Daniel Roseberry’s Schiaparelli RTW FW25 ‘Lone Star’

The Texas designer's FW25 ready-to-wear (RTW) collection for Schiaparelli reimagines masculine archetypes through a definitively feminine lens

By: Jesse Scott

Daniel Roseberry continued to revolutionize ready-to-wear, and fundamentally change the way we view the relationship between creative directors and heritage maisons, with a magnificent Fall-Winter 2025 collection.

One of the most exclusive guest lists of Paris Fashion Week, including such names as Doja Cat, Caro Daur, Chiara Ferragni, and Nara Smith, witnessed history at the Musée d'Art Moderne as the Texas-born designer wrote the latest chapter in a story that is defining contemporary French fashion. Whether it be through the surrealist motifs predominant in prior seasons or the swoon-worthy 20's silhouettes in January's couture spectacle, Roseberry unfailingly guides guests on a journey through the history of the house.

The interpreter of Elsa's vision for modern generations, and a metaphorical link between two centuries bound by the same ethos, he once again exceeded already-high expectations with a nuanced collection that synthesized the intellectual, instinctual, and dreamy. The show opened with Gigi Hadid strutting down the runway (a la Coca Rocha) in a deadly black elaborately-belted jacket topped by an exaggerated fur collar and paired with a surrealist motif-emblazoned bag (Look 1).

However, this was merely an appetizer for the elaborate vision to come. Fall-Winter 2025 saw Roseberry ponder, "How could I give women something that riffs on masculine archetypes while still embracing the feminine divine?" The result was an iconic new look that combined power and grace in silhouettes befitting Old Hollywood. As Roseberry alluded to in the show notes, it was also something that can't be replicated by fast fashion.

Schiaparelli RTW FW25 was a dream based in reality. We are in an age of empowerment; Roseberry told the press that all of the women he knows are dressing for themselves and other women rather than the male gaze. This paradigm was in many ways the genesis of the collection, as Roseberry imagined a world where men didn't exist and considered what women would do as the sole caretakers of forms of sartorial self-expression traditionally considered masculine.

Gigi's imposing look, cinched by a double belt that synthesized masculine power with feminine form, provided some answers. So, too, did Look 3, as what appeared to be a simple white men's tank top was paired with bold leather pants and a serpentine elaborately buckled belt. The oversized buckles conversed with both Roseberry's Texan roots and the golden age of haute couture, proposing a new gunslinging protagonist who is queen of the Wild West while carrying surrealist chic in her aesthetic repertoire. The tank top signified Roseberry's genius... and attention to detail. Cut with a seductive shallow "U" neck, it added a touch of feminine elegance to an instantly recognizable masculine archetype.

Broad angular shoulders, many with epaulets or collars of fur, have been omnipresent on the runways this season. Schiaparelli proposed the best version of this sharp silhouette that I've seen thus far, as an intricately patterned leather coat (of course emblazoned with surrealist details) was topped by a sumptuous white fur collar (Look 6). The introduction of fur to a predominantly leather look was a metaphor for the entire collection; Roseberry began from a masculine foundation then turned it into a blank canvas upon which to layer feminine nuance and grace.

Impeccably tailored suits and coats also took center stage (Looks 7, 8). Roseberry evolved the corsetry that he has made iconic in prior seasons, using it as leather armour ensconcing a model like she were a medieval knight (Look 11). The armour concept was further developed by a gold strapless dress that was perhaps the collection's most magnificent look.

A simple silhouette bejeweled in what appeared to be intricate shards of shimmering golden glass, it indulged guests in a "phoenix rising" fairy tale—a symbol of women emerging victorious from a fraught world often dominated by men. Also memorable was a midnight blue coat rippling like snakeskin and shimmering like stardust (Look 35)—a look for the goddess of the future.

FW25 brings exciting news for collectors of the covetous surrealist jewelry globally synonymous with Schiaparelli. Roseberry has refined manufacturing processes for much of his jewelry universe, making the pieces significantly less heavy and more approachable within the ready-to-wear market.

This season had no shortage of swoon-worthy offerings, from a golden choker and oversized "moon" earrings worn with a delightfully bedazzled loungewear set (Look 21) to a tiered necklace with shimmering shapes dripping down the body like golden raindrops (Look 28). The most magnificent jewelry moments were saved for last. An ingenious shirt played on the idea of an inverted belt, golden buckle fastened at the neckline (Look 39), while a sensual dress with fringe details reminiscent of cowboy chaps was belted by a massive surrealist eye.

Every piece was carefully considered, highly complex, and richly layered with many levels of meaning. Roseberry paid homage to his Texas childhood, and the iconography of his beloved state, through plays on the duster coat, bow-legged jean, and Red Wing cowboy boot.

Yet these were significantly elevated versions. Roseberry continued to redefine the term ready-to-wear this season, working with a diverse range of the finest materials to create 43 looks with a level of craftsmanship generally reserved for couture. He also continues relentlessly innovating, introducing revolutionary materials like a spongy neoprene velvet and continuing his play with trompe l'oeil in a leather bag that appeared to be copper.

Roseberry does it all with humility and grace, reflecting in the show notes that he spent the past month "speaking less and listening more." The collection, an exquisite fantasy, saw him imagine a brave new world. For Roseberry, it was a thought experiment. For the fashion industry, it was a seismic moment with truly transformative power.