With L’éventail, his Fall/Winter 2025–2026 Haute Couture collection, Rami Kadi unfolds a poetic meditation on form, femininity, and silent strength. Inspired by the handheld fan—at once ornamental and communicative—this series of 41 couture gowns transforms an everyday object into an emblem of grace, symbolism, and self-possession.

At the collection’s core lies a duality: the fan as both mechanical marvel and cultural talisman. Once used in courtship rituals and coded gestures, it becomes, in Kadi’s vision, a metaphor for liberation rather than concealment. Each garment channels this symbolism with precision and artistry, integrating the fan’s structural DNA into silhouettes that balance tension with fluidity.

Architectural pleats mimic folded blades, corseted bodices mirror the ribbed mechanisms of vintage fans, and metallic boning anchors the body with sculptural clarity. These rigid elements are softened by flowing godet panels, fishtail hems, and diaphanous layers that open like petals or the spreading arc of a fan, evoking perpetual motion and transformation.

Echoes of Art Deco elegance shimmer throughout. Radiating beadwork, symmetrical embroidery, and polished metallic threading reflect both early 20th-century design and the geometric beauty inherent in a fan’s radial form. The result is a visual language that’s both referential and unmistakably modern—where ornament becomes articulation rather than excess.

Kadi’s palette is as layered as his craftsmanship. Cobalt, oil blue, and crystal pink illuminate the collection with iridescent flair, while Windsor Wine, Blue Nights, and Rumba Red ground it in sensual depth. Ombré fades, mirrored finishes, and subtle metallic glints heighten the illusion of movement—of garments unfolding, evolving, becoming.

Standout pieces illustrate the collection’s precision and poetry: A halter gown in oil blue is cinched with a silver corset and cross-pleated neckline that mimics a fan’s internal hinges. A sheer, feather-embroidered gown in pale blue appears to hover, suspended in light. A rich burgundy velvet bodice gives way to a blush skirt stitched in linear embroidery, blending 1920s nostalgia with modern elegance.

Each gown is accompanied by a sculptural fan accessory, designed as an extension of the look rather than a mere adornment. These ornamental objects—metallic, embellished, and radiant—reinforce the narrative of personal transformation, echoing the idea of fashion as both shield and statement.

Shot at the luminous Zappeion Hall in Athens, the lookbook is steeped in classical resonance. Its neoclassical columns and golden symmetry provide a fitting counterbalance to the collection’s flowing grace, framing L’éventail not as a static display, but as a movement—a reclamation of space, posture, and presence.

With L’éventail, Rami Kadi continues to push the boundaries of contemporary couture, fusing meticulous technique with metaphorical richness. It is a collection that speaks softly, yet powerfully—where garments unfold not only across the body, but into narrative, identity, and emotional resonance.