SIMKHAI Spring Summer 25 Collection

Jonathan Simkhai goes into deeply personal family history for his SIMKHAI Spring Summer 25 collection, using his mother’s wedding dress as its cornerstone. The delicate details of the dress, made by Simkhai’s late grandfather in a family-owned lace mill in Iran, serve as a focal point. The silk tulle embroidery and tiny floral motifs have been reimagined in this collection, translating cherished memory. The designer’s use of three-dimensional floral appliqué and hand-crocheted metallics across dresses, suiting, and knitwear reflects his intention to carry forward these sentimental elements into a contemporary narrative.

The collection draws heavily from the significance of the silk petal that Simkhai discovered while organizing his closet. Its unexpected reappearance sparked inspiration for the season, acting as a starting point for the delicate floral motifs that have now transformed into bold, sculptural details. This progression from subtle, intimate inspiration to striking visual statements can be seen in the way the florals evolve through the collection. Techniques like fin pleating and laser-cut leather are combined with softer elements, creating a dynamic tension between precision and tenderness across the garments.

A gradual shift in color palettes mirrors this journey of transformation. The collection begins with soft earth tones and moves into vibrant hues, symbolizing a blooming process in motion. These color transitions reflect the fluidity between past and present, with each hue telling its own chapter of the story. Simkhai’s play with structure and flow in the designs, such as A-line silhouettes and sharp pleats, captures this interplay between strength and delicacy.

The introduction of men’s looks into the runway for the first time marks a new chapter for the brand. By expanding into menswear, Simkhai continues to push his aesthetic, incorporating elements of craft like crochet and floral appliqué into traditionally masculine forms. These pieces, while adhering to the overall theme of the collection, showcase the designer’s ability to adapt his vision to different sartorial realms, creating a more inclusive and expansive interpretation of his family’s history.

One of the collection’s standout features is Simkhai’s use of contrasting fabrics to create parallel silhouettes. Dresses that share the same shape but differ in texture, from laser-cut leather to cotton poplin, emphasize the versatility of his designs. The recurring floral and petal motifs, brought to life through both machine embroidery and hand-crafted details, are a continuous thread throughout the collection, from their subtle beginnings to more dramatic, three-dimensional interpretations.