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The Autumn/Winter 2025 menswear season kicks off with Italian trade show Pitti Uomo on 14 January, followed swiftly by Milan and Paris fashion weeks. What trends can we expect?
Menswear trends move much slower than women’s. As such, minimalism and tailoring will continue to dominate this season; an upward trend since 2022. However, experts predict that the men’s consumer will find new, fun ways to express their personal style this year, with a focus on colour and texture over silhouette, and fun unconventional styling to spice up the plain old suit.
While there’s always off-the-wall outlier trends — like last year’’s #grandpacore — many of the moods for next season are evolutions or mashups of trends we’ve seen before, as consumers focus on quality and longevity from their clothes.
Here, Vogue Business breaks down the key trends to watch.
Minimalist fits, unconventional accents
Minimalism will continue to dominate menswear for Autumn/Winter 2025, with a focus on clean lines, good-quality fabrics and clothes to last, over micro-trends and flash-in-the-pan viral products.
“In an era where style exploration is often co-opted and flattened into manufactured subjectivities, we find ourselves retreating to what was once prescribed: uniforms,” says Agus Panzoni, head of trends at media company Death to Stock and trends expert at Depop.
In menswear, this means that fabrics and colours will play a more significant role than silhouette for AW25, experts agree. “A key trend will be blending different shades of the same colour, such as various tones of brown, to create a sophisticated, cohesive look,” says Tordhag.
With the economy impacting how we consume, fashion will become less about constant acquisition in 2025, Tordhag continues. “Therefore, in order to keep things fresh and individual, accessories will play a central role in expressing personal style.”
The red carpet is a case in point, as stars increasingly use clever styling tricks to spice up their suiting and traditionally monochromatic looks. Take Tyler the Creator, who stepped out last November in a brown Louis Vuitton suit, accessorised with a bright-green Golf Le Fleur slogan cap and a crossbody bag in the shape of a dog, from his Tyler for Louis Vuitton collection. At this year’s Golden Globes, Timothée Chalamet accessorised his Haider Ackermann for Tom Ford suit with a blue tie, loosely knotted and slung over his shoulder; while Colman Domingo complemented his black (otherwise plain) Valentino suit with an eye-catching brooch and a voluminous, chequered pussybow shirt.
According to Depop, searches for small accessories like neckties (+42 per cent), pins (+78 per cent) and rosettes (+56 per cent) have surged in popularity since the start of 2024, while studded items (+117 per cent) and bag charms (+304 per cent) have equally gained traction over the last 12 months. This plays into the chaotic customisation trend, set to soar with Gen Z throughout 2025 as they seek new ways to develop a capsule wardrobe that remains individual and fresh via fun customisation and accessories.
“Quiet luxury and minimalism have already reshaped our approach to fashion. In 2025, we can expect to see these elements evolve, where playfulness will merge with minimalism. This aesthetic may serve as a playful ‘mockery’ of the seriousness traditionally associated with old money and quiet luxury that we saw in 2024,” Tordhag adds. “Instead of being overly formal, fashion will embrace youthful empowerment, making elegance more approachable and fun. It will be about not taking fashion too seriously by incorporating humour and unexpected details that grab attention.”
Graphic tees are a key item for AW25, allowing men to personalise their plain suiting and normcore fits. Take Loewe and JW Anderson creative director Jonathan Anderson, who regularly sports a graphic tee under a tailored suit, most recently wearing a Nirvana T-shirt at the premiere of Luca Guadagnino’s Queer (he costume directed the film, released in January).
For men, graphic tee arrivals were up 27 per cent for AW24, per EDITED data. “On the high street, we’re seeing retailers like Uniqlo and Urban Outfitters really leading the charge with the increase in arrivals,” says Krista Corrigan, fashion and retail analyst at EDITED.
Ivy league preppy
As tailoring and more formal menswear continue to boom, and fashion brands increasingly align with preppy sports like sailing, tennis and polo, the men’s customer will lean even further into contemporary-classic preppy dressing for 2025. Think tailored blazers, cable-knit sweaters, pleated polo shirts and barn jackets.
“The preppy aesthetic is going to be huge next year. But this time, it’s more Ivy League preppy than we’ve seen in previous seasons; less collegiate, less varsity jackets and more focused on refined tailoring,” Corrigan says. The retail intelligence platform saw varsity jacket in-store arrivals drop 19 per cent for AW24, as the trend becomes “more tailored and less teenage”, she adds. Cardigan arrivals grew 94 per cent in the same period, while arrivals of striped Oxford shirts were up 68 per cent, signifying the shift.
The new preppy blends Ivy League-inspired styles with countryside aesthetics, says Panzoni, who has noted an increase in search for brands like Ralph Lauren (+70 per cent), J Crew (+91 per cent) and Gap (+210 per cent) on Depop over the last 12 months, as young consumers embrace this trend via secondhand fashion. Abercrombie Fitch staged a successful revival in 2024, and continues to expand its store network in the US and beyond. “We’re seeing these preppy labels resonate with consumers more and more,” says Corrigan. “They’re finding bright spots in a really tough [retail] market.”
Ralph Lauren cricket jumpers are a key item, according to European e-tailer Zalando, with searches up 50 per cent from September to October 2024 on its platform.
“Gen Z uses aesthetics like preppy fashion to tap into cultural codes while making them their own,” according to Zalando’s 2025 trend report. “Gen Z reshapes these styles into playful commentaries on privilege and tradition — whether it’s reimagining traditional preppy staples with streetwear influences or wearing sports jackets beyond the arena.”
The polo shirt, which gained fans in 2024, will be a hero item for 2025, with popularity growing 10 per cent from Q3 2024 to Q3 2025, according to Heuritech, a trend forecasting platform that uses image recognition on Instagram to identify fashion trends as they bubble up among the platform’s global userbase; the artificial intelligence can recognise the differences between colours, fabrics and shapes.
“Polo shirts have been a wardrobe staple for years, so what will make them feel fresh and new in 2025? Expect updated designs featuring slimmer fits and enhanced collar details such as colour-blocking that add a modern twist to a timeless shape,” says Frida Tordhag, fashion analyst at Heuritech. “These subtle yet impactful changes will give polo shirts a refined and contemporary edge, making them a key piece for the year ahead.”
Another preppy item set to peak this year is the divisive boat shoe. Heuritech predicts that the style’s popularity will be up 100 per cent from Q2 2024 to Q2 2025 for men in the EU, peaking in June but continuing to appear throughout the year. “Historically, this shoe has been associated with an older demographic, but in 2025, we can expect to see it modernised, evolving into a must-have item for a trendier customer,” states Heuritech’s 2025 trends forecast.
Fisherman aesthetic
We saw the ‘earthy outdoors’ trend for SS25. Now, the menswear customer will take to water, embracing the ‘fisherman aesthetic’. Think functional workwear; yellow raincoats, rolled-up beanies (as seen lately on Travis Kelce and Justin Bieber); and nylon trousers (+48 per cent, per Edited). Resale platform Depop is seeing an uptick in fisherman aesthetic terms and products such as “fisherman” (+139 per cent), “windbreaker” (114 per cent), “cable-knit/cable-knit sweater” (+68 per cent) and “boat tote” (+244 per cent).
Like gorpcore, the fisherman aesthetic responds to technology fatigue and a growing desire for outdoor pursuits, experts agree. According to Heuritech data, the ‘weekend wanderlust’ aesthetic is here to stay in 2025, with the appearance of hunter green, quilted pieces and rain boots forecasted to grow 6 per cent, 5 per cent and 25 per cent, respectively, over the next 12 months.
“The product doesn’t need to have fishermen in it, and most times it won’t. But the number of retailers using the term grew 24 per cent for AW24,” says EDITED’s Corrigan. “This could be rib-knit sweaters or fishermen beanies; using these to describe the product is a way to package it and present it to the customer.”
“The emphasis with this trend is on functionality,” she continues. “The fisherman aesthetic is taking elements from bigger trends like gorpcore.”
Slightly deviating from fisherman, but following the same outdoorsy mood, the parka is set to soar for Autumn/Winter 2025, following the Oasis revival, Corrigan says. “That will be the perfect trend to transition [between] seasons. For retailers, it’s really appealing, because it’s a trend that can carry them into autumn.”
Customised sportswear, retro styles
Retro sportswear and customisation will be a major story for autumn/winter, drawing inspiration from ’70s tracksuits, ’80s windbreakers and ’90s athletic silhouettes, Panzoni says. The aforementioned polo shirts are part of this trend, but cycling jerseys are one to watch for AW25, she adds.
Just last week, Skims and Good American co-founder Emma Grede launched Off Season, a retro-inspired sportswear label for all genders, born from co-founder Kristin Juszczyk’s customisation business, featuring all manner of garments customised with NFL team iconography. Juszczyk is married to San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk, who has already sported her designs. Other fans include NFL power couple Taylor Swift and Kelce.
“We’re seeing, within the Depop community, people upcycling a lot of retro jerseys by screen-printing, adding bows and other detailing,” Panzoni says. “It feels that sports is now becoming a hub for creative exploration and also communal styling. There’s the community element of it with sports fandom, but it’s also a hub for individuality and creative exploration.”
“This trend successfully merges vintage sports aesthetics with workwear pieces, reflecting a desire for nostalgia and functionality as well as self-expression through fashion,” Panzoni continues. “Thrifted vintage sportswear is seeing a resurgence and high-fashion labels like Off-White and Aimé Leon Dore are leading the charge in blending casual and formal elements.”
From slim, thin-soled sneakers (even barefoot shoes) to colourful track pants, the retro influence will continue in 2025, Heuritech says. Already, brands like Adidas, Nike, New Balance and Puma have reissued retro sneakers over the last 18 months in line with the trend. From the hugely popular Adidas Samba and Gazelle (which the brand credited for a sales uplift in the final quarter of 2024) to the relaunch of the Puma Speedcat last month, with a major party in Milan.
This year, the trend will permeate menswear even further, analysts agree. During the SS25 men’s fashion season, streamlined retro sneakers were “on full display”, per Heuritech’s Tordhag, as “Prada showcased sneakers with soles so flat and streamlined they appeared almost non-existent”.
For men, slim-sole sneakers are projected to undergo a 5 per cent increase in popularity in Q3 2025 versus Q3 2024, according to Heuritech, with their peak month being September. Track pants are another pivotal trend, set to grow 10 per cent from Q2 2024 to Q2 2025 and 18 per cent in the second half of the year, particularly in pastels and pinks, per Heuritech data.
As this list demonstrates, 2025 will be a year of moods over micro-trends, with some key themes and products that brands should consider. “There are items that tie into the fisherman aesthetic, like boat shoes and cardigans, that also feed into the preppy. It’s a fun mix, and we’re not just going to be defined by set trends in 2025, so we’re going to mix elements from different decades, different trends and make it our own,” Corrigan says. “I think it’s an avenue for the consumer to be unique this year and have that self expression that they’ve been looking for.”
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