Here we go again. Buckle up and shake off those festive socks, a three-month-long fashion season is fast approaching. That’s right, next week the first shows of the year kick-off in Florence with Pitti Uomo, continuing with menswear in Milan, then menswear in Paris, which leads us straight into Haute Couture week. Before you know it, the ready-to-wear AW25 season will be underway in New York. Plus, there’s Copenhagen and Berlin Fashion Week sandwiched in between.

Before we get to the mammoth womenswear season ahead, first we must tackle men’s and couture. There are several new developments this season, some incredibly exciting – American designer Willy Chavaria heading to the French capital, for example – and some less so, like Milan’s smoking ban. Vapes at the ready, here’s everything you need to know to before next week’s shows.

PITTI UOMO & MILAN FASHION WEEK MEN’S 

The season begins next Tuesday (January 14), at Florentine menswear fair Pitti Uomo, which celebrates its 107th edition this year. The historic event typically takes place inside 14th-century Fortezza da Basso and includes an exhibition of over 700 brands, with this year’s theme being ‘fire’.

Then, Milan eases us into Friday (January 17) with presentations from the likes of Brunello Cucinelli and CP Company, the live catwalks amp up the following day with Dolce & Gabbana, and a return for British-Italian menswear label Jordanluca, who went viral last year for its pee-stained jeans. All eyes will be on Sunday’s Prada menswear show, co-creative directed by fashion’s favourite duo, Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons. The brand’s playful yet elegant silhouettes, hiding subtle trompe l’oeil moments, will no doubt make a reappearance, though we can rely on whatever Prada does to be good.

London designer Saul Nash has the tough job of following Prada later on Sunday afternoon. After presenting a lookbook for his SS25 collection, Nash is returning to the catwalk this season while making his Milan debut, marking a new chapter for the brand. Notably, after showing last season, Martine Rose has chosen not to return to Milan, while JW Anderson (who began showing menswear in Milan in 2022) and Gucci are also notably absent from the schedule.

PARIS FASHION WEEK MEN’S 

Next up the fashion crowd will head to Paris for a series of flashy menswear shows in the French capital. Pharrell William’s latest offering for Louis Vuitton will no doubt bring with it a host of famous faces (see previously: Beyoncé, Rihanna, Zendaya) and no-expenses spared production, meanwhile Issey Miyake’s three-year-old IM Men line is set to make its catwalk debut. Kim Jones’ Dior Men’s show is met with heightened anticipation this season after the designer left Fendi to concentrate on Dior last year. Elsewhere, new kids on the block, New York’s Willy Chavaria and London’s SS Daley are both showing in the city of light for the first time. Daley’s fellow Londoner, Bianca Saunders remains on the Paris schedule for another season, and Jacquemus is gearing up to host a dedicated menswear show. Closing out the menswear season will be Peter Copping, who makes his debut as artistic director of Lanvin on January 26.

PARIS HAUTE COUTURE WEEK

14 hours after Copping’s first outing with Lanvin, Schiaparelli will kick off Haute Couture week at 10am on January 27. Creative director Daniel Roseberry isn’t exactly known for his paired back approach, and couture season often sees Schiaparelli enter a new realm of surrealism – remember that Kylie Jenner lion head moment? Or last season’s heeled bustiers? It’s a show sure to energise any sleepy editors.

Later that afternoon Maria Grazia Chiuri will present her latest Dior couture show and the following day it’s Chanel’s turn. But slow down, new creative director Matthieu Blazy doesn’t start at the house until April, likely not showing his first collection until October. During the interim period between Virginie Viard leaving the house last year and Matthieu Blazy’s debut, the in-house team have been developing the new season collections, which will be the case again later this month.

After making his surprise debut at Valentino last season, on the last day of Milan Fashion Week in September, Alessandro Michele is set to make his couture debut with the Roman house this season. Despite being Gucci’s creative director for almost eight years, the brand did not show during couture, meaning this season will mark a new venture for Michele. 

Over at Jean Paul Gaultier, the guest designer torch has now been passed to Paris-based designer Ludovic de Saint Sernin. The show follows collections from other guest collaborators such as Glenn Martens, Olivier Rousteing, Haider Ackermann, Simone Rocha and Nicolas di Felice. Since stepping down as creative director of Ann Demeulemeester in 2023, de Saint Sernin has been focussing his efforts onto his eponymous brand – that is, until JPG came calling. 

It may have been only four years since South Korean womenswear designer Miss Sohee graduated from Central Saint Martins, but already she’s been invited by the Fédération de la Haute Couture to show as part of the couture calendar. Having already dressed countless A-listers with magnificent, jaw-dropping designs, her couture debut will be one to witness.