Fashion is no longer just about sending pretty outfits down a runway - it’s about forcing people to stop, stare, and start a conversation.
At London Fashion Week, Greek designer Dimitri Petsa proved this shift is here to stay with Di Petsa’s SS27 collection, Holy Milk.
Turning the catwalk into a provocative piece of performance art, the show explored motherhood, femininity, and body transformation.
From pregnant former "Little Mix" star Leigh-Anne Pinnock’s internet-breaking moment to the brand’s iconic "Wetlook" aesthetic, the presentation pushed boundaries, leaving fashion lovers both mesmerised and deeply divided.
Fashion meets performance art
Rather than simply sending models down the runway in pretty clothes, Petsa created an experience that felt almost like watching a performance unfold.
The collection explored the body as a place of transformation, care, desire and becoming, with milk and water becoming central symbols throughout the show.
It was dramatic, slightly surreal and very much in keeping with the growing movement towards fashion that makes you feel something rather than simply admire an outfit.
Leigh-Anne Pinnock steals the show
Pinnock, who is expecting her third child, was among the women bringing the collection to life.
She proudly showed off her prominent baby bump as she walked the runway in a two-piece look consisting of trousers and a blouse.
She completed the look with a flowing cape that was elegantly draped across her body, creating the appearance of swirling water as she moved.
But her look came with an unexpected twist that left mixed emotions on social media and, of course, different opinions.
Part of her strutting the runway included a moment when she stood on the runway, joined by a group of other models, and a milky liquid began spraying from her breasts, creating one of the show’s most memorable moments.
The spectacle continued as she turned around and sprayed the liquid towards the other models, transforming what could have simply been another runway walk into a full-blown performance.
However, the show’s exploration of motherhood did not stop with Pinnock.
Elsewhere on the runway, a mother was seen walking with her newborn, and these moments made the show feel less like a traditional fashion presentation and more like a glimpse into the different sides of motherhood, from pregnancy and birth to nurturing and connection.
It is about more than giving birth
For Petsa, motherhood is not limited to the physical act of having a child.
The designer used “Holy Milk” to explore the idea of maternal instinct and the ways people care for themselves and others.
“Motherhood is not just about a mother giving birth, but it’s about the idea of self-mothering and noticing how you mother yourself versus others, because I think we all have that maternal instinct inside us,” Petsa said in post-show interviews.
And perhaps that is what made the show so intriguing because Petsa proved that fashion is more than what we wear by creating a conversation around the body, motherhood and care.
The designer behind the spectacle
Petsa founded her London-based womenswear label, Di Petsa, in 2019, and her approach to fashion is shaped by both design and performance.
She studied performance design before completing her MA in womenswear fashion at Central Saint Martins, while her grandmother, who was a seamstress, taught her the craft of dressmaking.
Her work is perhaps best known for the signature “Wetlook” dress, which creates the illusion that fabric is clinging to a body covered in water.
The technique has become closely associated with the designer and has been worn by celebrities including Bella Hadid, FKA Twigs, Lizzo, Doja Cat and SZA.
kamogelo.makhura@nationalmg.co.za
