Couture collections are becoming increasingly fantastical, leading audiences to ponder who the pieces are actually for (once you venture outside of the red-carpet realm, of course). Debates aside, one thing is clear: haute couture allows us to live out fashion fantasies once reserved for Pinterest moodboards and bask in the splendor of savoir-faire. At Paris Couture Week Autumn/Winter 2026, the collections were dreamier than ever, with pieces plucked from fairytales, balloon animals twisted into wearable forms and high jewellery collections revealed on the runway. Here, MOJEH rounds-up the stand-out accessories from Paris Couture Week.
Blazy And The Beanstalk
Matthieu Blazy took inspiration from fairytales for the Chanel Autumn/Winter 2026 Haute Couture collection, turning accessories into extensions of storytelling. Bean-shaped minaudières finished with golden fairies swung from models’ hands, heels were fashioned from eggs and bean pods, and The Wizard of Oz’s scarecrow came to life with a straw-like ensemble complete with a gold flower-punctuated hat. It’s Blazy’s world, and we’re just living in it.
Cuffing Season
Pierpaolo is regarded as one of the best couturiers of modern times – his collections are classic and wearable with just the right amount of whimsy to stay relevant and keep his reputation intact. He made his couture debut at Balenciaga during Paris Couture Week AW26 and kept the accessories (relatively) low-key with coloured-glass cuffs that accessorised arms à la Grecian princesses and ears à la princesses of the pop-punk variety.
A Walk On The Wild Side
The Lebanese Maison celebrated Mother Nature for Autumn/Winter 2026 Haute Couture and emphasised the importance of finding beauty in life’s little things. The show’s accessories spotlighted nature’s dainty creations with oversized earrings resembling shells and jewel-toned beetles clasped onto the lobe. Flora also had its moment – a hyper-realistic orchid blooms from the front of a pointed pump, echoing an orchid-embroidered dress from the collection.
No Stone Unturned
Giorgio Armani Privé is the epitome of Italian elegance. While its couture offerings aren’t as over-the-top as some Houses on the calendar, the Autumn/Winter 2026 collection by Silvana Armani was by no means second best. The collection, titled boudoir, is rooted in seduction. Awash with deep ruby, amethyst and navy hues, accessories featured oversized stones across earrings, cocktail rings and cuff bracelets that perfectly harmonised with the eveningwear aesthetic.
International Acclaim
Jonathan Anderson was inspired by the life and works of American sculptor Lynda Benglis for the Dior Autumn/Winter 2026 Haute Couture collection. He honoured her use of industrial materials through pleated iterations of the Maison’s iconic bags, replicating corrugated metals in delicate materials. Other accessories included evening bags wrapped in 18th-century Indian chintz; on the hands that clutched them were chains adorned with multicoloured charms handmade in Jaipur – Benglis’ Ahmedabad holiday home was the source of much of her inspiration.
A Real Gem
Nothing complements the artistry of a couture collection better than high jewellery. Manish Malhotra presented a high jewellery collection during his debut on the Paris Couture Week calendar, sending models down the catwalk dripping in rare gemstones. The collection itself is a tribute to the designer’s late mother conveyed through traditional Indian craftsmanship – diamonds, rubies, kunzites, rubellites and sapphires come together in celebration, the heirlooms serving as expressions of the values passed down from one generation to the next.
Spark Joy
Robert Wun demonstrates that couture needn’t be stuffy to showcase one’s skills. The Autumn/Winter 2026 Haute Couture collection is titled Childsplay and presents pieces that represent the joy of childhood while simultaneously demonstrating the mastery of the Hong Kong-based designer. Sculptural headwear was the highlight of the accessories offering. Colourful embellishments were not-so-haphazardly placed to replicate paint-splattered hats; a headband came equipped with a twirling ballerina seemingly plucked from a musical box (complete with its mirror); and a spherical red hat echoed the chewing-gum bubble blown by a model as she walked.
