Dreaming Eli | London Fashion Week AW25
Words by Lauren Bulla, Photographs by Aitor Rosas courtesy of Dreaming Eli
Dreaming Eli has been on my list of “must see” designers for awhile, so when I got the invite for this season’s show, it was a no-brainer. Walking up to St. James Church in Clerkenwell, I was beyond intrigued as the show was taking place in the Crypt. When I saw the location, I promise you, I jumped at that RSVP like my life depended on it. This season’s offerings could not be better positioned, venue wise. Existing via a somewhat delicate defiance - the works were beautiful yet creepy, sultry yet dark.
The collection is entitled “Between My Heart and Ribs”, and appears alongside a powerful, albeit eerie poem by founder and Central Saint Martins graduate, Elisa Trombatore. Undulating emotions coexist alongside practicality, a sentiment which permeates the work highlighted by the accompanying poetry. The text speaks about the designer’s very human body of which she is in control of and simultaneously must exist within. This season’s works seek to dig as deep as possible, looking far into the “depths of the human form, exploring the intricate layers of flesh” which complement intangible artefacts of human existence like emotion, feeling.
There is an undeniable espousal of chaos as it exists alongside beauty, expressing that we are a byproduct of a life led before us, and equally exactly who we were always meant to be. Walking through the burning coals, Dreaming Eli clasps you in her embrace, reminding you that life is fleeting, life is suffering. Yet we find solace in the carnage of it all, anyway. It is this exact aching which reminds us that we are human, and what a powerful thing that is, to let the unruly branches scratch you, as it reminds us we bleed.
As the show went on, there was a trick of the eye which presented in one of the stylings that particularly gripped me. Representative of a woman unwilling to submit, to be tamed. A model adorned in black corset top and accompanying dress, appeared, lacing down her legs - limitation. All the while, ruffling of tulle and gauze mesh pillowed up underneath constraining ribbons. She appeared solemn and serious at first, hands behind her back. Seemingly tied in a bondage of sorts, she sauntered down the runway, only to reveal that she had you fooled. Untethered and freely moving, she only wanted you to believe she was restrained.
The obvious star of the collection was the final look, a neural toned sheer lacy gown, structured by boning and affixed by asymmetrical shoulder to half halterneck detail. The model wore delicate white undergarments which complemented red dye dipped arms. The colour travelled up to the elbow with sharp menacing black fingernails solidifying the mood, ominous and carnal.
Stylings were layered, intricate, and undeniably gorgeous, models decorated with high glam looks, hair tufted into updos. Red was a central colour throughout, complementing 6” platforms, thus creating an otherworldly air to the models’ slow movements. As if they were something between angel and demon. Despite the fact that their undefinability may have incited fear, the audience couldn’t help become more enthralled with each successive styling.
The collection is a representation of the often visceral and macerating process of self-uncovering. There are many truths we hide from ourselves, taping them to the insides of our ribs. Dreaming Eli beckons us to draw them out, to meet ourselves face to face in the mess of it. We might like what we see after all, and if this season’s offerings were any representation of what's to be uncovered, I’d say yes - indeed we will.
