“Female desire is death. A woman embracing her sexuality is walking to her death”, reads the show notes for Dreaming Eli’s Fall Winter 2024 collection. Tucked away in the streets of Marylebone, St Cyprian’s candle lit church was the perfect setting for a collection that critiqued the fallen woman. A notion beginning in the Victorian era and closely linked with Christianity, the fallen woman is damned by God for her sexual desire and following her heart. But this collection tells a different story, where the woman fights back, reclaiming her power and body.

Chairs were laid out in rows adorned with roses, pearls and mirrors as the cast meandered through the church and eventually stood in place. One by one, each look was presented to us with a sense of romance and dreaminess that continues to categorise the brand. Sheer bodycon silhouettes, French Chantilly lace and silk chiffon bring a sense of weightlessness that heightens the ethereal nature of the show.

Corsetry, tailoring and lingerie were in abundance, a known strength of the brand. Corsets were dusty pink as well as bone and cream, the lightness offset by the often geometric and sharp lined silhouettes. Continuing with the brand’s signature colour palette, black bodices and body-con garments “stain[ed] the purity of the whites” seen earlier on, as described in the show notes.

As much as the collection paid homage to Dreaming Eli’s signatures, we were also introduced to a slight streetwear influence which manifested in deconstructed denims made from upcycled Vintage Levi’s. What once was a jean waistband, now wrapped around the body in a corset-like fashion, paired with a hand embroidered t-shirt that dropped at the shoulder.

“Embrace life. Dead and beautiful like Dreaming Eli’s women”, the brand’s press release concludes. This collection not only affirms the established aesthetics of Dreaming Eli, but heightens them with storytelling and constant innovation, teaching us that woman can be powerful and gorgeous all at one.