Happy Frieze week besties! No doubt you’re already checking out all the MATCHESFASHION activities in Regents Park or the Hermès takeover in Soho Square. But if you haven’t we have all the goss below don’t worry! In other fashion news: Ami opened Seoul Fashion Week; chic exhibitions are opening from Moncler and Margaret Howell in London and Versace in Milan; a new Rizzoli book about Sies Marjan is out; and the Palace Gucci collab of our dreams has FINALLY been announced. Here’s what’s in fashion.
Ami touches down in Seoul
Though Ami is best known for its inimitably Parisian dress sensibility, this week saw the oh-so-French brand travel further afield for its latest show. Yes, rather than the city of light, Alexandre Mattiussi and the gang headed for the city of neon, putting on a cruise show in Seoul. Held on the opening day of Seoul Fashion Week, Ami took to Gwanghwamun Square, a move well with the brand’s tradition of showing in cinematic locations that fully embody the spirit of the city – their SS23 collection, which was re-seen here, was originally presented at the foot of Paris’ Sacré Cœur. The clothes on show will have been familiar for Ami fans, with the same breezy, 60s-suffused sensuality and understated Parisian chic at the heart of the offering. It was, however, punctuated by looks designed specifically for the Korean market, which has long been an especially important one for Ami. “Seoul and South Korea are very much a part of our extended f.AMI.ly,” Alexandre says. “I will never forget the warmth with which our Korean friends and customers have welcomed us when we first started, how quickly they have embraced AMI, its Parisian spirit and codes.” A testament to the brand’s appreciation for his loyal Korean following, the show also marked the opening of a plush new flagship store in the city’s Garosu-gil neighbourhood. A new must-visit destination for anyone looking to splash some cash in the Korean capital! MS
Hermès takes over Soho Square
If you’ve read the feature that we published earlier this week, you’ll know that art fairs are definitively chic affairs – evidenced by the fact that basically all of the most fabulous luxury brands are increasingly keen to be associated with them. Here in London during Frieze week, we’ve seen activations from the likes of Raf Simons, Alexander McQueen and Hermès. Open until tomorrow, the ultra-luxe has taken over the emblematic kiosk in Soho Square to celebrate the launch of its magazine, Le monde d’Hermès. In keeping with the issue’s theme, “Lighthearted”, it’s a distinctly jolly affair – visitors will have the opportunity to indulge in a panoply of activities and experiences, from having their portrait drawn by a local artist, receiving poems, or even taking a rickshaw tour around the square! Truly soul-lifting stuff. MS
Moncler brings an extravagant expedition to London
The 70 years that Moncler has been in business have been a hell of a journey – an expedition, one might say! Yes, over seven decades, the Italian brand has blossomed from its starting days as an esteemed quilted coat maker into a veritable fashion behemoth, irrefutably shaping the course of fashion history as it goes. It’s a story that has been fleshed out in full in a blockbuster ephemeral exhibition at 180 Strand in London – The Extraordinary Expedition. The second stop on a global world tour – which started in New York, and will take in further stops in Tokyo and Seoul – it allows visitors to embark on an epic journey through the label’s history, with iconic pieces such as its Winter Olympic kits, it’s scene-stealing slope fits, and a look from each of the house’s unanimously lauded Genius series – which has included designers as far-ranging as Off-White, Craig Green, Rick Owens and Noir Kei Ninomiya – on display. There’s also a London-exclusive NFT, an immersive experience room with indoor snow (!!) and a unique creative commission for each city. For the exhibition’s London iteration, Moncler has commissioned photographer Platon to shoot the latest capsule of collaborative interpretations of the iconic Maya 70 jacket on a group of truly inspiring creatives including Michèle Lamy and Honey Dijon, who wear pieces created in collaboration with Thom Browne, Rick Owens, Pierpaolo Piccioli, Pharrell Williams and more. And as if you needed more convincing to trek on down, the imagemaker has also created a series of video vignettes with a selection of London’s most exciting creative talents, including John Glacier, Ai Kamoshita and Tiffany Calver. Move quickly, though – the exhibition packs up for Tokyo on Sunday! MS
Margaret Howell celebrate Modernist furniture in a new exhibition
British clothing designer Margaret Howell has partnered with Isokon, the modernist architectural firm turned plywood furniture experts, on a new exhibition in London. Featuring famed Isokon designs from leading artists, designers and architects such as Marcel Breuer, Edward Barber, Jay Osgerby and Jasper Morrison all the way from 1936 to the present day. Tools, moulds and templates will be on display alongside the reissue of the renowned Marcel Breuer Nesting Tables from 1936 that will now each be marked with an Isokon and Margaret Howell stamp. “Isokon Furniture demonstrates the versatility and strength of plywood. Light and malleable it allows designers the freedom to produce furniture in an innovative and sculptural style. Isokon advanced the cause of international design in 1930s Britain – simple, minimal and still so modern,” Margaret Howell said in a statement. Check out the exhibition running until 5 November 2022 at 34 Wigmore Street, London. TG
MATCHESFASHION are taking over Frieze
The chicest week of the calendar, Frieze, is well and truly underway and this year luxury fashion emporium MATCHESFASHION has set up a number of activations throughout the art fair in Regent’s Park, and beyond, to celebrate. An arcade filled with gaming vending machines gives you an opportunity to win a delectable, and ethical, bar of Tony’s Chocolonely chocolate, wrapped in the stunning Matches marble print and hiding a gift card inside. Other events included breakfast with Michèle Lamy, the launch of a cookbook for beginners and a brunch with Christopher Kane and A Vibe Called Tech where they discussed art and collaboration in today’s world. Finally, there are two ongoing exhibitions, the first running for four weeks showcasing Kvadrat’s accessories in an installation designed by Raf Simons, the second a playful jewellery pop-up hosted by Nadine Ghosn, and will include her kitsch designs such as the hamburger ring and pencil bracelet, that will run until 29 October. TG
Versace’s supermodel-filled ads from the 80s and 90s are on display in Milan
It’s no secret that in the 80s and 90s, Versace catalysed the rise of the supermodel. Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Claudia Schiffer, Christy Turlington, Shalom Harlow and Linda Evangelista all created iconic moments walking the Italian fashion house’s runways and fronting their campaigns in drop-dead sexy collections. But the man intrinsic to this cultural phenomenon – and is credited by The New York Times with defining “America’s image of style, beauty and culture” in the late twentieth century – was Richard Avedon, the prolific fashion photographer who collaborated with Gianni and Donatella between 1979 and 1998 and lensed Prince, Courtney Love, the supers and even Donatella herself in the collections during his time. Now, a new exhibition from the house hosted at the Palazzo Reale is called “Richard Avedon: Relationships” It features over 100 fashion photographs and portraits from the archives, including original prints of 90s Versace campaigns fronted by the supermodels and celebrities du jour. Additionally, footage of interviews with the late Gianni in 1994, and a new interview with Donatella, shed an insightful light on Avedon’s work and their personal relationships with him. Having opened during Milan Fashion Week, you have until January 2023 to check out the exhibition. TG
Gucci and Palace pair up
Sound the collab klaxon!! Yes, my sweet hypebeasts, a buzzy new fashion cross-pollination is here! After months of hushed rumours, Gucci’s link-up with Palace has finally been announced. Proclaimed this morning by way of a cryptic post on the Italian house’s Instagram – featuring a characteristically cinematic campaign image – it stated that “things are looking up” – well, they certainly are now! Fusing the worlds of rodeo, skate and sport, the all-gender capsule sees the inimitable codes of both brands wittily reimagined. Palace Tri-Fergs decorate iconic horsebit loafers, and the GG monogram is found on Palace soccer tees and denim jeans. Due to drop exclusively on Gucci’s Vault platform on October 21st – and in dedicated pop-ups and Palace store takeovers around the world – we’ll be willing to wager that this is one that’ll fly off the shop floor fast, both online and IRL. On your marks, get set…MS
Discover the colours of Sies Marjan
Between 2016 and 2020, one of fashion’s greatest fixations was Sies Marjan. Based in New York and headed up by Dutch designer Sander Lak, the label earned a cult reputation for its breezy silhouettes and saturated rainbow hues overnight, becoming one of fashion’s buzziest names during its run. Its shuttering during the pandemic was therefore met with a collective sadness, but now, the memory of Sies Marjan lives on in the form of a book published by Rizzoli. Chronicling the brand’s archive by colour, and featuring contributions from and conversations with esteemed creatives including Rem Koolhaas, Marc Jacobs, Isabella Rosselini and Cindy Sherman, The Colors of Sies Marjan is a must for anyone with an interest in how hues can be used as a powerful tool for emotional communication. Here, Sander gives us the lowdown on the chic coffee table tome. MS
How did the idea of a book first come about?
I’ve always wanted to make a book. I always loved doing my portfolio back when I needed one. I loved editing images, creating pages and layouts, and telling a story on paper. When we closed Sies Marjan, I took some time off, and after a while, when I thought I was ready to work again, I started doing interviews and meetings. I realised that nothing felt right… not because the opportunities weren’t right but because I hadn’t closed the Sies Marjan chapter properly. Like a relationship that ended but I was still emotionally involved with it, so dating anyone else would never work until I closed that previous involvement.
This is where the idea of doing the book started. I felt like I wanted to make something to put all of the work and love into one object, one place, to give it the closure it deserved, and not just for me, but also for everyone who worked for Sies Marjan and its many fans.
Tell us about the decision to organise the book by colour.
When the very first idea of doing the book came about, I started going through the hundreds of thousands of images we made over the years – every fitting, every backstage image, every Instagram post… everything! Before I could even decide what images I wanted to put in the book I started selecting by colour, something I always do when organising anything. I had all these colour folders, a red folder, a yellow folder, a pink folder… Then when I looked at this, I realised I had the formula right in front of me! I had to organise the book by colour and forget about chronological order or anything more traditional.
What’s your relationship to the figures that offer their reactions throughout the text? What part did they play in the Sies Marjan world?
I feel so lucky to have such an incredible list of contributors! It was such a pleasure to have conversations about colour with people I admire like Rem Koolhaas, Marc Jacobs, Hanya Yanagihara, cinematographer James Laxton, Isabella Rossellini and so many more! Talking about how these people work with colour in their fields was so interesting and also showed the breadth of the subject matter.
I have learned over the years that you should always just ask the person you want to do something with, even if the idea sounds too insane or you think they will never do it! A lot of the time, you’ll be surprised about the outcome and that is how I approached the book as well. I just asked all these incredible people if they wanted to contribute and almost all of them said yes!
I still can’t believe I have works of Cindy Sherman, Marlene Dumas, Neo Rauch, Alice Neel, Tina Barney, Julie Mehretu, Kehinde Wiley and so many more, in the book to complement and explain the Sies Marjan work.
When working on the book, were there any particular moments that resonated particularly strongly?
When putting together the flow of colours, I realised that it worked so well because it all felt completely Sies Marjan. It didn’t matter that a look from the first show was next to a look from the last show, it all connected so well. This made me really proud of the work we did. It had a strong and singular point of view and is easily recognisable, which made it very easy to put the book together. It all works as one vision!