Something eerie is drifting down the runwayâand weâre obsessed. In 2025, fashion is embracing its darker, dreamier side with a trend that feels straight out of a ghost story. Welcome to Haunted Couture, the mysterious style movement where vintage glamour meets gothic melancholy. Itâs haunting, beautiful, and a little bit tragicâin the most stylish way possible.
This isnât your average throwback. Haunted Couture is a curated blend of Victorian silhouettes, decayed elegance, and otherworldly textures. It whispers of forgotten ballrooms, antique lace, and a world suspended in time. It’s a fashion trend, yesâbut also a cultural mood, capturing the emotional undercurrent of todayâs uncertain world with fabric and form.
đ What Is Haunted Couture?
The term took off after Diorâs ethereal Resort 2026 show, which stunned audiences with haunting gowns, gauzy layers, and a short ghost-themed film as the backdrop. But the roots of this aesthetic go deeperâdrawing from gothic literature, cinematic classics like Picnic at Hanging Rock, and the Victorian mourning dress era. The result is a look thatâs vintage, vulnerable, and quietly defiant.
Haunted Couture is less about being trendy and more about making an emotional statement. Itâs romantic without being sweet, dramatic without being loud. Itâs for those who feel deeply, dress poetically, and live a little bit outside the ordinary.
𧔠Key Style Elements
- Sheer, Flowing Fabrics: Layers of tulle, lace, chiffon, and organza that float like spirits in the wind.
- Historical Influence: High necks, puff sleeves, corsets, and floor-length silhouettes from past erasâbut reimagined with edge.
- Distressed Beauty: Frayed hems, faded fabrics, and a âloved-and-leftâ look that makes imperfection feel powerful.
- Soft-Goth Color Palette: Dusty greys, antique whites, blacks, and faded pinks create a moody, vintage atmosphere.
- Underwear-as-Outerwear: Slip dresses, visible corsets, and delicate lingerie-inspired pieces take center stage.
đŹ Why It Speaks to Our Time
Haunted Couture isn’t just an aestheticâitâs a reflection of what many are feeling. In a post-pandemic world where we’re still processing collective grief, climate anxiety, and political unrest, this trend taps into an emotional undercurrent. It allows us to romanticize resilience and wear our vulnerability like armor.
Fashion scholar Catherine Spooner notes that gothic trends tend to resurface in turbulent times, acting as a mirror for societyâs fears and hopes. With its fragile silhouettes and ghostly charm, Haunted Couture is both a nod to the past and a soft rebellion against todayâs fast-paced, hyper-perfect fashion standards.
đ Where Weâre Seeing It
Beyond Dior, other designers are embracing the ghostly glam. Australian Fashion Week spotlighted collections from Courtney Zheng and Nicol & Ford, both featuring sheer, layered fabrics, antique-inspired accessories, and a mood of quiet drama. Meanwhile, style influencers on TikTok and Instagram are giving the trend a modern twistâpairing flowy dresses with heavy boots or layering corsets over graphic tees.
This look is also gaining traction in bridal fashion and editorial shoots, where vintage lace veils, floral crowns, and foggy backdrops are taking over Pinterest boards and mood boards alike.
đĄ How to Style Haunted Couture in Real Life
- Start with Sheer: Try a lace or tulle blouse layered over a tank top or bralette.
- Mix Textures: Balance floaty skirts with denim or leather jackets.
- Go Vintage: Thrifted slips, antique jewelry, or faded floral pieces bring the vibe to life.
- Add Drama with Accessories: Think lace gloves, cameo chokers, or a velvet ribbon in your hair.
- Soft Makeup: Pale tones, flushed cheeks, and smudged eyeliner complete the look.
đ€ Final Thoughts
Haunted Couture is more than just fashionâitâs storytelling through clothing. It invites us to wear our history, embrace softness as strength, and find poetry in imperfection. Whether you’re fully committing to ghostly glamour or just weaving a hint of vintage lace into your wardrobe, this trend offers a unique way to express mood, artistry, and soul.
So, next time youâre drawn to a faded dress in a thrift shop or feel like layering tulle over trousersâlisten to the ghost. Style it. And let Haunted Couture bring a little mysterious magic into your fashion story.