From neon eyelashes to angular bangs, beauty rebels against the mundane in the Paris Spring/Summer 2025 collections
Fashion month has officially wrapped with a week-long spectacle in Paris. Yet, as the final model steps off the runway and the last collection returns to the archives, the reverberations of this month-long spectacle echo far beyond the runway and reach deep into the realm of beauty. While fashion remains the core of the affair, beauty determines how the trends truly resonate. The hair, the makeup, and the finely curated details—these are what move from high fashion to everyday life, turning the seemingly exclusive into something accessible and real. This season, the runways of Paris reveal an intriguing mix of beauty trends worth looking at.
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Paris’ Spring/Summer 2025 beauty looks were equal parts timeless and defiant. They’re reminiscent of the famed hair toss at Betsey Johnson’s Fall/Winter 1998 show, evoking a sense of carefree rebellion, though perhaps with a more refined touch this time around. From angular bangs to oversized curls and colorful lashes, these beauty looks encapsulate a sense of timeless rebellion, making bold statements without saying a word.
90s Corporate Grunge Chic
Casablanca took notes from the underground countercultures of Los Angeles. Still, one can’t help but notice the nods to the grunge office siren aesthetic. It was a parade of 90s elements brought to life in a modern-day showcase—dark chocolate-lined lips, ultra-thin brows, and cool gray eyelids.
The hair looks played with drama and nostalgia. Models donned dramatic half-updos teased to the heavens, with most of the looks embracing frizz like a long-lost friend. Among them was a sleek black bob with bangs curling just right to the side, like Dita Von Teese if she got a haircut and reincarnated as a grunge goddess. Overall, it’s a style resurrection that marries class with a wink of rebellion.
Neon Flutters
Though the first without its eponymous designer, this season’s Dries Van Noten collection was a beauty carnival—a vibrant party ushering in a new era. Lashes were bathed in neon colors and even the lower lashes were lengthened and given new life. Yet, it bears noting that this isn’t a first for the brand. Back in Fall 2018, their models wore the same chemical yellow and magenta mascaras. Impractical, exciting, strange—call it what you want, but it proves that their love affair with playful rebellion runs deep.
Peek-a-Bang
Missed the Mugler show? So did the models, thanks to the extreme V-shaped bangs that covered their eyes. While the look may feel quite eerie at first, it all makes sense in hindsight, as these jet-black angular wigs with bangs that dropped all the way down to the sides of the mouth complemented the techno-apocalyptic pieces that were showcased. Intriguing? Absolutely. Practical? Not quite—just ask Cardi B, who sat front row donning the same wig and humorously admitted she could hardly see the runway. Nonetheless, the look plays into the drama of the runway, and we all love a good fringe to keep things interesting.
Frames of Flora
If your backyard and futurism had a lovechild, it would be the ethereal beauty displayed at the Issey Miyake show. Models glided down the runway wearing pressed flowers and greens as eyewear, looking like they’d just stepped out of a dream. The delicate flora was meticulously crafted to match the S/S25 collection which is rooted in the history of paper making, making the overall show a stunning homage to nature’s artistry. This botanical touch to the otherwise modern collection subtly rebels against the sterile perfection often found in high fashion—once again proving that, sometimes, true beauty thrives in creative, uncharted spaces.
Timeless Tresses
The Vivienne Westwood collection under Andreas Kronthaler’s creative direction zeroed in on the sensuality of a woman and the ultra-feminine, a theme perfectly mirrored in the models’ hairdos. The hair was all about drama and volume punctuated by deep side parts and bouncy updos from the 70s. It was messy in the most artful way. It evoked images of Brigitte Bardot if she was ever found lounging on the French Riviera, and married agelessness and defiance in an elegant manner.
Paris has always been home to the experimental, and this season’s beauty looks showed a fearless exploration of identity. It reminds spectators of what once was and what the future holds, and fuses it with the unique identity of each House—inviting one and all to a journey that blends nostalgia with a forward-thinking vision.
Featured Image and Photos: FILIPPO FIOR, CASABLANCA, DRIES VAN NOTEN, ISSEY MIYAKE, VIVIENNE WESTWOOD
