Nadia Lee Cohen, BALENCIAGA FW25 Runway

  

“Watching the BALENCIAGA show, honestly I could only see her,” says jentestore editor S

 

She said it, and if you clocked the runway energy you know exactly who she meant. Nadia Lee Cohen. Eighty looks stormed the FW25 runway in near darkness, yet our eyes kept boomeranging back to her. Sheer that breathes like smoke, lace stitched onto skin, hair with a beautiful misbehavior, that drowsy gaze. She felt like the opening scene of dark romanticism for this summer and everything heading into FW25.

 

The Most Decadent Romance

Black isn't a color that takes a summer break. In fact, it gets even better under the sun.

In BALENCIAGA’s 2025 summer campaign, actor Kyle MacLachlan leaned back in a long black coat, looking like a cool villain in front of a big black curtain. This campaign, which put black right in the middle of summer, perfectly captured Nadia Lee Cohen’s decadent-yet-low-key romantic eye.

ⓒBALENCIAGA

 

This isn’t the first time she and black have teamed up to create this magic. If you saw Kim Kardashian in that DOLCE&GABBANA x SKIMS collab, you already know what we mean. Nadia doesn't just do black; she makes its deep, irresistible charm even more irresistible.

 

DOLCE&GABBANA X SKIMS ⓒ@nadialeecohen

 

Black’s pull works even at high noon. Let yourself get dragged into that dark, solitary flirtation while pretending you had other plans.

 

Dark and Romantic, Both

Dark romanticism is exactly what it sounds like: a return to a more shadowy kind of romance. It’s the part of romanticism that shines a light on all the messy, not-so-pretty stuff. We're talking sadness, decay, and a little bit of quiet madness. That feeling then gets put into lace, sheer fabrics, ruffles, and corsets to create the dark romantic mood.

 

ⓒ@anndemeulemeester_official

  

Dark romanticism is all about intentional excess. High necks feel like they’re choking you, and sleeves are puffier than they need to be. Ruffles and tulle follow you around like a ghost. When romance becomes a building block instead of a feeling, a single piece of clothing can tell a whole story.

 

ⓒ@simonerocha_

  

See-Through but Still a Secret

Black sheer or see-through fabrics create this great tension where you can see skin, but not really. It’s not about showing everything; it’s about using thin layers to make you wonder what’s underneath. This type of fabric is everywhere, especially on dresses, blouses, and skirts, adding a mysterious, dreamy vibe to the whole outfit.

 

ⓒ@ceciliebahnsen

   

Sheer pieces are best when they're layered with things like lace, ruffles, or velvet. That's how you get real depth. Layer a sheer piece over thick black velvet or leather, and you get this beautiful contrast of strong and delicate. This clash between dark and transparent is the clearest way to see what dark romanticism is all about.

 

CECILIE BAHNSEN SS25 ⓒgorunway.com

Ann Demeulemeester SS25 ⓒgorunway.com paloma-wool FW25 ⓒpaloma wool

 

Delicate, but Strong

ⓒ@anndemeulemeester_official

 

Black ribbons and ruffles add a dark, dramatic twist to romantic details. Ribbons tied at the neck, waist, or wrist create a sophisticated but fragile feeling. Ruffles give you a dramatic silhouette, and they make a big statement.

 

CHANEL FW25 ⓒgorunway.com

Ann Demeulemeester ⓒgorunway.com

  

When ruffles get really big, they can feel a little spooky or just mysterious. Same with ribbons: instead of a perfect bow, a long, messy one hints at a beautiful imperfection. Both of these details live on the line between classic beauty and dark imagination.

 

The Dark, Beautiful Spiderweb

 

Kendall Jenner ⓒGetty Image

Black lace has it all: delicate patterns, open spaces, and an old-school kind of beauty. Rough, hand-woven lace can feel both gothic and a little bit dangerous. You’ll see this intricate lace used on everything from dresses and tops to gloves and stockings.

 

BALENCIAGA SS25 ⓒgorunway.com

  

Lace isn’t just for being girly. In dark romanticism, it shows a sense of being broken or unfinished, with frayed edges or irregular patterns. This mix of being classic but also a little broken is what dark romanticism is all about.

 

VALENTINO ⓒgorunway.com ⓒ@maisonvalentino

 

The Beauty in Filth

Dark romanticism is all about the details. Its opposite, "dirty core," is all about what’s missing. You won’t find anything extra, but you will find plenty of wear and tear. These two are the bookends of the cool, dark fashion we’re seeing everywhere now.

 

ⓒ@avavav

   

Dirty core doesn’t want clothes to look new. Torn hems, frayed seams, faded denim, blurry prints. These aren't mistakes, they're part of the plan. Patchwork looks like it was just slapped on, and threads are left hanging on purpose.

 

AVAVAV ⓒ@evawuyang 

 

The saying "this isn’t clothes, it’s a record" is a perfect way to describe this. The wrinkles and faded spots that look like stains are a subtle protest against needing to be clean all the time. This is about wearing your clothes to the very end, not just for a season.

  

A Worn-Out Song

ⓒ@enfantsrichesdeprime

 

Dirty core, as you can probably guess, is all about the beauty in being messy and rough. It’s not just a trend that says "dirty is cool." It’s a bigger statement. It takes things we usually ignore like dirt, scuffs, and real-world wear, and makes them beautiful. It’s more of an attitude than a style, one that rejects perfection.

 

ⓒ@enfantsrichesdeprime

  

The whole point is to show off the wear and tear. Faded colors and stained fabrics tell a story of neglect and a kind of carefree vibe. This look skips right over being polished and perfect.

 

PROTOTYPES SS24 SS25 ⓒPROTOTYPES

 

Brands like PROTOTYPES use vintage finds or just mess up their clothes to create a worn look. It's a way to show off a personal touch and creative destruction. Ultimately, a worn-out piece of clothing becomes a symbol of someone's life and the time they’ve spent living it.

 

DIESEL SS25 ⓒgorunway.com R13 FW25 ⓒR13

   

Frayed denim washes and unraveled knits are a big "no" to anything new. The signs of age look random and uneven, just like real life. The goal is to make it look like the clothes have been worn for ages. It’s about clothing as a work in progress, not a finished product.

 

BALENCIAGA PRE-FALL25 ⓒBALENCIAGA

  

Torn parts are messy and not uniform. They might be a big tear or a tiny fray at the hem. It’s this mix of delicate and raw that gives dirty core its weirdly beautiful vibe.

 

ⓒ@somsomi0309

   

Even in K-pop, we’ve seen a lot of "dirty makeup." The focus is on looking undone, not perfect. It’s about smudged eyeliner or a little smudge on your skin, all to look intentionally imperfect. This style is basically saying that beauty standards are overrated. Dirty core is an attitude that says you don’t need to be perfect.

 

ⓒ@avavav

  

This summer, black is showing up in two major ways: as a dark romantic with a story or as a perfectly imperfect piece of dirty core. But you don't need to be into gothic novels or have a dark side to get it. Black is a statement, not a feeling. When everyone else is wearing bright colors and light fabrics, black is your way of pushing back. It's about substance over coolness, and restraint over cheer. That's enough.