Who knew what goes behind closed doors could inspire a whole runway theme?
For Spring/Summer 2027, Yuhan Wang takes that quiet, almost forbidden question of what women wear in the bedroom to the catwalk with lingerie, nightwear and everyday pieces that pays homage to femininity, identity, and the different selves that only appear when the door is closed. Aptly titled Sweet Nightmare, the collection lives in that hazy space between sleep and waking — where familiar objects tilt, memories blur into fantasy, and the innocent starts to feel a little strange.
Getting Dressed — and Undressed
That idea plays out quite literally in the clothes. The collection appears caught between getting dressed and getting undressed, with lingerie-inspired silhouettes, lace, underwear and nightwear spilling into pieces associated with the outside world.
One look pairs red-and-white checked briefs, trimmed with delicate white lace, with a matching cropped top that feels somewhere between pyjamas, underwear and a summer blouse. Another sends a traditional white nightdress down the runway, its loose silhouette, pintucks and lace detailing giving it the appearance of something pulled directly from a bedroom wardrobe.
Elsewhere, Wang takes lace much closer to the body. A sheer pink lace catsuit is layered beneath a white floral bodysuit, turning lingerie into an entire outfit rather than something intended to remain hidden. Silk satin and transparent lace are mixed with cotton, checks and sports jersey throughout the collection. Familiar garments are deliberately disrupted: underwear is layered, lingerie shapes appear in unexpected fabrics and girlish silhouettes are exaggerated into something stranger.
Fashion on 'Real Bodies'
The casting also adds another dimension to Wang's exploration of women when nobody is watching.
Rather than presenting every revealing look on one narrowly defined body type, the runway featured models with visibly different proportions and builds. Against a collection filled with sheer lace, briefs, bodysuits and pieces that expose rather than conceal the body, that variety made a strong visual statement. It also feels particularly relevant to the collection's premise. Sweet Nightmare is concerned with the private self — the woman who exists before she has dressed for public consumption or adjusted herself according to how others expect her to look.
By showing intimate clothes across a broader range of bodies, the runway reinforced the idea that femininity is not confined to a single silhouette. The clothes do not necessarily attempt to disguise the body beneath them; often, they deliberately reveal it.
Sweetness With a Sinister Edge
Yet Sweet Nightmare never settles into straightforward romanticism.
Wang cites the domestic unease of Rosemary's Baby, the fractured identity of Eyes Without a Face and the dreamlike intensity of Dario Argento's Suspiria among the collection's influences. That tension is visible in clothes that can appear innocent at first before revealing something slightly off-kilter.
Even bedroom objects are transformed. Powder compacts, mirrors and brushes become accessories, while tiny floral teacups and saucers circle the waist. Jewellery appears tangled against clothing, as though its wearer has only just arrived home and started undressing.
Ultimately, Wang's SS 2027 woman can be glamorous, awkward, sensual, comfortable, covered or exposed — sometimes all at once. Sweet Nightmare does not attempt to decide which version is the most authentic. Instead, the designer simply opens the bedroom door and allows them all to exist.
