Opulent textures, dynamic colour combinations and look-at-me outerwear were the defining pillars of the recently concluded men’s and women’s Fashion Week Fall/ Winter 2025 season, where distinct evolutions of house DNA set the season’s winners apart from the sea of sameness. From power shoulders to plush faux furs, designers leaned into statementmaking silhouettes, proving that the art of dressing up is far from over.
The season’s overarching mood wove together sophisticated ease, rebellious elegance and bold femininity, all within a fashion week punctuated by major milestones – Fendi’s 100th anniversary was marked by Silvia Venturini Fendi’s masterful rendering of the house’s storied legacy, Giorgio Armani celebrated 50 years and Dsquared2 partied through its 30th. Meanwhile, the mob wife aesthetic continued its fur-trimmed reign, with faux fur, shearling, mohair and other plush textures dominating outerwear. Marni’s humour-infused hues and Fendi’s couture-level execution stood out, while Prada’s chubby coats and Dolce & Gabbana’s voluminous fur creations leaned into indulgence.
Scarf coats, cape-like outerwear, shawl collars and funnel neck silhouettes reaffirmed that dramatic layering remains essential. Fringe and fraying, mainstays of recent seasons, persisted with a sense of undone luxury, while crystal embellishments and beading shimmered across everything from knitwear to evening gowns. Meanwhile, kneehigh and riding boots emerged as a footwear favourite, with Prada’s loafer-boot hybrid leading the charge. Bowling bags (Prada) and the return of Fendi’s iconic Spy Bag cemented themselves as next season’s must-have accessories.
On the tailoring front, power shoulders and sculpted hourglass silhouettes signalled a shift in how women navigate professional dressing. Givenchy, Saint Laurent and Tom Ford set the tone with purposeful padding, exaggerated lines and commanding proportions, while Chloé’s soft blouses found a top-heavy balance for freeflowing silhouettes.
Colour trends took a deep, moody turn, mirroring the uncertainty in the luxury economy. Black dominated the runways, a stark contrast to previous seasons’ exuberance. Hermès, known for its satisfying colour pairings, leaned almost entirely into noir, while Alexander McQueen, Dior, Rick Owens and Tom Ford explored its darkly sensual potential. Junya Watanabe deconstructed black as a symbol of menace. The notable exception was the rise of berry tones, following the popularity of burgundy and hot red in prior seasons. Michael Kors played with rich plums and mauves, while Khaite opted for raspberry reds. Designers like Sergio Hudson, Simkhai and Christopher John Rogers ensured these regal hues found their way into eveningwear through leather, satin and plush shearling.
In menswear, the sentiment ahead of the season was clear: designers who broke the mold with revitalised ideas would be the ones to buck the luxury slowdown. With menswear outpacing womenswear in the Italian market and a projected global menswear growth from US $ 595.74 billion to US $ 936.94 billion by 2033, brands sharpened their focus on reinventing traditional wardrobe staples.
This season, quiet luxury took a backseat, making way for reimagined classics with bold heritage twists.
Technical outerwear emerged as a key player under menswear and checks, plaids and herringbones continued their reign, bridging rugged tradition with contemporary refinement.
F/W ’25 can be quoted as a season of statementmaking contrasts— where exuberant textures met austere colour palettes, where structured power dressing coexisted with fluid silhouettes and where modern menswear embraced reinvention over quiet restraint.
FURRY FRIENDS
The resurgence of fur— both real and faux— dominated the Fall/ Winter 2025 collections, solidifying its presence on runways and in street style over the past several months. Whether as a statement material or a subtle embellishment, fur in various iterations, including faux fur, mohair, shearling and plush textures, took centre stage. The much-discussed mob wife aesthetic appears to have been a precursor to this widespread trend.
On the runways, Marni introduced playful colour variations, while Fendi elevated the material with couture-level craftsmanship, announcing post-show the launch of a dedicated ‘fur atelier’ in its Milan flagship this September. Prada showcased short, voluminous fur coats—some worn with little else—alongside weatherproof variations while Etro made a bold statement with oversized trapper hats. Dolce & Gabbana presented voluminous, cloud-like coats that leaned into the fabric’s maximalist appeal.
Chloé integrated fur as a versatile accent, appearing as a stole, sleeve detail, lapel trim and even as a fox-tail-inspired handbag charm while Rabanne juxtaposed fur with contrasting materials, embellishing oversized leather coats, transparent PVC trench coats and skirts. Meanwhile, Balenciaga and Alaïa embraced high-impact drama with long, bold-coloured fur coats.
POLISHED PEPLUMS
With the resurgence of mid-2010 fashion that is very much evident in the return of skinny jeans and collar necklaces, it comes as no surprise that peplum hems are making a comeback. This time, however, the silhouette has been redefined with a more sleek, tailored and sophisticated approach.
Diesel reimagined the trend with a tweed skirt suit, featuring a sharply nipped-in blazer for a modern power dressing aesthetic. Bally, on the other hand, introduced a more contemporary take with a leather peplum T-shirt, adding structure and edge to an otherwise classic shape.
With fashion-forward iterations already permeating the market, peplums are emerging as an early adopter trend— one that consumers won’t have to wait until next season to embrace.
BERRY TONES
Following the dominance of burgundy and fiery reds in past seasons, the Fall/Winter 2025 collections have ushered in a richer palette of berry tones— think plum, blackberry and dark cherry— offering a fresh yet equally opulent alternative. Designers embraced these rich hues across diverse textures and silhouettes with Michael Kors exploring the depth of mauves and purples and Khaite shifting from deep wine shades to vibrant raspberry reds. Luxurious fabric choices such as leather, satin and shearling further amplified the intensity of these jewel-like tones, making them a standout choice for eveningwear. Sergio Hudson, Simkhai, Kim Shui, Altuzarra and Christopher John Rogers all infused their collections with these saturated hues, proving that berry tones are set to be a defining colour story for the season.
POWER SHOULDERS
The statement shoulder continues its reign for Fall/Winter 2025, with exaggerated, rounded and sharply pointed silhouettes dominating the runways.
The ripple effect of Saint Laurent’s S/S ’25 collection was evident throughout Paris, influencing everything from polo shirts and party dresses at Stella McCartney to precision padding at Tom Ford and Issey Miyake.
At Givenchy, Sarah Burton redefined the power shoulder with bold hourglass tailoring, eschewing traditional feminine tropes in favour of an authoritative, sculpted silhouette. Meanwhile, Chloé integrated strong shoulders into its signature pussybow blouses, adding a sense of structure that beautifully contrasted with its fluid, free-flowing designs.
With designers continuing to emphasise dramatic proportions, power dressing remains a key narrative for the season— one that is modern, directional and undeniably impactful.
TECHNICAL OUTERWEAR
For Fall/Winter 2025, technical outerwear takes centre stage, blending functionality with high-fashion aesthetics. From Emporio Armani to Y-3, brands leaned into texture and performance-driven design, catering to a consumer base that is increasingly being drawn to adventure-ready apparel.
Designers such as IM Men (by Issey Miyake), Rick Owens and Yohji Yamamoto explored instinctual silhouettes with tribal-inspired elements, offering a glimpse into the future of outdoor living, while Sacai’s interpretation of Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are saw toggled, faux-furtrimmed puffer jackets in earthy forest hues, finished with bear-like boots in collaboration with Ugg— a playful yet functional approach to extreme-weather dressing.
With outerwear evolving beyond mere practicality, designers and brands can look at exploring a hybrid of protection and innovation, where tactile surfaces, advanced materials and statement-making silhouettes redefine winter dressing.
HERITAGE REIMAGINED
For Fall/Winter 2025, classic checks, exploded plaids and understated herringbones have emerged as the dominant print direction, offering a balance between rugged tradition and contemporary refinement.
Junya Watanabe revisited 2013’s lumberjack-chic aesthetic, presenting bold red plaids paired with workwear essentials— a nod to the era of raw masculinity and effortless cool, while Ralph Lauren and Zegna elevated checks with tailored precision, infusing a timeless sophistication for the modern gentleman.
At Hermès, checks took on a more abstract, fluid approach, rendered in effortless colour combinations, while Amiri channelled the 1970s, reinterpreting retro checks into enigmatic, free-spirited outfitting. This season’s take on heritage patterns underscores a broader shift towards classic prints with a modern sensibility, bridging tradition with innovation in menswear.
