With the women’s international Spring/Summer 2025 fashion weeks now concluded, it’s time to reflect on the trends that emerged from the ‘Big Four’, namely — New York, London, Milan and Paris. The market vibe this season is one that is characterised by excitement and adaptability, as consumers increasingly seek pieces that marry style with comfort and self-expression.
Today’s shoppers are not only fashion-conscious but also value the emotional connection to their clothing, opting for garments that reflect personal narratives and resonate with broader cultural movements. This mindset encourages a more thoughtful approach to purchasing, prioritising quality and versatility over blindly following trends.
This season is marked by a vibrant blend of familiar favourites and fresh innovations that echo the elegance of the 18th century. Key trends include the nostalgic embrace of vintage ’80s shoulders, which offer a softer, modern take on a bold silhouette and baby doll silhouettes that are characterised by puffed sleeves and flared cuts, embodying a romantic effervescence.
We also see micro mini shorts continuing their ascent, challenging traditional notions of modesty and windcheaters that blur the line between athleticwear and chic outerwear during unpredictable weather conditions.
The ‘Less is More’ theme is mirrored by the sheer transparency trend that aims to celebrate body positivity through ethereal layering, while soft florals add a delicate touch to garments that are reminiscent of classic prints, ensuring a light and whimsical vibe throughout the season. Additionally, boudoir influences inject a sense of intimacy into daily wardrobes, showcasing luxurious fabrics in everyday designs, while puffy hems capture a playful spirit reminiscent of historic bloomers.
As we navigate the ever-evolving fashion landscape, it is evident that the upcoming summer season continues the cycle of fashion that never runs out of steam, embracing both nostalgia and innovation in equal measure. Brands and designers have a unique opportunity to cater to the discerning audience of today, leveraging the rich tapestry of trends to create collections that resonate with their target markets.
’80s SHOULDER
The ’80s shoulder continues to dominate the Spring/Summer 2025 season, albeit with a modern take on the vintage trend. This silhouette offers a fresh opportunity to designers and brands to reinvent a vintage icon while maintaining commercial appeal.
This season, the exaggerated shoulder is now slightly more relaxed, with dropped angles that add softness and wearability to the garment. This evolution embraces its oversized roots while bringing a contemporary edge to the mix, making it ideal for brands targeting confident, fashion-forward consumers. Manufacturers can explore structured fabrics that hold shape while allowing ease of movement, ensuring that the dramatic shoulder remains the focal point of the season’s outerwear and tailored pieces.
THE RACE FOR LACE
Lace continues its evolution into mainstream fashion and apparel for Spring/Summer 2025, with transparency and sensuality taking centre stage. While previously considered too bold for mass appeal, lace has softened its edges over the past few seasons as designers have strategically introduced this trend in bite sized portions, making it more accessible for broader audiences.
Designers and brands are now incorporating lace dresses with subtle erotic undertones, striking a balance between allure and sophistication. To integrate the trend into upcoming assortments, look to add lightweight and breathable lace fabrics in muted tones or bold hues. By focusing on strategic layering and modesty in detailing, this once niche trend can now be tailored to cater to a more diverse market, aligning with both luxury and ready-to-wear collections.
PUFFY HEMS
Inspired by the 19th-century bloomer silhouette, puffy hems are making a strong impact for Spring/Summer 2025. This voluminous trend is reinterpreted in both long and short versions, offering versatility across various markets.
Designers can leverage this playful, statement-making silhouette to inject a sense of whimsy into their collections, while also catering to the comfort-driven consumer. Brands can opt to experiment with lightweight, structured fabrics to achieve the perfect puff, ensuring that these hemlines remain airy yet dramatic at the same time. Brands should focus on precise tailoring to maintain volume without adding bulk, making this trend adaptable to both high fashion and more accessible ready-to-wear segments.
TUNING INTO TUNICS
Tunics take centre stage for Spring/Summer 2025, mirroring the ongoing ‘Quiet Luxury’ trend with minimalist yet refined aesthetics. This season, the tunic dress is reimagined in ultra-long lengths, offering an understated elegance that appeals to sophisticated consumers.
The monastic simplicity is balanced by the boldness of deep V-necklines, adding a subtle edge to an otherwise restrained silhouette. Designers can adopt this trend to cater to the growing demand for luxury that speaks through simplicity, while focusing on high-quality fabrics such as linen, silk or fine cotton to enhance the luxurious feel.
SHEER MAGIC
Sheer transparency continues to be a defining trend for Spring/Summer 2025, with translucent garments becoming an essential part of the contemporary wardrobe.
Fuelled by the ‘body positive’ movement, this trend embraces confidence and self-expression, allowing the body to be subtly showcased beneath layers of delicate fabrics. Designers and high fashion brands are exploring sheer materials like organza, chiffon and tulle to create lightweight, ethereal pieces that play with visibility.
Brands targeting bold, fashion-forward consumers will find this trend especially appealing, while keeping the focus on constructing garments that balance transparency with structure for versatility. Sheer layers can be incorporated into both casual and high-end collections, offering a range of styling possibilities.
MICRO MINI SHORTS
This Spring/Summer season shines the spotlight on micro mini shorts, following the bold ‘no pants’ trend sparked by Miu Miu’s A/W ’23 collection. These ultra-short pieces are now a staple, adding a daring, youthful edge to the season’s collections.
Designers can leverage this trend to appeal to fashion-forward, risk-taking consumers, while brands may opt for versatile styling options, pairing micro shorts with oversized blazers or statement tops for balance. Key elements include experimenting with stretch fabrics such as cotton blends or denim that ensure both comfort and a flattering fit. For brands, micro mini shorts offer an opportunity to tap into the growing demand for bold, confident fashion statements that fit into the transseasonal weather perfectly.
SOFT FLORALS
Soft florals are set to define the aesthetic of Spring/Summer 2025, drawing inspiration from delicate 18th century prints. This season’s florals appear in pastel tones on light, often semi-transparent fabrics, creating a refined and romantic look.
Designers are urged to incorporate these motifs into easy breezy flowing dresses, blouses and skirts, offering a nostalgic yet fresh appeal that speaks to consumers seeking femininity and elegance. Brands can adapt soft florals to both casual and formal collections, with versatility across categories. The focus lies in prioritising lightweight, airy fabrics such as chiffon, silk or voile to enhance the ethereal quality of the prints, ensuring that florals maintain their soft, delicate charm.
BABY DOLL SILHOUETTES
Baby doll silhouettes bring a romantic and youthful flair to Spring/Summer collections, characterised by puffed sleeves and a trapeze cut.
This silhouette offers both charm and ease of wear, resonating with the season’s softer aesthetic. The trend seeks to appeal to consumers who are on the lookout for playful yet feminine pieces.
To make this trend commercially viable, designers and brands should focus on lightweight, flowing fabrics such as organza or cotton blends that enhance the airy, voluminous look. With its nostalgic appeal, the baby doll silhouette presents opportunities for brands to offer fresh, whimsical designs that tap into the romantic energy of the season.
WINDCHEATERS
Windcheaters are a standout trend of Spring/Summer 2025, blending functionality with style as part of the growing ‘Athletic Chic’ movement. Lightweight, breathable fabrics and loose fits define this key piece, offering versatility across both casual and dressed-up looks during unpredictable weather conditions.
Designers can seamlessly incorporate windcheaters into their collections, pairing them with unexpected, more tailored elements for a high-low mix that appeals to modern, on-the-go consumers. Technical fabrics that offer both comfort and durability, while ensuring the windcheater retains a sleek, polished finish form the cornerstone of this trend. S/S ’25 windcheaters bridge the gap between activewear and fashion-forward outerwear, making them a staple for brands targeting a contemporary, urban market. A range of designers and brands from Miu Miu to Yuhan Wang explored this breathable material and loose fit blend into more or less dressed-up silhouettes, once again blurring the line between outdoor and chic wardrobes.
BOUDOIR INFLUENCES
Spring/Summer 2025 is highlighted with boudoir influences that prominently feature lingerie-inspired pieces transitioning seamlessly into everyday attire. This trend embraces glamorous femininity through negligees, satin dressing gowns and delicate lace, blurring the lines between intimate apparel and outerwear.
Designers and brands can capitalise on this sensual, luxurious aesthetic by incorporating boudoir elements into casual or formal pieces, offering consumers a romantic yet daring look. The focus is on soft, high-quality fabrics like silk, satin and lace to enhance the tactile appeal. By adapting boudoir influences for the daily wardrobe, this trend allows brands to cater to the growing demand for seductive yet sophisticated styles.
