As Paris Fashion Week officially comes to a close, we’ve found ourselves still reeling from the profound, sensual, charged presentations that captivated the world this season. It seems that many designers had gender and sexuality on their minds, with sources of inspiration ranging from BDSM to Bridgitte Bardot to radical lesbian movements. Here, we’ve curated a selection of our favorite collections from designers including Undercover, Ottolinger, Victoria Beckham, Nina Ricci, and more.
Nina Ricci Pays Tribute to Brigitte Bardot and Jackie O
Photo by Paolo Caponetto. Courtesy of the photographer and Nina Ricci.
Photo by Paolo Caponetto. Courtesy of the photographer and Nina Ricci.
Nina Ricci’s Spring/Summer 2025 collection offers a power wardrobe that is confident, intentional, and still brimming with fun. The codes of men’s and womenswear are subverted, yielding razor-sharp trenchcoats, boned bodysuits, and suits with exaggerated ‘70s lapels. The collection is creative director Harry Reed’s ode to Brigitte Bardot and Jackie O: puffball mini dresses and piped twin sets are imbued with an air of ‘60s-era glam. For his fourth season with Nina Ricci, Reed continued to redefine the label’s signature bow motif. The symbol is suggested in the shape of a faux fur stole; it appears in the 3D folds of a taffeta mini dress. The Nina Ricci woman is suggested to be sensual, timeless, and self-assuredly powerful.
Ottolinger Presents Ottonymous, Its Newest Capsule Collection
Courtesy of Ottolinger.
Courtesy of Ottolinger.
“I am the shark drifting between cities, my dorsal fin splitting the world like an oyster,” read the show notes for Ottolinger’s new capsule collection with designer Shayne Oliver. The clothes are equally off-kilter and poetic, arriving in markedly unexpected silhouettes. Models wore oversized, flowing sets and big, bouncy wigs teased by hairstylist Chris Appleton. Detachable, bulky accessories mimicked life vests, adding dimension to futuristic looks. The runway itself was stark, save for one striking set piece—the jaws of a bloodied shark, which functioned as the entrance.
Undercover Practices Restraint with Refined Fetishwear
Courtesy of Undercover.
Courtesy of Undercover.
Over the weekend at Dover Street Market Paris, the Japanese label Undercover incorporated bondage into elevated everyday attire. Designer Jun Takahashi was on hand, via translator, to elucidate the meaning of his refined fetishwear: it is as sexual as it is elegant. His newest collection unites leather lacing, gauze chokers, and metal-buckled strapping, consistently employing boxy designs to suit a wide variety of body types. Takahashi has long cited punk as one of his foundational influences, and here, the subculture manifests in the form of biker jackets and metal garlands.
Atlein Presents a Multifaceted Femininity, Inspired by Radical Lesbian Movements
Courtesy of Atlein.
Courtesy of Atlein.
For Atlein’s Spring/Summer 2025 collection, Antonin Tron looked to the radical lesbian movements of the 1980s and ‘90s in London. Specific cultural references include Rebel Dykes, the 2021 documentary about punk lesbians, and Love Bites, the groundbreaking book of punk and fetish photography by Del LaGrace Volcano.
The show took place at the iconic Palais de Tokyo, where a cool, stark runway platformed a considerably multifaceted femininity. Strong suiting and military-inspired outerwear made confident assertions, while Japanese cotton and tailoring wool made more lighthearted propositions. For the first time ever, Swarovski crystals were hand-placed on the label’s classic viscose jersey. The collection’s color palette was decidedly muted and moody, defined by shades of grays, browns, and off-whites.
Lutz Huelle Reinterprets Gender Archetypes with “Let’s Stay Together”
Courtesy of Lutz Huelle.
Courtesy of Lutz Huelle.
Lutz Huelle also toyed with gender archetypes this season, returning to the runway with a playful collection titled “Let’s Stay Together.” The German designer cut men’s suit jackets and refashioned them into two-piece suits, creating a slim, elongated silhouette. Lengths of lace are stitched to the waist of a blazer; evening bustier tops are attached to men’s poplin shirts for a glamorous office look. A series of vintage scarves make appearances as well, flapping with every step and adding an air of femininity.
Victoria Beckham’s Sensual Collection Muses on the Act of Dressing
Courtesy of Victoria Beckham.
Courtesy of Victoria Beckham.
This season, Victoria Beckham celebrates the naked form by conveying real and illusory states of undress. Trousers are slashed open, creating windows to the skin; black satin tea dresses are erratically tucked around the female form to eroticize the fabric’s movement. Jackets with corset-like hourglassing evoke the language of lingerie, while sheer gowns with garlands of hand-embroidered disc sequins obscure our perception of what is covered and what is not. Remarkably, the collection’s colors are informed by the palette of the Jean-Michel Basquiat artworks that grace the walls of Victoria Beckham’s own home.
