For Spring 2025, Jane Wade Tackles the Immorality of Corporate Greed

If the shredded paper surrounding the rows of seating didn’t give away what guests were in for at Jane Wade‘s Spring 2025 runway show, then surely it was the envelopes that read “Confidential” placed among each seat. As the first few models walked the runway in (deconstructed) button-downs and pinstripes, while accessorized in phone headsets and carrying cups of coffee, all early assumptions were proven true: Designer Jane Wade is addressing corporate culture. (The finance bros are shaking in their brown leather oxfords.)

“I really wanted to tap into corporate greed and how American corporate culture creates a classist society,” Wade told Fashionista during a pre-show studio visit. “And I also [wanted to address] wealth inequality and wealth gaps in America. How big corporations have loopholes that they can utilize, like profit shifting and tax havens and all of these kinds of resources that they have to shift their money around and not pay taxes.”

The starting point to landing on this concept was watching films like “The Big Short” and the original “Wall Street.” It’s also how the designer arrived to the collection’s name, “The Audit,” speaking to the idea of “auditing our society and corporate culture.”

“I think that it’s an interesting concept to play and pinpoint on, especially in the fashion world, because it [challenges] how can we stay morally in line with what’s right and also grow revenue and build a business and a company,” she explained.

While the theme of it all was centered around corporate culture, the clothes were anything but the traditional suit and tie. That was evident in the drop waist bustiers, a paper shredded skirt and dress, a metal-casted crocheted midi dress with swinging yarn and a pair of dark chaps with a matching bolero shrug. Wade also leaned into her inclination for modular design. In her hands, though, modularity is not a mere artistic concept (of a plan), but rather an array of commercial worthy pieces. Look no further than the dresses that come with detachable skirts or the bags that can be strapped around the chest like a top.

“Every season provides a new challenge,” she said. “This season, the challenge was to figure out ways that we could make pieces palatable from a consumer lens while still holding the [brand’s] integrity and identity. So keeping that modular feel without losing the special touch.”

Regarding the “finicky wholesale landscape,” Wade is “focusing on other ways that [they] can bring and drive meaningful revenue to the brand.” One avenue is through partnerships, in which the brand partnered with Nike this season on its footwear and accessories. Another is by internally focusing on its direct to consumer.

“Although wholesale is a fabulous marketing platform, we’re also sharing our margin with someone else,” Wade said. “So we’re now finding ways to drive people back to our brand, and coming up with more creative ways to make a special offering for people or a special moment with other collaborators that just belong to the brand.”

See the full Jane Wade Spring 2025 collection below.