“There are less buttocks and breasts.” when designers enlarge new body parts

Every season has its obsession. However, during Spring-Summer 2025 Fashion Week, designers surprised us by crossing over into areas that had been little explored or simply forgotten until now. The neck, above all, was the object of all the attention, decorated with scarves from Ganni, Carven or Nina Ricci, lush collars from Louis Vuitton, Rokh, Alexander McQueen and Esther Manas, or even elongated with collars Lim and Gosher. She also accessorized with spectacular necklaces at Dior, Dries Van Notten, Duran Lantink, Vivienne Westwood, Roberto Cavalli and Etro. Whatever the ornament, it was therefore the center of attention. Which is not accidental.

“There are fewer butts and breasts, fewer literal references to the body,” confirms Vincent Gregoire, director of consumer trends at Nellie Roddy. We are entering a new period of modesty, which no longer exaggerates the codes of femininity, but, on the contrary, suggests them. » Which goes first through the neck, a very symbolic part of the body. “The neck is the boundary between the head and the body,” wrote Jean-Louis Chrétien. Body symbolismin 2005. It is a place that is both strong and fragile; “The strength or weakness of the neck reveals the whole person,” the philosopher added in the same work.

New Puritanism.

These subtler silhouettes can also be explained by the return of a form of conservatism in society, particularly American society, according to Vincent Gregoire; “The young generation is losing its orientation, it needs strict frameworks. We’re seeing the importance of the merchant movement, for example, these women claiming a traditional American lifestyle by dressing in 50s clothing. A movement, however, problematic and often judged as homophobic.

We also think about inspiration far beyond this; fashion is made of mixtures, and more artistic. these decorated and bejeweled bodies recall the paintings of the Pre-Raphaelite painters, in which the neck is sublimated, as in the “Chosen” paintings. madame” painted by Dante Gabriel Rosetti between 1871 and 1878 or “La Belle Iseult” by William Morris in 1858. We see women dressed in veils, their white temples contrasting with the bright colors of the canvases.

But the neck is not the only new part of the body that inspired the creators. This season, they also paid attention to the arms and faces, which they covered with oriental-influenced accessories. “We wear oriental jewelry that inspires golden women, surrounded, enveloped, it literally revolves around them. There are twists around the hands that go up to the face like vines,” continues Vincent Grégoire.

Faces and hands

Indeed, beyond the neck, this season luxury houses are also interested in sleeves enriched with bracelets, like Shakira in the 2000s, we saw Maître Pierre, Miu Miu, Yohji Yamamoto, Gucci. It’s also the faces that are decorated, particularly fake piercings like on Valentino, Nanushka or Weisanto. In 2017, we remember Riccardo Tisci, then at Givenchy, who covered his models’ entire faces with fake crystal piercings. Since then, the trend, which has its origins in the English underground punk movement as well as traditional Indian jewelry, has been dormant. We bet the neck or arm punch will probably make its way back to the streets. Bolder face ornaments risk being left as creative experiments on the catwalks.