I was journaling the other day reflecting upon a departure, and I thought to myself: great endings give the greatest gift—an evolved sense of self. I’ve grown to love and appreciate every thought, action, and encounter that challenges how I view myself, deal with myself, nurture my wounds, express my vulnerabilities, and co-exist with others. There’s beauty to be found within the most heartwrenching moments. But, I’ve learned you have to choose to find it, you have to choose to see it! Observing this fashion month while in such a tender state has made me really value the power of choice. Every decision is an independent choice, regardless of its impact on another, it is a reflection of the individual’s state of consciousness, emotional intelligence, self-perception, and priorities. When people talk about identity it is often explained how external factors mold you, as opposed to those moments of true self-reflection where you identify and choose what works for you and what doesn’t. So, I found it interesting that the themes of this SS25 season were: identity and individuality.
What makes dressing so exhilarating is the intimate moment you share with your wardrobe in curating a look that is satisfying to your mood, body, and overall self-image. Individuality isn’t something a designer is to proclaim, it’s what a designer supports. But, this season was a reminder that designers are no longer loyal to the identity of the woman they once created for. Money is in the masses. How can we appeal to them all? We saw this blatantly revealed as Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons scrambled to find the future of Prada. One might even consider this season of chaos a mere exercise to discover what’s next for the brand—for they explored the possibilities of the Prada girl 49 times. This attempt to speak on individuality prevented the duo from designing a collection that elaborated the significance of their garments to an individual’s expression. I’m unsure if Mrs. Prada is now unamused by her positioning in the zeitgeist, for the algorithm she’s challenging is one that keeps her designs front and center. The girl she was designing for wasn’t setting the trends, but her perception of what that girl needed. This season lacked genuine curiosity of what’s needed from a brand immersed in an algorithm that lacks individuality. The answer isn’t excessive styling, nor absurdly conceptualized collections, but: intention, imagination, innovation, precision, and craftmanship seeping through the threads of every garment. An intuitive decisiveness should be triggered—where a person identifies that they are where that article of clothing belongs.
Now, Prada isn’t completely doomed. The potential of the duo’s dynamism relies on their ability to merge the opposing timelines they occupy. Their play on duality, this season, was far more intriguing than their quest for individuality: women similar in nature but different in degree can coexist—the 2D versus the 3D. But, then again a concept is only as good as the product. Will they continue to sacrifice their designs for the sake of storytelling? Or will they find value in their impact?
The need for character-building via styling rather than design continued from brand to brand throughout the month. Clothing was layered, smothered, distorted, enveloped, and protruded from what tried to keep its existence hidden. Similarly to how we learn to conceal the parts of us we’re unsatisfied with, we adopt a false self. Stylists have become creative crutches and storytelling is simply an intellectual distraction to disguise the lack of design. Even in this deficiency, the absence of our self-exploration continues to be exploited because we operate as blank canvases ready to purchase prepackaged identities.
We are headed towards a very sterile reality now that identity is more marketable than fantasy. To be clear, I am now speaking of an identity that lacks soul, it has lost the very essence of you. These are mere concepts—unnatural ways of being. When I started buying I was told: fashion is about being amongst people. The human connection that derives from the beauty of admiration. It is in those moments our carnal sensations arise and remind us we’re alive. There was a photo floating around of Salvatore Ferragamo fitting shoes onto the dancer-choreographer, Katherine Dunham, which was said to inspire Maximilian Davis’ SS25 Ferragamo collection. Ferragamo’s history with ballet wasn’t just a distant fascination—he was surrounded by dancers. Oh, the power of a muse. Their synergy created revolutionary designs. I’ve enjoyed Davis at Ferragamo because he continues to maintain a level of creative integrity. He’s established this harmonious relationship between fluidity and volume, so much space is taken while so much is revealed—it’s truly divine. But, I’ve noticed designers try to reverence moments in history yet struggle to capture the feeling. When creating from this third-person perspective you lose a level of connectivity. Davis’ ballerina felt more like a gimmick than an interest. No new moments are being created nor individuals fancied and cared for. You can bury your head in history all you want, but it’s life experiences that convert knowledge into wisdom. We’ve been discussing the identity of consumers, but what about the designers? How is their individuality molding their creations?
Ellen Hodakova Larsson is one to tell.
There are not many like Larsson, who are grounded in the physicality of their present moment. Fashion can be very detached, fleeting, and illusionary—satisfying our codependent relationship with escapism. But, at Hodakova, Larsson reveals avoiding the here and now isn’t the solution. Fulfillment can be achieved by shifting how we perceive what’s in front of us. Larrson’s ability to reimagine and upcycle materials challenges the fundamental practices and standards the fashion industry enforces surrounding dressing. I nearly lost my mind, watching the SS25 collection, when Look 6 appeared. A long-sleeved blue collared shirt sat underneath a blue and grey argyle sweater vest. The sweater’s grey sleeves were misplaced and draped over the shoulders of the model, as the two tops were tucked into a black snugged knee-length skirt made out of boots. The vamp of the boots gave the skirt a flare, marking its distinctive structure. Chaos can surely be excellent! This is not a stylistic approach or an overly conceptualized story but true craftsmanship. If you’re going to talk about an individualistic proposition, it’s happening at Hodakova!
Lately, I’ve felt like a broken record, constantly breaking down the same themes. But, the story continues to unravel. The more I sit with these revelations and examine both sides of the coin…I’m hoping you’re able to read through the lines and carefully choose what’s best for you💋