Fashion's Plastic, It's Fantastic: Exploring The Dichotomy of Disposability and Luxury
As seen in SS25 collections from Mugler, MM6 Maison Margiela, Fiorucci and more.
“It is everywhere: inside our homes, our soil, our water bottles — within our very own mortal forms,” Natasha Zinko shares of her Spring/Summer 2025 collection dubbed “PLASTIC.”
This season, in fashion collections across London, Milan and Paris, the use of plastic emerged as a bold, satirical statement, playing on the juxtaposition of luxury and everyday materials. Brands, including Sportmax, Mugler and Bottega Veneta, embraced plastic as a symbol of irony, challenging traditional notions of luxury by incorporating a material often associated with disposability.
Plastic’s uptick in luxury fashion intersects with the sheer dressing trend which dominated Spring/Summer 2024 collections. As a clear and often glossy material, plastic creates a visual dialogue between exposure and concealment, much like sheer fabrics such as tulle and mesh. This transparency plays into fashion’s current interest of revealing what is typically hidden, whether it’s the body or clothing beneath. Plastic, as seen in MM6 Maison Margiela and Fiorucci’s collections, also taps into the current rise of the DIY aesthetic, reflecting a cultural shift toward customization and upcycling, where ordinary objects are reimagined as couture.
While the use of plastic in luxury fashion collections carries a potent irony, given that plastic itself is emblematic of the global climate crisis — using plastic in this context underscores fashion’s obsession with visibility—both literal and metaphorical—into a central motif.
Continue reading to discover the ways in which plastic was reinterpreted on SS25 runways.
Natasha Zinko
Natasha Zinko’s SS25 collection, “PLASTIC,” was a commentary on the material’s presence in our homes, our clothes and in our bodies. Zinko notes that the Greek roots of the word “plastic” translate to “mold, alter or to give shape.” In the collection, plastic is used in “medical attire” such as gloves and shoe covers while models carry clear plastic bags holding everyday objects. Plastic breast implants and silicone BBls protrude out of tops and trousers and liquid silicone layers take form as shirts and cargo pants.
Mugler
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, Mugler reinterpreted its classic codes with a lightheartedness woven throughout its SS25 collection. A standout piece was the brand’s fully transparent plastic rain coat. The hooded coat was “intricately weaved with transparent threading” making it appear as if there was glistening rainfall covering the body. While the model wore nothing underneath the piece of outwear, the transparency of the jacket allows a full outfit to be easily appreciated and protected by the environment in unison.
Sportmax
Sportmax SS25 was an exercise in designing for the body in motion — fluid, asymmetric and contemporary. The brand experimented with transparency in a range of the garments from sheer tops to crystal clear beading. Transparency is also seen in Sportmax’s new accessory — a clear, plastic tote bag with brown leather straps.
Bottega Veneta
Celebrating the inner child in us all, Bottega Veneta explored the child-like wonder of dressing for its SS25 collection. Garments were styled to mimic the act of dressing up in your parents clothes with a range of oversized suits, layered collared shirts and wrinkled trousers. To expand on the concept of “everyday adventures,” the Italian brand designed plastic-inspired grocery bags made from nylon and heat-sealed leather patches.
MM6 Maison Margiela
MM6 Maison Margiela‘s use of plastic points to a matter-of-factness in everyday dressing. The show notes explain that the collection offers “suggestions on how to make certain things at home [such as] fashioning a top out of a plastic bag.” Plastic is also seen covering a duct tape-inspired metallic dress as well as styled over white socks.
Fiorucci
Exploring the liminal space between the “tangible and the imaginary,” Fiorucci’s SS25 collection was packed with quirky floral motifs, crochet moccasins and a skirt made entirely of blond hair. Elsewhere, a latex dress which states “Fiorucci Cash and Carry” mimics a plastic shopping bag.
