Georgina Chapman found inspiration for her Spring 2025 collection at the Namichi Shrine in Seki, Japan, away from home. The designer borrowed the aesthetic not from the structure itself, but from the nearby koi pond. Marchesa’s offering is an ode to water, with metallic fabrics mimicking light refracted off water, wavy lace appliqués and fishtail silhouettes galore. However, not everything was so aquatic: petal motifs dotted the collection like water lilies sitting over a pond.
Even Chapman’s more subdued designs — like the black ruffled off-the-shoulder cocktail dress, or the pink strapless number — pop up dramatically. “(They) are more for our classic customer who is looking for something that’s not too obvious but wants to have some drama,” she said.
A dress adorned with freshwater pearls, crystals and delicate chains looked as if it had been salvaged from a shipwreck. “(This is) our Marchesa quintessential beaded dress,” Chapman said of a blue gown featuring a plunging V-neck, removable tulle cape and a trail of rhinestones carving an hourglass silhouette. Given that Chapman herself wore it to the Venice Film Festival premiere of The Brutalist, it’s safe to say she’s the quintessential Marchesa woman.
