Work in Progress. Hodakova SS25

Ellen Hodakova Larson won the prestigious LVMH Prize earlier this month. This, plus Cate Blanchett’s red carpet endorsement, means growing buzz around her eponymous brand. The spring-summer 2025 collection worked as a primer to those new to the Hodakova world, and held plenty of interest for those who were better acquainted with it. Her haute upcycling approach to fashion is based on the make-do and mend values she grew up with. This season the designer took a walk down memory lane. “For me it’s been a dive into warmth and feeling proud about where you come from,” she said. “I find so much comfort in going back in memories… and my memories are in objects, so it’s more about smells, images, pieces—all of the physical things.” Because of the materials they are made of, deadtock, vintage, and salvage, Hodakova’s designs evoke the past. They carry tales, but neither the designer nor her garments are retro, rather Larsson’s aim is, she explained, “to be present all the time.” Hodakova has a Martin Margiela manner of approaching her craft: just as he made vests out gloves, she uses boots to construct a dress, in a surreal yet gritty, rough way. In her eyes nacre buttons, plastic eyeglass lenses, and zippers are jewels and discarded status symbols; like démodé fur hats can become coquettish dresses. The humanist concept of turn to materiality has been the designer’s main focus in her work, but this season she said she wanted to focus more on silhouettes, and did so with some face-covering column dresses, done her way. Hodakova is a beautiful work in progress.