Against the futuristic skyline of Shanghai’s Huangpu River, Hermès unveiled a bold, cinematic chapter in its ongoing journey: a womenswear showcase that blurred the lines between heritage and hypermodernity.

This one-off presentation marked the second act of the house’s A/W 2025 collection, first debuted in Paris, and follows a similar venture in New York last year. More than just a spectacle, the Shanghai show reflects the evolving ambitions of a brand deeply rooted in tradition but increasingly attuned to the nuances of a globalized luxury audience.

For Hermès, staging a fashion show in Shanghai wasn’t merely about market visibility – it was a thoughtful, calculated nod to its growing client base in China and across Asia. The region has become a cornerstone of Hermès’ financial growth, particularly as domestic spending in China rebounds and Chinese consumers grow more sophisticated in their tastes. Shanghai, with its blend of historical depth and ultramodern ambition, offered a natural setting for Nadège Vanhée’s vision of a “cosmopolitan explorer” – a protagonist who straddles resilience and sensuality, intellect and spontaneity.

Vanhée’s aesthetic direction leans into these juxtapositions. Where Paris evoked earthy strength with its soil-covered runway, Shanghai delivered a richer sense of wanderlust and playful urban survival. Layered looks featured slung bags, modular garments, and even glittering boots; objects both functional and theatrical, meant for navigating life’s literal and metaphorical streets. The mood was not one of rarefied fashion, but of movement and adaptability – a wardrobe for the global citizen, deeply considered and luxuriously executed.

Styling played a central role in expressing this narrative.

Tied sweaters, crossbody accessories, and headphones framed models as stylish nomads rather than cloistered heiresses. Even the garments themselves suggested transience: sleeves pushed up mid-stride, silhouettes modifiable by design. At its core, this was not a display of wealth but of layered identities: worldly, modern, and unbound by the traditional constraints of occasion dressing.

Symbolically, Vanhée drew from the house’s equestrian heritage, threading the motif of the braid throughout the collection. Inspired by the Dressage Tressage silk carré by Virginie Jamin, these twisting forms became metaphors for cultural fusion and artisanal patience. It is perhaps in this gesture that Hermès’ values were most poignantly expressed, not through overt luxury, but through quiet precision, longevity, and craftsmanship that resonates across cultures.

By positioning Shanghai not simply as a market but as a muse, Hermès demonstrated its acute awareness of the shifting luxury landscape. This was not an export of French fashion to Asia, but a synthesis – a weaving together, much like the braid itself – of narratives, aesthetics, and aspirations from both East and West. It is this capacity for elegant adaptation, rather than spectacle alone, that may ensure Hermès remains not just relevant, but quietly radical, in a world of accelerating change.

Photography credits: Runway by Filippo Fior | Details by Armando Grillo | Ambiance by Feng Li | Set by Mengxiang Wang

by Olga Barrale