With the final show of São Paulo Fashion Week on October 20, the 2025 fashion high season has effectively come to a close, or almost. Trends that dominated runways in Copenhagen, Paris, Shanghai and São Paulo are already filtering into stores and of course, the wardrobes of the most fashion-forward enthusiasts. One clear thread across these weeks: designers are subtly subverting traditional notions of femininity.
By Oxford Languages’ definition, femininity is “the quality or characteristic of being female,” or “a feminine attitude.” This year, predominantly female-led brands reinterpreted the concept, balancing familiar softness with confident, unexpected details — so discreetly that the influence often goes unnoticed. That quiet persuasion is exactly the kind of soft power designers are deploying.
Soft what?
Soft power is the ability to shape preferences through attraction and persuasion rather than coercion, according to Joseph Nye, Harvard University scholar and originator of the concept. In fashion, it translates into the capacity to influence and attract through culture, aesthetics, and values. In 2025 this played out in fluid silhouettes, premium fabrics, deconstructed tailoring, muted palettes, and retro references, a wardrobe language that feels both comfortable and empowered. Designers used these codes to position their brands as in tune with the moment, redefining femininity with a discreet but unmistakable boldness.
Tailoring takes the spotlight
A major highlight for 2025 is the reinvention of tailoring. Sharp trousers, blazers with intriguing cuts, ties, and pinstripe fabrics appeared across global runways. But forget the office look you’re picturing — designers borrowed tailoring’s structure and reworked it to accentuate a modern, multifaceted femininity.
At Copenhagen Fashion Week, Danish brand OpéraSPORT stood out by blending office-core with flip-flops — the brand presented the first 3D-printing models made with recyclable materials. Featuring anatomical soles and a design that combines comfort and performance, they preserve the essence of the Brazilian brand Havaianas while seamlessly integrating it into the world of high-end fashion.
In Brazil, brands such as À La Garçonne and Normando stood out with the same style:
Layers: leather, lace, tulle
Layering was another defining motif: designers combined delicate fabrics: lace, silk, tulle with utilitarian materials like nylon and technical cotton to produce tactile contrasts.
The result: looks that reconcile functionality and femininity, inviting experimentation and personalisation.
Lace and tulle ranged from boho-chic reinterpretations to bold, kitschy statements, often paired with heavy leather. Designer Lilly Sarti told Her Campus that such contrasts define her brand: pieces meant “to be worn from Saturday to Saturday,” adaptable for parties, weddings or relaxed weekends — a sense of wholeness she says is central to her label.
Sustainability: the season’s leading trend
Handmade techniques and technological innovation have become key differentiators. Circular design and 3D printing were prominent at Fashion Weeks, enabling lower-impact, more personalised pieces.
This tech integration reinforces Scandinavian fashion’s commitment to sustainability, aligning aesthetics, function and responsibility. Circular design, which considers the full lifecycle of a garment, from production to reuse, is emerging as an industry paradigm.
Brazilian designers like Marina Bitu exemplify this approach by building ongoing partnerships with artisan communities in Ceará and the Northeast. Lace makers, ceramists and leather- and straw-workers collaborate not only in production but also in design. “Being close to the artisans means sharing life with other generations, with experienced women and their stories,” Bitu told HC. “Craftsmanship is design connected to nature, territory, culture and human relationships — it brings layers of meaning.”
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The article above was edited by Giovanna Rodrigues.
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