Mood board: There was considerable progression to Simone Rocha’s poetic womenswear this season. In tulle aprons, tinsel-flecked tartan skirt-suits and sturdy loafers from which to make practical strides, Rocha’s woman gave the impression of confidence, strength and pragmatism. Even the lightest and most sultry of lace or tulle dresses were grounded by canvas utility belts with miniature pouches. A delicate flower? Think again.
Best in show: A glossy olive trench coat with enlarged ruffle trims set the benchmark for outerwear, yet there was something beguiling about the nude tulle apron dresses, which this season Rocha had separated at the back and then tied together again using thick black grosgrain ribbons. This new design detail also carried across into jackets and voluminous skirts. Elsewhere, the designer’s own version of a power skirt-suit – rendered in shimmering black bouclé or vivid tartan – was a force to be reckoned with.
Finishing touches: In what was an unlikely but successful union, Rocha paired long, crystal-embellished wool gloves with ethereal evening dresses. She crafted soft, super-sized totes in the same fabric as the look they accompanied, creating an elegant form of camouflage. Also of note: the small, structured leather handbags that sharpened her trademark romantic silhouettes.
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Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the week'Tis the season for eating and drinking, and the Wallpaper* team embraced it wholeheartedly this week. Elsewhere: the best spot in Milan for clothing repairs and outdoor swimming in December
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How Stephen Burks Man Made is bringing the story of a centuries-old African textile to an entirely new audienceAfter researching the time-honoured craft of Kuba cloth, designers Stephen Burks and Malika Leiper have teamed up with Italian company Alpi on a dynamic new product
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Valie Export in Milan: 'Nowadays we see the body in all its diversity'Feminist conceptual artists Valie Export and Ketty La Rocca are in dialogue at Thaddaeus Ropac Milan. Here, Export tells us what the body means to her now
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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
