For her first runway presentation since the pandemic, Véronique Leroy reemerged with a collection that was both introspective and expansive, reaffirming her mastery of structured silhouettes while embracing the artistry of textile traditions. The Fall Winter 2025-2026 collection, unveiled at Paris Fashion Week, blended Leroy’s signature architectural precision with intricate craftsmanship from China’s Hainan province, offering a compelling dialogue between heritage and modernity.

At the heart of the collection was a collaboration with the Li ethnic group, whose traditional Lijin brocade and embroidery were reimagined across sculptural coats, knitwear, and fluid column dresses. Rather than merely replicating these motifs, Leroy played with scale and distortion, creating a mesmerizing interplay of pattern and proportion. These richly detailed textiles stood in contrast to her signature materials—structured wool, chunky knits, and technical nylon—reinforcing her ability to balance softness with strength.

Silhouettes reflected Leroy’s meticulous approach to design, where familiar shapes are refined and reinterpreted over time. Diamond-cut shoulders and sharp hip points sculpted a distinct yet effortless waistline, lending her coats a quiet grandeur and her dresses an air of understated elegance. The restrained color palette—deep chocolates, muted grays, and earthen tones—allowed the intricacy of the Lijin patterns to take center stage, while sculptural accessories, including oversized spherical bracelets, added an avant-garde flourish.

Leroy’s return to the runway was an exercise in thoughtfulness rather than spectacle—a collection rooted in craftsmanship, subtle transformation, and an enduring appreciation for the nuances of design. As a final gesture of hospitality, embroidered Lijin cushions adorned the seats, offering a quiet moment of comfort amidst the rush of Paris Fashion Week. It was a poetic homecoming, one that reaffirmed Leroy’s place as a designer of depth, precision, and enduring vision.