Womenswear Spring/Summer 2025 (part 2 of 4)
Chloe Lyu reports on the Spring/Summer 2025 womenswear collections by major fashion maisons
Dries Van Noten
A new chapter has begun. This was the brand’s first fashion show without its namesake designer, Dries Van Noten, after he announced his retirement in June. The design team effectively honoured the founder’s legacy, marked by a variety of prints, rich textiles and summer colours in a vibrant extension of the designer’s fashion archive.
Fendi
As Fendi celebrates the centenary of its founding, Kim Jones took us back to the brand’s origins, paying tribute to the 1920s. Sheer frocks with dropped waists, fringe elements and knitted co-ords with boy shorts harked back to the art deco glamour of the 1920s with a modern nod to 2025. Handbags were also a highlight, with a bigger and more casual makeover of the iconic Baguette known as the Mamma Baguette.
Ferragamo
Inspired by Ferragamo’s ballet heritage, Maximilian Davis found a harmony between his personal story and the history of the brand in this collection. The ballet spirit of different decades was integrated, including slim-fitting practice uniforms and second-skin cashmere cotton layers, and opera coats and parachute dresses rendered in silk nylon, suede and organza. For footwear, the pointy Eva pump and the matte silk ribbon on the calf embodied the ballet DNA.
Giorgio Armani
Giorgio Armani’s collection highlighted both the freedom of women’s tailoring and a New York twist. Dressed in soft men’s blazers with satin trousers, ties and square-toe ballet flats, models showed an elegant expression of rebellious style. Armani’s signature neutral palette was constant throughout the show, with beige, grey and khaki dominating the runway.
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Gucci
For this collection, Sabato De Sarno was inspired by “the moment the sun dives into the sea at the end of an August day”. There were many can’t-miss leitmotifs: the 1960s, tailoring, lingerie and leather. Bamboo bags were also worth watching, with De Sarno bringing back the hero accessory in the original form of the Gucci Bamboo 1947 with subtle contemporary tweaks.
Hermès
The pragmatic artist-in-the-studio inspiration and a surprising sensuality were the two main elements of this season under Nadège Vanhee. Sheer materials were used creatively for transparent summer looks. Leather continued to be a highlight, made with haute couture techniques, patterned cuts and prints on the material.
Isabel Marant
Tropical inspiration from the Amazon meets Isabel Marant’s signature artisanal spirit. The show was alive with fringed jackets, skirts and boots, and an intricate knotting technique on the neckline emphasised the core craftsmanship of this collection. Pinks, oranges, sand-beige and midnight blues contrasted with minimalist blacks.
Jil Sander
This season Luke and Lucie Meier referred to the power-dressing style introduced by Jil Sander in the 1980s, emphasising boxy and oversized fits. The pair subverted the look with unusual details, such as a conservative suit with fringe attached on the cuffs and a delicate beaded floral cardigan paired with a tough leather skirt.
