East Wind. Samuel Guì Yang SS25

Shanghai is steadily becoming the new player (replacing Copenhagen) joining the Paris, Milan, London and New York constellation of fashion weeks. One brand that caught my eye and I sincerely loved this season is Samuel Guì Yang. Lead by Samuel Yang and Erik Litzén, the “East Wind” collection was as powerful and transforming as the symbolical title suggests. Airy crepe shirts and silk-linen trousers were layered on top of each other or worn under tailoring and bomber jackets, all riffing off traditional Chinese styles. A burgundy maxidress recalled the cheongsam, only it was knit in a loose gauge yarn that revealed the shape of a soaring swallow when stretched against the body. Then, Yang and Litzén made a pair of exquisite crumpled silk sheaths they hand-dyed and hemmed with tiny beads. You could see the DIY workmanship in the sometimes uneven dye, which added a charming patina to the collection. “This is how we dress, it’s how all people dress, really,” said Litzén of their incorporation of more artisanal and sometimes ancient elements, “combining something older with something new.” As they say, you need to understand the past to create the future. The one this duo is shaping looks very bright.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Puzzling. Louis Vuitton SS25

Once upon a time, Paris had the big three: Chanel, Dior and Louis Vuitton. Each season, these brands – under Karl Lagerfeld, John Galliano (and later Raf Simons) and Marc Jacobs, retrospectively – dictated the tempo and rhythm of fashion. Actual dreams were made here. You wanted to be in one of these universes – or in all at the same time. Today, these three brands are even bigger, but they’ve turned into amorphous behemoths that lost the plot and zeitgeist (which doesn’t make the bags sales stumble, mind you).

Nicolas Ghesquière, once a true fashion innovator, joins the ranks of bad designers leading ridiculously big brands. His collections are puzzling not because of their conceptual effort, but because they look absolutely clumsy, dusty and hideous. Spring-summer 2025 feels like a pile of stuff that somebody tried really hard to style in a “contemporary” way. Lengthy togas, unflattering sacks, silly-looking pants with one leg shorter than the other one, bizarre cut-outs… sorry, I don’t get it. I think you must be a well-paid Louis Vuitton ambassador to actually “get it”.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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In Need Of POV. Chanel SS25

It’s quite difficult to review this studio-designed Chanel collection, because there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s a grey-zone. And grey-zones easily change into danger-zones. In case of a brand like Chanel, not offering any point of view except for tweed, denim and bit of feathers, can be deadly in the long run. Clients might fall for the logo, but for how long? Chanel needs personality.

In December, we’re expecting the new designer announcement. According to Chanel’s spokesperson, it will be somebody who will stay with the brand for the next decade: the brand wants longevity in this new chapter. I might not be number one Hedi Slimane fan, but I fully admit: he can offer that to Chanel. The Jacquemus rumors? People will go crazy for the French dream in the first season, but this isn’t a designer who can orchestrate a brand like this in long-term. Also, real dress-making skills are needed at hands. Seeing John Galliano at Chanel would be a beautiful fever dream. Phoebe Philo is certainly the woman who could lead this maison with grace. Just like the Olsens, who are auditioning well with their latest The Row collections. But there are also fair chances Chanel is preparing a secret in-house designer to take on the role.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Inventive Sensuality. Victoria Beckham SS25

Victoria Beckham took the surrealist pill this season and came up with a collection that’s strong and inventive. The opening dresses and tops were made out of silk chiffon which had been dipped into a resin so it looked like they had been molded directly onto the body, sculpted close to the torso or floating skywards. Ethereal, romantic and sculptural, the surreal touch brought a sense of much-needed artisanship to Beckham’s fashion – which usually feels plain when separated from runway styling. Then, a series of cool tailoring statements, like slouchy pea green trousers with a deconstructed waistband over which sat a polished burgundy leather blouson. That combo is one of the most distinct looks of the entire season thanks to its sharpness and unobvious sensuality. What was intriguing was how Beckham manipulated all of this to flash a bit of skin or show off the body. “We talk about the relationship with our bodies and the process of getting dressed,” said Beckham, “but this time, it’s about what happens when we take our clothes off too; this idea of what we have against, or showing, our skin.” It seems that Victoria either hired a new, very skillful design team that stimulates her – or she really is becoming a designer’s designer.

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Essential. Andreas Kronthaler Vivienne Westwood SS25

Deep plunge neckline, cinched waist and mid-length: that’s Vivienne Westwood‘s signature, ultra-feminine and ultra-flattering dress that charismatic women like Tracey Emin and Pamela Anderson still love and wear. Andreas Kronthaler smartly revived the super-sensual silhouette in his Paris Fashion Week outing that toned-down on his sweet-spot for avant-garde, and focused solely on Westwood essentials. “It’s just clothes, clothes that I think symbolize a very powerful, feminine woman, which I think we are looking for and need more than anything,” said Kronthaler. That’s definitely a direction the designer should keep on developing, because his more “arty” collections as of late felt overly gimmick-y. Spring-summer 2025 is chic, but never prim. Just like the late Dame Vivienne.

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