HEAD Fashion Show 2025: Matil Vanlint emerges as a designer to watch

HEAD Geneve in Switzerland may be a relevantly young fashion school_ when compared to other institutions across the UK and Europe_ as it was created in 2006 from the merger of two prestigious schools_ the École Supérieure des Beaux-Arts and the Haute École d_Arts Appliqués_ but its annual graduate showcase for its Bachelor and Master's fashion degree courses show_ which took place on November 14_ demonstrated that it is fast becoming a force to be reckoned with in creating fashion designers of tomorrow.

The HEAD Fashion Show 2025 is the institutions landmark event and this year featured 23 Bachelor and 8 Master graduate collections_ offering diverse and bold reinventions of contemporary fashion derived from their own personal narratives_ as well as bringing together students from the BA Interior Architecture course who designed the scenography for the catwalk showcase_ and those from the jewellery and accessories departments who added their pieces to enhance some of the looks_ and 60 street casted models to bring the show to life.

Lada Umstätter_ director of HEAD – Genève_ said in a statement: “The HEAD Fashion Show 2025 is much more than just a fashion show. It is a celebration_ a moment of pure energy where an entire school comes together_ professors_ partners_ figures from the world of fashion_ journalists and audiences to bring creativity to life. Together_ we share the same passion: imagining new ways to create_ learn and dream.

“Each year_ the show reminds us of the strength_ sensitivity and determination of our students. Their ability to give form to their ideas and carry them through sits at the core of what we support at HEAD.”

Held in the school_s _Cube__ nearly 3_000 guests were captivated by the 220 looks gracing the catwalk under a beautiful oval lighting installation designed by Alexis Lang_ a Bachelor student in Interior Architecture at HEAD. The scenography was designed to enhance the students_ collection by questioning the way sunlight and its variations of intensity and colour_ from morning to evening_ from summer to winter_ transform our perception of clothing. The result was a gradual evolution of the light_ echoing the nuances of the day and the seasons_ unfolding throughout the show. Offering a play between the cooler light of summer and midday and the warmer tones of evening and winter to reveal the materials_ colours and richness of the graduate designers_ work.

This year_s event also had an impressive international jury_ including Paris-based German fashion designer Lutz Huelle_ who heads up the fashion department at HEAD_ Swiss designer Kevin Germanier_ founder of Germanier_ Marco Russo_ who is the design director for runway and celebrities at Louis Vuitton_ Italian designer Niccolò Pasqualetti_ who was a finalist for the 2024 LVMH Prize_ as well as Mauro Grimaldi_ strategic advisor for Richemont_ and journalist Sarah Mower_ who awarded six major prizes celebrating the excellence and individuality of the students_ collections.

Matil Vanlint wins two awards at HEAD Fashion Show 2025

One of the most striking collections of the night was from MA graduate Matil Vanlint from Belgium_ who built her _V_ collection around three words_ victim_ violence and victory_ exploring what would happen if trauma manifested itself in physical distortions. The result was a very personal collection_ where the red and shocking pink looks blurred the light between beauty and the monstruous_ from one look featuring an oversized bow to another with lumpy leggings_ while others were crafted from upcycled T-shirts_ and a red felt jacket was crafted using millinery techniques by careful shaping the felt by hand to create distorted lumps to the hip and chest. Each look was also paired with distorted wigs_ made by Tommy and Noeh in Brussels_ featuring exaggerated details that people usually find unattractive_ such as thinning hair_ as well as distorted_ weirdly shaped shoes inspired by the designers' bunions.

Vanlint explaining to FashionUnited backstage before the showcase: “Through this collection_ I share a part of my journey_ as a manifesto for life with the pieces crafted in the way that pushes the monstrosity and the distortion up to the head and up to the feet.”

The collection made such an impact that Vanlint won two prizes on the night: the Vahabzadeh Foundation Prize for the best MA collection_ as well as the Association of Swiss Women and Empowerment (ASWE) Prize.

On awarding the honour_ Sarah Mower_ journalist and fashion critic at Vogue Runway_ said: “To me_ this is one of the most meaningful prizes I have seen in any college_ and I have been to many colleges around the world. It is the Master Prize of the Association for Swiss Women and Empowerment_ ASWE.

“At a time when misogyny is showing its face around the world_ and when women_s careers in fashion have not been recognised or highlighted as they should be_ this prize is especially important.

“I am delighted that the unanimous decision of the jury is to award this prize to a woman who has not only presented an extraordinary creative collection_ but who also shared with us what she has gone through in order to pursue her own ambitions and inner convictions something so important when bringing work into the world."

Ewen Danzeisen wins the La Redoute × HEAD Prize

Another highlight from the MA cohorts was Ewen Danzeisen_ who_s all-back _Meet the Crows_ collection was awarded the La Redoute × HEAD Prize. At the heart of his collection was the idea of “garments as lived-in experiences_” which drew inspiration from his own wardrobe_ as well as an exploration of silhouettes and techniques_ such as weaving copper fibres into his shimmering bomber jacket.

“I like comfortable things in which I feel contained_ safe and confident_ and this is reflective in my collection_” Danzeisen said about his collection backstage. “I_m also half Japanese_ so I have a lot of Japanese inspirations_ both in the silhouettes_ the clean lines and the relaxed posture. I also worked mainly with black_ a spectrum that_s not inviting_ yet makes you want to look closer_ which I enhanced with textures_ such as wool_ heavy cotton and denim to create contrasts.”

Sylvette Lepers_ head of designer and image partnerships at La Redoute_ who sat on the jury of the prize_ added: “Ewen brings a sense of simplicity to streetwear. His command of pattern-cutting gives his work a distinctive clarity. For Winter 2026_ Ewen will create two no-gender silhouettes for La Redoute_ freely inspired by his graduation pieces. I am delighted to add his name to the long list of invited designers at La Redoute.”

While fellow MA graduate Thongchai Lerspiphopporn created a collection that explores the boundaries between fashion and jewellery by questioning the adequacy of conventional definitions. Drawing from his background in jewellery design_ chainmail was turned into interlinked leather forms_ while basketry and weaving were reimagined to build fluid yet resilient skins_ and prong and pavé settings became fastening systems.

“Each piece is hand-assembled from flat materials into sculptural forms_” explains Lerspiphopporn_ “These jewellery-like garments do not merely adorn the body - they define it. Existing between disciplines_ they merge craftsmanship and fashion into a new material expression.”

HEAD Fashion Show 2025: BA graduates

For the BA course_ 23 fashion students showcased graduate collections centred around family_ childhood_ nature_ technology_ queer identity and their own experiences and heritage_ from Arsen Aeby_s _Artificial Bloom: Embodied Hybrid_ collection that blending the elegance of 1930s wardrobes with handcrafted electronic circuits_ giving each looks a cyborg persona to Alexandra Bystrova_s _Shadow in the Fields_ collection that drew inspiration from traditional clothing of Russian peasants_ shaped by a deeply personal exploration of depression by merging utilitarian garments_ humble materials_ and ancestral techniques_ such as hand-felted wool.

Other collections touching on heritage included French Tunisian designer Asma Haddad_ who chose to tell her own story through her graduate _Beyna Benkine_ collection_ merging Tunisian craftsmanship and sportswear. Haddad reimagined sportswear through a non-Western lens and reconnected it with inherited techniques and forms_ offering pieces that revive ancestral craftsmanship_ while also balancing nostalgia and modernity. Highlights included voluminous baggy trousers_ draped hoodies_ and a layered shirt concept.

The collection made such an impact that Haddad was awarded the Le Bal des Créateurs & Kevin Murphy for image/artistic direction_ impressing the jury with her research_ theme_ photoshoot for the lookbook_ as well as the construction of her garments.

There were also several wearable collections_ including Léon Narbel_s _Noms_ Prénoms_ collection_ which won the Bongénie Bachelor Prize_ centred around an adaptable wardrobe made from durable natural or second-hand materials_ focused on “everyday comfort_ while aiming for longevity through pieces that can evolve”.

Narbel added: “I try to keep things simple and timeless in the design while adding twists in the patternmaking_ with the intention of creating clothes that are pleasant to wear - somewhere between softness and protection_ between pyjama and armour.”

Cyril Jordil_ buyer for Bongénie_ who sat on the jury for the prize_ added: "With beautifully precise branding and clear craftsmanship_ the _Nom.Prenom_ collection stands out as a truly contemporary project. Its strength lies in the clarity and sincerity of its intention.

“At a time when narratives can feel exaggerated_ this approach feels refreshingly genuine and offers strong potential on the market."

Other highlights included Maïa Malige_ who used Scotch tape as the starting point for her whose _Scotché_ collection_ featuring sweatshirts_ T-shirts and football jerseys taped to eveningwear_ Iwan Hochstrasser_s _Nocturnal Playgrounds_ explored the transformative energy of queer nightlife_ with exaggerated ballgowns styled under coats and jumpers_ while Nina Rehacek showcased a hybridisation of athleticwear and the wardrobe of 1970s rock stars for her _Don_t Tell Me There_s No Hope At All_ collection_ and Yann Thomas was inspired by the 'Archive of Motion' and his memories spent working on cars with his father.

Swiss designer Mélanie Schiewe also made a statement with her _Pretty In Pink_ collection_ exploring how clothing can influence the way one is perceived_ blending key masculine and feminine elements to create a wardrobe that reflects her own identity. The result was striped polos enhanced with oversized bow detailing at the waist_ sporty looks with bubble hems_ and a scarf reinvented as a top and as a bow on a hoodie. This impressed the jury_ who awarded the designer the Commune de Collonge-Bellerive award.

The night also highlighted last year_s La Redoute x HEAD Prize winner_ Alan Clerc_ who presented a capsule collection created in collaboration with the online retailer. For its autumn–winter 2025 collection_ La Redoute has renewed its Signature pieces_ with a focus on key wardrobe items reinterpreted by invited designers_ including Clerc_ who imagined a capsule built around one emblematic silhouette: a structured suit_ in black and off-white_ paired with a cream shirt. Drawing on architectural references_ Cler showcased a collection that plays with proportions_ such as lengthening the jacket and wide trousers while creating a cinched effect that allows the garment to settle naturally on the body.

“His work is remarkable. This young man_ who writes as well as he cuts_ is as strong in pattern making as he is in design_ which is very rare_” added Lepers.