Scorched-earth policies are so last season: Most designers making their debuts at European heritage houses for spring 2026 are paying homage to the creatives that came before them.

Perhaps none more gallantly that Pierpaolo Piccioli, whose strong debut at Balenciaga on Saturday night drew many straight lines – and some dotted ones – to Cristóbal Balenciaga , and to the two 21st-century talents who propelled the brand into the big leagues: Nicolas Ghesquière and Demna, now leading Louis Vuitton and Gucci respectively.

“I don’t want to deny what has been here before,” he told a huddle of editors and well-wishers after the show, whose celebrity guests included Isabelle Huppert, Kristen Scott Thomas, Anne Hathaway, FKA Twigs and – to the puzzlement of many – Meghan Markle.

There were mome

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