AW25 Haute Couture: Power, Precision & Pure Fantasy

In the heart of Paris this July, as the Seine shimmered and the city’s grand maisons unveiled their Autumn/Winter 2025 couture, one thing became abundantly clear: fantasy is back, and it’s never looked so commanding.

Haute Couture Week, that rare and rarified moment in the fashion calendar, returned not just with tulle and theatrics, but with a regal defiance. These weren’t dresses for dainty princesses. They were gowns built for empresses...women of substance, power, and unapologetic glamour.

While the front row dazzled with the likes of Kim Kardashian channelling Elizabeth Taylor at Balenciaga, and appearances from Nicole Kidman, Keira Knightley, Dua Lipa and Cardi B, the true spectacle played out on the runway. Here are the moments that defined a season ruled by exquisite craft and untouchable elegance.

Elie Saab: The Return of Royalty

Titled La Nouvelle Cour—The New Court—Elie Saab’s AW25 collection was nothing short of majestic. Set against a dramatic, shadow-lit backdrop, each look told the story of a woman born to reign.

There were sweeping gowns in porcelain pink, imperial gold, raven black, and ice-blue Regency tones. Every seam was sculpted, every embellishment deliberate—from hand-stitched blooms that curled across bodices to sheer capes that billowed with barely a whisper.

Silhouettes nodded to 19th-century crinolines and corsetry, but Saab’s genius lies in his restraint. This was grandeur, yes, but tempered with lightness: skin revealed through illusion tulle, waistlines softened by silk organza, and modernity whispered through cut-outs and confident sheers. Hair was undone, makeup minimal. This wasn’t costume—it was couture for a woman who rules with quiet power.

Giambattista Valli: The Art of Excess

With his 29th couture collection, Giambattista Valli made an unapologetic statement. His pièce de résistance? A sunshine-yellow gown of architectural tulle, embroidered with fantastical flora and measuring nearly five metres across.

In lesser hands, this much volume would overwhelm. But Valli's skill lies in balance—his floral embellishments added softness, while the structural precision anchored the whimsy. It was a look made for museum halls, grand staircases, and red carpets that demand to be conquered.

Robert Wun & Armani Privé: Opposites That Allure

If Saab and Valli channelled aristocratic opulence, Robert Wun brought sharp-edged mystique. His gowns were encrusted with thousands of hand-set crystals, catching the light like armour. These were garments for the woman who walks through fire—and ensures it burns for her.

Meanwhile, Giorgio Armani offered a masterclass in elegance pared back. At Armani Privé, slim silhouettes, shimmering satin, and architectural necklines provided a quiet, commanding alternative. Understated? Yes. Unforgettable? Absolutely.

The Verdict: Couture Reclaimed

This season, couture didn’t whisper. It declared. It reminded us that fashion at this level is more than beauty—it's theatre, symbolism, and precision.

AW25 marked a shift. Not toward novelty, but toward timeless power dressing—reimagined. We saw the grandeur of history, reworked for the future. The craftsmanship was intimate. The message was universal: elegance is eternal, but relevance requires reinvention.

In a world teetering between chaos and creation, couture remains one of the last true luxuries: time, talent, and imagination stitched into wearable masterpieces. For those who live beyond trend cycles, this was a season to remember.