By Nikita Smith
Paris Fashion Couture Week is the PINNACLE of fashion, entertaining fashion lovers from all over the world with the drama showcased on the runway. This year designers presented a stunning array of looks that captured the essence of spring in all its playful beauty, creating a narrative that is both whimsical and daring. Join me as I explore the standout trends that defined Paris’ red-haute runways this season.
Florals
Florals for spring? Groundbreaking. The iconic line from The Devil Wears Prada may have been said in jest, but Elie Saab took it as a challenge and raised the bar to the absolute max. Moving beyond predictable prints, Saab presented florals in a way that felt fresh, using intricate embroidery and embellishments. Elie Saab juxtaposed soft floral embellishments with structured denim, creating a dynamic interplay between elegance and edge. Similarly, Christian Dior flooded the runway with playful sheer overlays, embroidered with delicate wildflowers. Using Alice in Wonderland as inspiration, designer Maria Grazia Chiuri, furthered the use of florals to create the whimsical element of Spring 2025 runways.
Feathering
As always, feathering offers an ethereal and elegant feel to the runway. Jean Paul Gaultier and Schiaparelli displayed both traditional and modern featherwork this season. Jean Paul Gaultier’s show closed with a dress so feathered, it looked ready to take flight – if drama had wings, this would be it. The theatrical display of the dress added a sense of drama and beauty that not only captured my eye, but my heart too. Schiaparelli displayed a dress with feathered hemline, adding this dreamy, weightless effect, as if the wearer is barely touching the ground. The dress is floating – or at least, it looks like it could. This isn’t just feathering – it’s movement and pure fantasy woven into a single, show-stopping moment.
Fringing
Fringe this season isn’t just shaking – it’s twirling and demanding a moment in the spotlight. This season we saw fringing step out of its boho era and emerge as the edgier, more modern alternative to feathers. Fringe seems to be the rebellious cousin of delicate feathers. In Schiaparelli’s Spring 2025 collection, Daniel Roseberry takes on sculptural elegance. Using ribbons, wispy ends, and fringed sleeves paired with a netted gown, Roseberry creates a kinetic movement to the runway. Then there was Dior, that black fringe dress? Pure drama. The moody texture and gothic undertones, it exudes dark romantic energy. This season, fringing isn’t just an accessory; it’s the main event. It sways and commands attention. In 2025, fringe isn’t just fabric – it’s fashion in motion.
Corseting
Corsets, the fashion world’s version of armour – only this time, they’re not built for battle, they’re built for making an entrance. Designers took this historical garment and reimagined it for the modern era. Jean Paul Gaultier, the undeniable master of corsetry, made one of the boldest statements of the season by incorporating corsets into menswear. Thus, proving that cinched waistlines know no gender. Meanwhile, Dior played with contrast, maintaining its mystical Alice in Wonderland inspired theme,
while adding a touch of sophistication to the fantasy. Pairing cinched bodices with flowing skirts, ethereal skirts.
Paris Fashion Haute Couture Week showcased the season’s most captivating trends, from intricate florals and feathered dreams to dramatic fringing and bold corsets. Designers blended elegance with whimsy, crafting collections that felt both fantastical and daring. This year’s collections captured spring’s playful spirit with a perfect balance of structure and fantasy, setting the stage for a bold future in spring fashion.