Vilnius Fashion Week 2025: Here are the hottest trends that defined the fashion festival

When talking about fashion week , I first tried to determine what fashion actually is today.

Lotta Alhvar convinced me that fashion is, paradoxically, on the one hand, a form of communication, and on the other, a barrier that extends far beyond clothing itself, encompassing interpersonal interactions. She also pointed out the possibility of admiring it in museums, in the form of traditional, historical, and avant-garde art, without the need to own it.

In turn, Alessandro Mario Ferreri emphasized that in the 21st century fashion has ceased to be the voice of designers, but has become a mirror of the desires and ideas of consumers.

And where is it headed next? Although I was in the Lithuanian capital for just three days thanks to GoVilnus and only attended the initial events of Vilnius Fashion Week , three dominant trends were already clearly felt: a return to archives , a search for identity in cultural roots , and sustainability , which has gone from a buzzword to a necessity.

Return to the archives of luxury fashion houses

I felt the true power of archival designs in the lobby of the Grand Hotel at Universiteto Street 14. It was there that the history of haute couture came to life again thanks to creations from the collections of the Italian Cordella Fashion Institute .

The exhibition showcased four archival designs that literally changed the face of fashion . Among them were a gold, metallic Dior , a silver 1980s Versace creation, and Paco Rabanne's iconic corset, composed of metal plates.

Why is this exhibition so important? An industry that for years chased novelty and sheer volume of drops is now seeking stability and authority in its archives . This is a return to the foundations that build credibility and individualism – to a time when fashion was high art , not simply a reaction to social media algorithms.

The power of archives and credibility was also mentioned by luxury expert Alessandro Maria Ferreri , who argued that fashion, after its "democratization" phase, must return to "monarchy." What does this mean? Instead of chasing trends dictated by consumers, it's time to turn to experts, or rather designers , who understand the brand's identity.

Fashion as a story about ourselves

The international exhibition " Queens, Realms, and Emotions ," dedicated to Barbara Radziwiłł and Catherine Jagiellon , will be on display at this branch of the National Museum of Lithuania from June 4th to January 2026. This is the first exhibition of its kind in Lithuania. It combines history, art, and design, showcasing original 16th-century artifacts on loan from museums in Poland, Sweden, and Hungary, alongside contemporary works of art.

The exhibits include: Barbara's posthumous insignia, a scepter found in the crypts of the Vilnius Cathedral, Catherine's wedding crown (17th-century reconstruction), and works from the collections of the Jagiellonian and Radziwiłł families.

The exhibition is not just a chronological narrative. The curators (including designer Julija Janus , Dr. Milda Kvizikevičiūtė, and Dr. Vaida Ragėnaitė) create an empathetic narrative in which we view the lives of the two queens through the prism of their emotions, choices, and… creations .

Alongside historical facts , contemporary interpretations by Lithuanian artists and designers have emerged, attempting to capture the emotional dimension of the Queen's legend – from theatre and film costumes to contemporary styling.

In the case of the exhibition, fashion became a vehicle for storytelling: a reminder that clothing can be a vehicle for memory , emotion and identity.

Today, in an era of frequent migration and cosmopolitanism, the question of cultural identity takes on new meaning. As VFW25 demonstrated , fashion becomes a tool for regaining roots .

Sustainable fashion at Vilnius Fashion Week 2025

Sustainable fashion proved to be the most prominent theme at VFW . This year's edition was held under the theme "Fashion, Reclaimed ," and Sustainable Fashion Day at City Hall brought together young designers, ethical brands, and local creators. Lotta Alhvar , former CEO of the Swedish Fashion Council, spoke specifically about sustainable fashion.

She emphasized the scale of the problem is enormous. If current consumption patterns continue unabated, we will need three planets by 2050. Every Swede uses 15–16 kg of textiles per year, half of which is thrown away and only 3 kg is recycled. If clothing production were to cease overnight, the accumulated resources would be enough for seven generations to come.

The clothing and textile industry is the world's third-largest sector and also the second-largest polluter. Cotton—the main fiber—is incredibly water- and pesticide-hungry (a quarter of global consumption). The result? Dry regions, polluted rivers, and chemical-laden soils. Add to this the dyeing of fabrics, which has been associated with synthetic dyes since the 19th century, and black, the iconic color, is still considered problematic for allergy sufferers. This is just a drop in the ocean.

Fortunately, innovation is bringing solutions: from protein fibers made from mint and chitin, through traditional hemp and linen, to experimental fabrics made from paper or wood. The business world itself is also changing: we have clothing rentals, upcycling, and circular economies. Crafts are also growing in popularity and power.

Tomorrow's Fashion: Lessons from Vilnius

Vilnius Fashion Week 2025 clearly demonstrated that the future of the industry does not lie in the mindless pursuit of novelty. To survive, fashion must be:

• rooted in its archives,
• tell stories and build identity,
• operate at a rhythm that does not destroy the planet.

In Vilnius, we saw fashion that not only dresses but also tells a story, protects, and interprets. And perhaps this is precisely where its future lies.