Fashion trends 2025: According To The Experts - Fashion

Quiet luxury be gone, 2025 is all about statement-making style. As spring arrives in earnest, it’s time for uplifting powder pinks and frothy tulle in what promises to be a feminine few months in sartorial terms.

That’s said it’s not all soft romance; the fashion crowd will be ditching spring florals in favour of grungy plaid, and embracing the return of the sporty tank top. The year ahead will be a tale of two halves depending on which style camp you sit in – the power romantics or the performance practicals. The common thread? Joyful maximalism; long-lasting clothes with vibrancy.

“The return to maximalism is a rebellion against cost-of-living pressures, widespread nihilism, and the austerity that defined the pandemic years,” says Seyi Oduwole, foresight analyst at trends consultancy The Future Laboratory. “During those restrictive times, clothing mirrored the mood – minimalistic, neutral, and understated. Now, people are craving escapism and joy, and maximalism offers both in abundance.”

We spoke to industry experts and tastemakers to find out about the looks, styles and people that will shape the fashion landscape this year.

For a time quiet luxury was just what we needed – a comforting, calming tonic to the backdrop of a cost of living crisis and rising austerity measures. But times are changing and what we crave now are clothes that imbue optimism and individuality. The fashion world has taken note – 16Arlington, Emilia Wickstead, and Proenza Schouler gave us sequins aplenty, while asymmetry shines at Louis Vuitton and Christopher John Rogers. Molly Goddard and Sacai delivered whimsical, joyful tulle looks, and Loewe’s meme-worthy designs pare experimental style with craftsmanship. “Maximalist fashion taps deeply into human emotions,” says The Future Laboratory’s Seyi Oduwole. “It’s about making bold statements, celebrating individuality, and embracing life’s inherent theatricality. As a broader cultural movement, maximalism aligns with current social dynamics, championing personal freedom and self-expression.” The rise of maximalism has been slowly building over the past few months, as boho made its big comeback and a ‘more-is-more’ vibe will peak in 2025. “There’s a growing desire for the joyful indulgence of dopamine dressing,” explains Oduwole. “Throughout 2024, we saw this sentiment play out – take the ‘brat girl summer’, which marked the death of the clean-girl aesthetic. From mob-wife-inspired fashion to the revival of ‘80s glam via hit TV show Rivals, maximalism has been supercharged and ready to come to the forefront in 2025.”

From Erdem’s pink suits to Jason Wu’s pastel-toned dresses, pink is back, but don’t mistake it for sickly. For 2025, it’s quietly powerful – romantic, but strong. “The new take on powder pink reclaims femininity making it cool, strong and relevant,” says stylist and author Alexandra Fullerton. “This isn’t the Barbie pink that we had two summers ago, which was saccharine. The way designers are using it now is a real reframing, making it feel very modern. Pastels can be strong, it’s all in the silhouette and the item rather than the colour. If you have a strong coloured jacket or suit, then that transforms the piece into something powerful.” Fullerton suggests wearing similar shades together. “I love outfits when they’re head-to-toe in one tone, so taking the powder pink and mixing it with a fresh white and then maybe an accent of red or autumn’s burgundy. That colour-drenched saturated look sits within one family, and keeps the look coherent.”

Forget florals for spring; plaid is the pattern to be seen in this year. Call it a grungy expression of world discontent, or a return to the comfort of heritage fabrics, but plaid is back as promoted by The Row, Acne and Dior. NET-A-PORTER’s Fashion Director, Kay Barron, says there’s been a surge in interest in the check fabric in the past three months, particularly in the plaid skirt, which has seen a staggering 1,500 per cent increase. “Plaid is a playful way to incorporate prints with minimal effort,” says Barron when asked about its appeal. “While its rebellious British roots are in punk, which remains culturally relevant thanks to designers such as Chopova Lowena, the resurgence of plaid can be seen as a continuation of the popular 2024 western trend. It started with the plaid shirt – which is never out of style – but it is the skirt that will become a 2025 wardrobe staple, adding an unexpected element to a classic silhouette.”

Unapologetically feminine, tulle is the fabric of 2025. And no one is happier to see its return than our Style and Commerce Director, Rachel Story. “Quite possibly the most romantic fabric out there, my wedding dress was hand-crafted from layer-upon-layer of tulle and then embroidered with floral appliqué, so to see it on the runway here in London at both Simone Rocha (of course) and Nensi Dojaka, made my heart soar,” she says. “Dojaka’s use of sheers is always a stroke of genius, while Simone’s signature voluminous tutu-like skirts are back and better than ever. I’ll be wearing a tulle skirt with an oversized cashmere jumper, or longline mannish blazer, for a wearable take on the trend.”

This year the dress to be seen in is one that moves – we’re branding them ‘swishers’, fluid styles that swish, glide and flow. Victoria Prew, founder of rental company Hurr, says she’s already noticed a demand for dresses in ethereal fabrics such as chiffon designed to be in motion. “Fabrics are lighter, with chiffons, asymmetric flowing hems, fringing and sheer boudoir styles. We’ll also see the return of florals and whites, all of which do really well with rentals for events,” she tells us. “The shimmering and lightly fringed and tasseled dresses seen at Dior, 16Arlington, Erdem and Burberry will bring a modern look for weddings and parties.” She cites 16Arlington as a go-to brand among the rental market. “We saw fringing and sequin tassels as a micro trend for autumn/winter 2024 and now we will see it move on in lighter fabrics and colours,” she explains. “It feels new and fun for partywear and is a move forward from so many feathers and sequins seen this year.”

It’s always good to see the veneration of a basic we already own, and the tank will have a big moment in 2025. A hard-working foundation, the little white tank will be a helpful style tool to have in your arsenal – and thanks to multiple luxury brands from Loewe to Dior to Rabanne, it’s been given a glow-up. “Tank tops are a wardrobe staple for women, but the recent trend of logo tank tops from the likes of Loewe have helped identify it as a key fashion piece and an elevation on an otherwise basic item,” says Harvey Nichols Head of Womenswear Buying, Linda Ayepe. “The variety of shapes and fits being created by designers now means you have the option to wear them looser with low necks or tighter ribbed cotton varieties meaning they can be sexy, or functional.” How to wear them now? “I would layer a looser fit tank over a tight fit tank for extra fashion cache,” says Ayepe. “I also love the classic tank and jeans combination; it’s a look that will never go out of fashion and we’ll see variations of it constantly evolving.”

The ballet pump reigned when it came to 2024 footwear, so it comes as no surprise that its elegant cousin, the Mary Jane, should be tipped for equal success. “I’ve seen Mary Janes everywhere this season already and, thankfully, it seems as if it’s here to stay in 2025,” says Style Coach Therese Bassler. “Round-toe shoes in general seem to have made a comeback, which is wonderful news to all of us who need a break from often uncomfortable pointy and square toes.” Opt for classic iterations for instant elegance, or for high styling impact, consider styles with chunky heels or with statement hardware. “I think we’re all still suffering from Covid aftermath and we’ll happily take on anything which provides comfort with style,” continues Bassler. “A cute round-toe Mary Jane flat with a mini dress or perhaps a cropped trouser and a cashmere jumper? Very chic, very comfortable.”

This year will see a changing of the fashion guard, led by Matthieu Blazy who was recently appointed with the industry’s ultimate gig – Chanel creative director. The French-Belgian designer, who most recently worked at Bottega Veneta, was seen as an underdog in the recruitment pool, which also included fashion heavyweights Marc Jacobs, Hedi Slimane and Pierpaolo Piccioli. At Bottega, Blazy will be replaced by Carven’s Louise Trotter – one of a handful of women to lead a luxury fashion house at the moment. The fashion musical changes continues at Celine – with Michael Rider taking over from Hedi Slimane – and at Tom Ford with Haider Ackermann taking on the design helm. A new chapter also begins at Givenchy, with Sarah Burton presenting her first collection for the French maison in spring.

Lead image: Erdem spring/summer 2025 photographed by Jason Lloyd Evans

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