Ashi Studio, Photography: Iulia Matei
Maison Margiela, Photography: Christine Centenera
Just days after Men’s Fashion Week bowed out, Paris gave the stage to couture. Haute Couture Week kicked off on July 7th, and with it came a cascade of impossible proportions, hypnotic handwork, and moments that felt more like art installations than clothing. Beyond the drama and fantasy, this season also delivered a dose of bridal and guest-wear inspiration—otherworldly, yes, but brimming with references that brides and guests can translate into real life. Below, we decode the most striking trends from the Haute Couture runways that deserve your attention.
Birds of a Feather
Feather detailing was another standout, infusing the couture runways with old-school glamour and tactile luxury. Whispy strands adorned jackets and skirts, offering a fresh take on texture, while feathered boas wrapped ensembles in playful extravagance. Look to Maison Francesco Scognamiglio and Tamara Ralph for full feather inspo, where feathered fantasies truly stole the spotlight.
Tamara Ralph, Courtesy of Tamara Ralph
Chanel, Photography: Armando Grillo
Christian Dior, Photography: Paolo Lanzi
Ashi Studio, Photography: Salvatore Dragone
Ashi Studio, Photography: Salvatore Dragone
Maison Francesco Scognamiglio, Photography: Stefano Galuzzi
Mother of Pearl
This season, mother of pearl emerged as one of couture’s most mesmerising materials—no longer a subtle accent but a structural statement. Designers sculpted gowns and corsets from iridescent shards, layering them like scales or inlaid tiles to catch the light with every movement. The effect was otherworldly: armour meets ocean, with craftsmanship at its most luminous.
Schiaparelli, Courtesy of Schiaparelli
Tamara Ralph, Courtesy of Tamara Ralph
Tamara Ralph, Courtesy of Tamara Ralph
Lovers Lingerie
Morning chic meets high-fashion edge in intimate, lingerie-inspired ensembles. Minimalist bras were styled with flowing skirts, and corsets paired with nostalgic, vintage shorts turning classic separates into bold, fresh statements. Flirty and undeniably striking!
Maison Francesco Scognamiglio, Photography: Stefano Galuzzi
Georges Hobeika, Courtesy of Georges Hobeika
Maison Margiela, Photography: Filippo Fior
Ashi Studio, Photography: Salvatore Dragone
Christian Dior, Photography: Paolo Lanzi
Ashi Studio, Courtesy of Ashi Studio
Living Sculptures
Every couture show feels like stepping into a museum, where the runway morphs into a living gallery—each look a sculptural masterpiece in motion. Fall/Winter 2025 was no exception, as designers pushed the boundaries of silhouette. Iris van Herpen’s fluid, gravity-defying forms and Maison Margiela’s whimsical creations transformed models into walking works of art.
Iris van Herpen, Photography: Bryan Flores
Maison Margiela, Photography: Filippo Fior
Rahul Mishra, Photography: Umberto Fratini
Embrace the Lace
Beyond drapery, Fall/Winter 2025 couture also wove in delicate lace inspiration. The standout number? Balenciaga’s cone-shaped, high-neck guipure lace gown—a powerful finale to Demna Gvasalia’s decade-long reign as the house’s Creative Director. A blend of tradition and modernity, this piece felt like both a farewell and a daring statement of what's next.
Maison Margiela, Photography: Filippo Fior
Giambattista Valli, Courtesy of Giambattista Valli
Christian Dior, Photography: Paolo Lanzi
Ashi Studio, Photography: Salvatore Dragone
Maison Margiela, Courtesy of Maison Margiela
Balenciaga, Courtesy of Balenciaga
Cape Couture
Long and flowy or shorter, bolero-like capes added dynamic energy to runway numbers. Whether trailing dramatically behind or hugging the shoulders with sharp precision, they inject movement and attitude, elevating every silhouette with a perfect mix of drama and refinement. For brides, they offer an elegant and versatile layer without overshadowing the gown.
Chanel, Photography: Armando Grillo
Maison Margiela, Photography: Filippo Fior
Giambattista Valli, Courtesy of Giambattista Valli
In the Garden
Floral and botanical motifs continued to bloom across the Fall/Winter 2025 couture runways, evolving from romantic staple to sculptural statement. Georges Hobeika rendered petals and leaves in tactile appliqué, as if gently shedding from silk, while Maison Margiela and Giambattista Valli abstracted florals into silhouettes that swelled and folded like living blooms. Even at Chanel, nature took symbolic form—wheat, cherished by Gabrielle Chanel, was transformed into a delicate, hand-held talisman.
Chanel, Photography: Armando Grillo
Georges Hobeika, Courtesy of Georges Hobeika
Elie Saab, Photography: Fillipo Fior
Maison Margiela, Photography: Filippo Fior
Giambattista Valli, Courtesy of Giambattista Valli
Georges Hobeika, Courtesy of Georges Hobeika
It's All In The Hips
For a few seasons now, we’ve been noticing a growing love for silhouettes with accentuated hips, be that on couture runways or during bridal weeks. It lends gowns a sculptural edge, striking sweet spot between drama and femininity. From corseted waists that bloom into padded hips to softly exaggerated curves, the look is bold yet romantic.
Ashi Studio, Photography: Salvatore Dragone
Rahul Mishra, Photography: Iulia Matei
Schiaparelli, Courtesy of Schiaparelli
Bold Accessories
Opera gloves, bold chokers, headpieces with a twist, and unconventional veils: Fall/Winter 2025 proved that accessories are the ultimate showstoppers. They transformed each ensemble into a statement, blurring the line between fashion and performance.
Robert Wun, Photography: Daniele Oberrauch
Iris van Herpen, Photography: Daniele Oberrauch
Schiaparelli, Photography: Acielle
Maison Margiela, Photography: Filippo Fior
Maison Francesco Scognamiglio, Photography: Stefano Galuzzi
Fringe Benefits
Fringe stepped into the spotlight this season—playful, poised, and full of momentum. No longer just a decorative detail, it became a tool for sculpting silhouettes and animating garments with fluid grace. From hypnotic sways to beaded cascades that felt almost weightless, fringe proved it’s more than an embellishment—it’s a statement in motion.
Rahul Mishra, Photography: Umberto Fratini
Georges Hobeika, Courtesy of Georges Hobeika
Tamara Ralph, Courtesy of Tamara Ralph
Hip Slinger
The draped skirt made a notable appearance across the Fall/Winter 2025 couture collections. Designers leaned into drapery with goddess-like finesse—gathering, twisting, and folding fabric into soft cascades. The effect felt both ethereal and intentional, a modern interpretation of classical elegance, fluid yet sharply considered.
Ashi Studio, Courtesy of Ashi Studio
Peet Dullaert, Photography: Vittorio Zunino Celotto
Ashi Studio, Photography: Salvatore Dragone
Ashi Studio, Photography: Salvatore Dragone
Tamara Ralph, Courtesy of Tamara Ralph
Ashi Studio, Courtesy of Ashi Studio
Modern Cinderella
Princess-like silhouettes with voluminous gowns and skirts blossomed throughout the collections by Georges Hobeika, Robert Wun, and, of course, Giambattista Valli, whose romance with dreamy shapes is absolutely undeniable. Think modern fairytales with a couture twist, perfect inspiration for brides chasing that special Cinderella moment down the aisle.
Georges Hobeika, Courtesy of Georges Hobeika
Robert Wun, Photography: Daniele Oberrauch
Giambattista Valli, Courtesy of Giambattista Valli
