Statement Capes Will Be One of 2025’s Biggest Fashion Trends
There's a reason superheroes wear them to save the world.
Capes embody drama in fabric form. Superheroes wear them to save the world, and kings and queens cloak themselves in ermine fur and satin for major ceremonies and coronations. On a fashion runway, a cape often comes out as the finale—a big, billowing spectacle to cap off the show. But as a 2025 coat trend, capes have also become an option for those who don’t typically dress for theatrics.
In the winter collections, capes began cropping up as simple cold-weather options—like Gabriela Hearst’s humble denim ponchos and the cozy camel-colored scarf coats at Max Mara. Then came the Spring 2025 shows, where the cape craze really swung into action; Khaite frothed dreamy organza into ponchos, Burberry cropped nylon anoraks into circle-shaped jackets, and Chloé topped its sheer lace mini dresses with cascading ruffles down the shoulders. Tibi was also right on cue: the New York City-based brand wrapped up its Spring 2025 show with glorious cape dresses that captured the air like hot air balloons.
Burberry took a gorpcore approach to the cape craze with circular parkas.
While some of the season's cape options may very well be too theatrical for your everyday life (Tibi’s parachuting cocoons might distract your cubicle neighbor), all of the runway’s free-flowing styles promote the same idea: sometimes it's fun to add some carefree drama to your day-to-day. Something as simple as a sculptural shawl or a trench with a built-in capelet offers a lasting style impact—and quite a satisfying movement when the wind catches you as you walk away.
Tibi's closing look: a berry-colored balloon that doubled as a dress.
The celebrity set has already flown their flags of approval for using capes as conversation starters. Earlier this August, Sydney Sweeney took Chloé’s cropped khaki cape, first seen on the Fall 2024 runway, out for a boho spin around the block. If you rewind back to last December, you’ll also see that Kendall Jenner wore Bottega Veneta’s caped trench and a sculpted, liquid-like leather bomber jacket by Phoebe Philo in back-to-back looks.
Kendall Jenner in her mega-sized cape coat from Bottega Veneta last December.
Fashion has been primed for a mainstream cape craze for several years. The beloved Swedish brand Toteme's viral scarf coats remain a coveted silhouette in fashion circles despite debuting in November 2021 (three years ago—which is an an eon in today’s trend lifespan!). Luxury sourcer Gab Waller previously told Marie Claire that she consistently has clients request the brand’s cape coats, a demand up there with items from Chanel, Prada, and Saint Laurent.
You’ve definitely seen Toteme’s wooly wrap-around coats on social media. (If you haven’t, toggle over to your favorite minimalist influencer’s account, and the odds are high that you’ll spot the cape-cum-scarf coat.) Come spring 2025, though; you’ll also start to see fashion folks integrate a new Toteme evening cape into their collections: a black sheer shawl with a drawstring halter and delicate floral embroidery along the knee-length hem.
The sweet and sheer aformentioned cape on Toteme's Spring 2025 runway.
Alternatively, you can be the trendsetter and incorporate a cape or two into your winter coat rotation. This way, you’ll ease into spring already ahead of the curve.
The Best Capes to Try:
