“Last season we had great success,” said We11done’s Jessica Jung through her colleague and occasional translator Youngjin Kim. “We are trying to prove it wasn’t just luck.” The brand’s fall 2021 collection was serenely elegant with touches of the punk and strange; spring 2022 picks up on those themes. Models are outfitted in voluminous hoodies and tees covered in splatter graphics or studs, and circle midi-skirts are bisected with chains or hiked up on one side to reveal a sliver of denim shorts underneath. Leather collars, oversize silver jewelry, and deceptively twee heart-shaped bags abound.
But Jung’s collection isn’t just about toughness or aggression—she and her team speak about bringing a more structural, couture-inspired way of working to their collections. Rather than cut away, they are building up and composing new silhouettes that take up space, utilizing more handcrafts and draping in the process. A beaded black jacket took the team two weeks to make; other silhouettes are built directly from draping bubble and cocoon shapes. It’s a surprising pivot for a brand once so tied to easy-to-wear streetwear—and an exciting one that reflects fashion’s shifting priorities. No longer is graphic appeal enough; the We11done team is smartly considering the wearer’s relationship to their clothes.