Luxury fashion label MONSE presented its Spring-Summer 2025 collection in New York infusing American sportswear classics with a hefty dose of playfulness and surrealism. Creative directors Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia have demonstrated their mastery in reimagining the familiar, this time drawing inspiration from the quintessential American high school experience we've come to know through TV dramas and cult films.
A Sartorial Trip Down Memory Lane
The collection opens with deconstructed khaki pieces that flirt shamelessly with white lace-trimmed shirting. This juxtaposition of masculine and feminine elements sets the tone for a lineup that's as nostalgic as it is forward-thinking. It's as if the popular jock and the artsy wallflower decided to swap wardrobes, resulting in an unexpectedly chic mash-up that's bound to turn heads.
MONSE's take on the humble polo knit and sheer-based sequin fabrics in soft pastels transform the sporty staple into something altogether more glamorous. Meanwhile long-form fitted striped versions and playful cropped backless knits offer versatility for the fashion-forward.
This season, MONSE offers office classics given the deconstruction treatment. Shirting and suiting are styled with novelty denim, creating looks that wouldn't be out of place in a Silicon Valley startup or a trendy downtown art gallery. The recurring theme of doubled necklines, hems, and sleeves adds an element of visual interest that's both quirky and sophisticated.
A Varsity Jacket Like No Other
A highlight of the collection is a one-of-a-kind repurposed Varsity Jacket. Paired with the cheekily named "Football Bag," this piece embodies the collection's ethos of reimagining American classics with a high-fashion twist. It's the kind of jacket that could easily become the next viral sensation.
Digital Meets Floral: A Print Story for the Modern Age
In a brilliant collaboration with digital artist Andee Collard, MONSE presents floral prints that straddle the line between familiar and unsettling. These digitally reinterpreted blooms appear on intarsia knitted sweaters and sequin evening dresses, offering a fresh take on the perennial floral trend.
Evening Wear
As the sun sets on this sartorial journey, MONSE doesn't disappoint with its evening offerings. Classic slip dresses are reimagined with flirty chevron-cut satin and lace, while the finale presents a show-stopping array of basket-woven satin pieces featuring dramatic fringed fly-away hems.
A Collection That Captures Lightning in a Bottle
With their Spring-Summer 2025 collection, Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia have once again proven why MONSE is a force to be reckoned with in the fashion world. By taking the familiar tropes of American sportswear and viewing them through a surrealist lens, they've created a collection that's both nostalgic and groundbreaking. It's a delicate balance, but one that MONSE strikes with aplomb.
As we eagerly anticipate seeing these pieces grace red carpets, editorial spreads, and the wardrobes of trendsetters worldwide, MONSE's Spring/Summer 2025 collection stands as a nostalgic achievement, a conversation starter, and a stylish trip down memory lane. It reimagines the familiar in ways that are both innovative and deeply resonant, cementing MONSE's position at the forefront of contemporary fashion.
