Chalayan S/S 2018
Scene setting: Hussein Chalayan presented his ‘Entitle’ collection at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London. The performance art-focused venue was particularly apt, as the designer’s collection was a protest against the theatre of social media, and a culture of self-worth that is based on likes, comments and going viral. Motifs in Chalayan’s collection – marked by oversized tailoring, draped silhouettes and exaggerated proportions – riffed on the rise of digital sensationalism. Swarovski-detailed Post it Notes flickered off column dresses, and models were shrouded by sunglasses and gauzy headscarves.
Mood board: The show climaxed, models appeared on stage, clad in long column gowns and wearing sparkling embellished headdresses, which squared their visage. Were these faces that had lost their identity, overshadowed by the angular frame of their phones, or people born again by the glittering beaded foliage around them?
Best in show: A series of charcoal-grey opening looks were a refreshing lesson in finely cut tailoring. These included a slouchy V-neck shirt jacket and a well formed narrow strapped playsuit; the pieces spoke of Chalayan’s signature silhouettes. An electronic soundtrack pulsed in the background, while the lyrics ‘I missed my VCR for so long’ nodded to the designer’s sentimentality for an earlier age.
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
-
How to elevate a rental with minimal interventions? Charu Gandhi has nailed it with her London homeFocus on key spaces, work with inherited details, and go big on colour and texture, says Gandhi, an interior designer set on beautifying her tired rental
-
These fashion books, all released in 2025, are the perfect gift for style fansChosen by the Wallpaper* style editors to inspire, intrigue and delight, these visually enticing tomes for your fashion library span from lush surveys on Loewe and Louis Vuitton to the rebellious style of Rick Owens and Jean Paul Gaultier
-
Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekFar from slowing down for the festive season, the Wallpaper* team is in full swing, hopping from events to openings this week. Sometimes work can feel like play – and we also had time for some festive cocktails and cinematic releases
-
‘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
-
‘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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Discover these fashion brands at London Craft WeekDuring London Craft Week, fashion brands including Smythson, Bally and Serapian are hosting events across the capital