In honour of International Women’s Day this Sunday, our spotlight shines on Dutch-American fashion designer Tinka Weener, whose impressive résumé includes working for Alexander McQueen.
The latest collection for her label Songs of Siren (SOS) pays tribute to the softness and strength of womanhood.
“I want the women who wear my pieces to feel powerful, protected and to own their narratives,” she says.
“More broadly, I hope the brand shows that feminine storytelling, intuition and craftsmanship have a rightful place in fashion - and that softness and strength can exist side-by-side.”
Last September, she debuted the second collection dubbed The Siren Call at New York Fashion Week.
“I’m still shaping the full story of the third collection, but it will feel somewhat softer than The Siren Call with some lighter fabrics and a more fluid, ethereal sensibility,” she says.
“While I’m slightly moving away from the heavy jewel tones this season, there will still be moments of bright colour woven throughout. It feels like a natural evolution, exploring femininity through softness and lightness, while still holding onto that sense of vibrancy and presence.”
In 2024, the former McQueen stylist founded her own fashion house rooted on rich Greek mythology, depicting modern sirens as women who celebrate and reclaim the duality of womanhood through feminine storytelling and craftsmanship.
“With The Siren Call, I wanted to challenge the idea that femininity has to be either soft or strong. Modern womanhood is both nurturing and commanding, sensual and sovereign,” Weener says.
“The collection is aimed at women reclaiming the ‘dangerous woman’ narrative and reframing it as urgency and self-possession. It’s about embracing duality without apology.
“One example is the ‘Medusa Set’, which represents Medusa not as a monster but as a symbol of protection and transformation. Strength wrapped in beauty, vulnerability held with defiance.”
Weener stylishly narrates the story of the duality of women through mystical symbolism, hand-beading and slow fashion craftsmanship denoted by vivid colour-ways and modern silhouettes.
“It was important to me that Songs of Siren felt intentional and enduring. Mystical symbolism gives each piece narrative depth; it connects the garment to something older and more universal than trends,” she says.
“The hand-beading and slow craftsmanship match that perfectly and ensure that the story is honoured through process, not just concept.
“When something is made slowly and by hand, it carries energy and care, and I wanted the brand to feel like modern heirlooms - pieces with meaning that are made to last, not just to be worn once and forgotten.”
Weener channels the spirit and discipline she honed at McQueen, the iconic British luxury brand, into every piece she creates with her own distinctive narrative.
“My time at Alexander McQueen taught me that fashion should carry emotion and narrative, not just beauty,” she says.
“There was an uncompromising commitment to vision and detail that deeply influenced me and reinforced the importance of craftsmanship and storytelling - lessons I carry into every Songs of Siren piece as I try to build a brand rooted in meaning and intention.”
From backstage to runway, Weener’s journey of becoming a fashion designer came full circle. She reflects on the moment as a reaffirming nod by an industry she served for many years.
“Debuting The Siren Call at New York Fashion Week was incredibly affirming, but the most meaningful moments came after seeing women emotionally connect to the pieces and feel powerful wearing them,” she says.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling seeing my pieces come to life and be worn in real-life. The industry recognition was absolutely validating and very exciting.”
Weener’s interest in storytelling through the lens of fashion was nurtured from an early age, when she would experiment with different subcultures and versions of herself.
“Clothing felt like a form of transformation to me and I played a lot with this. I loved how what you wear can completely shift your energy and presence, and growing up, I was deeply drawn to mood, symbolism and storytelling — fascinated by mythology, art and historical costume, especially the powerful women depicted in paintings and old tales," she says.
“As a kid, I was mostly a dramatic goth, but I also found it entertaining to completely switch it up into Barbie-esque looks that are generally not expected in that subculture. This early obsession with emotion and narrative is what sparked my desire to tell stories through fashion.”
