Best Fashion Shows 2025
5 honorable mentions of 2025 runway shows
BALMAIN SS26
Known for its sharp tailoring and strong, almost armor like silhouettes, Balmain took an unexpected turn this season. Olivier Rousteing stepped away from structure and into something softer, dreamier, and coastal. Seashell draped dresses moved like they belonged by the water, crochet appeared everywhere, ballon pants felt taken off the genie from an Aladdin fantasy, paired with sculptural tops that looked more like amethyst cave than clothing. The collection felt surreal, intentional, less about power dressing and more about escape. It was Balmain loosened and reimagined.
Rokh Paris 2025
Rok Hwangs collection consisted of trench coats, capes, and deconstructed knitwear as a reinvention of the classic female wardobe staples. Inspired by a crumbling nineteenth century Parisian house, the Fall Winter 2025 collection explored ideas of history, decay, and reconstruction through his signature tailoring lens. Classic trench coats and suits were taken apart and rebuilt with detachable panels, exposed zippers and raw edges. Ballon pleated skirts and floral accents added to the fantasy nature of the collection while the true the star of the show was a gold sand like breast plate.
Hodakova Paris 2025
Swedish designer Ellen Hodakova Larsson showcased the full range of her material manipulation and raw textile language in her Paris 2025 runway show. Presented post LVMH Prize win in 2024, the collection felt like a clear statement of intent. Through upcycling, reconstruction, and an almost obsessive attention to process, Hodakova proved that working with found materials is not a limitation but a serious craft. The show reinforced that sustainability and experimentation are no longer side conversations in fashion, but central to how contemporary and sustainable design is moving forward and can be attainable in everyday wardrobes and runway shows.
Jean Paul Gaultier SS 2025
The Jean Paul Gaultier 2025 collection marked a clear turning point for the house. With Duran Lantink stepping in as creative director, the show leaned into experimentation while staying true to JPG iconography such as the corsets, feathers and sailor references. The collection felt like a quiet return to the essence of what Gaultier does best. Sculpted silhouettes, visible boning, and sheer layers shaped the body with intention while muse like and mythical energy paraded the runway with an ode to fantasy.
Bottega Veneta SS26 Milan Fashion Week
The Bottega Veneta Spring Summer 2026 collection in Milan continued the house's confident evolution under Matthieu Blazy. Known for redefining luxury through craft rather than logos, Blazy leaned into materiality and silhouettes, letting texture do the talking. The runway moved between soft tailoring, sculptural leather, and fringe details that felt relaxed and lived in rather than drastically styled. It was a reminder that Bottega's power lies in subtlety and quite luxury, where craftsmanship, quality and elegance are prioritized.