American-born designer Conner Ives wore a T-shirt proclaiming “Protect the dolls” when he took his bow after the fall 2025 collection at The Savoy hotel in London.
The T-shirt was a reference to U.S. President Donald Trump’s campaign against transgender Americans, and Ives wanted to show his support for the community.
“It’s been so hard to watch my friends and the models who have [helped and supported me] be chastised by the U.S. regime. We have to do everything in our power to push back against that,” Ives said.
Despite his anger, or maybe because of it, the designer wanted to resurface the glamour of America and fly the flag for a country that “gets a bad reputation, fairly so.”
Ives’ collection was an homage to his American heroes of the ‘70s — Oscar de la Renta, Halston, Stephen Burrows, Bill Blass and Anne Klein — who put American fashion on the map after winning the Battle of Versailles fashion show in 1973.
He mixed elements of ‘70s style with pieces from different eras. Looks included a jacquard coat with a tree blossom pattern and fur trim; a relaxed tuxedo worn with a navy baseball cap, and a long black dress with a rose pink cummerbund.
“The collection was all very autobiographical. I always feel best in black tie,” Ives said.
