PARIS FASHION WEEK FALL/WINTER 2025: DAY 7
editors MARIA MOTA, MARIE-PAULINE CESARI and MAREK BARTEK
LACOSTE
review by SONNY NGO
all images LACOSTE via vogue.com
There is nothing quite like the adrenaline rushing through every inch of fibre in your body during exercise. Even better, when upbeat music is pulsing at the gym or the courtside. For its latest runway show, Pelagia Kolotouros had her posh Lacoste athletes walk on Little Simz’s ‘Mood Swings,’ John Glacier and Sampha’s ‘Ocean Steppin,’ and even FKA Twigs’ ‘Drums of Death’. It was a fitting soundtrack for a collection that captured the dynamic energy of the field with an elevated level of chicness and sophistication. Prep is in, and sport is true luxury.
Revealed at the Roland Garros Stadium, guests arriving to the venue were invited to the court where a circular seating set up awaited them. Models walked out, on the one hand, in athletic uniforms, oversized tailoring, and knitted polos; while on the other, puffed coats and structured tailoring took centre stage. The colour palette was refined, minimised to a few shades of browns and beiges along with some dark pinks and of course the signature greens. Accessories, like the diverse crocodile brooches and over-the-top gloves, were veracious showstoppers. And the bags, from the tennis racket-shaped cases to the Lenglen shoulder bags, illustrated how functionality and style go hand in hand.
It is only the third collection of Kolotouros as Lacoste’s creative director, but we are already excited for the next. When all the models walked the court again at the end of the show, it felt like a true victory lap – game, set, match!
DURAN LANTINK
review by FIONA FROMMELT
all images DURAN LANTINK via vogue.com
This collection was daring in true Duran Lantink fashion – bold, unapologetic, and impossible to ignore. Playing with camouflage and animal prints, plaid, trompe l'oeil and bare skin made just as much of a statement as the fabrics.
Signature exaggerated shapes ran from head to toe. Through tops and jackets, necks were made to disappear. Hips were widened, doubled or sometimes left bare with all but body paint on them, in zebra and leopard patterns. Reimagined chaps left cheeks exposed, while pants and skirts played with layered fabrics and sharp, pointed lines.
The opening and closing looks were the true highlight of the show, both featured trompe l’oeil silicone tops – one sculpted with a lean six-pack, the other with beautifully full breasts – leaving us with both six-pack and D-cup envy. Thought-provoking, playful, and undeniably sexy.
NICCOLÒ PASQUALETTI
review by NIA TOPALOVA
all images NICCOLÒ PASQUALETTI provided by the brand
Niccolò Pasqualetti’s Fall/Winter 2025 collection explored sculptural silhouettes in dark tones, playing with textures and volumes, to create monochromatic looks. Models walked in sheer mesh embroidered with sequins and pearls, leather coats, vests, and dresses with shimmering playful details creating more texture. This season, Pasqualetti wanted to recreate the beauty of the ground after heavy rain, slick like silk satin, holding the imprint of passing movement, with the first light of the morning fading in. The collection reflected the beauty of fragility and the idea that beauty is temporary.
VALENTINO
review by MAREK BARTEK
all images VALENTINO provided by the brand
For his second ready-to-wear collection at Valentino, Alessandro Michele invited us into an interesting choice of setting—a red-lit public restroom transformed into a surreal, theatrical space. A commentary on intimacy and performance, the venue blurred the line between the private and public, setting the stage for a collection that explored identity, transformation, and self-expression. As the show unfolded, Lana Del Rey’s ‘Gods & Monsters’ played, setting an atmosphere both melancholic and immersive. It was a bold statement, one with the aim to redefine traditional fashion codes, rejecting polished perfection in favour of a raw, deconstructed aesthetic. By embracing undone styling, unconventional layering, and exaggerated proportions, Michele overturned classic luxury and, instead, celebrated fashion as an evolving, expressive act.
The clothes carried this concept forward with a sense of escapist elegance. Lace bodysuits were left unsnapped, flared wool trousers pooled over shoes, and models walked with hems deliberately let down. There was a casual, lived-in quality to the styling, with knit headbands, balaclavas, and loose layering adding to the effect. Michele’s signature vintage-meets-maximalism aesthetic remained strong—sumptuous fur coats, intricate embellishments, and bold prints punctuated the lineup, while structured tailoring nodded to Valentino’s heritage.
At the heart of the collection was a conversation about the fluidity of identity. Gendered fashion codes were diffused, with delicate lace and soft draping juxtaposed against strong-shouldered suiting and oversized outerwear. This balance between structure and fluidity gave the collection a sense of duality—masculine and feminine, past and present, polished and undone. The signature Valentino red dominated the collection but was softened at times with muted browns, ashen greys, and deep blues, adding depth and contrast.
Notable collaborations, including a Vans partnership, injected a contemporary edge, balancing the more theatrical elements. Yet, Michele’s flair for romantic, statement-making eveningwear was ever-present, from striking high-slit gowns to silk georgette dresses adorned with crystals and bows. The show was a reminder that fashion is not just about clothing but about storytelling. In this unconventional, almost anarchic collection, Michele reinforced the idea that identity is never fixed—it’s a performance, constantly shifting under the spotlight.
OTTOLINGER
review by FIONA FROMMELT
all images OTTOLINGER via vogue.com
More is more at Ottolinger. With a rather muted color palette of browns, beiges, and some stand out blues, reds and yellows, Christa Bösch and Cosima Gadient managed to deliver pure joy on the runway – playing with size, texture, and even anime-inspired elements. This was look-maxing at its finest.
Through layers, fabric frills and signature cut outs in both jeans and dresses, these looks brought a streetwear edge. Big puffers mixed with large amounts of fur made for grand silhouettes. Dresses, skirts and tops were combined with fabric frills, bottoms turned front to back, and garments seamlessly interlaced. Jackets became collaged, layered constructions, while blazers featured fur collars, cinched waists, and daring front slits. Hips became central through padding or padded belts that added extra shape and drama.
Accessories tied it all together – short backpacks, hoods, and layered details completed a collection that was all about pushing proportions and reimagined structure in true Ottolinger fashion.
ATLEIN
review by SONNY NGO
all images ATLEIN provided by the brand
This season, Atlein dialed down on its colours, stripping back shades to a mere few blacks, greys, browns, and khakis. With the palette reduced to pure essentials, all attention was drawn to structure and form – a creative choice which underscored Antonin Tron’s long fascination with the sculptural qualities of fashion. Inspired by Venus figurines and their celebration of the body and its eroticism, Tron fully embraced sensuality this season, but through a more controlled and precise lens.
A strong emphasis was placed on introducing sharp silhouettes defined by structured, almost architectural, shoulders. Wool coats carried oversized volumes and rounded backs, while voluminous shirts and straight-leg trousers with asymmetrical waist designs played with proportions. Throughout the show, a constant tension emerged between rigidity and fluidity, sensuality and structure. The fabrics framed the models’ figures with striking elegance, draping beautifully around the curves and crevices of the bodies. At times, it felt as if they were literally molded onto them, like classical sculptures. Other times, the collection leaned more into the stone-like, statue-esque aspects of Venus figures. This explicit dialogue between movement and stillness showcased Atlein’s mastery of the craft. Fashion has always been about the body, and this season it was not only celebrated, but also sculpted to perfection.
BALENCIAGA
review by MAREK BARTEK
all images BALENCIAGA provided by the brand
Demna’s latest Balenciaga collection dissected and reimagined everyday dress codes, offering a study in transformation. Set within a black-curtained backstage maze, the show immersed guests in a world where standard garments were inverted, deconstructed, and refined with couture-level precision.
Businesswear set the tone—sleek suits, some immaculately tailored, others crushed or “moth-eaten,” played with notions of wear and imperfection. Daywear followed suit, with exaggerated coats, oversized trenches, and streamlined, body-conscious silhouettes. Demna’s signature approach to redefining the familiar was evident in maxi hoodies inspired by Balenciaga’s historic wedding dress designs and a Victorian biker jacket with that edgy nostalgia feel. Expanding on its ongoing collaborations, the collection introduced new Balenciaga | Alpinestars protective gear, including a high-density carbon fiber racing helmet and gloves laced with spikes and piercings. Meanwhile, Balenciaga | PUMA brought forth a worn-in, deconstructed take on the Speedcat sneaker and technical tracksuits.
Accessories continued the theme of practical reinvention—briefcases transformed with convertible handles, crushed Dyneema® shopper bags mimicked plastic, and jewelry pieces abandoned function altogether, such as faceless watches worn purely for aesthetic impact. With Winter 25, Demna reinforced his vision of fashion as a continuous evolution where standard is always only a starting point.
TIME
review by NIA TOPALOVA
all images TIME provided by the brand
This season, TIME drove back to childhood, evoking the spirit of carefree innocence, and the never ending desire to reconnect with forgotten sensations of comfort. The TIME woman’s destination was nature. The colours were olive greens, khaki, mustard, inspired by moss, foliage and sand. The palette was further enriched by shades of purple, green and blue, symbolising nature in full bloom. Knitwear was carefully combined with ethically crafted fur and leather, creating fluid silhouettes that enabled the body to move freely. “Throughout the collection, details adapt to movement: elements tie, clasp, slip on, slip off, are reversible, transformable, and juxtaposed allowing the woman to walk, drive, run, shield herself from the cold, bask in a sunbeam, and go wherever she pleases. In total freedom.”