Kaia Gerber Maximizes the Fall 2025 Chili Flake Color Trend's Spice Factor With a Monochrome Red Outfit
Sure, the show is a period piece. But her set looked straight from a recent runway.
Producer Ryan Murphy is singlehandedly making sure fashion girls flood our TV screens, from Teyana Taylor and Kim Kardashian to Sarah Pidgeon and now, Kaia Gerber. Gerber is the latest star to join the nostalgic Murphy-verse through his '80s thriller, The Shards. Paparazzi spotted the actor in costume on October 29, dressed in a resurfacing fall color trend: chili flake red.
Gerber's second week on set began with her wearing monochrome maroon from top to bottom. She looked every bit her mother's doppelgänger in a short-sleeve T-shirt, which matched her straight-leg trousers to a T. They had a leather-ish shine to them, starting at the high-rise waist until her ankle-length hems. Zoom in and you'll see the pants are presumably coated denim instead. A matching belt—boasting gold hardware—melded the two separates together.
In keeping with the decade's fashion, Gerber popped on low-profile cowboy boots. Their pointed toes were a perfect shade match to the rest of the model's costume. Even a top-flap messenger bag—made of polka-dotted suede—got the one-color memo.
A moment for Kaia Gerber, a.k.a. Cindy Crawford's lookalike.
The brands behind Gerber's latest The Shards costume remain a mystery, but each style could've been plucked from various Fall 2025 runway shows. In fact, the shade was so popular, Marie Claire's fashion features editor, Emma Childs, gifted it a name: chili flake. It's the perfect median between burgundy and maroon—equally rich, toasty, and decadent.
"Warm, peppery reds emerged in shows and became conversation-starting blouses at Khaite and Christopher John Rogers, as well as weatherproof parkas at Louis Vuitton and leather trench coats at Gabriela Hearst," Childs reports. Chili flake monochrome also appeared on Hermès, Elie Saab, and Alexander McQueen's catwalks. The single shade stretched from base layers to hosiery, footwear, and beyond. Elie Saab even debuted chili flake fur atop a model's hat.
A model wore chili flake red in the Hermès Fall 2025 show.
It even got a boho-chic renovation at Alexander McQueen's hands.
Faux fur, is once again, having a moment, except in a sleek, boho-chic way.
Sure, Gerber is the latest celebrity to channel the trend, but she's certainly not alone. Blake Lively, Selena Gomez, Anne Hathaway, and more have followed the runway's lead. Luckily for them, it's not going anywhere, as proven by Spring 2026 presentations from Chanel, Lacoste, Balenciaga, Loewe, and Balmain. Each show suggests chili flake fall will turn into spring and summer, too.
Shop Chili Flake Finds Inspired by Kaia Gerber
T-shirts are essential all year round. This season, swap your white renditions for a burgundy version or two.
Blink and you'll think these Veronica Beards are leather.
Tecovas will get you through the rest of chili flake fall and more.
B-Low the Belt is a Taylor Swift favorite, but I presume Gerber will fall for the brand, too.
Check off the suede and messenger bag trends in one, under-$300 bag from Madewell.
