The 5 defining ready-to-wear trends from Fall/Winter 2025 — with a twist

This season, fashion designers are taking a good hard relook at the rules of Fall dressing. The result? Less bundling up and a bold and directional take on classic looks.

An overarching key theme across the runways was the elevation of wardrobe essentials. At Coach, coats cascaded to the floor in elongated, theatrical silhouettes, while Max Mara showed their signature day looks with a longer hemline – coats, pants, and skirts swept the heel beautifully. Versace also took volume to new heights with puffed-up, duvet-inspired proportions. 

Over at Isabel Marant, Marc Jacobs and Balmain, jackets got an artistic update with exaggerated sleeves, sculptural shoulders, and nipped-in waists, transforming the everyday jacket into a wearable statement. 

This season’s main message? Functional fashion doesn’t have to be safe.

1. A Mannish Jacket

Men’s tailoring in womenswear is a major trend that started this Spring and won’t be going away any time soon. The apogee was the moment newly-minted First Lady of the United States Melania Trump strode out in a sharp Ralph Lauren suit. The day was March 3 in Washington, and Mrs. Trump was about to meet lawmakers in her first solo outing since her husband’s inauguration. Her official portrait also depicted her in a tuxedo suit — an unconventional choice for a First Lady. 

Additionally, Bella Hadid set the path for this Fall’s masculine tailoring by modelling Saint Laurent’s collection of suits in Spring, with mannish jackets styled with matching waistcoats, pants and coats.

Style tip: Always wear masculine tailoring with a dose of feminine charm – a sharply shaped stiletto, a strand of pearls, or bright red lip – and don’t forget the perfume.

Balenciaga Fall/Winter 2025

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1/5

Coach Fall/Winter 2025

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2/5

Ferragamo Fall/Winter 2025

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3/5

Miu Miu Fall/Winter 2025

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4/5

Stella Mccartney Fall/Winter 2025

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5/5

2. Commanding Shoulders

Grace Jones wearing Claude Montana in her prime suddenly feels relevant for 2025. This empowering silhouette — most famously associated with 1980s power dressing— conveys strength, authority, and confidence. The dramatic shoulders shown this season feels both commanding and protective. It enhances posture, straightens the back, and prompts assertive behavior — after all, what you wear influences how you think and act. 

Style tip: Prevent bold shoulders from looking gimmicky by keeping the rest of the outfit minimal and unfussy. This lets its shape do all the talking.

Roksanda Fall/Winter 2025

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Saint Laurent Fall/Winter 2025

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Stella Mccartney Fall/Winter 2025

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Versace Fall/Winter 2025

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4/5

Louis Vuitton Fall/Winter 2025

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5/5

3. Grunge Undone

We saw Kurt Cobain hair at Versace, slouchy sweater dresses at Balmain and a corduroy jean suit at Chanel. This season gladly revisited the grunge movement of the 1990s — albeit with a bit of polish. 

There was a sense of “undone-ness” at Dior, with a rebellious, anti-glam ethos with falling lace ruffles, collars dropping off on one side, asymmetrical plackets, sheer lace pieces, uneven lengths, and a clashing of genres which saw a slogan tee worn under a corset, for instance. Louis Vuitton brought checks and lace dresses to the game, with athletic blousons clashing with delicate slip dresses.

Style tip: Don’t go all-out grunge — always be careful to add lustre to your look by going for rich fabrics,  glitter embellishments or shiny finishes.

Coach Fall/Winter 2025

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Gucci Fall/Winter 2025

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Versace Fall/Winter 2025

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3/4

Louis Vuitton Fall/Winter 2025

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4/4

4. Hot Chocolate

Brown was this season’s sleeper hit at Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Fendi and Schiaparelli. Typically, the shade signals timelessness over trend, and a connection to organic textures and tones. In richer registers, like chocolate, chestnut, or caramel,  brown evokes vintage vibes. 

At Hermes, dark brown conveyed warmth, stability, and groundedness, suggesting understated confidence and a quiet whisper of luxury.

Style tip: Be careful to choose a brown shade that suits your skin tone. Fairer skin tones can take on most shades of brown, and the deeper the brown, the more luminous their skin becomes. Darker skin tones, on the other hand, should try and wear brown fabrics with texture and shine for contrast.

Ferragamo Fall/Winter 2025

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Hermes Fall/Winter 2025

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Miu Miu Fall/Winter25

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Prada Fall/Winter 2025

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4/5

Schiaparelli Fall/Winter 2025

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5/5

5. Waisted Opportunity

A statement-making belt is required to rein in big and bold shapes. Creative director of Schiaparelli Daniel Roseberry showed an extravagant layering of belts for the maison, while drifts of lacy fabric and boldly-shaped outerwear were anchored by corset and bow belts at Valentino. Buckled over jackets for a dramatically cinched waist, or used as a focal point on voluminous outfits, it lends utility while injecting a strong fashion interest into this season’s masculine outfits. 

Style tip: Study the proportion of the outfit on your body before choosing a belt. If you have a shorter, thicker waist, a slimmer belt would suit you well.

Dolce Gabanna Fall/Winter 2025

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1/5

Fendi Fall/Winter 2025

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2/5

Jil Sander Fall/Winter 2025

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3/5

Schiaparelli Fall/Winter 2025

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4/5

Valentino Fall/Winter 2025

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5/5