With 2026 just around the corner, it’s time to reflect on the fashion moments that defined 2025, a year that was anything but quiet. The industry experienced highs, controversies, viral obsessions, and cultural shifts, unfolding across red carpets, runways, concert stages, and social media feeds. From the Met Gala to world tours, movie premieres, and the internet’s strangest fascinations (yes, Labubus), fashion in 2025 proved once again that it never exists in isolation.
Let’s revisit some of the most talked-about moments of the year.
Kendrick Lamar in Celine
Kendrick Lamar opened the year by stealing the spotlight at the Super Bowl halftime show. The performance was instantly iconic, with his diss track Not Like Us, Serena Williams crip-walking on stage, and, of course, A Minoooooor.
But while many focused on the music and symbolism, the internet zeroed in on one unexpected detail: Kendrick’s $1,200 Celine jeans. Online debates erupted over whether the jeans were “for men or women” and what denim silhouettes are supposedly acceptable for men. (Truly, who cares?)
Lady Gaga's Fashion on Tour
In July 2025, Lady Gaga kicked off The Mayhem Ball tour, delivering exactly what fans hoped for: spectacle, drama, and unforgettable fashion. The show opened with Gaga inside an enormous red cage dress as she performed Bloody Mary, immediately setting the tone for the night.
Her album Mayhem was written after a decade-long struggle with mental and physical health, and the tour translated that chaos into visual storytelling. Each outfit referenced a different era of Gaga’s career, from Bad Romance to Chromatica, while weaving in influences from art history, cinema, and high fashion, including Alexander McQueen and The Phantom of the Opera.
Lady Gaga was styled by Natali Germanotta, Hunter Clem, Peri Rosenzweig and Nick Royal. See La Maison Gaga for an amazing, detailed description of the outfits.
The 2025 Met Gala
On May 5th, celebrities once again ascended the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the Met Gala, celebrating the Costume Institute’s exhibition Superfine: Tailoring Black Style. Inspired by Monica L. Miller’s Slaves to Fashion, the exhibition traced the history of the Black Dandy from the 18th century to today, exploring tailoring as a tool for identity, resistance, and self-expression.
The dress code, Tailored for You, encouraged guests to reinterpret the legacy of Black style in deeply personal ways. The evening was co-chaired by Pharrell Williams, Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, and LeBron James, alongside Anna Wintour.
Labubu’s Everywhere
No 2025 fashion recap would be complete without mentioning Labubu. Created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung and adapted from The Monsters picture book series, the oddly cute figurine became a full-blown cultural obsession.
People queued for hours to get their hands on one, and Labubus were spotted dangling from the bags of celebrities like Rihanna and Dua Lipa. But the phenomenon wasn’t without criticism. Some dismissed it as peak consumerism or a symbol of late-stage capitalism, while others dubbed it a “recession indicator,” suggesting that during uncertain times, people gravitate toward cuteness.
Love it or hate it, Labubu defined the year (I hate it).
Zara Larsson's Tour Fashion
While Zara Larsson has been a pop mainstay since Lush Life, 2025 marked her true global breakthrough, fueled by her tour alongside Tate McRae and her own Midnight Sun era.
Her tour wardrobe leaned heavily into a vibrant Y2K tropical fantasy. Think glitter, bold colours, wavy silhouettes, and playful energy. Just as striking was her makeup. Her makeup artist, Sophia Sinot, rejected the “clean girl aesthetic” in favour of colour, shimmer, and bold choices that perfectly complemented Zara’s looks.
The Louvre Heist
Not exactly a fashion moment, but unforgettable nonetheless. On October 19th, 2025, thieves disguised as construction workers stole approximately €88 million worth of French crown jewels from the Louvre in broad daylight. The jewels remain missing.
While the event was devastating for France and the museum, the internet did what it does best: memes. Halloween costumes, sketches, and jokes quickly followed, proving once again how pop culture absorbs even the most shocking events.
Anok Yai Named Model of the Year
It felt inevitable, yet long overdue: Anok Yai was named Model of the Year at the Fashion Awards. Since being discovered at 19 after a viral Instagram photo, she has dominated runways and campaigns alike.
From Versace to Yves Saint Laurent and Alaïa, Anok has become one of the most influential figures in fashion today. Her win was not just deserved, it was a reflection of her impact on the industry.
Jonathan Anderson’s Move to Dior
One of the year’s biggest industry shake-ups came when Jonathan Anderson announced his departure from Loewe, where he had served as creative director since 2013. In 2025, he stepped into a new role at Christian Dior, debuting his Spring/Summer 2026 collection during Paris Fashion Week.
The Rise of AI in Fashion
No 2025 recap would be complete without AI. This year marked a shift from experimentation to implementation. Fashion brands began integrating AI into everything from design and logistics to styling advice and virtual try-ons. Consumers could see how garments looked on their own bodies before purchasing, making shopping faster and more personalised.
While the event was devastating for France and the museum, the internet did what it does best: memes. Halloween costumes, sketches, and jokes quickly followed, proving once again how pop culture absorbs even the most shocking events.
The Fall of Copenhagen Fashion Week: Greenwashing Claims
Once celebrated as the gold standard for sustainability, Copenhagen Fashion Week faced a major reputational challenge in 2025. Long praised for its progressive approach and environmental leadership compared to the “Big Four,” the Danish fashion week found itself under scrutiny after allegations of greenwashing surfaced.
The Danish Consumer Ombudsman, responsible for overseeing marketing practices and consumer protection laws, received complaints claiming that Copenhagen Fashion Week, along with seven participating brands (Baum und Pferdgarten, Berner Kühl, Forza Collective, Herskind, OpéraSport, Stine Goya, and Won Hundred), had made misleading sustainability claims in their marketing.
The accusations came as a shock. Copenhagen Fashion Week had built its reputation on sustainability, first introducing mandatory sustainability requirements for participating brands in 2020. These standards were widely praised and even adopted as a framework by other fashion weeks, including Berlin and Amsterdam.
The complaints were filed by greenwashing expert Tanja Gotthardsen alongside the Danish Consumer Council. They directly challenged the effectiveness of Copenhagen Fashion Week’s sustainability guidelines, arguing that the requirements lack proper enforcement, allow vague and unverified claims, and fail to address some of the industry’s biggest environmental problems, most notably overproduction and the relentless pace of collections.
Ultimately, the Danish Consumer Ombudsman concluded that there was insufficient evidence to pursue legal action. While Copenhagen Fashion Week welcomed this assessment, the ruling was far from a full exoneration. The Ombudsman emphasised that both the fashion week and the named brands should more carefully review their marketing language and made it clear that misleading claims could not be ruled out.
In response, several of the brands involved removed or adjusted sustainability claims on their websites, an acknowledgement that, at the very least, clearer communication was needed.
The situation underscored a crucial reality for the fashion industry in 2025: sustainability is no longer about intention or branding alone. Transparency, accountability, and regulation are becoming non-negotiable. Copenhagen Fashion Week’s reckoning served as a reminder that even the most progressive initiatives must withstand scrutiny, and that credibility is earned not through claims, but through measurable action.
Sources
- Bootcut jeans are making a comeback with Kendrick Lamar leading the charge
- Book: Monica L. Miller: Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity
- Alles wat je wil weten over het Met Gala 2025
- Tailoring and the Black dandy: how 250 years of Black fashion history inspired the 2025 Met Gala
- The Labubu phenomenon: How a toy became a symbol of late-stage capitalism
- And They Call It Plushie Love: Fashionable People on Their Labubu Obsession
- Who is Anok Yai – and why is she the most influential model of 2025?
- In the (tour) closet with Zara Larsson: We go backstage at the Stockholm stop of her Midnight Sun tour
- The most ravishing pop glam looks from Zara Larsson’s Midnight Sun tour
- Geen vervolgstappen om greenwashing case Kopenhaagse modeweek
- Copenhagen Fashion Week Faces Systemic Threats, From Greenwashing To Designers Exiting
Images link back to their sources, with full credit given to the respective owners.
The header picture is from Canva.
