Phan Huy Spring 2026 Couture: A Historic First for Vietnamese Fashion in Paris

The youngest guest couturier on the Paris schedule delivers “couture, but fun”

Phan Huy Spring 2026 Couture at Paris Fashion Week Dominique Maitre/WWD

Phan Huy Spring 2026 Couture: A First Step That Felt Anything but Small

If there’s one thing Paris Couture Week loves, it’s a moment — and Phan Huy Spring 2026 couture delivered one that felt genuinely historic.

Just minutes before the show began, cheers erupted backstage. Not the polite kind — the real, hype-your-people-up kind. It was Phan Huy’s team rallying their models before stepping onto one of fashion’s most intimidating stages. And honestly? The energy made sense.

At just 26 years old, Phan Huy became the youngest designer invited to show as a guest couturier under his own name — and the first from Vietnam to do so. No pressure.

Why This Paris Couture Debut Mattered

Rather than leaning into obvious cultural symbolism, Phan Huy chose a quieter, more powerful route: craftsmanship. Alongside his London-based cofounder Steven Doan, the designer centered heritage through technique, labor, and material storytelling.

Backstage, Doan walked through the intricate fabric work that defined the collection. Tulle was transformed with horsehair tubing, creating fan-like striping that felt architectural yet delicate. Organza came alive with 3D-cut leaves, each one edged in tubular beads and stitched on by hand.

One standout red dress — worn by Coco Rocha — shimmered and quivered with every step. It reportedly took nearly three months to make, and it showed. The movement alone was enough to stop you mid-scroll.

Classic Couture, With a Twist

Silhouette-wise, Phan Huy Spring 2026 couture stayed grounded in classic Western couture codes: structured corsetry, sculpted bodices, and voluminous skirts supported by crinolines. On shorter looks, the construction added a playful swing. On longer gowns, it felt safer — elegant, but restrained.

Where the collection really came alive was in its softer moments.

Fluid fabrics stole the show: embroidered netting drenched in stones, chiffon columns layered with glittering strands, and bralettes encrusted in rhinestones and sequins that added a subtle, youthful sensuality. These were the looks that whispered rather than shouted — and somehow lingered longer in memory.

“Couture, But Fun” — And It Shows

The phrase Steven Doan shared backstage — “couture, but fun” — could have been a throwaway line. But watching the show, it felt like a mission statement.

There was reverence for tradition, yes, but also lightness. Play. A sense that couture doesn’t always have to feel untouchable or overly serious to be worthy of Paris.

For a debut on this scale, Phan Huy Spring 2026 couture wasn’t about reinvention. It was about arrival — confident, thoughtful, and quietly exciting.

And if this was just his first step? It’s one worth watching closely.