Designers pushed the limits of construction, concept, and craftsmanship, each of them redefining the meaning and material possibilities of haute couture, challenging it by reinterpreting it through intricate storytelling and painstaking technique, from the mysteries of the ocean to deconstructed elegance and sculptural duality.
Viktor & Rolf, Maison Margiela, and ArdAzAei had different ideas for Fall 2025 couture, but they were all dedicated to artisanal quality and creativity. An underwater-inspired collection highlighted delicate craftsmanship and structural grace, blending scientific imagery with organic forms. Another took a darker, romantic turn, embracing decay and repurposed beauty through deconstructed silhouettes and medieval influences.
1.ArdAzAei’s Fall 2025 couture:
ArdAzAei’s Fall 2025 couture collection drew inspiration from the ocean’s depths, combining detailed craftsmanship with natural design. Designer Bahareh Ardakani introduced silk chiffon sea urchin embellishments adorned with pearls. Each piece took hours to create, showing the house’s commitment to detail. A standout black guipure lace gown layered over organza displayed a microscopic urchin motif, developed over five months of research. Accordion pleats imitate shell textures, and shimmering finishes capture the effect of underwater light. With 19 of the 26 looks made entirely in-house, it blended scientific imagery with flowing shapes and sculptural, futuristic forms.
2.Maison Margiela Artisanal Fall 2025 Couture:
Eighteen months after Galliano’s departure, Maison Margiela made a daring turn with its most recent Artisanal show, guiding the house into more deconstructed and gloomy territory. The clothing in the collection embraced a raw style with faded flowers, crackled textures, and soiled textiles, evoking a romantic decay. Face coverings added fine craftsmanship while adhering to the house’s heritage and echoing founder Martin Margiela’s conceptual approach. A shift dress with a flapper theme was created using repurposed materials like old leather, lining fabrics, and leftover costume jewellery. To combine history, art, and couture rebellion, the prints and silhouettes were influenced by mediaeval Flemish design, and the theatrical flair was added by voluminous metallic drapes.
3.Viktor & Rolf Fall 2025 Couture:
This collection’s incredible attention to detail made it even more impressive than it initially seemed. The British milliner did the same, using sheets of colourful polymer and tulle to create headdresses. Half of the collection, which included 15 sculptured padded silhouettes paired with an unstuffed twin in the same fabric and cut, was defined by this painstaking craftsmanship. When viewed side by side, the deflated versions highlighted proportion, flow, and movement, while the voluminous versions captured light with vibrant padding, changing textures, and motifs. Sharply asymmetrical silhouettes replaced layered ensembles, and dramatic opera coats gave way to simpler dresses.
