Bryan Dissaké

Paris Men’s Fashion Week came to a close on Sunday 25 January 2026 with Jacquemus’ “LE PALMIER”, and Haute Couture Week ended on Thursday 30 January with Germanier. A well-deserved break that will allow designers to catch their breaths, right? 

Maybe it will offer just enough time to take in a quick breath of fresh air in the winter cold, but the hustle and bustle of Fashion Week resumes in just a few days. First New York from 11-16 February, then London from 19-23 February, along to Milan from 24 February to 2 March, then again in Paris the following week. That’s right: in less than one week (one week!), Fashion Week is back in Paris!

With this frantic pace taking its toll on both the environment and the mental health of designers who face intense pressure to meet deadlines, one question arises: is it time to merge the men’s and women’s collections into one fashion show?

Making it work at the expense of mental health – an outdated principle?

It’s no secret that the pressure that is inherent in presenting a good collection can be disastrous. Anticipating criticism from the press, media coverage or even the opinions of peers while putting one’s creativity to good use can have serious consequences on the psyche.

John Galliano was a perfect example of this in 2011. At the height of his success as creative director at Dior and his eponymous brand, his career took a different turn after two consecutive scandals involving racist slurs while under the influence of substances.

“After every creative high, I would crash, and the alcohol helped me to escape.”

John Galliano

This sounds the alarm when it comes to designers who are churning out one collection after another, such as Jonathan Anderson. Having joined Dior a year ago, the former creative director of Loewe completed the Men’s Fashion Week show on 21 January 2026, followed immediately by the Haute Couture show five days later, and is currently preparing the women’s show due for March. Pushing through work, yes, but at what cost?

A path being traced

Some brands are beginning to follow the path of convergence in their fashion shows. Most recently, Loewe announced at the beginning of the month that it would not be participating in the January men’s edition. Instead, it plans to take advantage of the March week to present a mixed show combining the men’s and women’s collections.

However, for huge brands like Dior, for example, each collection presented generates substantial revenue after each Fashion Week, ensuring salaries for employees. So the question that arises in that case is whether or not it would be possible to reduce the frequency of shows without having to lay off part of the staff. 

As this idea gradually gains traction, it is likely that other brands will also decide to reduce the number of collections they showcase each year. Ultimately, we are only at the beginning of this process, so let’s wait and see what decisions are made this year. To be continued…