Who Stole the Runway this Paris Fashion Week
The 2025 Paris Fashion Week set the stage for some of the most adventurous runways yet. Several designers took new risks this year, showing the ability of fashion to remain ever-changing and constantly growing. This has left us questioning what designer’s collections really stood out on this year's Paris runway. A new event challenging the Met Gala was also unveiled prior to the runways.
Tech Clothes: The new way to choose your outfit
Kunihiko Morinaga's Anrealage autumn/winter collection showed something entirely new to consumers, clothes that can change into whatever you want whenever you want. Morinaga envisioned a future where clothes are a dynamic display of what the wearer chooses, rather than a single functioning garment. The pieces were embedded with LED lights that reflected an illusion of clothes that continuously changed. This new take on fashion is fascinating; however, I am not sure how practical this ready-to-wear collection is.
The Rediscovery of Chloé
Another exceptional collection was Chemena Kamali's Chloé Fall/winter collection pictured down the Paris runway. She has continued to make strides to escape "the Chloé stereotype" while simultaneously showing the rediscovery of clothes and timeless styles. This collection was a true depiction of a female-led style. Her collection was full of silks, chiffons, leathers, quilted jackets, etc. The pieces were adorned with furs and gold jewelry. Kamali's inspiration from Karl Lagerfeld was prevalent in this collection, with looks depicting what can only be described as a Victorian grunge aesthetic. The looks have been met with outstanding support from the fashion industry and have had some of the most positive ratings out of the Paris Fashion Week collections.
Versace remains classic
Versace was a highly anticipated collection from this week's shows due to rumors of a possible sale of the company circling the industry. These rumors led to the Versace show being one of the most watched and attended runways of the week as people wondered if it would be Donatella Versace's last collection. The collection was classic Donatella Versace, the looks consisted of the defining Versace colors, animal prints, and the familiar Versace prints. I enjoyed the Versace looks this week although they weren't very inventive. I felt they evoked the feeling of nostalgia for that classic Versace charm. As for the rumors, I can't say I believe that Donatella Versace would ever consider selling a company tied so closely to her family lineage and name, but only time will tell.
Valentino in a Public Restroom
The most unique runway setting of the week was by far Valentino's public restroom. Alessandro Michele's collection, in true Michele form, challenged gender norms and was the picture of gender-fluidity. The runway challenged the overapplication of privacy in society and gave us a look into the Valentino gender-neutral restroom, embellished in Valentino red. Although a lavatory runway sparked some controversy, I found the setting was fun, new, and didn't distract from the looks.
The Musée du Louvre host’s their own gala
Although Paris Fashion Week is all about the runaway shows, the Le Grand Dîner du Louvre has the media buzzing as the first-ever fundraiser hosted by the Musée du Louvre to celebrate the new Louvre Couture exhibition. The public has begun referring to this event as “the Paris Met Gala” with some feeling it was a better representation of what fashion for fundraising really means. Numerous relevant celebrities were in attendance including Doechii, Jisoo, Keira Knightley, and Victoria and David Beckham just to name a few. There were also some very influential fashion names in attendance such as supermodels, Gigi Hadid, Naomi Cambell, Carla Bruni, and the prominent French designer Jean Paul Gaultier.
References:
Vogue. (2025). Anrealage fall 2025 ready-to-wear. Vogue. https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2025-ready-to-wear/anrealage
Vogue. (2025). Chloé fall 2025 ready-to-wear. Vogue. https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2025-ready-to-wear/chloe#review
Vogue. (2025). Versace fall 2025 ready-to-wear. Vogue. https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2025-ready-to-wear/versace#review
Vogue. (2025). Valentino fall 2025 ready-to-wear. Vogue. https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2025-ready-to-wear/valentino#review
Teen Vogue. (2025). Chappell Roan’s makeup at Paris Fashion Week 2025. Teen Vogue. https://www.teenvogue.com/story/chappell-roan-makeup-at-paris-fashion-week-2025
Vogue. (2025). Inside the Louvre red carpet 2025. Vogue. https://www.vogue.com/slideshow/inside-the-louvre-red-carpet-2025
Graphic by Kayla Pyrtle