2025: Fashion Predictions from Fashion People
What does the fashion industry have in store for us next year? Ask my mates...
What’s the point in having a bunch of insider fashion friends if you can’t get them to divulge their hot takes for an interesting article?
Seriously though, people often ask me what do I think will be the state of fashion next year? What will legislation do? What will change? Is fast fashion going to get faster or will it die on its’ arse? How many creative/art directors will move around? And will anyone be cancelled?
Well, I decided to ask a bunch of my fashion friends to see what their predictions will be for the new year. I’ve tried to cover all grounds here and ask as many different folks as possible, from online commentators, creators, designers, journalists and editors. Some are deeply unserious and some are more on the nose, after all it’s a bit of fun and if you can’t laugh at fashion, you will most likely cry… as we often do anyway.
So I hope you enjoy this dive into my dms!
First, here’s mine…
More collaborations with high fashion people doing low fashion
More scandals to hit supply chains
At least one large fast fashion brand will go bust
Legislation will do something but I’m not sure what
People will magically like Chanel?
Birkins will continue to be deeply weird objects of desirability to people on the precipice of [F]ashion
Brain rot content will get worse before it gets better
Sustainability will be spoken about a lot, but acted on less
Miu Miu gets knocked off the top spot of hot lists
Andrea Cheong - Writer
“People will turn towards actual investment jewellery - fast fashion jewellery that’s dressed up as affordable luxury will start to get heat. But not lose its’ popularity yet.” Adding “I don’t mean Tiffany when I say investment”.
Daniel Yaw-Miller - Former BoF
“Puma returns as a force in the sneaker market for the first time since the mid 2010s. The brand has been overlooked thanks to dominance and chaos of both Nike and adidas in recent years. But Puma has benefitted from investing in relationships with tastemakers like Rihanna, A$AP and Skepta, while its’ adjacency to motorsports has given in credibility to cash in on F1 boom where its rivals have failed to. As people get tired of Samba’s and Gazelle’s they will shift over to low-rise Puma models like Speedcat and Mostro.”
“People are going to start calling out more and more the crossovers between fashion and sport that don’t make sense. Fashion consumers are more educated now about what it takes for a good partnership to happen between the two industries. Designers just jumping on the trend and churning out retro looking football jerseys will need to work harder to achieve a sense of originality/novelty.”
“More designers turning away from fashion week. It’s highly unprofitable and most I speak to are unsure of what even the point of fashion week even is anymore beyond Influencers running round in silly clothes!!”
Puma Speedcat Campaign
Camille Charrière - Contributor at Elle & Influencer
I can only appreciate Camille for sending these to me during her break in Costa Rica with really bad reception. Although she is on the beach and I’m in London so whatever. She’s someone who I’ve watched from afar for years, always in envy of her French-ness and ability to be chic, without trying too hard. Calling her an influencer seems a disservice, though her influence is undeniable - and of course I have always admired her ability to be honest, provocative and challenging of the industry we operate in, adore and want to change for the better.
“My prediction which isn’t really one as it’s a pretty sure ting…
Jonathan Anderson will leave Loewe, Glenn (Martens) @ Margiela, and John to reopen John Galliano and if true, that’s the kind of shake up I live for.”
“I think we will see more and more fashion and film partnerships, in movie production like YSL for Emilia Perez and JW Anderson for Challengers. Not to say this is a good thing necessarily, I’m finding spon-con in film very distracting but maybe it’s because I’m in the industry.”
“Luxury will continue to struggle as the big groups continue to take the piss with overinflated prices, poor quality & interchangeable products.”
“Print mags are super relevant again. Same trajectory as books or vinyls where the pool is smaller and not everyone is a customer, but the people that do buy are committed to buying, and want the object at home etc. I also think brands will become obsessed with books and will all try and launch book clubs to satisfy this new appetite for content with substance.”
High-Fashion Book Clubs… shit, should I start one?
Odunayo Ojo - Fashion Roadman
“We will go from brands doing Quiet Luxury cosplay to a return to brands actually being recognisable due to each one having a unique aesthetic.”
“More silly short trends via TikTok, so long as it’s nothing to do with Mob Wives… I’m happy.”
“This may be a bit optimistic of me but I’m seeing so much discourse around the quality of luxury brands going down and they’re losing revenue. We may just see brands forced into creating better quality garments… a man can dream.”
Mob Wife Trend
Hanan Besovic - IDeserveCouture, fashion commentator & creator
“Musical chairs of fashion will continue especially in the few big fashion houses”
“Social media will start appreciating Sabato’s work at Gucci more in 2025”
“Besides the placements of creative directors, the new musical chairs people will follow are CEO musical chairs”
“IDeserveCouture will continue being THAT girl”
Edward Buchanan - Sansovino, Perfect Mag
Edward is a fashion designer and creative of many kinds, he is known for his expertise in knitwear (Sansovino 6) and for bringing Ready To Wear to Bottega Veneta where he served as the first design director. He noted he prefers the concept of Sincere Wishes, so here are his.
“Creativity and Innovation returns as the centre of design. the merchandisers stay out of the design space.”
“Innovation moving into 2025 is nothing without being continuously conservation minded. We as a creative industry have an endless responsibility…. I shop vintage and up-cycle tons.”
“I would love to work less for myself and do more to support my communities”
Eric Brain - Fashion Editor and Creative Consultant
Currently the social media director and digital sales manager at Beyond Noise. I have known Eric for many years, having sat at many fashion shows, dinners and brand trips together and navigated Europe’s fashion circuit many times over. As the former head of editorial content at Culted and an editor at Hypebeast for many years, Eric has that insiders’ fashion eye that not many have, as well as being witty, dry and hysterical. A fashion persons’, fashion person.
“At least from personal experiences, thoughts and feelings, there seems to still be this barrier between what men can, and cannot, wear. For some men who are into fashion, they’re “pushing” and “experimenting” with the likes of Aime Leon Dore, Cole Buxton, Cortez, Clints, in exchange for the heydays of Supreme (I suppose this is somewhat an improvement). However, these guys who wear these brands, exclusively with a Stussy tee, and collaborative Timberland shoes, are now limited to this handful of brands. And they see Our Legacy as “their” Rick Owens.
Is there something cultural embedded in this? Your influencers are all the same, wearing the same clothes, in pictures with the same dark-filtered edit, with the same music in the background, as they pose with their “rather pushing the boat out” Cartier that’s a bit small on the wrist showing it against the steering wheel of the not-always-disclosed press loaner Porsche.
My point? Perhaps we need to search a bit further in 2025 for true individuality. Don’t get me wrong, I love a pair of Stussy Big Ol Jeans like the next person. But when that is combined with the above — it’s a uniform for the ALD coffee, small plates, split the G, pints and chit chat lad, that has somehow gone on to define almost every single lad I know in London, Manchester and Essex.
My point? Perhaps we need to search a bit further in 2025 for true individuality. Don’t get me wrong, I love a pair of Stussy Big Ol Jeans like the next person. But when that is combined with the above — it’s a uniform for the ALD coffee, small plates, split the G, pints and chit chat lad, that has somehow gone on to define almost every single lad I know in London, Manchester and Essex.”
Stephen St. Clair - NeverTrustAChurchGirl
A dear friend and an extremely funny one at that. Also a very talented stylist, you will all have seen their work whether you know it or not. But also an expert meme-maker and hot-take connoisseur. At times the gayest instagram account I follow, in the best way possible.
“More people will be pulling from archives. hoping to see someone in the more brands like Lacroix and Gianfranco’s dior. maybe the bandages that Lazarus wore might see the light of day.”
“Galliano will be back at his namesake and in the LVMH family again.”
“Maria Grazia’s final Dior collection will feature tees with her face on them with the slogan ‘we should all be more Maria Grazia’.”
“Philipp Plein clothing will end up in landfill”
“More black designers will have their time to shine during the Met Gala. I predict a lot of Ozwald Boateng and Dapper Dan on the carpet”
Dapper Dan and LL Cool J
Maliha Shaoib - Reporter for Vogue Business
Maliha is an excellent writer, I met her not long after I came back from Love Island at a press breakfast. She entered the industry through winning the inaugural Vogue Business Talent competition in 2020 and then stayed on since. Her work covers a lot of things from sustainability, business movements and fashion week.
“I think Versace will get a big reboot - it’s likely to be sold by capri holdings, so i’m curious if there will be some creative changes too”
“I also think there are going to be more reports exposing bad practices in luxury fashion’s supply chains (like we saw with Dior and Loro Piana this year). there’s often been this assumption that luxury is inherently more ethical but reports like these are really changing the perception of luxury in the eyes of the consumer. i’m hoping this will force luxury to really do better, especially as a lot of luxury brands are already struggling with weaker consumer demand”
Sophie Benson - Fashion Journalist (Sustainable fashion focus)
Sophie is another excellent writer, contributing for the likes of Vogue, Dazed, The Independent, Stylist, GoodOnYou and many more. We have sat on panels together, had some good ol’ rants in our dm’s and even protested together. She has her own book called Sustainable Wardrobe which is well worth checking out.
“Skinny jeans will be back in! And then out again! And then back in! Nothing matters, it’s all made up, wear what you want!”
“Nosferatu core. The Nosferatu remake will hit the cinemas in January and billowing robes, broad shouldered jackets, and sharp teeth will be in, meanwhile brands that suck the lifeblood out of their workers, nature, and society at large will be out.”
“[Insert literally any fashion brand] will be the subject of a supply chain scandal and the world will forget about it within 3-5 business seconds.”
Lauren Sherman - Fashion Journalist and Author
I met Lauren in person not that long ago, at a presentation during Paris Fashion Week, but have followed her work for a while. She writes really entertaining and informative pieces about fashion and has released a book on Victoria’s Secret - “Selling Sexy”. She has formerly worked at Forbes, Fashionista, Lucky Magazine and Business of Fashion and is now a writer for Puck. Lauren also has a great podcast called “Fashion People” which is well worth a listen, as well as a newsletter called LineSheet.
“A return to designer-designers”
“Pink as a primary colour”
“Prices will keep rising at brands that were conservative with their hikes previously”
Anonymous Model
I predict that people on TikTok will still be giving expert advice on every facet of the industry even though they have no idea about anything
Supply chains still won’t matter to 99% of the planet
People still won’t know the difference between style and fashion even if it bites them on the bum