Aboard Selkie’s SS27 Dark Fantasy ‘The Ghost Ship’
Throughout the line, Victorian references are reimagined through the lens of a traveling circus pirate ship, making Gordon’s narrative feel consistent across the ensemble.
Photography by Moment Dept.
Kimberley Gordon, designer and founder of Selkie, brings her latest fantastical narrative to New York Fashion Week with The Ghost Ship, a Spring/Summer 2027 collection now available to order through the brand’s website. As with previous seasons, Gordon takes a story-driven approach to fashion, constructing an elaborate world of her own rather than simply chasing the season’s prevailing trends.
For The Ghost Ship, Gordon conjures a post-apocalyptic fantasy in which circus girls set sail aboard a roaming pirate ship, transforming the runway into a voyage through a dark-fantasy world. Beneath the whimsical spectacle of the extravagant designs lies a more introspective narrative, confronting the weight of regret and the uncertainty of what lies ahead while ultimately celebrating the freedom found in choice, self-determination, and embracing reality.
Gordon sells you on this adventure from the moment the show begins, when an acrobat emerges in a fitted, boned corset bodice in graphic black-and-white stripes, complete with an exaggerated ruched neckline, lace trim, and voluminous bell sleeves. A ruffled mini skirt heightens the doll-like silhouette, while sheer black tights with diamond-shaped cutouts complement the styling and immediately establish the collection’s playful, clown-inspired designs.
Throughout the line, Victorian references are reimagined through the lens of the traveling circus pirate ship, keeping Gordon’s narrative consistent across every ensemble. Frilly lace trims, tiered ruffle skirts, red-and-black harlequin prints, tailored shoulders, Victorian military-style jackets, boned corsetry, gauzy layered skirts, and panniers fill the runway.
Gordon sells you on this adventure from the moment the show begins, when an acrobat emerges wearing a fitted, boned corset bodice in graphic black-and-white stripes with an exaggerated ruched neckline, lace trim, and voluminous bell sleeves. A ruffled mini skirt heightens the doll-like silhouette, while sheer black tights with diamond cutouts further emphasize the circus-inspired romanticism of the looks to come.
Photography by Moment Dept.
Because the looks were heavily styled and layered to build her fictional world–from white powdered makeup and eccentric colored hair to elongated bows and retro audio devices–it can be difficult to imagine some of the ensembles outside of the context of the runway and its inspired narrative. Several pieces, however, challenge that assumption, proving that Gordon’s whimsical world translates into pieces with a more tangible sense of wearability.
A deep crimson gown offers a darker take on Selkie’s romanticism, featuring a fitted, lace-up corset bodice, delicate shoulder straps, and draping ruffles across the bust before opening into a dramatically gathered, floor-length skirt. Layers of crinkled cotton, lace, and raw-edged ruffles give the silhouette both texture and movement, giving the dress a slightly gothic edge.
Its softer counterpart appears later as an off-the-shoulder white gown, balancing a structured corset bodice with a sweeping skirt of airy, gathered tiers. Sheer ruffles frame the neckline and sleeves, while delicate lace edging emphasizes its softer, more romantic femininity.
Perhaps the clearest departure from the collection’s theatricality is a shimmering pale-champagne slip dress, cut in a sleek, elongated silhouette with slender straps and a softly draped cowl neckline. Its sheer, metallic-textured fabrication maintains the theme, while offering a modern interpretation that feels easy to imagine beyond the runway.
