Nadine Ijewere

Traditionally, couture's sumptuous fabrics and delicate embellishments were a status symbol for women that should be seen and not heard. Good thing this isn't your grandma's couture. Photographed by Nadine Ijewere. Fashion Editor Gabriella Karefa-Johnson

This spring, fashion’s newcomers and heritage houses alike are throwing stuffy social codes to the wind and reimagining formal wear for a modern debutante.

Twisted takes on traditional western dressing expose our desire to reexamine who we are and who we can become. Photographed by Nadine Ijewere. Fashion editor: Gabriella Karefa-Johnson.