One thing about Jackson Wiederhoeft? They’re going to put on a capital S show. Rather than stick to a standard runway format (models beelining down a catwalk in a single-file line), Wiederhoeft has put on full-blown, Broadway-worthy theatrical productions for the past several seasons — from nightmare-themed operas to foggy, apocalyptic settings.
Spring/Summer 2027’s Last Look was no different. This time around, however, the designer hosted showgoers inside New York Live Arts, an actual theater that seats around 200 guests. As everyone shuffled their way into seats, four hooded “Statue Watchers” dressed in drapey gray gowns and opera gloves with bedazzled palms glided around a large-scale bust at center stage. Backstage, Wiederhoeft described the scene as “the beginning of a movie,” telling TZR that there are “many theories” as to who these people are and why their hands are covered in rhinestones (a standout being that, after spending so much time in their cave habitat, the glittering materials evolved naturally as a way to silently communicate with each other in the darkness).
Once everyone settled into the venue, the group was joined by a woman dressed in a sparkling gunmetal strapless gown. She presented ethereally, seemingly acting as the masked society’s leader, ushering them out of the area alongside a cluster of models dressed in fairy-like floral headpieces and matching dusty mauve corseted ballgowns. Once the space was cleared, the actual runway show began.
Shimmering, three-dimensional petal-appliqué-covered corsets emerged, paired with fluid-like slip skirts. Of course, there were plenty of bridal-ready looks as well, considering those Wiederhoeft designs make up a big part of their made-to-order business. A white off-the-shoulder, floor-length dress kicked off the wedding chapter, followed by brocade ballgowns with pleated corseted bodices and lacey bolero-style sleeves, and a tulle tutu minidress that Carrie Bradshaw would undoubtedly die for.
The vast array of high-femme silhouettes is incredibly intentional, too. “A lot of what you see here is more hyperfeminine and more girly compared to what we usually do,” Wiederhoeft says. “I really wanted to honor the client this season. Especially with us only doing one collection a year, I really wanted to honor what the client was looking for.”
Wiederhoeft is the perfect example of a designer who truly values their customers, seeing them all as individual muses while still recognizing their shared desire for great fashion. (That’s why for Spring 2025 they opened their show with a slew of exceptionally diverse [an unfortunately unprecedented concept during NYFW] models wearing identical wedding gowns, showing that anyone and everyone is welcome in the Wiederhoeft world — a feat made possible by the designer’s sincerely fantastic craftsmanship.)
Beyond the bridal department, black lace-covered naked dresses, embroidered blush pink ensembles, and sharply tailored, pearl-encrusted jackets paired with mini skirts rounded out the collection. Each look was also accessorized by antique jewelry — some of which was hand-sourced by Wiederhoeft. Certain pieces were actually so aged and worn that they were missing beads or gemstones — a detail the designer chose to embrace rather than treat as a flaw.
“They’re Victorian-era pieces, so they’re so old that you can’t replace certain settings,” they explain. “That kind of embodied the collection, trying to find the beauty in just collecting something over the years.”
Below, see highlights from the Wiederhoeft Spring/Summer 2027 show.
Courtesy of WiederhoeftCourtesy of WiederhoeftCourtesy of WiederhoeftCourtesy of WiederhoeftCourtesy of WiederhoeftCourtesy of WiederhoeftCourtesy of Wiederhoeft
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