Haute Couture Week ended with a bang with Robert Wun’s debut runway show. His collection was inspired by fear. A designer’s fears and insecurities of what might happen to their beautifully crafted design. The what-if questions, such as what if a design were to get stained? What if a design were to get wet? What if a design were to get burned? Using all of these fears and questions to create something hauntingly beautiful. As usual from Wun, we saw amazing tailoring and silhouettes but used his inspiration of fear to push his designs even further to create true masterpieces.
As soon as the first model turned down the runway, you can tell this collection is taking inspiration from all things scary and meant to haunt the viewers’ memories. With a haunting soundtrack created especially for the show by Tsunaina. As the haunting vocals echoed through the Hôtel d’Évreux, the first model turned down in a red bridal look, with beautiful tailoring and a stunning silhouette. With each new look coming down the runway, you could tell there was a story and intention for everything. It’s hard to choose favorites in this collection, but a few pieces stood out to me in this collection of showstoppers. One of my favorites from this collection was a gown made completely of white silk satin in a signature Robert Wun silhouette with beetroot juice and red wine to create an effect of stained wine. Using the inspiration of a wine spill accident. Another standout piece was a satin gown with a silk mesh lining that had intricate scorch and burn marks, finished with actually burned edges to transform a simple white gown into a piece that tells a dramatic narrative. The effect of burned edges and scorch marks creates a look that makes the model look like it went up in flames before going down the runway.
Robert Wun’s debut runway collection told a beautiful horror story with showstopping pieces at every turn. His use of dramatic silhouettes, story-telling, expert tailoring, and intentional accidents represented an exploration of fear at its most beautiful. The collection takes the inspiration of fear, conquers it, and creates something powerful and magnificent.
Words by Ben Ebner (@benn.ebner)
Graphic by Aarushi Menon