Style findings: May dispatches from the Wallpaper* fashion team

Space race
28 May

We’re all in need of a little escapism, and lucky for us Moncler Richard Quinn’s (opens in new tab) latest collection has an interstellar sensibility. Back in September, models strode in puffed up Sixties silhouettes, like bodysuits, sweeping opera coats and mini dresses, emblazoned with retro florals and trippy rainbow stripes, inside a presentation space resembling the interior of a spaceship from Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. With these pieces, you’ll be scaling new style territories too, whether you're ascending into gravity-defying terrain, or simply strolling for fresh air.

Writer: Laura Hawkins

Artistic license
26 May

We’re always on the lookout for a sophisticated cover up, and lucky for us Connolly (opens in new tab) provides a luxurious layer. The British label’s elegantly oversized Art Cardigan nods to the style of David Hockney, and is crafted in Scotland in soft 3ply cashmere. The silhouette scores extra style points with unusually long cuffs and oversized saddle shoulders. We think it's perfect for state of the art spring style.

Writer: Laura Hawkins

Presence felt
20 May

Oversized bags made a mark on the S/S 2020 catwalks, and we’ve got a great desire for this sizeable felt style from JW Anderson (opens in new tab). The tote, available in tactile felt, is particularly uplifting in this sky blue tone. The brand’s signature ‘JW’ anchor logo, imagined here as an oversized typographic detail, makes it even more nautical.

Writer: Laura Hawkins

Shell raisers
19 May

Friends and family in far off countries have never felt more distant, so we’re always uplifted by collaborations between long distance creatives. There’s something sun kissed behind London-based linen label Arkitaip’s partnership with Bali-located art aficiandos Hôtel Magique, on a series of printed artworks which can be tied around the neck as a springtime accessory or hung in the home. Particularly impactful is an abstract shell design inspired by island life. It might just make you feel you’re dipping your toe in the sea shore.

Writer: Laura Hawkins

Swank canvas
18 May

Heritage has been a focal point of inspiration for Kris Van Assche since he joined Berluti in 2018. He’s looked to the maison’s shoe-focused archive in order to inform its contemporary ready-to-wear. The label’s latest Canvas collection has been designed with a seal which appears if dating back to Berluti’s inception in 1895. It features the label’s latest logo - taken from a shoe tree of the first pair of shoes made by its founder Alessandro Berluti, blended with a calligraphic Script motif. This backpack will bolster any summer look, and will also make an essential piece for your future fashion archive too.

Writer: Laura Hawkins

Under the sun
14 May

There’s a sunny sensibility behind London-based artist John Booth’s collaboration with British basics experts Sunspel (opens in new tab). Booth – renowned for his kaleidoscopic use of pattern and colour, who has also worked with fashion labels including Fendi and Begg & Co – delved into the brand’s archives for inspiration, finding illumination in its Thirties Sun and Cloud Logo. This appears in embroidery across t-shirts and sweatshirts, and celebrates Sunspel's impressive 160-year anniversary. Should you be craving a craft day, we suggest you invest in the collaboration’s accompanying sun and cloud patches, allowing you to customise your own clothing too. Think of it as cloud nine design. 

Writer: Laura Hawkins

Paper trail
13 May

Marrs Green was voted ‘The World’s Favourite Colour’ in G.F Smith’s kaleidoscopic poll, and now the deep turquoise tone has inspired a limited collection of Cubitts (opens in new tab) frames. The London opticals leader’s retro Eastcastle shades nod to the street which is home to GF Smith’s showroom space in Britain’s capital, with an accompanying lens wipe crafted using recycled plastic bottles. ‘The design mirrors the blocky lines of a ream of A4 and is our first frame designed specifically as sunglasses, inspired by the vibrant shades of G. F Smith’s ‘The World’s Favourite Colour’ report,’ says Cubitts’ in-house product designer Emily Lynch. Lucky for us, they don’t just look good on paper.

Writer: Laura Hawkins

Right on time
5 May

There’s a summer-fuelled sensibility behind the pieces in Prada’s (opens in new tab) latest Timecapsule drop. Thursday sees the release of a boxy unisex Hawaiian shirt, embalmed with a ‘P’ Prada logo, which resembles go faster stripes. The print, inspired by car racing, features on fifty shirt styles, and each is also embellished with its limited edition number. You’ll need to be speedy to snap one up later this week. 3,2,1, Go!

Writer: Laura Hawkins

Cloud nine design
4 May 

We’re looking for accessories that provide ample escapism, so it’s lucky that Lanvin’s (opens in new tab) S/S 2020 collection features delightful depictions of Little Nemo, the boy figure created by American cartoonist Winsor McCay, who falls asleep every night, visiting Slumberland. We’re daydreaming about this leather tote bag, which features a depiction of Little Nemo tumbling from his bed. It’s a design that might just send you to cloud nine.

Writer: Laura Hawkins

Street art
6 May

France is coming out of gradual lockdown on 11 May, and for those living in Paris, a springtime stroll past Louis Vuitton’s (opens in new tab) headquarters next to the Pont Neuf bridge, is sure to inspire a prismatic perk up. Back in the Twenties,  Gaston-Louis Vuitton wrote, ‘Let’s make the street a happy place,’ and a century later, the maison has enlisted French artist Luckylefthand, to create a colourful and graphic mural, to artistically achieve that mantra. The details within the acrylic piece reflect today’s contemporary climate; hands are positioned a meter and a half apart, to evoke the social distancing measures that have become today’s norm.

Writer: Laura Hawkins