Fashion has always been a mirror for both the creator and consumer. The creators, whether purveyors of progressive ideals or those who cater to the bourgeoisie, reflect their designs onto those who pick them apart and consume, regurgitating iterations of the same thing over and over until exhaustion. Trends themselves are a reflection of our world. No runway collection was conceived from nothing, and what better source exists other than the sickly inspiring turmoil of our political climate?
This last fashion month consisted of the usual participants – New York City, London, Milan, and Paris. However, one common theme throughout all was a dichotomy that relates directly back to everyday life. On one hand, there was a distinct sense of rebellion coming from some brands, while others put forth designs with details that subtly alluded to conservative values. Each country where a major fashion week was held has experienced a dramatic shift towards nationalism and conservatism in the last few years, eliciting varying responses from designers which will inevitably trickle down into the system of mass-consumerism and worldwide trends.
One key example of this is the juxtaposition of the Ann Demeulemeester Fall 2025 Ready-to-Wear show in Paris, France. The collection is anything but conformist- while keeping in line with the traditional androgynous, avant-garde, dark aesthetic that encapsulates the brand, it pushes the line of what is seen as ‘pretty’ in the fashion world and veers into a focus on individuality and subversion of norms. Gauzy, flowing chiffons and silks stand out layered under the harshly tailored lines of the structured suits and dresses featured in the collection, lace and metal motifs continuing the pattern of mixing sharp and soft elements. Raw hems and mussed hair seemed to usher in a sense of youthful rebellion and forward-thinking that stood out not only amongst many other shows in Paris Fashion Week, but against the state of the country itself. Currently, France is in political turmoil, reeling from a snap parliamentary election called in June of 2024 in which the initial leader in the race was the National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen. This event followed a turbulent election in 2022 in which Le Pen, then-presidential candidate, garnered both negative and positive attention that divided the country. This set the stage for the NR party, known for xenophobia, racism, and far-right nationalism. 36 percent of people in a public poll marked Le Pen as “very favourable”. The runway show connected to this great divide and surge towards conservatism in France by representing the exact opposite values, similar to other designers’ actions across the world.
New York Fashion Week likewise displayed a pattern of collections influenced subtly by the political climate of the country. One example of this can be seen in the Tory Burch Fall 2025 Ready-to-wear collection. Taking an alternate route from Demeulemeester’s against-the-grain approach, the Tory Burch collection features elements of fashion that draw from historically conservative aesthetics. This includes a focus on modesty, traditional silhouettes and neutral colors that call to the “old money” aesthetic that is currently popular in the public eye, an aesthetic that is inherently based in classism and racism with its focus on upper-class white women as the pinnacle of the fashion. Long, flowing skirts in beiges and woolen sweater-vests tucked into loose dress pants echo a sense of brand-projected modesty virtues and a conformism to societal trends and values. Burch’s collection was presented in the United States, which is currently descending into an alt-right society with bills such as H.R.28 being introduced to Congress, a bill which seeks to bar trans students from participating in sports. Another example includes President Trump’s executive order which took down DEI, a system that stood in place to protect equality and inclusion in the workplace to combat discrimination. This once again shows the connection between an intense political climate and designers representing it in their clothes- whether by mimicking it, such as the Tory Burch collection, or fighting against it.
Whether acting as a source of hope and rebellion or presenting clothes and values for those who conform to the rampant conservatism that we see growing, fashion will always be a reflection of politics and current events. It is an outlet for creatives to represent the world through a deeper point of view, forcing consumers to challenge the worldviews that they uphold and take a second look at reality. And, in our current worldwide state of unrest and upheaval, this can be seen more than ever.
