2025 saw global luxury conglomerates going back to crafts and serving products which exemplify their maison's distinctive savoir-faire. Be it Matthieu Blazy's debut at Chanel or Hermes' craft-focused approach to luxury - the year was all about lending gravitas to ready-to-wear and accessories by revisiting the brand's past while reimagining it with a contemporary spin. The year also saw a rash of major appointments and departures, ushering in a new era for luxury brands.
Having garnered attention for her performance in the David E. Kelley series Presumed Innocent (2024) and in Paul Thomas Anderson's film, One Battle After Another (2025), Chase Infiniti perfectly embodies Louis Vuitton's powerful and timeless femininity, reflecting the shared values that unite her with the House. Louis Vuitton and Chase Infiniti are nurturing a growing relationship since 2024, marked by Chase's attendance at the last two Women's runway shows. Additionally, at the world premiere of the One Battle After Another movie, she wore a custom Louis Vuitton champagne satin hand-embroidered gown inspired by an archive from 1860. Her bond with the House continued to flourish more recently at the 5th Annual Academy Gala in Los Angeles, wearing a garment-dyed green silk taffeta bustier gown with overstitched pleats.
Louis Trotter, Bottega Veneta’s newly appointed artistic director, heralded a new chapter at the house with an inspiring Spring Summer 2026 collection, shown at Milan Fashion Week. Honouring the house’s heritage synonymous with understated luxury, Trotter channelled its craftsmanship into brand new territory. All in all, an artistic interplay of texture and materiality, the lineup comprised pieces that oscillated between raw and refined. From fluid dresses accented with tassels to bold sweaters and impeccable tailoring, the collection exemplified the extrapolation of recycled fiberglass to accentuate the movement and construction.
In a significant development, the Prada Group completed its major acquisition of Versace in a $1.375 billion USD cash deal. This transaction ensconced Versace, known for edgy, bold, and sensually charged designs, under the same corporate aegis as Prada’s cerebral chic and Miu Miu’s geek-meets-magpie designs. This deal was secured after the competing French deal to sell Capri Holdings to Tapestry was blocked due to antitrust challenges. The much-talked-about deal aims to resurrect Versace’s financial fortunes, which saw a downturn under the previous ownership of Capri Holdings (the parent company of Michael Kors). For the Prada Group, this consolidation creates a formidable luxury conglomerate capable of competing with the world’s largest fashion entities.
After Sabato De Sarno's abrupt departure, Gucci named Demna Gvasalia as its artistic director. “I have always admired Demna’s creative approach, that is both unique and powerful,” Gucci CEO Stefano Cantino said in the release. Since his arrival, Demna has already made his presence felt with his sophomore collection titled La Famiglia, which was followed by the release of a short film, ‘The Tiger’ starring Demi Moore, Keke Palmer, Elliot Page, among other notable actors at Milan Fashion Week.
Jonathan Anderson joined the House of Dior as Creative Director of both women’s and men’s collections. After his successful sophomore menswear showcase earlier this year and an array of red-carpet dressing, Jonathan Anderson's first Dior ready-to-wear womenswear SS 26 collection was a confident, thoughtful, and joyous showcase where he mined the history of the French luxury maison and reimagined some of its key archival references with his own vision and flair.
The French luxury house announced it will reveal the final collection by Véronique Nichanian, Artistic Director of Hermès Men’s Universe, on Saturday, 24th January 2026, during Paris Fashion Week Autumn-Winter 2026-2027.
In a release, Hermès thanked Véronique warmly for her eye, her vision, her generosity, her energy, and her curiosity. Since entering the house upon Jean-Louis Dumas’ invitation, Véronique Nichanian has written, with tremendous talent, the story of men’s ready-to-wear at Hermès and has applied her vision across the entire men’s universe.