You can tell Jesus that your breaking fashion news reporters are back! After jumping from New York to London to Milan to Paris for the SS24 womenswear collections, we’re back on home turf to give you all the latest on the sartorial drops, collabs, campaigns and industry changes you need to know. Here’s what’s in fashion.
Semper Augustus jewellery destigmatises mental health
There are many luxury brands that support social issues and some that actively speak out against injustice, but there are few who have this written into their very brand DNA. Semper Augustus is one of those few, though. “I created Semper Augustus as an act of rebellion against the onslaught of injustices unfolding around us,” founder Sophie Flack said in a statement. Earlier this year, the jewellery label launched with abortion pill rings in reaction to the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe V Wade, as well as a pronoun pillbox pendant in response to the “Don’t Say Gay” bill and that benefited immigration equality movements. Now, Semper Augustus has a line created especially for Mental Health Awareness Week. Inspired by her own experiences with postpartum depression and her support of the nonprofit Fountain House, Sophie responsibly sourced gemstones and had them cut and fashioned – by an ex-physician turned artisan no less – into pill pendants shaped to mimic depression medications such as Prozac and Zoloft, and anxiety drugs such as Xanax and Klonopin. The idea behind these accessories is that by wearing these stunning pieces, you’re destigmatising mental health issues that many face whilst also allowing all those who see it and may be taking that medication themselves feel less alone. A small but powerful statement! TG
Manolo Blahnik opens its digital archive to the world
It’s been two years since Manolo Blahnik, one of fashion’s favourite shoemakers, opened the doors to its extensive archive – well, virtually, at least. Offering never-seen-before insights into the brand’s half-century history, the URL opening was perhaps one of the most noteworthy moments in recent history for the brand and its legions of acolytes. Until now, that is! This month, Manolo reveals The Craft Room, an extension of the digital archive that celebrates the brand’s namesake founder, its community of artisans and the painstaking craft invested in the creation of its oh-so-fancy footwear – from initial sketch to exquisite finished product. What’s more, as of October 21st, London-based Manolo mavens will be able to experience The Craft Room in the flesh by way of a multi-sensory exhibition staged in collaboration with xydrobe, a new luxury VR experiential retail destination in Mayfair. Get your clogs on, girlies! MS
Magliano gets down and dirty for a U-Power footwear collab
It’s no secret that fashion, and indeed, the gays, love a bit of trade. And so, it’s with welcome arms that we greet this season’s steamiest campaign from werkwear aficionado Magliano. Lensed by Planet Mode’s fave kinkster, Adrian González-Cohen, the shoot airs one sturdy set of trotters, designed especially with Italian safetywear brand U-Power. Naturally, they’re fit for purpose, not to mention any lunch-break escapades you can’t divulge. Primed with velcro-straps for quick-and-easy changes, plus metal-capped toes, you can dive straight into cruising your local building site, safe in the knowledge that your shoes’ tongue-in-cheek details could give even the blokiest bloke way. Forget the hanky code, queen. These are what 21st-century masc-for-mascers will be needing to get lucky. With industrial fabrics, tonal browns, acidic colour-blocking and contrast stitching aplomb — showcased here in a series of NSFW scenes between forklifting tradies – the aptly named Megamix designs are pleasure, guaranteed. Heck, the voyeurs among us will be happy with the lookbook alone. Fatigued denim and some trampling? Check. A quick jostle across the steering wheel? Double-check. A post-coital ciggie and nail varnish touch up? Absolutely. Indeed, if the Bologna-born brand, headed up by Luca Magliano, has shown us anything since its beginnings in 2016, it’s that no job or garment – however banal – is off limits for a little seediness. Previously, it was 50s working-class heroes that set the stage. Now, it’s your modern-day brickie, looking sexier than ever. Grab your tools, and see you on site. JB
Kenzo & Levi’s join forces in an East meets West collection
Is there anyone who has captured the essence of Japanese streetwear culture better than Kenzo creative director Nigo? And is there a label who epitomises the all-American, denim obsessed fashion culture of the US more than Levi’s? Well, exploring the continuous cross-pollination of eastern dressmaking and western workwear, Kenzo and Levi’s have paired up on a capsule collection of 20 denim pieces. Think less Britney and Justin at the 2001 American Music Awards, though, and rather something more elevated. Nigo looked back through his considerable archive of historical clothing for inspiration and pulled ideas from US cowboys and miners. Canadian tuxedos – featuring denim shirts, trousers and jackets – feature heavy fringing along the sleeves and back, and suede collars, paired with cowboy hats with yellow stitching rippling across the brim. Other jackets and suit combos feature geometric or botanic prints often seen in Kenzo collections, paired with pieces in a vibrant red. All the pieces are also made from kaihara, a premium Japanese denim and are showcased in a cinematic campaign film set across Kyoto and directed by lauded filmmaker Umi Ishihara. Available now, you can shop your new denim-on-denim-on-denim look from Levi’s and Kenzo stores worldwide or online. TG
Crosby Studios gives the Jimmy Choo boutique a makeover
Anyone who has worked in fashion retail will know that the safe space of any store is the stock room: the place to escape the chaos of the shop floor and pretend you’re searching for the jacket that aggy customer was asking for when actually you’re sitting between rails and scrolling TikTok. Well, at a pop up Jimmy Choo boutique on 34 Avenue Montaigne in Paris, the shop has been flipped on its head as the stock room becomes front of house in a new concept by interior design and architecture extraordinaires Crosby Studios. Shoe boxes line the walls, alongside gold ‘bullion’ seating areas and infinity mirrors, in an oyster-hued space that carries limited edition must-haves and collector’s pieces from the house. Having opened during Paris Fashion Week and remaining there until December, this space is just a taster of what’s to come, as Crosby Studios are currently working on the design of a Jimmy Choo store in Japan set to open at the end of this year! TG
Cold girl winter starts with Moncler and Adidas
It feels like only yesterday Moncler took over fashion week with that not-so subtle activation, known formally as ‘The Art of Genius’. For anyone that’s forgotten, we’re referring to early 2023’s de facto Collab Con, when every brand worth its salt got the Monclerian makeover. Adidas, Mercedes-Benz, Fragment and even musicians – not that there’s a difference, today – including Pharrell Williams, Jay-Z and Alicia Keys were just some of the fashion and fashion-adjacent names listed. Now, months on from its first tease, Adidas’ capsule hits the digital billboards in what can only be described as a post-human fashion campaign cum fever dream. Enlisting all the best in the game, from spooky set designer Gary Card to makeup monarch Isamaya Ffrench, Adidas and Moncler share their wares alongside bizarro snow yetties and three-striped puffer-coated aliens (Gary’s doing). Dripped out in down-duveted outers, cinched track tops and Trefoil-embossed double-zip pullovers, the monsters (and models) flex everything the modern-day mountaineer needs. Whether you’re popping out for milk or climbing Everest, this is the wardrobe. And yes, even the hypebeast’s fav Adidas trainer, the NMD, gets a pullied and padded treatment care of Moncler. If you’re strictly a Campus sneaker girlie, there’s a hot-cerise platformed treatment in there, guaranteed to get ‘miring stares from your chalet crush. See you chez après-ski. JB
Dior Mens’ SS24 trainers have dropped early!
Babe, wake up! If you loved Dior Mens’ last runway – arguably one of Kim Jones’ best collections at the Parisian house to date, we say! – then we have some exciting news for you: part of the Spring 2024 collection has already dropped. Dior has introduced the new B57 trainer! The high-top sneaker, available in grey, black, blue, red, beige or cream has a bold design, retro energy and iconic CD branding on the side in Dior Oblique jacquard. The sneaker is made to elevate any outfit and be ready for everyday wear, pairable with those white gym socks — as seen on the models of the last Dior Men’s runway — or the classy tweed short shorts and jewel-embellished polos they wore with them. Check it all out when it hits boutiques and online on 19 October 2023. TG
Gucci takes flight with Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny
If you thought Kendall and BB’s recent outings were little more than a summer fling, we’ve got news. Not only are the courting pair upping their PDA, but they’re also catching flights here, there and everywhere. Cuuuute, right? Yep, for Sabato De Sarno’s next move chez Gucci, he’s roped the buzzy power couple into an airport shoot, shot by Anthony Seklaoui in what feels like an homage to the 2010s heyday of Facebook albums. Of course, it’s a whole lot chicer than your run-of-the-mill cheugy holibobs, replete with GG trunk suitcases, holdalls (lined with aqua blue piping) and neon-dripped totes. Naturally, the GG-buckle belts, as well as the green and red tabbed baseball cap get their moment. Behind the styling? Our very own EIC, Alastair McKimm. As for the narrative, the shoot unfolds in a heartwarming pick of baggage-reclaim frolics, over-the-shoulder smoulders and idle-scrolling while the protagonists wait for the gate to open. Should have got speedy-boarding, guys. No doubt, the Jenner Bunnies have been stalking their flight since, but for the rest of the world, the destination remains a mystery. A trip to the Maldives? A fleeting city break to meet the family post-Paris Fashion Week? All-inclusive in the Costa del Sol? Your guess is as good as ours. One thing is sure, though: those less-is-more Gucci woollens and collegiate sweaters, alongside the usual cash-cows, will be flying off the shelves this season faster than a Boeing 747. Fasten your seatbelts, besties. JB
Gucci and London College of Fashion want to open fashion up
As much as we love fashion, it is – like all the arts – a tricky nut to crack if you’re from an underprivileged background. To this day, generations of talent miss out on the wonders this world has to offer. We don’t need to tell you that sucks. However, the good people of University of the Arts London and Gucci are stepping in to do their bit. As such, they’ve programmed a specialised programme for working-class students, footing the bill on tuition fees and easing the burden of maintenance costs – that’s rent, food, daily amenities and the like. So far, so handy.as well as this, the partnership invites a white-hot selection of educators to guide these budding students along their way. The scholars on the lineup? Joy Buckley, fashion PR and comms expert; Anissa-Louisa Kerbouche, content and fashion journo extraordinaire; and Alicia Grilli, the buying and merchandising maven. Not bad. Did we mention that, as well as all that, image-maker, Ronan Mckenzie, will be running workshops for youngsters in worthy organisations like Rise 365, Art Against Knives and The Advocacy Academy. The fruits of thier labour will then be channelled into one major show at the end of the year. “Guided by their interests and passions, the show will be a multimedia showcase that celebrates the budding talent and incredible creativity in London,” says Ronan. Following on from its successful trial across the Pond, the Changemakers initiative offers a much-needed voice to the city’s forgotten youth. While it might not smash the class ceiling once and for all, such moves are steps in the right direction. And for that, we say bravo, Gucci. JB
Prada & Selfridges honour the world’s best photojournalism
If there’s one thing we can’t resist post-fashion week, it’s a little saunter through Selfridges. Our first stop? The perennially poppin’ Corner Shop on Ground Floor, currently home to one major Prada pop-up. Showcasing outdoorsy ensembles – big field jackets, army combats, pocket boots to keep your smokes and more – the activation, entitled ‘Prada Reporter’, spotlights some of the best snaps from esteemed photo agency, Magnum Photos. In total, there’s 150 images from eight different lensmen, covering an array of themes including cultural dress, the natural world and even environmental destruction. Light stuff, right? Segueing from moving photojournalism by Paolo Pellegrin to Cristina García Rodero’s rich studies of global cultures and Hiroji Kubota’s whimsical mountain range landscapes, it’s a lot for your average spot of retail therapy, but hey, who doesn’t love a girl with range? Even the mannequins are frozen in snap-taking poses, armed with big-zoom lenses and dripped out in the finest shirting of AW23. Here, D-rings and Prada’s ever-iconic triangle logo add a steely touch. And yes, even the baggage and accessories in store follow theme, perched neatly on make-believe shutter wheels and focus rings. Of course, it’s never half measures with Miuccia and Raf at the helm. Come for the Prada recycled nylon bucket hats, stay for the cutting-edge imagery. JB
Seán McGirr takes the helm at Alexander McQueen
Hot on the heels of Sarah Burton’s swansong show, the new leader steps up. Ladies and gentlemen, we present to you, Seán McGirr, the Dublin-born dark horse who, until recently, had been working behind the scenes on JW Anderson’s prêt-à-porter. Like his forebears, Sarah and Lee, Seán’s a CSM alum. But – unlike Sarah’s strictly McQueenian career – his résumé is broad, namechecking assisting gigs at Burberry and Vogue Hommes Japan, a four-year stint in Uniqlo’s Tokyo-based creative team with Christophe Lemaire, and an impressive stretch in womenswear at Dries Van Noten. Hats off, indeed. Perhaps, we’ll be getting quite the catwalk curveball come AW24. After all, Sarah’s stint was one of consistency and reverence to Lee’s eponymous label, albeit with her own feminine touch. Seán’s approach could be worlds apart.
And so, while it’s with a heavy heart we bid farewell to Sarah, we can’t help but wonder what the future holds chez McQueen. In an age of cautious creative director debuts, Seán’s typically millennial CV, replete with job-hops – going sideways to go up – promises something less concerned with legacy. As a Kering-owned label, now a darn-sight more commercial than the halcyon days of Lee, McQueen might favour sartorial risks, provided that yields ROI. Face it: the platform tennis shoes will sell themselves, but to take the house forward, Kering needs to cut through the noise. Here’s hoping Seán is the man to do it. JB
Coca Cola pairs up with Ambush
In a new capsule collection, Ambush takes us to the year 3000, and guess what! We’re still all guzzling our favourite drink, Coca Cola. Inspired by the soda conglomerate’s latest creation, Coca Cola Y3000 Zero Sugar – the first flavour created with both human and AI technology – Yoon Ahn has designed a capsule collection with Coca Cola to be released on 17 October 2023. Tapping into the futuristic energy of an AI drink, we explore a world where we all become walking advertisements for the iconic brand as its logo covers everything. Think, a silver sequin shirt with a bottle of the refreshing drink brandishing the back, fitted tees with the “taste the future” slogan across the front, or a necklace with a pendant inspired by the pull tab top of one of their cans – a nod to Lindsay Lohan’s iconic Coca Cola lid necklace in Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen (2003) perhaps? It may be a millennium from now but the Y2K renaissance lives on it seems. TG
Bakar fronts JW Anderson’s new campaign
In today’s race for the zeitgeist, J-Dubs is always first to the post. Whether it’s art, interior design or music, the Irishman straddles a fine line of cult and celebrity, shining his light on the hot young things, forgotten legends and all-out stars alike. To date, it’s been everyone from Tom of Finland, Pol Anglada and Michael Clark to Sam Smith and Bella Hadid. As such, JW’s new face, musician Bakar, is right on brand, tapping a fanbase obsessed by with the indie-grit lyricism and offbeat charm. Of course, Bakar’s rise (and rise) is his own doing. Indeed, the North Londoner has been a man about town for a hot minute, not to mention a runway regular, walking everywhere from Virgil’s debut Louis Vuitton show to last season’s ERL catwalk debut. David Sims, the king of stark but starry fashion shoots (and an i-D OG) was almost destined for this gig, although, we’ll credit that to JW. The result? An intimate triptych of portraits, painting the boyish Bakar in a whole new light. Lounging in AW23’s Med-green and salmon knit, the pillow-sewn long sleeve and even the padlocked boy-girl bloomers (kinky!), the modern-day It-kid looks as easy as ever. And what better way to toast the new collection and Bakar’s hot-off-the-press sophomore album? JB
Nike drops a new collab with Feng Chen Wang
Modular fashion has been in vogue for some time now, with trousers that zip off to become shorts and jackets with detachable hoods and sleeves now par for the course. Still, while the notion of a transformable garment may not, of itself, be the most novel, we can think of few examples that are quite as ambitious as the jacket at the heart of Feng Chen Wang’s collaboration with global sports brand Nike. Then again, calling it a jacket feels like selling it short – a zippered and snappered composite of panels of jet black nylon and khaki gabardine with a fleece interior, the chameleonic piece also doubles (triples, quadruples…) as a crop top, winter coat, A-line midi skirt and so much more, as per the wearer’s want. And yes, fortunately for said wearer, there is a nifty set of how-to-style videos accessible by scanning a QR code on the jacket’s interior.
“It’s really seasonless, and it really allows you to create your own piece,” the Shanghai and London-based designer puts it lightly, walking us through a rail from which various mind boggling configurations of the matryoshka-like garment, as well as the accompanying activewear capsule that rounds out the collection. Below, Feng gives us the full lowdown on the creative process behind the endlessly modifiable piece, her excitement at seeing what configurations wearers come up with, and what made it the most challenging piece of ready-to-wear that Nike has ever worked on. MS
What was the initial motivation to do something this modular? It sounds like quite a challenge!
And not just from the customer, but also in terms of design! I’ve been thinking about this idea since I was in uni, but have never had the ability to make it by myself. It’s a really challenging process, especially when it comes to production. But Nike really supported my vision and allowed me to really do what I wanted with it — that said, it’s taken four years to get here! But we’re really happy with the end product — it’s a really playful piece to wear, and we don’t expect to figure out all the ways to wear it in one day. I’m really excited for people to discover their own ways of wearing the piece over time.
It’s also presenting a future-minded approach to designing dressing. It’s about owning less, while also owning more at the same time. Sustainability isn’t just about the materials we work with, it’s also about ensuring that the pieces we create are imbued with versatility, and I think this really speaks to that. You don’t need to keep buying new pieces, but you can keep changing it up over time!
What about some of the other pieces that you’ve designed?
So, we’ve created a capsule of gymwear, which is about connecting to a healthy lifestyle. The graphics are inspired by body maps of acupuncture points, so the dots map onto the parts of the body where you’d insert needles. Of course, that isn’t necessarily functional, but it serves as a reminder of the importance of wellbeing.
We’ve also created a modular trouser, that, similar to the jacket, can be worn in multiple ways, allowing the wearer to express their own style.
What was the process behind the whole collection?
Well, as mentioned, I’ve always wanted to make something like this, but haven’t been able to on my own. But Nike were really passionate about the idea from the start. Of course, the four-year process of working on this also included the pandemic, and during that time, we were working on all of the pattern-making in our studios in London and Shanghai. Once we then had he toile ready, we sent it off to Nike to start working on the production, which they were so supportive with. They even mentioned that it was the most fun — and challenging! — jacket they’d worked on.
What were the biggest challenges?
Just how complicated it is! Even as a customer, it might take some time to really figure out the jacket’s potential. But I don’t think of it as being just a jacket, it’s a tool to really connect to and express your sense of self and style.
How does the collection embody/represent the Feng Chen Wang brand and aesthetic?
Two of our keywords have always been functionality and deconstruction, and I’ve always designed individual pieces that can be broken down into two, or even three, looks. This, however, is really the pinnacle of my explorations of the possibilities of functionality and deconstruction — it’s one piece that can be turned into an unlimited number of options.
What are you most excited for people to discover in the collection?
I just can’t wait to see people come up with styles that I’ve never seen! We’ve spent years trying different configurations, but there are still so many options to discover.