The Ultimate Calendar to Luxury Events in 2026

The Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is France’s most important horse race and one of the defining events of the international racing season. Held at ParisLongchamp on the first weekend of October, the Arc brings together Europe’s leading three-year-olds and older champions over the classic 2,400-metre distance, settling one of the biggest questions of the season: which horse is the best in Europe?

First run in 1920, the Group 1 race is now the richest in Europe, with €5 million in prize money, and has repeatedly been named the World’s Best Horse Race by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities.

The Arc is the climax of a full weekend of international racing at ParisLongchamp. In 2026, France Galop introduces the Festival des Nations, celebrating the countries and racing cultures represented across the meeting. Sunday is the main event, when the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is run.

For a more exclusive experience, ParisLongchamp also offers premium grandstand seating, private and semi-private lounges, restaurants and hospitality overlooking the racecourse and parade ring.

Château de Versailles will open some of its most historic rooms on October 3 for the ninth ADOR Gala Dinner, the annual fundraising evening organized by Les Amis de l’Opéra Royal in support of the Opéra Royal’s musical season.

The evening begins with Champagne in the Salle des Croisades before moving to the Opéra Royal for a concert devoted to Mozart, Rossini and Donizetti. Belgian soprano Gwendoline Blondeel will perform alongside soloists from the Académie de l’Opéra Royal, with the Chœur et Orchestre de l’Opéra Royal conducted by Gaétan Jarry.

The ADOR Gala unfolds across the château. After the concert, you continue to the Salon d’Hercule for cocktails, followed by a musical interlude in the Chapelle Royale and a walk through the Grands Appartements. Dinner is served at 9 PM in the Galerie des Batailles, the monumental gallery created under Louis-Philippe and lined with paintings recounting major episodes of French military history.

The final part of the evening moves into the Galerie des Glaces for an after-party and fireworks, offering access to rooms that are normally experienced very differently during public visiting hours.

Black tie applies, with tuxedos and evening wear requested. Places are limited.

The annual BoF 500 Gala returns to Paris Fashion Week, bringing together The Business of Fashion’s global community to celebrate the latest names joining the BoF 500. The gala draws designers, talent and industry executives for one of the week’s most closely watched private gatherings. This season’s gala is presented in partnership with Amazon Fashion.

Expected guest list: Kim Kardashian, the Beckhams, Adriana Lima and Barbara Palvin.

The 70th BFI London Film Festival takes place across London from October 7 to 18, with gala premieres at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall and screenings, competitions, talks, and special presentations across BFI Southbank, BFI IMAX, and selected West End cinemas. The 2026 programme features 251 titles from 88 countries, including 33 world premieres, with international filmmakers and actors attending throughout the festival.

The festival begins with the European premiere of Elsinore, directed by Simon Stone, at the Opening Night Gala on October 7. The cast includes Andrew Scott, Olivia Colman, Billie Piper, Johnny Flynn, Luke Thompson, Joe Locke, and Juliet Stevenson, with cast attendance expected. The Closing Night Gala on October 18 features the UK premiere of The Debut, directed by Jesse Eisenberg, with Eisenberg and members of the cast expected to attend.

Other gala titles include Danny Boyle’s Ink, Taika Waititi’s Klara and the Sun, James Gray’s Paper Tiger, Lee Chang-dong’s Possible Love, Martin McDonagh’s Wild Horse Nine, Susanna White’s Prima Facie, and the international premiere of Luca Guadagnino’s Artificial.

MODALISBOA PRIORITY stretches this season across MAAT Central, MUDE – Museu do Design, Pátio da Galé, Palácio Nacional da Ajuda – Museu do Tesouro Real and Havas Village, giving the week a broader city presence than the traditional single-venue fashion calendar.

The first major appointment comes on October 7 at MAAT Central, where the new MODAPORTUGAL International Conference brings together designers, industry leaders and fashion specialists for conversations around artificial intelligence, European regulation, craftsmanship, luxury, manufacturing and the future of independent labels.

The shows begin the following day at MUDE, with a strong mix of established Portuguese names and younger designers. The calendar includes Gonçalo Peixoto, Nuno Baltazar, Luís Carvalho, Luís Onofre, Valentim Quaresma, Dino Alves, Kolovrat, Roselyn Silva, DuarteHajime and Béhen. Spanish house Adolfo Domínguez joins the Lisbon schedule for the first time, while Constança Entrudo and Marie Hazard present their collaborative project, AD HOC.

One of the most visible moments comes from Carlos Gil, whose presentation extends onto Rua Augusta, taking part of the fashion week directly into central Lisbon.

Young talent remains one of ModaLisboa’s strongest signatures. SANGUE NOVO, its long-running competition for emerging designers, introduces ten new names at Pátio da Galé, while WORKSTATION DESIGN gives another generation of labels space to present their work.

Away from the runway, the week includes FAST TALKS at MUDE, with conversations around brand positioning, social impact and international growth. A dedicated ModaLisboa pop-up at Moldo Studios also gives you the chance to shop pieces from designers including Ariana Orrico, Gonçalo Peixoto, Luís Carvalho, Nuno Baltazar, Roselyn Silva and Valentim Quaresma through October 11.

Lisboa Fashion Week links some of the city’s best cultural spaces with Portuguese fashion, emerging talent, design and shopping. With shows spread across MAAT, MUDE, Pátio da Galé and Palácio Nacional da Ajuda, October is also a particularly good time to plan a few days in Lisbon around the fashion calendar.

Shanghai Fashion Week returns from October 8 to 16 for the Spring Summer 2027 season, with more than 80 runway shows and presentations alongside trade fairs, designer showrooms, brand launches and events spread throughout the city.

Shanghai has developed one of Asia’s most complete fashion-week ecosystems, combining designer discovery with manufacturing, retail, wholesale and consumer activations. For Spring Summer 2027, almost 1,000 brands are expected to participate across shows, exhibitions, launches and commercial programs.

Chinese label Hemu opens the season, while established names in Shanghai’s independent scene include Xiaoli, Shuting Qiu and Short Sentence. The calendar continues to place Chinese designers at the center rather than treating international participation as its principal measure of influence.

Major sportswear and international groups are nevertheless using the week strategically. Adidas is staging a four-day program centered on collections developed in China, while Anta continues its collaboration with designer Chen Peng. H&M will use Shanghai to introduce its Elie Saab collaboration to the Chinese market.

The commercial side is equally important. MODE Shanghai, the official Shanghai Fashion Week trade show, runs from October 8 to 12 at Crystal Bridge in Changning District and brings Chinese and international labels together with buyers and retailers. More than half of the exhibitors for this edition come from outside China, reinforcing Shanghai’s role as an increasingly international buying platform rather than simply a domestic showcase.

Runways remain concentrated around Xintiandi, while showrooms, exhibitions, launches and consumer-facing projects extend into neighborhoods and major retail corridors including Huaihai Road and Nanjing Road West.

The Fondation Louis Vuitton unveils its upcoming musical season, featuring an array of distinguished performances within its Auditorium. The program encompasses diverse musical forms, from jazz with the Herbie Hancock International Jazz Competition to piano recitals by Hyuk and Hyo Lee, and Valentin Malinin, who will present a recital spanning three centuries of piano music.

The season also highlights a French creation by Max Richter with Gautier Capuçon, the Orchestre de Paris, and Andrés Orozco-Estrada, culminating in a world premiere by Thomas Adès and the Tenebrae Choir. This rich tapestry of sound promises captivating experiences for classical and contemporary music enthusiasts.

Paris Opera inaugurates its 2026/27 dance season with its annual black-tie gala at the Palais Garnier. The evening begins with the traditional Défilé du Ballet, bringing together the Étoiles, Paris Opera Ballet, Junior Ballet, and Ballet School, followed by Juliano Nuñes’ new Rings of Saturn, with costumes by CHANEL, Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Vers un pays sage, and Aszure Barton’s Busk.

The social program continues throughout the evening with intermission cocktails, followed by supper at 10:10 PM and an after-party from 11:50 PM.

Honorary Committee Tables

• Patron Table for 10: Optima seating, intermission cocktails, official programs, supper in the Foyers, and after-party.

• Benefactor Table for 10: Optima seating, intermission cocktails, official programs, supper in the Avant-Foyer, and after-party.

• Donor Table for 6: Private box, intermission cocktails, official programs, supper in the Avant-Foyer, and after-party.

Mercedes-Benz Bucharest Fashion Week returns with its Spring Summer 2027 edition after four editions focused on building international visibility for the region. The new season broadens the format beyond conventional runway shows. From October 13 to 17, the program is set to combine fashion, contemporary art, performance, education, industry initiatives and international collaborations across several locations in Bucharest.

The edition follows an important international step for the organization: selected Romanian designers from Mercedes-Benz Bucharest Fashion Week were presented through a dedicated project in the official Milano Fashion Week calendar on September 25, strengthening the link between the Bucharest platform and the wider European fashion system.

The runway remains at the heart of the event, but Bucharest is increasingly positioning the week as a regional creative ecosystem. Previous editions have brought together established and emerging designers from Romania, Poland, Ukraine, Hungary and Moldova, as well as buyers, media and fashion professionals from outside the region. The organization also works with partners including Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, Polimoda, Bucharest Business School and Romanian fashion and cultural institutions.

Seoul Design Week explores contemporary Korean design across Dongdaemun Design Plaza and locations throughout Seoul, with the 13th edition centered on The Design Recipe. The program looks at how personal taste shapes design today, from interiors and objects to independent brands and the work of emerging Korean designers.

At DDP, the DDP Design Fair spotlights Korean brands and young creative talent through new products, collaborations, and original concepts. Across the city, exhibitions, installations, brand presentations, and special projects offer a broader look at Seoul's design scene and the ideas shaping the next generation of Korean design.

Every three years, LVMH opens the doors of its most iconic and usually inaccessible Maisons to the public. Workshops, factories, cellars, and historic homes come alive over three days, introducing rare access to the artisans, creatives, and techniques behind the world's most celebrated luxury houses.

The 2026 edition unfolds under the theme Where Dreams Take Root, covering the historic Louis Vuitton workshops in Asnières and the Dior gallery in Paris, Hennessy in Cognac, Tiffany & Co. in New York, Chandon in California, and Buly in Kyoto, the event spans 15 or more countries across three days of guided visits, craft demonstrations, tastings, and interactive experiences led by the artisans themselves.

Six of the biggest names in men’s tennis meet in Riyadh for the third edition of the Six Kings Slam, one of the headline sporting events of Riyadh Season 2026. The three-night exhibition brings together Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz, and Alex de Minaur at ANB Arena.

Defending champion Jannik Sinner heads back to Riyadh after winning both previous editions, while two-time finalist Carlos Alcaraz competes for his first Six Kings Slam title. Alex de Minaur makes his tournament debut alongside returning players Djokovic, Zverev, and Fritz.

Competition takes place across three nights, with the opening matches on October 21, the next stage on October 22, and the third-place match and final on October 24. The tournament follows a knockout format, with the complete draw, individual match schedule, and session times still to be announced.

VIP Access

Premium access includes VIP seating and courtside options, with private hospitality and official Riyadh Season hospitality.

Dubai Fashion Week will return to Dubai Design District (d3) from October 22 to 26, 2026, for its Spring/Summer 2027/28 edition. Co-founded by Dubai Design District and the Arab Fashion Council, Dubai Fashion Week official SS27/28 calendar and designer lineup have not yet been announced.

Guest accreditation is currently open. Individual show access remains subject to invitation, accreditation and designer approval.

The Ballon d’Or 2026 celebrates its 70th anniversary with its first-ever ceremony in London, bringing the world’s leading footballers, coaches, and industry figures to the London Palladium. Co-organised by France Football and UEFA, the ceremony presents the Men’s and Women’s Ballon d’Or alongside awards for the year’s leading young players, goalkeepers, coaches, clubs, and strikers.

Babble-Up VIP Tickets

Balcony Seat

• Red carpet experience

• Premium balcony seating at the 70th Ballon d’Or Ceremony

• Official 70th Ballon d’Or Ceremony program

Balcony Seat + Pre-Ceremony Hospitality

• Private table at Aqua Kyoto before the ceremony

• Dinner with a selection of drinks

• Red carpet experience

• Photo opportunity

• Premium balcony seating at the 70th Ballon d’Or Ceremony

• Official 70th Ballon d’Or Ceremony program

DESIGNART TOKYO turns neighborhoods across central Tokyo into a citywide circuit for art, design, interiors, fashion, and contemporary creativity. Galleries and conventional exhibition spaces participate alongside shops, cafés, and other commercial spaces, allowing new works to be discovered within Tokyo itself.

The 10-day event stretches from Ginza and Roppongi to Omotesando, Harajuku, Shibuya and Daikanyama. The organizers expect exposure to an audience of approximately 250,000 people, with Japanese and international designers, artists and brands using spaces throughout the participating districts for exhibitions and collaborations.