If there’s one show you shouldn’t have missed at Milan Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2025, it was Etro’s spellbinding runway presentation—a collection where art, surrealism, and bold craftsmanship collided to create a dreamlike spectacle. Known for its bold, bohemian spirit and unapologetic prints, Etro elevated its signature aesthetic this season with not one, but two visionary artist collaborations, each bringing a unique world of imagination to the runway.
Art as Architecture: Numero Cromatico’s Surreal Stage Design
Creative Director Marco De Vincenzo set the tone for the collection by turning the runway into a living art installation, partnering with Rome-based art collective Numero Cromatico, renowned for blending visual experimentation with cognitive psychology. The show’s backdrop wasn’t just a curtain—it was a sweeping, architectural marvel made from over 120,000 individual cards, forming a massive tent-like structure.
From a distance, the structure looked like vertical tiles or even playful, oversized LEGO bricks. But a closer look revealed 120 silhouettes of ambiguous anthropomorphic figures, cut into the surface like mysterious cave drawings. There was no single meaning offered—only an invitation for personal interpretation. As models walked the runway, the stage set the mood for introspection, mystery, and the interplay of human form and artistic abstraction.
This was more than fashion—it was an immersive psychological experience, turning the runway into an art gallery where you weren’t just watching clothes—you were entering a conceptual dream.
The Textural Fantasy of Maria Jeon
To expand on this surreal world, Etro introduced a second collaboration—this time with Korean artist Maria Jeon, whose work is best described as surreal nature meets mystical folklore. Her contribution to the collection manifested through vibrant, embroidered elements on both garments and accessories.
Every stitch carried her unmistakable signature—otherworldly flora, reimagined fauna, and dreamlike landscapes. Jeon’s use of color and texture added emotional depth and whimsical dimension to Etro’s textiles, embodying a maximalist spirit through the lens of handcrafted minimalism. Think flowing coats adorned with imaginative creatures, structured handbags blooming with embroidered surreal botanicals, and tunics that felt like walking through a fantasy forest.
Etro’s Fall/Winter 2025 Aesthetic: Maximalist Minimalism
At its core, this collection stayed true to Etro’s DNA—free-spirited, layered, and emotionally expressive. But with the addition of these two artistic powerhouses, the brand ushered in a new chapter of “maximalist minimalism”. This is not about loudness for the sake of attention; it’s about carefully constructed storytelling through textures, symbols, and emotional resonance.
