February 19, 2025 |
It’s that time again… show season has officially begun. Having already taken a bite out of The Big Apple, it’s about to blow over into The Big Smoke before heading to Milan and finishing off its tour-de-fashion-capitals in Paris. It’s a lot to digest, so we’ve taken it upon ourselves to break down the top 10 things to keep an eye out for in the upcoming show season – it’s set to be a good‘un! Bella Koopman
1. Dilara Is Back
Dilara Findikoglu is back in action, and not a moment too soon. Having skipped last season, the Turkish designer, whose harsh, razor-sharp explorations of femininity have built and cemented a cult favourite status (in more ways than one; a branded newspaper once claimed her AW24 show was a satanic orgy) is back to show on Friday evening. Known for giving a death stare to the male gaze before clawing it apart and using the shreds to create latex-heavy, corseted looks that glamourise the female figure as sexy and powerful, her return has fans, us included, frothing at the mouth. Keep your eyes peeled on February 21 at 8pm UK time for a delicious taste of the designer’s AW25 collection. BK
2. The New Vanguard
Giving a platform to upcoming designers is London Fashion Week’s bread and butter, and this season is no exception. Across its stretch, expect new names peppered in amongst the old-timers, including Denzilpatrick, the brainchild of Daniel Gayle and James Bosley, and the French-born Pauline Dujancourt, whose eponymous brand specialises in ethereal knitwear. Others you should have on your radar include Charlie Constantinou, Kazna Asker, Kerburia, Talia Byre and more. Saddle up, we’re going talent spotting. BK
3. The Fan Favourites
This season will see the return of some classic fash-pack favourites, with punters eager to see what AW25 looks like through the lens of London’s most adored and established designers. How will Daniel Lee’s push Burberry’s check forward that one step further? What does winter’s glamour entail when penned by Roksanda and Erdem and how will everyone’s favourite glitter prince, Ashish Gupta of the eponymous brand Ashish, show London how to shine? It’s all to play for, make sure you don’t miss these designers knocking it out of the park between February 20 and 24. BK
Simone Rocha SS25
4. Fendi’s Centenary Celebrations
Decamping east to Milan, the fashion festivities will continue with a monumental showcase celebrating 100 years of Fendi. Delivering a co-ed collection – on February 26 at 7:30pm local time – designed by the founder’s granddaughter, Silvia Venturini Fendi (designer of the iconic Baguette bag), the runway will kick off the Roman house’s year-long anniversary bash. This event will also coincide with the reopening of Spazio Fendi on Via Solari in Milan, Fendi’s longtime runway theater and showroom, which has been undergoing renovations. Venturini Fendi’s place in the ready-to-wear cutting room follows the departure of Kim Jones who stepped down in October last year as Fendi’s artistic director of haute couture and ready-to-wear for women. Emily Phillips
5. David Koma Makes His Blumarine Debut
Expected to bring the high-octane glamour of Nicola Brognano’s Blumarine back to life, David Koma is making his runway debut as creative director of the Italian brand on February 27 at 11:30 am local time. This follows the Georgian-born designer’s debut collection which was presented via lookbook earlier this year for the pre-fall 2025 season. There, we saw plushy knits, lace bodysuits and leopard prints with plenty of glamour to go around, so the AW25 offering will likely unfurl within the same vein.
Known for his red carpet occasionwear and close celebrity friendships, Koma follows the swift departure of previous creative director Walter Chiapponi in March, 2024 after just one season. Koma is expected to arrive alongside the army of fearless women – and men since launching a menswear line last June – already steadfast in their backing of his namesake label which finds an extensive design lexicon in audaciously sexy garb. Koma also formerly held the title of creative director at Mugler from 2014 to 2017. EP
Moschino SS25
6. Dolce & Gabbana Supports Susan Fang
Continuing its efforts to support and platform upcoming design talents via its ‘Supported By’ initiative, Dolce & Gabbana invites London-based designer Susan Fang to Milan for the AW25 season. Following in the footsteps of previous recipients Feben, Matty Bovan and Karoline Vitto, Fang received fabrics and materials from the house to complete her collection and will stage the show on D&G premises. Postponed from last season, the catwalk will kick off March 2 at 9:30 am local time. “Drawing on the rich cultural commonalities between China and Italy, we have incorporated elements of design and technique that celebrate both traditions,” Fang said in a statement announcing the news back in September. “We have felt a part of the Dolce & Gabbana family from day one and are thrilled to present what will be a very exciting collection during Milan Fashion Week…” EP
7. All The Usual Suspects
Milan is just as much the land of pizza and pasta as it is the land of refined fashions – and its best brand’s know it. Returning season after season to show their collections in the Italian capital, these labels continue to lend their individual design expertise to the global fashion landscape. This month’s cohort counts Gucci, Dsquared2, Jil Sander, Max Mara, Prada, Emporio Armani, Giorgio Armani, Sportmax, Giuseppe di Morabito, Moschino, Versace, Ferragamo and Dolce & Gabbana, amongst others. All showing between February 25 and March 3, it’ll be prime fashion for the picking. EP
8. Sarah Burton Lands At Givenchy
In the pantheon of creative director debuts, Sarah Burton at Givenchy (the second woman to take the helm) is a colossal one. Returning to fashion following a brief hiatus after she left Alexander McQueen – where she was creative director for 13 years – in September of last year, her Paris Fashion Week comeback is one of the most anticipated of the season. Showing Friday March 7, at 11am local time, we’re bracing ourselves for what might just be the best creative appointment in years. Expect a marriage of the audaciously magnificent, the subtle and the serene. It’s certain to be a good’un. EP
Dior SS25
9. Haider Ackermann Takes Over Tom Ford
Haider Ackermann stepping up to bat at Tom Ford is just as much of a headline making moment as Sarah Burton at Givenchy. Following in the footsteps of Peter Hawkings who left the house in July after just one season, Ackermann’s directorial debut marks a bold new era for the house. Known for his refined, razor-sharp tailoring and poetic approach to design, he’s poised to bring a distinct sensibility to Ford’s world of high-octane glamour. In a significant move, the show is shifting from Milan Fashion Week to Paris – a change that hints at a fresh vision and a more couture-inflected direction. The show will take place March 5 at 7pm Paris time. Watch this space. EP
10. The Showstoppers
That momentum will continue with a slew of Paris’s best and brightest brands. Of note, expect bangin’ shows from Dior, Alaïa, The Row, Chloé, Rick Owens, Schiaparelli, Junya Watanabe, Noir Kei Ninomiya, Vivienne Westwood, Hermès, Comme des Garçons, McQueen, Valentino, Balenciaga, Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Miu Miu. All hitting the strip between March 3 and 11, there’s a lot to keep your eye on, but trust us when we say it’ll be so, so worth it. EP
Top image: Simone Rocha SS25. Photography by Christina Fragkou. Follow all the action from the AW25 ready-to-wear shows via our Instagram stories at @10magazine and @10menmagazine.
