The French New Wave Edit

CairoScene

26-04-2025

Bienvenue to the French New Wave Edit. C'est chic, non?
Before it was a Pinterest aesthetic, the French New Wave was a full-on cultural revolution. Born in the late 1950s, this cinematic movement rewrote the rules of storytelling - with jump cuts, cigarette smoke, existential monologues, and the kind of nonchalant cool that still makes people swoon in film school. However, beyond the cinema's silver screen, it subtly sparked a style legacy that never really left.
Think Anna Karina in a striped turtleneck, Jean Seberg in a trench coat and pixie cut, Jeanne Moreau, all black eyeliner and barely-there smirk. The fashion of the French New Wave was all about mood over perfection; effortlessly tailored trousers, crisp button-downs, a beret thrown on like an afterthought, and lipstick that says nonchalant.
This edit borrows from that same spirit: a monochromatic base with bold pops, strong silhouettes, and that signature balance between polished and undone. It's the kind of look that works just as well on the streets of Dubai or Riyadh as it does wandering through the 5th arrondissement - with a baguette in one hand and your opinions on Godard in the other.
Ahmed Amer | Madina Suit in Zaytoun FW25'26
This deconstructed wool suit riffs on traditional tailoring with boxy proportions and tonal embroidery that plays with perception. The exaggerated lapels and sharp neckline nod to New Wave's gender-fluid energy. Myne | Trench Coat in Khaki
A classic trench with a cinematic flair, this piece is all about movement. The oversized silhouette, dramatic storm flap, and belted waist evoke Parisian cool with a rebellious undertone. Farah Seif | The Sparkly Set
This flirty two-piece leans into sharp contrasts - structured shoulders, and a soft, pleated mini skirt. The cropped jacket modernizes '60s gamine chic, but the all-black palette keeps it crisp. A Nouvelle Vague girl would wear it to cause trouble in the 16th arrondissement. The Front Row Studios | The Classic Oversized Pants
A sleek noir moment - this oversized black suit speaks in slow, smoky tones. With relaxed tailoring and minimalist design, it evokes the mood and stripped-back silhouettes of late-night French cinema. Maison Labiche | Striped Cotton Jumper with Logo
This Parisian brand is perfect for classic striped knits. Soft and collegiate, this knit channels Left Bank intellectual cool with its chunky navy-and-white stripes and sailor-ish scarf. Embroidered with 'Labiche' in cursive, it's giving poetry readings at cafés - unmistakably French. Hayden | Selene Earrings
The oversized gold hoops taps into the seductive side of the French wave. It's for a going-out look that's sleek and sparkly– a little Bardot, a little club scene. Brunello Cucinelli | Wool Beret
Red wool, classic shape, and absolutely French, this beret is more than a cliché. It's structured yet soft, topping off the edit with a wink to French girl tropes turned subversive. COS | Longline Linen Blazer & Trousers
Clean lines, creamy tones, and a collarless cut that honours minimalist tailoring, COS's SS25 moment is sleek but approachable, like if Jean-Pierre Léaud grew up and worked in creative direction. Georges Hobeika | Look 25 in Ready-to-Wear Fall 2025
This leather mini with feathered hem is all about movement and allure. The high neckline balances sensuality with structure, creating a silhouette you could imagine dancing through an underground jazz bar. Mamzi | Arc Set
Architectural and assertive, this two-piece with asymmetrical shoulder detail feels sculptural and cinematic. The checkered print nods to classic tailoring while the bold cuts belong on a woman who lives her life like a scene-stealer. Atelier Hekayat | Red Leather Gloves
These high-gloss crimson leather gloves feel lifted from a 1960s film frame - moody, glamorous, and just a touch surreal. It channels the theatrical flair that's at the heart of the French New Wave. Nafsika Skourti | The Shiza
Crafted in a soft stretch jersey, this body-hugging dress stuns from the back with its sculptural cut-outs and velvet crystal-studded bows. It's minimal from the front, maximal from behind - a duality that echoes the New Wave's play on surprise and subversion. Sézane | Max Shirt
This oversized striped shirt nods to boyish tailoring but softens it with flowy movement and a French effortlessness. Worn undone or tucked into wide-leg denim, it channels the kind of ease Godard's heroines were known for. Guerlain | Aqua Allegoria Mandarine Basilic Forte
This scent is summer bottled, like sun-warmed citrus groves laced with hints of basil and vanilla woods. It's light enough to feel effortless, yet deep enough to leave an impression - like a final line in a French film that lingers in the air. Bassam Fattouh Cosmetics | Dual Edge Eyeliner
This graphic liner that does both: precision and smudge. One end delivers sharp noir lines, the other gives a smoky softness - perfect for building drama or dialing it down. It's the kind of liner Brigitte Bardot would swipe on in a dressing room mirror, cigarette in hand. Yasmin Mansour | Ivory Pleated Suit Set
This tailored cream suit reimagined with pleated sleeves flares into sculptural volume. The exaggerated silhouette adds movement and eccentricity to a traditional cut, much like the architectural layers of a Truffaut heroine's personality. Huda Beauty | Power Bullet Matte in El Cinco de Mayo
A fiery red with a creamy matte finish, this Huda Beauty lip stick feels like pure confidence. Bold but wearable, it can turn a simple outfit like a white tee and denim into a look. ASL Line | Sheer Crochet Tie-Neck Blouse
This open-weave lace blouse is adorned with a dramatic statement bow and layered pearls - a textural feast that feels vintage, but not dated. The mix of softness and bold accessorizing speaks to the contradictions that defined New Wave fashion: flirty yet assertive, classic yet current. Velvety Couture | The Crepe Hand-Embroidered Pencil Dress
This hand-embroidered crepe gown with a draped neckline and detachable taffeta shawl offers a refined silhouette with a hint of sensuality. Its clean lines, vintage feel and glamour fit perfectly into a cinematic moodboard, echoing the poised elegance of an Anna Karina close-up. BLSSD | Lexi Pocket Shirt
Understated but intentional, this piece evokes a borrowed-from-the-boys attitude that made New Wave style so iconic. It's a modernist staple, with its white shade, oversized silhouette, cotton fabric, elbow-length sleeves and subtle side seam pockets. The Attico | La Passeggiata Small
A striking red structured handbag with playful curves, it's both retro and exaggerated. The pop of colour and glossy texture would be perfect to disrupt a monochrome look à la New Wave iconography.