Project 01 · Montreal · August 2024

The
Dollhouse

A runway performance inspired by dolls, childhood dress-up and the imagination of characters coming to life.

Fashion Design, Creative Direction & Styling — Ilana Schacter
Presented at MAD Festival
Runway performance — MAD Festival, Montreal, August 2024

A child's game of dress-up, brought to life.

The Dollhouse was inspired by dolls and the instinctive imagination of a child playing dress-up. I wanted the clothing to feel expressive, theatrical and slightly surreal, as though each look belonged to a different character inside the same imagined world.

I designed the full collection and led its creative direction and styling. Crochet, lace, tulle, ribbons, flowers and sheer fabrics were layered into exaggerated silhouettes that moved between handmade softness and playful fantasy.

Concept DevelopmentFashion DesignCreative DirectionStylingRunway Direction

Performance as part of the collection

I wanted the runway to feel playful rather than formal. The models did not simply walk: they danced, skipped, twirled, posed and exaggerated their gestures as if dolls had suddenly been brought to life. Each model was encouraged to embody a distinct character, making movement and personality part of the design itself.

The runway was imagined as a dollhouse in motion.

Behind the curtain

The backstage imagery reveals the full world-building process: theatrical beauty, final fittings, styling adjustments and the anticipation before the models stepped onto the runway.

The Dollhouse project image
The Dollhouse project image
The Dollhouse project image
The Dollhouse project image
The Dollhouse project image
The Dollhouse project image
The Dollhouse project image
The Dollhouse project image
The Dollhouse project image
The Dollhouse project image
The Dollhouse project image
The Dollhouse project image