Reviewing the VS25 Launch
By Lucien Willey
Image courtesy of Cecilia Ryan.
Last Friday I had the privilege, delivered from on high by sudden editorial assignment, of covering the VS Fall ‘25 fashion show. And what a show it was. It’s entirely possible I should have been clued into this when I saw the location for the show, the St. Andrews town hall, a grand old building on South Street. But in the case of this show, it was perfectly chosen, with a curtained stage, theatre-style seating, and elaborately carved high ceilings lending a bit of theatrical gravitas that the many of the shows at St Andrews lack with their maximalist, assault-upon-the-senses, nightclub-y atmosphere.
The staging was sparse, spartan even, with the broad expanse of floor in between the stage and the seats serving as a runway. For a lesser show, this may have led to a minimization of the individual models against the floorspace, but India Kolb, the head of choreography, and Ines Tramarin, the creative director for VS ‘25, did a masterful job creating a show that filled space. While I suspect the show could have benefited from more elaborate staging, the VS ‘25 team did a good job making each compositional element feel intentional.
The show opened dramatically, with loud, brassy music reminiscent of the title credits of a 60s or 70s spy movie, and a parade of female models in black power suits with a distinctly sharp, reserved vibe. I noted the confidence of the music and the choreography, and the accent of gold buttons on one of the suits. A change of music to a more upbeat 90s tune coincided with an acceleration of the choreography and the introduction of male models in simple, classic suits done in grey, navy and black. These suits and suit-separate combinations were paired with thin ties to create an effect that toed the line between “timeless italian sharpness” and “Brooks Brothers back catalogue”. That is not to say that the suiting was not perfectly well put together - in fact it was all done splendidly. However, the men’s suits were conservative in both cut and color, with the most standout piece being a black corduroy jacket.
Image courtesy of Cecilia Ryan.
The sparseness of the men’s suits did serve a purpose. As the music shifted to an 80s-esque electronic tempo, the male models retreated as the female models came out from behind the curtain in bright dresses whose colors and patterns, while still simple and classic, seemed far more vibrant and alive when compared to the somber men’s suiting. One dress that struck me was made from cream-colored fabric, with a scarf made of the same material thrown over the model’s shoulder with methodical carelessness.
After a brief pause, the lingerie segment of the show. Again, the clothing was simple but tasteful, and all black. As opposed to walking out from behind the curtain in just the lingerie, the models walked out in long black coats, cut to about ¾ length. The models shed their coats without changing their posture or missing a stride in their step, a feat of choreography that I suspect may have taken quite a bit of practice. Once every model had walked down the center of the room, they marched in almost militaristic choreography, seemingly with the intent of upping the intensity of the segment.
The final segment most explicitly captured the theme of the show, Sprezzatura: the Italian concept of devoting effort to appear effortless. This segment of the show was, again, relatively modestly colored. The models were all dressed in white or very light earth tones, with light, flowy silhouettes. Again, the menswear was conservative but emulated a bit of a summer-on-the-Amalfi-coast vibe; however, the lack of color added a sense of solemnity. On the other hand, the female models wore much more dynamic silhouettes and patterns. The choreography was well-executed - the models were in two perpendicular lines walking in a circular pattern, which was a fantastic way of taking advantage of the space. In what is perhaps the best review I could offer, I found myself thinking, as the models and the rest of the team took their bows “over already?”
The show is best summarized as simple with a dash of timelessness. Nothing was excessive; everything was measured. The classic rules of style were followed, and occasionally lightly maneuvered around, but never truly broken. More importantly, though, the show somewhat subverted the traditional conception of sprezzatura, which has often been consigned more to menswear than women’s fashion. With its focus on the women’s clothes in those timeless, italian-inspired forms, the show subtly steps outside that traditionalist view of sprezzatura.
My greatest quibble with the show could easily be spun as a strength: that aforementioned “over already?” feeling. In my opinion the fall VS ‘25 show was a triumph. It featured exceptional choreography, strong creative direction, and extreme attention to detail. I’m already looking forward to attending their show next semester, and so should you.