Like every early fall, Paris transforms into a giant catwalk for fashion and luxury. But this year, Fashion Week takes a historic turn. After a spring marked by a spectacular game of musical chairs, almost all the major fashion houses, from Chanel to Dior, from Gucci to Celine and Balenciaga, are entering a new era. New artistic directors, first show and big stakes… What follows is a Programs at a frenetic pace. Ready for the big show?

Dior, the Anderson bet

Kick-off Wednesday 1st: Jonathan Anderson enters the Dior arena. After electrifying Les Invalides in June with his first men's show, fashion's "agent provocateur" is taking on women's ready-to-wear. Total reinvention or assumed continuity? The suspense will be at its peak. Fresh from his triumph at Loewe (from 2013 to 2025), the 41-year-old Irishman arrives with the mission of combining modernity and couture heritage. Between tweed, architectural volumes, and timeless elegance, every detail will be dissected. The verdict is expected Wednesday: will Anderson rewrite the Dior woman?

Jonathan Anderson (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Mugler: the virtuoso Miguel Castro Freitas

The next day, Thursday, October 2, will be the big leap for Miguel Castro Freitas. Unknown to the general public, but with twenty years spent in the shadow of the greats (Galliano and Simons at Dior, Pilati at Saint Laurent, Elbaz at Lanvin, Simons at Dior, etc.), the 47-year-old Portuguese takes the reins of MuglerA bold bet for shareholder L'Oréal, which is banking on this virtuoso tailor to write a new chapter after the flamboyant reign of Casey Cadwallader, darling of the stars (from Beyonce to Dua Lipa) and Gen Z. Heir to a legendary house made of "power shoulders", show-spectacles and inclusivity, he will have to find the balance between respect for heritage and the desire for reinvention.

Miguel Castro Freitas

Loewe: a chic duo

On Friday, October 3, Loewe turns the page with the first show by Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, marking the true launch of the post-Jonathan Anderson era. Founders of Proenza Schouler in 2002, the two Americans have imposed a conceptual, sharp, and refined fashion over the past twenty years, embodied by such cult muses as Chloë Sevigny. After stepping down as artistic directors of their own label in January, they are preparing to open a new chapter, that of a Spanish house that has become a global phenomenon under the leadership of their predecessor. With six collections per year and zero room for error, the mission is clear: reinvent Loewe.

Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez (Photo by Marleen Moise/Getty Images)

Maison Margiela: the alchemist Glenn Martens

On Saturday, all eyes will be on Glenn Martens and his first ready-to-wear show for Maison Margiela, the legendary house of deconstruction. The Bruges-born Belgian succeeds John Galliano and will have to juggle radicalism and accessibility, audacity and elegance. His first haute couture show in July was already a hit. The graduate of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp has clearly demonstrated his ability to transform each silhouette into a work of art, while preserving the experimental soul that is Margiela's signature. Saturday will confirm this.

Glenn Martens

Balenciaga: elegance is back

Also on Saturday, but late in the day, Pierpaolo Piccioli will make his triumphant debut at Balenciaga. At 58, the Italian takes over from Demna and inherits a colossal challenge: to breathe new life into the brand while honoring Cristóbal Balenciaga's legacy. Drawing on his extensive experience at Valentino, Piccioli focuses on a subtle and accessible elegance capable of appealing to a wide audience, while keeping an eye on commercial pragmatism.

Pierpaolo Piccioli (photo by David Sims)

Jean Paul Gaultier: the Lantink shock

You'll also have to be there, Sunday afternoon, for the first show of the "new enfant terrible of fashion"... Duran Lantink takes over the reins at Jean Paul Gaultier after several years without a single artistic director in the house. At 37, the Dutchman should inject his radical, impertinent, and playful energy, faithful to the audacious spirit of its founder. Upcycling, unique creations, sculptural silhouettes: each piece promises! Watch out, because his reputation precedes him. His flashes of brilliance, from "vagina pants" to silicone breast forms, including pocket briefs, herald a show that should cause a sensation.

Duran Lantink (Photo by Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)

Chanel: minimalism x mythical

Last but not least, on Monday, the day before the end of this week of challenges, Matthieu Blazy, formerly of Bottega Veneta and a prodigy of minimalism, will take the helm at Chanel. His mission: to reinvent the timeless at the heart of iconic tweed. A historic challenge, worthy of the house's previous great outsider: Karl Lagerfeld in 1983.

Also to follow are the first times of: Peter Copping at Lanvin, Julien Klausner at Dries Van Noten, Haider Ackermann at Tom Ford, Mark Howard Thomas at Carven, Michael Rider at Celine, Sean McGirr at Mc Queen…