Paris Fashion Week Recap: Spring/Summer 2025 Shows
While the leaves may be falling as autumn sets in, Paris is currently in full spring swing as people from around the globe flock to the city for one of the most important fashion events of the year: Paris Fashion Week in September. It’s clear each year how and why Paris remains an unrivaled hub of fashion and creativity: No city turns out for fashion like Paris.
Weinsanto
The September and October shows offer looks at what’s ahead for the spring and summer seasons, and while people may be dressing for fall, the sartorial mind is already thinking about spring. Paris-based fashion designer Victor Weinsanto –who’s known for his avant-garde looks and whose fans include Madonna and Emily in Paris costume designers – was the first among the 70 shows and 38 presentations featured at Paris Fashion Week for the Spring/Summer 2025 women’s ready-to-wear collections.
For Weinsanto’s latest collection titled “Cauchemar in the Kitchen” (and aptly hosted at the trendy restaurant Georges atop the Pompidou Center), Weinsanto leaned heavily into the corset dress trend. Corset looks have become popular in recent years thanks to the “Regencycore” fashion looks inspired by the popularity of shows like Bridgerton.
Christian Dior
The fabled house founded by the man of the same name is a fashion mainstay and needs no introduction. At this season’s Dior show, which was also among the earliest shows of fashion week, it was clear that the Olympics were still on the mind. Dior creative director, Italian designer Maria Grazia Chiuri, highlighted powerful looks for women who want to take over the world. In an ode to female power, Chiuri enlisted a fellow Italian, a Neapolitan performance artist and archer called SAGG Napoli, to fire arrows with her bow during the show down the middle of the runway. An impressive – and unforgettable – feet for a fashion show.
Accessories like bags, boots, and gold jewelry were seen on most models. The predominant color on the Dior runway was black, an unexpected choice for a spring/summer collection. Save for a sparkly one-piece and several white-color looks, black ruled this runway, as did asymmetry. The stunning show was held at the Rodin Museum.
Chloé
The house of Chloé has been around since 1952, but 2023 marked exciting changes for this classic French house after Chemena Kamali was named the new creative director. Kamali’s appointment put Chloé back on the map in a big way. And it’s become – once more – a very hot fashion brand and is responsible for ushering in the return of the “boho chic” fashion era, which last experienced a moment in the early aughts, with fashionistas like Sienna Miller and Kate Moss being “boho chic” fashion icons.
In Kamali’s spring/summer collection, the boho looks were ever-present. They included whimsical, flowing dresses in gorgeous spring-appropriate pastels of rose, baby blue, mint green, butter yellow, and cream, along with bright, bold colors, like royal blue. Lacey looks, bangles, multi-tiered necklaces were also seen on the runway.
Tasteful sheer tops, like the kind seen earlier this year for the fall/winter 2024 shows in February, were also present. Chloé confirmed with its latest runway show that its seat is secured as an essential part of the current fashion discussion. It’s a crowded space, the fashion industry, and earning a seat at the sartorial table is no easy feat. Chloé deserves all the accolades it’s getting.
Rick Owens
Like Weinsanto, Rick Owens is known for his avant-garde looks and out-there shows. It was no surprise then that this season’s show included many unique, almost space age-y type looks that practically transported audience members to another planet.
Interesting dress cuts, slinky long skirts, and – of course, as to be expected of a Rick Owens show – a lot of black clothing and heavy black boots. Known for his goth-adjacent style, Owens never shies away from the weird and the strange, which is why he has such a large following of devoted fans. A Rick Owens show is all about theater, incredible looks, diverse model casting, and transporting audience members to another place that feels a little strange, a bit scary, and completely fantastical.
Saint Laurent
At the absolutely epic Saint Laurent show, the staging itself was a masterpiece with models walking beneath a giant golden orb and on top of a bright blue surface that called to mind the globe itself.
On top of the world, these models trotted wearing menswear-inspired suits, leather jackets, pussy bow ties, button-up shirts, and even men’s neckties. The color palette was heavy on black, brown, dark greens, and tan. Accessories like large earrings and chunky necklaces could be found on many of the models, recalling 1980s excess and Working Girl vibes. Creative Director Anthony Vaccarello was responsible for bringing this breathtaking show to life.
Valentino & Alessandro Michele’s Debut
Still to come during Paris Fashion Week are big names like the Valentino show, which marks the debut of Alessandro Michele for the house of Valentino. Formerly the creative director at Gucci, Michele’s looks for Valentino are hotly anticipated, and like most Paris Fashion Week shows, I have a feeling it’ll leave show attendees feeling inspired, hopeful, and best of all for the fashion industry profit margins – ready to shop for their latest look.
Lead photo credit : The view of Paris from the Galeries Lafayette Haussmann rooftop. Photo: Bonjour Paris Editors
Related Articles
