Written by Zoё Frantz
Edited by Leah Champagne
Paris Fashion Week certainly had some standout moments. There were the usual suspects, including Louis Vuitton, Vivienne Westwood, and Miu Miu, but also smaller fashion houses, such as Maitrepierre, and those that have steadily risen, like Paloma Wool. Many brands, such as Chanel, played to their strengths and overall image while adding a fun twist. Their show included a series of pastel-coloured tweed pant suits and skirt suits, historically characteristic of the brand, but paired with modernized accessories, such as the chunky peep toe heel and clutches with a chunky silver chain. Other brands were creative in different ways, such as Gigi Hadid’s packing tape dress and stilettos for the Vêtements show; this look, in particular, made a statement, although I am not sure what it was exactly.
In any case, Paris Fashion Week unveiled many trends for Spring and Summer 2025 and was full of notable events, all of which will be discussed below.
Emerging Trends
This PFW highlighted many emerging trends we can expect to see next spring and summer. One was chartreuse, which seemed to be a focal colour in many of the runways this year. To begin, Pierre Cardin’s womenswear line for SS25 incorporated the pop of green in many looks. One was a chartreuse two-piece mini skirt and batwing sleeve blouse set, complete with one large white button on the midriff of the blouse, a pair of oversized blue sunglasses with tinted yellow lenses, and white stiletto ankle boots. Additionally, in keeping with the brand’s sporty and preppy image, Lacoste used many bright colours for their line, especially chartreuse. One prominent example was a monochromatic look, which included a baggy pale chartreuse windbreaker with a matching translucent tunic and saddle bag, paired with a more vibrant pair of green slip-on trainers and a mini skirt. Finally, Miu Miu also boasted a lot of chartreuse in their show, as a central colour in clothing and accessories and in a more understated way in patterns. One look that stood out to me was a long-sleeved trench dress made out of a cream, chartreuse, olive green and brown spiral printed fabric, paired with a brown belt, tan and black handbags, and a pair of blue, grey and chartreuse trainers.
Another trend I noticed throughout Paris Fashion Week was the presence of thick stripes. In the past few months, as the coastal style has gained popularity, there has been a resurgence of thin pinstripes in homage to the Breton stripe (especially on knit sweaters and linen pants). However, stripes are expanding with brands producing garments with bold stripes instead of fainter ones. Schiaparelli certainly did this for their collection – one look, a maxi shirt dress and matching hobo bag made out of a striped cream and navy silk fabric, makes this clear. The dress uses vertical and diagonal lines to frame the wearer’s body, and the gold buttons, jewelry, and heels pop against the dress’s neutral colour palette. Louis Vuitton’s line also comprised many bold patterns, including thick stripes. One look included a bright red and blue horizontal striped jacket with bubble sleeves, a babydoll waistline with fabric flaring out (almost like a mini skirt), and large brass buttons with loop closures. It was paired with a more understated white tie-collar blouse, black romper, black patent leather sandals, grey crocodile duffle bag, and long beaded silver necklace. Lastly, Vivienne Westwood took a more organic spin on thick stripes with a crocheted jumpsuit with a smocked waist, plunging neckline, and salmon, black, and white stripe pattern. However, unlike the aforementioned striped looks, this one’s stripes blend more seamlessly because of the nature of the lace fabric.
The last trend I want to highlight is the increase in androgyny across the board. Many fashion houses that presented lines for the week emphasized blurring the line between conventionally “masculine” and “feminine” silhouettes and styles. One brand that executed this beautifully was Saint Laurent. There was the combination of flowy dresses with boxy leather jackets and complete suit sets with larger-than-life shoulder pads, all worn by women models. These looks were reminiscent of the famous zoot suit in the 1930s and similar styles stretching into the 1950s. Similarly, Loewe put multiple models in baggy dress pants and a blazer, with minimal accessorization and makeup. They paired these outfits with classic yet subdued oxfords or similar dress shoes. Last but not least, Rick Owens had an edgier take on this concept, but the same principles were there. That is, boxy blazers with large shoulder pads and drapey pieces which do not emphasize the wearer’s body in the same way that tight clothes do.
Notable Events
On a different note, this Paris Fashion Week also hosted some interesting fashion events besides the conventional runway. One that I found intriguing (although deeply unsettling) was Maison Margiella’s film premiere on Monday, September 30. The film was a documentary detailing the fashion house’s creative director John Galliano’s inspiration for the 2024 Artisanal show. He said this stemmed from Hungarian-French photographer and sculptor Brassaï, whom he admired for the “voyeuristic” quality of his work, which made the documentary quite eerie but still captivating.
To close, this Paris Fashion Week was full of high points. It is always fun to see how fashion houses evolve each year and get a sneak peek at what will be “in style” next year. I am super excited for the next Fashion Week, and I hope you are too!
Leave a Reply