Heroine Chic: Dreaming Eli SS27

Dreaming Eli’s latest collection is a feast for the hungry romantic. Elisa Trombatore, the designer behind the brand, interweaves pale Gothic looks with modern silhouettes to create a femininity that defies the passage of time. Since graduating from CSM in 2021, she has explored female empowerment through the lens of her Sicilian upbringing, locating a seductive power in traditionally submissive models of womanhood. Her collection for SS27 uses fairytale aesthetics to create a romantic heroine that is both antiquated and modern.

The show takes place in the Great Hall at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, overseen by an enormous portrait of Henry VIII. Consistent with her previous collections, Eli uses mainly lace and chiffon, with leather appearing in some of the later looks. Her deconstructive approach, which features exposed corsets and garters and free-hanging straps, is reminiscent of Dilara Findikoglu’s highly acclaimed SS26 collection, though Eli has kept the cherries at a safe distance from the stylist’s room. Her collection is cleaner than Findikoglu’s and possesses a composed defiance. Her models walk slowly and cast their eyes seductively around the audience. Like the models themselves, we become both spectator and object, and we are forced to relinquish power to Eli’s women. The designer wrangles our submission through our very act of objectification.

Much of the models’ power comes through a romantic aloofness that defines the entire show. The collection is overall more Gothic than her previous one (SS26), with longer skirts, more corsetry, and dull brown makeup that gives a consumptive look, but the modern elements are starker than before. The narrative of the collection revolves around the transition between the two. Early looks draw on Victorian silhouettes, especially the long skirts and puff sleeves, while the later looks include sweatpants, miniskirts and a leather jacket, though lace still dominates. The shift happens when two models emerge connected by a long plait, which one of the models cuts to allow herself to walk independently. At the same time the music begins to change from a dark lyre tune to moody electronic beats, and platform heels are switched out for platform trainers. Eli brings the heroine of the old Gothic tales into the modern world without shedding an ounce of romance.