ALAINPAUL’S “RÉPERTOIRE”: ARCHIVES IN MOTION
Over the past years, the growth of ALAINPAUL has been remarkable, and this FW26/27 collection, presented at Musée des Arts Decoratifs on March 3rd, proved how far the brand has come, making it one of the most ambitious runways to date.Titled “Répertoire”, this collection explored the idea of clothing as something constantly revisited, much like dance, where pieces are performed again and again on new bodies. Drawing from the Museum’s archives, ALAINPAUL focused on 18th-century silhouettes such as panniers, corsetry, and tapestry motifs. The result was a wardrobe defined by tension, balancing structure and movement, constraint and freedom.
Tailoring was without a doubt the backbone of the show. Jackets and coats appeared slightly pulled out of alignment, with closures crossing over or shifting the balance of the silhouette. The waist remained sharply defined across coats, dresses, and shirts, giving structure to pieces that otherwise felt fluid.
The fabrics reinforced that sense of motion. Silky, sheer materials glided around the body while viscose crêpe dresses carried hidden architectural volumes, floating yet firmly shaped. There was a lightness to the collection even in the most sculptural looks.
As always, the styling was impeccable. Gloves punctuated the runway as an elegant, almost theatrical nod to preservation and archives. Shoes, another consistent strength in ALAINPAUL’s vocabulary, grounded the silhouettes with precise, understated authority.
The designer played with the idea of clothes as objects to be preserved and handled. Therefore, every seat at the show was set with a pair of white cotton gloves, and several runway looks were wrapped in transparent organza bags, turning preservation into a subtle, almost theatrical part of the show.
Technical collaborations added another layer. Working with Les Teintures de France, ALAINPAUL reinterpreted an 18th-century tapestry motif using 3D printing, creating raised textures across a denim jacket and trousers. Knitwear developed with Cécile Feilchenfeldt revisited the historic “Le Corps à Baleine,” an early corset form, translating its structure into engineered knit that allows the body to move freely.
Despite its archival inspiration and historical references, the collection felt everything but static. Dresses in satin and sheer fabrics drifted through the runway, bows and ribbons punctuating sharper tailoring, while sculptural outerwear grounded the silhouettes.
Inside the Museum, surrounded by centuries of preserved clothing, ALAINPAUL’s Répertoire felt less like a study of the past and more like proof that a wardrobe, much like dance, is meant to stay in motion.
Words: Sara Vukosavljevic