like small, thoughtful additions—pieces that soften an outfit, add some whimsy to my otherwise very practical wardrobe, and make getting dressed feel a little more exciting again.
Which piece would you try — and which couture moment stayed with you most this season?