How To Wear Lace, This Season’s Most Romantic Trend

Good news: romance isn’t dead – at least, not on the fall/winter ’25 runways. This season marked the return of lingerie dressing, with brands from Chloé and McQueen to Ferragamo, Gucci and Saint Laurent embracing the trend in their collections – think featherlight fabrics, slinky silhouettes and, of course, lace. Whether used to craft entire looks or trace hemlines and necklines, wispy lace lent an air of ethereality to tops, skirts and dresses, evoking the look and feel of vintage French lingerie.

However, designers were careful not to let their lace ensembles feel overly sweet by styling them with more structured pieces, like leather, denim and tailoring. The result felt ultra modern and easy to replicate, as proven by the street-style set across fashion month, who layered lace-trimmed camis and slips over tailored pants or let them peek out beneath coats and midi skirts. Take notes from American Vogue’s Madeline Harper Fass by styling Chloé’s silk-satin camisole with Calvin Klein Collection’s tailored pants and an oversized leather jacket (Aimé Leon Dore’s aviator has all the hallmarks of a prized vintage find) for an effortlessly chic daytime look.

There’s something about leather and lace that works especially well for evening, too. Perfect for dinner dates and parties, Jil Sander’s ballet-pink slip skirt from the fall/winter ’25 runway is cut from languid satin and organza separated by a contrasting scalloped lace trim. Balance the fit with an oversized shirt and red strappy sandals – just as The Cut’s style director Jessica Willis did at New York Fashion Week – then shrug Magda Butrym’s leather jacket over the top.

Alternatively, make lace work for the office with Maria McManus’s satin-jacquard midi skirt from our NET SUSTAIN edit. Show off the pretty flocked polka-dot pattern by styling it with a cropped knit. This elegant piece pairs perfectly with a boxy blazer too, but for a look with a touch more attitude, try yours with The Frankie Shop’s ‘Senta’ jacket, finishing with Saint Laurent’s slingbacks and tinted sunglasses.