The atmosphere at Jane Wade felt grounded and purposeful. The creative director herself had chosen to present her Spring/Summer 2027 collection in nature at Pier 64, and somehow, even amid the inevitable chaos of preparing for a standout show, the team seemed to move in rhythm with their surroundings. The hum of backstage blended with birds chirping, water shifting against boats, and the distant noise of the city.
From the stylists and coordinators to the nail technician and casting directors, everyone was focused on bringing Wade’s world to life. They worked side by side with a sense of grace that extended to the models, who were smiling, engaging with the team, and seemingly excited to step onto the runway.
It became clear that Wade had assembled a team that didn’t simply understand her creative language – they knew how to expand it. Their individual experiences, expertise, and values allowed them to contribute something of their own while remaining connected to the foundation she had established.
That connection was especially apparent in the team’s relationship to nature, grounding, and intentionality. These weren’t simply concepts they were tasked with executing; they were ideas that resonated personally with the collaborators Wade brought into her world.
Stylist Joe Van O, Coordinator Heidi Cannon, and 11811 Casting Directors Ti Nguyen and Maya Louis each brought their own perspective to the process. Rather than simply carrying out Wade’s ideas, they helped amplify them through what they had learned, experienced, and believed themselves. Jane created the foundation, but the world surrounding the collection became richer through the people she chose to build it with.
Audiences often see only the final collection or show. What should they understand about the people and process behind bringing your brand’s vision to life?
Joe Van O: We’re working with concepts that are really relevant to our lives. The show creates a fantasy that feels bigger than our everyday experiences, but it’s still deeply informed by them. I hope people can see how much of our personal lives and experiences are being told through the show in this fantastical way.
Heidi Cannon: Jane Wade is unlike any designer I’ve worked with. She’s extremely thorough and always 10 steps ahead. She’s often conceptualizing future collections long before the current one is finished. By the time I step in as first assistant to stylist Joe Van O, I’m often helping with finishing touches. As we get closer to the show, everyone takes on different roles. Today, I coordinated the models through hair, makeup, and dressing. It really takes a village to bring everything together.
Ti Nguyen: Everyone has their own story, but it also has to fit the brand. We work with many different designers, so it’s about understanding Jane’s vision, who she is, and where she comes from. She’s from Portland and we’re from Seattle, so we understand a lot of what she’s going for.
Maya Louis: Every brand has a different story. Our job is to dig into the designer’s inspiration and point of view, then find a way to mesh that with our own perspective. It’s a collaboration.
Fashion is deeply collaborative. How does your role help shape the world and experience this brand creates for its audience?
Ti Nguyen and Maya Louis: We’re storytellers in the New York fashion scene. Jane has a vision, and every person involved helps bring that vision together and tell the larger story.
What detail within this collection tells a larger story about your brand that audiences might not immediately see?
Joe Van O: I think the parasol. This season, we explored alternative and more holistic forms of sun protection and what that could look like in a world without sunscreen. We wanted to elevate sun shielding objects and make them feel luxurious while thinking about sustainability, our changing world, and the climate.
Heidi Cannon: Jane introduces new materials with every collection, but there’s also a thread connecting them. You’ll see familiar cuts and silhouettes reimagined through different colors and materials. If you look back at earlier collections, you can see how she continues refining ideas she’s already explored while introducing something new. This collection really shows that evolution.
As this brand moves forward, what do you hope people feel, understand, or connect with more deeply after experiencing your collection?
Joe Van O: I hope it reminds people to reconnect with nature and tap into the creative force that can be activated when you connect with something much bigger and older than yourself.
Heidi Cannon: Jane is from Portland, and if you look at her previous collections, there’s always some connection to camping, hiking, or the Earth. There isn’t a detail she misses. You’ll see rocks, water, trees, and grass throughout this world. I hope each piece creates that connection and brings people a little closer to Jane herself. That feels especially relevant right now, when so many people are looking for ways to feel grounded.
Ti Nguyen: I believe fashion shows are meant to inspire. Whatever people take from the show, I hope it inspires them personally, professionally, and creatively.
Maya Louis: I hope people take that inspiration and live the life they’re meant to live. Go outside, explore, and find ways to feel grounded.
Behind the Seams is an editorial series that takes audiences beyond the runway during New York Fashion Week to explore the people, process, emotion, craftsmanship, and labor behind brands. While traditional Fashion Week coverage often centers on the final product – the runway, presentation, clothes, and imagery – Behind the Seams tells the story of what it takes to get there.
Each feature steps inside a designer’s world, giving visibility to the people whose work is essential to bringing a creative vision to life, from studio and production teams to stylists, casting directors, makeup artists, hairstylists, and coordinators. By connecting the clothes audiences ultimately see with the people, decisions, skills, and stories behind them, Behind the Seams creates a more human understanding of each brand and a deeper connection to the designers and their work.
