Signal Squad
Many of us wouldn’t be caught dead wearing a traffic cone outfit, but designers disagreed. This season, fashion swung back towards exuberance and unapologetic expression after several seasons of restraint and quiet luxury.
Think of it as the “iPhone 17 Pro effect”, a cultural craving for the unexpected, bold, and instantly noticeable. For instance, it’s no secret that lime is notoriously difficult to pull off, yet when executed well, it can look striking.
The runways were awash with high-octane clashes like orange with yellow, blue with red, and pink with green. Exactly why? Bright colours signalled optimism, energy, and visibility in a world still hungry for joy and attention after years of muted palettes. Punchy, provocative, and impossible to ignore, they were exactly what fashion needed.
The LWD
The LWD (long white dress) overtook the perennial LBD this season. Modern brides, take note: the runways delivered an array of striking white options beyond the traditional wedding aisle.
A tiered gown embroidered to mimic table linen from Jacquemus blended theatrical flair with playful charm. Celine’s fuss-free sack dress, paired with a matching cape, exuded understated elegance—perfect for fashion-forward elopements.
Not for the faint of heart, impeccably cut and undeniably sexy, Tom Ford pushed seduction to the limit with a slinky number featuring a plunge to the navel and a thigh-high slit. Givenchy embraced romance with a dreamy fit-and-flare gown, its sheer bodice blooming into a frothy godet skirt.
Breaking from his signature black, Yohji Yamamoto crafted a sensuous white gown from deconstructed pleated chiffon panels that draped gracefully over the body.
Materialists
In a season highlighted by high-profile debuts, designers pushed the envelope in surface and fabric finishes. Discussions dominated by feathers and fabrics manipulated to resemble feathers made Chanel’s eye-popping embellished skirts instant conversation starters. Fringe followed in abundance at Givenchy, Louis Vuitton and Loewe, with each house interpreting it uniquely and often spectacularly.
At Alaïa, Balenciaga and Loro Piana, fabric was artfully shredded, using controlled destruction to craft intricate textures. Balenciaga even reimagined Cristóbal Balenciaga’s signature florals as dissolving tufts of colour, the technique shaping the silhouette.
An unexpected twist was Bottega Veneta’s use of fibreglass as embellishment, densely embroidering jackets and skirts with fine filaments that rippled like a wheat field in the wind.
Reality Bites
Everyday life inspired designers, whether they refined luxury or rebelled against it. Often overlooked pieces were reimagined and given new meaning.
Miu Miu dedicated an entire collection to the apron, arguably the most mundane of garments, exploring it in countless forms. It culminated in a rhinestone-encrusted design that was ironic, unsettling, and purposefully out of place in the domestic sphere.
In addition, menswear staples played a significant role. In collaboration with legendary shirtmaker Charvet, Chanel created oversized men’s shirts with chain-stitched hems, a technique traditionally reserved for Chanel tweed jackets. At Loewe, what appeared to be a simple T-shirt and faded denim look was ingeniously crafted from fine strips of leather, meticulously woven together to emulate the patina of well-worn jeans.
Bottega Veneta subtly integrated its signature intrecciato weave into garment panels, elevating oversized blazers and coats through discreet craftsmanship. The polo shirt, trench coat, and other wardrobe staples were also reimagined, proving that even the most well-known pieces can be revisited.
Short But Not Too Sweet
The babydoll made a comeback—and it brought an edge that wasn’t entirely sweet. This season, floral motifs were everywhere: graphic ’70s-inspired blooms at Celine, aloha shirt prints at Chloé, and granny-chic roses at Miu Miu. The difference: all of the looks had a bold edge that made them more than just pretty.
Dior’s take on the trapeze shape arrived in a green so sharp it bordered on venomous. At Givenchy, Erdem and Palomo Spain, the silhouette took the form of bustier dresses in sumptuous silks. These were not babydolls for wallflowers; they commanded attention.
Power Puffs
Quite literally, designers had balls on their minds. Rounded silhouettes dominated the runways, from playful mini puffs at Prada and Dior to exaggerated shoulder volume at Saint
Laurent, Alaïa, and Chloé, culminating in a dramatic puffy ballgown skirt from Balenciaga.
Across collections, designers also explored buoyancy with gathered fabric, folded volumes and sheer scale. The result: light, animated, and joyfully exaggerated silhouettes. Of course, Comme des Garçons pushed the idea to extremes by stacking puffed forms up to the neckline, creating a look that was unmistakably whimsical yet conveyed a sense of both constriction and intimidation.
