Paris Haute Couture Week 2026: Couture, Contemporary Art and a New Era of Creative Recognition
Jasmin Bakar Omar
Anita Staes
Alan Starovoitov
The event reflected a broader transformation taking place within the fashion industry. Arab designers are no longer appearing in Paris as occasional guests; they are becoming an established and increasingly influential part of the international couture landscape. At the same time, fashion presentations are expanding beyond the runway, creating a dialogue with visual art, performance, cultural heritage and literature.
The Growing Influence of Arab Couture
This season, 12.11 Pro Production once again presented distinguished Arab designers during Paris Haute Couture Week, reinforcing the growing international presence of fashion talent from the Middle East and North Africa.
Qatari designer Dana Almulla presented Echoes of Timeless Art, a couture collection inspired by Islamic architecture. Architectural domes were reinterpreted as sculptural collars, elegant arches became refined necklines, and traditional ornamental motifs were transformed into intricate hand embroidery. The collection connected cultural heritage with contemporary couture craftsmanship, presenting Islamic visual traditions through a modern and sophisticated design language.
Egyptian couture house TEMRAZA, founded by internationally recognized designer Farida Temraz, unveiled its Archive Collection, featuring some of the brand’s most iconic creations. Rather than functioning simply as a retrospective, the presentation demonstrated the enduring relevance of TEMRAZA’s design identity and the timeless character of its couture work.
During the event, Farida Temraz received the Outstanding Fashion Designer Award in recognition of her contribution to international couture and her role in strengthening the global visibility of Egyptian fashion.
Fashion Week Becomes a Cultural Week
Paris Haute Couture Week is increasingly becoming more than a series of runway presentations. Exhibitions, performances, literary events and cultural programs are now forming an integral part of the week, creating new opportunities for collaboration between artistic disciplines.
Curated by Anna Sashina, the contemporary art exhibition at Hôtel Particulier Monceau brought together internationally recognized artists whose work explores identity, cultural memory, transformation and personal freedom.
Anita Staes - Belgium
Belgian-Polish contemporary artist Anita Staes, founder of Anitafication Art, presented expressive acrylic works characterized by poetic energy and emotional depth.
Her practice incorporates natural and luxury materials, including crushed shells, sand, epoxy resin and diamond dust, creating luminous compositions inspired by nature, movement and transformation. Her work has been represented by international galleries including Saatchi Gallery in London, Andakulova Gallery in Dubai, Z7 Design & Art Gallery in Knokke and Thomson Gallery in Zurich.
Elen Sharafullina - France
France-based artist and international etiquette expert Elen Sharafullina presented work connecting visual art, cultural identity, refined aesthetics and contemporary luxury.
As part of the exhibition, she also introduced her new book, Etiquette on Board, devoted to yachting culture, conduct aboard private vessels and the principles of etiquette for yacht owners and guests. The publication combines practical guidance, contemporary standards of international hospitality and the author’s extensive experience in social and business etiquette.
Her participation created a distinctive dialogue between visual art, literature, luxury hospitality and the world of international yachting.
Jasmin Bakar Omar - Zanzibar
Born in Zanzibar, Jasmin Bakar Omar is one of the island’s few established professional female artists. Her work is deeply rooted in Zanzibar’s visual and cultural heritage, including its historic doors, traditional dhows, Stone Town architecture, local transportation, fishermen and everyday coastal life.
Working primarily with acrylic paint and palette knife, often combined with mixed media, she creates expressive contemporary works exploring heritage, resilience, identity and personal freedom.
During the event, Jasmin Bakar Omar received an award recognizing her excellence in contemporary impressionist art.
Anna Perevozchikova - International Photography
The exhibition also featured photographer Anna Perevozchikova, whose career spans more than sixty countries and over a decade of visual storytelling.
Her photographic practice combines documentary observation with a deeply personal artistic perspective. Through images shaped by travel, cultural encounter and human experience, Perevozchikova creates visual narratives that feel both immediate and timeless.
Special Cultural Program
The official opening took place on July 8, 2026, at 2:00 p.m., featuring a live performance by internationally acclaimed baritone and international competition winner Alan Starovoitov.
His opera recital introduced an emotional and theatrical dimension to the exhibition, strengthening the connection between fashion, visual art and performance.
The program offered guests an opportunity to discover contemporary art, meet international artists, attend an exclusive book presentation, experience live opera and engage with a new generation of designers and cultural figures during one of the most important weeks on the global fashion calendar.
A New Model of Creative Recognition
The event also reflected the emergence of new platforms recognizing not only fashion designers, but the wider creative ecosystem surrounding couture: artists, photographers, performers, curators, beauty professionals and cultural innovators.
By bringing these disciplines together, the program at Hôtel Particulier Monceau demonstrated that the future of Haute Couture Week lies not only in extraordinary garments, but also in the stories, traditions, artistic practices and international collaborations that give those garments meaning.
Paris Haute Couture Week 2026 marked another important step toward a more diverse and multidisciplinary creative landscape—one in which Arab couture holds a permanent place, fashion and art exist in continuous dialogue, and creative excellence is recognized across borders and disciplines.
Valentina Petrovna Varnavskaia
Valentina Varnavskaya
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