I started wearing all black at the start of my fashion career. Mostly, it was because I didn’t have any money and it’s easier to make black look expensive. I’ve largely stuck to it, because I spent years building a black wardrobe and now I’m too far down the rabbit hole. But according to the Autumn/Winter 2025 shows, I’m now on-trend.
In Paris and Milan, black looks dominated many of the shows for AW25 — more so than the typical Autumn/Winter season. 198 looks (8 per cent of total looks) at Milan Fashion Week were entirely black, up 16 per cent on AW24, according to data from Tagwalk. While at Paris Fashion Week, 247 looks (8 per cent) were entirely black, up 17 per cent on AW24. It’s likely reflecting dark times, amid sociopolitical uncertainty worldwide. But as consumer spending slowly recovers and the luxury market stabilises, is all-black fashion truly going to inspire us to shop?
The majority of shows in Paris opened with one or more black looks, including each of the debuts at Tom Ford, Givenchy and Dries Van Noten, setting the tone for darker collections. In London, a sombre mood was felt. And even in Copenhagen, a fashion city known for its colourful collections, black looks represented a third of the CPHFW total on Vogue Runway, up from 25 per cent in AW24, according to Vogue Business calculations.
It’s not just the runway. Several outlets noted the dominance of black looks on the red carpet this awards season, especially the Baftas, where scores of stars wore black gowns. Often an arbiter of trends, Kylie Jenner wore black looks at most of her award ceremony appearances, alongside boyfriend Timothée Chalamet. At the Grammys, Miley Cyrus and Olivia Rodrigo wore black leather dresses, while Kendall Jenner and Emily Ratajkowski opted for all-black lace.
From a psychological perspective, the resurgence of black in fashion may reflect collective mood shifts influenced by economic, social and political uncertainty, says fashion psychologist Carolyn Mair. And judging by the awards season acceptance speeches and AW25 fashion show notes, which addressed important issues like LGBTQ+ rights and immigration, creative people in all fields are feeling solemn about the state of the world today. “Historically, dark fashion has often emerged in response to challenging times, offering a sense of grounding, resilience and sophistication amid instability,” Mair adds. “Black is also linked to emotional depth and realism, which might resonate with consumers seeking authenticity in a world dominated by rapid change and digital saturation.”
