Held in the gymnasium at St. Patrick’s Youth Center in Soho, the Wiederhoeft SS23 debut runway presentation was another interesting offsite we noted during the recent NYFW schedule.
Outside, showgoers donned extravagant tulle gowns, detailed headpieces, and fabulous makeup – an apparent oddity for the quiet neighborhood. Bodega Papis and contractors stepped outside asking “What’s going on?” and “Why’s everyone dressed so weird?”
More like, why’s everyone dressed so Wiederhoeft?
With a theatrical performance, Wierderhoft told a story of young love – acquired and lost. The Spell, examines childlike joy and naïve creativity, encouraging watchers to get in touch with the magical wonder of seeing first inspirations.
Two young girls enter the stage, prancing and playful with one another. One wears a red satin oversized hoodie paired with afro puff double buns and the other wears a cropped corset in pea-green faille with a hand-embroidered pink bugle bead bow. They laugh, play hand games, and appear to whisper secrets to one another.
As the cheery, springtime soundtrack turns ominous and the lights dim even further, masked villains (or specters) donning black silk and chiffon entered the stage. They performed a sort of ritual, carrying away the young girl in the pink and green and separating the friends from one another.
A golden (almost winged figure) appears representing ‘The Bright Idea’, leading the young girl in the red away. It appears that ‘The Bright Idea’ led the young woman away from temptation, despite the heartache the separation may cause.
With such an interesting and thought-provoking storyline and even better costume design, Wierderhoft left showgoers deep in thought. The room filled with raucous applause at the close of the show.
A room full of fashion enthusiasts, trained to see the beauty and hidden message behind the extravagant designs was the perfect audience for Wierderhoft’s debut runway.
We will be adding the whole collection to our vision boards. Collection standouts were:
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