Paris Fashion Week 2025: Major Designer Debuts and Ethical Fashion Protests Take Center Stage

Paris Fashion Week, the grandest event in the global fashion calendar, has officially begun, ushering in a wave of excitement, fresh creative visions, and powerful ethical statements. The highly anticipated Fall-Winter 2025-2026 season is poised to be a pivotal moment in fashion, with renowned luxury houses undergoing leadership changes, while activists and emerging designers push for sustainability and ethical responsibility.

A Week of Transformative Designer Debuts

The biggest highlight of this year’s Paris Fashion Week is the debut of several high-profile designers at esteemed fashion houses.

Sarah Burton at Givenchy: Set to unveil her first collection for Givenchy on Friday, Burton is a veteran of the industry, having previously helmed Alexander McQueen. Her appointment in September brought fresh energy to the historic French fashion house, which recently gained visibility through Timothée Chalamet’s striking yellow Givenchy suit at the Oscars. Speaking to Vogue, Burton expressed her admiration for the brand’s legacy, emphasizing its intimate scale and deep Parisian roots.

Julian Klausner at Dries Van Noten: Following the departure of Belgian designer Dries Van Noten from his eponymous label, the torch has been passed to 33-year-old Julian Klausner. Fashion insiders are keenly awaiting Klausner’s first collection on Wednesday, which will set the tone for the future of the celebrated fashion house.

Haider Ackermann at Tom Ford: The French Haute Couture and Fashion Federation successfully lured Tom Ford previously a mainstay of New York Fashion Week to Paris for the first time. Haider Ackermann, who took over as the chief designer of Tom Ford in September, will present his debut collection on Wednesday, navigating the challenge of leading a brand so closely associated with its charismatic founder.

Meanwhile, rumors continue to swirl regarding Dior’s head designer Maria Grazia Chiuri, who may be departing after Tuesday’s show. Northern Irish designer Jonathan Anderson, currently leading Loewe, is speculated to be a possible successor.

Protests and Ethical Fashion Initiatives

Beyond the catwalks, this season’s Paris Fashion Week has been met with bold protests from ethical fashion activists. Demonstrators from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and the Brigitte Bardot Foundation took to the streets, urging the industry to abandon animal hides in favor of cruelty-free alternatives.

PETA activists, clad in faux prehistoric fur outfits, brandished placards reading “Leave The Stone Age” in front of the French Fashion Institute, while mobile billboards circulated the city condemning the use of animal products in luxury fashion. Natasha Garnier, a spokesperson for PETA, called for Paris to follow in the footsteps of London, Copenhagen, and Amsterdam by banning fur on its runways.

Despite these protests, shearling coats and fur jackets are making a comeback this season, with industry experts, such as Simon Longland from Harrods, predicting that shearling will be a top investment piece for Fall-Winter 2025.

Emerging Designers Take the Spotlight

Paris Fashion Week opened with showcases from innovative young labels, demonstrating a shift towards more sustainable and forward-thinking fashion.

CFCL (Clothing For Contemporary Life): Founded by Japanese designer Yusuke Takahashi just five years ago, CFCL impressed audiences with its vibrant knitwear collection, heavily influenced by 1980s furniture aesthetics. Staying true to his sustainability-driven ethos, Takahashi used recycled polyester for 90% of the collection, eliminating fur and animal hides entirely.

Victor Weinsanto: French designer Victor Weinsanto delivered a striking collection featuring faux leather and fur, embracing a neutral palette of white, beige, and black, accented with bold 1980s-inspired purple hues. His commitment to ethical fashion aligns with growing industry trends towards sustainability.

Vaquera: New York’s Vaquera added an avant-garde edge to the opening day’s lineup, showcasing unconventional silhouettes and a rebellious take on modern fashion.

Luxury Brands Face Market Challenges

As over 100 fashion houses prepare to unveil their latest collections in the coming days, industry leaders are navigating an increasingly difficult luxury market.

LVMH, the largest luxury conglomerate in Europe, recently reported a 17% decline in annual net profits, attributing the downturn to post-pandemic shifts in consumer behavior, weakened demand in China, and global economic uncertainty. With sales slowing, many brands are using Paris Fashion Week as a platform to reignite interest and reaffirm their influence in the fashion industry.

The Week Ahead: Star Power and High Stakes

As the week progresses, fashion’s biggest names Louis Vuitton, Dior, Saint Laurent, and Chanel will host extravagant runway shows, drawing an elite crowd of celebrities, influencers, and industry insiders. Front-row seats remain some of the most coveted in the world, underscoring the enduring cultural and commercial power of Paris Fashion Week.

With groundbreaking debuts, ethical fashion advocacy, and shifting market dynamics, this year’s Paris Fashion Week promises to be a defining moment in the industry’s evolution. As the global fashion landscape continues to adapt to new creative directions and economic challenges, all eyes remain on the runways of Paris, where the future of luxury fashion is being shaped.

Paris Fashion Week has officially begun, bringing a mix of young, innovative labels and highly anticipated designer debuts. As the world’s biggest fashion event, the week kicked off with fresh collections from rising designers like Victor Weinsanto and CFCL, setting the stage for major showcases from luxury powerhouses such as Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Chanel. Among the most awaited moments are Sarah Burton’s debut at Givenchy, Julian Klausner’s first collection for Dries Van Noten, and Haider Ackermann’s runway presentation for Tom Ford. Meanwhile, protests from PETA and the Brigitte Bardot Foundation have reignited the debate on fur in fashion. With over 100 houses unveiling their Fall-Winter 2025-2026 collections, this season is shaping up to be a defining moment in luxury fashion amidst an increasingly challenging global market.

Content courtesy of NFH Digital Team