The Horse Girl Trend Continues
The majority of Hermès’s fall/winter 2025 collection was done in varying degrees of black—from charcoal ash and the deepest shade of gray to midnight sky—save for a few pops of lime green, milky beige, creamy white, and soft brown. It was a fitting statement for the luxury house, given the typical wardrobe of the average Parisian woman. Set in a dark futuristic venue with soft sand floors, the sharp lines and severe tailoring of the leather wrap skirts, quilted vests, and the rigid-cut blazers was a perfect example of contrasts. “Outsides wrought for structure, density, and warmth,” the show notes stated. “Insides drawn with soft, suspenseful contours and enveloping textures.”
But perhaps the biggest statement of all was the everlasting equestrian inspiration. Plus, an underlying element of practicality along with a tribute to the black coat—the MVP of real- world dressing. Black outerwear ranged from goatskin pea coats, to silk gabardine bombers, to lush shearling styles. In fact, pretty much every kind of coat was on display with the exception of the infamous puffer. According to Hermès, there was a focus on the “resonance of techniques, craftsmanship and feminine gestures: wrap, tie, bend, reveal. And the modularity—the reversibility of an overcoat.”
A black leather coat.
The collection was also rich with at-home styling tricks. Long wool layers came with big floppy lapels that mirrored the effect of loose scarves. Elsewhere, chunky sweaters were tied around the neck, long fingerless gloves were paired with dynamic sleeveless dresses, and floor-length wool duster jackets were styled with little black leather shorts that were inspired by horse saddle flaps, plus sturdy riding boots and white turtlenecks. It’s been over a decade since Hermès creative director Nadège Vanhée joined the brand. In June 2024, she celebrated the occasion with an off-schedule blockbuster show in New York. Since taking the helm, Vanhée has created the kind of aesthetic that is all about tailoring and craftsmanship with a deep understanding of layering.
Another Vanhée signature? Hidden secrets within the clothing that you may miss even if you look twice. This time around, that meant coats that unzipped into blankets, and marbled prints that were actually hand-painted. Turtlenecks and bodycon dresses came embedded with zippers that could be altered to create different custom cut-out looks.
A dress adorned with zippers to create different looks.
Some of fashion’s most iconic tastemakers would probably tell you that you can’t go wrong with an all-black outfit, which this latest collection was positively brimming with. And yet beyond that, Hermès’s aesthetic is so deeply tied to its equestrian roots. The farm-to-fashion evolution is at its peak right now, and we’ve also reached total idolization of the barn jacket trend in all forms. What if Hermès’s ultra-practical (yet extremely luxe) horse-girl layering is the elevated answer?
Shorts inspired by horse saddle flaps.
Kristen Bateman is a contributing editor at Harper’s Bazaar. Her first fashion article was published in Vogue Italia during her junior year of high school. Since then, she has interned and contributed to WWD, Glamour, Lucky, i-D, Marie Claire and more. She created and writes the #ChicEats column and covers fashion and culture for Bazaar. When not writing, she follows the latest runway collections, dyes her hair to match her mood, and practices her Italian in hopes of scoring 90% off Prada at the Tuscan outlets. She loves vintage shopping, dessert and cats.
