July 17, 2023 |
TEN CRAVES IS OUR ONLINE SERIES THAT ROUNDS UP ALL THE BEST PRODUCT LAUNCHES AND MUST-KNOW FASHION HAPPENINGS WEEK IN, WEEK OUT.
FIORUCCI HEADS HOME
Fiorucci is heading home, sweet home. Established by Elio Fiorucci in Milan in 1967, the ready-to-wear label announced on July 12 that it will be returning to its humble Milanese abode to undergo a creative reconstruction, culminating with the launch of a new collection during the Italian city’s fashion week in September. Spearheaded by freshly appointed CEO Alessandro Pisani, following Daniel W. Fletcher’s directorial departure, the brand returns with creative director Francesca Murri – who has worked at various houses including Versace, Gucci, Givenchy and more recently Ferragamo – and new investor Dona Bertarelli – sportswoman, philanthropist and Fiorucci’s new owner – in tow.
Speaking on the refresh, Pisani highlighted how Elio Fiorucci “ignited a positive cultural disruption that democratised style across the world” and that the aim of the new shift was to “reshape its disruptive heritage in order to inspire a new generation”. Bella Koopman
UMBRO AND BOILER ROOM LAUNCH A FOOTIE-INSPIRED COLLECTION
London-based music virtuoso Boiler Room has teamed up with Umbro to create the ultimate offering for bloke-core fanatics. Equally appropriate for a round of footie in the park as it is for a 4am sweatbox rave, the seven-piece collection features a logo-adorned tee, pinstripe track set and football jerseys printed with a lucid x-ray. Acutely aware of the situations wearers may find themselves in, a Boiler Room X Umbro sweat towel is also on offer – perfect for mopping up those glistening brows and moist upper lips.
Accompanying the drop is a campaign by legendary subcultural photographer Ewen Spencer who showcases the pieces in their natural habitat – a late-night summer event soundtracked by Lil C, Jyoty and DJ EZ. Already nearing sell-out, the collection is available exclusively from boilerroom.tv. Get your hands on what’s left here. BK
TOGA VIRILIS’ ECLECTIC SS24 OFFERING
Toga Virilis, the menswear portion of designer Yasuko Furuta’s Tokyo-based brand Toga Archives, just unveiled its experimental vision for SS24. Showcased in a campaign shot by photographer Den Niwa and styled by Shotaro Yamaguchi, the collection uses checks, denim and layered hems to strike the perfect balance between volume and fit. Contrasting the metropolitan setting, trees, flowers and animals are stitched into knitwear pieces, while oversized blazers with fluro lace and cropped curvy knit hems, signature Western embroidery, and pointed-collar shirts circle the offering with a sophisticated air.
Toga’s annual collaboration with Japanese bag-maker Porter also makes its debut here, marking the sixth time the two have linked-up. Discover the full range via Instagram, here. BK
GERRIT JACOB’S AIRBRUSHED COLLECTION
Berlin-based fashion designer and illustrator Gerrit Jacob’s SS24 offering challenges themes deeply embedded in the urban sprawl of society: loyalty, identity, power and corruption. Inspired by what he calls the “universal language of the working class” – sportswear – and adolescent existentialism/nihilism of Gregg Araki’s The Doom Generation, Jacob wrestles “with the tension in class rebellion masquerading as selling out”, aptly naming the range The Traitor. Exploding across acid tech twinsets airbrushed with animé sensibilities, the collection applies Jacob’s iconoclastic artworks to new fabrics – denim, jersey and white leather. It exaggerates the youthful optimism of Jacob’s previous collection, and in doing so, reaches its next stage of maturity. Shop now. Emily Phillips
CECILIE BAHNSEN AND ASICS JOIN FORCES FOR A NEW GT-2160 COLLECTION
A modern day Mary Jane? It could only be the work of Cecilie Bahnsen and Asics. Following the highly anticipated capsules of hand-embellished trainers developed between the brands, the duo’s latest collaboration reimagines the sportswear giant’s classic GT-2160 kick. Constructed as a light and feminine take on a Mary Jane shoe, where transparencies and hyper-feminine floral embellishments reign, the sneakers come to life through an intersection of intricate couture detailing and technical functionalities combining Bahnsen’s feminine DNA with Asics’ architectural expertise. To showcase the pairing, Japanese photographer Takashi Homma shot the shoes on a model as she wandered through Tokyo at twilight, exuding a sci-fi-ish sense of freedom and grace.
Coming in both black and white colourways, the new Cecilie Bahnsen x Asics GT-2160 sneakers are now available for purchase. Shop here. Taryn Snyder
DUA LIPA’S THROWBACK PUMA LOOKBOOK
Once upon a time, a pop princess styled a Puma lookbook and it was a nostalgic throwback to the 20th century. No, but seriously. Dua Lipa’s latest foray into fashion is styled with a hand-picked range of pieces from the Puma archive, dubbed Forever.Classic. Lipa worked with the people at Puma, as well as her longtime stylist Lorenzo Posocco, to create four timeless looks, pairing a sports jersey with wide-leg jeans and vintage-inspired Puma Suedes. There’s also a faithfully worn, distressed leather jacket, a playful logo T-shirt, a windbreaker, and a track jacket from Puma’s 1999 Pure Sports apparel line, as well as Puma’s new, ‘90s skate-inspired 180 sneaker. Puma Forever.Classic is now available on Puma.com, Puma Stores, and retailers worldwide. EP
PRADA IS THE OFFICIAL PARTNER OF THE CHINESE WOMEN’S FOOTBALL TEAM
The FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand might be kicking off July 20, but what we’re really looking forward to is the Chinese team’s luxe garb, because off the field, they’ll be wearing Prada. Providing the official team uniform – a black blazer with matching trousers, a crisp button-down shirt and sleek loafers – Prada said in a statement that the goal is to offer the 23-player squad “a fresh and contemporary off-the-field image”. Post-tournament, Prada’s partnership will carry on to include “various important summer fixtures,” such as the Asian Games 2023, which will be held in Hangzhou in September, and the Paris 2024 Olympics. Ready, set, match! EP
BAGLLET MAKES A SPLASH WITH ITS NEW SUMMER CAPSULE
After launching its hit microbags just over a month ago, Ukrainian accessories brand Bagllet is back with a limited-edition capsule collection of bright, rebellious summer bags. Trading the humdrum shades of day-to-day leather accessories for vibrant fuchsia pink and electric lime green, Bagllet’s bold new additions make quite the eye-catching piece of arm candy. There are plenty of shapes on offer, including the triangular BG117mini and BG129mini, the trapezoidal BG128 and BG130, and the rectangular BG125 model – choose your fighter! Pictured in a metropolitan wonderland – with “Bagllet” posters and spray-paint logos plastering its streets – the accompanying campaign dressed models in simple, black and grey suits, allowing the bright bags to speak for themselves. Shop here. TS
DIOR’S MID-CENTURY INSPIRED AW23 CAMPAIGN
Redrawing the founding shapes of the 1950s wardrobe, Maria Grazia Chiuri’s AW23 Dior ready-to-wear collection features cinched waists and full skirts – the epitome of vintage Parisian elegance. The campaign, shot by Brigitte Niedermair, celebrates three extraordinary personalities – Catherine Dior, Édith Piaf and Juliette Gréco – each of whom were iconic figures driven by a spirit of independence, audacity and freedom, in turn fusing past and future in this rebelliously feminine offering. Coming to life in a vivid pop art campaign, monochrome-styled models are poised against graphic, jewel-tone backdrops of ruby, emerald and blue. EP
THE BRAINS THAT BROUGHT YOU PRINTWORKS ARE BACK WITH A NEW VENUE
The cracking London-based events company behind musical hot spots Printworks, Beams and Field Day – Broadwick Live – has just announced its latest project – a disused warehouse turned multifaceted cultural space called Drumsheds. Spanning an impressive 608,000 square feet, the venue’s inaugural program of events, which will span themes of music, art, culture and community, is set to be released shortly.
By leaving the features and layout of the original space intact, the venue maintains its charming dilapidated energy, with guests being able to see old lift shafts, loading bays and machinery as they walk – or perhaps dance – through. Holding up to 15,000 people, the new offering is designed to be malleable, making room for it to be the go-to destination for London festivals, fashion shows and exhibitions.
Located in North London, just four minutes away from Tottenham Hale station, Drumsheds will be easily accessible for the crowd of event goers it’s sure to attract. You can follow Drumsheds on Instagram here and get exclusive news about their upcoming programme here. BK
MORDECAI MAKES ITS MILANESE DEBUT
Sitting comfortably on the gap between Men’s Fashion Week and Haute Couture, emerging Italian label Mordecai just made its debut in Milan with its SS24 collection, conceived with Reference Studios – and it wasn’t one to overlook. Established by Ludovico Bruno – the former head of design at Moncler Genius and ongoing creative consultant of Ambush – the brand takes a silhouette-driven approach, combining elements of technical sportswear with functional details and refined construction. Drawing from a lightweight material palette of canvas, fine wool and matte nylon, the 20-piece offering provides elevated menswear staples – hoodies, military cargos, kimonos and button-down jackets – inspired by martial arts.
Predominantly produced in Italy by garment producer Hostage, the collection – which oozes laid-back charm and arrives interspersed with adjustable drawstrings, pleats and down fillings – was lensed here, by Berlin-based photographer Vitali Gelwich (the eyes behind an impressive roster of editorials for cool-girl publications like Office and Interview). BK
COURREGES’ MYSTERY HEATBOX
Heat, the disruptive fashion start-up leading the way in luxury mystery boxes has just launched its latest lucky dip and it’s a curated edit of Courrèges’ best bits. Filled to the brim with goodies from the legendary Parisian house’s show stopping vinyl jackets – loved by the likes of Rosalía and Kylie Jenner – to its skimpy mini skirts, dresses, branded accessories, and the hero Scuba biker jacket, cofounders Joe Wilkinson and Mario Maher are shaping up to be connoisseurs of curation. If you’re a bit apprehensive about splurging on the unknown, then you’ll be pleased to know that each box promises to contain a signature vinyl piece or a handbag. Priced at £500, you’re also guaranteed a selection of pieces at a value ranging from £1,000 to £1,300, so you’re certainly getting a bang for your buck. Try your luck here. EP
BARBIE IS TAKING OVER SELFRIDGES
It’s Barbie’s world, we’re just living in it. Since the teaser trailer for Greta Gerwig’s highly anticipated movie was release back in May, Barbie – and her super pink wonderland – have been the talk of the town. The film is finally hitting cinemas on Friday, but before that, Barbie is landing at Selfridges.
Like a scene straight out of the movie, Selfridges’ windows have been transformed into sparking pink tableus: the Barbie Dream Disco Window and the Barbie Dream Wardrobe Window, which feature two original Barbie-the-movie costumes as worn by Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling or two original Barbie-the-movie costumes both worn by Margot Robbie, respectively.
Inside, you’ll find a Barbie Dream Wardrobe Rental inspired by what Barbie would wear today, curated by stylist and art director Theo White, that features looks from the doll’s 64-year history, with era-defining outfits from the 70s, 80s, and 90s in tow. Fancy yourself a Dream CEO Barbie or a Dream Fairytale Barbie? Complete the Barbie look with beauty buys from Lisa Eldridge, the creator of Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night” make-up looks. Wish you were living in the Barbie dream house? Selfridges is also offering a whole slew of other Barbie-inspired merchandise at its iconic Corner Shop.
While this Barbie wonder world is landing in London, Selfridges Manchester and Birmingham are also getting in on the fun with their own Barbie-themes pop-ups. One of the most brilliantly marketed movies of the decade, when its debuts on July 21, The Cinema at Selfridges will be hosting back-to-back showings of Barbie, all day long. TS
A FAIRYTALE OR A PHOTOBOOK? CHOPOVA LOWENA’S CONVERSATIONS WITH ANGELS LETS YOU DECIDE.
The British-Bulgarian design duo behind Chopova Lowena have got your fairytale fashion fantasies covered this summer. All you have to do is delve into Conversations With Angels, the brand’s new photobook starring Chloë Sevigny decked out in the London-label’s ethereal AW23 collection. We’ve seen the silver screen and television sensation play the protagonist before – she is a ‘90s It-girl after all – but this book marks her debut performance as a high-fashion “Snow Queen” frozen in print form.
Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena teamed up with renowned photographer Charlotte Wales for a third time to commemorate the collection, envisioning it in the context of Hans Christian Andersen’s 1844 fairy tale, The Snow Queen. This was a book that stood firm on Laura Lowena’s book shelf as a child, which she often read to her younger sister. Naturally, the tale came to mind when envisioning how the brand could portray the juxtaposition of ’70s ski versus Georgian era clothing through a story that depicts good versus evil.
This reimagination of the folk narrative immerses us into the “Snow Queen’s” swirling mind. Delicate yet fierce photos make each page glow, or so it seems. Sevigny alternates between looks with every turn of the page, looking like an otherworldly angel, or, at times like a punk princess.
London-born poet, Precious Okoyomon, is the brain behind the words. Her surrealist approach compliments the glitz and glam of Chopova Lowena’s collection which was inspired by ‘70s ski and Georgian dress era. The glamour girls at Chopova Lowena elaborate on their love of photobooks in the release: “We love creating books because it gives us a chance to completely express our vision in such a meaningful way. This one was such a special one”. Indeed, Conversations With Angels is a dream. Holly Singh
Top Image: photography by Brigitte Niedermair for Dior.
