A Victorian Dream: Who Decides War SS25 Collection ‘X’
They embraced opulence, maximalism, and 19th-century Victorian-era motifs combined with avant-garde American luxury fashion.
Photography by Daniel Square
On Saturday, New York City’s Hall des Lumières wasn’t only filled with intricate frescos, historic columns, and immersive art but with A-list celebrities and notable figures dressed in head-to-toe Who Decides War. What once was the Historic Emigrant Industrial Savings Bank, the now-turned-art space perfectly aligned with the brand’s mission to not only make clothes but to make them art. Presenting its tenth collection titled X, Who Decides War’s Spring/Summer 2025, it continues to elevate its pieces, paying attention to drapery, texture, patterns, and how to incorporate them into culture.
Cash Cobain introduced the show with the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts. He soundtracked a mix of songs by Alicia Keys, Jamiroquai, Stephanie Mills, and Ye as the student musicians played along on their violins, cellos, and more. Models surfaced from the ominous staircase onto the marble floor runway and around the Hall des Lumières. Alton Mason kicked off the show wearing an off-white knit sweater, white trousers, and an oversized charcoal-washed bag — always serving face.
With a color story of neutrals and hints of pastels and reds, founders Tela D'Amore and Ev Bravado embraced opulence, maximalism, and 19th-century Victorian-era motifs combined with avant-garde American luxury fashion. Details of balloon sleeves, tunics, and bridal wear were complemented by the era’s newfound materials like lace, linen, cotton, and leather. Rather than the classic tops D’Amore and Bravado create, this season, they made the cotton shirts more fitted and hourglass-like, reminiscent of how men wore their shirts in the Victorian era.
Photography by Daniel Square
Menswear, womenswear, and gender-neutral pieces made their way down the runway. WDW continued its iconic leather pants with added detail of new washes, colors, and textures. They added new elements to the brand, such as pin-stripe suits, slacks, and fitted pieces that marry European and Americana styles. For the womenswear, the showstoppers were the dresses. The crowd favorites were the black dress made of leather belts and the mermaid dress that gave the illusion of a wet marble look. They put a modern twist on their staple corsets, pairing them with bridal gowns and lace skirts.
For the menswear, X highlighted more sophisticated, less graphic apparel. Instead, WDW focused on the art and movement of each piece. A green oversized utility poncho flowed with long tassels resembling chic tentacles. A haunting yet elegant all-black set included a caped jacket with a 19th-century collar combined with a modern hood, adjustable straps, and layered tops.
X was achieved entirely in-house with D’Amore, Bravado, and the WDW team. There were no contractors or any outside help involved. “Before this season started, we made the investment and decided it was time to create our atelier to make sure our vision would come to fruition with no compromise,” Bravado says on Instagram. “Inspired by the Victorian times, this was our take on those times — a culmination of ruin.”
Photography by Daniel Square
While the brand is known for its embossed and detailed Cathedral arch stained glass window symbol on denim and outerwear, this was the first season that WDW left out denim and graphics on the runway. Instead, they subtly incorporated the symbol onto more hardware and accessories like unique-washed oversized bags and cutouts on tops and pants.
After a long time of anticipation and teasers, WDW finally revealed its collaborations with Jordan and Pelle Pelle, paying homage to D’Amore’s and Bravado’s New York City upbringing and urban culture. The soon-to-come collaborations feature WDW-coded Air Jordan hi-tops and low-tops, as well as the brand’s reimagination of the culturally historic leather Pelle Pelle jackets that dominated streetwear in the ‘90s.
WDW tends to sell out of most collections and pieces. To keep up with releases, visit whodecideswar.com.
