Mumbai: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is set to return to the runway at Paris Fashion Week as L’Oréal Paris brings back its celebrated Le Défilé on September 28, 2026.
The ninth edition of the fashion and beauty showcase will be held at Place Joffre, in front of the Eiffel Tower, and will centre on the theme ‘Express Your Worth’. The event will highlight sisterhood, diversity and inclusion while bringing together prominent names from the worlds of fashion, beauty and entertainment.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan returns to Le Défilé
A major highlight of the 2026 edition will be the return of L’Oréal Paris ambassador Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to the Le Défilé runway.
Her appearance is being positioned around themes of strength, individuality and confidence, reflecting the brand’s message of encouraging women to define beauty on their own terms.
Aishwarya has been associated with L’Oréal Paris for years and has been a familiar presence at international fashion and beauty events. Her return to the Le Défilé runway adds an Indian star presence to this year’s global line-up.
Star-studded international line-up
Since its launch in 2017, Le Défilé has developed into a major platform bringing together personalities from fashion, beauty, cinema and entertainment.
The 2026 edition will feature an international line-up that includes Simone Ashley, Marie Bochet, Viola Davis, Cara Delevingne, Jane Fonda, Bebe Vio Grandis, Luma Grothe, Kendall Jenner, Aja Naomi King, Eva Longoria and Andie MacDowell, alongside Aishwarya.
The showcase is expected to combine fashion presentations with messages around diversity and women’s empowerment, keeping the brand’s beauty philosophy at the centre of the event.
L’Oréal Paris unveils Runway Matte Collection
Alongside the runway event, L’Oréal Paris will introduce its Runway Matte Collection, featuring five new shades of its Infallible Matte Resistance Liquid Lipstick.
The shades have been curated specifically for Indian skin tones, with 423 Audacious Red positioned as the hero shade of the collection.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will wear the shade during Paris Fashion Week, giving the new colour a prominent presence during the Le Défilé showcase.
The collection is part of the brand’s effort to connect the global Parisian fashion experience with Indian beauty consumers.
Amazon and Lifestyle Stores partner for India
L’Oréal Paris has partnered with Amazon as its online partner and Lifestyle Stores as its offline partner to bring the Runway Matte Collection to Indian consumers.
The brand will also organise its first-ever masterclass in Mumbai in October.
The masterclass will give creators and consumers an opportunity to explore the beauty techniques and artistry associated with Le Défilé while getting a closer look at the new lipstick collection.
Global glamour with an Indian focus
The 2026 edition of Le Défilé brings together L’Oréal Paris’ international fashion platform and its focus on products tailored to Indian consumers.
With Aishwarya Rai Bachchan returning to the runway, an international line-up of celebrities and models, and the introduction of shades created with Indian skin tones in mind, the event is set to connect its global beauty message with a specific Indian market focus.
The Le Défilé will take place on September 28, 2026, at Place Joffre in Paris, as part of Paris Fashion Week.