Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free
Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.
Fashion is in a state of flux. There’s a widespread luxury slowdown and many designers are moving to new brands. Not that you would necessarily know from the sense of fun and lightness that runs through many of the spring/summer collections. The SS25 runways abounded with floaty chiffons, girlish bubble-hem skirts, playful colours, buzzy prints and ethereal textures.
A more maximalist strain was evident, especially in Alessandro Michele’s eagerly awaited runway debut at Valentino. He posited beauty as a remedy for anguish in the form of over-the-top ruffles, layers and prints.
But minimalists need not fear: quiet luxury was still in effect, along with executive tailoring.
SOFT POWER
Power dressing has a fresh perspective. Loewe set the tone with commanding oversized blazers, while Victoria Beckham introduced fluidity and feminine detailing to tailoring. At Bally, now-former creative director Simone Bellotti created high-buttoned jackets with small, ladylike notch lapels and fit-and-flare waists that recalled Dior’s New Look and paired them with skirts, some short and business-like, others satiny and ballooning.
In New York, Tory Burch whipped off the lapels of wrap-over tailored jackets, cinching them at the waist and widening the sleeves to lend a tunic feel. At Coach, oversized blazers, normcore chinos and DIY-style T-shirts gave the suit a more relaxed edge. However, Saint Laurent’s wide-shouldered greige business suits were pure 1980s bigshot, even down to the wide ties.
BODY WORK
Maybe it’s a nod to the Ozempic effect or a response to the success of Pieter Mulier’s Alaïa revival. Either way, a body-skimming silhouette is making itself felt alongside oversized tailoring shown elsewhere. Cycling shorts zipped through both Nicolas Ghesquière’s Louis Vuitton collection and Tod’s; ribbed stirrup leggings in bubblegum pink appeared at Prada.
The bodysuit was a recurring signature; Miu Miu’s were cut-out in bright red, cream and grey, worn with low-hanging, box-pleat skirts, sometimes styled with layers of chain belts. At Dior, Maria Grazia Chiuri showed bodysuits cross-hatched with rhinestones, while Schiaparelli designer Daniel Roseberry, who has played with form-fitting shapes since he resurrected the house, tucked bodysuits into low-cut jeans for a corset effect.
Ferragamo creative director Maximilian Davis sent out leotards paired with ballerina cardigans and ribbon-tied heels; and at Victoria Beckham, high-cut styles were tucked into wide-leg trousers or peeked out from under tailoring.
TRACK STAR
Coming on the back of last summer’s Olympics, this season the most ubiquitous sports-coded item will be the track jacket. At Prada, a khaki green version was worn over a blue shirt that recalled school uniforms, while at Ralph Lauren a cream zip-up was styled over a long white floating dress.
London-based designer Martine Rose created jackets with 1980s-sportswear-inspired panelling and branding; Bottega Veneta had oversized, louche styles in technical fabrics; and The Row applied all its minimalist tact to create the stealthiest black track jacket of the season.
Key to pulling off the trend without breaking a sweat is to wear a sports jacket with distinctly non-athletic attire. Layer over a short flouncy skirt in the style of Miu Miu or wear with tailored trousers.
OFFBEAT
The taste for boho, revived by Chemena Kamali in her debut for Chloé last year, has accelerated for SS25, with designers taking a freewheeling, flouncy approach to summer style. Isabel Marant, for whom boho has never been out of fashion, went large on suede vests, eyelet-laced tops and rustic-textured fabrics. At Saint Laurent, designer Anthony Vaccarello peppered his power dressing with tiered dresses, paisley prints and long, beaded necklaces in a nod to eponymous founder Yves Saint Laurent’s time in Marrakech in the 1960s.
Wild-child tiered dresses aside, this season’s bohemianism is felt most acutely in accessories, where designers are going large on studded, slouchy bags, stacks of medallion necklaces and suede boots. “Boho has evolved significantly from how we remember it in the noughties,” says Kay Barron, fashion director at Net-a-Porter. “It feels much more luxurious, yet still remains feminine and spirited.”
