Quick update in our ongoing game of creative director musical chairs: Jonathan Anderson is the new creative director of menswear at Dior. Huh, that was relatively tame. Oh, except for the fact that Prada bought out Versace for a cool €1.25 billion. No biggie. Let’s see how many creative director switcheroos we see this month (hopefully none, we’re exhausted!).
As we approach the sluggish midsection of the year, the weather is starting to cool down and the gloomy days are upon us. Fortunately, we can always count on a little sartorial excitement to liven things up. So, let’s get caught up. It’s the first day of the new month and May 2025 has already brought us some tasty fashion news tidbits. Already, we’ve got a cool new collaboration courtesy of Christian Louboutin and a campaign from Mulberry celebrating British craftsmanship.
Welcome back to On Thread, our monthly fashion news digest. Here, we deliver all the need-to-know fashion industry moves and updates, collaborations, and new collections and drops in an easily digestible, bite-sized format. Bon appétit!
As per usual, we’ll continue to update On Thread daily in reverse chronological order, with the newest news on top.
May 2025 fashion news
Here, you’ll find all the fashion news worth knowing in May 2025.
Pierpaolo Piccioli is the new creative director of Balenciaga
Just when we thought things would be quiet on the creative director front, a new move in our ongoing game of musical chairs has emerged. Pierpaolo Piccioli has been announced as the new creative director of Balenciaga, succeeding Demna Gvasalia (known eponymously as Demna).
For those playing along at home, Piccioli was the creative director at Valentino from 2008 to 2024, and had worked at the Italian luxury fashion house since 1999. He was succeeded at Valentino by former Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele who had departed the brand in 2023. Michele was succeeded at Gucci by Sabato De Sarno, who served as creative director for less than two years, from 2023 to 2025, before being replaced by Demna, who stepped down from his role as creative director at Balenciaga in March 2025. Still with us? Tl;dr, it’s basically a neverending series of switcheroos.
Pierpaolo Piccioli’s appointment as creative director at Balenciaga signals a shift for the luxury Spanish fashion house, with the former Valentino creative director set to put his own spin on Cristóbal Balenciaga’s legacy. While Demna worked to shape the brand as a contemporary icon for the streetstyle crowd, we predict Piccioli will lean into its couture heritage while injecting it with modern flair.
“In all its phases, while constantly evolving and changing, Balenciaga has never lost track of the House’s aesthetic values. What I am receiving is a brand full of possibilities that is incredibly fascinating,” Piccioli said of his new role. “I must first and foremost thank Demna; I’ve always admired his vision. I couldn’t ask for a better passing of the torch. This gives me the chance to shape a new version of the Maison, adding another chapter with a new story.”
Loewe and On release the seventh instalment of their ongoing collaboration
Frequent collaborators Loewe and On are back yet again, releasing the seventh drop of their ongoing collaboration. For FW25, the duo have expanded their ready-to-wear offering and launched the Cloudventure 2.0 sneaker, which represents a remake of the original collaborative design. Here, the Cloudventure 2.0 features a new upper crafted with semi-translucent mesh and layered over the recognisable Loewe anagram logo. The sneaker combines On’s signature Cloudtec technology with Helion super foam, to ensure optimal comfort and performance, while the Missiongrip rubber outsole is aesthetically enhanced with a unique marble effect. On the ready-to-wear side, pieces include technical garments and statement outerwear designed to elevate active endeavours.
Burberry and Highgrove usher in a northern hemisphere spring with a royal-approved collab
British luxury fashion house Burberry, holder of an official Royal Warrant, celebrates its relationship with the crown with a collaboration with Highgrove Gardens, which surround the private residence of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla. The Burberry x Highgrove capsule collection celebrates the onset of the warmer months in the northern hemisphere, with pieces drawing inspiration from the work of artist Helen Bullock, whose vibrant designs are in turn inspired by the beauty of the natural world. Laden with British charm, the collection sees Bullock four artworks inspired by the carefully cultivated oasis that is the Kitchen Garden at Highgrove.
“‘”The Gardens are so vast and rich it was hard to decide where to start,” said Bullock. “‘But I soon fell for the tangled sway of wildflowers and that special combination of dancing poppies and cosmos.”
The 28-piece capsule collection spans menswear, womenswear, and accessories, with the natural inspiration continuing onto the construction of the garments themselves; the main material of each piece is made from either certified wool, organic cotton, or organic silk.
The accompanying collection campaign is creative directed by Daniel Lee and shot by Camille Summers-Valli, and depicts actors Elizabeth McGovern, Laura Carmichael, and Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù in a series of family moments amidst the quaint charm of a British country house and garden.
Explore the Burberry x Highgrove collection via Burberry.
Oroton gears up for a restorative holiday with Resort ’25 collection
Destined to invoke a desire to flick on your OOO and book a relaxing, forest bathing-adjacent holiday, the Oroton Resort ’25 collection introduces a slate of new ready-to-wear pieces and leather handbags. Shot at a lake house, the collection features a rich colour palette laden with bucolic details; think apple motifs embroidered onto tunic dresses, patch pockets, frindged sleeves and hems, and an abundance of multi-coloured stripes. Pieces are crafted from pure cotton and linen and designed to pair seamlessly with the Australian handbag brand‘s styles, including the Mica Mini Bowler.
Explore The Lake House resort collection via Oroton.
Tiffany & Co.’s Sea of Wonder high jewellery collection captures the mystery and allure of the ocean
Tiffany & Co. has released its Blue Book 2025: Sea of Wonder high jewellery collection, which translates the boundless beauty of underwater flora and fauna into wearable form. An evocative material palette of blue zircons, cabochon sapphires, moonstones, rubies, emeralds, and diamonds are used to express starfish, sea turtles, seahorses, marine plant life, and the waves of the ocean itself as mythical and mystical beings. The collection comprises six distinct chapters: Seahorse, Sea Turtle, Ocean Flora, Starfish, Urchin, and Wave. A highlight is the Seahorse, which reimagines Jean Schlumberger’s iconic 1968 brooch in a material palette of moonstones and blue zircons.
Explore Blue Book 2025: Sea of Wonder via Tiffany & Co.
Emporio Armani and Our Legacy reconvene for a second capsule collection
Despite unexpected collaborations being so commonplace that they’re, well, expected these days, the news of a link up between Emporio Armani and Our Legacy still came as something of a surprise in 2023. However, the grungy, yet considered aesthetic and textural interest of the Swedish fashion label served as the ideal foil to the vintage-inspired elegance of the Italian fashion house. Together, the dialogue between the two resulted in a fresh, elevated take on workwear style.
Now, the two brands have joined forces again. This time around, the duo reimagine design codes from the Armani archive, with Our Legacy recreating vintage Armani fabrics.
“To design within the boundaries of what already exists is a challenge – but also an opportunity,” said Cristopher Nying, Our Legacy’s creative director. “These fabrics carry history. Seeing them return in a new form made the entire process unexpectedly rewarding.”
Throughout the collection, there are references to traditional East Asian attire, seen in kimono-style coats, slippers, and Japanese floral pocket linings, while womenswear appears for the first time in the form of oversized jackets, pinstripe trousers, swimsuits, and waistcoats.
“I love things that age well,” Giorgio Armani, founder of his eponymous brand, shared. “Things that don’t date, that stand the test of time both in terms of durability and wearability.”
Giorgio Armani’s villa in Pantelleria, a volcanic island off the coast of Sicily, serves as the backdrop of the collaboration’s campaign, shot by British photographer Alasdair McLellan.
The Emporio Armani x Our Legacy collaboration launches on the 16th of May 2025 and will be available in the Armani/Manzoni store in Milan and select Our Legacy stores in Stockholm, London, Berlin, and Seoul, as well as selected retail partners.
Chanel translates the iconography of its N°5 fragrance into jewellery form
If Chanel N°5 has you in a chokehold, boy do we have the necklace for you. Chanel first introduced its N°5 high jewellery collection in 2021, to commemorate a century of the iconic Chanel N°5 fragrance, which was first introduced in 1921. The pièce de résistance was the 55.55 necklace—an exceptional piece set with a 55.55 carat diamond—which now sits within the French luxury fashion house’s heritage collection.
Four years later, the famed fragrance serves as the inspiration for the maison’s new fine jewellery collection. The N°5 fine jewellery lineup comprises a troop of wearable pieces. At the heart of the collection, there’s the Eternal N°5 Diamond Line Necklace, a short necklace with a line of eternity-style diamonds which can be adjusted into a choker with the number ‘5’ sitting in its centre. There’s also a matching Eternal N°5 Diamond Line Bracelet, as well as bangles, rings, and a pendant necklace.
Explore the N°5 Fine Jewellery collection via Chanel.
Dior embraces whimsy with Diorexquis high jewellery collection
Dior has unveiled its latest high jewellery collection, dreamt up by Victorire de Castellane, creative director of Dior High Jewellery. Titled ‘Diorexquis’, the collection creates a glittery dialogue between gemstones, by playing with volumes and layers. Pieces draw inspiration from nature, reflecting the passage of time through the rhythm of the seasons: the purity of winter is recalled through icy tones; the effervescence of spring through blooming flora; and the joy of summer reflected in shimmering stones.
Making fantasy a reality, each piece in the collection epitomises the pinnacle of savoir-faire. Highlights include the opale doublet technique, which sees a layer of opal mounted onto either an onyx or mother-of-pear to create an enchanting effect that recalls the nuances of the sky or water. Elsewhere, the plique-à-jour method is used to form colourful clustered through vitreous enamelling which forms transparent lacquer in a manner akin to miniature stained glass windows.
Explore the Diorexquis high jewellery collection via Dior.
New Balance goes grey (again)
Feeling grey? Good — you should be. New Balance is back with Grey Days, an annual celebration of the greyscale tones that have come to define the American sportswear brand’s footwear aesthetic. This year, the brand will commemorate the occasion with no less than 21 sneaker drops, including the Minimus MT10, 740, 1000, Fresh Foam X 1080v14, 9060, CT500, Fresh Foam Trainer, 1906L Loafer, ABZORB 2010, 471, Andrew Reynolds’ Numeric 933, and the New Balance 1300JP. The New Balance 1300JP is particularly noteworthy, appearing in the sportswear giant’s catalogue just once every five years.
Explore the Grey Days releases via the New Balance Grey Shop.
Roger Vivier unveils ephemeral new boutique in Sydney
Destined to appease those yearning for a Euro summer, Roger Vivier has transported the essence of a Parisian summer to Westfield Sydney, with an ephemeral boutique that showcases the French luxury fashion house’s new High Summer 2025 collection, titled ‘Un Été à Paris’. A trompe l’œil window framing a painted view of the Petit Palais serves as the backdrop for the store, while sculptural papier-mâché sunflowers erupt between plush poufs and podiums, which rest on a faux-tiled burgundy carpet.
The Roger Vivier boutique in Westfield Sydney is open until the 26th of May 2025.
Celine presents MAKE-E exhibition in Japan
Held at the France Pavilion at the Osaka-Kansai World Expo in Japan, Celine’s MAKE-E exhibition sits at the intersection of past and future, and tradition and innovation. The exhibition sees the luxury French fashion house’s Triomphe logo, reinterpreted through the lens of the Japanese mart of Maki-e lacquerware, executed by master artisan Hikoju Makie. Guests are invited to more throughout an immersive space where they’ll discover exquisite Urushi lacquer masterpieces and exclusive Celine creations, including reimagined Triomphe bags. Videos by Japanese artist Soshi Nakamura are placed throughout the space and document the beauty of the artisans’ hands at work.
The exhibition runs from the 13th of April to the 11th of May 2025.
Celebrities arrive at the Met Gala ‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style’
Celebrities have begun to arrive at the Met Gala, which takes place on the first Monday of May every year. The theme for the 2025 Met Gala is ‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style’, which draws inspiration from Monica L. Miller’s 2009 book Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity, which categorises dandy style (and dandyism on a wider level) into 12 distinct categories: Ownership, Presence, Distinction, Disguise, Freedom, Champion, Respectability, Jook( a space for dancing, drinking, and other leisure activities), Heritage, Beauty, Cool, and Cosmopolitanism.
This year, the Met Gala is co-chaired by Lewis Hamilton, Colman Domingo, A$AP Rocky, Pharrell Williams, and Anna Wintour, with LeBron James serving as honourary chair.
Loewe opens new flagship store in Sydney
Loewe is set to open its newest flagship store in Sydney on the 8th of May, 2025. Located on the third floor of Westfield Sydney, the new space takes design cues from the Spanish luxury fashion house’s Casa Loewe concept, seamlessly melding design typologies to create a retail environment reminiscent of an art collector’s home. The façade is composed of latticework, while undulating expanses of colourful glazed tiles partake in visual discourse, filtering the natural light and providing a striking backdrop for the luxury fashion house’s handbags and accessories. These colourful ceramic details are complemented by a material palette of concrete, oak wood, brass, and turned iron, which is in turn softened by a thoughtful selection of furniture, including Berin club chairs and Gerrit Thomas Rietveld’s Utrecht armchairs. Underfoot, bespoke wool rugs made in Span feature reproductions of tapestries by British textiles artist John Allen.
Mulberry celebrates British craftsmanship (and brings back the iconic tree logo!)
Mulberry’s latest campaign signals a homecoming of sorts. Shot at The Rookery, one of the brand’s two carbon neutral factories in Somerset, the ‘Return to Somerset’ campaign puts the spotlight on the British leather goods house’s attention to craftsmanship. Lensed by Felix Cooper and styled by Harry Lambert, the campaign stars model Erin O’Connor and artist and model Kesewa Aboah, delving into the leathercraft and artistry behind some of Mulberry’s most iconic styles. The campaign features the new Suede Tote, a carry-all style that sees the Mulberry Tree logo make a reappearance in debossed form after several years, as well as an evolution of the Amberley and of course, an appearance from the iconic Bayswater.
Explore Return to Somerset via Mulberry.
Christian Louboutin releases a bold collaboration with Otis Hope Carey
French luxury fashion house Christian Louboutin has released a striking new collaboration with Indigenous Australian artist and pro-surfer Otis Hope Carey. The collaboration dually draws upon Carey’s love of nature and his Indigenous heritage, reimagining classic Christian Louboutin silhouettes through striking graphics rendered in an expressive colour palette. Known for telling visual stories by deconstructing traditional symbols in his work, Carey translates his love of the ocean into an exclusive print for Christian Louboutin; an undulating, swirling pattern that is screen-printed onto designs from the Miss Z collection as well as a selection of menswear styles, including loafers and boots. “My biggest mentor is Mother Earth, and I wanted to keep in mind the Christian Louboutin aesthetic but also bring in something new and fresh that might not have been used before and push the boundaries,” said Carey of his inspiration for the collaboration.
Highlights from the collaborative capsule include the sleek Loo Boot and the Gaagal Strass, which is adorned with crystals. The collection comprises women’s and men’s offerings and spans footwear and a selection of handbags.
Explore Christian Louboutin x Otis Hope Carey via Christian Louboutin.
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Words by Esmé Duggan and T. Angel
