PARIS — The bachelor of arts students at Institut Français de la Mode didn’t play it safe, anchoring their runway show in bold political messaging.
For their final looks, the 30 featured students marched in handmade T-shirts emblazoned with slogans like “Stop Funding Wars” and “No Civilians Should Pay for their Government’s Choices.”
“To be young right now and not say something is the worst thing you can do,” said Ahisma Arce, a student from the U.S. whose collection toyed with exaggerated proportions, including trousers so high-waisted they were suspended from the wrists. “It’s important to say something no matter what you believe. it was hard to get everyone on the same page, but it was worth doing.”
An undercurrent of subversion ran through many collections. Chilean student Vicente Aycaguer Muñoz challenged gender norms with men in skirts, tights, pussy-bow blouses, and a supremely voluminous floral coat. Ivorian-French student Assoké Felix Loadjro sent male models down the runway with baby bumps, while Lili Zavatta delivered a red latex minidress on a male model — bulge exposed. At a time when traditional roles are increasingly being pushed into policy, the students made their stance clear.
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Some collections were even more overt and wore their politics on their sleeves, such as Zelig Davoult who featured the Palestinian flag, pro-Gaza messages, and dresses constructed from keffiyehs.
Others leaned into conceptual craft. South Korean student Goun Jeong wrapped her models like chic presents, including one standout trench with contrasting patterns, bows and pleats.
French student Rosalie Bernard used quills in a blurred softness that belied its spikiness in a striking column dress, while Yelyzaveta Dimitriieva reimagined traditional Ukrainian textiles into modern knitwear, including a standout pair of pink boots.
Where the clothing occasionally fell short, accessories stepped up. The students showcased their training across footwear and bag design with playful results.
Victoire Pedron’s bunny clutches and bouncy jelly bags were squishily delightful; Zavatta’s disco ball shoes added a visual jolt; Alan Llorca Roose’s hardhat-turned-handbag brought industrial edge, and Théo Senesane’s bedazzled boxing gloves and pink thigh-high boot-pockets added flair.
Some explored various states of undress as a theme. Lyrone Journo sent models out in bath towels, while Simon Ancelin’s designs featured models holding paper patterns to their bodies like wearable efforts.
“There is something coming back, like a kind of new sensuality,” noted BA program and artistic director Thierry Rondenet. The students engaged more with draping and fabric manipulation, often repurposing textiles. Woven leather — like giant Bottega bags — appeared in several collections, alongside lots of swingy fringe.
“There is a different attitude about the way that you put clothes on the body, something like a natural kind of chic,” Rondenet added. “This year they worked more on fitting, so the construction was really related to the body.”
Other collections playfully explored texture. French student Chloé Laplante took the “tomato girl summer” trend to its surreal extreme with red, rounded forms inspired by food. In a key look, she replaced sequins with crushed eggshells on a mesh shirt, which added dimension and depth in a very unexpected way.
Out of 69 eligible collections, 30 were selected to show. Other students in the lineup included Tidjane Tall, Ken Gongyuan Xie, Julius Scheffel, Eugenia Alonso Alexander, Jihao Liu, Erwan L’Heron, Antoine Lledo, Ore Atowoju, Lucien Caillou Branchelot, Amandine Leost, Peru Goenaga Goikoetxea, Candice Moring, Zilan Ma, Gonzalo Garcia Marina, Rphael Ignazi and Clementine Smith.
The event drew fashion insiders, including ANDAM founder Nathalie Dufour and rising designers Alain Paul and Charles de Vilmorin. The afternoon also featured a showcase from Supima cotton.
