Mood board: Marta Marques and Paulo Almeida have built their cult brand upon the fans – #MAgirls, as they call them. They interact with them on a daily basis through a vast social media network. It’s a whip-smart move that has earned the label a reputation for being inclusive, grounded and relevant (qualities that are no doubt in short supply elsewhere). This season, the #MAgirls are more prominently featured in the collection than ever before. Not only did a lucky few walk in the show following the designers’ open casting call, but several also featured in recorded video interviews, which were projected onto the walls of the set. ‘It’s ok to be who you are and be unapologetic about it,’ said one girl. ‘You have to be content with your body, it doesn’t matter what society tells you,’ affirmed another. Empowering statements such as these also appeared on supersized sweaters throughout the show, designed in collaboration with the Scotland-born London-based designer Louise Gray, alongside a eclectic melange of motocross trousers, tie dye-denim separates, billowing prairie dresses and fraying brocade tops.
Scene setting: Marques and Almeida took us deep underground this season, housing their A/W 2018 show inside a lofty, dimly lit vault within the famed Leake Street tunnels (referred to by graffiti buffs as ‘the Banksy tunnels’). Exposed brickwork and stripped concrete walls galvanised the raw, urban vibe that underpins the brand’s aesthetic, while the aforementioned videos played out on loop, supplementing a soundtrack by strong female artists such as Sza and PJ Harvey.
Best in show: The slouched leather motocross trousers were the hot ticket this season. Worn with an acid orange teddy coat, a gigantic silk blouse or navel-baring top, they somehow struck the precisely the right balance between luxury and lo-fi cool.
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Own an early John Lautner, perched in LA’s Echo Park hillsThe restored and updated Jules Salkin Residence by John Lautner is a unique piece of Californian design heritage, an early private house by the Frank Lloyd Wright acolyte that points to his future iconic status
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20 things that positively delighted us in and around Design Miami this yearFrom covetable 20th-century masterpieces to a tower made from ceramic pickles, these were the works that stood out amid the blur of Art Week
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Montcalm Mayfair opens a new chapter for a once-overlooked London hotelA thoughtful reinvention brings craftsmanship, character and an unexpected sense of warmth to a London hotel that was never previously on the radar
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‘Architect of glamour’ Antony Price makes a high-voltage return to the runway with 16ArlingtonFeaturing a runway debut from Lily Allen, the show saw legendary designer Antony Price – best known for outfitting Roxy Music in the 1980s – unite with 16Arlington’s Marco Capaldo on the sensual after-dark collection
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‘Dirty Looks’ at the Barbican explores how fashion designers have found beauty in dirt and decayFrom garments buried in River Thames mud to those torn, creased and stained, ‘Dirty Looks’ is a testament to how ‘creativity and new artistic practices can come out of decay’, its curators tell Dal Chodha
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Tyler Mitchell’s London show explores the figure of the Black Dandy, ‘imagining what else masculinity could look like’Originally part of a visual essay to accompany the Met’s ‘Superfine’ 2025 Costume Institute exhibition, ‘Portrait of the Modern Dandy’ goes on display at Gagosian Burlington Arcade in London this week
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Inside Louis Vuitton’s Murakami London pop-up, a colourful cartoon wonderland with one-of-a-kind caféWallpaper* takes a tour of the Louis Vuitton x Murakami pop-up in London’s Soho, which celebrates the launch of a new ‘re-edition’ accessories collection spanning the greatest hits from the Japanese artist’s long-running collaboration with the house
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Get to know Issey Miyake’s innovative A-POC ABLE line as it arrives in the UKAs A-POC ABLE Issey Miyake launches in London this week, designer Yoshiyuki Miyamae gives Wallpaper* the lowdown on the experimental Issey Miyake offshoot
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Margaret Howell London Fashion Week Women's S/S 2019 -
London Fashion Week S/S 2023: Ahluwalia to Martine RoseThough slimmed-down, London Fashion Week nonetheless provided the moments of creative expression the city is known for – from Ahluwalia’s ode to Africa to Martine Rose’s much-anticipated runway return
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Discover these fashion brands at London Craft WeekDuring London Craft Week, fashion brands including Smythson, Bally and Serapian are hosting events across the capital
