Fashion 2025: Pump up the volume!

Well… let’s admit that minimalism era it’s going to be… minimize. Maximalism is making its much-anticipated return, with extra-embellished dresses, dozen of porte-bonheur little fury animals hanging on every luxury bag, with bows over frills, candy colors, extravagante hats and gigantic pearls worn as crossbody bags and a huge dose of fun & joy. This spring, the tone of the accessories was turned up to the maximum.

Maximalism was fun, joy, gossips and tons of fabrics

Remember the outfits of the Met Gala? Whatever year (or theme) you are thinking about right now, I am pretty sure that there was an outfit which became viral because was… too much accessorized, too big, too crazy, too colorful, too maximalist. (OK, we are not talking about the no-dress no-nothing from this year appearance of Bianca Censori). Sarah Jessica Parker and Alexander McQueen (2006) in matching tartans, Rihanna (2015) in a huge yellow “omelette dress”, Alessandro Michele, Lana del Rey and Jared Leto (2018) in Gucci coordinated outfits, Iman (2021) in a custom brocade jumpsuit worn under a feathered overskirt and matching headpiece, Kim Kardashian (2019) in Thierry Mugler body-like dress, Blake Lively (2022) with the changing colors dress and the list could go on… 

Remember the flamboiant outfits of Carrie in “Sex and the City”? The layering, the tulle skirts, the weird misfits hats and shoes, the crazy layering that made her style iconic? Remember all the outfits of Lady Gaga (from McQueen stilettos to meat-packed dress)? Or (almost every) recent picture of Harry Styles? 

Remember “Moulin Rouge” (2001), directed by Baz Luhrmann – a feast for the eyes with its extravagant costumes and dramatic set pieces, vibrant colors, intricate patterns, and over-the-top accessories? Or… “The Great Gatsby” (2013), another Baz Luhrmann spectacle – with opulent 1920s wardrobes, rich with embellishments, sequins, and flamboyant accessories that epitomize the excess of the Jazz Age? How about “Marie Antoinette” (2006), directed by Sofia Coppola – French aristocracy in an an array of pastel hues, voluminous silhouettes, and an excess of lace and ruffles? 

Are you smiling and dreaming already of a colorful world? Of course you are! 

What I am trying to say is that, for all these people, fashion was not just a way of dressing. Fashion was a playground for the bold ones. A stage where each accessory, each layer of fabric added a new depth to the narrative. And, in a way, it was fun. 

But where and when maximalism was lost? 

Maybe was “Succession” serie and the quiet luxury fuss to blame. Or maybe it was the subtle influence of the Nordic designers, taking the reign in fashion industry. For sure, it was about the loud & noisy social environment around us which made us looking for a secure escape. In the last years, minimalism has infiltrated, step by step, as the must-have fashion trend for masses, making quiet luxury the one and only trend worth wearing if you take yourself seriously in fashion. With its widespread domination of catwalks and storefront displays, it’s been pushing the colorful and chaotic design preferences into the back of the dressing room. Well… some would say quiet luxury has stolen the fun from fashion. And most people wanted it back.

“I’m so tired of everyone constantly equating modernity with simplicity. Can’t the new also be worked, be baroque, be extravagant?” That was the question that Schiaparelli creative director Daniel Roseberry shared with the guests attending the brand’s Paris Haute Couture runway show, an inspirational quote for a conversation around the influence of visually stimulating collections and maximalist design at Fashion Week – a crucial shift begging for an end to an era of fashion defined by minimalism. And things seem to move. According to a recent Pinterest report, this year will see a focus on bold forms of expression, encouraging us to engage all of our senses through our style choices. “Our 2025 Pinterest Predicts trend report signals a return to maximalism and daring styles…in 2025, more will be more”, says Sydney Stanback, global trends and insights lead at Pinterest.

Let’s start with a bit of history…

Maximalism isn’t just popping up out of nowhere; it’s steeped in history. When times are good, fashion gets loud (and sometimes when times are not but we need a way to express louder). Think of the Renaissance folks strutting around in their ruffs and doublets, the Rococo design or the Victorians with their corsets and crinolines. So when did fashion maximalism begin? We could ask Marie Antoinette – was rumored to have 300 outfits made for her each year, and she never wore anything twice. Fast forward, in the 30s and 50s, Schiaparelli was one of the first fashion houses that actually stood on the aesthetic of maximalism – think only of the lobster dress but also of the other pieces with a surrealist touch. Then of course we had the 70s – disco era, but the punk style and the western style, hippies and more. What all of them had in common? Maxi accessorize!

The 1980s came with Versace mood-board and with his bold prints and louder colors. But also with the Japanese influence from the Harajuku fashion – a combination of Lolita, funk, color, patterns, street, fairy, gothic. In the 90s the maximalist vibe was tempered but still some brands (as Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen) promoted it. A few years ago – Gucci under Alessandro Michele’s reign, resurrecting this “more is more” spirit with a modern twist.

How to be a maximalist?

OK, maybe not Lady Gaga sort of maximalist, but still a cool one… First of all, you have to understand that maximalist fashion isn’t for the faint of heart – it’s for those who are brave enough to show their inner worlds on their outer selves. Secondly, try to follow a simple rule: mix and mach and, when you think it is loud enough, add something more. Being practical right now, you can easily become a maximalist just putting these things on the shopping list…

1. Bold patterns & prints – we’re talking polka dots crashing into stripes, animal prints matched with abstract shapes, paisleys and plaids thrown together. Tips: keep a color or pattern that ties the whole look together.
2. Colors, many colors – neon greens, deep magentas, cobalt blue, hues of pink. Tips: choose one bright color and mix it with more faded ones and maybe some prints. 
3. Layering of all kind – stacking different textures and pieces, like a sheer blouse over a lace camisole, topped with a chunky sweater. Tips: you can choose one big oversized piece and mix it with soft layerings. 
4. More and more embellishments – beads, pearls, glitter, fringes, and embroidery – they don’t just decorate; they transform an outfit. Tips: accessories in maximalism are like punctuation signs, they make your point clear and strong, therefore choose oversized glasses, chunky watches, cool bags (or even a layering of bags), tiaras, hair accessories, weird heeled shoes or statement hats. 

(Miu Miu, Versace, Prada)

(Balmain, Louis Vuitton, Ganni)

The catwalks to watch right now 

Maximalism made a major comeback, with beaded jackets worn with ruffled floral chiffon skirts, lace tights, and jewels at Valentino; brocade pieces mixed with lace blouses and satin skirts at Saint Laurent; and swinging rope necklaces layered over blouson tweeds at Louis Vuitton. The Spring/Summer 2025 runways reflected this shift also in Balmain’s dramatic prints and Ganni’s oversized silhouettes, where exaggeration and extravagance were focal elements. Even in accessories, we saw embellished socks and purses at Fendi, playful texture combinations at Bottega Veneta and oversized bags at Coach – a maximalist design direction, for sure. On New York Fashion Week, the Marc Jacobs show had a number of designs that emulated cartoonish shapes, silhouettes and scale, in neoprene, felt and faux fur, with three-dimensional elements while, in his last collection at Loewe, JW Anderson had us bouncing to his beat of 19th-century hoop-skirted dresses and iridescent lacquered feathers. Not to mention the master of all masters, The Italian luxury brand Schiaparelli, known for its avid use of trompe l’oeil design details, who pushed the boundaries of physical garments and the physics of a traditional hourglass silhouette with the presentation of its spring Haute Couture 2025 collection during Paris Fashion Week.

Are you ready to try the new trend? As one of the fashion stylists once said, maximalist fashion isn’t just about dressing up; it’s about dressing loud, very loud. And having lots of fun. 

Photography: www.pixabay.com, www.outnow.ch, Facebook pages of the brands.