The Magic Behind Haute Couture: Chanel SS 2025 and the Art of Pattern Making

When we talk about Haute Couture, we speak of the purest essence of fashion. These are garments that do more than dress the body; they tell stories through their materials, details, and impeccable construction. And when I saw Chanel’s Spring/Summer 2025 collection, I felt that excitement again.

Lately, some of Chanel’s collections had seemed a bit predictable to me, but this time, there was something different. Perhaps it was the freshness in the designs, or maybe the fact that, according to what I’ve researched, this collection was entirely crafted by the maison’s seamstresses, in the absence of a creative director. And as a designer, that fascinated me.

Designers are often celebrated as the visionaries behind a collection, but rarely do we recognize those who actually bring these designs to life. Haute Couture would not exist without seamstresses, patternmakers, and artisans—those whose skilled hands construct what we see on the runway. You can have the most incredible idea, but if there isn’t someone who knows how to materialize it, it remains on paper.

That’s what struck me the most about this collection: the technique. It is evident that each piece was crafted with the expertise of those who have honed their skills over years of dedication. I’ve read comments saying that the collection lacked a clear narrative or cohesive theme, probably because there was no creative director to give it that structure. But if we set that aside and focus purely on the craftsmanship, it’s impossible not to admire it.

My love for pattern making: where the real magic happens

For me, the most fascinating part of fashion design has always been patternmaking. It’s the stage where ideas cease to be mere sketches and start taking form in three-dimensional space. It’s almost like a puzzle—every line, every cut, and every curve determines how the fabric will fall on the body, how it will move, and how it will feel when worn.

People often ask me if it’s really necessary to know patternmaking to be a designer. My answer is always the same: you can design without knowing it, but having this knowledge gives you an enormous advantage. It doesn’t mean that you can’t succeed without it, but it definitely makes the process smoother, more effective, and allows you to communicate better with the seamstresses.

Throughout my career, I’ve seen many talented designers with spectacular ideas, but they struggle to bring them to life because they don’t fully understand garment construction. Because patternmaking is not just technique; it is the backbone of fashion. It is what allows a design to not only look beautiful but also feel right and last over time.

The true heart of Haute Couture

This Chanel collection left me with an important lesson: beyond big names and creative directors, fashion is a collective effort. It’s easy to be dazzled by grand ideas, but without the expert hands that bring them to life, they would remain just sketches.

That’s why, for me, the real protagonists of this collection were the seamstresses. Because every garment that walked the runway was not just a design—it was the result of impeccable technical knowledge, precise cuts, and invisible seams that hold impossible structures together. And that, to me, is the true essence of Haute Couture.

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