by The menswear shows in Milan and Paris have just wrapped and, in short, it was a vibe. The street style series was divided into two distinct style camps. On the one hand, there were the tailoring connoisseurs who opted for sharp suits, polished footwear and natty accessories like slick wide-frame sunglasses. On the other side was a more laissez-faire approach: think slouchy jeans, a crinkled shirt and baseball caps galore.
But of course, it was the catwalks that played out the final competition. From teeny-tiny shorts to slogan T-shirts, here are the spring/summer ’25 trends to watch out for.
Short-shorts against shorts
At Ami and Gucci shorts hovered around the three-inch mark. On Gucci’s front line Irish actor Paul Mescal even supported the shorts trend in a pair of boxer-esque stripes. Meanwhile, Neil Barrett and Dior shorts fell just above the models’ knees. Choose your fighter.
In bloom
Giorgio Armani’s show was set against a video backdrop of shimmering palm fronds, setting the tone for a collection that featured soft-focus photographic prints of palm trees and ferns on pajama-esque silk sets and loosely cut T-shirts. At Dior, Kim Jones took inspiration from the work of South African tailor Hylton Nel: a neat collarless jacket with a blue-and-white floral motif required more than 600 hours of handwork, like an heirloom vase sitting proud. place on mantelpiece. Meanwhile, British designer Grace Wales Bonner chose to celebrate the work of Trinidadian textile artist Althea McNish, known for her vibrant floral patterns.
Optical illusions
“It’s not what you think it is,” explained Loewe’s creative director, Jonathan Anderson, backstage. The models wore what they thought were cable-knit jumpers and T-shirts, but in reality they were painted to look like knitwear. Another model looked like they were battling the elements as the hem of their trench coat seemed to fly up, but it was wired to defy gravity. Prada had a similar fraudulent mood where low belts on trousers were actually belt motifs. Contrasting colored collars that peeked out from neat sweaters were stitched to look as if they were separate pieces, while wired cuffs made collars and cuffs look purposefully ill-fitting. “Today, fake is a very contemporary point,” said Miuccia Prada backstage. “What is fake? What is the truth?”
Sports heroes
With the Olympics fast approaching, some designers were in a sporty mood. Backstage at the Fendi show, its creative director Silvia Venturini Fendi showed an old photo on her mood board of the Italian national football squad en route to the 1984 European football championship. She belted in the badge on their suit jackets, at creating his own in-house motif that was emblazoned on cricket jerseys and blazers with padded shoulders. Another ’80s look was a distinctly golf look, with checked trousers and striped jackets with baseball caps. At Louis Vuitton in Paris, Pharrell Williams set out to celebrate “human athleticism”. There were shirts with LVFC written across them and an LV bag monogrammed as a football, while other jackets had a motocross theme.
Released
Although tailoring still dominated the catwalks, this time around there was a relaxed feel rather than overly formal. In Milan, Neil Barrett showed navy and charcoal trousers with a knife-sharp pleat down the center next to his casual cuts. Giorgio Armani, a pioneer in soft tailoring, leaned into his original aesthetic with loose pleated trousers reminiscent of his early 80s collections. Meanwhile, at Loewe there were bulbous trousers with an almost spongy texture. Anderson mused on their practical. Good news – they don’t need to be ironed.
All white
In bad news for coffee drinkers, monochrome white was everywhere. They came mainly in the form of coordinating pieces of work-inspired clothing. Kim Jones riffed on chore jackets in porcelain whites, while Sacai had military parka jackets and utility-inspired trousers. Rick Owens even changed his standard all-black palette for an all-white collection. An influential, if impractical, color choice for those of us who like to eat spaghetti/take public transport.
Momentary mesh
Forget demure rollnecks and T-shirts, the new way to style blazers and unbuttoned jackets is flashy flesh. At Gucci, oversized suits and coordinating short sets were paired with mesh polo shirts. Louis Vuitton’s debut look features tailored blazers and thin cardigans topped with full LV branding. For those who don’t want to leave that much, take your cues from Amiri, who paired delicate lace shirts over white thermal-esque vests.
All tied up
The necktie discourse continued during the SS25 collection, and playful styling was evident. Fendi’s traditional club ties were pinned, while Wooyoungmi – a menswear brand from South Korea – placed thin necklaces over the top of their heads. Meanwhile, Martine Rose continued into the novelty category with Bugs Bunny and dolphin motifs.
Letter it out
Slogan T-shirts and jumpers aren’t going anywhere. Jonathan Anderson revealed a collaboration with Guinness at his eponymous label JW Anderson – knitted crew neck jumpers featured the brand’s distinctive vintage iconography including his smiling moon face, this time in beaded pearls. Elsewhere, for his first menswear show for Moschino, Adrian Appiolaza displayed a line previously said by its founder, Franco Moschino: “It’s better to dress how you want than what you should,” on a plain white T-shirt . Over at Dior, Kim Jones put her own spin on Francis Bacon’s motto, with tote bags and knitted sweatshirts emblazoned with “Dior for my true friends”.
High shine
Proving that metallics aren’t just for the Christmas season, designers sent pieces that sparkled and shined down their spring runways. At Amiri and Dior, coats and jackets came with an outpouring of sequins and paillettes. Rick Owens’ “White Satin Army of Love” show featured 200 models and included distressed metallic jackets with a vintage feel. Meanwhile, Dries van Noten closed the chapter on his self-titled brand that he launched more than 30 years ago by celebrating his signature shimmering aesthetic. Jackets and utility shirts came in diaphanous fabrics in jewel-like tones. There were also glossy trench coats and double-breasted jackets. Shine on.
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