Mix-and-Match Styling: A Runway Rundown

"Mix and match!"

This keyword has transcended mere fashion trends;

it's become the moment. Now, it's almost as if the more unexpected your styling combinations, the more you're perceived as having that sartorial edge, wouldn't you agree? Speaking of which, we can't help but bring up Demna, who recently departed BALENCIAGA to embark on his new chapter at GUCCI.

 

Demna's Instagram with '0' posts ©demna

   

Having carved out his unique aesthetic, almost like a form of contemporary art within the fashion world, through his time at VETEMENTS and BALENCIAGA, it feels limiting to confine him to the simple title of "fashion designer." After all, he's fundamentally reshaped our entire clothing culture.

 

©balenciaga

 

He disrupted the mainstream of luxury fashion, which had long been dominated by a universally accepted notion of beauty. He openly acknowledged finding value and inspiration in the everyday, the industrial. His exploration, which spoke to the ephemeral nature of fashion detached from reality, continued throughout his decade at BALENCIAGA. This is evident in the bold mix-and-match styling he presented on the runway.

 

BALENCIAGA FW24 ©gq.com BALENCIAGA SS25 ©metalmagazine.eu

BALENCIAGA FW25 ©vogue.com

  

"’You should wear it like this, no, like that.’ Blah, blah, blah. ‘But who even makes those rules?’" That's the kind of rebellious whisper Demna's looks seem to embody. While his presentations initially landed with the force of a fresh shockwave, it's now hardly a challenge to spot someone in the city rocking a track jacket with a button-down and loafers. And so, as we're reminded of Demna's legacy in shaping today's mix-and-match ethos, we eagerly anticipate the new chapter he's about to unfold at GUCCI.

 

Mix-and-Match Styling: A Runway Rundown

Sporty + Romantic: It's a Vibe

Mix-and-match styling is still having its moment on the SS25 runways, and sporty vibes are leading the charge. The effortless cool of comfort meeting romance? What's not to adore? It's intuitively beautiful and, let's be honest, easy.

MIU MIU is at the forefront. Think classic preppy styles juxtaposed with breezy windbreakers and sandals. Stylist Lotta Volkova's intentionally disruptive styling adds that extra layer of cool, showing us exactly what a killer mix-and-match moment looks like.

 

MIU MIU SS25 ©wmagazine.com

   

Lingerie over a sweater? Demna being Demna, of course. He presented a look that might initially elicit a "Who would wear that…?" but did so in the most sophisticated way possible on the runway. While the full look might not be for the faint of heart, pairing a balloon skirt with that lingerie-over-sweater combo could easily translate into a chic dinner date ensemble.

 

BALENCIAGA SS25 ©fashionsnap.com

 

And now, it's the season to bring out the biker shorts. No longer confined to the gym, biker shorts have become a versatile staple for everyday wear. Characterized by their length (just above the knee) and silhouette (revealing the thighs and hips), they can feel a bit daring. If that's the case, take a cue from LOUIS VUITTON and layer them under a dress that hits below the hips for a more approachable take. For those warmer days, try styling biker shorts with an oversized short-sleeved tee.

 

LOUIS VUITTON SS25 ©showstudio.com Chloe SS25 ©chloe.com

   

Just casually throwing a jacket over a feminine look. This is another well-known mix-and-match method. And what could be more perfect for this kind of weather, where it's hot during the day but chilly at night?

 

CASABLANCA SS25 coperni SS25 ©vogue.com

 

And we can't forget the track jacket, a quintessential mix-and-match item. Especially the iconic three-stripe pieces from adidas. This season, AVAVAV even collaborated with adidas, pairing track jackets with short skirts.

AVAVAV explained about this collaboration, "This collection is about how we're taking sports and fashion a little too seriously, and exploring that irony." Perhaps mix-and-match is precisely that: a playful approach to dressing that says, "Don't take fashion too seriously."

 

HYKE SS25 ©fashionsnap.com AVAVAV SS25 ©fashionsnap.com

 

So, how do you do mix-and-match for the office?

Take inspiration from Stella McCartney, who created an effortlessly chic "dressed-up but not too dressed-up" look by pairing a hoodie with a striped suit. Collina Strada, layering a white shirt and cargo pants with a striped skirt, is another great reference. The versatile white shirt, a fundamental basic, provides a sense of order and polish, anchoring potentially chaotic mix-and-match looks. The lesson from these two looks? In mix-and-match, try blending feminine and masculine moods in just the right proportions!

 

STELLA McCARTNEY SS25 ©vogue.com Collina Strada SS25 ©collinastrada.com

 

For the Gents: Mix-and-Match Cool

Don't feel left out because we've only talked about women's looks. Of course, men can rock mix-and-match too.

In fact, it can create an even more unexpected vibe. You can do it with just the basic items you probably already have in your closet.

   

Commission SS25 ©vogue.com GUCCI SS25 ©fashionsnap.com

 

Layering is essential when it comes to mix-and-match. BLUEMARBLE is a prime example, creating a stylish yet comfortable look by pairing a zip-up hoodie with a gray coat. DRIES VAN NOTEN evoked a gender-neutral mood by styling a refined brown striped jacket with sheer shorts.

 

BLUEMARBLE SS25 doublet SS25 ©fashionsnap.com

ROKH SS25 DRIES VAN NOTEN SS25 ©fashionsnap.com

  

Coperni created a playful yet chic look with a jacquard jacket, denim, and toe-shaped Mary Janes. And CASABLANCA paired denim pants and a striped tie shirt with a jacket in the same pattern!

  

coperni SS25 CASABLANCA SS25 ©vogue.com

 

Highly evolved mix-and-match looks blur the lines of where you'd even wear them. But isn't that the point of the fun? You see a shirt and tie, and it looks like an office look... but then there's a zip-up hoodie and checkered pants, and suddenly it's a "running to the supermarket" look. NAMESAKE shows us the true essence of mix-and-match. And then there's Wales Bonner... a white shirt with the collar popped, paired with a leather jacket – so far, so good – but then, suddenly, a flash of red underwear (?). A truly chaotic mix-and-match look that defies the seasons. We give it our award for "Most Confusingly Chic."

 

NAMESAKE SS25 Wales Bonner SS25 ©fashionsnap.com

paloma-wool SS25 LUAR SS25 ©fashionsnap.com

 

Double the Fun with Color

In spring, you naturally want to wear brighter colors. Just like the bright flowers blooming on the streets, let your wardrobe bloom too. These days, I'm definitely reaching for cheerful pastel tones. Take inspiration from rabanne and DRIES VAN NOTEN. Blue and yellow, brown and pink – matching these combinations in a tone-on-tone way makes your look even more vibrant.

 

rabanne SS25 DRIES VAN NOTEN SS25 ©fashionsnap.com

  

Pastel tones and gray are a match made in heaven! Gray tones down the brightness of pastel looks, creating a more harmonious ensemble. Like AURALEE, you can wear pajamas from head to toe, and a gray coat is all you need to go anywhere. The office? A trip? The supermarket? Really, anywhere. Just throw on that gray coat. If you're coming from a jog and it's a bit chilly, just throw on a gray jacket. If you don't have time to stop by home, that jacket alone will give you a decently put-together impression. Thank you, amazing mix-and-match!

 

AURALEE SS25 ©vogue.com

JW Anderson SS25 DRIES VAN NOTEN SS25 ©fashionsnap.com

MASU SS25 BLUEMARBLE SS25 ©fashionsnap.com

 

Demna said in an interview with VOGUE:

"What I mean by diversity is creativity. The mix & match of different things. In my childhood, until 1993, when I lived in the Soviet Union, there was no information."

In the Soviet Union, where he was born and raised, there was a lack of diversity, and that very lack created a desire to combine many things.

It's striking how much a person's childhood influences their worldview. Before Demna showed us through BALENCIAGA, no one was wearing the combinations of clothes that people are wearing now. His boldness in questioning the traditional rules of fashion and incorporating diversity into fashion. We loved his sense of style, expressed through mix-and-match. And we will continue to love it. Finally, I want to say through this article: Demna, love you~♡