The China night played host to the French brand’s latest collection; as the dusk descended across Hangzhou’s West Lake, Chanel’s Métiers d’art designs paraded across its silvery waters, while wooden planks of lagoon pontoon creek underfoot, journeying the brand from Paris to Hangzhou within the space of minutes. 

A testament to the standard-setting calibre of the Maison, Chanel’s Métiers d’art collections are a conversation between craftsmanship and culture, where the talent of the artisans behind the brand shines through each piece.

The 2025 show opened with black ensembles as deep as the surrounding night, where the house’s signature tweed suiting took on the form of long, shouldered coats, adorned with frogging crafted by Atelier Paloma Paris, and silver floral motifs traipsing up the centre seam and around sleeve cuffs.

A fusion between the trench and a raincoat fashioned from fine silk also flitted across the lakeside runway while pagoda sleeves and mandarin collars embroidered by Atelier Montex subtly glistened under the waning light. The minute attention to detail is acute across every garment, from medallions and cuffs made by Goossens to pleats and flounces by Lemarié and Lognon, and Robin Hood and suede hats by milliner Maison Michel. 

Classic tweed suiting contrasted with flashy gold two-pieces helped the collection flirt between the historic city of Paris and China’s tech capital Hangzhou, enhanced by the travel-themed accessories of the vanity case-style handbags and suitcase-style bags. Oversized clutches resembling silk pillows also envelop the evening tone, for the collection’s overall trance-like impact. 

Cloaked in darkness, the night helped introduce the key inspiration for the collection: Coromandel screens. Characteristic of the intimate boudoir as well as staging lacquer commemorations of important works of Chinese art, the influence of the Coromandel at the French label extends back to Gabrielle Chanel, who herself hung a hand-painted Coromandel against the walls of her 31 rue Cambon, Paris apartment.

For Métiers d’arts 2025, many coloured and textured panellings of appliqué add depth to jackets, while also nodding to the multi-screen and in-depth composition of lacquer Coromandel art, also heightened in the metallic sheen of silver and gold materials as well as plumage that gently floats across quilted silk evening jackets. 

Painting the ornate intricacy of traditional Coromandel art with Chanel house codes, the Camelia (a long-time symbol of the maison) symbolising faithfulness, purity, and longevity, blossoms in pinks and silvers and blacks and whites across the collection, while the resilience and strength of the lotus also made subtle appearances. 

A short film by director Wim Wenders featuring house ambassadors Tilda Swinton, Leah Dou and Xin Zhilei teased the collection, who each interact with the elaborate craft of Coromandel art. The film concludes poignantly with the words ‘Gabrielle Chanel never travelled to Hangzhou. In the coming days, the house of Chanel finally will.’

This visual poetry across the whole collection is an ode to the incredible artisans working under Chanel’s wing, expressing the savoir-faire of a self-assured heritage Maison. The result is an oeuvre that sleep-walks purposefully between the romance and refinement of both the night and the Coromandel screens in a classically-Chanel elegance.

by Ella Mansell

The post Chanel unveils its Métiers d’arts 2025 collection by Hangzhou’s West Lake first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

WITH A neutral-splashed grey runway and traditional beats turned up to deafening volume, Yerevan Fashion Week’s front-row insiders may have suspected that a handful of designers were plodding through a creative crisis.

Suspicions were confirmed as the first few amazons (or better put, models) pounded down the runway in rockabilly shimmery jackets with hard-edged surfaced patterned pants, teetering on red-toed clear-plastic spectator heels and glowering from behind their ‘90s tequila-sunrise sunglasses. But there’s more to the story. 

_{Yerevan Fashion Week | Credit: AGHAYAN} 

With an electric palette of hot pinks, poison greens and the season’s ubiquitous puff sleeve (all combined at one point in a delicious concoction of sizes), Armenian designers indulged in a psychedelic local parade—complete with beaded taffeta ponchos, asymmetric cotton hems, bright organza mini dresses and retro-style rock-meets-punk macro checks.

Of course, the local creatives have many of these maximalist references in their own archives, but the fine sleek piping swagged like an admiral’s embellishment across a scarlet pantsuit, or forming a ruffled top, looked like they had strayed from a place of all-out fun with little direction. 

Young-at-heart insiders hitting their mid-life crises might respond to the modern idea of deconstructing a wardrobe and mixing it up again with a new swanky attitude, but the fashion-forward younger counterparts will love the real classics—like the superb take on minimalism fashioned by Iranian-Armenian designer Ariga Torosian, who presented so many possibilities of structured poise without losing sight of the woman — a woman whose attitude you’d like to possess.

_{Ariga Torisian | Credit: Asatur Yesayants}

_{Ariga Torisian | Credit: Asatur Yesayants}

She brought the functional once again for Spring, following up last season’s shape romp with a collection that was more grown up but barely less whimsical. She said her frame of reference was the sculptures and architects of the pre-and-post-Soviet era, which explained the severe tailoring and pants she paired with minute fastenings and, somewhat more tangentially, a rigour used in body-hugging dresses. The line connecting that wealth of references and, say, her intricate numbers was a bit fuzzier; for quirkiness, she hit the jackpot with a graphic take on toppers. 

But if you don’t ask yourself too many questions about the viability of this season’s outings—flowing beachwear silks, anyone?—Armenia’s stream-of-consciousness collections were an amusing ride. Amid feel-good thrills and soulful feels, though, complexities are sung.

“When we started this work seven years ago, I had a vision that maybe in five-to-ten years’ time there will be a lot of new emerging designers, and we wanted to start something for them because decades ago, when I started in the business, there was nothing,” said Vahan Khachatryan, designer and President of the Fashion Designers Council (FDC), whose thoughtful mindset is steeped in feel-good optimism for Armenia’s creative pool of talents.

_{Yerevan Fashion Week | Credit: AGHAYAN} 

“I understood that it’s important to support young people and young talent, but there was nothing. So that’s why we started, but then I realised that in these five to six years there are hardly any new names on stage here in Armenia, which for me is very strange, because every year there are students finishing their university courses and venturing into the job market.” 

At this current stage, Khachatryan is working with the same names he first scouted seven years ago, but he sees growth in those he met years back and what they are doing today. “There have been very difficult years,” amidst Khachatryan, “like Covid and the war—so despite everything they are still here working, and we’re very proud that they don’t give up. And it goes without saying that I’d like to reach other markets, that’s why we bring them to Italy for WHITE and to trade shows, but I must say it is very difficult because the market is extremely saturated,” he says.

“To dive in with new names or new products is complex, but I’m very proud that some of them have really high quality goods. But still it takes time, money, dedication, and a lot of public relations, and we try to do everything we can.” 

_{Yerevan Fashion Week | Credit: AGHAYAN} 

In the context of the Armenian shows, you could be forgiven for thinking those final dresses had all the rawness of an academic uniform. But Armenia’s Fashion and Design Chamber, still in its early stages of development and expansion, expressed a different idea for the young minds of the country.

Feeling a sense of power and hope in these clothes that isn’t about imposing silhouettes or Westernising creative connotations at the expense of one’s identity. Rather, engaging with a clientele driven by the vein of wearability. 

“What’s interesting about Armenia is the globalised production pole,” replied WHITE’s General Manager, Simona Severini. “Unlike when [production] started in the eastern countries like Romania, Bulgaria and Poland, there was no know-how there. So they really moved our Italians, sending out various product/production managers to them to teach the trade, and how to use machinery, how to make buttonholes.

_{Yerevan Fashion Week | Credit: AGHAYAN} 

Instead, Armenia has its own culture of manufacturing, which is clearly transported into their line, in their way of dressing, but with a few expedients and a few guidelines on what the needs of large companies are, they easily managed to translate and therefore achieve a very good production.

Local artisans are very good at making outerwear, denim and knitwear, as they already have their own machinery. I feel like they might benefit from a knitwear master to teach them a new stitch, a new knitting technique or newer fabrications, but these are codes they’re already acquainted with.

Firstly, we must acknowledge that fashion in Armenia was born as a manufacturing reality, not as a creative one. Then consequently, as it often happens to our subcontractors in Italy or Europe, when they start producing for Dior, Chanel or the big groups, at a certain stage designers muse over starting to produce their own collections, and that’s when you see similarities from Western fashion, which surely gained from the know-how they’ve learned throughout the years (and through the bigger conglomerates).” 

_{Z.G.EST | Credit: Mosh Sahakyan}

_{Z.G.EST | Credit: Mosh Sahakyan}

A lot of things are hiding in these clothes. Take Z.G.EST’s civilised affair in layering, inspired by Armenia’s natural beauty and landscapes combining organic silhouettes, fluidity and bold layering, intricate transparencies in combination with strong statement pieces with exaggerated shoulder lines.

The sense of being stuck in a world of wonder came through in this show — that and how complex expressions can somehow release you. This is a condition that many people feel at the moment, and some designers have expressed it with a craving for line and structure. And as days went by, there was an improvement in the clothes themselves. 

_{SONCESS | Credit: Asatur Yesayants}

_{SONCESS | Credit: Asatur Yesayants}

_{SONCESS | Credit: Asatur Yesayants}

_{SONCESS | Credit: Asatur Yesayants}

On Sunday, Soncess’ Sona Hakobyan expressed her take on shape without banalities, in a streamlined and simple manner with a lineup that showcased a slew of architectural volumes and motifs that reflected the timeless elegance of the East, while the freedom and self-confidence expressed by the models are inspired by the innovative spirit of Western Europe. 

She called the overall shift away from her more experimental designs of the last few seasons “a practical luxury.” Indeed, a good term. And it does feel ready to broaden its horizons. Still, these are offerings that don’t feel completely confident and ready in their own skin, but their potential could lead a long way.

by Chidozie Obasi

The post At Yerevan Fashion Week, the future looks promising first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

The atmosphere was energetic and charged with excitement, and a sense of community was felt as the countries politicians, sporting legends and celebrities joined together for this spectacle.

TPEFW is a stage to present the countries artistic history, exploring the local craftsmanship, aesthetics, and innovation. The country is well known for their textile industry, and it was evident on the runway.

_{TPEFW SS25 Opening show ‘Taiwan Type Illustrated Fashion Book’}

Commencing TPEFW SS25 is the Opening show ‘Taiwan Type Illustrated Fashion Book’. Launched by The Ministry of Culture, the show featured collaborations between six fashion brands and six Taiwanese image creators .67ARROW x @saitemiss, #DAMUR x @weiweiboy, DYCTEAM x @raimochi, RAY CHU x @mich_un, Story Wear x @chimney_animation, TANGTSUNGCHIEN x @sammi_00712.

As one of the strongest shows of the week, these collaborations brought to life bold and beautiful creative expressions one after another. The show was presented to the audience on a dynamic runway, with looks inspired from artwork created by the designers collaborative graphic IP talent.

TPEFW has been known for having an ongoing mission of fostering cross-disciplinary collaborations, and for this year TPEFW decided to connect fashion designers with illustrators to bridge the gap, as Minister of Culture Sue Wang expressed, with a goal to reach a different viewership of Taiwan and hoping to resonate with the younger audience.

_{.67ARROW X SAITEMISS}

To increase the events following, the opening show added a public session allowing fashion enthusiasts to attend the event. All 700 spots were filled within just nine minutes of registration, reflecting the market’s strong appetite and support for TPEFW.

In addition to the runway presentation, a public exhibition ‘Taiwan Type Super Swag’ was hosted from 17 October to 21 October 2024. The cross-boundary art exhibition was an opportunity for the Taiwanese to explore the collections, and acted as a direct contact with a broader audience.

It was also clear that for this season, there was a focus on the values of freedom and inclusiveness, with designers having the freedom to express themselves and even to the models where inclusivity and representation were present. Particularly with Olympic gold medalist Lin Yu-Ting participating as a model, who completely captivated the hearts of the audience.

_{TANGTSUNGCHIEN x 夏 仙 Sammi}

The rest of the week saw 13 established and emerging labels fill the schedule in Taipei with individual shows, telling the story of Taiwanese-style fashion. Each designer brought their unique style and flair to present memorable spectacles.

Highly anticipated JENN LEE presented the label’s spring-summer 2025 collection, capturing the vibrant energy of childhood nostalgia in an underground bar setting. Titled ‘Echoes of Youth’, the collection is a playful yet emotional exploration of retro aesthetics, reflecting the theme of blending nostalgia with bold expression.

For this season, JENN LEE transformed the simple act of crumpling paper into organic shapes and silhouettes that define her collection. The accessories in this collection also capture a sense of sentimental rebellion, drawing from the experience of discovering forgotten treasures in old pockets— receipts, random trinkets, and ordinary objects.

_{JENN LEE SS25}

_{JENN LEE SS25}

For TPEFW SS25, established label Seivson makes a powerful return to Taipei, bringing the brand’s eerie, avant-garde aesthetic to the runway. The collection, titled ‘TRACES’, explores the concept of marks left behind by female growth.

Deconstructed silhouettes took over the runway, with ripped and reformed fabric to represent how the female body can break and repair. Standout pieces include the reimagining of the classic trench coat with unique pleating techniques, layered jackets and mini skirts paired with everyday items.

_{SEIVSON SS25}

_{SEIVSON SS25}

Taiwanese designer Damur Huang filled an evening with energy as he refocuses his attention on “love” in his latest collection. Collaborating with JSJ Entertainment, 13 artists and singers were invited to interpret their love stories through music.

#DAMUR’s SS25 collection focuses on deconstructing gender stereotypes and embracing self-identified values, using his fearless Berlin attitude to create bold designs dedicated to redefining traditional images of masculinity and femininity.

_{#DAMUR SS25}

_{#DAMUR’s SS25}

TPEFW wasn’t just centred around a series of runway shows, but the event also saw them team up with Breeze Xinyi to launch a new fashion Select Shop.

Located on the 3^rd floor of the department store, the shop brings together a wide array of Taiwanese notable brands, showcasing everything from renowned international names to emerging designers. The shop will run for three months from October until the end of the year in a bid to continue the noise of TPEFW.

As a trendsetter in Taiwan’s fashion scene, TPEFW elevates the city’s fashion atmosphere and acts as a core platform for promoting the development of the fashion industry. With an integration of a global vision with local culture, TPEFW encourages the growth of designers and emerging brands, with its cultural and creative industries to strengthen Taiwan’s’ position in the global fashion map.

Looking ahead, TPEFW will likely continue to drive interdisciplinary collaboration to help Taiwan’s fashion shine even brighter in the international market, and become one to look out for in the fashion landscape.

by Vivian Hui

The post Cross-disciplinary collaborations with homegrown talent prevails at Taipei Fashion Week SS25 first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

The atmosphere was vibrant, naturally charged with excitement. As we navigated through the crowd, beneath the painterly sky setting across the glistening Louvre, with the knowledge that the season was just minutes away from closing, a deep appreciation for the magic and sense of community that the industry so often evokes was undeniable.

The arrival of A-list attendees to the scene ignited an orchestra of screams, with swarms of fans flanking the walk from car to venue, their cheers reverberating across the expansive courtyard and amplifying the magnitude of the House’s influence with natural acoustics even Louis Vuitton could not have devised.

The stark contrast between this raucous reception and the profound silence inside the mirrored show enclosure was striking and symbolic. Creative Director Nicholas Ghesquière expressed a desire to reconcile two antagonists, softness and power, in this collection.

“Sartorial soft power can also be a striking back-and-forth between two contradictory yet harmonious opposites” the show notes revealed. This juxtaposition was probed by Ghesquière, utilising two different ateliers to challenge the balance of materials.

The cropped jackets, most notably, were crafted from fabrics previously used only in blousons—so lightweight that the material billowed across the arms, creating an interplay of shapes that gave the garments a life of their own. This fascination with the mechanics of fluidity was palpable throughout.

Standout pieces included Grecian sandals in a kitten heel silhouette, with leather straps that replicated the handles of Louis Vuitton trunks, as well as the two-bags-in-one-hand styling—a familiar sight on the streets, but rare on the runway. The pantaloons that have become Ghesquière’s signature appeared in a translucent, ethereal sheerness with contrasting hems, pushing their already iconic form further.

Inspired by the Renaissance era, Ghesquière once again delved into his repertoire of historical fashion references, expanding on his enduring interest in military silhouettes, the French bourgeoisie, and the Juliette sleeve, formerly emblematic of that period.

This foundational reference was, however, given a contemporary twist, with Ghesquière collaborating with artist Laurent Grasso to create printed fabrics featuring five paintings from his series Studies into the Past.

Grasso’s prints concluded the show, presented in a trio of silk jackets so lustrous they appeared as though rendered in oil paint, effectively blurring the boundaries between reality and imagination. This was not the first remarkable visual spectacle of the evening, however, the catwalk—constructed from over 1,000 Louis Vuitton trunks that gradually rose as the opening look made its way down the runway—was an unparalleled display of visual mastery.

Marking ten years of Nicolas Ghesquière at Louis Vuitton, the sense of gratitude swelled as he took his gracious bow. At a time when the perpetual game of Creative Director musical chairs seems endless, it is unsurprising that Ghesquière’s presence can provide such a profound sense of solace.

by Lily Rimmer

The post PFW SS25: Louis Vuitton first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

The sudden change in weather felt fitting, especially given that the collection was inspired by a concern for the dwindling populations of birds.

The international feather trade is estimated to be worth as much as $8.3 million USD, with ostrich feathers being the most commonly used wild bird feathers in the fashion industry. Coupled with the alarming fact that nearly 50% of bird species are in decline, the message behind SS25 carries considerable weight. “Save What You Love” became the manifesto for the collection, inspired by Jonathan Franzen’s book The End of the End of the Earth, in which he turns to birds for solace and healing.

The catwalk, situated on Marché Saxe-Breteuil, drew local residents to their balconies to watch the spectacle unfold. Rows of guests framed the runway, each wearing “About Fucking Time” caps gifted by the brand — a slogan McCartney has revived since she first donned a custom vest with the same message in 1999 to celebrate her father Sir Paul McCartney’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The element of time serves as a precursor to the sustainable principles Stella McCartney hopes to embed in the fashion industry.

The garments that followed embodied this ethos, utilising materials such as Hydefy mycelium leather alternative and recycled nylon yarn, which was spun into cloud-like knits made from plastic bottles and caps. The collection, which comprised 91% sustainable materials, represented an industry-leading commitment to eco-conscious fashion.

A post-show reflection from McCartney herself highlighted the sad reality of the uniqueness of her brand—combining sustainability with aesthetically pleasing designs should not make her an anomaly. Sustainability was not a burden on the beauty of the collection; if anything, it enhanced it.

The new Stella Ryder bag took centre stage among the accessories, destined to be an instant icon. Inspired by Stella’s love of horses, its curved silhouette mirrors the gentle slope of an equine spine. It is crafted from a cruelty-free alternative using recycled materials, trimmed with VEGEA (a grape-based solution), and lined with organic hemp, a sustainable plant-based fibre.

A strong contender for the accessory spotlight emerged from SS25’s collaboration with Adidas: the new Rasant trainer, a high-top with a signature streamlined shape, featuring cascading layers of lace on fabric.

While the skies may be brightening, can we expect the future of the fashion industry to follow suit? Stella McCartney’s shows remind us of just how far we have yet to go. Style need not be sacrificed for ecological responsibility, and as ever Stella McCartney proves that.

by Lily Rimmer

The post PFW SS25: Stella McCartney first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

Whether it’s a knock off pump on the metro, a person walking their dog where both the owner and the pet sporting head-to-toe Chanel, or the enthusiastic fans donning as much of the brand as possible, even if it is just a sock, in order to get noticed around the outskirts of security. 

When you consider that all of the effort was for the first Chanel show that has not featured a creative director at the helm since 1983, the influence of the House becomes staggering. It does, however, help that a Chanel item withholds an identity coated in visual legacy that no other fashion house can or wishes to attain, and their SS25 collection echoed this notion under the expansive glass roof of the Grand Palais, which marked Chanel’s return to the venue since it closed for restoration four years ago.

In an ode to this reunion, the collection encompassed the gigantic aviary-esque space, steered by an adjacent desire to celebrate a new chapter of freedom for the House, and further cemented by Coco Chanel’s connection to birds, namely those given to her by her seamstress. The spreading of wings, unsurprisingly, became a recurring theme. 

The momentous birdcage at the centre of the runway was the first nod to this; the feathers that framed an abundance of cropped jackets, hair clips and hemlines another; and the fluid trails of organza that revealed themselves in billowing proportions as each model turned underscored it further.

With its door swung open, the birdcage also served as a metaphor for Virginie Viard flying from the nest and the empty seat that she has left and is still yet to be filled.

SS25, as a result, was designed by the in-house creative studio, and was built as a visual reminder of the House’s long history. The proprietary tweeds were made playful with a wash of pastel, the skirted suits of Coco Chanel’s time adapted into shorts with thigh splits, and the accessorising, namely the black leather belt that cut through the light chiffon looks towards the close, modernised the Chanel model for the woman of today. 

Backstage, where the likes of Margaret Qualley, Jennie Kim from Blackpink, and the new Chanel ambassador Lupita Nyong’o gathered to likely discuss who they thought deserved the position of Creative Director at the House – it is the hottest topic after all – a note for the models ahead of their catwalk entry read ‘remember to enjoy it’. 

The translation to the runway was undeniable. How many models can say they walked through a Grand Palais height bird cage, in which Riley Keough at one point sung When Doves Cry by Prince to the audience as she glided through the sky on an levitating swing (in ode to the 1991 commercial starring Vanessa Paradis), whilst wearing ethereal clothing that swarms of people gathered outside would be devouring with the utmost respect and admiration? 

The House of Chanel’s announcement of a new lead is waiting in the wings.

by Lily Rimmer

The post PFW SS25: Chanel first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

Showing in the Palais de Chaillot, this season the designer wanted to shed some light after his dramatic all black collection in February. Injecting pastels between the whites, whilst not forgetting the importance of black and gold in his aesthetic, SS25 asserts lightness with the addition of American pop-culture references from the 60s surfacing as the collection unravels.

Taking a look backstage before the show, photographer Élodie Chapuis captures a glimpse for Glass.

_{Photograph: Élodie Chapuis}

_{Photograph: Élodie Chapuis}

_{Photograph: Élodie Chapuis}

_{Photograph: Élodie Chapuis}

_{Photograph: Élodie Chapuis}

_{Photograph: Élodie Chapuis}

_{Photograph: Élodie Chapuis}

_{Photograph: Élodie Chapuis}

_{Photograph: Élodie Chapuis}

_{Photograph: Élodie Chapuis}

_{Photograph: Élodie Chapuis}

_{Photograph: Élodie Chapuis}

_{Photograph: Élodie Chapuis}

_{Photograph: Élodie Chapuis}

_{Photograph: Élodie Chapuis}

The post Glass goes backstage at Maison Yoshiki SS25 show first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

Now at Valentino, after seven years at Gucci, something hit differently.

His spring-summer 2025 collection was triggered, he notes, by the “anguish that arises from the ephemeral and undetermined nature of our destiny,” leaning to a poignant, fragile portrayal of beauty that references Valentino’s archive.

No doubt that’s why he chose to show his latest outing in the intimate surroundings on Avenue de la Porte Châtillon; a location that recalls a house forgotten in time, made of old furniture covered in sheer fabrics. The crush of admirers—and this Italian designer has many—made for slightly challenging visibility conditions, but in the end, it was worth the inconvenience. 

Michele said he was inspired by the house’s archives, leaning, as he details, on the “unique capability to feel and connect with something that unveils a new universe of meaning: an epiphany in which the connections between us, things and living beings, become immediately visible”.

That puzzling, philosophical, and historically-driven thinking produced a collection of current shapes and cuts making space for an intriguing dichotomy: Is this outing a Guccified version of Valentino, or vice versa?

In a succession of creative shifts, Michele keeps prickling the sense of the familiar by toying with his vocabulary in a more romanticised way at Valentino, and all the while more eccentric during his tenure at Gucci. It reveals how far Michele has come with gaining clarity of direction, both in terms of form and technique. 

And, to me, that’s because the technicality of many of his spring looks come very close to expressing a personal ideal of Italian heritage. Part of the charm of the customary, grown-up clothes that Michele designs season after season is the immediacy of what he does. His followers expect a romantic seasonal shortcut into the sort of classic style that looks elegant (but opulent) at any time.

Some of that came over in his signature bows, placed atop models’ double-breasted lapels and blazers trimmed with sharp hems. That motif continued for an evening with ruffled, fitted toppers embroidered in lavish beaded details. And that’s where his very strengths lie: his touches are evident that he’s one keen to focus on his dressmaking roots and the quirky tailoring for which he’s known. 

Way before the recession had everyone in fashion thinking about the resonance and relevance of timelessness, Michele’s classics had always embodied a fixation on maximalism. This certainly wasn’t a trove of novelty—as his oeuvre has a far greater seat on fashion’s seasonal tapestry of trends—but his grasp of nowness is simply his own and one has to respect that.

I appreciated that Michele, in his deliberate choice of lavish ease and flamboyant shapes, takes a point of view and sticks with it. 

Best of all, though, was the finale: a fragmented flooring that, in contrast to other set designs seen across the Paris shows over the past week, perhaps mirrored an equally fragmented reality that reflects the troubled state of our times, in which—as the showtrack’s conclusive chiasmus says on repeat, with a languid voice—we humans are eventually bound to die.

by Chidozie Obasi

The post Alessandro Michele unveils debut Valentino show for SS25 first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

Rooting himself in the history of the British House, McGirr felt drawn to Lee’s second runway collection. Not because it felt symbolic of his own but because the late-designer had been inspired by Irish folklore, specifically the tale of banshees who could be heard wailing as boats sank.

“The banshee is rooted in the history of McQueen, but it’s also a story that I grew up with, so feels deeply personal to me,” explained the show notes. “For me, she has come to represent something real and potent now”.

Examining the sketches of the original collection, McGirr brought back the sharply tailored suits that echoed Lee’s Savile Row training, the showing of breasts through chiffon, and the nods to the Elizabethan era through the high-neck ruff collars.

Opening with a return to the striking precision of the brand’s ateliers, an array of twisted suits made their way down the runway with translucent white shirts peaking through openings. Slowly evolving with cut-out detailing, two-pieces that swapped the jacket for a tight waistcoat and finally into a belted mini-dress edition – it’s surely noted that the slow progression made sense as wearability was lacking in his first collection.

Staying with the tailoring for a few moments longer, shirts were designed with Jermyn Street traditions in mind, as compact cotton poplin were given cursive, sharp collars; shoulders of coats were pinched and raised alluding to AW24; and British mill, heritage checks, like houndstooth, were reimagined on a subverted scale. These subtle changes made for a pleasing understanding that McGirr now knows he must stay with the meticulous fine-tuning of tailoring as ready-to-wear at McQueen breaths in Savile Row tradition.

Whilst the decision to align more with the past was a needed familiarity to calm the critics, it’s McGirr’s version of banshees that allowed for a deeper exploration of warped femininity. Scallop-edged heritage lace and fine cobweb lace blended together with trailing organza to create a variation of colourful ship-wrecked dresses that were finished with thick crystal embroidery – often seen during Sarah Burton’s tenure.

Ending on an evening-wear note, an extension of his Met Gala gown for Lana Del Rey was revisited and arrived for SS25 in the form of a sheer black dress with thorn embroidery – a look that I imagine is already being fought over for the red carpet.

The final look was a dramatic entanglement of silver 3D embroidery marking an end to his homage to the mythical creatures and also coming as a reminder that McGirr will bring the McQueen audience its requested darkness. Still you can’t expect the same guts, gore and golden showers of the past. Burton didn’t even do that so why should McGirr?

Time will tell how well the new McQueen will translate but I think it’s time we trust the process. Despite the turbulent start to his time as creative director, his take on the House is becoming recognisable. You can tell its McQueen and most importantly you can tell its McGirr’s McQueen.

by Imogen Clark

The post PFW SS25: McQueen first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

Could you take the excess away and be left with a silhouette that remained as bold and interesting as one with details? I think the answer may be yes.

As with everything that Anderson does, construction and materialism are at the heart. This season, however, he focused on the line that engineered a look. Being quite literally with this, boning and wiring were seen suspended through the sheer impressionist floral fabrics of dresses that had wide widths and dipped backs, playing with visual high-lows through undulation.

Beyond the bouncing and flowing curves, the collection also saw Anderson play with elongation. How can you reduce to expand? The simple conclusion was to remove any form of bottom half clothing.

Specifically, he introduced ultra-ultra sequinned mini dresses that showcased a special in-house four-way knitting technique that puts emphasis on each sequin; as it lays flat as you knit across creating a scale-like effect. Speaking backstage, the designer explained his draw to removing the posterior: “theres something which is sexual but not, there’s a formality but there’s also not”.

Proving Loewe’s leading position when it comes to craft, there was a truly show-stopping moment of savoir-faire by the brand: the Mother of Pearl trenches. Seemingly a natural evolution from the menswear copper coat from AW23 by Elie Hirsch, these coats were made from the natural material from the inner layer of shells, then cut into specific shapes, and finally puzzled together.

Clearly a work of art in itself, Anderson also displayed prints from Van Gogh and portraits of Frédéric Chopin and Johann Sebastian Bach. Returning to the question of reduction, he wanted to refigure our focus on specifics.

“Sometimes through sheer image taking we kind of burn out the image. We seem to always magnetically go to them because they must mean something” said Anderson. “We want to be part of something even if we don’t understand it”.

Though the explanation of meaning still may not be as obvious, SS25 did offer some answers. Firstly, clothes can be equally as intriguing without the extras – most of the time they simply aren’t needed anyway. And secondly, next season requires you to lose your trousers.

by Imogen Clark

The post PFW SS25: Loewe first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

The Chloé girl is free, feminine and very sensual. So for her sophomore collection for the French House, the designer wanted to take these three intrinsic characteristics and see how they conveyed in the heat of summer; especially defining it as the time in the year when you pause, recharge and explore who you have become.

Aptly titled the Freedom Collection, the angelic mood of boho-chic swept across Paris in the midst of torrential rain. Fabrics were of course designed to look sun-faded and worn out; lace guipures took centre stage across blouses, dresses and silk charmeuses to elevate the intricacy of the floating silhouettes; and prints made an entrance having been reworked from an original hand painted 1977 artwork that now saw roses and peonies blossom for SS25.

Lingerie poked through and gently contrasted the sartorial tailoring that Chemena has added to the Chloé wardrobe for the summer.

Mixing sturdier single-breasted jackets with chiffon matching trousers, oversized leather sleeveless gilets, that mirrored fisherman’s utility vest with cotton bloomers, and pairing a new suede jacket that is based on the flou blouse, finished with gathered, pleated sleeves, with transparent long sleeves; the woman of the season seems to be ready for both dinner and a dance under the stars.

There’s a deep appreciation for the most strip backed version of femininity, one that is proud to be dainty, one that lacks restriction and one that feels effortless in the most playful manner. Chemena hoped to bring a “spontaneous joy to this collection” and she sure did.

Set a reminder to dust off your jelly shoes, Chemena’s Chloé is bringing back playtime!

by Imogen Clark

The post PFW SS25: Chloé first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

Relishing in the unique space that Saint Laurent holds, one that is defined by deep-rooted independence and one entirely reflected in the founder, who once proudly stated that “I am the Saint Laurent woman”.

Describing her as someone who “loves to indulge in darker penchants, an attraction to danger and pleasure she proudly owns in her modern agency”, SS25 fell into two halves. The first, a pure reflection of Yves within women. The second, an embodiment of her now.

Returning to the show space he showed his debut collection, the brand’s headquarters on the Left Bank at Rue de Bellechasse, an array of slouchy, shoulder-padded and yet precisely cut double-breasted suits walked down the runway. Ties, thick-rimmed glasses and slicked back hair included, it was a modern rendition of Yves’ style.

As the collection unravelled, so did hints of the modern woman. First came, chunky gold jewellery poking out from the overcoats. Then came floor-length chiffon skirts and dresses that were paired with leather jackets and ropes of beaded necklaces; hints of breasts started poking out; and then a mirage of looks that paid tribute to Loulou de la Falaise.

The aforementioned traits of indulging in the night were personified. A nod to the Opium era at Saint Laurent. High-neck, sleeveless lace blouses were paired with shiny floral jackets and worn with skirts that were layered – everything contrasted, nothing matched and it somehow all worked. Deep greens, purples, yellows, browns and oranges bounced around.

At a time in fashion when you have to question more times than not what brand something is from, you simply cannot mistake Vacarello’s Saint Laurent. It’s unquestionably his. But what’s most charming about his Saint Laurent is that Yves has never been lost nor misinterpreted – and SS25 was a beautiful reminder of how the past can dictate the future.

by Imogen Clark

The post PFW SS25: Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello first appeared on The Glass Magazine.