Bookmark-worthy trends from Spring/Summer 2025 runways

Beauty on the runway can skew towards theatrical to exaggerate a look or pared-back and minimal to bring focus to it. And, S/S ’25 played with both ends of the spectrum to present a beauty edit peppered with contradictions. Sci-fi metallics were interspersed with barely-there make-up, and neatly knotted chignons were offset against free-flowing loose waves. You can draw direction from the runway to adapt it IRL—tone it down or play it up. We round up the best of beauty that will set the tone for the upcoming season. 

Lashing out 

From doll-like wide-eyed beauty at Harris Reed to anime-inspired spikey brows at Mains, all eyes were on eyebrows this S/S ’25. At Harris Reed, make-up artist Sofia Tilbury used tweezers to pinch the lashes and falsies to create the effect, complementing it with saturated blue and orange eyeshadow and heart-shaped lips. At Mains, lashes were amped with spidery extensions for a doe-eyed appearance. Bottega Veneta saw dame Pat McGrath drape the lashes in a space-age silver, pinching them into clumps for extra drama, and the models at Dries Van Noten had neon-coated lashes in highlighter colours set against contrasting eyeshadows for a two-toned effect. We’re ushering in the Twiggy era with these dramatic eyes.

CHIC-GNONS 

Kendall Jenner in the Schiaparelli wool jersey bodysuit and extreme cut-out denim was unmissable, as was her new blonde hair neatly slicked back into a chic bun. Other models were also seen sporting a similar hairdo on the runway, spotlighting the beautifully crafted sculptural jewellery. At Max Mara, we saw centre-parted chignons, and Missoni had models with buns secured neatly at the nape. Saint Laurent saw a more lived-in bun with a few strands astray, but it’s safe to say that pulling your hair back into a bun is the way to go.

BARE ESSENTIALS 

Amid eye-grabbing, bold, and glamorous trends were pared-back looks for a sharp contrast. All about highlighting natural beauty, these looks enhance luminous skin with just a whisper of tint. We saw a fresh-faced glow at Jason Wu, a hint of warmth on the cheeks at Monse, courtesy make-up artist Patrick Ta, a dewy balmy complexion at Richard Quinn achieved with a lip balm used all over the face, glass-like lids at Rabanne, and glossy tinted lips at Hermès and Carolina Herrera. It’s all about a considered touch of colour here and a hint of sheen there for a skin-but-better finish.

TOE THE LINE-R 

From a spectrum of classic cat eyes to playful eyeliner, the runways were full of dark-rimmed lids. Straight out of Euphoria, Pat McGrath put a novel spin on eyeliner at Coach with hearts on the inner corner of the eyes, while at Bottega Veneta, she created a double-spiked wing for twice the drama. Meanwhile, Dolce & Gabbana and Carolina Herrera went the classic cat-eye route, Chanel opted for a bold Brigit Bardot-esque liner lined with black sequins, and Gucci incorporated a spiked liner softened with earthy shades of grey and brown that we can get behind. Taking it all the way into the hairline was the sharp liner at Alexander McQueen and the 3D applique winged liner as seen at Antonio Marras.

MUCH ADO ABOUT HAIRDO 

Hair accessories can go from demure to dramatic, and the S/S ’25 runway was privy to both. At Alice and Olivia, we saw everything— from mini flowers to jumbo scrunchies—while at Simone Rocha, centre-parted hair was adorned with delicate crystal flower clips on each side. XL flowers topped the updos at Caroline Herrera and LaQuan Smith, and veiled looks were spotted at Richard Quinn and Valentino. The former was architectural, and the latter was among a collection of head gears from feathered hats to crystal-tasselled beanies. Prada and Bottega Veneta leaned into the theatrics with statement-fringed headpieces, not unlike a pom-pom for your head. Caution: it’s not for the faint of heart. 

A SWIPE IN THE DARK 

A dark pout is one of those quintessentially autumn trends that has the lasting power to stay relevant through the year. And so, majoring in several of the Spring-Summer shows was a deep lip drawing all the attention to the pout. Pat McGrath painted on a deep garnet at Versace with not much else. An eye-catching glossy red pout was seen on models at Emporio Armani, and Prada presented a high-shine glossy blackberry lip created by make-up artist Lynsey Alexander using the brand’s Monochrome Hyper Matte Lipstick in P57 Ultraviolet. 

TWO TIMING 

At Simone Rocha, the classic red lip got a dual-tone twist. With a brighter hue on the whole lip, the centre was painted in a deeper burgundy for a two-tone effect. Similarly at Ulla Johnson, a bright pink was applied to the centre of the slip fading away as it moved outwards for a bitten appearance. At Ahluwalia, red and orange hues mingled seamlessly for a sunset effect. If you steer towards lighter shades, do like Pat McGrath at Dolce & Gabbana, or take inspiration from Casablanca. Both were a nod to the 90s with a bold pronounced lip liner moving inwards into a lighter hue for a stark contrast.

BANG BANG 

Bangs are back with a bang this season. It was a blunt fringe like Uma Thurman circa Pulp Fiction at Christian Cowan to razor-sharp at Versace—both accompanied by a bob. At Marni, we saw the difficult-to-pull-off micro bangs, while at L’Agence, the fringe was softer for the French-girl approach. But the banger (pun intended) was the glam-grunge inverse curtain bangs at Mugler. It was cut graphically into a deep V-shape with the ends grazing the lip. That’s one way to stand out.

All images: Getty Images 

This article first appeared in Harper's Bazaar India October-November 2024, print edition. 

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