Emilia Wickstead Fall 2025: An Ode to the Stylish Women of Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘The Birds’
Emilia Wickstead’s fall show was all about birds — not the pesky pigeons of London, but Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 horror-thriller “The Birds” starring Tippi Hedren with costumes by Edith Head.
The New Zealand-born designer doted on the costumes of the film, as well as the sharp uniforms of Head and Daphne du Maurier, the English novelist who wrote the short story that Hitchcock adapted for the screen.
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There were no birds on the runway, but the models did rush in as if a gust of the wind was pushing against their wings. Light shirt collars flapped like the scene where Hedren gets attacked in the attic.
Wickstead added tones of purple, gray and dusty pink to a sophisticated collection that mimicked couture cuts of the ‘50s and ‘60s, minus the constraining fits.
She etched the style universe of Hitchcock and Head’s effortlessly with plain and structured peplum tops, relaxed A-line dresses and soft knitwear.
“Tippi wears the same suit throughout the film – she has two costume changes all together. I love how as modern women we can wear the same thing over and over again in different ways for different occasions,” Wickstead said.
What attracted the designer to Hitchcock’s “The Birds” was the emotions that the director evokes through the film’s color palette. “It’s not necessarily immediate, but there are moments of frustration, vulnerability and extreme warning signs,” she said, referring to a character that’s wearing a gray ensemble with a bright red underlayer — who is later murdered in the film.
Wickstead’s very jarring colors next to dull shades created a narrative that was easy to follow and enjoyable to watch.
Like the birds of Hitchcock, the designer is getting her own wings — she will soon unveil her uniforms for Air New Zealand.
Launch Gallery: Emilia Wickstead Fall 2025 Ready-to-Wear Collection
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