MODERN RETRO

Strong nostalgia coming off the FW25 runways this year.

Bold colors, oversized shoulders, midi skirts, grey, and even heels... The old saying "fashion is cyclical" is a cliché for a reason. We're feeling past styles in a totally new way, and using them to build what's next.

Why is this happening? Is it just because this era was that cool, or are we hitting the limits of the fashion industry's shared archives? Right now, the fashion world is in this constant state of creative director musical chairs. We're in an age where the designer is the brand, so when they move to a new house, they’re bound to create something that looks a lot like them. It just leaves us with the question: is this constant repetition a new form of creation, or just a cover band?

 

A High-Def Color Hit from VALENTINO

We are officially back in an era of glorious, saturated color, and this was most obvious at Alessandro Michele's Valentino. There’s always a sense of romanticism in his collections, which comes from the way he uses color so freely. We're talking high-resolution, bold colors that feel like they could literally improve your eyesight. Beyond the traditional Valentino Red, he really grabbed our attention with hits of emerald, pink, and other full-volume shades.

 

VALENTINO FW25 ©vogue.com

 

Still… it all feels a little familiar, doesn't it? This was his second ready-to-wear show for Valentino, and I remember the first one caught some flak for being, as some critics put it, "closer to self-replication than innovation." The talk was all about whether it was just his old Gucci with a new logo slapped on it. On the other hand, that exact familiarity is the core of what makes it Michele.

 

You could argue Michele's real magic is his eye for color. He handles it so skillfully and finishes a look with combinations nobody else would even dream of. Maybe that's why his shows always feel like walking through a painting.

 

GUCCI SS20 ©vogue.com

  

Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and pink on the runway! 
FW25’s message was clear: let’s break away from monochrome this winter. Adding a bright color to your look when the weather gets chilly just makes everything feel more alive. As your outfits get thicker, a flash of red from some red pants becomes the perfect style point.

 

LOUIS VUITTON FW25 BOTTEGA VENETA FW25 ©vogue.com

KIKO KOSTADINOV FW25 ISSEY MIYAKE FW25 ©vogue.com

THE ROW SS25 LOUIS VUITTON FW25 ©vogue.com

 

SAINT LAURENT is Bringing Big Shoulder Energy

It’s official: bold color is the main character. Especially when it’s served with a power shoulder. Anthony Vaccarello, who currently leads Saint Laurent, said he was inspired by the house’s 90s haute couture archives. “I wanted to emphasize the silhouette with these high-chroma colors,“ he said. “They’re the most intense colors I’ve ever worked with.” Almost every single look had shoulders for days, painting this picture of a supremely confident woman, which I just loved.

 

SAINT LAURENT FW25 ©vogue.com

 

SAINT LAURENT has always been a brand that speaks the language of female empowerment. The most iconic example is, of course, ‘Le Smoking’ from the Yves Saint Laurent era in 1966. Back then, a woman wearing a tuxedo was completely taboo. It’s remembered as this symbolic design that gave women a new kind of agency through the language of menswear. This season, Vaccarello is effortlessly carrying on that brand heritage, just with the shoulder volume turned all the way up.

 

©wmagazine.com ©vogue.co.uk

  

If you're someone who sticks to coats only even in winter, don't miss this season's chic X-silhouette coats with oversized shoulders and a nipped-in waist. This style which we've covered before is fun to wear thanks to its dramatic top-middle contrast.

 

 

The Midi Skirt is Forever at MIU MIU

Miuccia Prada was apparently in a very philosophical mood for MIU MIU FW25. “What can we save from femininity?” she wondered. “In these dangerous times, will it even help with the war?”

 

MIU MIU FW25 ©vogue.com

  

Her answer was surprisingly simple: uncomplicated fashion. Instead of high glamour, she presented a collection of incredibly useful items that you can actually wear in your daily life. The midi skirt, which is a personal uniform for Miuccia herself, showed up in force, remixed in wool, nylon, leather, and every material in between.

 

MIU MIU FW95 ©vogue.com

  

It instantly brought back memories of the MIU MIU FW95 show, which was a literal feast of midi skirts. It was a nice hit of nostalgia, for sure, but Miuccia was also making a point about right now. The ultimate feminine clothes are the ones you actually live your life in.

 

HERMES FW25 LEMAIRE FW25 ©vogue.com

  

If the looks above feel a little too simple, check out the styling from Rabanne and Christian Dior, which featured unique cutout details. From a kitsch mood using fur, to a chic mood using lace.

 

Rabanne FW25 Christian Dior FW25 ©vogue.com

 

How to Use Grey the Right Way

Grey was this quiet, confident presence all through the FW25 season. And as always, we could look to Thom Browne to see how he explored it with his signature conviction. He stuck to his signature color, but the tailoring was a masterclass in diverse proportions and silhouettes. Let's be clear: not all grey is the same. Like a true connoisseur, he played with the temperature of the color based on the material, giving us charcoal, ash, and silver. Even though it's a neutral palette, the looks have serious weight because the silhouettes are so sharp, yet every single detail feels experimental.

 

THOM BROWNE FW25 ©vogue.com

 

Thom Browne has been owning the color grey since he first founded the brand in 2001. He's a living example of why a classic is a classic. While the rest of the fashion world argues about archives versus reinterpretation, Thom Browne is just moving forward, breaking out of his suit-centric menswear box, and leaning hard into genderless style. That's a power move worth watching.

 

©vogue.com

 

Maybe it's because of the distinguished mood grey gives off? It mostly showed up in polished suits.

 

GUCCI FW25 LUDOVIC DE SAINT SERNIN FW25 ©vogue.com

 

But grey has another face: a hip, street-style mood. You can emphasize grey's heavy presence and aura even more with oversized silhouettes like a loose-fit hoodie or pants with tough details. It's also why you see grey looks so often in the off-duty style of Korean idols like Momo, Nayeon, and Kwon Eunbi. Match it with a big bag or some chunky shoes, and you can create an even cooler style. Grey's whole impression can change freely depending on the material and details.

 

BALMAIN, Pilling, Ottolinger, ANN DEMEULMEESTER FW25 ©vogue.com

 

A Heel You Actually Want to Wear

Let's be honest, it felt like heels were pretty much over. There are just too many amazing, comfortable, and cool shoes out there. Well, Isabel Marant's FW25 show was enough to make us reconsider everything. She perfectly recreated that early 2000s 'Bohemian Cool' style that is pure Isabel Marant, and those shoes are ready to claim their spot in every cool girl's closet. The return of the Bekett sneaker boom wasn't a fluke, you know. The ankle boots, styled with semi-sheer tights, are just the perfect find. They work just as well for a dressed-up look as they do for something more casual. This is the shoe that finishes off that effortlessly chic city girl look.

 

ISABEL MARANT FW25 ©vogue.com

 

As the reigning queen of French Chic, which is all about mixing comfort and style, her past collections are full of looks that still feel 100% relevant today. ”Fashion is cyclical” only works because we can see our present selves in the past. It’s fashion that feels familiar, but at the same time has a unique, contemporary edge that could only happen right now. If this is what modern retro looks like, I am fully on board.

 

ISABEL MARANT SS10 ©vogue.com

 

Also, heels aren't just simple heels anymore. They carry a brand's identity, like Chanel's logo cream-colored giant pearl boots. The perfect focal point for an all-white look, you can feel Coco Chanel's love of pearls in this item. This is the perfect example of the modern retro trend at work.

 

CHANEL FW25 ©vogue.com

 

Perhaps the repetition we face in fashion isn't regression, only a different form of evolution.