Hermès presented its Spring/Summer 2026 women’s collection on Saturday October 4th inside the Garde Républicaine on a serpentine runway weaving throughout the venue, covered in wakes of shimmering sand. Setting the scene for a collection rooted in sensuality,
inspired by open landscapes, freedom of movement, and of course, equestrian heritage.
Creative Director Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski was inspired by an antique hand-waxed Camargue saddle from the Hermès archives, with curved toussequin backrest and worn in elements shaped by the rider. These signifiers, deeply engrained in Hermès craftsmanship, translated elegantly into pieces that moved and accentuated the body emphasized by leather straps, buckles, corseting, quilting, and soft tailoring.
Cropped equestrian jackets paired with leather asymmetrical quilted skirts, slick waxed cotton dust coats cinched with harness belts, and corsetry-inspired leather vests and brassière tops were seen layered throughout the collection. Silk added lightness to leather, a swift colourful brush stroke of volume to the structured silhouettes, echoing the collection’s emphasis on ease and movement.
Scarves in Aux Champs En Fleurs and Méditerranée motifs appeared tied onto belt loops, woven under leather bralettes, tied onto Tablier Sellier and So Kelly bags, treaded through chaine d’ancre necklaces, and on a Balusoie bag in a bright tulip print.
The palette leaned toward landscape tones including dark mossy green and woody beige, but surprised with vibrant accents of red in loose fit leather trousers, quilted dresses and skirts, handbags, and scarves. Vivid splashes of indigo dominated the latter half of the collection anchored by black vests, fluid leather dresses, trousers, skirts, and shorts. Dungaree-style trousers with harness straps appeared styled an indigo Kelly Dance attached to the waist, and later with the So Kelly Hobo in brilliant indigo and classic Hermès orange, both designs from Jean-Paul Gaultier’s Fall Winter 2008 collection.
Other new bag silhouettes for the season leaned towards the hobo including the Bride de Jour and Seau Bel-II, with heavy silver metal snap hook, as well as the Cabasoie, and a larger Bride de Jour Double Longe. There were of course Birkin’s in delicious black and sand coloured suede, as well as
Each model wore tall riding boots, some fully leather and others mixed with heavy gauge canvas uppers, embodying a modern equestrian spirit emphasizing practicality, independence, and heritage without even a hint of constrain. The collection could have easily felt tenebrous, given that palette with leather at the core, but the trend of ease continued to dominate the runways of Paris
In her tenth year as creative director, Vanhee-Cybulski has done more than prove her mastery, managing to strike a careful balance between tradition and modernity, honouring the house codes with ease and grace.
Discover the collection below.
Images courtesy of Hermès by Filippo Fior