At the heart of Jacquemus’ Spring/Summer 2026 show was not just a collection, but a tender reclamation of memory: an evocative portrait of rural France filtered through the eyes of a boy who once dreamed in the fields of Provence. That boy, of course, is Simon Porte Jacquemus. With Le Paysan, presented at the storied L’Orangerie of the Palace of Versailles, Jacquemus wove his past into fashion’s present with one emotionally resonant collection. It is a love letter to the people who shaped him early on, to his family’s rural heritage, to the quiet poetry of everyday life, and to his dreams.
The show started quite unusually. It wasn’t a model but a little boy – standing in for Simon – opening the door to L’Orangerie. This symbolic gesture framed the collection as both a personal and poetic homecoming. It also perfectly echoed the duality that ran throughout the Le Paysan: innocence and sophistication, simplicity and refinement, the provincial and the noble.
‘Le paysan’ translates literally to ‘the peasant,’ but in Jacquemus’ hands, the term becomes one of dignity, heritage, and beauty. The collection features clean, structured silhouettes rooted in everyday rural wear, reinterpreted with refined craftsmanship. Women’s looks include voluminous poplin skirts, inverted tulle aprons, and corset-structured tops and dresses. A standout is a sheer tulle dress built with seven hundred meters of cord.
On the other hand, menswear offers cropped jackets, wide-leg trousers, and soft leather outerwear with subtle details like herringbone weaves and topstitching. Accessories add playful touches: espadrilles with ribbon ties, market-style leather baskets, and sculptural jewellery shaped like vegetables and fruits, balancing simplicity with unexpected whimsy.
There’s an honesty in Le Paysan that feels increasingly rare in fashion today. Jacquemus didn’t use nostalgia to sell a fantasy; he used it to tell his truth. Every element felt imbued with real love and history, but it’s not simply a sentimental journey: the collection also revisits and elevates past Jacquemus silhouettes with a maturity and sophistication that show how far the brand has come. This was a tender show that cements Jacquemus as not just as a designer or stylist, but as a remarkable storyteller.
