Destroyer of Worlds Creates a Celebrity-Inspired 'Fashion Death Cult' for Fall 2025

Destroyer of Worlds, one of this year’s New York Fashion Week newcomers, transported showgoers to a late night talk show — hosted by a model emulating Dennis Rodman — overrun by an alien invasion of otherworldly (and celebrity-inspired) creatures. Titled “The Dark Forest” in reference to the science fiction novel by Liu Cixin of the same name, the collection exemplifies the New York-based brand’s signature of breathing new life into pre-loved garments.

“In terms of destruction as creation, I’m trying to bring in these ideas from science fiction into the ethos of using things that are already here to make,” Cole Durkee told Fashionista ahead of his first NYFW runway show on Sunday. “It’ll be leather pants that are made out of old leather jackets, or jeans that are made out of old jeans, T-shirts made from old T-shirts and reincorporating, through deconstruction, those elements that were there to show the passage of time through these clothes that are new now, but they existed in different forms before.”

With deadstock materials at the forefront of Destroyer of Worlds’ creations, the brand’s Fall 2025 collection showcases deconstructed woven leather jackets, rewoven denim, brightly-colored tiered fur ensembles and holographic latex pieces, which Durkee developed himself. To further lean into the brand’s sci-fi inspirations, some of the show’s models sported face paint of stars and American flag motifs, as well as a “DoW” brand on the lower back.

With degrees from Parsons, Central Saint Martins and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Durkee founded Destroyer of Worlds in 2022 and previously served as the studio lead for Zoe Gustavia Anna Whalen (who was his roommate during the pandemic). Within his sci-fi creations, Durkee explores the fascination surrounding cults, or “fashion death cults,” with previous collections featuring an off-the-grid mountain cult and the hedonistic atmosphere of Fire Island Pines. Now, Durkee is tackling the cult of celebrity: Models referencing pop culture icons like Pamela Anderson (“Pamala Androidson”) and Marilyn Monroe (“Marilyn Monrobot”) entered the fictional talk show’s set in futuristic ensembles.

“I wanted to reference celebrities who are known for causing trouble, whether that’s on their own accord or not, whether that’s based on societal representations of them or the way that they were provocative and tried to spark conversation when they’re out,” Durkee said.

See the Destroyer of Worlds Fall 2025 collection below.

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Source: Fashionista.com