March 29, 2023 |
TEN CRAVES IS OUR ONLINE SERIES THAT ROUNDS UP ALL THE BEST PRODUCT LAUNCHES AND MUST-KNOW FASHION HAPPENINGS WEEK IN, WEEK OUT.
QUEEN BEY’S “RENAISSANCE” COLLECTION FOR BALMAIN COUTURE
Beyoncé just tapped into Balmain once again for a regal couture collection aptly named after her Grammy-award winning seventh studio album, Renaissance. The soundtrack of Olivier Rousteing’s day to day life post pandemic, inspiring him to expand his fashion vision into something new and in his own words, “triggering a tidal wave of new ideas that transformed my summer into days and nights filled with non-stop sketching and experimentations with completely new techniques.” The collection is piercing; rife with striking bespoke gowns and gilded accessories. Feathered or crystallised, velvet or fur, every look is fit for a queen – or in this case, Queen Bey. All hail! Emily Phillips
THE 2023 LVMH PRIZE FINALISTS
The annual LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers is a prestigious pillar of the industry; a pivotal competition created to fund and support designers with a future-facing approach and sustainable focus to their work. This year’s edition has officially selected its nine, laudable finalists from a pool of 22 semi-finalists and now they’re in the final stages preparing to present their collections to a panel of industry leading judges. The decision of the LVMH Jury will be announced on June 7th at the Louis Vuitton Foundation. The nine competing finalists include; Aaron Esh, Bettter by Julie Pelipas, Burc Akyol, Diotima by Rachel Scott, Luar by Raul Lopez, Magliano by Luca Magliano, Paolina Russo, Quira by Veronica Leoni and Setchu by Satoshi Kuwata. The jury is out; watch this space. EP
GANNI’S NEXT LINKUP WITH 66°NORTH
Ganni is partnering with Icelandic label 66°North for the fourth time, on an effortless, utilitarian ready-to-wear collection. Crafted exclusively from deadstock fabric and recycled materials. The earthy green and navy or black hues that work their way into the adjustable skirts, tracksuit and dresses riff off of the extremes of Iceland’s natural landscapes bringing to mind the Aurora Borealis and stretches of volcanic terrain. You can now shop the collection on ganni.com, 66north.com and in select Ganni and 66°North stores across Europe. EP
THE TOYOTA AYGO X BY UNDERCOVER’S JUN TAKAHASHI
Cross-industry collaborations are a lesser threaded pathway, but with the latest in the game being a collision of fashion and automobility between Toyota and Undercover head designer Jun Takahashi – the Aygo X Undercover – they’re picking up the pace. An unexpected limited-edition Aygo X automobile emerges inspired by Takahashi’s design philosophies of non-conformity and subverting stereotypes. It features an exclusive bi-tone grey body colour specially developed by Toyota, coral-red accents for the black 18” alloys and interior, branded seats and monogram pattern floor-mats. On the roof, Takahashi’s motto – “Chaos/Balance” – is spelled out in stickers. Only 5000 editions of the car, which premiered at the Undercover AW23 catwalk show during Paris Fashion Week, will ever be made. More information can be found here. EP
MARCO DE VINCENZO’S FIRST-EVER ETRO BAG
Since he started at Etro, Marco de Vincenzo has set out to elevate the house, from entering into menswear to sending crowd-shocking looks down the catwalk. Now, he’s designed his first ever handbag for the maison and it’s an adorable calfskin sidepiece we’re raring to get our hands on. Called the Vela Bag, it’s inspired by nautical effects, from its sharp silhouette to its novel V-shaped closure and its dynamic contours which appear to“cut through” the wind like a sail. With a double detachable shoulder strap, it can be worn over the shoulder or across the body and comes in a variety of classic and seasonal colours. Shop here. EP
PALM ANGELS AND BARBOUR’S NEW BEDALE WAX JACKET
An unlikely collaboration between Palm Angels and Barbour is set to create a brand-new colourful version of the iconic Bedale Wax Jacket. Coming in in one-of-a-kind colours never seen before on a wax jacket, the collaboration will debut March 31, and be available for purchase on e-commerce channels for Palm Angels, Barbour and Farfetch. Holly Wilson
FLANNELS’ PARTNERSHIP WITH NEXT-GEN INDUSTRY LEADERS
Last week, Flannels brought together six powerful personalities, dubbing them The Creative Council. The line-up will include six polymath creatives that will be bringing multi-disciplinary passion projects to life as a part of Youth-Phoria – a daring creative scheme by the luxury retailer. Formed of Anita Chhiba (Diet Paratha), Elgar Johnson (CircleZeroEight), Issac Poleon (hair and beauty stylist), Leah Abbott (fashion and celebrity stylist), Raphaelle Moore (emerging designer mentor and Head of Projects at Fashion East) and Slawn, will each present their own projects, each built to champion a generation obsessed with ability and ambition. Discover more. HW
MASON MOUNT’S CURATED MATCHESFASHION SHOP
If you don’t already know him from Chelsea FC and the England team, get to know Mason Mount for his utilitarian-meets-preppy style – and shop it too! In collaboration with MatchesFashion the footballer has curated a playful shop on the e-commerce site of all his favourite SS23 pieces – Marni, S.S.Daley and Our Legacy are just some of the brands to sort through.
“I’d describe my style as smart casual. If I have a shoot or an event I’m going to, I always love to dress smart, look cool, and have a really nice piece on,” the 24-year-old told MatchesFashion. “But the other side is casual when I’m going to football or just lazing around the house. I’ve gained [a different style perspective] going out on loan, living in Holland, then coming back to London.” Mount is finding his feet in the fashion sphere, and is doing so with all the same ferocity he brings to the pitch. Shop now. EP
VIVIENNE WESTWOOD’S GLITTERATI-READY 2023 SUN COLLECTION
An expression of bygone glitterati, Vivienne Westwood’s 2023 Sun collection – a range of delicious handmade shades – is inspired by timeless styles immortalised by Old Hollywood starlets. Ultra-feminine vintage frames boast voluminous proportions. Cat-eye, square frame and butterfly lens glasses are perfect for keeping those pesky UVs away with all the fabulous flair of an icon. Available in deep, tortoise shell resin or colour gradient frames made from 60 percent bio-based content and 40 percent certified recycled content, and adorned by a Westwood orb, sunnies never looked so good. Shop here. EP
SAUL NASH’S FITNESS CLASS
Trying to get those steps in isn’t the easiest thing in the world, especially when you’re booked and busy between long office hours and annoying but necessary chores. But Saul Nash has found a solution: the British designer, movement director and choreographer is partnering with Equinox on not just a luxury sportswear capsule collection, but an exclusive Group Fitness class too, called Saul Nash: Creativity in Movement. It’s time to get moving. The collection is now available on The Shop at Equinox. EP
THE ELECTRIFYING PALACE X UGG LINK-UP
London-based skateboarding brand Palace has added a punchy new look to Uggs classic short boot. With embroidered lightning detailing designed by British illustrator Fergus Purcell the boots naturally embody the Palace Spring/Summer 2023 line. The brands have announced that the collaboration will launch later this week, on March 31. HW
NOAMI CAMPBELL REPRIESES HER ROLE AS FACE OF THE FENDI PEEKABOO
Ever evolving and forever iconic, Fendi’s ‘It-bag’, the Peekaboo, was first premiered at its women’s show for spring/summer 2009, and now its reappearing on our screens for SS23 with a cinematic campaign starring none other than Naomi Campbell. Reprising her role as face of Fendi, with the Peekaboo in hand, British photographer David Sims captures the bold feminine energy of both the woman and the bag. Shop here. HW
THE DELECTABLE D MY DIOR WRISTWATCH
This year marks 20 years of the La D de Dior wristwatch – a sleek, curved timepiece swathed in jewels – and to mark the occasion the house is offing the object of desire in a new virtuoso version, the D My Dior. Displaying “cannage” motif graphics and adorned with hand-engraved geometric lines it’s a luxe little accessory that comes in gold or silver-plated steel, and in two distinct sizes – 19mm and 25mm. Alternately set with diamonds or finely worked with drawings that transcribe the delicacy of a strip of silk, this is the finest of arm candies. Shop now. EP
Photography by Charles Negre.
ELLISS’S DEBUT CATWALK COLLECTION: “WILDFLOWER” AW23
Wildflower marks a pivotal moment for eponymous London label Elliss, which unveiled its tranquil, plant-based AW23 assortment with its first ever runway show in East London last week. Elliss Solomon’s signature collagescape designs emerged on the diverse figures of the democratic cast, inspired this time around by both nature and the risqué. Vintage fetish editorial imagery mingled with sublime, blown-up rock formation prints, branches and leaves, on mesh midi dresses, denim mini skirts and plain bra tops. Elsewhere, new asymmetric knits paired with slinky skirts and novel knitted Elliss “Droplet” bags.
Each season, Elliss selects a few exceptional female figures to champion with its eclectic, cyber-aesthetic graphics. For AW23 it was the only female master of the Bauhaus movement, German textile artist Gunta Stözl, alongside dressmaker and activist Amelia Rosina Lane and Alice Louisa Belgrave. Discover the collection here.
Top Image: Photography by Louie Banks for Renaissance Couture by Beyoncé x Balmain.
