2025’s big fashion trend: sophisticated basics

Chanel’s 2025 Pre-Fall Métiers d’Art collection, unveiled last month, ushered in the pre-Fall season.

Inspired by the Coromandel folding screens in Gabrielle Chanel’s historic Parisian apartment, the collection was an artistic celebration of China’s past and present, combining archival influences with modern design.

Reflecting a similar mood, another pre-fall highlight was from Balmain, which included wrap mini skirts and jackets made of gold brocade, military outerwear, and cocoon coats. This was followed by Kim Jones’ Dior Men presentation, which blurred the line between formal and informal, adding a casual touch to formal pieces and elevating informal separates into a more chic alternative. .

Below are some of the key pre-fall highlights.

Here is the coat dress

Coat dresses and trench dresses got a lot of attention in 2024 (be it Zendaya’s plaid Louis Vuitton coat dress or her burgundy trench). But the classic knee-length tailoring with a military touch won’t be available anytime soon. Ralph Lauren’s pre-fall look book featured a double-breasted coat worn as a dress with a dress shirt and tie. Chanel’s Métiers d’Art show opened with statement long coat dresses in tweed, satin and velvet.

unexpected combination

Designers love a good contrast that allows different items to clash in a look that inspires both glamor and glamour. For example, in the beautifully photographed Jil Sander lookbook, a long, draped shell-pink dress was layered with a sturdy leather outerwear. The style of layering a tuxedo coat with an organdy dress decorated with frills is also noteworthy. At Jil Sander, there were also plenty of shiny textiles made from coated canvas, fashioned into oversized trench coats and three-piece suits cut from buttery brown leather.

shorts

The blame lies with Paul Mescal and Jonathan Bailey, but the itty-bitty men’s shorts are still turning heads. Gucci’s Sabato de Sarno explored the idea of ​​everyday basics with a touch of luxury and playful whimsy, seen in micro shorts shown with a matching shirt and tie.

At Valentino, Alessandro Michele wore a red velvet field jacket with denim Bermuda shorts. Balmain’s menswear also featured a wide selection of tailored shorts that could be worn with chore jackets, baroque-print shirts, and T-shirts. Louis Vuitton, on the other hand, presented shorts as a versatile piece that could be styled with formal striped shirts, logo-beaded jumpers, and even Cuban-coloured holiday shirts.

60’s and 70’s rules

At Valentino, Alessandro Michele drew inspiration from 1960s mods, creating short shift dresses and skirt suits studded with houndstooth and cherry motifs. A leopard trench pays homage to founder Garavani’s jet-set days, while a crystal-embroidered kaftan cinched at the waist with a butterfly appliqué belt evokes Michele’s signature magpie aesthetic.

1970s bohemia is also evident at Gucci, in headscarves styled with granny-chic faux fur coats, Icelandic-print winter knits, and tailoring made from traditional fabrics. Additionally, vintage iterations of the brand’s signature Blondie and Jackie bags set the mood for hippie fanatics. At Saint Laurent, Anthony Vaccarello gave a fresh update to the house archival Saharienne jacket, featuring rounded shoulders and both black and chestnut leather.

The brand’s menswear also echoes founder Yves’ personal style, reminiscent of the 60s and 70s, from smoking jackets to double-breasted suits paired with pussy-bow collar shirts.

clever details

At Chanel, pleats on dresses recalled the shape of a fan, and Lesage’s tweed jackets were accented with velvet knots. The dainty clutch is vaguely inspired by Chinese fortune cookies.

Also worth noting are the boots featuring clouds, which are synonymous with Chinese artwork. Louis Vuitton menswear focused on rattan, which can be seen in both woven and pressed forms, from sun visors to slides to backpacks. Noir chambray jackets featured raffia detailing, while bandana-detailed jackets were studded with sequins.

Missoni, known for its zigzaggy knits, featured an eveningwear section consisting of form-flattering slip dresses in soft striped lurex.

Manish Mishra is a writer and content creator based in Delhi.