There is no show like a Wiederhoeft show, and for his AW24 collection, Secret Room, Jackson Wiederhoeft kept us on our toes.
All photography by Paige Powell.
All photography by Paige Powell.
There are certain things you start to expect from a Wiederhoeft show: opera-worthy theatrics, intricate and show-stopping designs, the presence of Julia Fox, and an air of mystery. But perhaps what I’ve come to expect the most is the unexpected.
Walking into Wiederhoeft’s AW24 show, Secret Room, I am struck by how… well… traditional the set-up appeared. Compared to last season’s theatre set-up, the designer’s AW24 presentation is held at the Starrett-Lehigh Building, where many collections have graced the halls before, with seats lined in a (relatively) streamlined manner.
Like any other Wiederhoeft show, the label brings together an energetic and welcoming community, one that feels refreshingly approachable and conversational. As we hypothesise about the collection and share in our over-tired, adrenaline-run states, a slight haze appears before our eyes. Ah, I think as it grows and grows. Here we go.
All photography by Paige Powell.
All photography by Paige Powell.
All photography by Paige Powell.
All photography by Paige Powell.
All photography by Paige Powell.
Emerging in clouds of eerie mist, models descend the runway in a salon-style performance — walking, sure, but as theatrical characters effortlessly interacting with the audience and winning the crowd over. Breaking all traditional runway rules, the Wiederhoeft muses make eye contact with guests, sauntering this way and that to their own will. Simultaneously one of an ensemble and each their own protagonist, every model commanded full attention, out-performing the last in what felt almost like a (healthy) competition.
This balance of traditional avant-garde and theatrical experimentation on the runway was mirrored right back to us in the pieces themselves: A new corset silhouette, the “Salon”; structured, wearable swing coats; otherworldly ballgowns; classic neckties; snakeskin motifs fully hand-embroidered out of sequins, crystals, tinsel, and fringe; micro dresses with high-slits and matching opera gloves; belts as necklaces; charm bracelets, gunmetal chain-link chokers, pendants, galore. The clothes did the talking, but if you needed subtitles, no fear. Embroidered texts such as “CUSTOM” and “NEW YORK” adorn pieces, as do pictorial depictions of hands and faces. Again, eerie.
As always, I don’t quite leave a Wiederhoeft show when I walk out of the building. Obsessing over details with guests as we make our way to our respective next presentations, I am reminded of why I love fashion weeks so much. The emotion, the details, the story, the heart. Wiederhoeft has done it again.
