Aadnevik AW25 | Western Star
London Fashion Week
Written by Carolina Vlachakou
The frontier: a liminal space between civilisation and wilderness, innocence swallowed by the unknown. Aadnevik’s Autumn/Winter 2025 collection, “Western Star”, unfolds within this realm, following the show’s muse, an 18th-century girl, on her wistful, volatile journey to freedom.
The collection toyed with duality, delivering a persistent oscillation between purity and seduction, restraint and release. Each look felt like a different chapter in an unfolding fairytale, but instead of a gradual plot, the collection resists a horizontal trajectory. It shifts—almost erratically—between “good” and “bad,” innocence and danger as if the protagonist is caught in a cycle of self-discovery rather than a linear coming-of-age.
The opening look—a plunging black sequin blazer dress, trimmed with leather fringe and layered over a sheer, cascading mini skirt—cinches at the waist, sculpting a silhouette that is both structured and fluid, a defining motif of the show. This ensemble sets the tone for the thematic interplay, exuding an air of false maturity as the audience bears witness to the heroine’s first wavering steps into adulthood, cloaked in performative confidence. But just as quickly, the illusion of control shatters. The following look sporting a far softer, lighter air pulling the protagonist back into guilelessness. Still, this deliberate back-and-forth continues throughout the show, reinforcing a tension that refuses resolution. Innocence is not lost—it is revisited. Darkness is not permanent—it is flirted with.
Movement and its ephemerality were key to this collection, as layered tulle, chiffon, and French lace cascaded effortlessly on the runway. The dramatic thigh-high slits sublimated this dreamlike motion and irregular cuts enhancing the fluidity of each movement. Yet again the thematic dissonance of the show manifested with its contrasts of sharp tailoring against flowing lace, and corseted bodices creating severe silhouettes juxtaposed with ethereal drapery. The models do not simply descend into darkness; they dance on the threshold, stepping in and out of the light.
The contrasting looks shone through the beautiful backdrop of The Royal Horseguard Hotel, which has been transformed into The West as Arcadia. Presenting a striking juxtaposition between rustic and grandiose. The grandiose Gladstone Library with its gilded columns and lavishly detailed ceiling contrasts with the hay-covered floor. This unanticipated pairing of ornate resplendence meeting raw pastoral elements created a visually compelling tension; the landscape further reinforced the theme of duality through this direct and personal confrontation with the natural world.
While the collection stays true to Aadnevik’s signature ethereal yet structured aesthetic, one of its greatest strengths lies in the accessories. Handcrafted, heavenly flowers adorn dresses, skirts, and bracelets—delicate blooms amidst a landscape of sparkles, velour, leather, and lace, like flowers in a desert. These floral embellishments serve as a continuous thread of the collection’s identity, seamlessly appearing across both the darker, more dramatic looks and the softer, more innocent ensembles.
Hila and Kristian Aadnevik have long been architects of a fashion landscape where couture meets the untamed and Western Star was not an exception. This show does not simply tell a story—it resists one. Aadnevik’s AW25 collection lingers in the liminal, embracing the dichotomy of selfhood rather than imposing a definitive arc. Within this Odyssean journey, beauty emerges not from the resolution, but from the tension itself.