What Is Paris Fashion Week? 2027 Dates and How Visitors Can Experience It

October 17, 2026

The short answer: Paris Fashion Week is the series of runway shows and presentations where fashion houses show their new collections to buyers, press and invited guests. It happens several times a year, on an official calendar set by the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM). Most shows are invitation only, so you can't buy a ticket to a Dior or Chanel show. As a visitor you can still watch the shows online, catch the occasional public event, and spend the week in the city's fashion museums. The next editions, according to the FHCM: menswear January 19 to 24, 2027; Haute Couture January 25 to 28, 2027; womenswear March 1 to 9, 2027.

The September 2026 womenswear season just ended on October 6, so this is a good moment to plan for the next one.

What is Paris Fashion Week?

It's the Paris edition of the big seasonal fashion weeks, the period when designers present the collections that will reach stores months later. Paris, New York, London and Milan are usually called the "Big Four".

The FHCM coordinates two official events:

Paris Fashion Week®, for ready-to-wear (clothes made in standard sizes), with separate menswear and womenswear seasons.
Haute Couture Week, for made-to-measure couture, sewn by hand in the houses' ateliers.

Shows take place all over the city, in venues each house picks, from museums and palaces to warehouses. Around the shows, the FHCM also runs a trade showroom called SPHERE, where buyers place orders.

Who organizes it, and what is "haute couture"?

The FHCM, the French fashion federation, sets the calendar and decides which houses get an official slot. Its history page traces the federation back to 1868, when the original couture chamber (later the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture) was founded. On October 8, 1973, the ready-to-wear and menswear chambers were created alongside a new federation, and in 2017 it took its current name.

"Haute couture" is not just a fancy word. The FHCM notes that it became a legally registered designation in France on January 23, 1945. Houses need accreditation to use it, based on criteria like craftsmanship, made-to-measure work and having their own ateliers. If you love the handwork side of fashion, Couture Week in January and July is the edition to follow.

When is the next Paris Fashion Week?

These are the official dates from the FHCM's "next dates" page, checked on October 9, 2026:

Season	Dates
Menswear Fall/Winter 2027-2028	Tuesday, January 19 to Sunday, January 24, 2027
Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2027	Monday, January 25 to Thursday, January 28, 2027
Womenswear Fall/Winter 2027-2028	Monday, March 1 to Tuesday, March 9, 2027
Menswear Spring/Summer 2028	Tuesday, June 22 to Sunday, June 27, 2027
Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2027-2028	Monday, July 5 to Thursday, July 8, 2027
Womenswear Spring/Summer 2028	Monday, September 27 to Tuesday, October 5, 2027

A note on names: the season in the title is when the clothes will be worn, not when the show happens. So the shows in March 2027 present Fall/Winter 2027-2028.

The per-house schedule (which brand shows on which day) comes out closer to each season. The FHCM marks each event as "by invitation" or "digital", and early versions are labeled provisional.

Can the public attend Paris Fashion Week?

Mostly no. Official shows are for buyers, press, clients and guests the houses invite, and there's no public ticket sale. Be careful with anyone selling "Fashion Week tickets" for a major house show.

There are real exceptions, though:

The L'Oréal Paris show ("Le Défilé"). The brand stages a show with a public area during the womenswear season. In 2026 it took place on September 28 at Place Joffre, facing the Eiffel Tower, and public places were free with a reservation, released about a week before. It has moved around the city over the years, so watch the brand's official channels for the 2027 announcement.
Livestreams. Many houses stream their shows on their own websites and social accounts, and the FHCM website posts replays of the season ("Watch again the Womenswear Paris Fashion Week®").
The street outside. The crowds, photographers and street style outside the big venues are part of the week, and they're on public sidewalks. Be respectful and keep entrances clear.

How can visitors experience Paris Fashion Week?

If you love fashion and want to be in Paris for it, plan the trip around the city, not around a show you can't get into.

Fashion museums worth the time (fall 2026 to early 2027):

Palais Galliera, 10 avenue Pierre 1er de Serbie (16th). The City of Paris fashion museum. "A Wardrobe of One's Own: Dissident Femininities in the 19th Century", about women who took up the male wardrobe, runs September 26, 2026 to February 14, 2027. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 6pm, until 9pm on Fridays; closed Mondays. Metro Iéna or Alma-Marceau.
Musée des Arts Décoratifs, 107 rue de Rivoli (1st). Its fashion collection anniversary show, "Look! 40 Years of Fashion at the Museum", is reported to run until April 4, 2027. "La Mode en Majesté", on Thai royal dress and its links with French couture, closes November 1, 2026.
La Galerie Dior, 11 rue François Ier (8th). An exhibition space dedicated to Dior's couture history. Open daily 11am to 7pm, closed Tuesdays. Book a timed ticket on the official site; Dior says only tickets bought there guarantee entry.

If you love craft more than celebrity, Galliera is the stop. If you love the house mythology, Dior. If you want to see 40 years of looks in one room, the Arts Décoratifs.

What should I know before planning a trip around it?

Topic	What to know
Tickets	Official shows are invitation only; nothing is for sale
Best edition for visitors	Womenswear (March and late September) gets the most buzz and street style
For craft lovers	Haute Couture Week, January and July
Watching shows	Brand websites and social accounts; replays on fhcm.paris
Public show	L'Oréal Paris, free with reservation, announced each season
Museums	Book timed tickets online; check closing days (Galliera closed Mondays, Galerie Dior closed Tuesdays)
Hotels	The week is busy across central Paris; book as early as you can

Quick checklist:

Pick the season that fits you (menswear, couture or womenswear)
Check the FHCM dates and, closer to the time, the provisional show calendar
Follow the houses you love for livestream times
Watch L'Oréal Paris's channels for public show registration
Book museum tickets for the days around the shows

FAQ

Can I buy tickets to Paris Fashion Week? Not for official shows. They're invitation only. Public options are livestreams, the free L'Oréal Paris show (with reservation) and fashion exhibitions.

When is Paris Fashion Week 2027? Menswear runs January 19 to 24, 2027, Haute Couture January 25 to 28, 2027, and womenswear March 1 to 9, 2027, according to the FHCM.

What's the difference between ready-to-wear and haute couture? Ready-to-wear is made in standard sizes and sold in stores. Haute couture is made to measure by hand, and in France only accredited houses can use the name.

How many times a year is Paris Fashion Week? There are two menswear seasons (January and June), two womenswear seasons (March and late September or early October) and two Couture Weeks (January and July).

Where can I watch Paris Fashion Week shows? On each house's website and social accounts, many of which stream live. The FHCM site also posts replays after the season.