Rough. Hodakova AW25

March 13, 2025 | Design & Culture by Ed

I really loved Hodakova’s collection for its roughness. Just like at The Row and Balenciaga, the line-up carried a sense of highlighting the mundane, the unfiltered reality. Ellen Hodakova Larsson’s interest in the theoretical concept of new materialism defines her brand – and has been her main focus ever since launching her eponymous label. Her garments, often made from pre-existing objects and materials, are full of personality. Coats made from upcycled fur and leather belts aggressively sticking out of sheath dresses are Hodakova’s most intriguing new-season experiments. The very riskily cropped pants gave the line-up sleazy sensuality… all that felt truly cool, yet somewhat disturbing – just like contemporary life. The penultimate look featured the base of a snare drum, which could have been an accessory or a skirt, and the finale was a model somewhat suffocatingly confined in a double bass, with her head and legs free. Cate Blanchett (who regularly wears Hodakova on the red carpet) playing Lydia Tár comes to mind immediately.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Chic Conservatism. Saint Laurent AW25

March 12, 2025 | Design & Culture by Ed

Anthony Vaccarello didn’t open Paris Fashion Week, because he was at the Oscars with the cast of “Emilia Perez”. So this time he closed the week with a Saint Laurent outing that certainly made an impression. I’m still on fence if it’s a good or bad one. His collection was all about the 1980s – and utterly surprised with its chic conservatism. Pretty much no flesh in sight. No skimpy silhouettes. No sheer business. Instead, very boxy dresses, gargantuan coats, and ball dresses (styled with leather blousons). It’s refreshing to see Vaccarello getting disciplined in terms of construction and trying out the unexpected – especially in terms of color palette, this season so exuberant and livid. But there was something certainly unsettling about the YSL woman being so obscured in her high-necks and XXL pads.

Just like Nicole Kidman’s character in Babygirl, the woman envisioned by Vaccarello feels trapped in the world she’s built. She wants to break free and explore herself, but something’s holding her back. Her husband? Family life? Career?

Nevertheless, it’s exciting to see Anthony provoke one’s mind with a collection that isn’t obvious (and definitely not easy to copy for the high-street brands).

ED’s SELECTION:

SAINT LAURENT Salome Satin Wedge Sandals

SAINT LAURENT Resin Bracelet

SAINT LAURENT Gold-tone, Resin, Faux Pearl And Crystal Clip Earrings

SAINT LAURENT Smocked Ruffled Silk-crepon Blouse

SAINT LAURENT Jersey Midi Skirt

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Femininity is Fun. Miu Miu AW25

March 12, 2025 | Design & Culture by Ed

Miu Miu was delicious. Delightful! This season, Miuccia Prada mused about the accessories of femininity – bras, furs, brooches. Are they relevant today? Do they lift up? At her reductionist Prada collection, she seemed to turn her back to anything superfluous. But at Miu Miu, the frivolous, younger sister, she seemed to fully indulge in all the “feminine” ornaments that in the end of the day bring utmost pleasure. With a cast consisting of Sarah Paulson and Lou Doillon, and Lotta Volkova’s phenomenal styling, the collection remixed different decades that shaped what’s affiliated as feminine today. 1920s flapper silhouettes accented with very-retro caps. 1950s knee length satin lingerie dresses (with the bra peaking out!). 1980s uptown power-looks, smoothed around the edges and completed with Deeda Blair’s hairstyle. It might sound like a lot, but the overall effect was absolutely Miu Miu. And it reminded us that fashion can be truly, truly fun to play around with.

ED’s SELECTION:

Miu Miu Short-Sleeve Cashmere Sweater

Miu Miu Intarsia Logo Cashmere Briefs

Miu Miu Leather Lace-Up Moccasins

Miu Miu Shearling Collar Oversized Jacket

Miu Miu Rose Print Knee Skirt

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Femme. Chloé AW25

March 10, 2025 | Design & Culture by Ed

Oh to be a Chloé girl in the Chloé world. Undone hair and blushing, au naturel. In her floor-sweeping silk skirt (she doesn’t care whether it gets wet in a Parisian puddle) and embroidered, satin jacket that looks like an antique find at Paul Bert Serpette. Chemena Kamali envisions her woman (or rather an eternal girl) through a nostalgia-tinged lens, frivolously mixing various Chloé references across decades: Lagerfeldian dolman-sleeved blouses, McCartney’s feminine sense of fun, Philo’s Paddington bag (it’s so back). There’s also a sense of naughty decadence about that femme: the scarves with fluffy pompoms caused a stir on social media, accidentally (or not) sparking the world-old debate: to fur or not to fur? The autumn-winter 2025 had an unexpected shift: from soft-focus romantic boho girl (but done in the 2000s London it-girl way) to the shoulder-padded and miniskirted power-look of early ’80s. “In a way, a woman’s wardrobe evolves naturally over time. It’s uncurated. You buy things throughout time, you collect them, keep them, give them away, sometimes you rediscover them.” A valid point made.

ED’s SELECTION:

Chloé Luna Cutout Leather Ballet Flats

Chloé Ruffled Silk-georgette Blouse

Chloé Bracelet Embellished Textured-leather Shoulder Bag

Chloé Cropped Leopard-print Cotton-velvet Straight-leg Pants

Chloé Kick Suede And Leather-trimmed Mesh Sneakers

Chloé Oversized Belted Shearling-trimmed Leather Coat

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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The Ethos. Dries Van Noten AW25

March 10, 2025March 10, 2025 | Design & Culture by Ed

Julian Klausner‘s debut runway collection for Dries Van Noten felt familiar – in a good way. It largely did feel like a Dries collection, maybe except for the tasseled jacket and evening dress near the show’s finale. The meaty, chunky knits, beautifully layered tailoring and omnipresent play with sumptuous textures made this line-up feel like an ode to the founder of the brand – and his very, very loyal clients who went through a spiritual crisis once the designer announced his departure. Klausner isn’t planning to erase the Dries Van Noten ethos, but prolong it. The broad-shouldered coat in transfixing cardinal purple or the stunning, fluid-like dress with a green velvet bow at the neck are the best proves for his great intentions.