For SS20, British fashion house Alexander McQueen launched a continuation of their Story bag line from the SS20 pre-collection with an intro to their latest addition , The Story Shoulder Bag. First seen on SS20 runway last year, the chic shoulder bag , was inspired by the previous version, “The Story” , featuring a slightly larger version of the modern metal handle and a new weaved chain .
The accessory is one that allows for an easy transition from day to evening, with a variety of styles to be worn over the shoulder, via the chain strap or carried as a clutch through the front metal handle. The Story Shoulder Bag is offered in a variety of colours and textures, including finishes of the iconic leather knotted whipstitch and the seasonal gold eyelets . For more info about The Story Shoulder Bag, visit AlexanderMcQueen.com
A key part of Fendi’s SS20 collection were the several versions of their Peekaboo bag that appeared on the runway. This week the brand is highlighting the savour faire of a few of those bags with video showing the workmanship techniques such as the “Laser Cut” , “Intrecciato” and the “Intarsio” known as inlay. With 3D technology , the results are featured in both male and female versions such as the Peekaboo X-Lite for Men’s which showcases the laser cut, The Peekaboo for men’s where Selleria stitching meets the Intarsio fur workmanship and the Women’s Peekaboo and it’s mini version which boasts the intricacy of the “Intrecciato” workmanship.
The video is a detailed look of the brand’s iconic techniques of the Roman Maison which gives us an a peak of the amount of work that goes into building these must-have pieces. For more info on the Peekaboo bag, visit FENDI.COM
Every small attribute of Sarah Burton’s Alexander McQueen collections are created with some type of story. Each piece from the share to them hems to the embroidery is built with some type of intention. A special detail from the house’s SS20 RTW collection was the implementation of endangered flowers. For the collection, a selection of endangered flowers were hand-embroidered on ivory irish linen dresses with cocoon backs and exploded sleeves and cotton silk tailoring.
The Alexander McQueen team were who contributed with drawings sketched in glass houses and filled with rare blooms which were all transformed into embroidery artworks. The process included lots of research into engendered and extinct flowers, and required an operation of several steps including painting and silk threading using several thread techniques. For more info on the SS20 collection visit Alexander McQueen.
During the creation of Alexander McQueen’s SS20 collection last year, the house enlisted a handful of students from Central Saint Martin’s MA course to join them in a life drawing class at the educational space of their London flagship store. The results of this class were what resulted in the dancing girls embroideries included in the house’s SS20 collection. During the process, The Stitch School — a group which reconnects communities through the art of embroidery — provided special tables and looms, both in London as well as in Paris so that the entire McQueen team were also able to get involved in the hand embroidery of the ivory linen dress that was worn by British model Stella Tennant on the runway. The team effort that was put into the dress is a symbolic commitment of Sarah Burton and the house of McQueen in their efforts of passing on valuable knowledge and honing young talents and also in regards to creating a wider sense of community.
Another fundamental part of the SS20 collection, were also the minimalistic yet glamorous mini bags. The two main styles included in the collection were the Mini Jewelled Satchel and the Mini Skull Lock Bag. Each one carries its own story, that of the Mini Jewelled Satchel being characterised by the signature jewelled handle with the Alexander McQueen skull, which can be worn cross body or as a clutch. The Mini Skull Lock bag however carries its own skull clasp and can be hand.held using the top handle , or worn with a removable leather cross body strap . The bags are available in a range of various colours which can be discovered on AlexanderMcQueen.com
One of the most admirable aspects of Sarah Burton’s Alexander McQueen SS20 collection was the clever use of upcycling. The brand has committed to the task of reworking many of it’s textiles including jacquards, silks, lace and others from stock fabric held in the archives. It’s seen throughout several key pieces in the collection such as a panelled dress crafted in ivory lichen lace, cotton tulle and washed organza with oyster ruffles sleeves and skirt. The fabrics from this elegant piece were pulled from the lichen lace materials used in McQueen’s AW17 collection as well as fine cotton, tulle and ivory from the fabric stock. Another one shouldered oyster gown was also pieced together by re-cycled silk jacquard, lace, washed organza and tulle.
The ivory floral lace being brought from the house’s SS16 collection and the pale gold Venus shell and scallop silk faille jacquards from the SS19 pre collection. The house’s commitment to giving new life to old fabrics is quite commendable and stretches beyond their own use, as they recently began an initiative that gives access to students as well. Visit Alexander McQueen for more info on their SS20 collection.
One of the distinctive components of Sarah Burton’s SS20 collection for Alexander McQueen was the use of beetled linen. The fabric, known for it’s pressed natural sheen, was beetled by the oldest linen mill in Ireland and the last remaining specialist in garment beetling William Clark. Needless to say, there were pieces from this collection that would be difficult to find anywhere else with such level of quality in consideration. Each beetler at the mill is trained under a master of the craft as a way to pass the elaborate technique through generations.
Specifically , the garment beetling for the SS20 collection required the making and unmaking of clothing in the McQueen studio which were later sent off to the mill where each piece was hand painted with potato starch and hammered by wooden blocks before being constructed in a final frame in studio. The intimacy of this work is visible particularly in the form of a black troupe l’ceil layered jacket and peg trousers and in black and white puff sleeve dresses with pin-tuck details that were featured on the runway. Grab a closer look at the collection online via McQueen.
London-based luxury fashion brand JW Anderson recently released it’s Spring Summer 2020 Campaign for both its Men’s & Women’s collections with strikingly soulful imagery shot by photographer & filmmaker Tyler Mitchell.
Styled by Benjamin Bruno, the campaign hints slightly at the theme of the crossroads between tradition and innovation which was previously explored in the SS20 Women’s show. A cast of models from previous campaigns with included street casted faces are pictured in a light-hearted manner. They manage to highlight Mitchell’s signature style while staying true to the designer’s playful aesthetic as colourful backdrops and props like a giant oversized tricycle were implemented as signifiers of British suburban youthfulness.
Photographer: Tyler Mitchell Stylist: Benjamin Bruno Art Direction: M/M Paris Hair Stylist: Cyndia Harvey Makeup Artist: Lauren Parsons Set Designer: Andy Hillman Casting Director: Julia Lange Models: Enonha, Djeneba, Krisha, Rose, Romance, Hamza, Jerell, Khalid Production: Holmes Production
Following his SS20 show last September which touched on the themes of the European Union and power-dressing , Balenciaga Creative Director Demna Gvasalia continued on a similar note for the campaign which was lensed by renown political campaign photographer Laurence Chaperon. The images use politics as a source of inspiration and conversation throughout fashion as a series of models are captured in a light similar to that of political candidates accompanied by cliche political slogans like “Love is for everyone “ and “We vote for tomorrow” .
Following the release of the campaign images the house also released video footage directed by Will Benedict in the form of a live evening news broadcast where a digitally modified cast reports disturbing but very eye opening headlines regarding climate change including flooding, the end of traffic jams , planets realigning etc. The campaign itself was a step further to the efforts the house have been making ignorer to spread awareness regarding climate change and global warming, yet carried out in a way in alignment to the Balenciaga aesthetic.
Sarah Burton’s SS20 collection for Alexander McQueen was undoubtedly one of the designer’s most graceful and sartorially inventive yet. The collection was presented in Paris last September sans the theatrics of a flashy production with the melodies of a musical orchestra. The tour de force lied within the tailoring, as she pieced together a story that emphasised the importance of craft, and the importance of spending time to hone it. One of the lead protagonists in this story was her use of lace. Both featured in black and white , the fabric was cut into suits, dresses and even paired with leather as inspiration was drawn from the likes of endangered flowers and Irish crochet techniques.
“I love the idea of people having the time to make things together, the time to meet and talk together, the time to reconnect to the world,” Burton explained.
A variety of ivory lichen lace, ivory guipure and ivory lacework were all featured throughout the collection, with the ivory lace & lacework having being woven on damask linen by Thomas Ferguson who’s widely acknowledged as the world’s finest damask weaver. The intricate use of lace was not only a reference to the works of McQueen in his past collections like Dante AW1996 but also featured some up cycled fabric from Burton’s archives. For more info on Alexander McQueen SS20 , visit McQueen.
Alexander McQueen recently released their Spring Summer RTW 2020 Campaign shot by Jamie Hawkesworth. The campaign features faces Vivien Solari, Felice Noordhoof and Imaan Homaam elegantly posed by the seaside.
“Each look tells its own story. The connection between the clothes is the time it took to make them. I was interested in clarity and paring things down, in the essence of garments – stripping back to the toile. I love the idea of people having the time to make things together, the time to meet and talk together, the time to reconnect with the world.” Sarah Burton Creative director.
The mind of Marni’s creative director Francesco Risso has proven to be both a maze as it is a museum especially in the case of metaphors. For his latest show, Act ll , presented during the past weekend in Milan, the designer presented a collection that was inspired by the idea of seeing his fashion as a form of pharmaceutical drug which he called Tachitropirinia, used to treat an imaginary tropical disease.
“It is recommended for use by all subjects who are hypertensive to tropicalism: bulb women, mangrove ladies, cocoon females, Liana amazons, jungle janes, palm elves,” reads the press release.
This was brought out through a series of brushstroke prints on garments that wrapped the body like cocoons in a variety of different colours and prints. Flared skirts with balloon smock tops , raw edged painted coats, net dresses , flip flops and all made from accumulations of old recycled fabrics. For the past few season Risso has managed to drill in the topic of sustainability not only with the physical collection, but with all aspects of his show as well. This season guests all sat on recycled cardboard stools and were surrounded by a tropical jungle of artificial trees created from recycled materials used during Risso’s last two shows.
Austrian designer Arthur Arbesser is one who each season never fails to relay the tales of his rich heritage through his garments. For SS20, the designer drew inspiration from a large box in his late grandmother’s wardrobe. Only a few months ago, Arbesser discovered this box that belonged to his grandmother Mathilde which contained scraps of fabric cut from her own clothes from the 1920’s up until the 1980’s.
From this he was inspired to create a collection in her honour that was crafted in patchwork using a variety of fabrics and leftover scraps from Arthur’s past collections. From silk, to crepe and cotton popeline, all presented in light blues, white, and a variety of several prints. The collection contained several aspects of vintage references including the sailor collars and waistcoats which were tributes to his grandmother during the days when she wore school uniforms. Each piece of fabric had a story as well as the way in which they were crafted, which gave the collection not only a poetic dynamic, but a feel of handmade sincerity.
Since the passing of her mentor the late Karl Lagerfeld , Silvia Venturini Fendi has taken the bull by the horns and managed to craft interesting collections that which although are sealed with her signature, still remain under house’s codes. For menswear SS20, the designer charged towards a direction where she drew inspiration from the actual seasons as she dreamed about gardening in her holiday home outside of Rome. For womenswear, shown earlier this week , the designer took a similar route, crafting a collection under the theme “Solar Flair.”
Think summer vacation, which means yes, there were bathing suits , mini skirts, PVC coats, but not only, there was a range of pieces to cover every type of vacation, from a weekend in the alps with a line of fur coats, trenches and knitwear , to simple loungewear for a week’s cruise. Prints took centrestage with a variety of graphic florals as well as the house’s signature paperbag fabric in shorts and trousers from waxed and organic washed cottons. The collection also capitalised on creating going green at least with its accessories, by creating a version of their famous peekaboo bag in compact raffia in addition to a few tote bags, as well as the Baguette which was done with blanket flower marquetry.
For SS20 , designer Miuccia Prada took a few steps away from the glamours of fashion to focus on the concept of personal style. Each look from the collection was tailored precisely to fit and highlight the model’s personal and physical attributes. The opening look, a simple grey wool blouse with a white matching skirt and leather loafers. Every one thereafter mirrored this concept of not overshadowing the woman’s personality with the clothes but rather complementing her in subtle simplistic manners. A green velvet summer dress was simply paired with a lilac purple hat and big glasses, a gold leather suit given a simple white collar, put on a bare faced model. Hints of vintage aspects were also sprinkled about the collection with accessories and silhouettes that so likely resembled Prada silhouettes in the late 90’s as well as references of several different eras including the 70’s and 20’s. The collection itself was self referential , and centred around the idea of putting the woman first and clothes second.
The world is a scary place at the moment. And this season, fashion has taken notice. Designers have been either making open political statements through their clothing or indulging in an escapist mode by presenting bold garments which express their need to run away to distant lands. British-Canadian designer Edeline Lee is very aware of it, and that’s exactly why her Spring Summer 2020 collection was a light, brightly coloured burst of joy.
This season, the designer wanted to inject a bit of optimism in her clothing, as past season’s fall-winter 2019 presentation had such a tough subject matter (she had been inspired by professor Mary Beard’s feminist manifesto, Women & Power, where Lee made the case for the runway as soapbox).
“I feel like we need a bit of optimism right now and so I felt like I needed something light which could contrast the darkness of everything that’s been going on at the moment,” she said.
Following up from her experiential presentation of last season, this time Lee collaborated with Sharon Horgan, the Irish actress and writer who starred and co-wrote Catastrophe and created HBO’s Divorce, for a presentation which verged on the line between theatre and runway.
“Sharon and I are friends but not only that. I am such a big fan of her work, her voice and the way she talks about the human condition is so acute and real and to the skin,” she says.
And the clothes she presented exuded exactly the same vibe, they were real clothes for real women, which featured simple silhouettes – ranging from a series of white shirts and brightly coloured midi dresses in a palette of greens, blues and reds, to a series of brightly coloured striped numbers, to finally, a series of dresses made in her signature jacquard.
“In the show in a way what we’re trying to do is juxtapose the lightness of the clothes to these real-life moments which are acted out by a series of actresses, who sort of stop and get distracted by real-life passing by and then they stop and go back to their intimate realities,” she says. “It’s sort of like a play on a juxtaposition of these different versions of life.”
Sitting in one spot over the course of 15 minutes you would be able to experience every skit presented by the actresses almost as if eavesdropping on conversations of everyday life.
Lee’s collaboration was a refreshing take on a runway experience – and it definitely helped her in trying to represent who her woman really is and making people understand who she’s making her clothes for and the audience she’s making it for. Collaborations like these are a fun way to get the point across and are also more memorable experiences in a month where editors see an enormous quantity of shows.
At last, it seems like fashion has finally taken notice of its toll on the planet. Indeed, the theme of sustainability is finally being embraced in every fashion city and is a big theme at the core of this season’s spirit.
For SS20, Ukranian-born but London based designer Natasha Zinko brings forth her efforts of working to reduce the companies wastage footprint by re-using and repurposing all the textiles, including vintage pieces, presented in her new collection. This season, the designer has also created pieces crafted from old aluminium cans, sourced from the Alutrade Recycling Centre who has donated 500lbs of aluminium.
This season’s collection was co-ed and the was show was presented in a private street in central London. The collection was boldly maximalist and featured a number of urban-inspired looks which gave away 90s vibes. Oversized jumpsuits were covered in floral prints, whilst pyjama inspired looks were given a bolder edge through the use of a palette of neon tones ranging from greens, yellows, pinks and purples. Patch-worked paisley bandanas in different colours were sewn together to create mini-dresses, bras and oversized trousers, whilst a number of black, tougher looks were also present.
The duo at Preen always loves to start a show by presenting the audience with the books stacked on their bedside table, a list of references which inspire and influence the collection from start to finish.
Citing books such as The Promised Neverland and cult films such as Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill and Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation, this season was all about Japan.
Punkish Manga girls covered sweaters, hoodies and t-shirts and were paired with the brand’s signature floral printed skirts. Quilted coats and trousers also featured heavily this season and were a refreshing addition to the roster of looks. However, like Natasha Zinko, the duo also presented a collection whose focus was to use re-use and repurpose all past materials.
And this could certainly be seen through the collection’s standout looks, which were a number of asymmetric ruffled dresses featuring cut-out panels and mismatched layers of floral prints, which gave away an air of romanticism and which will for sure be seen all over Instagram by next season.
In order to add a bit of toughness to the overall romantic vibe of the collection, the looks were paired with men’s combat boots, leather shoes and satin lace-up ballerinas.
Bold and romantic body wear, a myriad journey of sorbet hues across a candy sky, poisonous gypsum like polka dots, in ying-yang circles, splattered across ruffle tiers. This was the introductory phrase of the show notes, which had been carefully placed across the seats of Osman’s private presentation.
This season the designer showcased his SS20 collection in a private salon manner just like in the 1950s and presented a limited number of elegant and well-made looks inspired by the elegance of women always on the go.
There was an option for every woman in the crowd, ranging from soft suiting in pale tones of yellow and green to African inspired coats and jackets and mini dresses in a myriad of ruffled layers of tulle. The protagonists of the collection were a series of mini dresses featuring poet-looking balloon sleeves in a chinoiserie-like Parisian wallpaper print.
However, a mini dress in black ruffled organza which resembled a dark flower in bloom stole the show. Barely-there sandals and a series of brightly coloured rococo mules accompanied the looks.
British Boyish Minimalism at Margaret Howell
Minimalists rejoice! If you were thinking Margaret Howell was going to steer away from her signature style, then you are very wrong. Once again, Margaret Howell delivered a beautifully made collection returning to the Rambert Dance Company Showspace.
Yet again, the designer presented a co-ed collection which riffed on Britishness and exuded an air of boyish chicness. Fans of perfectly tailored trouser suits and high-waisted trousers will exult in delight this season, as the collection featured a number of chocolate-coloured pieces that won’t disappoint.
Stick of butter fans will also rejoice, as the designer presented a series of crisp, midi dresses and shirts in a delicate buttery yellow palette. Stand out pieces of the collection included an antique pink blouse with a ruffle-y collar paired with over-the-knee shorts, teal pleated skirts and taut shirts in linen and a series of olive-coloured looks worn by male and female models alike.
The looks were paired with a series of studded clogs in chocolaty tones, as well as leather sandals worn with socks.
In the flamboyant yet conservative heyday that was 1960s Italy, a young woman with a short blonde bob shocked the Italian audiences by singing and dancing to songs that are still considered to be part of today’s pop culture patrimony.
For this season’s SS20 presentation, British Luxury brand 16Arlington decided to celebrate and take inspiration from this still-iconic woman, pop legend Raffaella Carrà.
Delving into the funky imagery that accompanied all of Carrà’s music videos, performances and more, the British-Italian duo produced a fun collection full of sewn struzzo dip-dyed feathers, hand-dyed chiffon draping, jazzy fringing and groovy beading.
The duo presented a collection that was definitely fun to watch and will be fun for anyone to wear, as it encapsulated the spirit of the 1960s party girl. Delicate chiffons were juxtaposed with an ombre coloured palette, whilst gunmetal leather hot pats contrasted bold optical printed patterns. Psychedelic prints inspired by the 1960s king of prints himself, Emilio Pucci, appeared on a lame 3 piece trousered suits, perfect the maximalist working girl who wants to get her groove on.
Original 1960s sunglasses from Oliver Goldsmith and shoes by British brand Dorateymeur complemented the styling and world created by the designers.
Who wouldn’t want to dance the night away wearing these clothes?
Within the past few seasons designer Thom Browne has managed to establish himself as one of the more creative menswear voices in fashion. Each season he manages to reflect the scenery that is the objet d’art of his complex mind. Creating fusions of menswear with forms of femininity and couture tailoring. For spring summer 2020, he created a story around a secret garden where he unleashed his fantasies of typically masculine sports reinterpreted and blown up with masculine qualities while still caressing the idea of vulnerability. This was shown through XVII century clothing that were reinvented and reinterpreted. From hips that blew up inches wider than usual to oversized shoulders all shown in the classic Thom Brown seersucker fabrics. Football balls pads and codpieces paid tributes to the sports in red, green, yellow among other colours.
For the first time in a very long time, Italian fashion house Fendi stepped off site their routined Milanese show space and headed for the gardens of an 18th century villa in central Milan for their SS2020 show. A switch that had been prompted by creative director Silvia Venturini Fendi’s need for a break from the virtually infested world we live in as she takes a minute to appreciate the fruits of Mother Nature . This collection was a version of the Fendi man that goes fishing on weekends and gardens in his spare time. Sartorial workwear pieces were presented with a casual elegance that allow their wearers a sort of relaxed eased approach towards life.
From khaki cotton overalls, to striped beach slips, to fishmerman style vests and cargo pants. Throughout the collection, the house also revealed their collaboration with renown “Call Me By Your Name” director Luca Guadagnino who drafted a few botanical prints for the collection. These were brought out through digital prints and cut out knit wear. The colour palette was one that blended with the habitat ranging from beiges, to greens , browns and whites. In regards to accessories, the house debuted a Pequin printed Fendi watering can, garden baskets, big totes, pouch bags as well as versions of the Fendi baguette and peekaboo bags. This collection was a breath of fresh air for the house, one that in some ways allows for a sort of reset, and more than anything conjures the desire for a vacation.
On the occasion of their fifth anniversary, Italian minimalist brand SUNNEI adopted an urban space in the Rubattino area of eastern Milan, which they transformed into what they now dub as Bianco Sunnei. The space, an entirely normal concrete area that sat underneath a giant bridge in Milano’s Parco dell’Acqua and has been regenerated as a visual oasis coated in white paint. A type of maximal minimalism that didn’t call for much to make a statement than a well thought out concept. This sort of effortless assertive simplicity was strung throughout the brand’s SS2020 collection which had their freshly created space as it’s backdrop.
The collection was aimed towards a specific colour palette which not only complemented the space, but embraced some of the house’s iconic runway history , from plain white, to the khaki browns, somber citruses, lime greens to sky blues and midnight blacks. Each transition gliding into another as if it were some sort of poetry. But not just any kind of poem, no, this was a haiku — three lines, seventeen syllables, 17 words. Very simple but meticulously planned as to evoke all the right feelings. Boxy volumes were in abundance with cargo pants, monochromatic suits, denim jackets and coats, knit dresses that explore a few moments of layering. Fabrics move like liquid as the brand uses this moment to highlight their collaboration with Albiate 1830 — a branch of Italian eco-friendly fabric company Albini. This is seen through 3D woven nylon yarns, fresh leathers, and a deckchair-striped cotton poplin. Last season the designer duo presented a collection as a stance resistant against the wave of streetwear by referencing the 2000s. This season they affirmed that notion of in some ways being anti-fashion- Not like Rick Owens anti-fashion, and although similar not even Marni’s anti-fashion. Just simply riding , moving , sketching to the beats of their own rhythms, which happens to be in the opposite direction of everyone else. Either way this has become the duo’s strong suit.
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