Mood board: The show – named ‘Orlando' – was the second part of a three act project by the brand. The final stage will culminate in a series of costumes designed for the Vienna State Opera’s world premier of Orlando, composed by Olga Neuwirth. It is a version of Virginia Woolf’s gender defying 1928 novel which sees a poet travel through 300 years of history, starting as a nobleman under Elizabeth I’s reign, changing sex from male to female along the way. ‘My love of clothes interests me profoundly,' Woolf wrote in her diary in 1925. Rei Kawakubo’s interest spanned the Elizabethan era, 18th century, the modern age and the future, and her collection featured a series of bulbous, brocade heavy constructions, uncharacteristically adorned with 3D florals, flounces of tulle and macramé, or sporting protective padding, the Comme des Garçons and resplendent fringing.
Best in show: Of the more Elizabethan silhouettes, a bubble like pannier skirt was formed from a glittering bright blue and fuchsia jacquard paneled with a patchwork of golden squares. More futuristic was a sporty pair of leggings with bulging knee pads, paired with a tailored jacket and a rose red opera coat, embellished with frothy flounces of tulle resembling silk. This was escapist liberation of time through clothing.
Finishing touches: Models sported pretty patchwork ankle boots or delicate ballet flats with socks which tied up the leg like tiny gaiters.
Comme des Garçons S/S 2020.
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Gucci’s ‘Blondie’ bag revival sees the enduring 1970s accessory reimagined anewFirst shown at Sabato De Sarno’s Gucci Cruise 2025 show in London, a new iteration of Gucci’s beloved ‘Blondie’ bag fuses 1970s insouciance with a crisp modernity
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Private museum Simple Design Archive is a ‘poetic sound sanctuary’ in ChinaSimple Design Archive, located in China’s Anhui province, is a private museum by HAS Design and Research, fostering a contemplative environment
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All hail the arrival of true autonomy? On Tesla’s proposed Robotaxi and techno-insecurityTesla’s new marketing push predicts a future of robot cabs, automated buses and autonomous home androids. We already want to get off
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Palace unites with Rapha to celebrate inaugural Tour de France FemmesMarking the first time women will compete in the historic cycling race since the late 1980s, this new collaboration sees Palace Skateboards and Rapha create uniforms for both on and off the bike – including an ‘outlandish’ pair of Crocs
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Paris Fashion Week A/W 2022: Chanel to Miu MiuIn this extended report, Wallpaper* updates you live from Paris Fashion Week A/W 2022 shows, with rolling coverage as runway events unfold
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Scene-stealing runway sets from S/S 2022 womenswear showsFrom giant roulette wheels to Olympic diving boards and multi-city synchronized extravaganzas – our pick of the best fashion show sets from S/S 2022 womenswear
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Louis Vuitton A/W 2020 Paris Fashion Week Women's -
Chanel A/W 2020 Paris Fashion Week Women’s -
Y/Project A/W 2020 Paris Fashion Week Women's -
Sacai A/W 2020 Paris Fashion Week Women's -
Alexander McQueen A/W 2020 Paris Fashion Week Women’s
