Fashion may seem governed by endless rules about what, when and how to wear things, but stepping outside those expectations can lead to its most memorable moments.
Lately, those rule-breaking flashes have felt more frequent than ever.
At the red carpet for the Palm Royale season two finale, Charlize Theron turned heads in a defiantly casual outfit.
She paired a slogan-emblazoned Givenchy graphic T-shirt with pinstripe trousers that resembled pyjama bottoms, finishing the look with simple white sneakers.
While celebrity style has grown more relaxed, it is still rare for a star to choose a simple tee for such a high-profile event.
It is worth noting, however, that Theron typically appears in overtly glamorous designs in public, making this pared-back moment feel like a deliberate style statement.
Read more: Celebrities at the Grammys embrace bold risks as they rewrite fashion rules
Jennifer Lawrence did the same thing at the Dior couture show, sitting front row in a white tank top and jeans.
She has embraced denim for fashion appearances before, but this marked a first for an event as prestigious as Paris Haute Couture Week.
In a parallel move, Chanel sent a couture look down the runway featuring a plain camisole and sheer jeans.
While denim has appeared in couture collections before – the late Karl Lagerfeld famously incorporated it into Chanel’s ready-to-wear and couture lines – an ensemble this stripped-back still feels distinctly boundary-pushing.
Beyond the clothes themselves, designers are also rethinking runway concepts and campaign casting.
Simon Porte Jacquemus recently chose his grandmother as the ambassador for his eponymous label.
“Good evening. This week I’ll announce my very first Jacquemus ambassador... I can’t believe it. See you soon,” he teased on Instagram.
Two days later, it was revealed to be neither a K-pop star – as many had speculated – nor an in-demand model such as Kendall Jenner or Bella Hadid, but 79-year-old Liline Jacquemus.
“Before anything, there was her,” he wrote in a follow-up post.
“Before Jacquemus even existed, she was already my inspiration. Her strength, her elegance, her authenticity... she shaped the way I see women, and the way I imagine the maison.”
Fashion has focused on older women before, but those are usually professional models or celebrities, not everyday women.
By casting someone like Liline, it shows that some designers are, at least, genuine in celebrating real-life influence and lived experience.
Read more: Italy of 'many colours': Pushing for diversity on the fashion runways of Milan
At the recent menswear fashion week in Paris, Willy Chavarria pushed the boundaries of the runway by staging a musical-style show.
It opened with a performance by singers Mon Laferte and Lunay, followed by models walking amid dance numbers and additional performances from stars including Mahmood, Lil Mr E, Santos Bravos, Feid and Latin Mafia.
A short film was even screened on a massive high-resolution video display, not to mention other theatrics like smoke machines.
While high-octane productions like this are not unheard of, they are usually reserved for major fashion houses with large budgets under luxury conglomerates such as LVMH.
Chavarria, though a fast-rising talent, is still an independent designer who only made his Paris debut in January last year.
These examples underline a clear shift in the fashion world. You could say that fashion’s rules have loosened, and convention no longer holds the crown.
Unlike something conceptualised purely for spectacle, they feel authentic – perhaps even a reflection of how individuals and brands can do things their own way, on their own terms.
