A model wearing denim-on-denim walks the runway during the Oxfam 'Style For Change' show in London. Photo: AFP
New York kicked off the latest fashion week season, giving a taste of what to expect for new trends.
On the runways, sporty and urban designs were a big focus. The offerings felt resolutely hip.
The first day of the New York calendar (dubbed “men’s day”) saw presentations by five menswear brands. The inspirations were certainly eclectic: ranging from Zanzibar beaches to the 1970s, and the designers’ own dreams.
While the week’s lineup included up-and-coming talents, it was the established names that stole headlines.
Ralph Lauren presented a star-studded fashion extravaganza on a boat. It took place on a decommissioned Staten Island Ferry.
Celebrities like Brooke Shields, Damson Idris, Stella Jones and Winnie Harlow sat on brown-wood benches.
Easy-to-wear and relaxed designs define the Spring/Summer 2025 collections. Photo: Proenza SchoulerThe designs? Well, they were nautical-inspired urban staples.
Read more: New York Fashion Week in full swing, having kicked off with diverse menswear
Alaia presented its collection in the Guggenheim Museum. Models paraded down down the iconic spiral-shaped venue wearing bandeaus, paired with skater skirts or culottes.
Pieter Mulier, creative director of Alaia, has only showed in Paris since he took the helm in 2021, so this was a momentous occasion for the New York crowd.
“For me, American beauty means freedom, of body and of spirit,” Mulier wrote in the show notes.
“I lived and worked in New York for three years. It helped shape who I am today. And, in the 1980s, for Azzedine Alaia, it was a city where his clothes and philosophy of design were embraced, where he opened his first store.”
It wasn’t just about bigger or grander shows though. Proenza Schouler’s choice of venue was just a simple loft in lower Manhattan.
The vast room with huge windows appeared nondescript, but this somehow served to really highlight the designs themselves. The clothes had a street-ready attitude.
They were almost all in black and white – but this is not about embracing minimalism.
“We really stripped things back to the point where we felt like there wasn’t a lot more to strip beyond last season,” the label’s co-founder, Jack McCollough, told Vogue. “This season, we’re rebuilding some of our codes from the past in new ways.”
Fresh attitude
Over in London, the city’s fashion week kicked off with a huge party. Charli XCX – a pop-culture icon among the youths – performed at H&M’s show. It was part of her collaboration with the fast fashion label.
The British singer’s album Brat has even spawned a new trend.
Fashion’s “brat girl” aesthetic is all about living a lifestyle inspired by her music. Think unapologetic party-girl energy, with the dressing to go with it.
With sustainability being a huge focus for the younger consumers, London Fashion Week (still running at the time of writing) also included a runway show showcasing pre-loved items.
Items presented during the “Endless Runway” event were sold on Ebay’s live shopping platform, as it took place.
Charli XCX's popularity among the younger crowd is what the fashion industry is trying to capitalise on. The singer has dropped a collaborative collection, unveiled at London Fashion Week. Photo: H&M“This is the first time an on-schedule London fashion week show has been exclusively pre-loved clothes, so it is a monumental moment for circular fashion,” Ebay’s pre-loved style director, Amy Bannerman told The Guardian before the event.
There was also the “Style for Change” runway, which partnered with second-hand online marketplace Vinted.
Models wore clothes sourced from the warehouses of Oxfam (a global organisation that fights inequality to end poverty and injustice).
For the Milan and Paris leg of the fashion week calendar however, the young-ish vibe is expected to dial down.
Read more: Charli XCX headlines London Fashion Week party, overshadowing big-name designers
These cities are where fashion’s heritage fashion houses are presenting their shows, after all.
Fendi, Versace, Ferragamo, Dolce & Gabbana, Bottega Veneta and more will headline Milan Fashion Week (which started on Sept 17).
That said, do expect to see scores of K-pop stars in attendance. It is one way for brands to tap into the younger consumer market.
For Paris Fashion Week (kicking off on Sept 23), the industry is already abuzz with excitement. Alessandro Michele will be presenting his first show since joining Valentino.
Michele’s previous stint at Gucci transformed the brand into a Gen Z favourite. So, all eyes are on him to see whether he will be able to inject that same youthful energy into Valentino.
When the firebrand designer presented his first book, an autobiography written with philosopher Emanuele Coccia, back in May at the international book trade show Salone Del Libro, he was greeted a large number of young visitors.
Such is his appeal among the youths – and this can only be what the fashion industry is looking for to keep the fashion week spirit alive.
