The Many Layers of Modern Femininity
Review of Chloé Fall 2025 Fashion Show
By Mackenzie Richard
Throughout the Fall 2025 season, we’ve seen designers emphasize a now-familiar idea: women are multifaceted. Again and again, collections have leaned into the language of complexity, duality, and depth. But at what point does this become an easy, all-encompassing phrase—a way to describe a collection without truly defining it?
In her show notes, Chemena Kamali framed the Chloé woman as someone who “embodies complexity” and “is not defined by a single identity.” It’s an appealing sentiment, but one that raises a larger question: Is modern femininity misunderstood? And if so, how can fashion engage with that misinterpretation in a meaningful way?
Rather than merely repeating this idea, Kamali’s collection sought to materialize it—through layers, movement, and a play between structure and softness. The result was a wardrobe that didn’t just depict femininity, but explored it, embracing the fluid, evolving nature of identity itself.
THE COLLECTION
THE VIBE
Layered Femininity, Soft Power Dressing, & Artisanal Modernity
Kamali’s take on femininity wasn’t just theoretical; it was woven into the very fabric of the collection. Bohemian ease met sharp tailoring, romantic lace layered beneath powerful outerwear, and silhouettes oscillated between soft and sculptural. These weren’t contradictions—they were reflections of how women exist today, embodying strength and fluidity in equal measure. This balance was explored through key ideas that shaped the collection’s perspective on modern femininity, power, and luxury.
A New Kind of Power Dressing
Power dressing has long been defined by masculine tailoring and sharp lines, but Chloé proposed something different. Strength, in this collection, came from ease and confidence rather than rigidity. There was an unforced elegance to the structured coats paired with fluid lace skirts—a reminder that power isn’t about imitation, but about redefining on one’s own terms.
Reframing Quiet Luxury Through a Feminine Lens
Much of the “stealth wealth” conversation has revolved around stark minimalism and androgynous silhouettes. Kamali’s approach felt like a departure—rooted in texture, tactility, and romance rather than austerity. This wasn’t about rejecting femininity in favor of restraint, but about finding strength in softness, elegance in ease.
Craft as the New Status Symbol
Luxury today is shifting away from loud branding, and Chloé’s focus on intricate layers, artisanal textures, and sculptural accessories signaled a move toward a more discerning, material-driven approach. The standout belts, wedge heels, and accessories didn’t feel like add-ons, but rather integral parts of the collection’s evolving narrative.
A Wardrobe for a Woman in Motion
The layers in this collection weren’t just an aesthetic choice—they reflected a wardrobe designed to adapt, transition, and move. Kamali’s Chloé woman isn’t static; she navigates a world in flux, balancing tradition and modernity, structure and sensuality. The way garments draped and shifted on the runway mirrored this very idea—a vision of contemporary femininity that allows for nuance rather than definition.
THE DIRECTION
THE WRAP UP
Kamali’s Fall collection did more than speak to the idea of multifaceted femininity—it embodied it. Each look felt like a negotiation between past and present, restraint and expression, polish and spontaneity.
If I had to distill it, this collection made a case for a new kind of sophistication—one that is neither overdone nor entirely casual, but something in between. It’s about timelessness with modern ease, aligning with where the industry is heading: a luxury that feels both effortless and deeply intentional.
In a season filled with discussions of complexity, Chloé stood out by demonstrating it—through garments that invite interpretation, embrace contradiction, and offer a wardrobe that is as layered as the women who wear it.
