Fledgling and disruptive labels to look out for at Paris Fashion Week SS26

Ahead of Paris Fashion Week, spanning September 29 to October 7, the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM) has announced five new entrants to its official calendar: Julie Kegels, Ganni, Matières Fécales, Façon Jacmin and Meryll Rogge. These fast-emerging names, hailing from Belgium, Canada and Denmark, will either show their SS26 collections either through a runway show or presentation.

Julie Kegels: Belgian fashion remains full of humour

Julie Kegels will open Paris Fashion Week following Weinsanto on September 29, 2025, at 2pm (CEST). Established in 2024, the fledgling brand presented a collection named '50/50' on the off-schedule calendar of Paris Fashion Week in February 2025. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Kegels worked at Meryl Rogge and then with Pieter Mulier at Alaïa before launching her own brand.

Her design style is contemporary and rather minimalist, drawing inspiration from various forms of design. What sets her apart, however, is a touch of humour and surrealism, core characteristics of Belgian fashion. Typical examples include a blanket transformed into a skirt or a dress with a label that reads “dream big, sleep warm”. Another is a buttoned cushion converted into an XXL bag or a top.

Julie Kegels is now stocked in selective, internationally renowned multi-brand stores such as Rennaissance in Antwerp, H. Lorenzo in Los Angeles and Estnation in Tokyo.

Ganni: American and French investments boost activity

Ganni was founded in 2000 in Copenhagen. In 2017, the investment fund L Catterton acquired a majority stake (51 percent) in the brand.

For context, L Catterton was formed from a merger between the American firm Catterton Partners (established in 1989) and the LVMH group and Groupe Arnault (Bernard Arnault's family holding company). This partnership combines Catterton's existing private equity activities in North and Latin America (60 percent of the shares) with the private equity and real estate operations of LVMH and Groupe Arnault in Europe and Asia (40 percent).

In 2024, Laura du Rusquec (formerly with Balenciaga) was appointed CEO to lead the brand's international growth. After first debuting in Paris last year, Ganni is set to take to the city once again with an event on the official calendar on September 30, from 10am to 6pm (CEST).

The Ganni style is quite colourful, featuring jacquards with floral prints. The label offers numerous accessories and recently orchestrated a collaboration with New Balance. Ganni has several of its own stores worldwide.

Matières Fécales: The incarnation of a gothic trend made in France

For the SS26 season, the French brand Matières Fécales, founded by Canadians Hannah Rose Dalton and Steven Raj Bhaskaran, is an unsuprising addition to the FHCM calendar. It will show on Tuesday, September 30, at 1:30pm (CEST) in Place Vendôme.

Their muse is Michèle Lamy, Rick Owens' partner and collaborator. The duo, however, is developing an even more hardcore goth-fetish aesthetic, a trend that is gaining traction. For example, for a scenography at Dover Street Market New York, the designers created a sculpture of Dalton, who was exhibited with a piece of a clothing rack stuck in her throat.

Matières Fécales is sold at Dover Street Market and on its own website.

Façon Jacmin: A circular and eco-responsible Flemish fashion

Hailing from Antwerp, the brand Façon Jacmin was founded in 2016 by Belgian twin sisters Alexandra and Ségolène Jacmin. They will make their debut on the calendar on October 7, with a presentation. Alexandra Jacmin graduated from La Cambre in Brussels with a degree in fashion design. She subsequently worked at Maison Margiela and Jean-Paul Gaultier. Ségolène Jacmin has a background in law and management. This makes them the perfect duo for a successful brand.

Façon Jacmin is committed to circular fashion through an upcycling programme. By combining pre-used materials with a creative design approach, the brand produces unique garments for each collection.

The sisters source quality fabrics from Italy, primarily selecting certified organic cottons and waterless denims. They work exclusively with manufacturing workshops based in Europe, including in Italy, Portugal and Bulgaria.

The brand is distributed on its own website and via L'Exception.

Meryll Rogge: A bohemian and intellectual elegance

The year 2025 has been an emotional one for the Ghent-born designer, Meryll Rogge, who was appointed creative director at Marni after winning the ANDAM Grand Prix. Her year continues in style with her entry onto the FHCM calendar, during which she will show on October 7, at 6pm (CEST).

After studying at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Rogge worked for several years at Marc Jacobs in New York as head of design for the womenswear collections. She then moved to Dries Van Noten. It was undoubtedly with the latter that she developed her taste for mixing prints, such as checks with florals; colours, like mauve with turquoise and ochre; and layering garments.

The brand is already widely distributed in prestigious international boutiques such as Corso Como in Seoul, Spoon in Italy, and Harvey Nichols in London, as well as on the online platform Ssense.