Adelina Bernard SS25 Pulling Strings campaign close-up portrait with theatrical expression and ruffled collar
Adelina Bernard SS25 Pulling Strings campaign close-up back of striped master jacket with ruffle collar
Adelina Bernard SS25 Pulling Strings campaign close-up portrait with theatrical expression and ruffled blouse
Adelina Bernard SS25 Pulling Strings campaign man turning dramatically with strings flying

Pulling Strings

Pulling Strings draws from a practice where figures exist for spectacle, their narratives dictated by invisible hands that control them. The collection becomes a meditation on power and authorship, reflecting on today’s world and posing the question: who moves us, and why?

“The idea for this collection was born from our conversation about the strings we live with; the ones that guide us, restrain us, and ultimately pull us into movements that do not always feel like our own,” Menno said. “Or perhaps they do, and we choose the comfort of believing someone else is pulling them.”

The collection presents a cast of puppets; each bound to a distinct string that directs their movements. Together, these characters reflect the forces that shape identity – experiences, environments, and the people who quietly pull the strings that determine why and how we move through the world. 

Adelina Bernard SS25 Pulling Strings campaign man in a dark master jacket with strings, hanging by puppet strings on a stage.
Adelina Bernard SS25 Pulling Strings campaign Close up of man wearing a dark master jacket with a bronze blouse underneath on a black background
Adelina Bernard SS25 Pulling Strings campaign Close up of front, Red velvet skirt with a white blouse on a black background
Adelina Bernard SS25 Pulling Strings campaign close-up of red velvet skirt and lace-up white shirt with hands wrapped around waist
Adelina Bernard SS25 Pulling Strings campaign close-up of woman wearing a aubergine coloured blouse with strings
Adelina Bernard SS25 Pulling Strings campaign close-up Black and white portrait of a woman with hair hanging in puppet strings
Adelina Bernard SS25 Pulling Strings campaign woman in aubergine blouse and black skirt standing on pedestal with hair suspended like puppet strings

Puppetry has long shaped culture, particularly within theatre and cinema, though it has become increasingly overlooked. Alice explains that “despite its reputation as a lesser art form, it carries centuries of history and poetic depth. This contradiction became central to the collection.” It is expressed through the pairing of rough, utilitarian fabrics with luxurious, shiny silks. Garments feature unfinished edges and deliberate tears, referencing the hand-made and upcycling practices of traditional puppetry. Subtle striped fabrics and pintuck detail run through the collection to reinforce the sense of restraint. Ruffles are integrated into tailored silhouettes to explore the balance between control and freedom. 

Adelina Bernard SS25 Pulling Strings campaign figure wearing a mask in grey pleated shirt and pants standing on pedestal with limbs suspended like puppet strings
Adelina Bernard SS25 Pulling Strings campaign figure holding a mask wearing grey pleated shirt and pants with bronze waistband
Adelina Bernard SS25 Pulling Strings campaign figure wearing grey pleated shirt and pants standing on pedestal with limbs suspended like puppet strings
Adelina Bernard SS25 Pulling Strings campaign close-up of man wearing white layered vest with black top underneath
Adelina Bernard SS25 Pulling Strings campaign man in white layered vest and black trousers standing on pedestal with arms suspended in puppet strings

Adelina Bernard connects its transformative theme to the narrative of the collection by using strings. “We wanted the body to feel a balance between freedom and restriction,” Menno said. “Many silhouettes reference the world of traditional puppetry: voluminous, ruffled, and often enveloped in layers of fabrics. This softness is deliberately contrasted by moments where the body appears wrapped and held.”

Adelina Bernard SS25 Pulling Strings campaign woman in green dress with ruffled hoop skirt standing on pedestal with arms suspended in puppet strings
Adelina Bernard SS25 Pulling Strings campaign close-up of woman in green dress
Adelina Bernard SS25 Pulling Strings campaign woman in green dress with ruffled hoop skirt
Adelina Bernard SS25 Pulling Strings campaign close-up of woman in bronze blouse with dramatic hair and make-up
Adelina Bernard SS25 Pulling Strings campaign close-up of woman wearing corset with hanging strings and bloomers
Adelina Bernard SS25 Pulling Strings campaign woman seated on pedestal in corset with hanging strings and raised puppet-like gesture
Artistic Direction: Alice Lindvall and Menno Idink
Co-Directed by: Elmé Studios
Photographer: Louis Westerloppe
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Hair: Katrin Sachenko
Make-Up: Joy El Biry
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Models: Ulrich Corsivier, Agustin Escalada, Mariavittoria Esposito, Layza Shapiro, India Hochar