Rabanne Fall 2025 Ready-to-Wear: A Study in Contrasts and Controlled Chaos
Julien Dossena’s latest collection for Rabanne is an exploration of duality—an interplay between sharp exterior polish and unruly, almost feral, interiority. “It’s as if you’re normal on the outside, but nuts inside,” Dossena mused backstage. And indeed, the Fall 2025 collection was a masterclass in contrast, texture, and the unexpected.
At first glance, there was an air of bourgeois refinement—a ’60s-inspired ginger-hued faux fur coat, kilt-like skirts, and precise tailoring. But a closer look revealed something wilder: silver paillettes laid on the bias, mimicking fur; shimmering sequins unfurling from within draped skirts; fur tails bursting from coats and skirts as if trying to escape. It was as though each garment had a secret waiting to be unraveled.
Dossena’s approach to layering redefined Rabanne’s signature aesthetic. Gone was the overt reliance on chainmail; in its place, a new textural alchemy emerged. “I wanted to confront the materials, to do layering in another way,” he explained. The result? Double-fronted suits that created a trompe l’oeil effect, giving the illusion of two coats worn simultaneously. Menswear and womenswear seamlessly intertwined, each piece echoing its counterpart.
Advertisement
Some of the standout looks were exercises in restrained opulence: a greenish-brown menswear suit embroidered with silver lapels, worn over a dazzling sequin turtleneck; a confetti-print trouser suit that felt like a quiet rebellion against the season’s wilder elements. Yet, no detail spoke louder than the abundance of faux fur, draped, spilling, and swaddling in nearly every form.
Which begs the question: why this return to synthetics? The industry’s ongoing flirtation with faux fur—often derived from non-biodegradable plastic—feels paradoxical in an era of sustainability. While brands seek cruelty-free alternatives, are they inadvertently moving backwards? Dossena’s collection, dazzling and texturally rich as it is, serves as both a sartorial statement and a conversation starter. Fashion, after all, has always been a delicate balance between beauty and consequence.
