The Multidimensional Matriarch: Elena Velez’s “LEECH” Collection Takes Fashion to New Depths
The Elena Velez woman is not your average fashion muse. She is layered, lascivious yet laudable, and disruptive yet divine. In her latest collection, “LEECH,” Velez explores the complexities of this folkloric female figurehead, drawing inspiration from both Eve and the Serpent, the sailor and the siren.
Since her debut collection in 2018, the Milwaukee-born designer has been sharpening her storytelling skills, and her “YR” series of collections, which began in 2021, has only added to her prowess. Now on her sixth installment, “YR:006,” for Fall/Winter 2025, Velez continues to push boundaries and challenge traditional fashion norms.
The highly-anticipated show took place at Chelsea’s ARTECHOUSE, where Velez transformed the venue into a mythical “maritime abyss.” Over a hundred attendees were greeted with a stripped-down space, dark lighting, and screens depicting rocky waters and stone sculptures. As the show notes explain, “The age of the antihero is upon us,” and Velez’s collection embodies this sentiment perfectly.
The collection features 30 looks, each one a statement piece that challenges societal standards and expectations. Models, including Anna Delvey, Dorian Electra, Leah McSweeney, and Rico Nasty, crawled, slithered, and stomped down the winding path that weaved through the audience seating. One model even interacted with seated guests, maintaining intense eye contact while lunging towards them.
The runway was divided into three different personas, each representing a different aspect of the EV shadow woman: “The Captain’s Daughter,” “The Land Walker,” and “The Leech.” Velez, who herself is the daughter of a ship captain, draws inspiration from her own heritage and experiences to create these powerful and multifaceted characters.
Throughout the collection, Velez incorporates ropes, netting, and metal, adding a touch of edginess and subversion to her designs. The show notes describe the EV shadow woman as a “priestess possessing the wisdom of the ages yet as unknowable and unfathomable as the maritime abyss,” and as “a creature fully integrated with her shadow self, steadily shedding the scales of her prescribed identity.”
But Velez also knows how to balance bold and daring pieces with more “commercial” designs. Alongside the raunchy ruffled dresses and tactically tattered tops, she also presents more wearable options, proving that she can cater to a wide range of tastes and styles.
Elena Velez’s “LEECH” collection is a testament to her talent and creativity. With her multidimensional matriarch as her muse, she continues to push the boundaries of fashion and storytelling, leaving her mark on the industry and inspiring others to embrace their own complexities and contradictions.
