Technicolor Dreamcoats

Givenchy (on left) and Dries Van Noten get vibrant for Autumn / Winter 2025.

All the colors of the rainbow is the message coming in strong from the Autumn / Winter 2025 runway.

It’s out with the minimalist muted quiet luxury aesthetic that has dominated fashion the past few seasons, and roaring in is a vibrant kaleidoscope of color — an unusual turn for Fall collections.

One brand stood out for its use of stunning shades and precision construction. Anthony Vaccarello’s slick collection for Saint Laurent was full of beautifully fuss-free pieces that included plenty of pencil skirts, funnel neck tops, sack dresses with strong shoulders and sash leather belts tied low. The show had a strong whiff of the ’80s, which runs through many fall collections. The clothing was exquisite in its use of color blended with pure forms, each look mostly unadorned except for a few simple accessories and, most notably, not a bag in sight.

Bold color was prominent in collections where big changes have resonated. Sarah Burton presented her first collection for Givenchy and, between the black and grey curvaceous looks I spoke about in my last column, the show gave us a heavy dose of saturated yellow tones from a dropped shoulder long-sleeve bodysuit to the final joyous bandeau puff-ball tulle dress.

Haider Ackermann debuted at Tom Ford with luxe leather, shiny separates and colorful dresses that made the vibrant looks stand out. Classic slim-legged suits — most notably a lilac number with an acid green silk shirt that actress Cate Blanchett, a devotee of Ackermann’s talent, wasted no time in procuring — long slinky dresses in yellow and ice blue, and an all-over fringed cocktail dress in lilac.

At Dries Van Noten, Julian Klausner seamlessly took over the reins from his mentor and the brand’s founder, delivering a gorgeous ankle-long double-breasted purple coat and an electric blue suit with narrow pants — a silhouette making a major comeback.

Let’s hope this strong use of color will put a positive spin on an industry in flux. As the ancient saying goes, “Fortune favors the bold.”

Kim Smith has been a professional wardrobe stylist in Honolulu since 2004. Born a true Londoner, Smith had a successful career in public relations in the fashion industry in London for more than eight years before moving to Hawai‘i in 2002. Smith’s work spans a vast array of magazines, retailers and television as well as working with individual clients on their specific style needs.

See her work at kimsmithstyle.com.