For Fall Winter 2025, Rachel Scott presents a deeply personal collection under her label Diotima, centering on the matriarch as a symbol of power, nuance, and resilience. More than a figure of strength, the matriarch embodies complexity, sensuality, and a layered history often overlooked. Scott’s inspiration stems from a desire to reframe how Black women are represented, moving beyond flattened narratives to reflect the depth of their interior lives.
Her research began with a simple question posed to her community: “I am researching images of the Black women that came before us and paved the way: the auntie, the trans mothers, the grandma, the matriarch.” The overwhelming response led to an archive of photos spanning generations, portraits from teenage years to old age, some from as early as the 1900s, others from the 1980s, 1970s, and 1950s. These images, whether staged in studios or captured in quiet, intimate moments at home, revealed the very essence of what Scott has been striving to translate into her designs.
At home, the matriarch reigns from her bedroom, a domain reflected in textiles that evoke warmth and familiarity. A quilted satin evening cape and cowl skirt reference bedspreads, while pile-embroidered crinkle chiffon dresses drape the body with an effortless grace. These pieces feel both immediate and deeply intentional, acknowledging the quiet power of everyday rituals.
Beyond the home, she moves through the world with authority. Strong-shouldered blazers crafted with anti-epaulettes in macramé redefine traditional power dressing, offering structure without rigidity. Large pleated trousers, cinched at the back for a controlled yet fluid shape, emphasize movement while maintaining presence. Harris Tweed, often associated with structured outerwear, takes on unexpected softness in a one-shoulder dress, a pinafore, and a fluid skirt, challenging expectations of the fabric’s traditional role.
For the evening, Scott strips silhouettes down to their essence. Glass jersey chemise tops, embroidered with black roses, shimmer with understated elegance. Bloomers, once a feminist undergarment, appear in fluid wool and silk georgette, bringing historical references into a modern context. Bomber jackets in soft boiled wool knit with looped fringe collars and crochet mesh knits in wool with opaque crystal embellishments further redefine texture and craftsmanship. Eveningwear takes on unexpected dimensions with oversized tuxedo stripes in mesh, paired with Crystal Mesh capelets, creating a sense of refinement without constraint.
Scott’s use of color is restrained yet purposeful, allowing textures and silhouettes to take center stage. The collection is anchored in Black and Nightshade, with soft contrasts in Pearl, Butter, and Veil. Anthurium, Slate, Marine, and Iron Oxide punctuate the lineup, adding depth without overwhelming the composition.
Footwear reinterprets classic forms with subtle sensuality. The fisherman sandal, known for its utilitarian roots, is reimagined as a stiletto mule in patent and nappa leathers. A D’Orsay flat with a squared toe provides a structured alternative. Accessories carry an organic refinement, strings of pearls wrap around ankles, loop through raffia, or rest asymmetrically on a single ear, reinforcing a sense of individuality.
The beauty direction embraces imperfection and transformation. Joey George’s hairstyling deconstructs pin-straight locks with exposed rollers, a nod to the process of becoming. Kanako Takase keeps faces bare except for heightened blush, occasionally adding a single gloss-black petal shape at the eye. Naomi Yasuda’s nail designs feature a lone line drawn down the center of a bare nail or take on a wine-stained finish, suggesting a lived-in elegance.
