Paris Fashion Week is no stranger to surprises, but few moments caused as much of a stir as Meghan Markle’s arrival at Balenciaga’s Spring/Summer 2026 show. The Duchess of Sussex, who had not attended the Paris fashion calendar in over a decade, made the transatlantic trip solo to support Pierpaolo Piccioli, the house’s new creative director.
Meghan Markle’s Cape Statement at Balenciaga
Markle’s first look was a custom-made crisp white ensemble of wide-leg trousers paired with a sharply tailored blazer that featured cape-style shoulders — a silhouette that carried quiet authority and cinematic movement — directly from Balenciaga’s new SS26 collection. She completed the outfit with pointed black pumps and a slicked-back bun. Later in the evening, she switched into a sleek black Balenciaga dress, proving that pared-back lines can still deliver maximum impact.
Her attendance wasn’t just a fashionable cameo. The Duchess has long worn Piccioli’s designs and collaborated with him on major moments in her public life, making her front-row presence a clear endorsement of his new creative chapter at Balenciaga.
Anne Hathaway’s T-Shirt Train Steals the Show
Just a few seats away, Anne Hathaway reminded the world why she remains a fashion week favorite. The Devil Wears Prada star arrived in what first looked like an oversized Balenciaga graphic t-shirt, styled with black leather opera gloves and wide black sunglasses. But when Hathaway stood, the look transformed — the tee extended into a dramatic, floor-sweeping train that billowed behind her as she moved.
The playful twist on an everyday staple created an instant social media moment, with fans praising the rockstar-level drama of the look. It also wasn’t Hathaway’s first flirtation with the silhouette: earlier this year, she was spotted filming The Devil Wears Prada 2 in New York wearing a plain white Phoebe Philo t-shirt with a trailing hem. That outfit, too, hinted at the same idea — casual garments reimagined through exaggerated proportions.
Why Capes and Trains Are the Season’s Power Silhouette
Though Markle’s cape and Hathaway’s t-shirt train take different forms, together they highlight a broader theme: elongated shapes are dominating fashion once again. The cape has long been a sartorial shorthand for power, from its regal and military origins to its modern red-carpet iterations. Trains, meanwhile, have historically been reserved for life’s grandest entrances — from royal weddings to Met Gala carpets.
But fashion in 2025 is reimagining them for everyday silhouettes, making drama wearable outside of ballrooms. Designers such as Valentino, Dior, and Givenchy have revived both the cape and trains on their runways this year, sending flowing outer layers down runways as an alternative to traditional gowns. Hathaway’s t-shirt train also exemplifies this shift, taking an item as casual as a jersey tee and elevating it to couture status with a theatrical flourish.
Iconic Cape and Train Moments in Fashion History
Fashion history is full of unforgettable cape and train moments that paved the way for today’s revival. Gwyneth Paltrow’s white Tom Ford cape gown at the 2012 Oscars remains one of the most referenced red-carpet looks of the decade. Lupita Nyong’o’s fire-red Ralph Lauren cape dress at the 2014 Golden Globes became an instant classic. Rihanna’s sweeping yellow Guo Pei train at the 2015 Met Gala practically broke the internet, while Zendaya has worn both Valentino and Louis Vuitton capes and trains for several major red carpets to striking effect.
Against this backdrop, the Duchess and Hathaway’s Balenciaga looks feel like the natural next chapter. Their appearances prove that the cape and train are no longer just archival symbols of glamour — they’re contemporary tools for storytelling through style.
Paris Fashion Week as the Stage for Fashion Drama
That both moments unfolded at Balenciaga is no coincidence. The house has always championed architectural drama and oversized silhouettes, and under Pierpaolo Piccioli’s direction, the codes are being reinterpreted for a new era. By lending their star power, Meghan Markle and Anne Hathaway amplified this message to a global audience.
Paris Fashion Week is as much about who attends as what walks the runway, and this season it was clear: whether through the regal confidence of a cape or the irreverent spectacle of a train, fashion for Fall 2025 is about movement, presence, and the drama that follows in your wake.
