Cardi B brought star power to Rabanne’s show in Paris on Wednesday, further proving just how popular the Puig-owned brand has become in Hollywood as of late. Rabanne has had a number of red carpet hits in recent months, from the spiked 1996 archival dress that Anya Taylor-Joy chose for the Australian premiere of Furiosa: Mad Max to the Spring 2024 medieval chain mail look that Chapelle Roan wore when she accepted the award for Best New Artist at the MTV VMAs a few weeks ago.
“I love what she does and what she stands for,” Rabanne creative director Julien Dossena said of the “Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” singer.
But he’s also interested in dressing women more casually, and his stunning spring collection was a ray of hope in a season in which many designers have relied on tried-and-true archive styles.
How did he do it? By answering people’s need for versatile classics that are sexy, youthful and inspiring, elevating what was already trending on the streets (boxer shorts!) with playful masculinity-meets-femininity layers, icy pastels, sparkle, shine and leg-enhancing designs.
Blazers looked fresh with gathers at the back, as did hoodies worn over men’s striped shirts and shorts, or barely there skirts. Lingerie got a foil-coated update, in keeping with the brand’s tradition of using unconventional materials. A mariner stripe t-shirt (everyone has one, but not this one) was a glamorous design with an embroidered lace overlay tied at the hips of the bloomers, sure to become a fashion magazine favorite. A backless t-shirt paired with a parachute nylon bubble skirt also looked on-trend. Knitwear was another focal point, with a black floral cardigan open at the shoulders and attached to a matching crewneck for a new look.
Some dresses jingled, and some even had gold leaf flying when the models walked (so pretty). The gold dress was a reference to the 1968 “world’s most expensive dress” designed by Paco Rabanne for Françoise Hardy. A bag was even made in homage to the dress, which the brand is advertising as the world’s most expensive bag.
But Dossena isn’t just resting on the house’s laurels: a light, airy dress made from layers of foiled silk organza was an example of Rabanne’s newer, softer craftsmanship, while a flowing silver apron dress cut low enough to reveal the hips gave the house’s mesh a modern, sexy ease.
“It’s always evolving,” says Dossena. Let’s cheers on the future of fashion.
For more reviews on Paris Spring 2025, click here.
