A Love Letter to Wiederhoeft Fall 2023

I am, without a doubt, a lover of fashion. That being said, I rarely pay attention to the runways. Knowing that I cannot afford anything that I see pushes me away. I tend to look for inspiration on the street or social media apps, such as Instagram or Pinterest. This season, however, one piece caught my eye.

This outfit is from the Wiederhoeft Fall Ready to Wear 2023 collection. Part of the reason I love this look is because, like most young people, I’ve been influenced by the recent corset trend. What makes this look so special is the use of crystals. To me, it appears as if the model has just walked out of the clearest lake, with water trickling down her body. I appreciate the attention to detail from the tights to the gloves, and the bag; all dripping in sparkles. When this look came across my feed, I had never heard of Wiederhoeft. But after looking through this, and previous collections, I decided he deserved more press. So, here’s my love letter to Wiederhoeft Fall 2023.

About Wiederhoeft

Jackson Wiederhoeft graduated from Parsons School of Design in 2016 and was named Parsons 2016 Women's Wear Designer of the Year. They then worked for Thom Browne for three years. In 2019, he launched his own design house, with a collection named “Spooky Couture” that combined a fashion show with a story ballet. In 2020, Wiederhoeft launched a bridal collection, which went viral during the pandemic. Since their start, Wiederhoeft has been “obsessed with theatre, dance, and the magic of live performance”. There is often a whimsical and fairytale-like essence to Wiederhoeft’s collections. Additionally, the story and the live performance drive the creation of the clothes, a contrast to many other fashion houses. I recommend looking through his archives, found on his website, as each collection has its own characters, storylines, and beauty.

The Fall RTW Collection

Weiderhoeft’s Fall Ready to Wear 2023 collection is named “Eurydice.” As the name implies, the collection is based on the story of Orpheus and Eurydice, a classic Greek myth. In the original story, “Orpheus descends into hell to save his dead wife, only to kill her again by looking at her.” This collection twists the myth, exploring what would’ve happened if Eurydice chose to stay in hell. The collection exists in a genderless, post-apocalyptic world. There are combined motifs of Greek mythology and Catholicism. To me, a few key ideas are woven throughout the collection: corsets, the concept of seeing, brides, and a conflict between sheer and voluminous silhouettes. I highly recommend watching the video of the show; the models do an incredible job of portraying the story. The use of lighting and a complex runway add further to Weiderhoeft’s interpretation of Eurydice and Orpheus.