LFW AW26: Pauline Dujancourt presents spellbinding tribute to feminine strength and historical reclamation

Pauline Dujancourt’s autumn/winter 2026 collection was a further elaboration of her understated whimsy with a deeply personal core.

While her last collection centred on the experience of grief, the show drew inspiration from witchcraft and its persecution. However, these looks were far from pointy hats and broomsticks; they were measured expressions of feminine celebration.

As a reference, the condemnation of feminine power takes on a deliberately modern meaning for Dujancourt, who sees her craft as a means to rewrite historical erasure and celebrate modern womanhood.

Models literally walked on eggshells, breaking them into smaller and smaller pieces as the show progressed. The motif served as a continuation of Dujancourt’s avian imagery. This time, however, Dujancourt’s woman purposefully broke the expectations placed before her with sophisticated lightness.

Once again, we saw familiar ethereal house codes, from macramé cross-hatching to crochet inflections. In this collection, these flourishes were incorporated to give us a more wearable wardrobe than in previous collections.

As the show notes mention, Dujancourt imagined 'witches at home in their beds, making lace with wooden bobbins.' Dujancourt’s ‘witches’ wore gowns that combined sheer, detailed lace with chiffon silk changeant. When in motion, this pleated combination gave the illusion of smoke with just a hint of Edwardian melodrama.

As the collection progressed, we saw not only gowns but more pleated skirts and dresses, speaking to the commercial angle of Dujancourt’s growing brand. Indeed, these witches might soon be in an office near you.

Alongside the clear creative vision, it’s easy to imagine that the individual pieces speak to a Y2K aesthetic that readily embraces chaotic eclecticism. This was most evident in Dujancourt’s range of hand-knitted alpaca-wool accessories.

A particular highlight in this category was the woolen hoods, incorporating Dujancourt’s signature cross-hatching, nonchalantly styled over flowing gowns. After all, the modern witch would wear fingerless gloves and a baroque ruff, wouldn’t she?

The finale look saved the best for last, as a special tribute to Dujancourt’s primary knitter from Peru. This lilac gown was yet another deeply personal and encoded message from designer to the world. A full skirt contrasted with a sheer, loose-fitting bodice, brought together through a lattice structure of crochet flowers.

Leaving the show, it was clear from the hum of the audience that Dujancourt’s artistic vision and well-considered house codes had birthed yet another moving collection, buzzing with celebratory notes.