Collina Strada Conceives a Fluid, Futuristic "Fempire" for FW25

On Friday night, Hillary Taymour gathered some of New York City’s most chic and colorfully-dressed in a Chelsea studio to display a collection that encapsulates and empowers femininity in all of its forms. An edgier energy than we’re used to seeing from Collina Strada, the label’s Fall/Winter 2025 range is aptly entitled “Fempire,” focused on the thread that weaves the women who came before us to those who will come after us, juxtaposing the present’s less-than loveable realities with a fond look to a more fluid and free-spirited future.

The first words of the show notes read: “Matriarchy, Gynecocracy, Queen-dom, Her-archy, She-volution…” Those set the tone perfectly for the presentation of garments that strut down the all-white runway, with King Princess, Ella Elmhoff, Cole Sprouse, Law Roach and Dove Cameron in the front row.

However, Taymour wants us to step out from that minimalistic room she has us sitting in – which was preceded by an open “playroom” where kids donned mini Collina clothes and freely played with their toys and colored.

“As the Doomsday Clock ticks a second closer to midnight, we dream of turning an upside-down world on its head,” the show notes continue, with Taymour inviting us to “Imagine a world where power moves sideways and care is currency. A world that doesn’t just reverse outdated norms but rewrites the script entirely—keeping what works, reconfiguring the rest. Imagine a world where unruly femininity, queerness, and disability aren’t embattled but emphatically embraced. Where what has been dismissed as excessive or unfit for the mainstream is exactly what shapes the future.”

In sourcing for “Fempire,” Taymour hit up a bunch of New Jersey thrift stores for heirloom wedding dresses, reimagining through the Collina lens, “honoring the women who came before us by adapting their legacy to the present.” Two brides – one of whom dons the newest Collina Strada x PUMA Mostro collaboration – walk the runway and stop mid-way for a wedding kiss.

A holistic representation of womanhood, classic Collina chiffons, silks and satins collide with more heavyweight wool and corduroy coating and outerwear – with all pieces emphasizing the fluidity of movement. Layering and draping are done with elegance, as are textural combinations, with lace lined up against denim and ruffles running down to the footwear. While the collection takes a darker colorway than usual, there are still pops of patterning in plaid, leopard-print and tartan tops and trousers as well as floral detailing imbued in pastel pants and organza skirting.

“Until then, we brace for the present. We suit up. Protective gear on, shields and masks up,” the show notes bring us back to the present, which informs the underlying message of the 36 looks. “Hiding the tears, turning them into something else. Letting our freak flag fly, while knowing that sometimes stealth is survival.”

The first look down the runway was the “Pillow Coat” complete with a massive structured hood, while a few other looks incorporate a balaclava on top. Many of the models accessorize with oversized alien-esque eyewear, while some of those who don’t instead don shielding headwear. A piece paired with a few looks – including one of the brides – is a star-shaped head wrap, which pays homage to the underlying message of “Fempire.”

“Femininity is not a set of instructions. It’s a mess of beautiful contradictions—fierce and soft, dark and illuminating, private and protective, unapologetically visible and glam. Claim your space as a way to make room for others. Be the star that you are.”

Explore Collina Strada’s Fall/Winter 2025 “Fempire” in the runway images above and take a look backstage with photographer Sarah Schecker below.