ARCHIVE.pdf, in collaboration with photographer Angela Ricciardi, presents our exclusive backstage coverage of Ann Demeulemeester’s Spring/Summer 2025 show.

Behind the scenes at Ann Demeulemeester S/S '25

Since the brand’s purchase by Claudio Antonioli in 2020, the house has been working to reconnect to its archive and the work of its founder. Appointed in 2023, creative director Stefano Gallici has begun to build his own vision for Ann Demeulemeester, balancing his reverence for its founder and his desire to bring the brand into the future. Community and music have been central to Gallici’s vision, as he has brought together a creative community of artists, designers, and musicians around the house. 
	That love of music was on full display for Spring 2025, with guitarist Marco Fusinato opening the show with a distorted, droning performance. The collection which followed showed Gallici weaving between archival homages and contemporary aesthetics. Reissued pieces included: an off-shoulder mohair sweater, originally from Fall 2005; embroidered lace pieces, originally from Spring 2007; and a sharpened, severe rework of the strapped pirate boots from Spring 2003. 

Amelia Walker, womenswear designer for the brand and former Carol Christian Poell assistant, talked us through the design process for the collection. Stefano sought to balance rigid tailoring with something soft and draped, leading to the juxtaposition of strong-shouldered jackets with bias-cut draped pieces. Dresses had modular strap systems that allow the wearer to alter the height of the neckline and length of the hem – “It’s really supposed to look like it’s falling off the body.” That same bias draping was present on another skirt, with a leg slit that emulated that same sense of “falling off” while in motion. The challenge for the collection was to find the right mix of disheveled “morning after” messiness and chic elegance. Complex layering by stylist Elodie David aided this, and led to the creation of some of the distressed jersey pieces. The pieces were distressed just before the show by her and Gallici, creating holes that reveal the layers of fabrics underneath. This balance of sophistication and chaos recalled the rockstar sensibilities Stefano so lovingly seeks to capture with his clothes.  

The most modernized looks included signature Demeulemeester Victorian blouses paired with massive baggy denim – Walker says these denim pieces have been a big commercial success for the brand, and that the team appreciates customers stepping on the hems and tearing them up through wear. These looks, however contemporary, were rooted back in the brand’s history through makeup done by Belgian legend Inge Grognard, the omnipresent Antwerp makeup artist whose touch is felt in the work of countless Royal Academy graduates. 

Included in our coverage are photographs shot by Angela Ricciardi that depict both backstage and the runway show itself, and a behind-the-scenes short film. 


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Ann Demulemeester S/S 2025 Backstage

Angela Ricciardi

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View Angela Ricciardi's contributions at ARCHIVE.pdf.

Angela Ricciardi

Photographer

Ann Demulemeester S/S 2025 Backstage