The new week is here and with it comes the chance to delve deep into some fresh culture and fashion. Here’s your latest look at the i-D Guide.
Wear… the Kenzo blazer and mini skirt
Smart, sustainable Halloween investments are outfits which you can give a second life afterwards. For example, this cute little set from Nigo’s Kenzo that serves checked Clueless realness. Buy the blazer (£740) and skirt (£420) on the Kenzo site now.
Try… the Grand Yozakura pairing at Ante
There are few things classier than a good, neat whisky and chic Australia-based, Japanese-inspired jazza kissu bar Ante have crafted the ultimate pairing for a new scotch whisky from Glenfiddich on the scene. Well, sort of new. The limited edition whisky called Grand Yozakura may have just been released but has been aged for 29 years in rare oak cask barrels that were previously used to distil awamori, the oldest alcoholic spirit from Japan. To go alongside the latest drink offering, Ante have mixed it into a refreshing cocktail that deepens those awamori notes, and paired it with a sticky date pudding topped with caramel and saké ice cream. With there only being a few bottles of this ultra rare whisky in existence, head over to Ante to get this dreamy winter warmer while stocks last!
Buy… Bourii body oil
Hand-blended from essential oils including Sweet Orange, Rose and Myrrh using ancient Ayurvedic principles, the properties of Bourii’s Vata Body Oil are said to ease tension and anxious thoughts. Their body oils (£62) come in calming Pitta (to soothe and relieve) and energising Kapha (to detox and restore) varieties too. And when you follow the brand’s Dosha-balancing breathwork guide, application is essentially a ritual. Get yours here.
Stay at… SO/ Paris
With a Space Age lobby designed by RDAI, world class one-of-a-kind artworks by the likes of Neil Beloufa and Thomas Fougeriol, and sweeping, 360 degree panoramic views – yes, you can see the Eiffel Tower from your room! – from the hotel’s 70s-inspired, terraced brasserie; there’s truly no better place to take in the City of Light than SO/ Paris.
SO/ Paris is without doubt the new go-to for the fashion set. On the banks of the Seine between the bustling Marais and Bastille districts, too, it’s literally in the middle of Paris, meaning all the PFW shows and the city’s top bistros and boulangeries are right on your doorstep. The rooms are just as cosy as the hotel’s many watering holes – all 162 of the rooms and suites are warm, elegant and vibrant, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows and striking views over the Paris rooftops, the Seine and the capital’s landmarks. As a result, they’re the ideal work from home (away from home) destination. Plus there’s 24/7 room service, perfect for that late night snack or early morning breakfast in bed (the fresh fruit and juice selection keeping you fresh when you’ve had one too many steak frites). There’s also a full service spa and Turkish steam room, called Codage, and access to Ô Zenhit, a sports and fitness club, indoor pool and gym on the lower level.
With all this and more, the Paris outpost is not the only one designed with stylish travellers in mind: SO/ hotels worldwide feature avant-garde design and a creative approach to the world of luxury, partnering with designers like Christian Lacroix and Karl Lagerfeld. In Paris specifically, though, they’re bringing the work of local artists, creatives and designers to their guests. After all, if you’re looking to get to know the city’s fashion scene, why not stay at the very heart of it?
Listen to… Kamio
Kamio is the nostalgic new solo project by Baesianz member Ellie Kamio. Self-written and self-produced in collaboration with Holloweazy (Dora Jar, Lava La Rue, Kwaku Asante), Kamio describes her sickly sweet but angst-ridden debut single “Oh My Self Esteem” as definitely emo, we think. “The season has changed from feral girl summer to woe troll autumn my dudettes,” she told us. Follow Kamio here and stay tuned for a Sami Kimberley-directed music video.
Read… Ottilie Landmark’s zine
On Wednesday, London-based Danish photographer Ottilie Landmark will be launching a new zine – an intimate study of her close friend and muse, Orchid – at Tenderbooks in Leicester Square. An exploration of the nuanced relationship between nudity and glamour, and how the two qualities coalesce and accentuate one another, a bare-all portrait of the British-Nigerian artist and filmmaker unfolds across a series of hand-printed imagery, compiled in a zine published as a limited edition of 150 signed and numbered copies. Pre-order yours here, and head down to Tenderbooks on Wednesday between 6pm and 8pm for the launch.
Go to… Where Forgetting Meets Remembering by Jia Xi Li
Dom Pérignon, the House that sees champagne as an act of creation, and Sarabande, the Foundation that supports creative and visionary talent, share a belief that creative minds should be given the potential to push boundaries. The second year of their joint partnership has allowed Sarabande to facilitate the nurturing of more creatives. The Sarabande Foundation has always been known for its championing of young and emerging talent and this year’s coterie of artists is no exception. This week, they’re hosting the story of artist Jia Xi Li with an exhibition about finding her identity as someone in constant motion across the globe, through re-creating and capturing her memories in objects. A culmination of three years of work and her time as part of the Foundation, Jia Xi has been on a deep-dive into finding her way back home to herself through both objects and her making process. Her knitted artworks become the key to opening up her memory box in this show that unpicks the meaning of “archival”. It’s a library as much as it is an exhibition, a reflection on all the times where forgetting has met remembering. Get your free tickets to the event here.
Go to… Sequences, Reykjavik
For the sixth instalment of Iceland’s art biennial Sequences, a team of curators from Estonia have compiled a programme of work by underrated artists both local and long-distance, living and dead. The result is Can’t See, a brilliant hodgepodge of artwork that speaks to uncertainty, ecological sustainability and the politics behind the climate crisis. Works include an installation by New York artist Precious Okoyomon and sculptures by Lithuania’s Pakui Hardware, and are presented at a series of major Reykjavik galleries as well as on location, set against stunning natural backdrops. Exhibitions are open now and run until late November. Check out the full programme here.
Drink… at Casa Brugal
For one week only, famed Dominican rum brand Brugal are setting up home in East London on Hackney Road, with a new cafe-slash-bar-slash-creative space that is a must to check out. By day, the space right by Columbia Road Flower Market will be a coffee-lovers haven with Dominican blends, Brugal-inspired cakes and workshops on the art of cacoa and rum-scented candle making. By night, it transforms into a cocktail bar, with vinyl listening parties and delectable espresso martini’s to create the vibes.