Christian Cowan Fall 2025: Embarking on a Refresh
Christian Cowan is embarking on what he described as a 'big refresh' for fall 2025, opting to create a collection that centered on his creative expression rather than making styles for sale.
'As you develop your career as a designer, you get lots of opinions and advice whether you ask for it or not,' Cowan said. 'You get that within creative stuff and business as well and obviously we want to grow the brand. I'm really glad we were promoting sales-worthy party dresses, which I love doing, but I don't know whether they need to have a place in my show. I think that can exist within the brand and on e-commerce and our retailers, but our runway doesn't have to be what we sell.'
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The designer stayed true to his campy, theatrical design codes for the collection, stating he wanted to bring a childlike spirit to the runway. He created several 'gum dresses,' which he made from silicone molds made to look like chewing gum splattered all over dresses, and several dresses embellished with high heels hanging off the skirts. While the looks were kitschy, they exuded Cowan's signature playfulness and whimsicality.
The collection was also an homage to his late friend and investor Abbie McLaughlin.
'I love the spirit of this because [McLaughlin] was such a wildly creative person and so fun,' Cowan said. 'I think a lot of the spirit of this collection is taking from that childish creative spirit that she had, but it's this idea of being a child at home and you're playing with things and creating things and we've kind of taken that idea, but made it in a really amazing way.'
Many styles leaned into craft and creativity, but Cowan still delivered new takes on his signature partywear, such as polka-dot corseted dresses with a peekaboo bra, a minidress made out of labels and a lingerie-style maxidress.
The craft was balanced with thoughtful construction, especially through the manipulation of feathers. There were feather-embellished dresses with the material used to resemble swipes of lipstick, an ornate feather headpiece that wrapped around the model and dresses with feathers transformed into paillettes.
Cowan's fall 2025 collection reflected the designer's playful spirit and camp roots, while showing a new, craft-like direction that will be exciting to see play out in coming seasons.
Launch Gallery: Christian Cowan Fall 2025 Ready-to-Wear Collection
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