May 19, 2023 |
TEN CRAVES IS OUR ONLINE SERIES THAT ROUNDS UP ALL THE BEST PRODUCT LAUNCHES AND MUST-KNOW FASHION HAPPENINGS WEEK IN, WEEK OUT.
MADS MIKKELSEN IS A ZEGNA MAN
Earlier this week at the opening ceremony of Cannes Film Festival, Mads Mikkelsen stepped onto the red carpet donning a custom Zegna suit. The Danish actor looked timelessly elegant wrapped up in jet black fabric with a satin bow-tie, like an Old Hollywood leading lad, or better yet, a modern Zegna man. But of course he did, because the Italian brand has just named Mikkelsen its new global testimonial. Mikkelsen comments: “I am very pleased to officially join the Zegna family. Alessandro Sartori’s vision of modern style is very inspiring and his sophisticated aesthetic is truly authentic. I admire Zegna’s commitment towards quality, innovation and craftsmanship and I am very proud to collaborate with such an iconic brand.” Here, Mikkelsen wears a Zegna Oasi Linen vicuna overshirt, Oasi Cashmere vicuna-coloured crewneck and an off-white pant, further embodying the unique spirit of Zegna. Emily Phillips
HORACE LAUNCHES AN ONLINE SKINCARE CONSULTATION SERVICE
Making it simple and easy for men to find affordable products that work for their skin, natural grooming brand Horace has just launched an online skincare consultation service. All you have to do is head to Horace.com and take part in a quick quiz about your skin type and within a matter of moments a product breakdown of what’s best suited to your skin, as well as a custom-made routine, will pop straight up on your screen. That was easy! Take your online consultation quiz here. EP
CAMPBELL ADDY’S SOLO EXHIBITION AT 180 STUDIOS
Fashion ❤’s Campbell Addy – and for good reason. Since graduating from Central Saint Martins in 2016, Addy’s acclaimed fashion photography has been featured in i-D, Vogue and Dazed (to name a few), exhibited internationally, and in 2021 he was named one of Forbes 30 Under 30. A solo exhibition at London’s 180 Studios is the logical next step – Campbell’s first in his impressively short 8-year career. Entitled I ❤ Campbell, the exhibition features 36 original works – including photography, paintings and a short film – and is described as speaking to “the minutiae of Addy’s life that inform his creative practice yet have fallen through the cracks”.
Running from May 11 to June 4, the immersive experience – which also features a soundscape designed by producer CKTRL to sonically guide attendees through – is a reflection on Addy’s roots and inspirations, exploring themes like religion, colonialism and mental health. With esteemed set designer Ibby Njoya in charge of sculpting the space, the exhibition pays appropriate homage to Addy’s celebration of beauty and visibility, translated through his focus on casting underrepresented, minority faces. It’s not one to miss, so get your tickets here. Bella Koopman
MARC JACOBS REDESIGNS FENDI’S ICONIC BAGUETTE
Fans of the Fendi baguette, get ready to feast! You may remember that the Italian house, in partnership with Marc Jacobs and others, reimagined the iconic bag for its 25th Baguette Anniversary show in September. Now – for your pleasure – Jacobs’ popular collection is available for purchase on Fendi’s website. Adorning the fan favourite with ‘The Baguette Fendi Roma’ lettering, the reinterpretation is bold, brash and sure to draw attention. Alongside the baguette, Jacobs put his own spin on classics like the Peekaboo, Mon Tresor and X-Tote, as well a selection of ready-to-wear pieces for men and women – branding and bedazzling it all with Fendi’s emblematic iconography, hopping between silver, white and neon green colourways. Accompanying the release are four dynamic fashion films shot by Mario Sorrenti, set to a series of bass-heavy backing tracks, as well as a slew of menswear stills by Bruno Staub.
After announcing his departure from his own eponymous label in April, it’s not impossible to think that maybe – just maybe! – more collabs like this are on the horizon for Jacobs. But after getting a slice of what to expect, we’ve got our fingers crossed. Shop now. BK
SAINT LAURENT’S ‘STRANGE WAY OF LIFE’
Lights! Camera! Yves Saint Laurent! Saddle up, because the French fashion house has just followed up on its promise to dominate the silver screen by releasing its first short film, Strange Way of Life, at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. A gunslinging western which marks YSL’s production debut, the short features the beloved Pedro Pascal and Ethan Hawke as former gunmen who begin an impassioned relationship against the backdrop of early 1900s America. Director Pedro Almodovar, who was the brains behind 2002 Academy Award winning film Talk to Her, highlights that he wanted to showcase the concept of two middle-aged, queer men in the context of a Western – a genre that has traditionally steered clear of such themes.
This strategic shift to Hollywood has been masterminded by creative director Anthony Vaccarello, who joined the house in 2016. Although it may seem random, the shift does echo the cinematic flare of recent YSL runways, with collections debuting at spectacular locations such as the Eiffel Tower for womenswear SS23, and the Moroccan desert for menswear.
Vaccarello was also in charge of the film’s wardrobe – and will be for subsequent productions – drawing inspiration from the costuming of Westerns between 1900 and 1915. Achieving acclaim from critics, Saint Laurent Productions is sure to revolutionise the game. BK
SELFRIDGES OPENS ITS OWN CIRCULAR STOCK MARKET
At Selfridges, all roads lead to the circular ‘money’ pit. We’re talking about the London Stock Market with its towering 360 degree desks and rotundas of data-riddled screens, but not the real one, the one situated in Selfridges Corner Shop. Transformed into a makeshift trading floor, your pre-owned items can be valued, exchanged and repaired as part of a month-long circular experience. Uncover the value of what you already own and exchange for Selfridges credit and restore or upcycle clothing and accessories at the ‘trading desks’ which are manned by Reselfridges stockbrokers. The brokers will encourage customers to “go long” and enhance the value of products to either keep or resell – that part is up to you. They will also connect customers to the best of circular services from Sojo, SneakersER, The Handbag Clinic and Vintage Threads, as well as a slew of bookable services from Selfridges’ Upcyclers in Residence. What the Upcyclers in Residence can do is make wear and tear a point of pride on your products; for example, hand-beading around moth holes or adding on bespoke customizations like frills and appliques.
The Selfridges Stock Exchange is taking place as part of Worn Again, a season of secondhand and circular shopping experiences at Selfridges that’s operating until August in a bid to meet a forward-facing goal: for 45 percent of Selfridges transactions coming from circular products and services by 2030. The Stock Market at the Corner Shop is open until June 10th so don’t slow your roll; grab your broken garb and get trading. Book a slot here. EP
16ARLINGTON WINS THE 2023 BFC/VOGUE DESIGNER FASHION FUND
On May 17, the British Fashion Council announced 16Arlington, the London-based womenswear brand founded in 2018 by Marco Capaldo and the late Federica Cavenati, as the winner of the 2023 BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund. The It-girl’s go-to brand – with fans like Hailey Bieber, Simone Ashley and Emma Corrin – will receive a cash prize of £150,000 to increase its growth and contribution to the global fashion ecosystem.
This year’s judging panel featured a range of industry heavyweights, including BFC top dog Caroline Rush CBE, British Vogue’s own Edward Enninful OBE and activist and model Munroe Bergdorf. Speaking on 16Arlington’s success, Enninful paid testament to the label’s “cutting-edge, party-ready pieces” and “unwavering commitment to push boundaries and challenge conventions”. Both Enninful and Rush ensured to pay tribute to Federica, who died in 2021 after a short illness.
With 16Arlington’s AW23 collection being hailed for its sleek, chic and sultry looks – with the welcome expansion to menswear – this grant is the perfect accessory to the label’s road to fashion domination.
The announcement comes in tandem with the BFC’s release of the recipients of their 2023 Fashion Trust, with Chopova Lowena, Fruity Booty, Molly Goddard, Neous, Piferi and Richard Malone receiving a grant to grow specific self-identified areas of their businesses. BK
XANDER ZHOU’S TECHY AW23 COLLECTION
Technology is taking over the world and Xander Zhou is here to remind you. For his AW23 collection, Street Corner 3.0, the Chinese menswear designer presented models holding kettlebells and walking on treadmills to explore how future identities will exist in a metropolis interceded by technology. Highlighting ideas of fitness and wellness amongst a pedestrianised, urban setting, Zhou’s city is not a grounded depiction, but a “technologically-mediated experience”.
The collection sports a variety of design elements nodding to performance enhancement, with jackets fitted with built-in Velcro for easy briefcase attachment and garments spattered with shoulder pads, knee braces and leg warmers. The latter references a reverse image search conducted by the designer whereby the engine misunderstood the accessories as elements of an ice-hockey uniform – a result Zhou took and ran with.
Featuring a range of street-inspired pieces, from low-rise cargos to tees tied up at the front – reminiscent of a skateboarder’s solution to a sweaty session – the designer also incorporated AI into his creative process, using image prompts to generate face shields and beanie-baseball cap fusions. Xander Zhou is showing us a fashion-forward future and it’s looking pretty good. BK
DIOR’S BEACH-CLEANING MENSWEAR CAPSULE
It’s no bad thing when major fashion houses start thinking more sustainably and Dior’s artistic director for menswear, Kim Jones, is making sure waves to that end. For the second year running Dior’s partnership with Parley for the Oceans – an environmental organisation working against ocean pollution – its bringing a beach-ready capsule collection for men into the fold. First revealed as part of the AW23 menswear collection, it’s now available for you to buy both in store and online – so get shopping!
Composed of 96 percent recycled fabrics, the capsule pays homage to Christian Dior’s love of flowers, gardens and the sea, drawing on a spring-like palette of coral, lemon and baby blue. Interspliced with splashes of grey – Monsieur Dior’s signature colour – the garments nod to the mission statement of their charitable partner, including underwater prints and surf wetsuits. Embellished with regonisable motifs such as the French houses’ italicised lettering and diamond symbol, the collection is the perfect symbiosis of Dior’s fashion history and future and comes accompanied by a sea-soaked editorial shot by 10 Magazine family member Till Janz.
Following Dior’s 2019 project which engineered yarns and textiles from discarded ocean plastics and fishing gear, we’re ready to ride this tide of environmentally consciousness fashion. Shop now. BK
THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF LEVI’S ICONIC 501’S
Levi’s is celebrating the 150th anniversary of its cult-classic 501 jeans and in commemoration have brought a programme of immersive installations and experiences to Shoreditch’s Brick Lane – engendering the brand’s longstanding relationship with London’s Soundsystem culture. Running from May 18 to May 21, the 501 Experience bounces off the video Precious Cargo, which, produced in accordance with the anniversary, honours the iconic jean’s journey to 1970s Jamaica, drawing attention to the island’s immeasurable cultural impact on art, music and fashion. Combining this influence with the UK’s own musical history, the pop-up aims to showcase the role of Bass culture in amplifying the voice of the British-Jamaican community.
Developed alongside partners including musician Don Letts and grassroots dance community Keep Hush, participants will have the chance to attend events such as a panel talk hosted by DJ David Rodigan and experience the sounds of their favourite artists through a bespoke Levi’s soundsystem and Dub Console. To mark the special occasion, archive products highlighting the journey of the 501’s since their birth in 1873 will be displayed, alongside an on-site denim customisation service provided by Print Club London. Free to all, the 501 Experience shows that Levi’s know how to age in style. Discover the 501 Experience here. BK
Heat Ignite Prize
Heat, the disruptive mystery box start-up leading the way in luxury lucky dips, filled with goodies from brands like Rick Owens and Off-White, has just partnered with Flannels to present the Heat Ignite Prize. A subsidiary of the retailer’s Youth-Phoria project – which launched in March and is described as a “daring creative scheme” undertaking a programme of Gen Z focused events – the prize will award a series of grants to young entrepreneur-led digital businesses across fashion, innovation and circularity sectors.
The three winning businesses will be awarded a cash prize of £10,000 as well as a year of mentorship from Heat founders Joe Wilkinson and Mario Maher. The winners will be selected by the founders, alongside a judging panel of industry experts, including Michael Adex (CEO of NQ), Sam Ross (founder of New School Represents), Sonika Phakey (global lifestyle partnerships at TikTok), Tora Northman (head of TikTok at Highsnobiety), and Beckie Stanion (chief marketing officer at Frasers Group – Flannels’ parent company).
Applicants must be aged between 18-25 and have a business idea or business that was started under five years ago. Applications must also display a digital-first concept, illustrate how it solves a current industry problem and indicate how the prize money would be utilised. Applications close June 9, so for more information on how to apply, click here. BK
Top Image: courtesy of Saint Laurent Productions.
