Last season, Emilia Wickstead ventured into darker, androgynous territory, flexing her creative muscles in a raw industrial setting. Now, she masterfully blends that boldness with her signature elegance, weaving together refined lines with subtle touches of tomboy defiance. Her muse this season is photographer Gisèle Freund, whose intimate portraits of icons like Virginia Woolf and Frida Kahlo inspire Wickstead’s exploration of women’s public and private lives.

Set in the Royal Geographical Society, models glided around globes, evoking Freund’s fascination with the soul of her subjects. Wickstead drew from a single image of de Beauvoir—a mix of soft silk and denim-like textures—to create garments that straddle the line between structure and ease. Ties looped under waists, bold prints, and vibrant splashes of color complemented sleek tailoring and delicate embellishments by Stephen Jones.

This collection wasn’t just fashion—it was a meditation on the complex identities of the women Wickstead dresses.