Lebanese designers Elie Saab and Georges Hobeika deliver at Paris Fashion Week

Lebanese designer Elie Saab has long been a fixture at Paris Fashion Week, bringing his signature opulent glamour to the city of chic.

For spring/summer 2026, however, he shifted gears – moving slightly away from the red-carpet splendour that made him a mainstay of awards season, towards a more polished vision of daytime elegance.

This new direction arrived through refined separates, designed almost as mix-and-match essentials for a versatile wardrobe, alongside sharp mini dresses and silk trousers and skirts dip-dyed to mimic denim. It was a clever, confident move – one that will resonate with his loyal clients while drawing in a fresh audience, tapping into a side of Saab’s aesthetic that has long been under explored.

A fitted, draped look from the Elie Saab spring/summer 2026 collection. AFP

It also marks the latest evolution in the growing Elie Saab universe, which now spans everything from couture and ready-to-wear to homes and interiors. With new boutiques planned for Miami and the US west coast next year, this collection feels like both a creative recalibration and a strategic step towards global expansion.

The shift also aligns with the arrival of former French Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld as show stylist, following her debut collaboration on Saab’s lavish 45th-anniversary show in Saudi Arabia in November.

Her influence is unmistakable in this sharp-yet-undone spring/summer offering – from the effortless pairing of a polka-dot halter top and fitted pencil skirt to the fluid draped jersey pieces. Highlights included a glossy black leather pencil skirt worn with a top of old-gold bead strands, and a patterned silk skirt teamed with a sequinned vest, each look balanced with precision and ease.

A silk skirt is dyed to look like denim at Elie Saab. AFP

Saab’s signature sensuality remained unmistakable, though this season, it appeared in softer, more fluid forms. Draped off-the-shoulder dresses in matte jersey came in shades of creamy chocolate and heliotrope purple, while floaty skirts in floral or snake-print chiffon captured a summery ease. A classic trench coat – reimagined in washed silk – brought laid-back elegance to a wardrobe staple, and lace-edged slip skirts paired with polka-dot tights added a touch of nostalgic glamour.

While Saab’s mastery of evening wear remains his calling card, this collection clearly targeted the same woman in her daytime moments – poised, confident and every bit as polished, just with a lighter touch.

A patterned silk skirt with sequinned top at the show. AFP

The second half of the show shifted toward eveningwear, though even here the mood remained light and effortless. A sheer polka-dot blouse paired with an asymmetric skirt in golden yellow made for an unexpected yet striking combination, while a draped, sari-inspired top and skirt in metallic bronze knit offered a modern sense of fluidity.

Blending urban polish with a relaxed confidence, this collection suggested that for the ever-evolving Lebanese designer, the future promises to be as playful as it is refined.

A lean strapless dress from Georges Hobeika's spring/summer 2026 collection. Georges Hobeika / Instagram

Georges Hobeika also embraced refined simplicity – presenting a spring/summer collection stripped of excess and, as the show notes described, allowing the savoir-faire “space to breathe".

Still grand and unmistakably beautiful, it was classic Hobeika at heart, showcasing the deeply feminine glamour that defines his work. This season, however, it felt lighter and more summery, with sheer dresses dusted in beading, fluid gowns in pale sequins and corseted tops paired with pleated skirts, or even sheer tights for a daring edge.

Amid the shimmer and softness, though, there was a new proposition – one that suggested attitude as much as allure.

Georges Hobeika embraced a refined simplicity, presenting a spring/summer collection stripped of excess. Georges Hobeika / Instagram

One standout look was a sleek, strapless dress with a crisp pleated skirt, evoking the effortless, ladylike cool of 1990s Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. Another was a tailored oat-toned jacket with softly rounded sleeves, covered in loose floral appliques and paired with a caramel micro bubble skirt.

Chic, modern and exquisitely balanced in its play of texture and tone, this was Hobeika at his most confident – polished, graceful and quietly head-turning.