Ella Mae's NYFW Debut Draws Upon Maximalist Style Icons Marie Antoinette and Snooki

What do Marie Antoinette and Snooki have in common? A penchant for maximalism that served as the inspiration for designer Ella Mae’s New York Fashion Week debut collection.

For Spring 2027, designer Ella Mae Jepsen was inspired by two of her recent obsessions: Antoinette’s opulent closet and “Y2K trashy Jersey Shore club ‘fits” — an obvious pairing. “I took those two muses, met them together, and we got this sandy, beachy — but also kind of hot girl, indulgent and decadent rebel girl,” Jepsen told Fashionista after the show.

The runway presentation opened with a series of 18th-century silhouettes reimagined in contemporary fabrics, growing more visually striking as the collection progressed into looks awash in punchy pinks and greens. That old/new fusion can be seen throughout the collection, via low-rise capri pants laced up corset-style and an off-the-shoulder T-shirt that reads “Earth Our Mother, take care.” Jepsen also wove in plenty of peek-a-boo moments throughout the collection: “When I was backstage and heard the crowd go crazy because her ass was out, I mean, that was really exciting to hear,” the designer said.

“That rebel girl is also someone who fights for the Earth, because that’s what Ella Mae is about,” she added, as the brand’s “earth-first” philosophy extends from her concentration in nature, culture and sustainability studies while studying apparel design at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). In a more tongue-in-cheek way, Jepsen wrote in the show notes: “Save the Earth because it is the only place you can buy lipstick.”

The collection’s accessories include large wraparound sunglasses, ruffled garters and the occasional crowning feather. “Once you get a closer look at things, you’ll see our thin strapping, beautiful fabrics and lots of weaving,” Jepsen said. The designer also experimented with metal casting, a process that involved creating a detailed mold of a peace sign, a common motif throughout the looks.

Below, see every look from Ella Mae’s Spring 2027 collection.