Sustainable Luxury: LOU DE BÈTOLY AW25 Collection

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Summary

On February 1st, 2025, French designer LOU DE BÈTOLY presented the label’s AW25 collection at Berlin Fashion Week.

Emerging as perhaps her most ethereal collection to date, the designer presented a provocative yet light-hearted dialogue with haute couture traditions. The forty looks, each crafted from pre-owned materials, embodied an intuitive approach with meticulous attention to detail. Forgotten treasures were transformed into contemporary pieces that conveyed both drama and luxury—with a slight wink of the eye.

liquid-like fluidity And architectural Bodies

Her collection featured vintage nightgowns meticulously pleated and draped by hand to achieve a liquid-like fluidity. Deconstructed brassieres transformed into architectural bodices, combined with intricate lace work that appeared to dissolve weightlessly against the body.

Pink bed sheets from a previous set design were restructured to create fur-like two-piece suits, demonstrating the designer’s ability to elevate humble materials.

The collection’s technical virtuosity is evident in many pieces crafted from unlikely sources: reflective bike fragments collected from Berlin’s streets shimmer in halter tops, while leather jackets are sliced and gathered into fluid ruffles.

A vintage silk blanket, heavily beaded by hand, transforms into an evening gown, and leather belts are rewoven into structured tops. Handmade knit pieces feature chicken feathers. These feathers are collected from the designer’s parents’ garden. This process adds personal history to the narrative of recycled materials.

Sharp Tailoring and handcrafted details

Throughout the collection, contrasts create dramatic tension: structured tweed sets with unexpected draping complement delicate silk dresses with sculptural pleating. A standout bridal piece is crafted from decomposing lace and crystalline embellishments. It plays between fragility and opulence. Meanwhile, mohair is woven through transparent nylon knit dresses like abstract brushstrokes.

For the AW25 collection, the designer collaborated with several partners, including eBay’s online marketplace, which provided select vintage pieces for reimagining. The partnership with eBay highlights the creative possibilities of circular fashion and celebrates the platform’s role in sustainable luxury.

Cooperations at all disciplines

The collection also features leather handbags by Berlin’s leading bag specialist, Liebeskind. These are customized with Lou de Bètoly’s signature beaded crochet and playful charms. Additionally, there is a draped silhouette created from deadstock fabric provided by Dickies, the iconic American workwear brand.

With this new collection, LOU DE BÈTOLY continues to push the boundaries between fashion, art, and traditional craftsmanship. Each piece transforms forgotten treasures into precious luxury items. Constructed through meticulous handwork and innovative upcycling techniques—always with a hint of humor.

About the designer

LOU DE BÈTOLY is a french designer who works and lives in Berlin. LOU DE BÈTOLY stands for delicate, detail-oriented, and expressive garments for women of all ages. It combines elegance with extravagance. It merges fragility with chaos, and innovation with nostalgia. Whilst deliberately pushing against the boundaries of fashion into fields such as contemporary art and traditional craftsmanship.

All garments are fashioned exclusively from reworked vintage and dead stock material, with an emphasis on natural materials such as wool, silk and leather. Textiles are transformed by hand through crafting techniques such as knitting, crochet, embroidery and weaving.

Credits:

SPECIAL THANKS TO
Senate Department for Economic Affairs, Energy and Public Enterprises

This show was part of the format BERLIN CONTEMPORARY during BERLIN FASHION WEEK and is supported by the Berlin Senate Department for Economic Affairs, Energy and Public Enterprises in cooperation with the Fashion Council Germany.

MAC COSMETICS, our make-up partner. Under the direction of key make-up artist Leana Ardeleanu, the beauty look features luminous skin accented with bold red lips and graphic eyeliner, creating a timeless allure. MAC Cosmetics established itself as the ultimate colour authority with artistry at their roots, inclusion and diversity at their core, and a commitment to conscious beauty and social responsibility at the top of their minds.

EBAY for their partnership in sourcing select vintage garments through their online marketplace. After the show the designs will be available for purchase through the Fashion Council Germany eBay shop.

LIEBESKIND BERLIN for providing pieces from their archive collection. The Berlin bag brand’s commitment to sophisticated design and versatile functionality aligns perfectly with the show’s aesthetic.

DICKIES for their contribution of deadstock garments,
Workwear and Denim are staple pieces in contemporary fashion, and we’re excited to be able to reimagine it.

LEONOR GREYL for creating the show’s hair looks exclusively with their natural French hair care products.

ROECKL for providing the show’s gloves.

TEAM:

Creative Direction & Styling – Tim Heyduck
Light & Sound – Emma Juliard
Music – Nele Jackson
Make-up – MAC Cosmetics with Leana Ardeleanu Hair – Leonor Greyl with Paolo FerreiraCasting – Eli Scherer
Production – Studio Koa

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