Imane Ayissi hurt his back a week ago, and was absent from his couture show Monday afternoon. His team soldiered on, presenting the collection in a salon in the Hôtel Meurice with the staging intended to evoke the couture presentations of yore.

Business partner and managing director Jean-Marc Chauve and an assistant dressed four models each in turn, with outfit changes in front of the audience resulting in a few mishaps that the models navigated with charm — one dress refused to fasten, a second proved a challenge to put on, and the clothes rack that provided the backdrop collapsed partway through.

Chauve said the collection, called “Bissakarak,” which means “scribble” in Ayissi’s native Ewondo tongue, was intended to reference traditional ways of dressing in parts of Africa, with spans of fabric draped, knotted and wrapped around the body, likened to the designer’s creative process. As such, the staging made sense, allowing a greater understanding and appreciation of how the outfits were put together, despite the mishaps, and the length of the show, which stretched to the best part of an hour.

Crisp and textured silks in vivid jewel tones appeared as structured column dresses and tailored pantsuits, layered with sweeping panels of fabric, some finished with the designer’s signature raffia fringing. Lighter materials were cut on the bias to create more diaphanous silhouettes, where knotting and draping introduced fluidity alongside structure.

New elements this season included graphic dresses sewn with squiggled cord detailing, beaded fringe skirts, and open sections highlighting the waist. These details were particularly striking in combinations of pale pink, blue and cream. One front-row guest described the collection as “festival-ready.”

The final looks were crafted from hand-painted sheets of ivory satin with frayed edges. These pieces were inspired by Ayissi’s trip to the United States last year and his discovery of Mark Rothko’s paintings at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. As art-to-wear, the closing designs formed a powerful and memorable tableau.

Imane Ayissi Spring 2026 Couture