House of fun
22 December
London based-fashion designer Matty Bovan has created a selection prismatic of Christmas wreaths for House of Voltaire. Created from marble foam, plaster and bedazzling jewels, the decorations are an acid-trip take on festivity.
Hybrid handbags
21 December
Renowned for creating clothes that defy classification, Sacai’s Chitose Abe has turned her hybrid aesthetic to handbag design. Collaborating with Katie Hillier on her debut bag collection, the six enigmatic styles, crafted in soft leather, crocodile skin and mink act as spliced versions of archetypal silhouettes.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Wool worth
20 December
This season sees the return of an exclusive C.P. Company fabric, which was developed by designers Paul Harvey and Alessandro Pungetti four years ago. Named Shetland SL, a heavy-duty lycra is formed by bonding light weight traditional yarn-dyed wool.
The team worked with a bouclé yarn for the first time, which was typically used for men’s outerwear in the 1950’s and 60’s. Combined with the Shetland SL technique, the fabric boosts the coat’s protective qualities whilst maintaining the natural elasticity of the wool fabric.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
Feeling Plein
19 December
The latest addition to the New Bond Street fashion mile, Claudio Pironi & Partners, the architecture practice who designed Philipp Plein’s expansive Milanese showroom, has worked with the German fashion designer on his new London flagship. The majestic three-floor store boasts marble, gold and mirrored surfaces, bedecked with Plein’s idiosyncratic logoed and rhinestone finishes.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Seeing clearly
19 December
New Zealand-based sunglass maker Karen Walker has used industrial acetate and monel in her debut range of clear lenses. The vintage-like oversized frames are the ultimate eccentric optical update.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Mythic method
15 December
The casual aesthetic of German brand Closed and the delicate yet humorous embroideries of designer Jackie Villevoye are brought together in a three-piece line launching in spring next year. Villevoye, the founder of Jupe by Jackie, worked together with her team of master artisans in India, who hand-stitch the mythological creatures directly onto the garments.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
On the right track
14 December
Go-faster stripes race through Smythson’s new luggage offering for S/S17, with every piece from the Burlington Stripe collection boasting bold hand-printed navy and blue track lines. The pattern pays homage to the heritage brand’s signature jacquard, used in the lining of the Bond Street bag, which was the first ever produced by Frank Smythson in 1902.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Travel right
13 December
Robe de Voyage work with a collective of talented weavers in Bihar, East India, to craft its lightweight khadi cotton and silk travel robes. Scribble, the first print in the collection, which evokes rippled sunlight on water, was hand-painted by founder Jessica Linklater in her London studio, and then screen-printed in Delhi. Constructed in vibrant colourways, bright oranges, salty blues and rich reds were inspired by landscapes in Zanzibar, Kyoto and Malabar.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Stiff sophistication
12 December
Renowned for its attention to American craftsmanship, FRAME has collaborated with Cone, the oldest fabric mill in the US on its debut range of rigid denim. Reimagining 11 archive styles, including denim jackets and its signature cropped bootcut silhouette, the faded and frayed finishes are inspired by vintage denim fabrics.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Into the wild
9 December
Inspired by his childhood spent overseas, men’s artistic director Kim Jones has brought a piece of Africa with him to the Louis Vuitton menswear pop-up shop in Selfridges. Teaming up with regular collaborators the Chapman brothers, Jake and Dinos have added wild flair to the pop-up with African animal illustrations. Customers can also enjoy exclusive products from the pre-spring/summer 2017 and S/S 2017 shows and shop at the brand’s denim bar.
Writer: Aylin Bayhan
Have you met Suzy?
8 December
Bally has a new addition to its ever expanding accessories family, and the Suzy bag is its disco-centric little sister. Showing off the same B Turn lock, its smaller shape and gold chain shoulder strap is both youthful and rebellious. Stepping out in studded, block and tri-colour versions of suede, python and calfskin, it makes for most B-loved dance floor date.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Prada’s plush interiors update
7 December
Constantly revitalising the interior design of its store spaces, Prada has added velvet accents, geometric carpeting and exquisite glass and marble furniture to its Harrods concession in London. Exclusive Osvaldo Borsani chairs in plush strawberry pink complement the colourful furs on display, while the marble, steel and glass finishes of tables and counters reflect the embellishments of bags and costume jewellery. These luxurious updates are also featured at Prada’s Monte-Carlo outpost.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
California dreaming
6 December
Personalised gift curation service Assembly of Objects has looked to the creative flair of California for its new collection of bespoke gift boxes. In limited edition runs of 100, founder Zoë Black has curated gift sets for him, her and new mother and baby, exquisitely packaged in screen-printed wooden boxes. Covetable gifts found inside include artisanal linen-bound notebooks, copper coffee measuring scoops and hand-dyed shibori silk scarves.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Glow with the flow
5 December
In 1996, Calvin Klein commissioned the artist Dan Flavin to create Untitled, a configuration of red and white tube lights, which opened on Madison Avenue a month after his death. Lighting large storefront windows and doorways, Flavin’s installations are on view once more at the NYC flagship, acting as a minimalist antidote to overblown festive decoration.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Raw materials
2 December
G-Star Raw has experimented once more with Italian selvedge denim for the launch of its first RAW Research capsule collection. Launching tomorrow at Dover Street Market in London, Tokyo and NYC, the 20-piece collection features G-Star Raw's new Rackam 3D denim jeans in bleached-white, and a bomber jacket that can be strapped to and carried on the shoulders, in untreated raw indigo.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Perfectly measured
1 December
Neapolitan tailor Kiton has added a bespoke floor to its newly expanded and refurbished Munich boutique. The floor is devoted entirely to a bespoke tailoring service offering German customers an opportunity to experience the artisanal approach that exemplifies the brand. The store will also stock an exclusive selection of Kiton fabrics selected from the personal archives of brand founder Ciro Paone.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Woolly two-shoes
30 November
Awarded the New Zealand design award for best product recently, Allbirds is making a name for itself in an oversaturated trainers market where logos are ubiquitous. For Allbirds founders Tim Brown and Joey Zwillinger comfort comes first. In New Zealand, they source sustainble merino wool – never used in footwear before – which has incredible airing and isolating qualities; the footwear is then produced by Italian mills. Expect flocks of fans.
Writer: Siska Lyssens
Magic circles
29 November
Black, deconstructed and minimalistic, Yohji Yamamoto’s sunglasses collection for spring/summer 2017 casts a spell on us. With curves in all the right places, the styles feature rounded glasses in an array of metal frames.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
Wool power
28 November
There’s more than meets the eye with Danish brand Carcel. The brainchild of social entrepreneur Veronica D'Souza, Carcel works together with inmates in a women’s prison in Cusco, Peru to produce knitwear made of 100 per cent fine alpaca wool. Designed by Louise van Hauen, the minimal shapes come in many colours, combining comfort with Scandinavian cool. Via Carcel, the women have a market to sell their products. ‘We pay them $15 for one sweater', Souza explains. 'This adds up to more than three times the minimum wage in Peru.' Carcel’s next collection – made entirely made out of organic silk – is to be manufactured by women in India. Stay tuned.
Writer: Vas Panagiotopoulos
Golden eye
25 November
In the Noughties, Citizens of Humanity was synonymous with fitted and flared styles of denim that elevated jeans into the designer realm. Today, the brand has grown bigger than that, boasting four sub-labels. One of these is Goldsign, a denim brand that designer Karen Phelps was tasked with reviving. Phelps created a modern aesthetic that’s nonetheless soft around the edges. By laundering the fabrics before sewing them, she reverses the usual denim manufacturing process. The result: relaxed, super soft separates that cut a slightly 1970s silhouette.
Writer: Siska Lyssens
Into the fray
24 November
Italy-based brand Alanui brings ethnic flair to your modern day look. Founder Nicolo Oddi’s unisex Navaro jacquard cashmere cardigans offer a vibrant tone of Indian American patterns, framed by fringed-edges that feel decidedly relaxed. Eleven hours of knitting and assembling goes into creating each cashmere piece. Worth a trip to Selfridges in London, Tsum in Moscow and Beymen in Istanbul.
Writer: Aylin Bayhan
Bags of attitude
23 November
Each season Kris Van Assche revisits Dior’s iconic house monogram in a capsule accessories collection for Dior Homme. For A/W 2016, the designer taps his rebellious streak with overprinted checks, embroidered streaks and paint splashes running riot on coated canvas backpacks and travel bags. A series of works by Japanese artist Toru Kamei completes the collection.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Danish debut
22 November
Danish designer Martine Jarlgaard, who previously worked as head of Diesel’s female apparel, has launched her eponymous line. Jarlgaard’s debut during London Fashion Week showed sculptural silhouettes in minimalist tones which were made of organic and recycled fabrics.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
Roll up, roll up
18 November
In Fellini’s fantasy world, the circus was a major fascination figuring in the legendary director's films, from La Strada to I Clowns. On the occasion of its new Double T Circus bag, Italian leather goods brand Tod’s revisits this festive theme in the holiday windows of its Madison Avenue boutique. Decorated with a red-and-white striped circus tent dotted with acrobats, the scenes were devised by none other than the Academy Award-winning set designer Dante Ferretti. With these three Italian favourites lined-up, the circus comes full circle.
Writer: Siska Lyssens
Knitted and booted
17 November
Camper has widened its young talent collaborations with designer duo Eckhaus Latta, New York Fashion Week’s underground stars. Reworking the block-heeled boot to meet the athletic sock, the result is a knitted shoe that comes in off-white, grey and mustard. The shoe’s offbeat aesthetic was captured in motion, as actress/model Hari Nef’s stormed through the torrid plains of Mallorca.
Writer: Aylin Bayhan
Vibrant vision
16 November
The bold and the beautiful come together in Roksanda Ilincic’s debut sunglasses collection, made in collaboration with luxury eyewear brand Cutler and Gross. Vivid, contrasting colours clash with geometric lines in handmade frames of the highest quality Italian acetate. The sunglasses are the latest addition to Roksanda’s growing accessories range.
Writer: Jason Hughes
The rainmakers
15 November
As designers make increasingly clever use of 3D printing, Alexander McQueen is the latest to foray into digital fabrication with its new 'Black Skull' umbrella. McQueen enlisted a helping hand in the form of Berlin-based company VOJD Studios, which specialises in luxury 3D printed goods. Created from a cast of a handprint, the ergonomic handle was scanned in 3D and then printed, so as to fit organically and comfortably in any grasp. The asymmetric handle has been galvanised to achieve the resulting high-shine, mirror finish, and a slim brass stem leads up to a wide, canopy, embroidered with the classic McQueen skull emblem.
Photography: courtesy of Ssense
Writer: Elly Parsons
Give and take
14 November
Free shopping may seem like an oxymoron, but Lablaco Give, a new social app that focuses on fashion, promises a proxy to it. The brainchild of Lorenzo Albrighi, Lablaco Give offers a solution for fashion’s waste problem by creating a framework within which surplus clothing can be given away.
Conceived as a ‘free vintage store’, givers and followers can find each other locally and share clothing by picking the garment up in person or by using DHL, a world-wide Lablaco partner, for delivery. The cost can then be split or taken on by a chosen party. Albrighi sees the potential of the app to develop into a hub for philanthropy as well, explaining, ‘There’s an option named Crowd Giving, for areas which may be affected by natural calamities such as earthquakes.’
Writer: Siska Lyssens
High spirits
11 November
Two German tastemakers are set to combine tomorrow in Berlin. Discerning boutique Andreas Murkudis – where clothing is just one aspect of the beautiful objects displayed – will open its doors to host the tenth anniversary celebration of Stählemühle, a fine brandy distillery. Three of the company’s best vintage flavours - Constantinople apple quince, Sicilian blood orange and Nymphenburg cornelian cherry – are bottled for the occasion in the finest Nymphenburg porcelain, an artisan product with a history going back more than 266 years. Actually, make that two German tastemakers – and one historical authority on craftsmanship.
Writer: Siska Lyssens
Art and soul
10 November
Having recently joined Mount Street’s distinguished retail arena, J&M Davidson brushes up its art credentials, launching a new collaboration with fashion illustrator Tanya Ling. With every purchase from the A/W 2016 handbag collection, the brand will offer a personal customisation option. The 'Belle', 'Olivia' (pictured) and 'Oona' bags become canvases for Ling’s artistic endeavours, transforming them into abstract, sculptural works. Customers will be able to purchase any bag from the Mayfair boutique and order the unique commission to be painted on them until 31 January.
Writer: Aylin Bayhan
Slope star
9 November
Neil Barrett takes to the slopes for A/W 2016, with the release of his first skiwear collection. Hooded anoraks and quilted jackets come emblazoned with modernist graphic motifs and the brands' emblematic thunderbolt, while ski-pants come with tailored front pleats or a tuxedo-inspired stripe running down the leg. Informed by Barrett’s distinctive menswear vision, the skiwear collection combines modern luxury with performance materials.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Jean genie
8 November
From patches to tassels and your initials – or even Wallpaper’s asterisk, if so inclined – the new M.i.h online customisation service makes personalised denim possible. It’s not just the brand’s jeans that are cut out for it; even non-M.i.h denim can be sent in for upcycling. Besides the different personalisations (think custom cuts and patch packs) there is also the option to craft a one-off look, completely tailored to anything you can dream up. The project is an on-going service with new components added to the service each season.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
Reformation station
7 November
Reformation has built a reputation for affordable, original and feminine clothing that’s on the right side of dressy, with the added benefit of sustainable awareness. They’re opening up a temporary shop on London’s Monmouth Street today, with an interesting retail concept that allows customers to shop from touch screens while also trying on the clothes, and then have the purchases shipped home for free. The pared-down space is airy, with white walls and parquet floors. Dressing rooms and a seating corner are furnished in muted cream, pink carpets and leafy shrubs – an LA code of cool.
Writer: Siska Lyssens
If the shoe fits
4 November
For Salvatore Ferragamo, one’s personal tastes are equally important to quality and craftsmanship when deciding which shoes to wear. A made-to-order option was therefore not far on the horizon for the Italian footwear brand, and they’ve taken their iconic Giglio men’s line as the foundation of that personalized program. The Oxford, The Monkstrap and the Monkstrap boot will be open to bespoke input on material, colour and buckle finish, along with personalized lettering on the sole. Named Tramezza, the service is available in stores and online.
Writer: Siska Lyssens
Patchwork players
3 November
If you ever dreamed of wearing a crying moon on your sweater, or fantastical flora and fauna patches all over your jeans, now’s your chance. Visual artist Frances Upritchard has left her mark on a capsule collection with fashion designers – and longtime friends and collaborators – Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos. Everyday separates like tops, sweaters and stonewashed denim are transformed under Upritchard’s artful watch, with ancient Peruvian embroidery, colourful fraying and more. Created in exclusive collaboration with matchesfashion.com under Amex's partnership umbrella, it’s a perfectly tuned coupling that sees cultures collide.
Writer: Siska Lyssens
Colour blocking
2 November
British design icons Paul Smith and Anglepoise have joined forces to create a new version of the latter's classic Type 75 Desk Lamp. Taking inspiration from artists Piet Mondrian and Theo van Doesburg’s De Stijl movement, primary colours come out to play in the lamp's graphic palette of white, red, yellow and blue.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Arm candy
1 November
Strap on, pouch off - the Transformer bag (pictured right) by Theory is the brand’s first customisable cross-body bag. It is part of Theory’s inaugural accessories collection, designed by newly minted creative director Rory O’Hanlon. The Transformer allows you to build your own bag by selecting from a range of straps and up to three pouches. From calf hair and suede, to shearling and patchwork fur, each pouch can easily be removed or adapted for a different look. Also new to the Theory family is the Whitney (left), a clever piece in which jewellery and handbag design come together.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
Westwood on Westwood
31 October
Get A Life, Vivienne Westwood urges us in characteristic irreverent fashion, with a collection of diary entries meant to spur the reader into activism. Taking us along on her trips to, among others, the Amazon rainforest and to David Cameron’s Cotswolds home – as well as opening up about her daily fashion responsibilities – Westwood shows us the inside of her mind and the back of her tongue in these compelling and detailed diaries. On these pages, she admits: ‘I don’t like sounding bossy even though I’ve got strong opinions.’
Get A Life, by Vivienne Westwood, £16.99, published by Serpent's Tail.
Writer: Siska Lyssens
Accessories with Mr A
27 October
A collaboration based on a good story is one that has legs – literally in the case of André Saraiva, the Paris-based artist who stumbled upon a pair of vintage Bally boots from 1973 while packing for a trip. He still liked the boots so much that he wanted his girlfriend to have a pair too. So Saraiva and Pablo Coppola, design director at Bally, got down to work on redesigning the boots and creating, in the process, a small leather goods capsule collection that’s embossed by Saraiva’s graffiti-artist alter ego, Mr A – a cheery, top-hatted, leggy stick figure.
Writer: Siska Lyssens
Álvaro González’s boot debut
26 October
This season, sandal specialist Álvaro González takes his first steps into the world of women’s boots. Featuring an almond toe and a straight leg, the unfussy design comes both in a knee-high and ankle version – both with a chunky wooden heel. The boots are fully lined in shearling and crafted from a single piece of calf leather by artisans in workshops around Florence. Available exclusively on matchesfashion.com.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
Signature simplicity
25 October
Azzedine Alaïa, as usual, presented his S/S 2017 collection only once it felt right. The latest line-up was rich with graphic detail and desirable, beautifully developed silhouettes – all while furthering the designer’s reliable repertoire of sculpted leather, athletic knit dresses and flawless tailoring. You need only consider the opening look, a peasant dress in the supplest leather marked with a single saw-toothed band of red and cinched with moulded belt, to realize how his simplest statements are wondrously deceiving. Swishing dotted fringes and arrangements of studs – an Alaïa signature – transitioned from grid-like formation to curving, swooping lines down and around the length of his dresses. When one of the optical illusion motifs played out as a jacket and maxi handkerchief skirt total look, the result was movement within movement.
Writer: Amy Verner
The beautiful game
24 October
Football in China is enjoying a groundbreaking sartorial boost, with the national team stepping out in a crisp new capsule wardrobe of off-field formal and leisurewear, designed and made by Italian menswear brand Ermenegildo Zegna.
Zegna’s newly-appointed artistic director Alessandro Sartori was responsible for the bespoke new look, that comprises a navy blue, single-breasted Trofeo fabric suit with a scarlet lining (a nod to the official Chinese colour), paired with a soft white shirt, a pocket square and black Derby shoes. A contemporary take on the classic raincoat completes the ensemble.
The leisure side of the collection sees slim-cut denim jeans, a full zip sweatshirt, a navy blue backpack and the highlight – a triple-stitch trainer in a fire-red grained calf leather.
‘Over the past 100 plus years, Zegna has been dedicated to creating a contemporary look for men of all ages and from all walks of life, among them artists, successful businessmen and athletes,’ CEO Gildo Zegna says. ‘The way we look at it, art, sports and fashion are interlinked on many levels.’ We agree that it’s a perfect fit.
The triple stitch sneakers are available in stores in other colour variations; a red version may become available to the public in the future.
Writer: Catherine Shaw
Private rooms
21 October
There are still four months left to discover ‘Rik Wouters & the Private Utopia’, a thematic exhibition at Antwerp’s ModeMuseum (MoMu), which zooms in on the Post-Impressionist painter and his intimate domestic scenes. Wouters’ expressive style hasn’t lost its dynamism, and is translated in works by a number of contemporary artists and designers included in the exhibition.
One of these is fashion designer Dirk Van Saene, who, together with The Woolmark Company, has created a picturesque rug as lively as Wouters’ brushstrokes, and which was hand-tufted by a family-owned firm in the western Belgian city of Moeskroen.
A rug based on Van Saene's one will be on display at Biennale Interieur in Kortrijk until 23 October, at the 'Limited Edition' booth.
Writer: Siska Lyssens
‘Iconic Classics’
20 October
Bentley’s ‘Iconic Classics’ capsule collection is intended to ‘complement the lifestyle of our customers’, as Karin Schilcher, director of licensing and branding, disclosed to Wallpaper* earlier this month.
Inspired by the Continental GT, the brand transcends the automotive world and brings iconic detailing to an apparel and accessories collection for both men and women.
The collection features go-to, versatile pieces such as a knitted polo shirt, a wool poncho, Mongolian cashmere and Italian-made silk scarves in a palette of black and white, graphite, delicate neutrals and deep purples.
Cross-stitching techniques or matrix grille lining cuts reflect the shape of a Bentley dashboard, injecting the signature craftsmanship of the Cheshire-based brand into every piece.
The collection is available at authorised Bentley retailers and online.
Writer: Aylin Bayhan
Maiyet's meticulous concept
19 October
Co-founder and CEO Paul van Zyl was beaming at the opening of the Maiyet Concept Store on Conduit Street. No wonder, as his team and their talented partners – Tom Dixon, Phaidon and Tata Harper among them – succeeded in getting the Mayfair space in perfect condition in about 12 weeks, from conception to execution, for a pop-up that will last three months.
Jasmine Hemsley debuts her Ayurvedic café East by West here too – a good reason to take the slow approach to visiting the sustainable luxury fashion brand’s London outpost.
Writer: Siska Lyssens
East meets West
18 October
Western historic outerwear meets East Asian-manufacturing tradition in a collaboration between Woolrich and Japanese fashion designer Shinsuke Kojima, a designer whose personal work has been influenced by vintage American military and work wear.
For the capsule collection, Kojima drew inspiration from the Woolrich archives. Several classic styles such as the Jungle Jacket and the Mountain Parka were modernised for contemporary use. Manufactured in Japan, the products are made of the latest regional fabric techniques and come in a classic colour palette of blue, grey, sand and green.
The collection will be available in Japan and outside Japan exclusively at Woolrich stores.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
Moynat tangoes with Mambo
17 October
French heritage leather goods brand Moynat and French-Hungarian street artist Mambo join forces for an unusual merging of tradition and modernity, creating a collection of totes, pouches, passport holders and scarves.
Using Moynat’s signature marquetry technique, Mambo applied his iconic 1960s-style portraits of Claudia, Brigitte and Michel to the colourful accessories.
Available at all Moynat boutiques from mid-October.
Writer: Siska Lyssens
Porth authority
14 October
Bespoke London boot maker John Lobb, under the creative direction of Paula Gerbase, continues to widen the options for men who are looking for a shoe that can handle a physical journey as well as offer lightweight style.
Lobb’s newest trainer, the Porth, offers that kind of quality thanks to a full lining in natural leather and perforations at its tip that allow the shoe to breathe. Its seven eyelets and ‘sacchetto’ construction turn this sneaker – available in five different colours, in both suede and leather – into a super flexible form that adapts to the movement of the foot.
Writer: Siska Lyssens
Cross-cultural exchange
13 October
On the Friday evening of London’s Frieze Art Fair, recent Central Saint Martins graduate John Alexander Skelton presented his second collection at Hostem Spring Store.
In an intimate setting, the designer revealed a collection inspired by Britain’s fractious relationship with India, from Gandhi’s Swadeshi movement to the political leader’s visits to Lancashire.
The use of repurposed cloth, British wools and naturally dyed materials gave his collection a traditional and sustainable feel.
Skelton’s collection is now on display at Hostem, in Shoreditch.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
Sock it to ‘em
12 October
‘Falke for Liberty’ sees a partnership between two renowned heritage brands through the creation of a unique capsule collection of luxury socks for A/W 2016.
The limited-edition collection comprises seven styles, each covered with a signature print from the Liberty archive. Heritage patterns such as ‘Strawberry Thief’ and ‘Felix & Isabelle’ are mixed with selection of contemporary designs from recent seasons, including the Oriental inflections of S/S 2016’s ‘Paisley Tears’ and the pomegranate motif of A/W 2015's ‘Gambier’.
The collection is available to purchase from Liberty and Falke.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Hindmarch's personal touch
11 October
Nothing shows your individuality like something made bespoke. Anya Hindmarch will be launching a personalised strap service to go along with its latest A/W 2016 bags, where customers can choose crystal initials and symbols to adorn their embellished strap.
Each personalised strap comes in an array of colours with space for up to six symbols, ranging from hearts and eyes to the entire alphabet, all to create something unique.
The service will be launched in selected stores from today.
Writer: Ievan Darwin
Social sisterhood
10 October
With the S/S 2017 fashion weeks over and done with, Dior offers clients and admirers alike a rare peek behind the atelier's curtains.
Zooming in on the women who worked in tandem with the first female creative director of the French house, Maria Grazia Chiuri, the Instagram series – found via #thewomenbehindmydress – follows Lili, the calligrapher, Aida Neddaf, the première d’atelier and the petite mains who work on the garments, to the models who wear them.
Writer: Siska Lyssens
Peter Saville x Paco Rabanne
7 October
The UK’s most famous graphic designer, Peter Saville, has revealed a new fashion collaboration – this time, Paco Rabanne, under the creative direction of Julien Dossena for the past three years, gets the Saville treatment.
Saville has designed a limited collection of t-shirts with topical phrases that are surprisingly mild: 'futuresex', 'canned candies', and the more cryptic 'akt in ketten'. Inspired by the 1969 book of Jean Clemmer photographs Nues, and its various translated titles, this collaboration is inspired by typography and national identities.
Writer: Siska Lyssens
Gavin Turk's 'London Brick'
6 October
Jewellery design-duo Emily Bradbury and Dawn Hindle of True Rocks have collaborated with artist Gavin Turk on a special limited-edition charm necklace entitled ‘The London Brick’. The handcrafted charm playfully elevates the humble block into an artworld status symbol.
Launching at Frieze London, the charm comes cast in solid silver and plated with 18ct rose or yellow gold. An 18ct solid gold version will also be available exclusively at Damien Hirst’s gallery OtherCriteria.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Team spirit
5 October
Iffley Road is a premium running wear brand created by husband and wife team Bill Byrne and Claire Kent. Born out of the couple’s love for the sport and frustration with the gaudy and ill-fitting kit ruling the market, Iffley Road offers a range that delivers on performance and style in equal measure.
Working with high-quality textiles that give long-lasting technical performance and comfort, kit essentials include sleek short-sleeve tops made from a bespoke micro-blend piqué, running shorts manufactured in a leading Italian mill with a long tradition of technical innovation, and beanies made from 100 per cent merino that are completely itch-free and ideal for cooler months.
For autumn, the duo have commissioned artist Fergus McHugh to add a contour design to their Thorpe merino tops and Thompson shorts.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Prada’s presents Borsani editions
4 October
In the womenswear departments of selected Prada stores, worldwide customers will now find a selection of reproduced iconic chairs by 20th-century Italian designer Osvaldo Borsani.
Highlighting a passion for craftsmanship, technology and innovation, the chairs – which were no longer in production – have been brought back exclusively for the brand.
The designs, including the classic ‘D32 Atelier’ sofa from the 1950s, retain their original shape and material but have been given a new finish and color scheme.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
Pure document
3 October
Japanese photographer Fumi Nagasaka is known for her grainy documentary style. Ever searching for the human side of her subjects, Nagasaka’s most recent personal project portrays youth – kids she encounters in everyday life – as an honest and pure keepsake. Her first book, Untitled Youth, captures just that: New York, Berlin, England and Stockholm youngsters in their street subculture habitat, balancing the artifice of fashion and identity.
Writer: Siska Lyssens
Needle work
30 September
Even with haute couture collections, Karl Lagerfeld never shies away from sketching over 60 silhouettes. Some of these were tacked to a wall in Chanel’s New Bond Street boutique, where the S/S 2017 presentation for couture clients and press was held.
Tweed jackets received an update with square shoulders and angular topstitched crested seams and trims that modernised the material. The eveningwear as usual exhibited the incredible skill of Chanel’s trusted partner ateliers. A gown with crystal and rhinestone embroidery by Lesage and another silhouette with Fortuny pleating and a jewel-embroidered Camellia realised by Atelier Flou showed the handmade quality that keeps the Chanel clientele coming back for more.
Writer: Siska Lyssens
Ice Ice Baby
29 September
A/W 2016 sees the return of Stone Island’s iconic ‘Ice Jacket’. Known for its innovative approach to design through garment construction and fabric development, the jacket is one of the brands most technological pieces.
This time round sees the jacket made of Resin-T fabric – a translucent nylon that changes colour according to temperature thanks to a thermo-chromatic coating. The thermo-sensitive shell comes with a removable inner down jacket in fluro-coloured nylon that creates an extra layer and colour play.
Writer: Jason Hughes
McQueen's military kicks
28 September
This season, Alexander McQueen has introduced a new luxury sneaker made of smooth black and ivory suede. Inspired by the military and ceremonial references of the A/W 2016 collection, the sneaker comes as a high top with round toecap and rubber sole. Military ribbon binding conceals the laces underneath while a silver metal spine adorns the back heel. The sneakers will be available from Alexander McQueen stores worldwide and online.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Goose goes online
27 September
This week marks the launch of arctic outerwear brand Canada Goose’s online store. Customers will be able to browse through exclusive styles and limited-edition collaborations as well as the A/W 2016 collection, which includes the re-design of the brand’s classic Hybridge 2.0 jacket. Besides the online retail destination, Canada Goose will open two standalone flagship stores in Toronto and New York later this year.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
Paola Navone’s everyday interiors
26 September
Over the course of two years, Paola Navone and Spencer Bailey collaborated on Tham ma da: The adventurous interiors of Paola Navone, a coffee-table book published by Pointed Leaf Press that looks back on the Italian architect, interior designer, product designer and art director’s considerable career.
With insightful essays by Bailey, a design writer and editor, the tome gathers both residential and commercial projects Navone has worked on, that reflect her philosophy of adopting elements of the ordinary in her designs. Hence the tome’s title, which means ‘everyday’ in Thai.
Navone feels very close to Asia, where she’s been working, travelling and living for large periods of time. The book illustrates how the region’s flavours and colours have informed her eclectic work, that ranges from bold retail spaces in Japan to rustic Mediterranean homes.
Writer: Siska Lyssens
Custom central
23 September
As a quintessential lifestyle brand, Polo Ralph Lauren could not have done a more thorough job with their newest London store. Housed in a grand Regent Street corner building and comprising three floors, it offers every aspect of the brand’s extensive range.
Menswear takes up the ground and lower ground floors, in a low-lit wooden space filled with leather couches and antique carpets. The smart casual, sportswear and formal suiting collections – as well as eyewear and fragrances – can be found here. Tailors on site are at the ready for fitting requests; and the very first of Polo Ralph Lauren’s global launches of the Polo Custom Shop, a digital service that allows personalisation of some of the brand’s iconic pieces, is exclusively being rolled out.
On the first floor, women’s wear and children’s occupy two separate, light-filled spaces. Another exclusive takes pride of place here: the ‘Sullivan’ saddle bag, the hand-beaded straps of which can only be personalised in-store.
Writer: Siska Lyssens
CP Company's future fabric
22 September
CP Company has never been afraid to experiment when it comes to new manufacturing techniques and materials. For A/W 2016 the brand has introduced a new innovative sweatshirt fabric in the form of Felpa Doppia.
Felpa Doppia takes the spacer fabric concept normally used in automotive thermal insulation and applies it to sweatshirt construction. Two superfine cotton jerseys are held apart by a single nylon mesh to produce additional thermal insulation with minimal increase in weight.
Sweatshirts and hoodies from the range are available in store and online.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Nike's Milanese design lab
21 September
This week, Nike opens a new store in the heart of Milan’s historical Brera district. NikeLab ST18 will stock a curated collection of the brand's pinnacle products, as well as exhibiting work from Milanese design talents.
First up is Martino Gamper, who has created 12 chairs, eight stools and a central totem structure within the store. Each of the pieces convey Gamper’s unique style through the choice of bold colours and distinct mix of materials.
NikeLab’s latest collaboration with Italian sportswear brand Stone Island will debut at the store. The ‘Windrunner’ blends Nike’s iconic design with Stone Island’s innovative fabrics, garment dyeing techniques and construction.
Writer: Jason Hughes
JW Anderson enters the world of M/M
20 September
After several successful collaborations, JW Anderson Workshops is hosting a presentation of exclusive products designed by creative agency M/M (Paris). For ‘World of M/M’, founders Mathias Augustyniak and Michael Amzalag collaborated with the Tokyo-based travel goods brand Toshiki. The result? A collection of colourful tote bags and duffle backpacks decorated with embroidered patches.
In addition, JW Anderson teamed up with the creative duo to create two unisex sweatshirts, dubbed ‘Eyes’ and ‘Twins’.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
Let’s dance
19 September
Brothers Lucas and Josua Hoffalt are one of a kind: their passion for dance and design has brought them to create Hoffalt, a unique ‘dancewear’ collection for both men and women. A principal dancer with the ballet company of the Paris National Opera, Josua knows how to free the body’s movement from clothing. Paris-based designer Lucas, on the other hand, was keen to reconcile elegant lines with the technical expertise required by professional dancers.
Carefully chosen, the colours and fabrics – think cream neoprene combi-short, elegant turtleneck leotards, graphic leg warmers or charcoal combed-cotton high-collar polo short – compose a smart, casual line that can be worn outside the dance studio.
The Hoffalt collection is exclusively sold at the Galerie de l'Opéra de Paris and online
Writer: Clara Le Fort
Eye spy
16 September
This week Californian sunglass brand Oliver Peoples opened its first European store on London's Sloane Street. Working with Los Angeles-based architects Marmol Radziner, the amber-hued space is a modern riff on the Britan's old world clubs achieved through a mix of luxurious materials including graphite suede walls and textured oak floors. Black and white leather shelving and cabinet tops have been teamed with rich rosewood marquetry, while authentic optometry stools step up the space's seating stature.
In addition to the brand's seasonal offering the Sloane Square store also features collaborations with The Row and Byredo.
Writer: Katrina Israel
Troubadour get tanned
15 September
For A/W 2016, London-based accessory designer Troubadour has expanded its range of handcrafted bags to include a collection of belts and small leather goods. Wallets are cleverly constructed through ingenious folding to ensure a slim yet capacious silhouette, while belts come streamlined with minimal details. The collection is made from all-natural vegetable-tanned Italian leather so that every piece looks better with age.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Wax London
14 September
Newly-launched contemporary menswear label Wax London create considered and functional clothing using modern finishes and technical fabrics. Influenced by the founders' backgrounds, their A/W 2016 collection takes inspiration from classic British outerwear paired with the aesthetic ease and functionality of Scandinavian design.
Casual tailoring, durable outerwear and lightweight jersey pieces all pay tribute to classic workwear staples in a collection that is underpinned by the brand's ethos of quality and wearability.
Wax London’s A/W 2016 collection is available online now
Writer: Jason Hughes
Jac + Jack + Japan
13 September
As part of London Design Festival, luxury brand Jac + Jack will showcase an installation created by design team Soft Baroque at its Soho store.
The Japanese art of ‘suiseki’, which is the appreciation for small, naturally-shaped rocks, inspired the London-based duo for their ‘Daiza Daze’ installation. Just like the stones used in suiseki, Jac + Jack garments are presented on wooden bases, known as a ‘daiza’, to create objects of meditation.
The installation will be on display from Friday 16 September to Sunday 25 September at 33 Great Windmill Street, London, W1D 7LR.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
Making patterns
12 September
There are plenty of enviable archives in the world, but here's one that had escaped our gaze until the launch of Peter Koepke's new Phaidon tome Patterns: Inside the Design Library. It offers a behind-the-scenes peek into New York State's Design Library, the world’s largest archive of pattern and textiles with more than 1,200 different categories dating from the 1750s to the present day. The facility, located in a converted 1907-built mill, which now also includes a London showroom, was founded in 1972 by textile designer Susan Meller.
Featuring designs from visionaries including Bianchini-Férier, Raoul Dufy and Yves Cuvelier, it's no wonder that it's been regularly frequented by fashion names as broad as Alexander McQueen, Uniqlo and Calvin Klein over the years.
Writer: Katrina Israel
Dion Lee x Akin Creative
9 September
Fashion designer Dion Lee has opened a third store in his native Sydney. Known for his experimental craft, which embodies pioneering modern cuts, traditional techniques and voluminous fabrics, the newest iteration perfectly mirrors the architecturally interesting clothes he creates.
Interiors, realised by Kelvin Ho of Akin Creative, combine industrial and luxe elements, with pared-back chrome geometric beams fitted with strip lighting, exposed white brick and plywood in the main room, and blush pink carpets and walls in the changing rooms.
The new store can be found at 20 Glenmore Road, Paddington, Sydney.
Writer: Emilee Tombs
It takes two to tango
8 September
Cult New York label Sies Marjan has teamed up with interior marketplace 1stdibs on a curated space within London’s Selfridges for the presentation of its A/W 2016 collection. The pop-up is dotted with rare and desirable objects, including exquisite pieces by Talisman, which perfectly align with creative director Sander Lak’s effortlessly feminine designs.
The collaboration will be in store until 15 October.
Writer: Ievan Darwin
Stutterheim gets set for autumn
7 September
For A/W 2016, outerwear specialist Stutterheim has added a range of padded jacket liners to its collection. The liners can be worn separately or attached to the inside of the brand's classic jackets to add extra warmth and protection from the elements.
New jacket silhouettes and colourways in the brand's classic rubberised cotton material have also been added, along with a newly developed bonded cotton fabrication. All of the jackets are handmade using the finest craftsmanship and are characterised by simplicity, functionality and timeless design.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Van Note(n)book
6 September
Following the beautiful publication made to accompany Dries Van Noten’s 2014 exhibition at Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, the designer has now created two limited-edition books to celebrate his collections for A/W 2017.
The book on the men’s collection focuses on the show itself, which was staged at Paris’ Palais Garnier for the first time. The reader will see the collection through the eyes of the guests, as imagery was shot by both established photographers and amateurs, the latter sourced via social media.
For the women’s book, British artist Bill Button illustrated a selection of silhouettes, details and fabrics from the collection. The artist had previously worked with Van Noten, having been asked to paint the invitations for the show.
The books are available at Dries Van Noten boutiques worldwide.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
Cycle style
5 September
In addition to launching its great outdoors inspired S/S 2016 collection at Pitti Uomo, adventure specialists Woolrich also debuted a new collaboration with Australian bike brand Deus. The resulting e-bike, that’s entirely handmade in Italy by Deus Cycleworks, features ‘fat’ tires, which tackle country trails just as well as city cobblestones.
The Woolrich e-bike will be available from all Woolrich stores.
Writer: Katrina Israel
Claude Parent’s illustrious life
2 September
‘Claude Parent – Dessiner la mode’ is a new exhibition paying tribute to the late French architect, held by fashion designer Azzedine Alaïa and featuring a selection of Parent's fashion illustrations. The theoretician and practitioner of the ‘oblique function’ – who inspired many artists and architects – worked with his grandson Laszlo Parent on a series of fashion drawings in ink, inspired by Alaïa’s designs, until his death this past February.
Parent’s works see silver lines crossing items of clothing at angles. The exhibition will feature the original ink drawings, sketches on tracing paper and his very last unfinished pieces. A book published by Association Azzedine Alaïa and edited by Donatien Grau also accompanies the exhibition.
‘Claude Parent – Dessiner la mode’, will run at Galerie Azzedine Alaïa until 25 September.
Writer: Ievan Darwin
Building Block
1 September
The Los Angeles-based accessories label Building Block has slowly amassed a cult following since its inception in 2011. Created by sisters Nancy and Kimberly Wu, Building Block’s array of leather goods displays a stark sense of geometry, rendered in smooth, sleek leather with only the most sparing of details. The pair’s select use of oversized tassels, rounded acrylic handles and slender cord shoulder straps bestows their collection of bucket bags, flat totes and cylindrical duffels with just the point of difference that minimalists hold dear.
Hot on the heels of opening its first boutique in LA’s Chinatown last month, the sisters have collaborated with director Georgia Tribuiani on a film titled At Work, which casts Building Block’s wares in familiar office-centred work situations. Tongue-in-cheek and stylishly put together, it sums up just what Building Block is all about.
Writer: Pei-Ru Keh
Eytys scores an 'Ace'
31 August
Swedish unisex footwear brand Eytys has introduced a new slim silhouette sneaker for autumn. The ‘Ace’ references classic tennis shoes with its minimal leather last and crepe sole. The sneakers form part of a new deluxe line from the brand, manufactured in premium materials.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Tinct time
30 August
The British label Tinct, known for its vegetable-tanned leather accessories, is coming to London. The brand has chosen to open a pop-up shop in Chelsea as its first retail offering in the capital.
Besides a vast selection of leather bags and accessories there will be a selection of new designs available, including a made-to-order motorcycle helmet bag. In celebration of this, the design can be customised with a range of base colours and the application of a bespoke embossed design.
The Tinct pop-up shop will be open from 1-10 September at 121 Sydney Street, London, SW3 6NR.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
APC x Outdoor Voices
26 August
Jean Touitou's latest style mission is the beautification of the gymnasium, and as a result APC has teamed up with Outdoor Voices on a suitably sophisticated activewear collaboration. Rooted in functionality, the urban capsule draws upon the New York brand's fabrication expertise in the activewear realm, cue a super absorbent double-woven stretch crepe, and ranges from a hybrid legging/jogging pant for men to backless long-sleeve bodysuits for women. Not to forget leisure gear to wind down in: being APC there's of course plenty of grey marl jersey and a chic trench for when it's time to head back out onto the street.
Writer: Katrina Israel
Tricker's
25 August
British shoe brand Tricker’s release their very first seasonal collection for AW 2016 with the iconic ‘Stow’ boot being updated in six new colourways. For almost 200 years Tricker’s has been hand crafting shoes from its Northhampton factory. The ‘Stow’ boot was created by founder Joseph Tricker in 1840 and quickly became a brand signature style and has remained a key part of the collection ever since. The boot has been updated with a contrasting coloured sole, cotton stitching and classic ‘Tricker’s blue’ lining.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Raf Simons x Fred Perry
24 August
For his 14th collaboration with Fred Perry, Raf Simons brings his bold and graphic design approach to a series of iconic styles from the British brand.
Fred Perry’s iconic polo comes with colour-blocked sections, while a padded bomber jacket has a chunky woollen hem and smooth welt pockets to create a slimline silhouette. Knitwear plays a key role in the collection – a double-layer V-neck sweater gives the illusion of wearing two lightweight pieces together and the classic knitted sports shirt is restyled with a contrast-colour hem and collar.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Caravaggio’s coat
23 August
‘I have always wanted to commission a painting,’ says Matthew Miller. And so, for A/W 2016 he did just that. Two replica paintings of Caravaggio’s David and Goliath were commissioned and afterwards cut up. The frayed remnants were used to create two vests and coats, which were seen during Miller’s show at the beginning of this year.
To celebrate the launch of his A/W 2016 collection, the hand-painted coats will be available to buy on his website as bespoke made-to-order pieces from the beginning of September.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
A Melbourne man's world
22 August
The idea for Melbourne menswear brand Robinson Man was cooked up while its co-founders were living in Milan studying fashion design. The brand's design-focused spatial identity, on the other hand, came to the fore from perusing the city's Salone del Mobile fair. In 2014 they launched a menswear offering, focused on luxurious cashmere knits and tailoring; and working with the local firm Edwards Moore, they have now also realised their architectural dream.
The earthen store's interiors were inspired by desert landscapes and bold rock forms, and are grounded by a custom-made gold chrome display counter. Locally-sourced materials were incorporated wherever possible – from the blue stone occasional table source from Ballarat to spotted gum joinery – while the firm worked with Caroline Comino on the store's elegant object curation.
Writer: Katrina Israel
John Varvatos Oculus store
19 August
To celebrate the opening of its newest boutique in New York’s iconic World Trade Center Transportation Hub, John Varvatos has commissioned the artist/photographer Karsten Staiger to produce a series of photographs that pays homage to the city’s skyscraper heritage.
Working with Westfield World Trade Center, Staiger has captured daredevil views of the city from high above. The images are being digitally exhibited across the shopping center’s 19 large format screens, starting at the entrance of the Westfield entrance, continuing underneath 1 World Trade Center and culminating in the four-storey elevator screen located in Tower 4.
As one of the most identifiably New York designers, Varvatos says, ‘It has very special meaning to open in the new Santiago Calatrava-designed building at the site of the World Trade Center. To me, it is a statement of the strength of NYC and a message to everyone on not being intimidated by the evil minority in this crazy world. We celebrate our city with Karsten’s striking imagery.’
‘From New Heights’ is on view as of this week and continues until the end of September.
Writer: Pei-Ru Keh
Belstaff’s star appeal
18 August
Working alongside creative director Delphine Ninous, Belstaff brand ambassador and creative contributor Liv Tyler has taken inspiration from the British heritage label’s spirit and archives to create a special 13-piece collection.
Based on classic silhouettes with an emphasis on strong and modern femininity with a touch of masculinity, the collection is made up of predominantly outerwear with accessories and pussy bow blouses – set to fit seamlessly into any modern wardrobe.
The Liv Tyler X Belstaff capsule collection is now available in stores and online.
Writer: Ievan Darwin
'Hug' at Harrods
17 August
Agnona has teamed up with Giorgetti Design on the brand's first homeware space at Harrods. Taking centre stage is the ‘Hug’ armchair – a collaboration between the two brands. A beautifully handcrafted wooden frame design by Giorgetti curves around softly-shaped Agnona upholstery, creating a chair that is the perfect fusion of luxury and modernity.
The space also plays host to Agnona’s full A/W 2016 home collection. Blankets and pillows in soft plaids are made from the finest yarns, such as cashmere, alpaca and silk, their edges trimmed with napped leather and fur. A loungewear line of dressing gowns and elegant loafers accompanies the collection.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Alice Waese’s wonderland
16 August
New York-based Alice Waese is a jewellery and fashion designer whose background lies in fine art.
Waese’s design process often begins with a drawing, or an image from a dream or the natural world. From there, the designer sources objects from the drawing or image, and transposes this into materials such as silver, gold or different stones.
The botanical forms in Art Nouveau furniture were an inspiration for Waese’s A/W 2016 collection, resulting in pieces both elegant and abstractly organic.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
In the bag
15 August
German bag brand Tsatsas is adding two new designs to its collection for A/W 2016. The 'Atlas', a sleek shoulder bag, and' Biko', a reinterpreted briefcase, are handcrafted from the finest cowhide, finished with Italian brass studs and lined with blue nappa leather.
The bags are another example of Esther Schulze-Tsatsas and Dimitrios Tsatsas’ passion for minimalist design. These new styles boast the unmistakable, contemporary elegance for which Tsatsas is world renowned.
Writer: Hannah Edwards; Photography: Gerhardt Kellermann
Showroom vortex
12 August
Remy Uno is a Marseilles-born artist well known for his ability to successfully work in both the studio and in the streets.
For the pre-spring 2017 Emilio Pucci ‘Resort’ collection, Uno installed his work Vortice (Vortex) in the brand’s Milan showroom. Part of a wider project on anamorphosis and the way the eye moves, the work is curated by art historian Valentina Casacchia. The work is a complex installation of mirrors inspired by the 'Vortici' print, one of the most beguiling patterns from the ‘Resort’ collection, designed by Massimo Giorgetti.
Writer: Daniel Scheffler
Havaianas hits the beach
11 August
It’s all about Rio right now and Havaianas has created a special collection celebrating the best thing the Brazilian city has to offer – the beach. Twelve uniquely designed sandals have been introduced to celebrate each section of the beach that stretches from Leme to Leblon in Rio. Each design is to mark each 'Postos' or lifeguard station, marking the different zones where people of all kinds come together as one.
Writer: Ievan Darwin
Oliver Spencer goes global
10 August
Music has always been a big inspiration to designer Oliver Spencer – and his A/W 2016 collection is no exception. Following in the footsteps of maverick musician Ginger Baker and his legendary trips to Africa in the 1970s, Spencer immersed himself in the world of Afrobeat. Stripy knits, rusty corduroys, neat porkpie hats, patched suedes and slim cut jackets all tap into the spirit of the scene.
To celebrate the inspiration behind the collection, Spencer brought together some of his favourite musicians and friends for a jamming session and captured it all on film.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Viva la Hava
9 August
This season, Proenza Schouler expands its ‘Hava’ bag family with the ‘Hava Top Handle’ as well as several cross body styles.
The name ‘Hava’, which is Cuban-Spanish slang for bag, gives a little nod to the city of Havana – the original inspiration for the Spring 2016 collection during which the range first launched.
Hand crafted in Italy, the bags feature the brand’s signature design elements such as topstitching and painted edges.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
Furry friends
8 August
Fendi's Fendirumi ambassadors, Piro-chan and Bug-kun, have been touring London this past week to celebrate the opening of the Roman brand's summer pop-up at Harrods. The giant mascots pay homage to the Japanese phenomenon of kigurumi animal suits, and are also re-imagined in miniature bag charm form for purchase.
The Harrods Fendirumi pop-up is open until Tuesday 30 August.
Writer: Katrina Israel
Dover Street's new resident
5 August
Golden Goose Deluxe Brand has opened its latest flagship store on the corner of London's Dover Street and Hay Hill. Showcasing the Italian brand's women's, men's, children's and HAUS/GGDB collections across two floors, the light-flooded boutique's key design features include expanses of white Carrara marble, industrial-inspired floating racks, an antique Venetian mirror and a locally sourced vintage 1950s velvet sofa.
Golden Goose Deluxe Brand can be found at 30 Dover Street, W1S 4NB.
Writer: Katrina Israel
Kenzo and H&M’s jungle fever
4 August
The first glimpses of H&M’s long-awaited collaboration with Parisian label Kenzo have been revealed. The collection features a striking tiger print that is bold, colourful and exudes individuality.
The first three images from the lookbook feature London make-up artist Isamaya Ffrench, musician Oko Ebombo, activist Amy Small and DJ Juliana Huxtable. More are to be revealed with a collection that celebrates young creatives and influencers.
The collection will be available in over 250 selected H&M stores worldwide, as well as online, from 3 November.
Writer: Ievan Darwin
G-Star Raw x Marc Newson
3 August
Industrial designer Marc Newson continues his collaboration with G-Star Raw for A/W 2016 with a collection of updated menswear pieces.
Using premium fabrics such as Japanese selvedge denim and leather finishes, the classic bomber, five-pocket denim jacket and sweaters return in vivid colours, in addition to a graphic chevron print.
Standout pieces include the 'MN Parka' inspired by the iconic 'M65 Fishtail Army Parka'; and the 'MN Wool Jacket', a new take on the varsity bomber with grained leather sleeves in a vibrant shade of cinnamon.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Chanel's Coco Chain frames
2 August
Chanel has launched a new range of eyewear entitled Chanel Coco Chain. Named after its famous founder, the collection presents three optical styles as well as four frames for sunglasses. All styles, including a classic pilot frame and cat eye, feature Chanel’s iconic metal chain interlaced with leather.
The lenses match the colourful frames and play with mirrored and gradated effects. The design would, of course, not be complete without the brand’s well-known double C, which is discretely punctuated on the chain.
Chanel Coco Chain will be available in boutiques from September.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
MSGM's rave room
1 August
The Italian brand MSGM's Milanese showroom continues its seasonal evolution with a new light installation designed by regular collaborator Fabio Ferrillo. Titled Aisle and created by studio OFF Arch, the rave intervention pairs large images of Italian photographer Alice Rainis' work with fuchsia fluorescent tubes and an Andrea Ratti-curated soundtrack. The effect is a feeling of visual and chromatic disorientation.
Writer: Katrina Israel
Off & racing
29 July
In celebration of London's impending summer of sport, Être Cécile has teamed up with Shoreditch concept store Modern Society to debut the brand's pre-fall 2016 Olympics Collection.
The one day only pop-up at 33 Redchurch Street today rounds up the season's competitive edge, from primary hued speed-striped track pants to their signature tees emblazoned with 'No.1' and 'Rapide'. Get a run on.
Writer: Katrina Israel
Event Horizon
28 July
Launching as part of Givenchy's A/W 2016 collection is the Horizon Bag. The design has an architectural shape and monochromatic aesthetic – the clean silhouette is one of Riccardo Tisci’s accessory trademarks. The Horizon comes in different sizes and a variety of colours, and is available in three different fabric styles – leather, suede and exotic.
Writer: Nathalie König
Herschel Supply Co's steadfast bags
27 July
Accessories brand Herschel Supply Co pushes fabric innovation forward with its dynamic BHW Collection of backpacks. The bags feature the label's first trademarked fabric technology with ApexKnit – a stretchable woven material that retains its intended form.
Available in black, grey and orange, the bags are currently available from Selfridges and premium stockists worldwide.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Greenwich Traveltime
26 July
Coinciding with this season’s summer travel spirit, Smythson has launched its new carry-on luggage collection. Named after Greenwich Meantime, the Greenwich collection embodies both Smythson’s British heritage as well as the timeless nature of the designs.
Handcrafted in Italy, the collection features a selection of different sized calf leather luggage pieces as well as travel accessories.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
Timo Trunks
25 July
Adding a little extra graphic edge to your poolside pursuits this summer is Bangkok-based men's swim brand Timo Trunks. Creative director Pow Foongfaungchaveng's latest punchy prints offer a playful riff on timeless patterns in an unexpected colour range that feels refreshingly modern.
Utilising fast-drying, water repellent microfibre fabric, Foongfaungchaveng's trunks also possess as much tech cred as they do sartorial sass. Dive in.
Writer: Katrina Israel
Wanderknit
22 July
Designer Emily Diamandis is an intrepid traveller. Her father is Bangladeshi, her mother Welsh and Diamandis grew up in Brighton, before moving to Asia where she solidified her relationships with hand weaving collectives in Rajasthan and denim mills in Japan.
Her next move was to New York for Rag & Bone, where she is still based, having set up her own knitwear-focused lifestyle brand Tabula Rasa in 2013. ‘It’s a cross over from the way we dress to the way we travel,’ she says of her artisanal collection, that is dominated with myriad knitted textures and techniques.
‘That’s Peruvian chain knit,’ she says, talking through her A/W 2016 offering at MatchesFashion’s townhouse – a collection that makes you want to forget about ever wearing anything woven ever again. ‘That's space dyed then hand macramed,’ she continues, referring to one webbed dress. Her super-fine silk mohairs mingle with chunky Aran cables. ‘I like to use yarns as my paints and pencils,’ the modern day journeywoman adds.
Writer: Katrina Israel
Packing a punch
21 July
Louis Vuitton’s new range of packaging pays homage to the house’s origins as a luggage maker, bringing back the bright ‘Imperial Saffron’ shade that has featured across its pieces since the 1920s. It can be seen on many iconic heritage pieces, such as the 'Citroën' trunk from the Louis Vuitton archives.
The distinctive yellow is highlighted with blue ribbon, creating a modern twist on the signature look, reminiscent of the golden age of travel. The raw cotton ribbons and flat-pack boxes show a greater focus on sustainability on behalf of the brand.
Writer: Hannah Edwards
Frenn revels in Scandinavian simplicity
20 July
Frenn is a Helsinki-based menswear brand that combines tailoring with Nordic simplicity.
For S/S 2017, design duo Antti Laitinen and Jarkko Kallio looked to the graphic lines seen in city architecture fused with their love of the great outdoors.
Softly tailored jackets and trousers printed with graphic stripes and bold checks offer a dynamic contrast with one another, while shirts and knits come in linen-cotton to add further ease. The brand's wares use only ecologically-sourced European fabrics and are hand-manufactured.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Rhythm and Moves
19 July
To celebrate its A/W 2016 collection, Hugo Boss has released an energetic video directed by Barnaby Roper. Titled Rhythm and Moves, the film introduces a bored young man waiting in a reception room. Becoming restless, he begins to explore.
A single finger tap evolves into spinning, striding and gliding; all while his outfits seamlessly change to the beat. Contemporary silhouettes made from iconic materials such as houndstooth and corduroy slide through abandoned rooms.
The film ends as it began, with the man back in the room, while we’re left to wonder if it was all just a dream.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
Luxury waste
18 July
Plane is an innovative new British brand that produces bags and accessories, which are both sustainable and durable, originally derived from recycled aeronautical materials. Founded by Ben Tucker in July 2015, Plane rescues aircraft seating fabrics from landfill and turns them into modern small leather goods, which the company terms ‘luxury waste’.
All the products are made in the UK, and a selection of items is available to order via pledges to Plane’s Kickstarter page.
Writer: Hannah Edwards
Raquel Allegra’s LA home
15 July
Fashion designer Raquel Allegra has launched her flagship boutique on Los Angeles’ West 3rd street, enlisting Montalba Architects (of Little Beach House and Nobu Malibu fame) to make her longtime bricks and mortar dream come to life.
Behind the steel door and tree branch handle, the narrow space is rugged yet sophisticated with polished concrete floors, teak woods and two central skylights that cast a glow down on the raw stucco walls, antique brass sculptures and racks that suspend the ethereal designs from the ceiling. Hand-dyed cashmere, webbed tees and printed silks with delicate-to-rugged detailing are all staples of the collection which fans can try on in the glass dressing rooms with mechanical linen drapes.
Writer: Carole Dixon
Anya Hindmarch's summer selection
14 July
British designer Anya Hindmarch is offering a seasonal collection of men’s pieces this July. The capsule collection will include three styles of bags, small leather goods and sneakers.
All the pieces include signature graphic treatments such smiley faces, googly eyes and Space Invaders symbols, giving her fine craftsmanship the usual dose of humour.
The collection launched on 1 July and can be found globally in-store and online.
Writer: Nathalie König
Berluti hits the track
13 July
Berluti has created a hybrid shoe that seamlessly moulds a formal last with a sports-inspired sole.
The ‘Fast Track’ shoe comes with an upper crafted from the house's newly sourced leather, Vitello Unico, and features brogue detailing on the toecap, while the sole carries a bold flash of colour that takes it lead from the world of athletic footwear. The collection is now available to buy in store.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Just one
12 July
This week marks the launch of PER/se, a new label by Mandeep and Hardeep Kaur.
Exploring the universe of a single object, the brand’s Nebula coat will be re-interpreted bi-monthly via a series of collaborations. For the first edition, design textile company Kvadrat was invited to create the fabric from which the coats are being made.
Featuring discreet pockets in supple leatherette and origami inspired sleeves, each coat is made to order in London and will be personally delivered.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
Walking on water
11 July
London brand Orlebar Brown launched in 2007 with a tailored approach to men’s swim shorts, offering wares simultaneously suitable for the beach and pool, as well as being smart enough for a post-dip drink or lunch.
The range is now evolving, with the first full coverage footwear you can swim in. Designed with an ultra lightweight sole that is comfortable and practical, and an open mesh weave for quick drainage, it's the ultimate dual-purpose shoe for wet or dry.
Writer: Elisa Carassai
Surfin’ USA
8 July
Saint Laurent’s unisex 'New Wave' S/S 2016 catwalk sunglasses are pure Cali-cool.
First debuted at Hedi Slimane’s summer menswear show for the iconic French house, the oversized glasses come in black and ivory, and are composed of hand-polished acetate frames with smoky, retro lenses.
Writer: Elisa Carassai
Santoni's French fancy
7 July
Today marks the opening of the much-anticipated Santoni boutique in Paris – the first of 11 new concepts to launch this year.
Conceived by Wallpaper* Design Awards judge Patricia Urquiola, the space follows in the footsteps of the brand's two flagship stores in Milan and New York, accommodating fine men’s footwear and leather goods, all presented in a sophisticated 50 sq m space on Avenue George V.
Decorated with Kvadrat wall coverings, green capitonnè Moroso poufs and a marble fireplace topped with a majestic mirror, the space oozes luxury, intimacy and warmth.
Writer: Melinda Akerbrant
Step up
6 July
British luxury shoe maker John Lobb is releasing a series of short films over the next few months, that celebrate the brand's heritage and commitment to craftsmanship.
The second film explores the relationship between an artisan and his tools, and shows the process of turning humble materials into objects of refinement. Following on from the creation of a wooden last in the first film, watch a shoemaker use a unique pattern to cut a flawless leather base above. There are three more installments to come within the ‘series’ concept.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Atlein’s accolades
4 July
Antonin Tron, founder of Atlein, has been announced as the winner of 2016’s First Collection Prize at the ANDAM Fashion Awards.
Tron, who studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, trained at Louis Vuitton, Givenchy and Balenciaga before launching his own brand last March. Atlein’s debut collection was defined by clean cuts and structured drapes, which proposed an athletic silhouette for a dynamic woman.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
Come rain or shine
4 July
Parisian milliner Maison Michel has teamed up with British outerwear label Mackintosh on a capsule collection of waterproof hats.
Each style has been designed and hand-stitched in Maison Michel's Paris HQ, using Mackintosh's signature waterproofed rubber bonded cotton fabric, before being finished off by hand in Scotland. The unisex collaboration includes a stylish spin on three classic styles: the fisherman’s hat, bucket and flap cap.
The collection will be available from Colette in Paris and The Webster in Miami, as well as Maison Michel Paris stores and Mackintosh outlets.
Writer: Elisa Carassai
Sleeping at Selfridges
1 July
The womanswear brand Cherevichkiotvichki has revealed an artistic display at London's Selfridges to introduce its A/W 2016 collection – its first to be stocked in the store. Translating as ‘a shoe by Victoria’ in old Slavic, Cherevichkiotvichki was founded by Victoria Andrejeva. Originally focusing on shoes, the brand recently expended to garments.
Andrejeva’s ‘Colours of Sleep’ installation features five female mannequins gently resting against a patchwork backdrop. Each mannequin is wrapped in soft coloured garments of hand spun silks, wools and linens. Both the mannequins and backdrop were finished with a natural dyeing technique also used for the garments in the collection.
The installation will be on display until 9 July at Selfridges’ Oxford Street store, on the Designer Womenswear Floor.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
Take three
30 June
The latest arrival to the Céline Paris family, the 'Trifold' bag is further confirmation of the brand’s strong attention to craft and design detail.
Following classic pieces such as the 'Luggage', the 'Trapeze', the 'Trotteur' and the classic 'Clutch', the 'Trifold' is one of the most sophisticated and luxurious handbags produced by the French maison.
Made in high quality leather, the bag comes in monochromatic tones, with the classic gold printed logo on the base.
Writer: Roberta Pinna
Versace in Boston
29 June
Versace has collaborated with British architect Jamie Fobert on a newly opened boutique in Boston. The 225 sq m retail space features mosaic floors inspired by 9th century Byzantine churches, in contrast with Perspex walls and floating shelves.
To celebrate the opening, Donatella Versace has designed a limited edition of the 'Palazzo Sultan' bag in laminated leather craquelé, embellished with an iconic Medusa head.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Nica’s cross-body backpack
28 June
The London label Nica – conceived by South Korean bag designer Nica Kim – has launched its A/W 2016 collection. From colourful prints to classic shapes, Kim’s designs combine high British quality with an Oriental sense of fun.
The new collection sees the introduction of a cross-body backpack, which comes both in black and chestnut, and is a perfect fit for everyday practicality.
Writer: Lune Kuipers