This July, Paris Haute Couture Week fall/winter 2025 dazzled us with unabashed grandeur and if there was one unifying ornament threading through the runways, it was pearls. No longer confined to heirlooms or conservativeness, these jewels are making a bold return as couture’s most coveted embellishment. From sheer gowns to statement accessories, discover how designers reimagined this timeless gem.
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Tony Ward
Inspired by the avant-garde world of masquerade and the emotional intensity of theatre, Tony Ward draws inspiration from the opulence of the Baroque era. The collection featured a palette of soft blush tones and icy silvers alongside corseted silhouettes and pearl-encrusted seams. Ward’s signature architectural designs were fused with handmade embroidery, daring cut-outs, and dimensional layering adding depth to every look.
Georges Hobeika
Georges Hobeika radiated in Paris with clustered beading that spilled from shoulder to hem, often melting into frothy sheers. The accessories echoed a similar energy with oversized pearls on the ears and layered beads over the collarbone, amplifying the Roaring Twenties glamour with a celestial twist and blurring the line between goddess and gladiator.
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Zuhair Murad
Zuhair Murad turned the dial all the way up with a fully pearl-encrusted dress. The cascading pearls, together with the sheer tailoring, struck the perfect balance between playful charm and hedonistic allure. The collection embodies a striking tension between fragility and grandeur, bringing out the best of the flapper erafun, sensual and carefree.
Rahul Mishra
This season, Rahul Mishra transformed pearls into structures, moulding the garments into body armour. Inspired by Australian Artist Gustav Klimt’s gilded geometry, the thousands of meticulously hand-sewn beads glowed on the runway. The collection challenges the very definition of what pearls can be: delicate, yes—but also powerfully architectural.
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Tamara Ralph
Tamara Ralph’s take on Art Deco minimalism brought pearls into sharper focus with elegance and class. Jackets were fastened with oversized pearl buttons, sheer structured dresses were embedded with pearl mosaics and heels were even standing on pearls. Not to forget, the choker made of colossal pearls—sophisticated yet commanding. Ralph’s collection this season took the delicacy and quiet sophistication of pearls to the next level.
