Paris fashion week’s buzziest collabs

Closing with the Saint Laurent show tonight, Paris Fashion Week’s (PFW) Fall 2025 showcase served up a concoction of smaller shows and fewer after-parties amid luxury’s gloomy financial backdrop. Yet, Asian key opinion leaders (KOLs) flew over in their droves, and brand collaborations were also out in full force. Notably, luxury houses Valentino and Balenciaga broke through the fashion week noise with accessible sports crossovers. The former partnered with Vans, resulting in a reunion for creative director Alessandro Michele, who previously worked with the plimsoll brand while helming at Gucci, while Balenciaga presented a revamp of the trending Puma Speedcat silhouette. Viral runway king Coperni strived to reach the tech-generation with a nostalgic Tamagotchi collaboration, which, along with Balenciaga and Valentino, gained some traction in the mainland. Read on for our verdict on the PFW collaborations that consumers are talking about on Chinese social media. Subscribe here to receive this via the Collaborations newsletter. Valentino x Vans Details: Footwear, Fall 2025 Social context: The show hashtag #ValentinoAutumnWinterSeries has just 40,000 reads on Weibo. Verdict: Michele’s first major Valentino collaboration with Vans is a choice that suggests the house is striving to attract a younger, more daring consumer-base as the skate brand is synonymous with rebellious teenagers and youth culture. The show was set in a Valentino public toilet, showcasing the tension between privacy and publicness — this served as a fitting backdrop for a collaboration that created a stark contrast between grunge and glamor. Reflecting Michele’s signature aesthetic, the platformed Authentic design was adorned with bold colors, mismatched patterns, and Valentino’s “V” logo, conveying an indie sleaze aesthetic. Balenciaga x Puma Details: Puma Speedcat sneakers and fashion collection, Fall 2025 Social context: The Balenciaga show hashtag #BalenciagaWinterSeries has 36,000 reads. Verdict: The Balenciaga Fall 2025 collection saw the majority of runway models become caricatures of everyday life, such as those seen on a work commute — therefore, a collaboration with a household sportswear giant made sense by creating a “normcore” sensibility. Puma’s Speedcat sneaker has been having a moment for some time in Japan, South Korea, and China, and further afield. A trending style is at risk of dissipating, so collaborating with Balenciaga provides it with a needed coolness refresh. As well as the Speedcat sneakers, Puma and Balenciaga joined forces on tracksuits, a leather jacket, and even a robe. The tie-up is likely to contribute to Puma’s growing cultural clout in the long-term. Coperni x Bandai Details: Tamagotchi Swipe Case, Fall 2025 Social context: On Weibo, #tamagotchi has over 3 million reads. But there is no dedicated hashtag for the show. Verdict: Coperni attempted to extend its success with viral accessories with the Tamagotchi Swipe Case, unveiled at its Fall/Winter 2025 show during Paris Fashion Week. This collaboration with Japanese company Bandai fuses Coperni’s futuristic aesthetic with early 2000s nostalgia, embedding the classic Tamagotchi digital pet into the brand’s iconic Swipe Bag. The design follows Coperni’s history of experimental accessories, such as the 3D-printed CD-Player Swipe Bag and translucent Air Swipe Bag. By merging fashion with interactive technology, Coperni transforms a childhood favorite into a wearable statement piece, solidifying its reputation for blending innovation with nostalgia. Tamagotchi opened its first UK store in London’s Camden Market last year, and global sales more than doubled in 2023 compared with the preceding year. Now, it’s looking to fashion to boost its mainstream, global growth.

Paris fashion week’s buzziest collabs

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Published March 11, 2025

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Paris fashion week’s buzziest collabs