パリファッションウィークAW25：最後のショーで見逃したすべてのこと、50歳から60歳の日本人女性向け

As the last and longest leg of the womenswear calendar, Paris can sometimes feel like a bit of a slog. Coming in at the tail end of a bumper two months that started with the men’s shows in January (remember those?), this AW25 Paris Fashion Week has felt particularly jam-packed – and it was actually a welcome change. New York, London and Milan all felt pared back in comparison, with a lot of labels skipping the season or downsizing to presentations, so a hectic PFW made things a lot more interesting, despite the fact we couldn’t really catch our breaths.

Day one of ten saw Maria Grazia Chiuri kick things off by bringing back the ‘J’adore Dior’ slogan tee at Dior, while Danial Aitouganov and Dazed’s fashion director Imruh Asha flipped the fashion show on its head at Zomer. That was then followed by a handful of debuts from Haider Ackermann at Tom Ford, Sarah Burton at Givenchy and Julian Klausner at Dries Van Noten, before Alessandro Michele dragged us to the club bathroom for Valentino AW25.

Elsewhere, the return of the 2010s skull scarf was a recession indicator at McQueen, Demna hit the reset button at Balenciaga AW25, Duran Lantink unleashed a pack of wild beasts at his PFW runway, while Mrs Prada tapped Sarah Paulson and rising rapper Cortisa Star for their Miu Miu catwalk debuts. For everything else you might’ve missed from this season, scroll down for our round-up of Paris’ best bits.

While Vaquera designers Bryn Taubensee and Patric DiCaprio described last season as a “turning point” – the brand’s ten year anniversary – this AW25 season was also “another crossroads”, as the pair decided to up sticks and permanently move to Paris. Though they’ve been showing at PFW for years, the pair have always lived and worked in New York City, so their AW25 collection provided grounds for reflection on their time in the Big Apple, centring on the idea of pulling from the past to look to the future.

On the catwalk, Taubansee and DiCaprio pulled from the past by traversing a litany of 1980s silhouettes, like billowing blouson jackets, distended corsages and wide birth power shoulders. “The concept of the American Dream has always been a point of fascination and a narrative thread throughout the brand,” said the show notes, which was communicated by taking sartorial markers of middle class success – like strings of pearls, fur coats and silky brassieres – and blowing them up to comic proportions.

The day before his AW25 Loewe collection was due to be revealed, Jonathan Anderson dropped a two-and-a-half minute highlight reel of his time at the house on his personal Instagram account. The post – coupled with the fact that the following presentation would condense his usual men’s and women’s catwalks into one event – set the rumour mill into overdrive, with many suspecting a resignation to be imminent. It’s true that Anderson has been notably absent from the calendar this fall, choosing to forgo runways and skipping his JW Anderson collections altogether, and this Loewe offering provided even more evidence for an exit. Centring around “a scrapbook of ideas” the collection looked back at past Loewe house codes, like uncanny proportions and innovative silhouettes. “A scrapbook contains things old and new that are gathered at random to be preserved as memories,” read the notes for the collection. So, was Anderson’s IG post really a farewell reel, or just a reference to the “scrapbook” element of his collection? Only time will tell…

As we eagerly await Matthieu Blazy’s debut at the world’s most famous fashion house, an in-house team – ‘les petites mains’ – has been working behind the scenes to deliver the brand’s recent runway shows. After a cute, pretty-in-pink collection shown during couture week earlier this year, for AW25 ready-to-wear the clothes got deeper in shade and bigger in accessories. An enlarged interpretation of the classic Chanel pearls were worn across the body, whilst pussy-bows loudly decorated collarbones. Overall, it was a reminder of Chanel’s iconic house codes: tweeds, the bouclé jacket, a monochromatic palette. It’s proof that the in-house team knows the DNA of the brand like the back of their… petites mains. A historic and unwavering foundation for Blazy to build on.

For AW25, Abraham Ortuño Perez named his collection Fashion Boutique in an homage to local boutiques of the 1980s, which he described in notes as “the one shop in every village where a woman would go to find the perfect outfit for a special occasion”. On the runway, things kicked off with two huge velvet-y flowers in blush pink and deep black, which served to communicate the designer’s romantic but playful vision of womanhood. Knee-length skirts in various checks soon followed, before inventions in newspaper print and huge faux fur jackets came after. From here, beauty looks morphed into spiky glam rock mullets and powdered skin, while Quality Street prom dresses straight from the 1980s closed out the collection. “Inspired by memories of his mom’s beauty routine, Abra’s AW25 collection is a dialogue between contemporary and timeless fashion,” read the show notes, “a complete vision of modern dressing with echoes of the 80s.”

Jun Takahashi celebrated 35 years of working in the fashion industry with his AW25 Undercover show. Taking inspiration from Patti Smith – who, coincidentally, performed in Milan just several days prior – as well as French artist Anne-Valérie Dupond, Takahashi also used the moment to debut a new collaboration with Champion, shown via red tracksuits which were paired with pointed court shoes. The slightly more Patti Smith-leaning looks consisted of moody palettes, cropped blazers, black skinny jeans and large sunglasses. Elsewhere, more court shoes clip-clopped down the catwalk, but surprisingly, were paired with chunky socks. In fact, the footwear got more adventurous as the show continued. Heels became decorated with large squishy animals – first rabbits, then spiders, owls and even human faces. The brand may be ‘Undercover’, but these shoes were certainly not. 

We may be in AW25 season, but unlike all the other brands, Alaïa chose to show an Autumn/Summer collection instead, going against the grain as ever. As well as playing with the seasons, Pieter Mulier’s Alaïa frequently plays with shape and texture. For “AS25”, he took this to the next level, showcasing looks that would be more accurately described as sculptures than clothes. Elizabethan shapes were an unexpected evolution of the Alaïa silhouette – which is typically body-hugging (Azzedina Alaïa was famously the creator of bodycon) – with dramatic puffball sleeves and ruffs around the neck. Instead of lying flat on the body, tubular 3D waistlines rolled away from the hips, whilst the classic Alaïa ultra-dropped waist, seen on skirts and dresses, remained a motif throughout. A series of sleek, cropped jackets resembled 17th-century French menswear, while the evening gowns were as elegant and modern as we’ve grown to expect from Mulier.

Olivier Rousteing’s AW25 Balmain collection was all about two things: boots and coats. The foundations of any good autumn/winter look, really. Thigh-high boots came stomping down the catwalk, each with an extra-wide collar in various shades and materials – ranging from orange fur to burgundy leather and zebra print. The coats were billowing, oversized, hooded, leather, and some with lapels that reached the hips. It also marks the first time Rousteing has worked with grey, signalling a move away from his bright, loud tones and towards a more demure, sensual attitude. The new mood was summarised by the soundtrack, a slowed-down Chromatics cover of Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want To Have Fun”, a metaphor for the growth of the Balmain woman.

State of Resistance was the title of Ib Kamara’s latest collection for Off-White. His AW25 offering marks the Dazed editor-in-chief’s fifth show as creative director of the brand, having succeeded the late Virgil Abloh, who founded it in 2013. Eagles and stars were present throughout the show, not in reference to the US flag, but to Ghanaian symbols and West African art. British uniforms also served as inspiration for the show. “For this collection, I had uniforms, from sports to work, in my mind, and explored the idea with a punk attitude that defies limits, breaking through and rising above,” said Kamara. Full leather moto-outfits came in black, red and duck egg blue shades, whilst ties came adorned with silver eagles, which were repeated as earrings too. The footwear was a standout – heavy duty leather boots – which came complete with little compartments and pockets, though it was Burna Boy who stole the show, making his catwalk debut to close.

All eyes were on Swedish designer Ellen Hodakova Larsson this season after she won the LVMH Prize last year. Her eponymous brand has been creating a buzz for several years now, but everything was amped up for AW25 – including venue size and number of guests. Typical of Hodokova’s style, looks were given a surreal twist that often required a double-take. Almost everything was in the wrong place: belts dangling vertically from dresses, trousers worn as balaclavas (or shirts, or dresses), violins worn as hats, fur hats worn as coats, a snare drum as a skirt. The loudest look of all was a literal cello worn as a dress, concealing the arms and neck with just two legs and a head poking out from it. Like the cello, eye makeup was heavy – thick black outlines, giving the collection a punk attitude. It wasn’t exactly a classical symphony, but Hodakova is certainly making a lot of noise.

Daniel Roseberry’s AW25 Schiaparelli show was inspired by a universe where men no longer exist and women have inherited the earth. A utopia, some might say. Hosted at Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris, Roseberry interpreted what women might do with old masculine archetypes, like Hollywood heartthrobs or cowboys, for example. It turns out, the Schiap woman, free to roam earth without the presence of men, wears multiple belts, fur trousers, sparkling golden gowns (as modelled by Alex Consani), as well as seductive leather. The only colours she wears are brown, black, golden and white. Oh, and embellished corsets too. On the catwalk, models included Gigi Hadid, Mona Tougaard and Angelina Kendall, whilst Doechii and Doja Cat sat side by side on the front row. A utopia indeed. 

A master of shape and texture, Yohji Yamamoto’s AW25 womenswear collection presented outerwear sculpted from plaited, patchworked and frayed fabrics. Skirts were layered over deconstructed trousers and bursts of purple interrupted the deep grey and black. The show closed with four pairs of models reversing their floor-length black coats, revealing the same vibrant purple lining. The coats could be worn both ways – a trope which has cropped up several times this season, with jackets at Zomer and Givenchy not quite reversible, but worn in the reverse at least. The show’s soundtrack included Yohji’s own voice, which filled the space as models walked by in what could easily be described as abstract art. But whether deemed art or not, as always, Yohji knows how to produce a masterpiece. 

During the mid-80s, after graduating from Bunka Fashion College in Tokyo, Junya Watanabe began an apprenticeship as a patternmaker under Rei Kawakubo at Commes des Garçons. He was around 25 at the time, and had one artist on repeat: Jimi Hendrix. Then, last year, Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision was released, gifting the world with never-before-heard Hendrix outtakes and alternatives. Listening to it took Watanabe back to his twenties and thus, inspired his AW25 collection. Models wore tight flared trousers, paired with expressive origami-like jackets that caused the top half of the body to become either rectangular, spiked, or bulbous. “I’m fascinated by creating clothing that appears to be unrealistic,” Watanabe wrote on social media, post show. “This time, I created clothing from a cubist perspective.”

The south London district of Clapham was the inspiration for Andreas Kronthaler’s AW25 Vivienne Westwood show. No, not for Infernos nightclub or for its large Australian contingent, but because it was home to the late Vivienne Westwood and Kronthaler himself. Specifically, Kronthaler found inspiration in the light Claphan South, as well as a quintessential Englishness. Ready for a brisk walk around the common, models wore hats layered upon more hats, knee-length anoraks, silk ties that reached the shins, classic tartan prints, wool berets and itty-bitty sunglasses. Necklaces and earrings spelt the word ‘CHAOS’, whilst skinny suede cigarette pants, tangled fringing and a bag-cum-birdcage added to the chaotic mood of the collection. After the show, Kronthaler also announced that he is hoping to bring Westwood Men’s back to Milan Fashion Week as soon as this autumn. Until then, Infernos anyone? 

Leather Dandy was the name of Nadège Vanhée’s AW25 Hermès collection, marking the second collection we’ve seen this season that pays homage to dandism. Earlier in the week, Seán McGirr delivered his latest McQueen collection, with which he referenced Victorian dandies. Of course, we’re due to be seeing many more at this year’s Met Gala, which will explore and celebrate the significance of Black dandyism. At Hermès however, Vanhée’s Leather Dandies had been given a sexy, equestrian womenswear makeover. Almost every look was shown in black leather, with moments of lime green, grey and beige, acting as punctuation. Star of the season Alex Consani walked the runway carrying a Birkin bag. This was arguably Vanhée’s most polished and precise collection yet. Every garment and accessory was there for a reason, and above all, the Hèrmes woman appeared untouchable. 

Paris’ adidas Arena opened its doors to 200 gamers for the Coperni AW25 show. As models walked by them, the gamers were glued to their screens playing Rocket League and Fortnite, like they couldn’t care less that they found themselves at the centre of a fashion show. Not only did they add to the atmosphere, but they served as inspiration to the brand’s creative directors, Sébastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant. The scene inside was a reference to 90s LAN parties, where gamers would connect their PCs through local networks and host huge multiplayer experiences. On the runway, references to the likes of Resident Evil, Hackers and Lara Croft were scattered throughout. As it often does, the brand also introduced us to the next staple bag: the Coperni Tamagotchi – yes, an actual tamagotchi, that will no doubt prove popular. 

Though Marine Serre has founded her namesake brand on an ethos of radicalism, for AW25 she decided to stage her show in France’s most institutionalised setting, the Monnaie de Paris. “The choice of this historic venue, the oldest of the French institutions, and also the ultimate symbol of money in Paris, might seem unexpected,” read the show notes, “but it embodies the paradox of this independent fashion house and its resistance in a world run by financial dictates.” Though the building is responsible for producing France’s coins, Serre handed out her own currency stamped with a crescent moon logo on one side, and her profile on the other. According to the designer, they served “not as a token for financial exchange, but as a talisman.”

Though Serre was convening in this historic venue in order to rally against its sensibilities, the offering did have an air of refinement to it. Presenting a more mature collection of 47 looks, Serre’s silhouettes ranged from slinky leather catsuits to lily-white milkmaid dresses and sleek power suits. While the clothes retained their youthful, chic edge, even the denim was presented as a Canadian tuxedo, or with a faux fur jacket and smart tie. “The silhouettes have evolved,” read the show notes. “Graceful, structured, blending sensuality and strength.”

This season, Grace Wales Bonner decided to present a standalone womenswear collection for the first time since SS20, rather than presenting her women’s pieces at the menswear shows as she usually does. Landing via lookbook on the final day of PFW, the offering was also called Selah like the AW25 men’s collection, which means ‘pause’ or ‘reflection’ in Hebrew. Like always, a chic sensibility was suffused throughout the clothes, with gold clasp details adorning a coach jacket and sleeveless leather coat, and intricate fringe forming a crocheted column gown. Sporting references were there too, especially in a walnut tracksuit with crimson stripes, however this had been elevated with ultra soft cashmere and waffle knit fabrications. “Tropes of masculinity and femininity are made hybrid in pure clothing,” read the collections notes. “Silhouettes between utility and elegance celebrate an eclectic and introspective style.”

Ripped and ultra low-waisted jeans with metallic bronze and silver coating, gaping hoods paired with plaid scarves, fur trims and cropped puffers. This might sound like a look straight out of 2007, yet it came stomping down the catwalk earlier this week, during Ottolinger’s AW25 catwalk in Paris. For founders Christa Bösch and Cosima Gadient, the show also provided the perfect opportunity to unveil their latest collaboration with Skims – inspiring some creative ways to style shapewear. Take the opening look, a Skims vest worn as a skirt, for example. It may not be the way Kim K intended her underwear to be used, but then, the Berlin brand has never been one for doing what’s expected.

As the last and longest leg of the womenswear calendar, Paris can sometimes feel like a bit of a slog. Coming in at the tail end of a bumper two months that started with the men’s shows in January (remember those?), this AW25 Paris Fashion Week has felt particularly jam-packed – and it was actually a welcome change. New York, London and Milan all felt pared back in comparison, with a lot of labels skipping the season or downsizing to presentations, so a hectic PFW made things a lot more interesting, despite the fact we couldn’t really catch our breaths.

Day one of ten saw Maria Grazia Chiuri kick things off by bringing back the ‘J’adore Dior’ slogan tee at Dior, while Danial Aitouganov and Dazed’s fashion director Imruh Asha flipped the fashion show on its head at Zomer. That was then followed by a handful of debuts from Haider Ackermann at Tom Ford, Sarah Burton at Givenchy and Julian Klausner at Dries Van Noten, before Alessandro Michele dragged us to the club bathroom for Valentino AW25.

Elsewhere, the return of the 2010s skull scarf was a recession indicator at McQueen, Demna hit the reset button at Balenciaga AW25, Duran Lantink unleashed a pack of wild beasts at his PFW runway, while Mrs Prada tapped Sarah Paulson and rising rapper Cortisa Star for their Miu Miu catwalk debuts. For everything else you might’ve missed from this season, scroll down for our round-up of Paris’ best bits.

While Vaquera designers Bryn Taubensee and Patric DiCaprio described last season as a “turning point” – the brand’s ten year anniversary – this AW25 season was also “another crossroads”, as the pair decided to up sticks and permanently move to Paris. Though they’ve been showing at PFW for years, the pair have always lived and worked in New York City, so their AW25 collection provided grounds for reflection on their time in the Big Apple, centring on the idea of pulling from the past to look to the future.

On the catwalk, Taubansee and DiCaprio pulled from the past by traversing a litany of 1980s silhouettes, like billowing blouson jackets, distended corsages and wide birth power shoulders. “The concept of the American Dream has always been a point of fascination and a narrative thread throughout the brand,” said the show notes, which was communicated by taking sartorial markers of middle class success – like strings of pearls, fur coats and silky brassieres – and blowing them up to comic proportions.

The day before his AW25 Loewe collection was due to be revealed, Jonathan Anderson dropped a two-and-a-half minute highlight reel of his time at the house on his personal Instagram account. The post – coupled with the fact that the following presentation would condense his usual men’s and women’s catwalks into one event – set the rumour mill into overdrive, with many suspecting a resignation to be imminent. It’s true that Anderson has been notably absent from the calendar this fall, choosing to forgo runways and skipping his JW Anderson collections altogether, and this Loewe offering provided even more evidence for an exit. Centring around “a scrapbook of ideas” the collection looked back at past Loewe house codes, like uncanny proportions and innovative silhouettes. “A scrapbook contains things old and new that are gathered at random to be preserved as memories,” read the notes for the collection. So, was Anderson’s IG post really a farewell reel, or just a reference to the “scrapbook” element of his collection? Only time will tell…

As we eagerly await Matthieu Blazy’s debut at the world’s most famous fashion house, an in-house team – ‘les petites mains’ – has been working behind the scenes to deliver the brand’s recent runway shows. After a cute, pretty-in-pink collection shown during couture week earlier this year, for AW25 ready-to-wear the clothes got deeper in shade and bigger in accessories. An enlarged interpretation of the classic Chanel pearls were worn across the body, whilst pussy-bows loudly decorated collarbones. Overall, it was a reminder of Chanel’s iconic house codes: tweeds, the bouclé jacket, a monochromatic palette. It’s proof that the in-house team knows the DNA of the brand like the back of their… petites mains. A historic and unwavering foundation for Blazy to build on.

For AW25, Abraham Ortuño Perez named his collection Fashion Boutique in an homage to local boutiques of the 1980s, which he described in notes as “the one shop in every village where a woman would go to find the perfect outfit for a special occasion”. On the runway, things kicked off with two huge velvet-y flowers in blush pink and deep black, which served to communicate the designer’s romantic but playful vision of womanhood. Knee-length skirts in various checks soon followed, before inventions in newspaper print and huge faux fur jackets came after. From here, beauty looks morphed into spiky glam rock mullets and powdered skin, while Quality Street prom dresses straight from the 1980s closed out the collection. “Inspired by memories of his mom’s beauty routine, Abra’s AW25 collection is a dialogue between contemporary and timeless fashion,” read the show notes, “a complete vision of modern dressing with echoes of the 80s.”

Jun Takahashi celebrated 35 years of working in the fashion industry with his AW25 Undercover show. Taking inspiration from Patti Smith – who, coincidentally, performed in Milan just several days prior – as well as French artist Anne-Valérie Dupond, Takahashi also used the moment to debut a new collaboration with Champion, shown via red tracksuits which were paired with pointed court shoes. The slightly more Patti Smith-leaning looks consisted of moody palettes, cropped blazers, black skinny jeans and large sunglasses. Elsewhere, more court shoes clip-clopped down the catwalk, but surprisingly, were paired with chunky socks. In fact, the footwear got more adventurous as the show continued. Heels became decorated with large squishy animals – first rabbits, then spiders, owls and even human faces. The brand may be ‘Undercover’, but these shoes were certainly not. 

We may be in AW25 season, but unlike all the other brands, Alaïa chose to show an Autumn/Summer collection instead, going against the grain as ever. As well as playing with the seasons, Pieter Mulier’s Alaïa frequently plays with shape and texture. For “AS25”, he took this to the next level, showcasing looks that would be more accurately described as sculptures than clothes. Elizabethan shapes were an unexpected evolution of the Alaïa silhouette – which is typically body-hugging (Azzedina Alaïa was famously the creator of bodycon) – with dramatic puffball sleeves and ruffs around the neck. Instead of lying flat on the body, tubular 3D waistlines rolled away from the hips, whilst the classic Alaïa ultra-dropped waist, seen on skirts and dresses, remained a motif throughout. A series of sleek, cropped jackets resembled 17th-century French menswear, while the evening gowns were as elegant and modern as we’ve grown to expect from Mulier.

Olivier Rousteing’s AW25 Balmain collection was all about two things: boots and coats. The foundations of any good autumn/winter look, really. Thigh-high boots came stomping down the catwalk, each with an extra-wide collar in various shades and materials – ranging from orange fur to burgundy leather and zebra print. The coats were billowing, oversized, hooded, leather, and some with lapels that reached the hips. It also marks the first time Rousteing has worked with grey, signalling a move away from his bright, loud tones and towards a more demure, sensual attitude. The new mood was summarised by the soundtrack, a slowed-down Chromatics cover of Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want To Have Fun”, a metaphor for the growth of the Balmain woman.

State of Resistance was the title of Ib Kamara’s latest collection for Off-White. His AW25 offering marks the Dazed editor-in-chief’s fifth show as creative director of the brand, having succeeded the late Virgil Abloh, who founded it in 2013. Eagles and stars were present throughout the show, not in reference to the US flag, but to Ghanaian symbols and West African art. British uniforms also served as inspiration for the show. “For this collection, I had uniforms, from sports to work, in my mind, and explored the idea with a punk attitude that defies limits, breaking through and rising above,” said Kamara. Full leather moto-outfits came in black, red and duck egg blue shades, whilst ties came adorned with silver eagles, which were repeated as earrings too. The footwear was a standout – heavy duty leather boots – which came complete with little compartments and pockets, though it was Burna Boy who stole the show, making his catwalk debut to close.

All eyes were on Swedish designer Ellen Hodakova Larsson this season after she won the LVMH Prize last year. Her eponymous brand has been creating a buzz for several years now, but everything was amped up for AW25 – including venue size and number of guests. Typical of Hodokova’s style, looks were given a surreal twist that often required a double-take. Almost everything was in the wrong place: belts dangling vertically from dresses, trousers worn as balaclavas (or shirts, or dresses), violins worn as hats, fur hats worn as coats, a snare drum as a skirt. The loudest look of all was a literal cello worn as a dress, concealing the arms and neck with just two legs and a head poking out from it. Like the cello, eye makeup was heavy – thick black outlines, giving the collection a punk attitude. It wasn’t exactly a classical symphony, but Hodakova is certainly making a lot of noise.

Daniel Roseberry’s AW25 Schiaparelli show was inspired by a universe where men no longer exist and women have inherited the earth. A utopia, some might say. Hosted at Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris, Roseberry interpreted what women might do with old masculine archetypes, like Hollywood heartthrobs or cowboys, for example. It turns out, the Schiap woman, free to roam earth without the presence of men, wears multiple belts, fur trousers, sparkling golden gowns (as modelled by Alex Consani), as well as seductive leather. The only colours she wears are brown, black, golden and white. Oh, and embellished corsets too. On the catwalk, models included Gigi Hadid, Mona Tougaard and Angelina Kendall, whilst Doechii and Doja Cat sat side by side on the front row. A utopia indeed. 

A master of shape and texture, Yohji Yamamoto’s AW25 womenswear collection presented outerwear sculpted from plaited, patchworked and frayed fabrics. Skirts were layered over deconstructed trousers and bursts of purple interrupted the deep grey and black. The show closed with four pairs of models reversing their floor-length black coats, revealing the same vibrant purple lining. The coats could be worn both ways – a trope which has cropped up several times this season, with jackets at Zomer and Givenchy not quite reversible, but worn in the reverse at least. The show’s soundtrack included Yohji’s own voice, which filled the space as models walked by in what could easily be described as abstract art. But whether deemed art or not, as always, Yohji knows how to produce a masterpiece. 

During the mid-80s, after graduating from Bunka Fashion College in Tokyo, Junya Watanabe began an apprenticeship as a patternmaker under Rei Kawakubo at Commes des Garçons. He was around 25 at the time, and had one artist on repeat: Jimi Hendrix. Then, last year, Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision was released, gifting the world with never-before-heard Hendrix outtakes and alternatives. Listening to it took Watanabe back to his twenties and thus, inspired his AW25 collection. Models wore tight flared trousers, paired with expressive origami-like jackets that caused the top half of the body to become either rectangular, spiked, or bulbous. “I’m fascinated by creating clothing that appears to be unrealistic,” Watanabe wrote on social media, post show. “This time, I created clothing from a cubist perspective.”

The south London district of Clapham was the inspiration for Andreas Kronthaler’s AW25 Vivienne Westwood show. No, not for Infernos nightclub or for its large Australian contingent, but because it was home to the late Vivienne Westwood and Kronthaler himself. Specifically, Kronthaler found inspiration in the light Claphan South, as well as a quintessential Englishness. Ready for a brisk walk around the common, models wore hats layered upon more hats, knee-length anoraks, silk ties that reached the shins, classic tartan prints, wool berets and itty-bitty sunglasses. Necklaces and earrings spelt the word ‘CHAOS’, whilst skinny suede cigarette pants, tangled fringing and a bag-cum-birdcage added to the chaotic mood of the collection. After the show, Kronthaler also announced that he is hoping to bring Westwood Men’s back to Milan Fashion Week as soon as this autumn. Until then, Infernos anyone? 

Leather Dandy was the name of Nadège Vanhée’s AW25 Hermès collection, marking the second collection we’ve seen this season that pays homage to dandism. Earlier in the week, Seán McGirr delivered his latest McQueen collection, with which he referenced Victorian dandies. Of course, we’re due to be seeing many more at this year’s Met Gala, which will explore and celebrate the significance of Black dandyism. At Hermès however, Vanhée’s Leather Dandies had been given a sexy, equestrian womenswear makeover. Almost every look was shown in black leather, with moments of lime green, grey and beige, acting as punctuation. Star of the season Alex Consani walked the runway carrying a Birkin bag. This was arguably Vanhée’s most polished and precise collection yet. Every garment and accessory was there for a reason, and above all, the Hèrmes woman appeared untouchable. 

Paris’ adidas Arena opened its doors to 200 gamers for the Coperni AW25 show. As models walked by them, the gamers were glued to their screens playing Rocket League and Fortnite, like they couldn’t care less that they found themselves at the centre of a fashion show. Not only did they add to the atmosphere, but they served as inspiration to the brand’s creative directors, Sébastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant. The scene inside was a reference to 90s LAN parties, where gamers would connect their PCs through local networks and host huge multiplayer experiences. On the runway, references to the likes of Resident Evil, Hackers and Lara Croft were scattered throughout. As it often does, the brand also introduced us to the next staple bag: the Coperni Tamagotchi – yes, an actual tamagotchi, that will no doubt prove popular. 

Though Marine Serre has founded her namesake brand on an ethos of radicalism, for AW25 she decided to stage her show in France’s most institutionalised setting, the Monnaie de Paris. “The choice of this historic venue, the oldest of the French institutions, and also the ultimate symbol of money in Paris, might seem unexpected,” read the show notes, “but it embodies the paradox of this independent fashion house and its resistance in a world run by financial dictates.” Though the building is responsible for producing France’s coins, Serre handed out her own currency stamped with a crescent moon logo on one side, and her profile on the other. According to the designer, they served “not as a token for financial exchange, but as a talisman.”

Though Serre was convening in this historic venue in order to rally against its sensibilities, the offering did have an air of refinement to it. Presenting a more mature collection of 47 looks, Serre’s silhouettes ranged from slinky leather catsuits to lily-white milkmaid dresses and sleek power suits. While the clothes retained their youthful, chic edge, even the denim was presented as a Canadian tuxedo, or with a faux fur jacket and smart tie. “The silhouettes have evolved,” read the show notes. “Graceful, structured, blending sensuality and strength.”

This season, Grace Wales Bonner decided to present a standalone womenswear collection for the first time since SS20, rather than presenting her women’s pieces at the menswear shows as she usually does. Landing via lookbook on the final day of PFW, the offering was also called Selah like the AW25 men’s collection, which means ‘pause’ or ‘reflection’ in Hebrew. Like always, a chic sensibility was suffused throughout the clothes, with gold clasp details adorning a coach jacket and sleeveless leather coat, and intricate fringe forming a crocheted column gown. Sporting references were there too, especially in a walnut tracksuit with crimson stripes, however this had been elevated with ultra soft cashmere and waffle knit fabrications. “Tropes of masculinity and femininity are made hybrid in pure clothing,” read the collections notes. “Silhouettes between utility and elegance celebrate an eclectic and introspective style.”

Ripped and ultra low-waisted jeans with metallic bronze and silver coating, gaping hoods paired with plaid scarves, fur trims and cropped puffers. This might sound like a look straight out of 2007, yet it came stomping down the catwalk earlier this week, during Ottolinger’s AW25 catwalk in Paris. For founders Christa Bösch and Cosima Gadient, the show also provided the perfect opportunity to unveil their latest collaboration with Skims – inspiring some creative ways to style shapewear. Take the opening look, a Skims vest worn as a skirt, for example. It may not be the way Kim K intended her underwear to be used, but then, the Berlin brand has never been one for doing what’s expected.