Fiery Fashion: Red is Coming in Hot This Summer

Vogue Arabia

11-06-2025

Lady in Red . A concept immortalized by poets, auteurs and dreamers alike, the very embodiment of allure and unshakable confidence. And Yousra, Egypt's cinematic royalty, reclaimed it as her own. Swanning into the Joy Awards in Jeddah, draped in a floor-length, open-shoulder George Hobeika gown, in a shade so flaming red, it didn't just turn heads–it spun them. A reminder that true power is dressing like you know you're the moment.
'Every time I've dressed Yousra in red, she owns the place, it has magnetic appeal ,' concedes Cedric Haddad, celebrity stylist and Yousra's longtime collaborator, who knew exactly what he was doing when he swathed the doyenne in scarlet. There's an unspoken color code that dares to suggest red has an expiration date for women of a certain age. But who, exactly is out there deciding the lifespan of a hue, and more importantly, when it becomes off-limits? Yousra certainly proves otherwise.
Red, historically favored by queens, revolutionaries and the best-dressed woman at any dinner party, belongs to no one and everyone. It's audacious, eternal and should be worn accordingly. Synonymous with lofty, hot-tempered emotions – desire, love, passion and power – red has long held its ground in fashion's oeuvre. The late, great Valentino Garavani built an empire on the shade, even coining his own Pantone: Valentino Red, a bright, poppy hue inspired, as fashion fables go, by a woman he once spotted in a crowd at the Barcelona Opera. ' When you see a woman in a beautiful red evening dress, it's really something special, ' he once said, proving his point time and again since unveiling his first red dress, Fiesta, in 1959.
Valentino Garavani and model Iman Photo: WWD (Getty Images)
This season, Spring/Summer runways are awash in red, spilling across collections in shades that range from wanton and unapologetic to moody and enigmatic. Most notably, that Alaïa red dress, snaking around the body, gliding through the pristine white hallways of the Guggenheim like unbridled desire. Meanwhile, Dries Van Noten takes a more painterly, restrained approach, smoldering just as effectively, while Ferragamo, Bally and Carolina Herrera revel in the unapologetic, fiery glory of pure, raging red. And let's not forget Sabato De Sarno's short-lived yet heartfelt Ancora Rosso rendition– the last vermillion stained dregs of his tenure. A love letter in crimson that flickered briefly, burned bright, and disappeared quietly into the night.
Photo: Daniele Venturelli (Getty Images)
Even the most color-averse brands, like The Row, have embraced red — using it sparingly, as an intentional accent in their Pre-Fall '24 collections, much like the Unexpected Red Theory that's taken over TikTok. The idea being that a single pop of red has the power to transform the mundane, whether space or an outfit, injecting energy and a good lick of personality to pack a noticeable punch. ' When you wear red, you need to assume it. It commands attention, draws people to you." confirms Haddad.
Photo: Vogue Runway Photo: Vogue Runway
So to all women out there, take heed: Red is more than a color, it's a statement. It's fire, it's spice. It's fierce, it's frisky. So wear the red. Wear it loud. Wear it like you invented it.
Below is our Vogue edit of red pieces to add some sizzle, to your summer style.
A Red Slip on Skirt PROENZA SCHOULER PHELAN KNIT SKIRT AED 2,243
A Strappy Belt HERMÈS H TORSADE BELT AED 3,495
A Siren Red Dress RABANNE JERSEY MIDI DRESS AED 4,142
A Slinky Sandal VALENTINO LADYCRUSH SANDALS AED 4,250
A Statement Earring SAINT LAURENT CASSANDRE EARRINGS AED 5,770
A Poppy Print DOLCE & GABBANA FLORAL PRINT DRESS AED 8,138
A Simple Slipper THE ROW DUNE CLASSIC FLIP FLOP AED 2,890