Paris Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2025: Highlights, Misses, and a Little Bit of Everything in Between
Another Paris Fashion Week has come and gone, and with it, a wave of fresh collections that oscillated between jaw-dropping brilliance and underwhelming attempts. The Spring/Summer 2025 runway was a mixed bag, a rollercoaster of emotions ranging from "Wow!" to "Meh," but not entirely unexpected. Here’s a recap of what stood out to me and what didn’t, with some personal favorites and disappointments along the way.
The Expected Giants: Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga
Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Balenciaga—let’s be honest, these are brands we’ve all come to expect a certain level of polished consistency from. They know their formulas well, and they stick to them. In fact, they stick to them so much that I barely even felt compelled to look twice at what they were showing. There’s something to be said for staying in your lane and delivering exactly what your brand is known for, but it just didn’t pique my interest this season.
Chanel gave us that classic, elegant look, and sure, it was refined—but nothing felt fresh. Louis Vuitton leaned into futuristic elements, but it came across more as gimmicky than groundbreaking. Balenciaga, while usually edgy, felt like it was going through the motions, almost too self-aware. These brands have such a legacy that they can afford to rest on their laurels, but that doesn’t mean I have to be excited about it. They know who they are, and I respect that—but I didn’t find anything worth revisiting this time around.
Ujoh: A Pleasant Surprise
Ujoh took me by surprise this season, and honestly, I didn’t expect it. Practical and realistic, the collection was approachable in a way that high fashion often pretends it can’t be. It was the kind of collection that didn’t scream “art piece” but rather “something you could actually wear”—and isn’t that refreshing?
There was a trench coat look that caught my eye, and I have to admit, I didn’t think I’d like it. But it wasn’t the coat itself that won me over; it was the draping. The way the fabric fell, the mastery of it—that’s where Ujoh shined. It didn’t try too hard, and that’s exactly why it worked. It felt like fashion with purpose, fashion you could live in.
Dice Kayek: Simple, Clean, Effective
Dice Kayek kept things simple and clean this season, and for that, I am incredibly thankful. It’s always refreshing to see a runway that’s not drowning in excessive theatrics (ahem, looking at you, Miu Miu). The minimalist runway allowed the clothes to speak for themselves—no bells and whistles needed, just beautifully crafted garments that feel too elevated to belong in a Target aisle, but also not so over-the-top that they’re inaccessible. There were several pieces I’d gladly add to my own wardrobe, which is high praise coming from someone who's all about practicality mixed with style.
Miu Miu & Lacoste: Misses That Tried (and Failed)
I think it’s fair to say that Miu Miu and Lacoste were just… not for me this season. Maybe their vision was out of my scope of understanding (which, hey, I can admit!), but both collections felt like they were trying too hard and still somehow missed the mark. Miu Miu’s runway, in particular, had me scratching my head. The little underwear shorts they keep pushing? They’re not Daisy Dukes, they’re not mini shorts—they’re just weird and uncomfortable to look at. It feels like a bizarre assimilation of something cultural that no one can quite put their finger on, and for me, it’s a trend that needs to die. But that’s a rant for another blog post, I suppose.
Peter Do: A Structural Dream
If there’s one designer who knocked it out of the park this season, it’s Peter Do. The man is a master of structure, and his Spring/Summer 2025 collection was no exception. The way he manipulates fabric to create movement within the confines of architecture is nothing short of brilliant. His silhouettes were visually stunning—modern, yet wearable—and the craftsmanship was undeniable. It felt like he took the idea of structure and turned it into something fluid, something alive. I couldn’t take my eyes off it.
Pierre Cardin: The Spark of Fun We Needed
If you wanted bold, Pierre Cardin had you covered. Bright colors, exaggerated shapes, and a nod to the Space Age gave the runway that much-needed jolt of energy. It was fun without being ridiculous, eccentric but not absurd, and I’m so glad someone brought the playful, whimsical side of fashion to the table. The space cadet references felt like a burst of nostalgia mixed with futuristic optimism, and in a Paris Fashion Week that felt pretty mundane overall, this was the breath of fresh air we didn’t know we needed.
This Paris Fashion Week left me with a mix of feelings. There were highs (thank you, Peter Do and Pierre Cardin), lows (sorry, Miu Miu and Lacoste), and a lot of middle-ground moments where the big names did exactly what they always do—nothing more, nothing less. But that’s the beauty of fashion, isn’t it? It’s subjective, and while some collections left me cold, others surprised me in the best way possible.
At the end of the day, Paris Fashion Week is about pushing boundaries, even if that means not every risk pays off. And for those few collections that hit the mark this season, I’m already counting down the days until I can get my hands on their pieces.
