The Marie Claire Autumn/Winter 2025 Trend Report

The new season is here and with it comes a fresh set of ideas for how to dress. Having seen the Autumn/Winter 2025 collections unfold in New York, London, Milan and Paris, we’ve distilled the standout runway moments into the trends that will actually matter in the months ahead.

From skicore to undone elegance and bold colour to a punk revival, these are the ideas shaping the way we’ll dress this season — whether you’re making a subtle update with a select few accessories or embracing a head-to-toe transformation.

And because no season is complete without the perfect wardrobe updates, elsewhere in Fashion Special, we turned to the world’s most stylish women to reveal the cult buys they’re investing in, plus we’ve curated our expert edit of the 30 most sought-after autumn pieces.

But first, here are the key runway trends to know and ways to wear them now.

Autumn/ Winter 2025 Trend ReportCOME AS YOU ARE

This season's most refreshing message? Wear what feels natural. At Miu Miu, oversized shawls were slung across shoulders with the ease of a cardigan, while Simone Rocha toughened up pretty with leather and hardware. Chloé revisited boho textures and Ferragamo championed sleek, stripped-back tailoring. AW25 isn't about one uniform silhouette—it's about leaning into the version of femininity that feels most like you.

HIGHER GROUND

Heritage fabrics stepped into the spotlight: Burberry leaned into its roots with kilts, silk headscarves and waterproof trenches, while Louis Vuitton reimagined the outdoors with tactile, oversized outerwear. At Max Mara and Missoni, cocooning blanket knits provided comfort and polish, while Bally flirted with Tartan. Tweed, wool and leather are in — not just for the countryside, but reworked for city life.

VICTORIANA

Designers tapped into gothic romance with high collars, sweeping capes and lacework that both nodded to the past and felt new. Bora Aksu layered sheer black tulle over white lace for maximum effect, while Chanel softened tweed into ghostly silhouettes. Ralph Lauren and Dior paired ruffled shirting with cinched tailoring, creating heroines who felt equal parts mysterious and modern. It's Victoriana with attitude—mood, elegant and the antithesis of minimalism.

FAUX FUR

Notoriously controversial but now arriving with a conscious edge, faux fur dominated the runways with a playful update. Whether you opt for a plush accessory or a full wraparound statement, take your cues from the runway. Alaïa kept things cropped, Schiaparelli turned it into sculptural two-pieces and Sportmax went supersized. But it wasn't just outerwear: Elie Saab sent fur boots down the runway while Chloé and Miu Miu revived the retro stole.

SKICORE

Apres-ski style hit the runway with new polish. Alaïa and Lacoste showed sweeping puffers designed for city pavements (and street style circuits) as much as snowy slopes, while Acne Studios and Moschino leaned into chunky knits. Elie Saab and Vivienne Westwood went literal, styling salopettes and snoods with couture precision. Technical gear is now luxury — a movement that blends practicality with statement dressing.

UNDONE ELEGANCE

Put down your hairbrush, undo a button, and embrace the slouch; for AW25 designers embraced imperfection as a new kind of chic. At Prada and Miu Miu, off-the-shoulder sweaters and messy hair were intentional. Dries Van Noten offered slouchy tailoring, while Louis Vuitton channelled nonchalance by layering mismatched separates. The key is to loosen up — there's quiet strength in not looking too polished.

COLOUR

For AW25 colour is armour: your winter wardrobe doesn't have to fade into black. Designers injected bold shades — cobalt blue at Alaïa, buttery yellow at Givenchy, neon green at Tom Ford — into sharp tailoring, statement dresses and outerwear. Tod's and Saint Laurent and Tod's proved tonal dressing can be just as impactful, while others encouraged fearless clashes.

PUNK REVISITED

Punk energy cut through the season's polished looks. Take note of how to inject edge into eveningwear and tailoring. Your AW25 will need leather — it dominated the runways, see belted jackets at McQueen, zipped skirts at Sacai and sharply cut co-ords at Tom Ford. Elsewhere, Simone Rocha sent shredded skirts down the runway, Isabel Marant nodded to anarchy by layering tartan with leather and studded leggings took centre stage at Jil Sander.

ANIMAL PRINT

Animal print returned with bite. Leopard resurfaced in Saint Laurent's PVC dresses and Fendi's head-to-toe looks, while Balmain went bold with zebra stripes. Snakeprint was the real star: Valentino sequinned it, Chloé softened it with ruffles and Duran Lantink exaggerated it into sculptural pieces. This season's wild prints are less playful, more powerful — designed to stand out, not blend in.

SHARPEN UP

The pencil skirt is back — sharper and sexier than ever. At Fendi, Gucci and Elie Saab, it came sequinned and form-fitting; Rabanne reworked it in PVC layers; Saint Laurent paired lace versions with matching tops. Once reserved for the office, it's now a tool for power dressing — consider this the season's most versatile wardrobe weapon.

FORM FITTING

Autumn/Winter 2025 celebrates the body as sculpture — the mood is architectural, experimental and bold. Givenchy twisted tailoring into exaggerated curves, while Alaïa revealed midriffs with cropped leather jackets and pleated skirts. Saint Laurent played with proportions, balancing oversized jackets with ballgown-like skirts.

MICRO TRENDS

Whilst micro trends tend to be more fleeting, they are by no means less impactful—offering fresh and unique ways to personalise your style. This season, low-rise trousers at Tom Ford return sharper and more tailored, while at Chanel, diamanté chain belts elevate, offering a new spin on party wear. Unsurprisingly, statement coats dominate the autumn runways in a myriad of iterations, with Versace’s voluminous duvet styles and Rabanne’s tailored, heavily embellished overcoats—both commanding attention beyond mere function.

Layering brings a bold clash of textures and colours, as seen at Nina Ricci and Valentino’s featuring prints, lace, and velvet. Slogan T-shirts resurface with Dior’s nod to Galliano’s iconic J’Adore tees, while Conner Ives and Willy Chavarria transform them into political platforms. At Saint Laurent, power shoulders make a confident return, sculpting strong silhouettes with '80s influence. Red continues as fashion’s go-to shade of seduction—spotted at Ferragamo and McQueen with dramatic evening wear for the modern woman. Embellishments such as beading, crystals, and metallic trims add texture and artisanal sparkle at Fendi. Meanwhile, brown leather emerges as the new black, softening collections in rich, earthy tones and presenting a sophisticated alternative to punk-influenced alternatives in black.