Twin’s culture calendar

It’s the start of a new year, and, to be frank, the post-festivity slump can get a little boring. Twin has picked the best of what’s on offer in across art, fashion and new openings for the next six months so you can get planning the year ahead from the safety of your sofa.

Knitwear: Chanel to Westwood

Until 18 January 2015

This major retrospective is nearing its end, which is all the more reason for you to head over to the Fashion and Textile Museum as soon as possible. Charting over 100 years of knitwear history, it explores not only the developments in style but also innovations in technology, from the first crocheted designs by Chanel in the 1930s to Westwood’s 20th century incarnations. Not to be missed are the rare Chanel cardigan suits, 1930s swimwear and vibrant Missoni patterns as well as conceptual garments by Comme des Garçons, Vivienne Westwood and Julien MacDonald: perfect winter wardrobe inspiration.

ftmlondon.org

Transmitting Andy Warhol

Until 8 February 2015

Warhol is undoubtedly one of the most influential and notorious artists of the 21st century, which is why this revelatory exhibition at the Tate Liverpool, providing a new insight into Warhol’s artistic processes, as well as the social, political and aesthetic implications of his work, is a must-see. Warhol was one of the first artists to span art, media, music, fashion and celebrity, and in doing so, redefined society’s accessed to art and culture. See the iconic Marilyn Diptych alongside his television commercials, fashion illustrations and his pioneering celebrity mag, Interview. An artistic all-rounder indeed.

tate.org.uk

Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty

14 March – 19 July 2015

The most hotly anticipated exhibition this spring, the V&A’s Savage Beauty will showcase the dominant influences and concepts in the late designers’ work. Featuring 10 sections, it will span McQueen’s womenswear, starting with his MA graduate show in 1992 and finishing with his last fully realised collection, Plato’s Atlantis (SS 2010) – widely thought to be his greatest achievement. A chance to understand more about one of fashion’s most legendary personalities, the display will attract more than your average aficionado.

vam.ac.uk

Jellyfish ensemble and Armadillo shoes Plato’s Atlantis, S/S 2010 Alexander McQueen 7 MB Model: Polina Kasina, © Lauren Greenfield/INSTITUTE

Walkie Talkie Sky Garden

Open now

April: the days will be longer and lighter, and summer will be just a breath away. Time, then, to start shedding jumpers and blankets, and trade in your sofa for a bar stool – preferably with a view.  The Sky Garden at the top of the Walkie Talkie will span three floors and afford its visitors uninterrupted views over the city skyline. With a cocktail terrace, bar, restaurant and open air terrace set alongside lush landscaped gardens, we predict that this will be summer’s hotspot.

skygarden.london

Thea Porter 70s Bohemian Chic

6 Feb – 3 May 2015

The Fashion and Textile Museum’s exhibition (the first ever) on design pioneer Thea Porter is a perfect celebration of the fashion world’s current crush on all things 70s. The figurehead of boho chic in the 60s and 70s opened her iconic shop on Greek Street in 1966 and immediately attracted a following from the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Barbara Streisand. Highlights from the exhibition include the Abaya & Kaftan; the Gipsy dress and the Faye dress – you might be surprised to find similar silhouettes in your own wardrobe, testament to the influence Porter has had on several generations of fashion.

ftmlondon.org

Björk

8 March – 7 June 2015

Readers stateside will surely have gotten wind of the Björk retrospective at MoMA. For those not in the know, the exhibition will showcase the adventurous projects of Iceland’s wonderfully quirky export. It will be presented in a narrative format, co-written by Björk and fellow Icelander Sjón, and culminates in a brand-spanking-new immersive music and film experience in 3D.

moma.org

Björk, Debut, 1993. Credit: Photography by Jean Baptiste Mondino. Image courtesy of Wellhart Ltd & One Little Indian

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Joan Didion For Celine SS15

American author, novelist and essayist, Joan Didion is the latest to be featured in the Celine SS15 Campaign. Looking effortlessly chic, the 60s Vogue writer is lensed by Phoebe Philo favourite Juergen Teller, and is accompanied by Marie-Agnès Gillot, the French ballet dancer and choreographer and Freya Lawrence, the British model.

The queen of understated cool will also have a documentary made about her soon. We Tell Ourselves Stories in Order to Live, is the fruition of her nephew Griffin Dunne’s Kickstarter campaign. Dunne will also direct the project. More on that to come.

celine.com

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TOPSHOP SS15

Topshop has once again teamed up with fashion golden girl, Cara Delevingne, to bring us its SS15 collection. Styled by Topshop Creative Director Kate Phellan and shot by Alasdair McLellan, this is will be the third campaign that the British supermodel has done for the fashion giant.

The shoot itself focuses on clean lines and a pared-back aesthetic, featuring 15 key looks from the collection. Accompanying the shoot is a video of Cara’s kooky antics on set – expect a whole assortiment of musical instruments, alongside lots of jumping and dancing.

topshop.com

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Linda Farrow Spring Summer 2015

For spring summer 2015 Linda Farrow invites us into their wanderlust themed world. The new collection features molten metallics, frosted pastel hues and glossed frames, all created in hyper-luxe materials, with an extraordinary finish and attention to detail Linda Farrow has become renewed for.

With the help of set designer Gemma Tickle and photographer Kate Jackling, the SS15 still life campaign highlights the new colours and styles, emphasising the quality and impeccable design of the collection.

Shop a preview of the collection online and at the Mount Street location, as well as their Selfridges concession.

lindafarrow.com

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Opening Ceremony’s Pre-Fall 2015 Collection

New Year, new you; the old adage that you will commence your healthy, happy new life once the hangover recedes on New Year’s Day is something that we all secretly hope for. This time, however, Opening Ceremony will be helping you get your 5-a-day in the form of its Pre-fall 2015 collection, inspired by everyday fruit and vegetables. Symbolising refreshment and regeneration, the collection will be made up of a supermarket spectrum of colours and textures.  Think shades of beet, kale, blueberry and grapefruit, with fabrics reinterpreting the texture of banana peel or Swiss chard.

Standout items include the Cabbage Outline Multi Twist Dress in green apple, with its pattern echoing silhouette of an apple cut in half. The embossed organza Laser Cut Fruit Shell Top and the Fruit Jacquard dress feature striking cutouts of a tossed fruit salad, while staples like a shirt dress, a boxy coat, and a straight leg pant are reinvented in digitally-printed banana skin. The theme is carried into footwear and accessories, featuring black cabbage stamped suede and ‘fruit sticker’ patches.

A fresh, fun new take on spring fashion, Opening Ceremony’s latest collection is sure to tantalise – whether you keep up the healthy diet or not.

openingceremony.us

 

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Rihanna appointed Creative Director of Puma

Rihanna and sports brand Puma will be kicking off a new partnership from January 2015, with the singer becoming both the Creative Director and the Global Ambassador of the Women’s Training category. Her aim is to strengthen women in training sessions and beyond, and inspire a Rihanna-like confidence in their bodies and themselves. Her creative input will directly influence collections as early as next year, adding both new styles and adapting Puma classics.

Rihanna will also play a starring role in PUMA’s brand campaign, Forever Faster and be featured along with many of PUMA’s world-class athletes such as Usain Bolt and Sergio Aguero.

Adam Petrick, Global Brand & Marketing Director for PUMA said, “We can’t wait to empower women worldwide with Rihanna – she demonstrates a body confidence and determination that is the exact representation of the PUMA Woman.”

puma.com

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Balmain SS15

Balmain has revealed its Spring/Summer 2015 advertising campaign, photographed by Mario Sorrenti and art directed by Pascal Dangin. Creative Director Olivier Rousteing created an army for the Autumn/Winter 2014 season, and has carried this idea forward into the next, where we see models Adriana Lima, Joan Smalls, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Isabeli Fontana, and Crista Cober in their Balmain uniforms. Dangin wanted to take the theme even further, injecting a sense of pop-relevance into the campaign by plotting the models in surreal interpretations of everyday environments. Inspired by the distorted realism of 1970s French cinema, the imagery transforms familiar settings like subway platforms and diner scenes into surreal tableaus of the Balmain world.

“Balmain is all about diversity,” states Rousteing. “The incredible power that all those strong women bring in front of the camera, put into real life situations, helped me explore and create a new reality that represents the pop aspect of my generation. The Balmain reality, my reality. This is the new Balmain army and the game is on!”

balmain.com

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Steven Meisel: Role Play

It’s not often that a fashion photographer wields enough influence to create an issue of Vogue featuring only black models; neither is it very common for just one person to photograph each and every cover of Vogue Italia for the past 20 years. But then, Steven Meisel’s extraordinary passion and talent set him up for an illustrious career from his early days as a fashion illustrator.

International auction house Phillips is launching a travelling selling exhibition of Meisel’s work. Role-play has already visited Paris, and will be arriving at 30 Berkeley Square in London from 16 December to 11 January next year, before heading to New York.

The show features 25 images that capture Meisel’s most notable contributions to fashion photography, including an image from the 1990s, when Meisel was instrumental in welcoming the grunge aesthetic into mainstream fashion. He has since concluded that the image is one of his favourite pictures, as, in his words, it ‘captured a real cultural moment of a music scene and a fashion scene fusing together to create a new look.’

Meisel has undoubtedly become one of the most significant fashion photographers working today and this exhibition is a brilliant opportunity to view his work as it is intended to be seen.

Steven Meisel: Role Play opens tomorrow, 16 December till 11 January 2015. Located at Phillips 30 Berkeley Square London. 

phillips.com

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Fashion Sunday’s Christmas Weekend

Fashion Sunday are holding another one of their events, and this time they’re here to help with all your last minute Christmas shopping.

Representing the best of East London’s design scene, you’ll find and extensive list of brands: PAPER London, Leutton Postle, Alec Bizby, Pitchouguina, Kelly Love, Studio White Label, Florence Bridge, Age Of Reason, Silken Favours, Jessie Harris, Charlotte Valkeniers, Jenny Sweetnam, Benjamin Bertram, Hellespont, Monochrome, She’s Lost Control, Sarah & Sorrentino, Grace Gordon, The Blue Hour, Year One, Nylon Sky, Eleanor Linden, Henriette Lofstrom and Arlette Ess.

Food will be taken care of by food market favourites ‘What the Dickens’, tunes by Dalston party masters Cadillac and Tim Lawton of the Filthy Dukes (plus special guest DJs to be revealed) and the bar, will be serving up cocktails and drinks all day long.

Fashion Sunday is held at Oval Space 29-32 The Oval Bethnal Green London E2 9DT. Open 12-9pm on Saturday and 12-6pm on Sunday. 

thisisfashionsunday.com

V Jewellery Now In Whistles

Not only has Whistles cemented itself as a high street hero, your go-to store for a certain type of elegance, now, it’s proving to become your go-to boutique for young brands that share its vision. Moxham and Wool and the Gang being case in point. It’s newest design talent is another Twin favourite, V Jewellery.

You will currently find V in the Whistles’ St. Christopher’s Place and Dover Street stores, with further locations being added in the New Year. “I have always modelled the V woman on the Whistles customer so seeing the jewellery in their stores will be so surreal,” states Laura Vann, V Jewellery Creative Director. “I couldn’t think of a more perfect home for V.”

vjewellery.co.uk

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NEWGEN AW15

The latest womenswear recipients for NEWGEN autumn/winter 2015 have been announced. Ashley Williams and Ryan Lo will receive catwalk sponsorship next season, having both received presentation sponsorship last time round, as well as 1205 and Marques Almeida, who will be receiving catwalk sponsorship again. Claire Barrow, Danielle Romeril and Faustine Steinmetz will be receiving presentation sponsorship along with newcomer Molly Goddard. Two new names to the NEWGEN roster are Marta Jakubowski and Sadie Williams, who have been given exhibition sponsorship for the upcoming season.

“NEWGEN produces the stars of London Fashion Week – the phenomenal progress of Marques Almeida in six seasons of support is proof of that,” states Sarah Mower –  BFC Ambassador for Emerging Talent. “Following in their footsteps is a whole new slew of discoveries whose sparky originality and careful entrepreneurialism have won them the praise of the NEWGEN committee and Topshop’s invaluable sponsorship. We think the quality, colour and sheer desirability of the clothes audiences will be seeing from 1205, Ashley Williams, Claire Barrow, Danielle Romeril, Faustine Steinmetz and Ryan Lo will step up yet another rung this season. And now they’re joined by an influx of three brilliantly individualistic young women, Molly Goddard, Marta Jakubowski and Sadie Williams.”

britishfashioncouncil.co.uk

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Larsson & Jennings’ London Store

Twin favourite Larsson & Jennings have just opened their first London store in Covent Garden.

Selling the complete Larsson & Jennings collection of Swiss-made watches and leather accessories, the store also gives customers a chance to design their own in the LJX Custom area. Here you’ll get to choose from a selection of Swedish and British Leathers and new hardware options to create a bespoke and personalised watch just for you. Perhaps the perfect Christmas gift.

While you peruse their collections, you can also enjoy a range of locally sourced coffee in store at the Larsson & Jennings Fika bar.

A spokesman from Larsson & Jennings said: “Modern and traditional elements are at the heart of our product and for us our first store in the UK had to reflect this. Seven Dials was the only area that lived up to our expectations; perfectly encapsulating a heritage feel in a prime central London location.”

The Larsson & Jennings store is now open at 53 Monmouth St, London. 

larssonandjennings.com

 

 

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Terminal 3 by Dior

An elegant woman storms down a corridor; the sound of her footsteps resonating against the floor creates a sinister heartbeat, drumming out the rhythm of a dramatic love triangle that ends in tragedy. This short film, Terminal 3, is Philip-Lorcia Dicorcia’s realisation of Dior’s stunning Cruise 2015 collection, inspired by Hollywood’s Golden Age.

dior.com 

 

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#WhosInYourGang

Etre Cecile’s latest collection for Resort 15 is inspired by the 1979 cult classic, The Warriors, but instead of two downtown New York gangs battling it out, this rivalry is a little more European. Calling upon Creative Director Paula Goldstein Di Principe and Director Lucy Needs, they created a short film in which le French girls and It-Brits fight it out on neutral turf, Jersey, swan lake style.

Each team is kitted out in their Etre Cecile best; fine knitwear, denim and statement slogans, of course. Each one representing a certain personality type found in our own friendship groups. There’s the rock chick, the blonde, the rebel and the prim and proper girl. #WhosInYourGang sets out to unite all us Cecile girls everywhere, ultimately creating one huge girl gang that holds the same ethos and attitude.

“Right now I feel like we’re in an era of sisterhood,” states Paula Goldstein Di Principe. “Girl gangs are about power and support, celebrating a connection to women all over the world.”

etrececile.com

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British Fashion Awards 2014 Winners

Last night over 2000 people gathered to celebrate the successes of the fashion industry in 2014, with guests such as Samantha Cameron, Anna Wintour OBE, Valentino Garavani, Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Lewis Hamilton, Lana del Rey and Courtney Love.

Many of Twin‘s favourite designers and brands walked away with awards, including Marques’Almeida who were recognised as Emerging Womenswear Designer of The Year. Other winners on the night were Prism – Emerging Accessory Designer, Nicolas Ghesquière – International Designer, Simone Rocha – New Establishment, Victoria Beckham – Brand and Cara Delevingne – Model of the Year, unsurprisingly.

For the full list of winners head to britishfashionawards.com

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Gifts For The Twin Girl

The Twin girl knows exactly what she wants. Which, in theory, should make it easier when deciding what to get her. Problem is, she probably already bought herself whatever you had in mind. In fact, she bought two, one in black and one in white. So what do you buy her? Someone notoriously in tune with her own style, not exactly trend led. Someone cultured, well-read and, let’s face it, cool, with an impeccable aesthetic that extends way beyond the wardrobe. Readers, take note…

Rick Owens Purse, £160, thecorner.com | Marques’Almeida Frayed Denim Jacket, £375, matchesfashion.com | Moxham Oni Slim Choker in Black, £160, moxhamstore.com

 

Kenzo Colour Block Sweater, £295, farfetch.com | Tracey Emin The Last Great Adventure Is You, £25, whitecube.com | By Larsson Kubus 8 Candlestick, £182, darkroomlondon.com

Bella Freud Gainsberg is God Candle, £38, harveynichols.com |  This Works Deep Sleep Bath Oil, £80, thisworks.com | Bjorg Mysteries of Then Earcuff, £140, parlaonline.com

 

Byredo La Tulipe Hand Cream, £23.21, byredo.com | Twin Magazine XI, £14.99, boutiquemags.com | Alexander Wang Marble Coaster Set, £142, alexanderwang.com

 

Shrimps Faux Fur Pablo Clutch, £185, selfridges.co.uk | Jenny Sweetnam Silver Drop Ring/Necklace, £81, celestineeleven.com | Tom Dixon Stone Pestle and Mortar, £149, tomdixon.net

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Edward Enninful receives the Isabella Blow Award for fashion creator

Edward Enninful – of The September Issue fame – has been honoured with the prestigious Isabella Blow Award for fashion creator by the British Fashion Council.

Enninful has a history of innovation, becoming the youngest editor of a major magazine when he was appointed Fashion Director of i-D at the tender age of 18. This was soon followed by becoming Contributing Fashion Editor to Italian Vogue and then American Vogue in 1998 and 2005 respectively. Since 2011, he has been at W Magazine as Fashion and Style Director.

His creative vision has also led him to pivotal contributions to advertising campaigns and catwalk shoes at Christian Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Jil Sander, Céline, and Valentino, amongst others.

His work is much lauded by key figures in the industry, including Natalie Massenet CBE, Chairman of the BFC, who said, ‘His influence spans the entire globe, intersecting the worlds of fashion, art and business’.

britishfashionawards.com

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Kenzo Holiday Pop-Up

Kenzo is popping up in London’s Mayfair just in time for the holiday season. The new store will house both their men’s and women’s collections, accessories and limited edition items. You’ll also find their Holiday Collection, a capsule range full of festive sweaters and T-shirts featuring all the famous motifs and emblems we’ve come to love from the brand, such as the tiger, the eye and the Eiffel Tower, as well as newcomer, the Statue of Liberty.

The news of the new location also comes with the announcement that Kenzo Bruton Street will be closed for renovations until 2015.

Kenzo opens at 99 Mount Street London W1K tomorrow, November 27th. 

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Issey Miyake’s Holiday Message

There’s no escaping it any longer, the Christmas season is upon us. To celebrate, Issey Miyake has created a limited edition animated typeface to make sending holiday messages much more playful this year. Each letter of the alphabet is allocated a unique sound, so that every message will contain a one-of-a-kind melody. Create your own at isseymiyake.com/message.

If you take a closer look at the typography, you’ll see limited-edition products from six of the Issey Miyake brands that feature Araishu, a traditional colour of Japanese lacquerware. The holiday products, which include tops, bags and wallets, are now available from the recently opened Issey Miyake flagship store in London.

Issey Miyake Flagship, 10 Brook Street London W1S 1BG

isseymiyakelondon.com

 

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Death In Paris Q&A

Death In Paris is the name of a creative studio based between Paris and London. They focus on motion, web and print design, but their latest venture sees them designing accessories reflective of the brand values they’ve created for themselves. For spring/summer 2015 they looked to skylines, rooftop swimming pools, vast open spaces and Japanese city life, focusing on the concept of utilising small living spaces using clever design to give us their version of contemporary luxury in a monochrome palette.

Twin spoke to the designers behind the brand and creative studio to find out more.

Tell us a bit about starting a brand from a creative studio.
The brand is an extension of the Death In Paris studio identity.  We are both into fashion and have similar tastes so it was a natural progression from traditional graphic design to product design. With the studio we tried to stay multidisciplinary: exploring web, branding, photography, video and motion, mostly for premium lifestyle brands. Designing accessories is a new output for us and an alternative way of expressing our love of clean, minimal products that are functional yet sophisticated.

What elements of your studio work did you translate to your brand?
The way we approach design is similar in both disciplines; it is similar to how you would design a book layout. You spend a lot of time organising text and photos, and then search for what works best to deliver the overall message. That is the approach we had when we designed the Vasistas, to design a bag that helps you to organise your daily life, with an option to hide certain things and showcase others. We want the bags to be visually pleasing in their simplicity, but with an understated sense of luxury.

You focus a lot on transparent accessories. What was the inspiration behind that?
Again its the idea of being able to display certain items while concealing others. We’ve always been obsessed by containers and organisational items, and basically anything transparent. I guess that’s the Asian influence coming through.

What is your creative/design process like?
We are split between London and Bangkok, which hopefully brings together an interesting combination of influences. Most of the designs are inspired by our day to day lifestyles in both cities; our passions lie in cuisine, architecture, cosmetics and stationary, combined with a love for fashion.

We always try to get together as much as possible and spend days sharing ideas, the rest is a back and forth over Skype. Half of the time we focus on the designs and visuals, while the other half is focused on sourcing new materials and production.

Who is the Death in Paris girl?
She is understated, independent and confident with an interest in aesthetic and design.

What can we expect for SS15?
We have introduced some new designs and added some twists to popular existing styles! New materials such as perforated leather and neoprene add an unexpected dimension to the bags.

deathinparisstore.com

 

 

 

 

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