In the middle of Nolita, Lorena Pipenco’s Fall/Winter 2025 runway show is set in an underground speakeasy, The Back Room. Dimly lit by a cluster of tall wax candles, models began to descend the stairwell in fantastical garments that conveyed the Romanian story of Dracula. While the vampire may have had his female muses trapped in his wake, Pipenco reimagines them as autonomous beings.
With 18 looks on the runway styled by Jody Bain, the story quickly came alive with intention. Oversized wool top hats, exaggerated shoulders, and structured peplum pieces were a part of the brand’s newest creations. The designer pulled additional inspiration from the dark aesthetics of the show Interview with the Vampire. Resilience in the face of entrapment and autonomy are balanced throughout the show with Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula and Romanian painter Corneliu Baba’s imagery in mind. Brushed wool, lace, coated materials, fuzzy draping allude Lorena’s sources of inspiration.
Darkness was also conveyed through the creation of black-hued dresses with puff sleeve details and mini dresses with a dramatic peplum detail along with crystals hanging from the hem, like a chandelier. Ball gowns with extra cinched waists and added textures are prevalent in the collection in lipstick red. Strapless dresses layered over white button downs in red and navy blue both feature added textures of sheen coating and printed lace.
Draping in two ensembles caught attention due to the fabric’s feathery texture in cream and then again in fiery red. Some suiting made its way down the runway in a dark gray hue with lace detailing around the wrists and breastbone. Meanwhile, another gray look right beside it features a white button down with pillow puff sleeves and a gray vest with white lace and a pleated skirt underneath.
Not many accessories were needed as the ensembles spoke for themselves, however dramatic hats and a few veils were at play. The shoes at the show were just as eye-catching as the hats, so large that some models didn’t dare to walk down the stairs to the end of the runway but rather strutted right to the edge of the stairwell—maybe a nod to the storyline of Dracula’s muses not being able to escape.
