Fashion designer Emilia Wickstead draws inspiration from Hitchcock’s cinematic style for her latest collection, showcasing timeless elegance and modern aesthetics.
Emilia Wickstead, a prominent fashion designer, presented her autumn-winter 2025/26 collection on September 18, 2023, at the Saatchi Gallery in London during London Fashion Week. This season, Wickstead’s creative vision draws distinct inspiration from Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 suspense film, The Birds, specifically focusing on its leading lady, Tippi Hedren, along with writer Daphne du Maurier and acclaimed costume designer Edith Head.
In an interview with Vogue Spain, Wickstead expressed her admiration for Hitchcock, stating, “I am a huge fan of Hitchcock.” She elaborated on her inspirations, highlighting how Hedren, du Maurier, and Head share a commonality in their adherence to a uniform or signature style. The designer pointed out that Hedren’s character, Melanie Daniels, is famously seen wearing the same pistachio suit throughout the film. “She gets up and puts it on,” Wickstead noted, underscoring the simplicity and ease of such a wardrobe choice. This concept aligns with Wickstead’s fashion philosophy, which emphasizes being well-dressed without unnecessary complexity or sacrificing comfort.
Wickstead’s research revealed parallels between the styles of her muses, mentioning that du Maurier dressed similarly to Hedren and that Head maintained a consistent palette of black, white, and brown. Reflecting on her personal style, Wickstead shared, “It’s how I personally dress as a woman: I don’t spend much time. Even when I shop from our collections, I think about what my uniform is…” This perspective shaped her collection, which featured classic silhouettes enhanced by innovative fabrics and unexpected shapes.
The collection showcased an array of garments including classic suits, flowing shirts, and ethereal wool dresses that seemed almost transparent. The overall ambiance of the runway presentation evoked a dramatic and romantic atmosphere, reminiscent of a Du Maurier story. The designer described her vision for this season’s collection, saying, “The sweaters either get put on or fall off the body,” and portraying “a little rushed” aesthetic as a reflection of the modern world’s lack of serenity.
The show concluded with actress Tanya Reynolds, known for her role in Sex Education, making a striking appearance. Reynolds is slated to join esteemed actresses Cate Blanchett and Emma Corrin in a much-anticipated revival of Thomas Ostermeier’s The Seagull at the Barbican Centre. Wickstead encapsulated the contemporary mood in her presentation, indicating that women today often feel “alarmed and alert” in an ever-accelerating world.
As the fashion industry continues to explore themes of narrative and character in design, Wickstead’s homage to Hitchcock’s cinematic influence stands out as a testament to how storytelling and fashion can coexist, reflecting both timeless elegance and modern-day dynamics.
Source: Noah Wire Services
