Campillo NYFW Autumn/Winter 2025 Collection Review: Caught in the Fiction of Reality

Atop the 39th floor of a building in New York’s Financial District with a view of an orange-pink sunset drenching the East River in gold, Patricio Campillo made his return to New York Fashion Week with his latest collection, "Fictions of Reality." Campillo — a self-taught designer — founded the brand Campillo in 2017, and it remains under his creative direction today.

“Fictions of Reality” marks Campillo’s second collection after being named a semifinalist for the LVMH Prize — one of the most prestigious prizes for up-and-coming brands and designers — which includes mentorship, guidance, and funding. Equipped with substantial financial backing and an ability to up the scale of already intricate designs and productions, Campillo is well on his way to staking a convincing claim on the fashion industry.

Days before the show, Campillo stated that he has big goals for the brand and is specifically inspired by the model of the French luxury fashion house Hermès. With a focus on craft and process, he hopes to turn the brand into a “Mexican Loewe” — referring to the Spanish brand that has been led by designer Jonathan Anderson for over a decade. Like Loewe, Campillo has a propensity for playing with silhouettes and materials with attention to meticulous tailoring.

The runway for the Campillo show wasn’t decorated, but it wasn’t vacant either. The unadorned space set the scene for the fashion show. The open concrete slabs throughout the score and the runway's cracked concrete set an ominous, dark, haunting scene. This ambiance was heightened by a layer of bright lights that created dark shadows on the models’ backs as they walked through the middle of the crowd, with the audience split on each side of the runway. Almost all of the models were people of color, creating a story of inclusion through the reclamation of culture — an important facet of Campillo’s brand.

The show started with an orchestral piece exploding from the speakers, and the first model walked out wearing an elevated charro look. This first look featured a black suit jacket shaped with a cutout flare at the torso and flared pants with small silver coffee flowers lining the outside of each leg. The look was paired with black cowboy boots.

This opening set the stage for a show that eloquently told a story of love and culture. Tailoring was the emphasis of Campillo’s show: Many of the looks included deconstructed suit pants, jackets, and trench coats with veiny, distressed markings. This unique texture added to Campillo's overall surrealist and dreamy aesthetic for the show.

Some looks in Campillo's collection featured ombré hues. By Courtesy of Zeeshaan Shabbir

Most of the colors in the show were muted hues of gray, cream, brown, and black, with some ombré looks where light brown and orange faded into each other. Most of the shoes in the show were either black or brown boots — a nod to traditional charro style.

Some looks featured intricately embroidered flowers. By Courtesy of Zeeshaan Shabbir

Scarves woven into a leather jacket or long trench coat comprised a recurring look throughout the show, putting an emphasis on warmth for Campillo’s Autumn/Winter 2025 collection. Gold, black, and green flower embroidery also decorated some of the sleeves and pants in the collection, effectively conveying the wonder and magical realism of the show.

Across all of the looks, Campillo’s design language was almost architectural in style. Precision and craft were clearly present in the construction of the garments, which made for highly inventive, sharp, and unique creations.

The show was accompanied by mournful Mexican rancheras, including multiple songs by Chavela Vargas, like “Piensa en Mí” and “Paloma Negra.” Both are songs about longing, pain, and suffering, which created a dark tone for the runway show. The songs added to the tensions of joy and sorrow — love and pain — present throughout the clothes.

One of the most memorable looks of the night was a suit and sombrero-inspired hat. By Courtesy of Zeeshaan Shabbir

A standout outfit was the third look: a sharp suit and gray-striped blouse. The model wore the suit along with a large gray sombrero-inspired headpiece that engulfed the entire look, providing a smooth flow which was wonderfully exaggerated by the fluid walk of the model. The surreal look of the hat furthered the feeling of a dream-like trance.

The final look of the night featured a colorful feathered jacket. By Courtesy of Zeeshaan Shabbir

The show's final look was a multicolored feathered jacket layered with orange and black feathers. In the background, “Soñé” by Zoé was playing — a song of love and desire that ended the show on a high note. The song and the sunset that decorated the windows as the models walked through truly encapsulated the feelings of what it means to be caught in the fiction of reality inspired by magical realism, surrealist paintings, and Campillo’s memories.

At the end of the show, Campillo came out for his bow. Making a bold statement with his attire, he wore a shirt that read “Golfo de México,” a jab at President Donald Trump’s claims about changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. This brave decision by the Mexican-born designer served as the perfect bookend to an incredible show that displayed the wonders of fashion inspired by Mexican heritage.

—Staff writer Christian A. Gines can be reached at christian.gines@thecrimson.com.