Lots of fur and leather, big shoulders: Key trends as seen at Paris Fashion Week

Lots of fur and leather, ever-expanding shoulder pads and shoes, and splashes of yellow were seen at the Autumn/Winter 2025 collections in Paris.

Here’s a look at some of the latest trends on the runway.

Fur focus

Back on the runways last year and in the streets for several months now, fur (mostly fake) was absolutely everywhere in the Autumn/Winter 2025 collections, whether as subtle embellishment or as the main material.

At Chloe, it appeared as a stole, on the sleeves of a jacket, on the lapels of a long coat, or as a fox-tail-style charm on a handbag.

At Rabanne, it embellished large leather coats, transparent PVC trench coats, and skirts, while Balenciaga and Alaia used it for several long flashy coats.

Real fur isn’t banned on Paris runways, unlike London’s, and animal-rights activists including Peta and the Brigitte Bardot Foundation protested last week in the French capital.

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Yellow makes its presence felt for fall. Photo: Instagram/Stella McCartneyMore leather

Alongside fur, leather was another of the star materials, to the extent that it was hard to name a brand that didn’t use it, often for coats, but also trousers, skirts, dresses and tops.

A staunch defender of animal rights, Stella McCartney has developed a range in vegan leather, including a snakeskin-effect blouse and a skirt that combines vegan leather at the front with wool at the back.

Big shoulders

Oversized jackets have been on-trend for several seasons now, and although the waistlines are becoming slightly more cinched, the shoulders appear to be growing.

With their stiff padding, many jackets looked like they had large hangers inside.

Balmain, Victoria Beckham, Stella McCartney, Givenchy, Vivienne Westwood and Paris newcomer Matieres Fecales all sent models out with statement shoulders.

“Shoulders are exploding,” fashion journalist Matthieu Bobard Deliere from Elle magazine said.

Big shoes too

The oversize trend is also spreading to shoes.

Victoria Beckham sent out models with long black patent shoes with ankle straps to stop them falling off at her chic and mostly monochrome show, which was admired by her children and husband, football legend David.

Large shoes and oversized above-the-knee boots were also spotted at Vivienne Westwood by Andreas Kronthaler, Loewe, Balenciaga and Balmain.

Rays of yellow

In the bleak midwinter next year, watch out for flashes of yellow.

Though most designers stuck to a muted palette of greys, black and white, with autumnal greens and browns thrown in, there was a proliferation of yellow in pastels, egg-yolk or bright sunshine tones.

At Givenchy, new designer Sarah Burton showcased yellow on a bodysuit, a coat, crop tops, a mesh dress and an impressive strapless tulle gown in her widely acclaimed first show for the venerable Parisian house.

Tom Ford and Stella McCartney both had yellow evening dresses.

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Deconstructing pieces

Coats worn inside-out, trousers turned into dresses, skirts cut in half with different lengths…

“There’s a real trend of deconstructing clothing,” explained fashion journalist Deliere.

The movement has been embraced by both up- and-coming designers and major fashion houses.

At AlainPaul, sweaters appeared with just one sleeve, while Zomer presented a reversible collection where dresses, jackets, shirts and coats were designed to be worn back-to-front.

Some long blazers were worn in reverse at Givenchy, while Vivienne Westwood featured skirts that were cut in half, long on one side and short on the other. – AFP