I Went Into Sydney Wekstein’s World A Girl And Came Out A Woman
Join me for a backstage glimpse into Sydney Wekstein’s Spring 2024 show for her brand, World Of My Own (WOMO).
Inspired by the song from “Alice in Wonderland'' (1951 film) of the same name, WOMO is dedicated to using deadstock and vintage fabrics to empower young individuals to embrace femininity and innovation.
“Everything that I do is a reflection of me and everyone else, but I am in a world of my own, so it is a representation of my brain and my change,” said Sydney Wekstein, the designer and creative director of WOMO.
Sydney, designing since high school in New York, is now in her 20s, preparing for a journey to the land of Paris, France. Her designs tell the stories of the Metamorphosis of an egg to a butterfly, as well as her own Metamorphosis from girlhood to womanhood.
Before the Show…
The entrance was adorned with Wekstein Family Memorabilia, showcasing the generations of women in Sydney's family. The once-empty storefront was dressed up like a forest with dirt, tree trunks, and four different types of moss lining the benches, as well as the chandelier.
The set designers, Riley Kendall and Hobbs Lilly Green, accompanied Sydney and the lead producer, Rosa Mariposa, to the forests near Sydney’s hometown in Long Island to ethically-source most of the natural pieces of the set design.
“We rolled real uprooted tree stumps from the real forest down the hill,” said Rosa who collaborated with Sydney to build and organize the team, community, music, makeup, set, and more for the show.
“I found all of the moss that we sourced,” said Riley. “It was harvested from the forests of Oregon and then shipped to us. We put it everywhere. The Spanish Moss on the chandelier looks beautiful, but if I break anything while cleaning it off, I am personally responsible. [Laughs] But I’ll do it for WOMO!”
I was welcomed by Ifeoluwa Ibraheem (Ife), the PR director and head stylist, and was given free reign to take photos and ask questions.
As only two models were fully ready in hair, makeup, and outfit, my eyes glazed over the crowded hair and makeup room that looked like the inside of a greenhouse. The inventive hair styles were executed by self-taught hair artist, Dakota, and Ben Gasper-Markel, who went to cosmetology school in New Jersey. The flawless makeup looks were crafted by self-taught makeup artists Miranda Chalbaud and Carlos Jiménez.
In between the endless “excuse me”s, “where are the reference photos”s, and “it’s giving”s, models lined up against the walls in dusty baby blues, ashy shimmering silvers, and crèmes for photos.
As preparations intensify, Sydney makes a call, eagerly anticipating the arrival of 'Bubby,' her grandmother and a central figure in the show. Despite the stress of last-minute alterations, Sydney hangs up without forgetting to say, “Thanks. I love you.” After ten run-throughs, anticipation builds for the captivating showcase of Sydney’s craft.
“We took all of the inspirations, in terms of the clothing, the styling, the designs, from all of the women that preceded Sydney – her mother especially,” said Ife. “Our whole mood board is quite literally just family photos. They’re big on scrapbooking and keeping things.”
“We had a beautiful hat designer, Sidera, who made incredible custom hats, headpieces, and clips. We wanted to keep the jewelry light and simple. I want it to feel as though people are emerging from the ground and I think that requires a lack of jewelry. We didn’t want to draw anything away from the clothing. As for the shoes, I’m going to put y’all on right now. Double Bond Vintage is incredible. They loaned us several pairs of shoes for this show. Additionally, there’s a few of them that are mine.” - Ife Ibraheem, PR director and head stylist.
“Everything that has a beginning must have an ending. Make your peace with that and all will be well.” - Jack Kornfield, Buddha’s Little Instruction Book (1994)
At 9:15 pm, the room collectively took a moment to breathe. As the room exhales, a series of flowers bloom…
… and the Show Begins.
In the first stage of Metamorphosis, the designs showcase the egg, the newborn, seeing the world for the first time. The third look is worn by Sydney’s “Bubby,” who, upon completion of her walk, regally sits in a chair adorned with greenery at the end of the runway.
The next five looks represent the Larva/Caterpillar stage of Metamorphosis, where the body begins to figure out which way to go and slowly gets its groove. These looks show the experimental stages of confidence and assurance in womanhood and modern sophistication.
In Look 9, “Hold Me Gently,” Sydney uses mesh to signify the beginnings of a cocoon being built.
In Look 10, “Suffering Beautifully,” the changing being is at the peak of the Pupa Stage, where the cocoon is in its darkest state, completely devoid of light.
The 11th and 12th looks showed the pupa preparing to break out of the cocoon. In this iconic moment, the mother (“To Change”) took off the jack and put it on her daughter (“To Become”), physically representing the finality of the transformation in the cocoon.
Look 13, “Ask Me Where I Get My Light,” zooms past the audience, representing the stage of development where the pupa sees light for the first time. The pure reflection that beams when a flash photo is taken is sickening, if I do say myself.
In the adult stage, the once-caterpillar emerges as a butterfly. With the force of nature behind her, she spreads her wings and flies away.
I was honored to witness not only the physical fashion show, but also the essence of Sydney and the love and support that surrounds her. At such a young age, she is a seasoned professional, who treats her peers with respect and still carries a light in her eyes that you can’t miss. It’s the light that is typically taken from a girl before she becomes a woman. As she told us through her designs, it’s the light that comes after the darkness and after the transformation — passed down from the generations of women who came before her and nurtured by a loving community of close ones.
Wow this is so beautiful, love her vision and your attention to the details ✨