Couture Now: 4 Takeaways From Paris That Show Where Fashion Is Headed

Forbes

15-07-2025

A model walks the runway as Zahia Ziouani conducts the orchestra during the Stéphane Rolland Haute ... More Couture Autumn/Winter 2025 show at Théâtre des Champs Elysées as part of Paris Fashion Week. (Photo by)
Organized by the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM), Paris Couture Week unfolded from July 7 to 10, turning the city of light, once again, into a stage for fashion's highest art form.
Haute couture goes beyond the beauty of clothes; it represents craftsmanship at its best, merging technical mastery with imagination. According to Valuates Reports, the haute couture market, a niche segment of the luxury fashion industry, is valued at approximately $12.3 billion in 2024 and projected to reach $14.4 billion by 2031, with a 2.3% CAGR. Though it represents only a small fraction of the overall luxury market, haute couture plays a crucial role in shaping a fashion house's brand image and establishing its prestige.
Each piece on the catwalk is the result of hours of work by many ateliers dedicated to every last detail. Speaking backstage to Johan Hellstrom from Björn Axén—who led the hair team for Stephane Rolland—he tells me that couture is the highest art of seamstressing and that it provides endless possibilities of creating magic, as so many people work on one dress.
Chanel Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 2025 show (Photo by Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty ... More Images)
A Return of Elegance: Chanel, Elie Saab, Armani Privé
Chanel's design studio created the couture collection this season, as the Maison awaits Matthieu Blazy to begin his role as creative director. The collection was nostalgic and quintessentially Chanel, with a focus on archival pieces and silhouettes featuring tweed and contrasting delicate fabrics. Held in the Salon d'Honneur at the Grand Palais, the Chanel Autumn/Winter 2025 haute couture show was staged to look like the legendary 31 Rue Cambon in Paris.
Giorgio Armani Privé: Runway - Paris Fashion Week - Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 2025 (Photo by ... More Pascal)
Elie Saab's show, as usual, was on point, showcasing spectacular, timeless red-carpet-style gowns which were opulent and glamorous in equal measure. Talking to fashion historian and writer Robert Ossant after the show, he described Saab's approach to embellishment as maximalist—haute couture at its most excessive and opulent. 'This is jewellery for the body,' he said. 'Saab's ateliers can hand-apply up to 20,000 beads, sequins and crystals over three months to complete a single dress.'
Armani Privé was a classically elegant presentation that was equally glamorous and included trouser suits, elongated shapes, and Art Deco motifs throughout, mostly in black and white.
Elie Saab: Runway - Paris Fashion Week - Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 2025(Photo by Peter White/Getty ... More Images)
Heritage Reimagined: Balenciaga, Schiaparelli
Balenciaga's show was a milestone in fashion history, as it was Demna's final event as creative director at the house after ten years, before heading to Gucci and handing over to Pierpaolo Piccioli. The Georgian designer referenced Cristóbal Balenciaga's sculptural codes in a very modern presentation, which included exaggerated collars and oversized suits. The show took place at Cristóbal Balenciaga's former apartment. Kim Kardashian was on the runway in a white dress, referencing Elizabeth Taylor in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and wearing Taylor's actual diamonds. Isabelle Huppert and Eva Herzigova were also among the models.
Cardi B attends the Schiaparelli Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2025/2026 show (Photo by Stephane ... More Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)
At Schiaparelli's presentation, Daniel Roseberry channelled the brand's trademark surrealism with a refined elegance that was especially sophisticated. Some floor-length red dresses stole the show, with unexpected detailing that turned them into pieces of art.
Classic Innovation: Stéphane Rolland
Stéphane Rolland's Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 2025 created elegant silhouettes (Photo by Francois ...)
Stéphane Rolland's couture presentation set the bar exceptionally high this season with a show inspired by Ravel's Bolero. After the show, which took place at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Rolland told me that Ravel is one of his favorite composers of all time, and that it was a big responsibility to create a collection inspired by his work. 'When you admire someone like him so much, it's super difficult… but we produced a good show, so we are happy today,' he said. The presentation included black, red and metallic pieces with jewelry that were incorporated into the hair. Head of hair Johan Hellstrom told me that they had discussed the looks in great detail and that Rolland saw the hair as an extension of the clothing.
Robert Ossant described it as a collection dedicated to purity: purity of colour and craft. A sleek red gown with a ballooning mermaid skirt was delicately dusted with tonal crystals at the seams, waist and cuffs. The effect was a subtle shift in the way light moved across the dress, drawing attention to its sculptural structure. The finale piece was a stunning white strapless dress with an extended back that was covered in gold.
Redefining Couture: Robert Wun, Yuima Nakazato, Kevin Germanier.
Robert Wun: Runway - Paris Fashion Week - Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 2025 (Photo by Justin ...)
In a departure from the classic approach to couture, a younger generation of designers, such as Robert Wun, is experimenting with it and challenging couture with its unapologetically bold style. In his press release, Wun stated that for several seasons, he had been creating "fragile armour" and introduced ceramic masks. 'In a world saturated with facial recognition and AI image generation, exposing the face, which conveys a wealth of information, creates a sense of profound vulnerability. Consequently, in contemporary society, concealing one's face serves as a potent form of protection,' he says. The show opened with a shocking bloodstained duvet wrapped around a model's shoulders. But, as explained by Ossant, true to Wun's vision, the blood wasn't printed or painted: it was embroidered.
For Yuima Nakazato, in addition, the focus is on sustainable and bio-engineered textiles. His latest collection was visionary and showcased deconstructed shapes and futuristic ensembles. Ritual and performance were central to the show, but never at the expense of the couture. 'Each piece was a masterclass in garment construction, innovation and material selection,' says Ossant.
Yuima Nakazato - Runway - Paris Fashion Week - Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 2025 (Photo by ... More SAVIKO/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
Discussing the future of Haute Couture with Ossant, he tells me that the inclusion of Kevin Germanier on the calendar signals evolution and potential transformation. Known for upcycling and reusing existing textiles, he challenges the idea that couture must always begin with something new. By working with deadstock and discarded materials, he gives waste a second life and offers a bold new direction for the industry. Ossant adds that by inviting Germanier to present, the Syndicale de la Haute Couture is signalling its openness to change.
Designer Kevin Germanier acknowledges the audience after the Germanier Haute Couture Autumn/Winter ... More 2025 show. (Photo by)
Despite the many changes we've recently seen in the fashion industry and the financial challenges it faces, couture remains strong. It's the perfect opportunity for luxury brands to showcase their talent, and as Hellstrom so beautifully puts it, haute couture is the dream. Designers will always create very special clothes for very special occasions, and couture week is an opportunity for fashion houses to present what they can dream of and do. As fashion slows down and we return to a time of reflection and appreciation of all things well-made, now more than ever, in all its guises, couture is here to stay.