The email was simple, direct, and life-changing: “Conner Ives S/S 2025. Please confirm.” Fashion week is a blur of perpetual motion, a sensory overload measured in air kisses, adrenaline, and hours spent standing in queues, but walking for Conner Ives is different. His runways are not just about clothes; they are cultural touchpoints, celebrating a new kind of American glamour that feels both deeply nostalgic and entirely of the moment. To be chosen as one of his ‘Dolls’ is to step into a narrative that is redefining what luxury means, one repurposed textile and statement-making garment at a time. The pressure is immense, but the opportunity to embody a vision that champions sustainability, inclusivity, and joyful, unapologetic fashion makes every moment—from the final fitting to the final flashbulb—worth the weight. This is the story of the countdown to the walk, a personal journey into the heart of London’s most relevant new label.
The Call and the Conner Ives Vision
The casting process for a major show is less a polite interview and more a marathon of personality and presence. For Conner Ives, the criteria extends beyond height and traditional measurements; he is casting characters to fill out the universe of his designs. The Spring 2025 collection, in particular, was rumored to be his most autobiographical yet, a vibrant homage to the American icons who shaped his youth, blending disco-era glamour with the subversive spirit of a new generation. When the final selection email arrived, the rush of relief and excitement was immediate, followed by the acute realization of the work ahead. The designer’s ethos—reimagining deadstock and vintage finds into highly sophisticated, covetable luxury—meant that the clothes themselves held stories, and as models, our job was to tell them without uttering a single word.
The subsequent fitting was the first true glimpse into the collection’s soul. Housed in a bustling, yet somehow serene, studio, racks of reconstructed fabrics and meticulously draped silks filled the space. Conner himself was a whirlwind of focused energy, tweaking a hem here, repositioning a shoulder strap there, always engaging his team and models with an infectious enthusiasm. My assigned look was a breathtaking, asymmetrical silk dress fashioned from what looked like a vintage textile, paired with an unexpected element—a delicate, sheer veil adorned with tiny, repurposed feathers. It was a look that screamed “prom queen on a cultural mission,” a perfect encapsulation of Ives’ signature blend of high-low, maximalist poetry. It solidified the understanding that this show was about challenging perception: where others see waste, Ives sees the ultimate raw material for future classics.
Behind the Glamour: Backstage and The Waiting Game
The morning of the show is chaos orchestrated with military precision. Backstage is a labyrinth of folding tables, steaming racks, and highly focused professionals. Hair and makeup artists work in tandem, transforming faces in a synchronized rush against the clock. For this collection, the beauty look centered on a specific kind of polished, slightly undone elegance—think ’70s starlet meets modern-day TikTok icon. My makeup featured a strong, graphic eye and a neutral, sculpted lip, designed to complement the bold colors and textures of the garment without overpowering them. The sheer effort and artistry that goes into preparing dozens of models simultaneously is a spectacle in itself, a testament to the fact that fashion is an industry built on collaborative excellence.
The hours drag on in a delightful kind of limbo. After hair and makeup are perfected and the final dressing check is done, there is a period of intense, anxious waiting. Models are corralled into a holding area, standing or sitting on the floor, protecting their delicate garments and elaborate hairstyles. This is where the energy truly shifts from frantic preparation to collective focus. Phones are put away, conversations drop to murmurs, and the distinct sound of the music track—a carefully curated mash-up of nostalgic pop and cutting-edge electronica—begins to bleed through the walls. It’s a moment of shared experience: a hundred individuals, all dressed in incredible, fragile clothing, breathing deeply and mentally rehearsing the walk that will define the culmination of months of work for the entire design team.
The Collection’s Resonance: A New American Iconography
Conner Ives has always used his collections to comment on the American female archetype, but Spring 2025 felt like a manifesto. It moved beyond simple reference, diving deep into the complexities of cultural memory. The collection was heavy on sustainable innovation, featuring dresses made from reclaimed silks with motifs that recalled mid-century American sportswear, juxtaposed with shimmering, chainmail-like fabrics repurposed from unexpected sources. The message was clear: glamour doesn’t have to be disposable; it can be circular and conscious. His use of vibrant colors—shocking pinks, vivid oranges, and electric blues—was a celebration of life and resilience, a refusal to embrace the minimalist silence that dominates parts of the luxury world.
One of the most talked-about looks, aside from the opening piece, was a tuxedo reinterpreted in a relaxed silhouette, finished with a casual, almost irreverent accessory. This blended approach is Ives’ genius: taking pieces that traditionally represent rigid formalism and infusing them with a youthful, democratic spirit. Furthermore, his ongoing commitment to social causes, such as the widely publicized “Protect the Dolls” initiative supporting the transgender community, gives his collection an added layer of purpose. To wear his clothes is to align with a vision that is inclusive and activist, transforming the simple act of a runway walk into a silent statement of solidarity and progress. The clothes themselves are beautiful, but their backstory—their ethical origins and cultural commentary—is what makes them truly powerful.
Moments Before the Walk: Finding Center Stage
The call comes, sharp and sudden: “First looks to the line!” The rush is immediate. We move from the holding area to the staging point, a cramped corridor just outside the main show space. The air is thick with the scent of hairspray and anticipation. This is the final frontier, the point of no return. We line up in the exact order of the show, a meticulously organized procession. Conner is there, offering a last-minute word of encouragement or a gentle adjustment to a collar. His presence is calming, a final reminder that he trusts the models to embody the narrative he has created.
This moment requires absolute presence. Every model’s mind must clear of external noise. The walk, though rehearsed, needs to feel spontaneous and authentic. We are told to engage with the audience, not in a literal way, but to let the energy of the room fuel the performance. You can hear the low, thrumming bass of the music through the double doors, and occasionally, a wave of applause or a cheer will signal the beginning of the preceding model’s entrance. You stand there, your gaze fixed on the sliver of light beneath the door, running through the choreography: pause at the end, pivot sharply, hold the pose, and exit with confidence. It is a terrifying, exhilarating solitude, shared only by the few bodies standing in the dark with you.
The Flash of Light: An Unforgettable Moment
The doors swing open, and the world dissolves into a brilliant, concentrated focus. Stepping onto the runway is like walking through a portal. The music washes over you, but the sound of the photographer’s shutters—the insistent, machine-gun rhythm of the press pit—is the true heartbeat of the moment. The space is vast, the crowd a blur of faces, but your training takes over. You hit your marks, head up, shoulders back, radiating the specific energy of the garment. For my look—the pink, silk asymmetrical dress—I focused on conveying a sense of playful, almost aristocratic defiance.
The garment itself came alive under the studio lights. The repurposed silk caught the beams, making the dress appear to float as I moved. It’s an otherworldly feeling to be the temporary vessel for such intricate, storytelling design. Every step feels heavy with meaning, yet strangely weightless. The walk to the end of the runway feels simultaneously like ninety seconds and a single, elongated breath. At the final mark, the pose is struck, a moment of stillness where the full magnitude of the collective effort—designer, stylist, textile makers, and model—is held captive in the lens of a thousand cameras. Then, the pivot, the exit, and the rush of adrenaline as you head backstage to the rapid-fire change for the finale.
After the Curtain Call: The True Meaning of the Runway
The finale is always the most emotional part. As the designer takes his bow, surrounded by his entire cast, the relief is palpable, and the applause is deafening. It is a moment of communal celebration, not just for a successful show, but for the articulation of a powerful cultural message. In a season defined by uncertainty, Conner Ives offered a collection that felt optimistic, meaningful, and genuinely fun—a rare and potent combination in contemporary luxury fashion.
The lasting impact of walking this show is far greater than the few minutes spent on the catwalk. It is the realization that fashion, at its highest level, is a serious form of social commentary. Ives is not simply selling clothing; he is selling a philosophy built on conscious creation, inclusivity, and the enduring power of American cultural references. Being a Conner Ives model means being part of a progressive dialogue. Long after the lights dim and the garments are archived, the feeling of empowerment remains—the sense of having contributed to a movement that champions both extraordinary style and ethical substance. It is a high-water mark in a modeling career, and a constant reminder that the most beautiful garments are always those with the richest stories.
