Ellen Hodakova Larsson always has a surprise up her sleeve. Whether she’s turning spoons into couture or styling books as necklaces, you can always count on the Swedish designer to include some kind of optical illusion in her shows. This season, it was the models’ eyes that had us all doing double-takes. Each model had a pair of eerie, gormless eyes painted on their eyelids. They looked down at the ground as they walked, giving us a full view of the surreal, cartoonish illusion. 

The make-up, paired with the models’ vacant expressions, made them look like ship figureheads come to life – and deliberately so. Hodakova’s SS27 show was all about her love of the sea. The designer grew up sailing, and when her phone died during a sailing trip earlier this summer, she discovered a newfound appreciation for the ocean’s stories. If guests on the front row could smell the sea breeze, that’s because the runway itself was covered in sea salt. 

As for the clothes, you wouldn’t have guessed from the colour palette what this collection was about – there weren’t any blues, greens or turquoises in sight. Instead, the inspiration was in the details. The opening looks were waterproof, made from waxed cloth, like the stiff jackets you’d find fishermen wearing. Other pieces were crafted from sails or rope – like one standout dress, woven into chunky bowline knots. Elsewhere, frayed hemlines were designed to resemble seaweed, and fishing nets were worn as tights, veils, skirts and dresses. There was even a crocodile, sculpted from scraps of leather. 

It was a collection that acted as a love letter to the sea, but zoomed in on the parts of it that aren’t usually romanticised. Where other designers might look to mermaids, glistening waters, surf and sunsets, Hodakova shone a light on the ocean jewels that are often overlooked: fishermen, sailors, seaweed and saltwater crocs.