Paris fashion chief wins second term with Fashion Week at top of agenda
Bruno Pavlovsky will lead French fashion for four more years after his re-election in July as president of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, which decides who may call a collection couture.
The federation's General Assembly voted on 17 July 2026, according to a federation post, and Pavlovsky will now serve a second four-year term. Pascal Morand was confirmed alongside him as executive president, a post he has held since 2015. FHCM
Pavlovsky is president of fashion and president of Chanel SAS at Chanel, the French luxury house. He and Morand set out their plans for the next four years in a joint interview with WWD, the American fashion trade publication. WWD
The message is simple. Their number-one priority is to reinforce the prestige of Paris Fashion Week, the seasonal run of runway shows and presentations that draws designers, buyers and press to the French capital.
Paris means business. Between 2022 and 2025, the media impact value of Paris Fashion Week, an estimate of the value gained from press and social-media coverage, tripled. Pavlovsky said he wants to protect that lead rather than take it for granted.
Logistics are part of the plan. The two men said improving the practical running of the week is a priority, amid heightened security threats. That covers the complex detail behind the shows, from venues and transport to accreditation and crowd management.
New names are also in focus. They pledged stronger support for emerging brands as the sector faces continued upheaval, with closures, ownership changes and pressure on wholesale, selling to shops that resell, as against direct-to-consumer. The federation runs showroom and support schemes for young labels showing in Paris.
Money and profile come next. Pavlovsky and Morand said they will expand partnerships and communication to bolster the federation's finances and reputation. The aim is to bring in more outside funding and explain the organisation's work more clearly.
Sustainability rules are the other big task. The federation and Italy's Camera della Moda, the Italian fashion council, have unveiled a joint ESG harmonisation framework, a shared approach to environmental, social and governance standards. It is meant to help suppliers, including mills, tanneries and dye houses, and to prepare brands for the European Commission's Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, the European Union rules that will set environmental standards for products sold in the bloc.
That work links to wider lobbying in Brussels. Pavlovsky pointed to the European Fashion Alliance, a lobbying body grouping 27 national and regional fashion councils, as a channel for pressing the industry's case on regulation and trade.
For fans watching from phones, this means the Paris schedule should look familiar, only smoother. The glamour stays up front, while the effort goes into security, young designers and greener supply chains behind it.
