Romantic and Raw, Altuzarra's F/W 25 Show Was a Study in Contrasts

Women contain multitudes, so why shouldn't our wardrobes, too? Nobody wants to be pigeonholed by fashion archetypes—a fact that Joseph Altuzarra clearly understands. His fall/winter 2025 collection presented during New York Fashion Week was ingeniously incongruous. "Softness and vulnerability contrast with overt sexuality and strength," he wrote in the show notes.

One way Altuzarra played into the theme of contrasts was through his use of disparate materials. One look featured a cozy wool jacket combined with an airy chiffon skirt. Another outfit blended structured cotton with liquid-like silk. Color and silhouette were other tools used. "Rich jewel tones mingle with quieter pinks and nudes, while silk garments are nipped at the waist and accentuated with shoulder pads," the show notes explained. "Fragile crystal embroidery becomes subverted in giant proportions, transforming into shield-like studs.The result is exquisite chaos." Don't you love that phrase, "exquisite chaos"? I'll try to remember it the next time my closet looks like a natural disaster hit.

Below, I've organized my favorite Altuzarra F/W 25 runway looks into three categories: soft, structured, and sexy. What fun is fashion without a little bit of all three?

Soft

Flowy. Ethereal. Light-as-air. Muted. These are just some of the words that came to mind when I studied Altuzarra's newest collection. These pieces will no doubt appeal to the romantic at heart. "While past collections leaned on expansive, thematic inspirations," the show notes explained, "this season turns inward, drawing from deeply personal artifacts: letters, mementos, diaries. Smudged kisses resemble marks left on a napkin. Botanical prints evoke dried flowers, lovingly preserved or hastily sketched in a notebook. Both speak to long forgotten intimacies."

Structured

We can't be all soft, all the time. Joseph Altuzarra knows that women also appreciate structure in their closets, so he incorporated several office-worthy looks, too. My favorite? The navy blazer with the popped collar and cinched waist styled with simple beige trousers and black slingback heels. It's the kind of confidence-boosting outfit you'd wear to an important job interview or client meeting.

Sexy

After analyzing Altuzarra's F/W 25 show, the third category I came up with was "sexy." But his version of sex appeal is not one size fits all. On one end of the spectrum, you have a completely sheer, flowy maxi dress rendered in a striking purple hue. On the other end, you have shirred bodycon LBDs perfect for a night out on the town. Whether you prefer loose or formfitting after-dark looks, Altuzarra has you covered.

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