Thursday, 23 January 2025

Fashion as Resistance: Walter Van Beirendonck’s Brilliant Autumn/Winter 2025-26 Collection in Paris

An enthralled audience at the runway show of Walter Van Beirendonck in Paris. The juxtaposition of the familiar, and the strange makes his work compelling. Photograph and masthead by Anna Nguyen for DAM 

Walter Van Beirendonck delivered a show-stopping collection at Paris Fashion Week merging imaginative designs with searing social critique. The Belgian, known for his fearless approach to fashion, used the Autumn/Winter 2025-26 menswear runway as a platform to confront the turmoil of our times. His ability to weave cutting-edge work with poignant commentary once again cemented his status as one of fashion’s most daring and enduring creative forces, writes Antonio Visconti. Photography by Jay Zoo and Anna Nguyen

The Belgian designer, a member of the 
1980s Antwerp Six, says he took a
"contemplative" approach to 
designing his new collection.
Photograph: Jay Zoo
WHILE many designers often shy away from engaging directly with the political sphere, Walter Van Beirendonck’s willingness to take a stand is a hallmark of his work. Speaking after the show, the designer made it clear that his collection was a direct response to the political turmoil surrounding the inauguration of US President Donald Trump.

The designer expressed his belief that too many in the fashion world remained silent, afraid of alienating potential customers or disrupting the status quo. In a moment of candour, he stated to Agence France-Presse: “Too much war, too much extreme right,” underscoring his frustration with the state of the world. 

He also lamented the fashion industry’s lack of action: “They are all afraid of selling less, the money is an issue, that’s why we see the most incredible things happening and nobody is reacting.”

Van Beirendonck's comments echoed his broader belief in fashion as a form of resistance and commentary. He has long used his designs to address issues of identity, human rights, and environmental sustainability, and his latest collection continues this tradition. The alien motifs, in particular, have become synonymous with his work as a symbol of the outsider. To Van Beirendonck, aliens represent those who are different or misunderstood, and his runway show served as a celebration of that difference.

The Belgian uses his work to speak out on pressing issues, and his Autumn/Winter 2025 collection was obviously no exception. Politically-charged messages were embroidered into many pieces. Jackets bore patches that read “Peace, not war” and “We come in peace,” resonating with the current global climate of tension and division. 

Walter Van Beirendonck sees fashion as a form of resistance and has long used his designs to address issues of identity, human rights, and environmental sustainability

Backstage before Walter Van Beirendonck's
show in Paris, the models wear elongated, 
prosthetic fingers as part of their look.
Photograph: Jay Zoo
These messages of peace and unity were amplified during the show’s finale, as models gathered at the center of the crescent-shaped runway, raising peace signs while John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Give Peace a Chance played in the background. The moment felt both celebratory and mournful, a reminder of how far the world still has to go in the pursuit of harmony.

While the show’s political messages were loud and clear, Van Beirendonck’s craftsmanship and technical innovation remained central to his work. He is a master of balancing artistic expression with wearability, and this collection was no different. Alongside the more outlandish designs, there were classic loose-fitting suits in rich tweeds, a nod to traditional menswear but reinterpreted through the designer’s unique lens. 

These suits, paired with oversized scarves or sculptural headpieces, conveyed an air of both elegance and rebellion. The juxtaposition of the familiar with the strange is what makes Van Beirendonck’s work so compelling: it challenges the viewer to question what fashion can be.

Messages of peace and unity were amplified during the show’s finale, as models gathered  raising peace signs while John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s 'Give Peace a Chance' played 

Checked suits, oversized bowler hats and 
shirts with cartoony motifs were 
beautifully made yet subversive. 
Photograph: Anna Nguyen
This latest collection was a virtuoso exploration of contrasts. Van Beirendonck continues to push the boundaries of fashion, blending nostalgia with forward-thinking design. Models strode down the runway in a striking mix of oversized beige bowler hats and Seventies checkered suits, which nodded to retro bohemian aesthetics while subverting expectations with their avant-garde flair. 

The influence of past decades was undeniable, yet Van Beirendonck’s work was not nostalgic. His pieces embraced theatrical proportions and surreal details, challenging conventional menswear norms.

The collection’s alien-inspired elements took centre stage. There were references to extraterrestrial life in the form of exaggerated silicone finger prosthetics. These spindly, otherworldly appendages punctuated the models' looks, adding a layer of the preternatural to the collection's serious undertones. 

The alien theme was further explored through cartoonish motifs, such as spacecraft-adorned collared shirts and handbags designed to resemble alien faces, which added to the spectral atmosphere. Van Beirendonck’s fascination with the unknown served as both a visual motif and a metaphor for the marginalized, the outsiders of society. But the designs are beautifully made using superb textiles.

"I focused heavily on precise tailoring and high-quality fabrics, and I used traditional knowledge dating back centuries to think up new lengths and exciting shapes using innovative methods." he explained. "Beautiful fabrics sourced from English and Scottish mills, mixed with 3D-printed pieces and AI-generated images. Alien couches that care for you!"

The collection’s alien-inspired elements like the exaggerated silicone finger prosthetics, added a layer of the preternatural to the collection's serious undertones. 

A sleek overcoat and natty bag
contrast with alien-like fingers.
Photograph: Jay zoo
The collection was steeped in social commentary. In his show notes, the designer made it clear that he felt fashion had become too obsessed with nostalgia, particularly with the growing trend of vintage and archival clothing. “The boom of vintage or archival clothing... makes for few interesting or unseen volumes walking the streets,” he remarked, calling for a reinvention of fashion that moves beyond the past. 

Van Beirendonck designed classic suits but reimagined them in bold new ways. Wide trousers with pleats that ballooned out, and jackets that hugged the shoulders before trailing into elongated lines, were part of his effort to redefine the silhouette of modern menswear.

The collection also leaned heavily into what could be described as a dystopian aesthetic, with references to workwear and futuristic fabrics. Baseball caps with floor-length fringe and bomber jackets with oversized studs were some of the standout pieces that made a statement about the state of the world today. 

The emphasis on bright neon colors: orange, pink, green, and electric blue added to the sense of otherworldliness, contrasting sharply with some of the more subdued, muted pieces in brown and navy. Despite the fanciful elements, the underlying message was clear. 

Van Beirendonck’s collection was also a call to action, a plea for creativity to respond to the political challenges of the moment. His provocative statements, from the alien motifs to the political patches and peace symbols, encapsulated his belief that fashion should be more than just a product to be consumed. 

Classic suits were reimagined in bold new ways: wide trousers with pleats ballooned out, jackets hugged the shoulders before trailing into elongated lines, redefining the silhouette of modern menswear

The collection finale in all its corporeal splendour.
Photograph: Anna Nguyen. 


The designer remains one of the most visionary minds in fashion, undeterred by trends and unafraid to make bold statements. His Paris show reaffirmed his commitment to not only pushing the limits of design but also using fashion as a vehicle for social and political commentary. 

From his career taking off in the 1980s in Antwerp until now, Van Beirendonck has seen design as a way to challenge the status quo. And in times of crisis, he believes it becomes even more essential to speak out through creative expression. In an era where many are hesitant to speak out, Walter Van Beirendonck’s new collection stood as a powerful reminder that fashion can, and should, be a force for change.

Scroll down to see more highlights from the show including exclusive backstage images

Paris Fashion Week. Autumn/Winter 2025-2026: Walter Van Beirendonck. Photograph: Anna Nguyen
Paris Fashion Week, Autumn/Winter 2025-26: Walter Van Beirendonck. Photograph; Anna Nguyen
Paris Fashion Week, Autumn/Winter 2025-26: Walter Van Beirendonck. Photograph: Anna Nguyen
Paris Fashion Week, Autumn/Winter 2025-26: Walter Van Beirendonck: Photograph: Jay Zoo

Paris Fashion Week, Autumn/Winter 2025-26: Walter Van Beirendonck. Photograph: Jay Zoo    

Paris Fashion Week, Autumn/Winter 2025-26: Walter Van Beirendonck. Photograph; Anna Nguyen

Paris Fashion Week, Autumn/Winter 2025-26: Walter Van Beirendonck. Photograph: Anna Nguyen
Paris Fashion Week, Autumn/Winter 2025-26: Walter Van Beirendonck. Photograph: Anna Nguyen

Paris Fashion Week, Autumn/Winter 2025-26: Walter Van Beirendonck. Photograph: Jay Zoo

Paris Fashion Week, Autumn/Winter 2025-26: Walter Van Beirendonck. Photograph: Jay Zoo

Paris Fashion Week, Autumn/Winter 2025-26: Walter Van Beirendonck. Photograph: Anna Nguyen

Paris Fashion Week, Autumn/Winter 2025-26: Walter Van Beirendonck. Photograph: Jay Zoo

Paris Fashion Week, Autumn/Winter 2025-26: Walter Van Beirendonck. Photograph: Anna Nguyen

Paris Fashion Week, Autumn/Winter 2025-26: Walter Van Beirendonck. Photograph: Jay Zoo

Paris Fashion Week, Autumn/Winter 2025-26: Walter Van Beirendonck. Photograph: Jay Zoo

Paris Fashion Week, Autumn/Winter 2025-26: Walter Van Beirendonck. Photograph: Jay Zoo
Paris Fashion Week, Autumn/Winter 2025-26: Walter Van Beirendonck. Photograph: Jay Zoo
Paris Fashion Week, Autumn/Winter 2025-26: Walter Van Beirendonck. Photograph: Jay Zoo



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