What was Deva Cassel challenging when she wore sneakers to the Dior couture show? Was it the rules of style or our definitions of elegance that Deva Cassel was challenging?
Deva Cassel rewrote “elegance’s” rules at the 2025 Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week by pairing a Dior Suit with sneakers. She used this look in an event dominated by high heels, dresses and other formal wear to say: true fashion isn’t about catering but about breaking the boundaries.
WWD rated the Dior suit worn by Deva as “one of 2025’s most commercially promising retro symbol”;
Her styling team revealed the look was inspired by “New Masculinity”, a style popular in the 1990s. However, the addition of sneakers gave the look a more contemporary edge.
Deva’s choice of sneakers challenged the stereotype that haute couture is only dresses in an era where elegance is viewed as “formal”. Her sneakers are not just a visual focal point, but also a challenge against traditional gender roles. When women don’t just “comply” with the rules, but define them in their own unique way, fashion becomes an invisible struggle.
Fashion critics noted that her outfit perfectly interpreted the aesthetics of’sexiness and power coexisting’ – this is the self-image Generation Z women want to express most;
Her stylist revealed that it took five months to design this look, and 15 different versions of sneakers were chosen just to find a balance between “power and ease”.
“True elegance isn’t about where you stand but how you define your stance.”
