Twice a year, fashion’s crème de la crème of designers take to Paris to present their haute couture collections.
January showcases the spring and summer lines, offering a good insight into what we might see on the red carpet for the coming awards season.
From Chanel’s Eighties shoulder pads to Valentino’s Victorian crinolines – this haute couture week had some striking trends that are sure to seep into our wardrobes this coming spring…
Eighties revival
The return of the 1980s has slowly been percolating into mainstream fashion.
Partly due to the hugely successful screen adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s 1988 book ‘Rivals’, the suave-come-camp aesthetic of the Eighties has been growing in popularity – just look at the rise in faux fur coats and chunky belts.
Chanel highlighted this revival in their spring/summer show through heavy shoulder pads, pussy bow blouses and vivid hues of fuchsia, violet and lime.
“[Gabrielle Chanel] loved colour,” said one Chanel technician. Referring to a baby blue tweed set, she said, “the fabric is pale blue but the braid is very bright. It will mark the garment […] braiding is the Chanel signature.”
The fun and bold looks encapsulated the verve of Chanel under the tenure of Karl Lagerfeld (who joined and transformed the French fashion house in 1983).
Perhaps 2025 spring wardrobes will move away from quiet luxury in favour of more maximalist styles.
Feminine frills
Frills, bows, ruffles and ruching were everywhere at haute couture week.
Dior’s Maria Grazia Chiuri integrated bows into sophisticated and structural ensembles, balancing femininity and power.
Viktor & Rolf produced opulent frills and ruffles through a somewhat bleak and minimal palette of beige, white and blue.
The Dutch design duo used these colours and only three fabrics as prompts to create a range of silhouettes. “[This collection is a] human interpretation of the endless possibilities of AI,” said Viktor Horsting, “Except that we are our own AI.”
Throughout the couture shows, designers juxtaposed frills and bows with sharper shapes or muted palettes, suggesting the coquettish trend of 2024 is developing an edge.
Corset renaissance
Corsetry was also a noticeable trend that dominated the runway. Valentino and Jean Paul Gaultier were among designers who gleefully incorporated this design into their collections.
Alessandro Michele’s debut couture collection for Valentino played with the past and present, combining everything from Venetian carnival prints to silent movie star silhouettes.
Incorporating structured bodices, giant crinolines and even 17th-century panniers, Michele said, “I was like, if I take a dress [from] 1950 and put in the pannier, it’s like a robe manteau from Versailles!”
Unsurprisingly, angular corsets and cinched waists flooded the Jean Paul Gaultier runway.
The wet-look hair and beauty choices made the opening model, who was sporting a seafoam, sequin-scaled skirt and laced corset, look like a mermaid provocateur.
More nearly naked silhouettes followed, showcasing sultry, sharp and ultra-feminine looks, which is sure to be a coveted look this spring.
Liquid-like fabrics
Wet looks were certainly not just reserved for Jean Paul Gaultier’s runway: liquid-like fabrics were everywhere at haute couture week, with the likes of Armani, Elie Saab and Schiaparelli providing spectacularly shimmering looks.
Armani’s pure and minimalist style is a deviation from Paris’s usual opulent couture, but his slinky cuts and unembellished designs brought a seductive coquettishness that was warmly received.
Alongside Armani’s liquid-like ensembles, Schiaparelli presented some sumptuously reflective gowns.
Creative director Daniel Roseberry’s use of heavy moiré silk gave the appearance of cascading ribbon, managing to make the heavily structured gowns look delicately light and luminous.
This light-as-liquid approach is sure to be a popular trend this season with its ability to adapt to dresses, shirts and even trousers.
Sharp and sculptural silhouettes
While bows and frills were prevalent at couture week, these soft design details didn’t translate into the silhouettes.
The emphasis on structure over softness replaced the typical fluid draping found at haute couture week in recent seasons.
From Schiaparelli’s theatrical bodices to Valentino’s billowing take on volume: this season’s silhouettes exaggerated the natural form without compromising wearability.
The eye-catching shapes observed across the week made this a standout trend, proving that couture isn’t just about sophisticated draping, but about redefining space around the body.
