For Spring/Summer 2026, Simon Porte Jacquemus invited us into something more personal than a runway moment—it felt like a return home. Presented inside the lush, sun-drenched l’Orangerie de Versailles, his new collection Le Paysan (French for “The Peasant”) was a poetic ode to his Provençal upbringing, woven together with effortless precision and emotional weight.
The show opened with restraint—linen looks, soft tailoring, and breezy silhouettes that seemed to breathe with the room. There was a notable stillness to the first few pieces, grounded in earthy textures and rural memory. Oversized poplin dresses with clean architecture and voluminous pleats moved like they had their own wind. By look 51, the show reached a point of emotional crescendo—a white floor-length crochet gown appeared, delicately woven like a generational heirloom, hugging the body before flowing into air. Then came a semi-sheer white veil of a dress, batwing sleeves gathered tightly at the waist to form a silhouette that felt like a breeze caught mid-motion. These were not just garments—they were gestures.
In an Instagram caption shared shortly after the show, Jacquemus framed the collection as “an autobiographical journey for June,” starting in the quiet of the countryside and gradually blooming into something vibrant and bold. And while the second half of the show leaned into that transformation with subtle color bursts, it never lost the intimacy of its origin. Even the braver hues—bonbon pinks, sun-faded yellows, and stripes—never felt detached from the story. They were extensions of the landscape.
Menswear mirrored the same grounded elegance. From breezy linen pants to clean-cut jackets and boxy tailoring, the silhouettes were softened without sacrificing structure. One standout: an all-white suit with stitched stripes and knee-length trousers, paired with a clutch shaped like something freshly pulled from a garden—offering both literal and figurative grounding.
The palette felt unmistakably Jacquemus: chalky whites, pale sages, hints of terracotta and inky black—a controversial yet stunning move for a summer collection. Surprisingly, leather played a supporting role across both men’s and women’s looks, subverting seasonal expectations with an edge of controlled indulgence.
More than a seasonal release, this collection was a chapter—stitched with self-awareness, nostalgia, and refinement. It reminded us that personal stories can be runway-worthy, and that fashion grounded in emotion doesn’t need to scream to be heard. With Le Paysan, Jacquemus didn’t just show a collection. He shared a feeling.
