With leading designers setting stage to present their best garments, the stunning set design is not to be overlooked. We’ve put together a list of the eight best fashion week sets from the past month that captivated the audience and fashion industry with their innovation. Atmospheres from Valentino, Saint Laurent, and Zegna transport us into a world of luxury and opulence.
Chanel’s Infinite Mark On Couture at the Grand Palais
Production: Willo Perron & Villa Eugenie
Courtesy of Chanel.
The Chanel spring/ summer 2025 Haute Couture show transformed the Grand Palais into a mesmerizing stage of infinite elegance. At the heart of the Nave a striking double-C runway created the shape of an infinity symbol, paying homage to the everlasting legacy as the oldest active couture house. Designed by scenographer Willo Perron, the structure evoked the chromatic circle, reimagined by the Creation Studio. Enhancing the ethereal atmosphere, composer Gustave Rudman crafted an original score in collaboration with Michel Gaubert. This breathtaking set encapsulated the timeless artistry allowing the colorful iconic looks to shine.
Kim Jones Creates Grandeur Staircase for Dior Men’s in Paris
Production: Bureau Betak
Courtesy of Dior.
For the opulent Dior Men’s Winter 2025 show, Kim Jones envisioned a world of refined minimalism, set within an alluring grey expanse. The atmosphere was cinematic, models emerged from a luminous white staircase, descending into an abyss of shadow and light. The stark contrast between the glowing entrance and the surrounding darkness interacted with each piece bringing it to life and transforming fabric under the piercing spotlights. The set balanced restraint and grandeur, reinforcing Dior’s signature elegance while elevating the runway into an immersive, almost otherworldly spectacle of contemporary couture.
Saint Laurent Lights Up Fashion Week
Production: Bureau Betak
Courtesy of Saint Laurent.
Capturing the elegance of Saint Laurent, Creative Director Anthony Vaccarello experimented with contrast, setting the stage in the sleek, minimalist Bourse de Commerce. The Saint Laurent Men’s Fall 2025 show presented towering crystal chandeliers layed around the center of the room adding a touch of opulence, recalling the Intercontinental Hotel’s iconic ballroom, where YSL once presented its Haute Couture collections. This interplay between past and present, restraint and decadence, mirrored the collection’s duality. The sensual moody atmosphere interacted perfectly with the elevated chic mensline.
Valentino’s Digital Darkness
Production: Bureau Betak
Courtesy of Valentino.
The Valentino Haute Couture 2025 set design embodied the poetic duality of the list, an invitation to the infinite. Inspired by Umberto Eco’s “vertigo of the list,” the space was a living archive, using a large screen to display numbers and words moving and interacting with the models. The suspended elements of floating words, fragmented imagery, and shifting projections added a darkness to the vivid theatrical garments. With minimal dim lighting, the audience was transported into an otherworldly scene as models posed in direct spotlight, utilizing the entire stage. The contrast of history in each look with a modern digital scene conveyed the limitless boundaries of the brand.
Wonderwall Dreams Up Louis Vuittion’s Set
Production: La Mode en Images
Courtesy of Louis Vuitton.
Set within a dreamy pink and silver space envisioned by Wonderwall, Masamichi Katayama’s design transformed the Louis Vuitton Men’s F/W runway into a fusion of luxury history and modernity. Frosted glass cases displayed timeless LV bags and treasures, contrasting against avant-garde silhouettes adorned with “Phriendship” graphics, and dandy-inspired silhouettes. A dramatic orchestral performance of Nobuo Uematsu’s “One-Winged Angel” from “Final Fantasy VII”, played by L’Orchestre du Pont Neuf heightened the vibe of the setting. Original tracks by Pharell Williams, including SEVENTEEN’s “Bad Influence” and Don Toliver and j-hope’s “LV Bag”, underscored the show’s dynamic energy, blending the music industry with fashion’s contemporary innovation.
Rithika Merchant Creates Art Installation for Dior Haute Couture
Production: Rithika Merchant
Courtesy of Dior, photo by Adrien Dirand.
The Dior Haute Couture 2025 show featured a captivating set design created in collaboration with Mumbai-based artist Rithika Merchant. The immersive installation, titled “The Flowers We Grow”, was unveiled in the garden of the Rodin Museum and consisted of nine paintings and large-scale textile panels. The installation celebrated the power and essence of womanhood across generations, aligning with Dior’s ongoing commitment to supporting women artists. Merchant’s artwork, inspired by botanical forms, wove a narrative about the enduring strength and beauty of women. The large textile panels became immersive “portals,” reflecting the evolving nature of womanhood, and adding a dynamic visual layer to the collection. The artwork and the garments together created a cosmic dialogue between tradition, art, and fashion, honoring female empowerment and legacy in Dior fashion.
The Rolling Hills of Zegna’s Set Design
Production: Bureau Betak
Courtesy of Zegna.
Transporting the audience to the rolling hills of Australia The Vellus Aureum Winter 2025 show by Zegna captivated the audience with lush green hues. The collection celebrated craftsmanship and harmony between setting and fashion, the soft hills incorporated into a stage connecting the world of craft and geography we don’t typically see. The set design created a circular field which plush green carpet to mimic the soft terrain of Australia, intertwining the audience into the process of creating the luxury garments.
Prada Men’s Ravescape
Production: AMO
Courtesy of Prada.
Prada’s FW 2025 Men’s collection featured a set designed by AMO which brilliantly reimagined the stark, industrial space of the Fondazione Prada’s Deposito. A raw, metallic framework of exposed steel contrasted with the soft textures of plush carpeting originally designed by Catherine Martin. The space was divided into various levels, their disjointed framework working against the monumental scale of the hall creating a fashionable take on ravescape. The lighting shifted constantly further deepening the raw rave effect. This evolving atmosphere captured the essence of a club with intimacy and industrial aesthetics, suggesting that these spaces in all their contrasts, are places where human instincts for connection come alive. Prada’s set design becomes a striking atmosphere for the essence of gathering, blending isolation with togetherness.
