The 'One-And-Done' Dress Is This Summer's Breakout Fashion Item

Why is the pull of a soft, romantic and thoroughly feminine garment so strong right now?

Published: May 8, 2025

The 'One-And-Done' Dress Is This Summer's Breakout Fashion Item — Erdem. Photo: Launchmetrics Spotlight

Once upon a time, I would have shuddered at the thought of wearing a sheer, powder-pink organza dress, but now I can’t envisage the forthcoming months without it. It’s been on my mind ever since the look floated down the catwalk at Khaite’s spring/summer 2025 show, and joined a growing number of whimsically frilled, pastel-hued and delicate dresses on my wish list for the season ahead (despite the fact I’ve rarely deviated from head-to-toe black and oversized denim for the past decade, even in the height of summer). Clearly, there’s a vibe shift on the horizon and not just in my own wardrobe. The spring/summer 2025 collections were awash with dresses of a decidedly feminine, floaty and soft variety as designers leant into romanticism like never before.

Leading the charge was Chemena Kamali at Chloé, who has put boho firmly back on the shopping agenda. Her second collection for the brand featured billowing gowns, lace-trimmed slips and lingerie details worn with nostalgia-inducing jelly sandals. Dresses were also the highlight at Loewe, made of diaphanous floral fabrics with reinterpretations of the Victorian crinoline and worn with trainers or leather loafers. Alaïa, Simone Rocha and Khaite decreed pale ballerina pink the shade of the season, and served frothy takes on the naked dress that catered to the female gaze. Meanwhile, for his debut at Valentino, Alessandro Michele went big on the ‘girly but grown-up’ aesthetic by way of dresses embellished with ruffles, feathers and bows.

Even the brands whose signature look is super-sleek couldn’t resist the pull of a dress. At Saint Laurent, they were plunging, pleated, metallic and styled with heavy leather bombers, while Victoria Beckham swapped her usual tailored and form-fitting silhouette for a fluid and breezy one. At the same time, younger, buzzy brands such as Clio Peppiatt, 16Arlington, Standing Ground and Dôen have made dresses their bread and butter.

At Selfridges, womenswear buying manager Laurie Field has noticed an increase in demand for "soft silhouettes", as well as "draping, ruching and knotting". Key brand buys for the London department store include dresses by Dries Van Noten, Zimmermann, Chloé and Victoria Beckham. "Our customers are embracing the return of feminine and elegant pieces, shifting away from the heavy logos and street-style trends that were previously popular," she adds.

The same is true at Net-a-Porter, where dresses are the biggest category of all. As early as February, searches for pink floral, voile and white midi dresses surged by 114, 106 and 596 per cent respectively, compared with the previous six months. The e-commerce retailer is also betting big on the "soft romanticism" trend this summer, securing key styles from the afore-mentioned Alaïa, Loewe, Simone Rocha and Khaite shows, alongside many others.

"When we think about soft romanticism, it can tend to go down a pretty and prim route—but that’s not what this season is about," says Kay Barron, Net-a-Porter’s fashion director. "We’re seeing lots of transparent fabrics, soft pinks, florals and fluid silhouettes that feel seductive and allude to what lies beneath. It’s this idea of being feminine but not overly sweet that’s really coming through. There’s a certain level of attitude, too."

But it’s not just spring/summer 2025's particularly excellent haul of dresses that’s driving consumer interest. Practicality also plays a role, as was the case with the statement coats that dominated this past winter. "The ease of dresses is a major part of their appeal," says Barron. "Customers love something they can just put on and go, knowing they’ll feel great in it every time. Dresses make a big impact with very little effort."

It’s a particularly tempting proposition as businesses around the world move away from flexible working and require regular office attendance again. The rise of TikTok’s "soft life" trend, which prioritises low stress, comfort, and ease over scrambling to keep up with constant hustle culture, is also a contributing factor to the popularity of ‘one and done’ dressing among younger generations. As it happens, this mindset lends itself perfectly to all the loose, breathable, non-restrictive fabrics and silhouettes we’re currently seeing.

Erdem’s spring/summer 2025 show was a prime example of how even the most elegant, exquisitely detailed and luxurious evening gowns can be styled for both night and day, creating a look that is soft and strong all at once. In the dramatic setting of the British Museum, the London-based designer sent models out in intricately embroidered, gauzy pastel dresses held up by thick black ribbons for a contrasting edge. Flower-strewn silk gowns were layered over knitted tanks and presented alongside 1920s flapper-esque shapes styled with black blazers, crisp white shirts and slouchy grey cardigans. All were brought down to earth by chunky leather brogues, slicked-back hair and minimal make-up.

"I have always been fascinated by contrasts, and I wanted to explore the push and pull of masculine and feminine codes: The juxtaposition of soft, fluid dresses combined with sharp tailoring," explains Erdem Moralioglu, who took inspiration from Radclyffe Hall’s seminal novel The Well of Loneliness.

While Moralioglu rejects the idea of romanticism as merely a fleeting trend — "it is not bound by seasons but rooted in human emotion, which is constant" — the designer does understand its heightened appeal in the current climate. "I think there’s a collective desire for emotional depth right now. We are looking for escape in a world that often feels turbulent," he says.

Cecilie Bahnsen, the Danish fashion designer known for her big, bold and unabashedly feminine dresses, agrees that our appetite for soft romanticism "speaks to a broader cultural longing for beauty, escapism and tactility", particularly in an era that can seem fast, hyper-digital and detached.

But she also points to a general shift in how femininity is expressed. "There’s power in softness, in embracing fluidity and delicacy as forms of strength. Women are reclaiming romance in their wardrobes, not as something nostalgic, but as something deeply personal and modern," she says. "They embrace contrasts, pairing a beautifully crafted dress with sneakers [in a way that] effortlessly blends whimsy with practicality. It’s about making these pieces functional for daily life, not reserving them for special occasions. There’s a real confidence in this kind of approach, which redefines femininity on our own terms."

It’s no coincidence that the spring/summer 2025 shows took place during the US presidential election cycle, amid conversations about the country possibly choosing its first woman president; at the other end of the political spectrum loomed the prospect of further attacks on reproductive healthcare and the rights of women more broadly. Sadly, we all know how that story played out. Since then, designers have used the traditional codes of femininity as a springboard for commentary about what it means to be a woman now. See the autumn/winter 2025 collections, shown in February and March, which were dominated by what The New York Times called "the weaponisation of femininity".

The most potent exemplar of this was Miuccia Prada’s revival of 'The Lady' at Prada and Miu Miu, made tough and powerful for "difficult moments, dangerous times". "Fashion reflects and responds to what is going on in the wider world, and the spring/summer 2025 collections look like a series of interpretations of adult femininity, serving to equip contemporary women for an increasingly hostile and polarised world," says Dr Rosie Findlay, a senior lecturer at City St George’s, University of London, specialising in fashion and media. "We’re living in a time when the ideal of the “trad wife” attracts as many as it repels, and notions of what a woman “should be” are as contested as ever."

Yet it’s also the case that the return of the dress needn’t necessarily be so deep. The appeal of a beautiful gown can, quite simply, be put down to its ability to delight. "The power of dresses is about how they make you feel," says Bahnsen. "There’s joy in movement, lightness and the idea of dressing for yourself rather than an event." I know this is precisely what drew me to that powder-pink Khaite beauty in the first place. Whether worn to a friend’s wedding, styled under an oversized blazer for work or paired with a leather jacket on a night out, it will spark more joy than a pair of black jeans ever could.

As Barron puts it: "Embracing 'soft romanticism' means putting on a dress that you immediately want to spin around in. It’s choosing something that you love, that lifts your spirits and makes you feel absolutely sensational—and this, in turn, provides a special kind of protection. Not all armour is so obvious."

This article was first seen on ELLE UK.