The designer's latest offering placed the body at the centre of the clothes, combining revealing silhouettes with intricate construction, unusual proportions and handmade details. Rather than relying on exposure alone, Whalen's approach explored how craftsmanship and unconventional design could reshape the way the body is presented.
The collection continued the designer's interest in garments that challenge traditional ideas of dressing, with lingerie-inspired elements, cut-outs and sculptural details appearing alongside more utilitarian and vintage-influenced pieces.
Lingerie, Cut-Outs and Skin-Baring Silhouettes Take Centre Stage
Among the collection's most striking elements were revealing shapes that brought underwear-inspired dressing into the wider wardrobe.
Lingerie-inspired pieces were paired with more structured garments, while low-cut shapes, open sections and dramatic backs drew attention to the body's natural form.
Whalen also contrasted these more revealing looks with looser, utilitarian-inspired clothing, creating a tension between delicacy and practicality. Her distinctive swirl motif appeared through cut-outs and lacing, adding another recognisable element to the collection's silhouettes.
Craftsmanship remained an important part of the presentation. Delicate construction, fine materials and unexpected details gave the garments a handmade quality, ensuring that the collection's provocative elements were balanced by a clear emphasis on design and technique.
Whalen has described her approach as highly hands-on, with sourcing, pattern-making and much of the garment construction taking place through her own studio practice.
'I think by sourcing everything myself, making things in the studio, sewing myself, just being intentional at each step, hand drafting all my patterns, it creates an item that has an energy that can radiate to the customer and start creating positive change,' she said.
The result was a collection that treated revealing fashion as more than a visual statement, using construction and texture to give the garments a stronger sense of individuality.
A Rebellious Take on Body-Conscious Dressing
Whalen's references extend beyond conventional fashion, drawing on art, music and historical dress to create a collection with a deliberately unconventional character.
Among the influences associated with her work are Comme des Garçons' Lumps and Bumps collection, the countercultural Bread & Puppet Theater, traditional ruffs and the unexpected world of tag sales.
Bikini Kill was also cited among the creative influences surrounding the collection, reinforcing its rebellious undertone and interest in artistic resistance.
'I'm inspired by Bread & Puppet and Bikini Kill because it feels like they were these artistic forms of resistance that were creating beauty and community that was countercultural,' Whalen said.
That spirit of resistance can be seen in the contrast between delicate and utilitarian elements throughout the collection. Lingerie-inspired shapes are given a more prominent role, while traditional references are reworked through unusual proportions, exposed skin and handmade construction.
Crucially, the collection's body-conscious approach does not depend solely on revealing clothing. Careful construction, distinctive silhouettes and visible craftsmanship give the designs a sense of purpose, turning skin-baring fashion into an expression of individuality and creative freedom.
With its combination of revealing shapes, dramatic cut-outs, sculptural details and artisanal construction, Whalen's Spring 2027 collection offers a bold interpretation of body-conscious dressing while maintaining the designer's emphasis on craftsmanship and creative expression.
