Words by Tony Wilkes
Gone are the days when trends existed as a few brief maxims. Your suit was tailored a certain way. Your tie had a particular pattern. In 2025, things are less straightforward. What can preppy style have in common with grunge or maximalism? Though not clear cut, such variety has its advantages. Today’s trending gamut brings new possibilities, exciting propositions and, importantly, offers choice. These are some of the best from the Spring/Summer 2025 season – whatever your taste, you’re sure to find something at Harrods.
Airy linen. Easy neutrals. Relaxed tailoring. This forms the essence of Italian summer style. Think Alain Delon’s outfits in Purple Noon or Jude Law as Dickie Greenleaf in The Talented Mr. Ripley, two of the greatest male wardrobes in cinema and no doubt on several mood boards this season. Brioni, founded in Rome in 1945, epitomises the nation’s world-famous craftsmanship (just one suit takes 6,000 hand stitches and over 22 hours to make), as do Zegna, Giorgio Armani and Brunello Cucinelli – all of which nail la dolce vita.
The advantage of preppy style? It always comes back around. This collegiate look emerged on Ivy League campuses in the 1950s and ’60s – a polished dress code of rugby shirts, chinos and loafers, cable knits, blue jeans and boat shoes. The magic to its 2025 interpretation can be found in collections from Fendi, Rhude and Drôle de Monsieur. In a word, styling. Modern prep mixes formal and casual: a shirt and tie with a cardigan, or smart tailored trousers with a tank top and track jacket.
Surely the leader of fashion’s avant-garde. When visionary designer Rei Kawakubo unleashed her ‘Destroy’ collection in 1982, it baffled and bewitched in equal measure. Comme des Garçons has since defined how forward-thinkers want to dress – as well as the very idea of what style can be. Arriving at Harrods for Spring/Summer 2025, the brand’s tailoring and shirting promises unique and unexpected twists, while its contemporary Play line offers casuals emblazoned with its signature heart motif.
“It could have been sludge, grime... any word like that,” remarked record label founder Jonathan Poneman on grunge in 1992. An underground movement that hit fashion and music simultaneously, it swept mainstream culture in the 1990s – and now returns, older and wiser. This mature sensibility infuses the Spring/Summer 2025 collections of brands like Amiri, 424 and Enfants Riches Déprimés – an elevated offering of quality yet attitude-steeped leather jackets, flannel shirts and chunky boots.
Leather is going nowhere this season. A versatile jacket is an essential investment for spring – and in every guise, from suede truckers to black biker jackets and refined aviators, leather iterations have reached the status of wardrobe classics. The latest hero style has a particular look: sleek and pared back, with the easy profile of a casual shirt. Look to soft, supple hides with a natural grain that improves with age. Zegna, Prada, Dunhill and Berluti offer some of the best.
It was only a matter of time. Where ‘quiet luxury’ continues to dominate with understated classics and seamless neutrals, a counterpoint of loud confidence is on the rise – a place to play. The highlights? Gold pleated trousers as seen at Loewe and Dries Van Noten; knitwear resembling cartoon houses at JW Anderson; and bold pixellated suits at Louis Vuitton. After all, who wants to be quiet all the time?
Any discussion of what to wear is incomplete without reference to accessories. Choose a conversation-starting investment bag – a Loewe Puzzle fits the bill – or statement footwear, and the simplest outfit becomes a look to remember.