29 of the biggest viral moments in fashion from 2025

Fashion this year felt a bit like being on a very chic rollercoaster: thrilling, slightly disorienting, and full of moments that left us clutching our metaphorical pearls.

From a chaotic season of designer musical chairs to nostalgia-fuelled revivals, the industry gave us enough headlines to fill an entire group chat – and yes, we absolutely did fill the RUSSH editor's group chat with ample discussion on all of these topics.

It was the year heritage Houses reinvented themselves, supermodels got the flowers they’ve long deserved, and the internet collectively lost its mind over everything from bag charms to one very memorable Calvin Klein ad.

So here’s a recap of the biggest and most viral fashion moments that made up 2025.

1. La Watch Party kicks off the first fashion watch parties

When Lyas missed out on an invite to Jonathan Anderson's Dior debut, he took it upon himself to corral fellow fashion lovers into a local Parisian bar for an inaugural fashion watch party. In the wake of its success, La Watch Party was born: a booming event series tracking fashion weeks across major cities and bringing together fashion lovers who couldn't quite make it into the room where it happpened.

2. Jonathan Anderson debuts at Dior

Jonathan Anderson’s debut at Dior was arguably the most talked about and anticipated of the year. His tenure at LOEWE was an eight-year tour de force, and his reinvented vision for the French Maison of Dior was nothing short of the talk of the town.

3. The Row's SS26 hair combs

Cracking the Lyst Index's top five hottest brands this year, The Row's influence isn't to be underestimated. It seems like each season their runway spawns one trend or another. And in 2025, it was the year of the hair comb accessory. I mean, who doesn't have this image pinned to a Pinterest board or an Instagram saved folder right now?

4. Awar Odhiang closing at Mattheu Blazy's CHANEL

Awar Odhiang’s powerful CHANEL closing moment at Matthieu Blazy's debut SS26 runway was the kind of finale that gives you goosebumps even through a screen. The South Sudanese-Canadian model has been living rent-free in our heads ever since.

5. Pierpaolo Piccioli debuts at Balenciaga

Pierpaolo Piccioli’s Balenciaga debut in Paris blended poetry with edge, marking a striking new chapter for the House. Held in a reconstructed Parisian salon, the designer made clear that this was not a beginning, but a continuation, of Balenciaga's rich history.

6. Anok Yai finally wins Model of the Year

The ever-stylish Anok Yai’s long-overdue Model of the Year win at this year's British Fashion Awards felt like the universe finally catching up to what we’ve known for ages.

7. Bag charms take over

Fashion's most viral new accessory was the Labubu – but bag charms in general have become a mainstay in most brands' lexicon now. And they've since taken over with joyful chaos, turning every tote and top-handle into a tiny museum of personality.

8. Grace Wales Bonner heads to Hermès Menswear

Bonner’s move to Hermès Menswear felt like the perfect meeting of craft, intellect, and quiet cool. We'll continue to wait with anticipation for January 2027 when her debut collection at Hermès will arrive.

9. The Chloé Paddington renaissance

Chloé's Paddington bag made a triumphant, padlock-jangling return, leading the way for a resurgence of beat-up bag styles like Balenciaga's Le City and vintage Hermès Birkin bags.

10. Maria Grazia Chiuri final Dior collection

Maria Grazia Chiuri’s final Dior collection closed her tenure with a thoughtful, beautifully feminine exhale. These final Trompe l'oeil beaded gowns were burnt into our brains for weeks afterward.

11. Demna debuts at Gucci

Demna’s Gucci debut delivered the unexpected tension and sexiness the House had been needing. And he made his debut not with a runway, but with a short film starring called THE TIGER, directed by Spike Jonze and Halina Reijn, and starring Demi Moore.

12. LOEWE's sultry first campaign

LOEWE’s first sultry campaign arrived with the confidence of a brand fully aware of its own magnetism. And their debut in Paris was just as infected with a jolt of colour, athleticism, and cheeky provocation.

13. Louise Trotter debuts at Bottega Veneta

Louise Trotter’s Bottega Veneta debut reinforced the House’s love of power dressing – and assembled the FROW of our dreams: Zadie Smith, Michelle Yeoh, Owen Cooper included.

14. Giorigo Armani passes away

The passing of Giorgio Armani marked a profound moment of reflection for the fashion world and its enduring icons. The Maison's September show in Milan was a tribute to the eponymous designer complete with piano tribute by Ludovico Einaudi.

15. Katseye's GAP Denim ad had us in a chokehold

There were a few viral denim ads this year, but Katseye’s GAP Denim ad gripped the internet in all the right ways. Of course, TikTok was voraciously trying to learn the dance to Milkshake by Kelis, but we were just as invested in recreating their matching denim fits.

16. Nina Park went viral for her celebrity makeup looks

Nina Park’s viral lip combo has become the internet's latest beauty obsession, and we're guilty of also trying to recreate it at home (and of saving at least a handful of her celebrity glam shots to our Instagram folders).

17. A Devil Wears sequel was announced (and filmed)

It kind of feels like we've already seen the new Devil Wears Prada sequel because of how chronically viral their filming in NYC became. Even still, we're ready to see Andy back as our leading lady in 2026.

18. Michael Ryder debuts at CELINE

Michael Ryder’s CELINE debut brought a modern sharpness to the brand’s established rock-chic aesthetic. His debut, shown at the Maison's Parisian headquarters on Rue Vivienne, brought together American preppy classics, Parisian tailoring, and subtle nods to past CELINE eras.

19. Bad Bunny's Calvin Klein ad. That's it.

The singers’s Calvin Klein ad caused global distraction levels rarely seen outside televised sports finals. Coincidentally, Bad Bunny will in fact be playing at the biggest televised sport event next year: the Super Bowl.

20. The Met Gala gave us ample opportunity to judge costumes

This year’s Met Gala themed 'generously offered the internet a buffet of looks to lovingly critique.

21. Alex Consani continued to reign social media

Alex Consani reigned over social media yet again with unfaltering charm and humour.

22. The rise and rise of the 'sneakerina'

The ‘sneakerina’ trend barged in with pointe-worthy confidence, ushering balletcore into the streets. We truly can't think of a brand who hasn't created their own iteration at this point.

23. Duran Lantink headed to Jean Paul Gaultier

Duran Lantink’s move to Jean Paul Gaultier promised a boldly unconventional future for couture. And his debut at the House brought that promise to life with a polarising first collection in Paris.

24. We had a very brat-chella

Brat-chella became the neon-green, hyper-pop festival fever dream it was forecasted to be. But the looks pulled by Charli and her gaggle of on-stage surprise guests were what really caught our eye.

25. Glenn Martens takes the reigns at Maison Margiela

Glenn Martens taking over Maison Margiela signalled an exciting new era of deconstructed theatrics. It did mean the end of Galliano's era at the House though, so the moment was bittersweet.

26. Anora wins the Oscar and brings back hair tinsel

Anora’s Oscar win was a win for independent film at major award ceremonies, but what was truly influential in the fashion world was Annie's use of hair tinsel – a revival we didn't see coming, but that we're loving.

27. This particular look worn by Jeremy Strong at the Golden Globes

Jeremy Strong’s Golden Globes look had the internet debating whether it was genius, chaos, or both. The look was made by the Italian luxury brand Loro Piana (a favourite of Kendall Roy's too...).

28. Ayo Edebiri channels Julia Roberts (circa 1990) in LOEWE

Edebiri’s LOEWE look from this year's Golden Globes was a perfect homage that channelled peak 1990 Julia Roberts (in Armani no less) with modern charm. We love the repurposed gold feather headdress from Anderson's runway that made its way to Edebiri's fit as a tie.

29. Jane Birkin's personal Hermès Birkin sells for a record price

Birkin's personal, eponymous bag – the first ever made by Hermès – went up for auction this year. It sold for a whopping €8.6 million (approximately $10.1 million) at a Sotheby's auction in Paris in July 2025.