Kim Shui exudes sensuality and rebellion in FW25

The New York-based designer once again defies conventions with her Autumn/Winter 2025 collection, an exploration of sensuality through a fusion of Chinese and Western culture.

Since making her mark by winning a VFILES runway show at New York Fashion Week in 2016, Kim Shui has completely reshaped the landscape of womenswear. This time, she transforms the runway into a space for reflection on social conventions and self-expression. Her Autumn/Winter 2025 collection boldly explores sensuality and subversion by merging elements of Chinese and Western traditions—an invitation to challenge conventional notions of power, identity, and intimacy.

The setting—a lavish ballroom on the Upper East Side—hosted an exclusive guest list, including Joey Bada$$ and SAINt JHN, who gathered around a striking floating crystal chandelier. Against this opulent backdrop, Shui unveiled 43 looks designed to play with the tension between sensuality and restraint, exploring autonomy through unexpected textures and silhouettes.

Inspired by Italian artist Monica Bonvicini’s use of leather belts and handcuffs as symbols of power and resistance, Shui made faux leather the star of the show. Throughout the collection, this material comes to life through laser cuts, fringing, draping, and distressed finishes, challenging its traditional association with toughness. The designs blur the boundaries between structure and fluidity, strength and delicacy.

The interplay between East and West is evident in every piece: faux fur cowboy hats and bolo ties are juxtaposed with Qipao collars and traditional Chinese embroidery. The snake—a symbol of rebirth and transformation—slithers through the collection, appearing in lace and faux fur dresses that mimic its shape, as well as in snakeskin-printed trousers and tops.

True to her signature style, Shui pays meticulous attention to detail, incorporating statement accessories such as faux leather bags with anatomical shapes that further amplify the collection’s rebellious spirit.

Kim Shui’s Autumn/Winter 2025 collection is a call to rethink the symbols that define our identity. Through a bold aesthetic and a compelling visual narrative, the designer urges us to challenge the status quo and find power in reinvention.