Facts You Didn't Know About Paris Fashion Week

As the birthplace of Haute Couture, master ateliers, and the modern fashion show as we know it, the city of lights is hailed as the epicenter of fashion for a reason. While the fashion showing has existed for around 170 years, the catwalk extravaganza we know today came to life in the '70s and has since acted as a biannual reminder of the historical influence Paris has on fashion and culture as a whole. Through a series of audacious runways and elaborate spectacles, the reputation of Paris Fashion Week continues to cultivate a grandiose theatricality in its shows built on the backs of history's great couturiers. As Paris Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2021 rolls out, CR uncovers some of its most fascinating facts, and how it all began.

Défilés de mode or "fashion showings” were held in Paris as early as the 18th century as a commercial exchange between clients and designers. The garments were initially shown on stiff mannequins making it difficult for clients to see how the garment would hang on the body in real life. It wasn't until the 1850s when the father of Haute Couture, Charles Frederick Worth, first toyed with the idea of presenting his pieces on women in action–and thus, the role of fashion model was born.

Haute Couture houses are determined based on a set of rules predicated by the standards of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture. According to these rules, a house must present a collection of at least 35 pieces (including both daytime and evening wear) per season. Established in 1945, this mandate paved way for the first concept of fashion week, a biannual affair of the top Haute Couture houses.

The first Paris Fashion Week took place on November 28, 1973 and was supervised by the founder of New York Fashion Week, Eleanor Lambert. This event was was the first time that collections of Haute Couture, prêt-à-porter, and menswear were showcased together in Paris. The event was held as a fundraiser at the Palace of Versailles in an effort of covering the cost of renovating the royal residence, which was estimated at around $60 million.

The first Paris Fashion Week commenced a fashion mega-rivalry bookmarked in fashion history. Comprising the most prestigious designers; five American–Anne Klein, Bill Blass, Halston, Oscar de la Renta, and Stephen Burrows; and five French designers–Marc Bohan for Christian Dior, Emanuel Ungaro, Hubert de Givenchy, Pierre Cardin, and Yves Saint Laurent, the teams were pitted against each other in creating eight pieces to represent French and American fashion. The event garnered over 700 people, including a star-studded guest list featuring Josephine Baker, Elizabeth Taylor, and Liza Minelli. A fierce competition, the transcontinental fair was dubbed "The Battle of Versailles."

At "The Battle of Versailles," American designers collectively convened for one runway show. Of 36 models casted, 11 of them were Black models which was an unprecedented number at the time. Their use of diversity stole the show and left the crowds in awe of the spectacle.

In 1984, Thierry Mugler became the first fashion designer to give the French public access to a fashion show. In celebration of the house's 10th anniversary, Mugler orchestrated a grandiose runway performance for his Fall/Winter 1984 collection. Held at le Zénith stadium in front of a paying audience of over 6,000 people, the runway show marked the first fashion show open to the public.

Through his appointment of Creative Director at both Chanel and Fendi, the late Karl Lagerfeld created quite the spectacle when it came to fashion month. From building out an entire casino to staging a makeshift rocket launchpad, Lagerfeld knew a thing or two about putting on a show to captivate attention. Perhaps the most creative display of all, for his Fall/Winter 2014 show the house created a Chanel supermarket composed of real products, shopping carts, and fruit stands.

Paris Fashion Week shows happen across a number of historical monuments, and top designers vie on magnificent settings to bring a bit of magic to their runways. Many times, houses have specific locations where their show is hosted each year. Le Grand Palais is the venue of choice for Chanel, Le Musée Rodin hosts Dior shows in the garden, and the Louvre is home to Louis Vuitton's shows. The Eiffel Tower has become a point of interest over the years with Saint Laurent staging several dazzling shows underneath the iconic Parisian monument.

Despite the presence of the fashion's top names, various smaller small-scale designers also participate in Paris Fashion Week. Eager to grow and connect, less-established brands often host a showroom and attend appointments with clients, buyers, and the press to establish their presence.

In the early 1900s, French designer Paul Poiret became the first to host lavish parties after his shows to market his collections. Nowadays, celebrity-studded after parties with an anyone who's anyone guest list are a tradition for established designers to communicate with friends, business partners, clients, and members of the press in an informal, playful environment (invitation-only, of course).
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The Supers Turned Out En Masse For Olivier Rousteing’s 10th Anniversary Balmain Show

Despite entering the world of politics when she married the then president of France in 2008, Carla Bruni has always maintained her foothold in fashion. She proved it once again at Paris Fashion Week on Wednesday, with a show-stealing cameo at Olivier Rousteing’s 10th anniversary Balmain show.

The 53-year-old chanteuse was one of a posse of supers – both original and new generation – stalking the runway in Rousteing’s cut-out dresses, outsize embellished jackets and inflated sandals. The show, opened by Imaan Hammam, featured Naomi Campbell, Natasha Poly, Natalia Vodianova, Milla Jovovich, Lara Stone, Karen Elson, Edie Campbell, Precious Lee, Soo Joo Park, and Mariacarla Boscono (wearing pearl-encrusted bike shorts).

There was also an audio tribute to Olivier – and the “new, fresh, empowering outlook” he brought to Balmain when appointed creative director aged 24 – from his friend Beyoncé, whose unmistakable voice rang out over the speakers at the venue as Naomi walked. The musician, who has worn Balmain in videos, for her history-making Coachella performance, and for “many personal moments”, praised Rousteing’s diverse vision, calling Balmain his “amazing tool for beauty and change”.

Rousteing staged a Balmain festival to mark his decade at the helm of the house, with performances by Doja Cat and Jesse Jo Stark.

Jisoo Delivers On K-Pop Glamour At The Dior S/S'22 Show

Leave it to K-Pop princess Jisoo to bring the star factor to Paris Fashion Week. The Blackpink member and Dior ambassador joined Brit girls Alexa Chung, Rosamund Pike and Jenna Coleman at the French house’s spring/summer 2022 show but, as always, she put her own twist on creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri’s designs.

Modelling look 66 from the Dior Resort 2022 collection – a monochrome mini embroidered with Ancient Greek motifs – and a petite Lady Dior bag, Jisoo injected some pop star glamour into her short and sweet get-up via a pair of black polka dot platforms.

The 26-year-old’s FROW moment cements the bond between the Korean performer and the Dior family. “Jisoo embodies, with her singular audacity, the house’s modernity and the passionate creativity of Maria Grazia, who was inspired by the Korean singer for her autumn/winter 2021 collection,” said Dior upon announcing the Blackpink singer as an official fashion and beauty ambassador in June. For the Blinks (47 million and counting follow @sooyaaa__), who had pored over Jisoo’s Dior-saturated Instagram posts since she rose to fame, this appointment was long overdue.

Touching down in Paris last night with her fellow K-Popper Rosé – who will no doubt make a splash on the Saint Laurent front row later today – the pair posed against the Eiffel Tower for their adoring fans. If you need a reminder of the magic that the city holds for fashion fans, these bright young things sell it in droves. Expect that pearlescent micro Lady Dior bag to become a new bestseller the world over.

House Of Horror And Vans Join Forces For A Spooky Apparel And Footwear Collection Ahead Of Halloween

Spooky season is upon us, and in preparation for the Halloween holiday, Vans is dropping a horror-centric footwear and apparel collection that pulls inspiration from classic scary movies alongside Warner Bros. Several skate silhouettes are involved in this collection including the Era, Old Skool, Slip-On, Authentic, the Sk8-Hi and more, along with a pair of slides.

Leading the charge are the duo of Vans Sk8-Hi. One comes dressed up with red and olive stripes throughout the upper in an effort to be portray Freddy Krueger from A Nightmare on Elm Street while the other is outfitted with bold yellow graphics from The Shining. 

One of the Slip-Ons have Jason’s mask from Friday the 13th on them as well as another pair that has imagery of the twins from The Shining. Stephen King’s iconic IT film gets brought to life with Penny Wise adorning another pair of Slip-Ons. Additionally, a Vans Old Skool iteration gets treated with black and white scenes from the 1973 The Exorcist film. Alongside the kicks will be various matching graphic tees, hoodies, long sleeves, socks, backpacks and more.

Peep a closer look at the collection here above, and expect this trick-or-treating-friendly collection to release via Vans come October 1st.

Kate, Amber And Naomi Lead An Army Of Supermodels At A “Fendace” Show To Remember

“Please join me for an intimate creative experience,” read Donatella Versace’s invitation to the fashion pack on the closing day of the Milan spring/summer 2022 shows. The blockbuster production that unfolded on Sunday evening was by no means “intimate” when you consider the scores of fashion fans tuning in across the globe, but creativity between two of the biggest luxury houses in the world certainly abounded. Believe the hype – Fendace has landed. Just don’t call it a Fendi X Versace collaboration.

What unfolded was a fabulous switch-up, which saw Donatella Versace and Kim Jones swap roles to create two uniquely brilliant, logo-heavy collections inspired by their friendship and the cultural relevance of the two heavyweight brands they are at the helms of. First up, Jones, the king of transfusing streetwear and subcultural style through a luxury lens, put his mark on Versace with a little help from Kristen McMenamy, Paloma Elsesser, Lila Grace Moss, Karen Elson, Kate Moss and Amber Valletta.

Then, Mona Tougaard, Gigi Hadid, Emily Ratajkowski and Naomi Campbell brought to life the queen of no-holds-barred glamour Donatella’s Fendi vision, as Drake, Future and Young Thug blasted out “Way 2 Sexy” with intermittent “Ciao! Donatella!” broadcasts across the airwaves. It was to borrow the words of Dua Lipa, who opened the Versace spring/summer 2022 show on Friday and sat front row at the special showcase, “hotter than hell”.

Even more sizzling? Elizabeth Hurley, who sat front row with her son Damian, Iris Law and Winnie Harlow. The original Versace girl – who put the brand’s now-iconic safety-pin embellishment on the map at the premiere of Four Weddings and a Funeral more than 25 years ago – demonstrated the definition of smouldering, while Damian did his own version of Blue Steeling for the cameras.

It was a glitzy family affair from start to finish and reflective of the spirit of collaboration currently in the air. While Gucci’s “hacking” of Balenciaga will go down in history and Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons’s co-design partnership breaks new ground, no one can quite dial up the drama like Donatella and Kim. Brava.

Emporio Armani’s 40th Anniversary Show For S/S'22

Emporio Armani is turning forty

It’s been forty years since Giorgio Armani launched his younger line, Emporio Armani. And while turning forty perhaps doesn’t rhyme with youth culture, the anniversary serves as a reminder of the timeless endurance embodied by the eagle-eyed brand. “Young people of every generation have their particular and peculiar obsessions. Perhaps where fashion is concerned, what was different back in 1981 was that street style was something new – Emporio Armani seemed like a disruptive new code, and actually immediately became a social phenomenon,” Armani wrote in an email ahead of the anniversary show in Milan. “Today, I am happy that Emporio Armani still speaks to the younger generations, who still respond to its metropolitan energy and vitality. The virtues I’d like to show is a certain freedom: clothing used as tools of personal expression, with the trademark Armani pared-down, soulful simplicity.”

Armani said the youth brand still serves its original purpose

The anniversary show reiterated the democratic spirit of Emporio Armani, opening with a series of denim looks. “I started the Emporio line in 1981 because I saw there was a gap in the market. There was a hunger from younger people for something new and fresh, and that was what I wanted to offer them. I started with jeans and then expanded into a complete line that was like a container. It brought a new democracy and openness to my world,” Armani said. “Today, the brand has widened its purpose, and its audience: youth today is a state of mind. The spirit is bold; metropolitan.”

The collection encapsulated the brand’s democratic spirit

Describing the exhibition he has created for the anniversary in the Armani/Silos, Armani spoke about that Emporio Armani spirit as “a phenomenon that is not just fashion, but is more about style.” Charting the history of the brand through contemporary expressions, the anniversary collection was defined by casual tailoring, workwear, sportswear, and day and disco dresses that had the ease and approachability about them young people could always expect from Emporio Armani. “This is exactly what I hope to bring into the future,” Armani said: “A democratic, progressive, inclusive spirit.”

The Emporio Armani Magazine will come out in a special edition

Armani was one of the first designers to brave the idea of a more affordable line, trusting that expanding his accessibility wouldn’t harm his image as a luxury brand. Along with the line, he launched a magazine dedicated to the world of Emporio Armani – the first of its kind – recognising the community spirit that drew young people to dressing in certain brands. Marking the anniversary, Armani is launching a special-edition, one-off issue of the magazine. “We were the first brand to produce content with the magazine, and I am back at doing it. My sister Rosanna is the editor-in-chief, like she was back in the day, and has collaborated with a group of young creatives,” he explained.

Emporio Armani remains monumental

In mainstream culture, Emporio Armani has been characterised by its impressive branding techniques and large-scale presence. Anyone who has ever landed in Linate Airport will know the massive eagle-winged logo hovering over the hangar, which welcomes you to Milan (and reminds you who rules this city). “I think the big scale – the monumental scale, sometimes – is what really defines the language of Emporio, which is very bold and very direct in terms of communication. I’m thinking about the big billboards in via Broletto in Milano and yes, also about the Linate airport show, which was such a big event and had a huge impact on the city,” Armani said, referring to his spring/summer 2019 show. “Whatever we do, it is always something that hits the eye of the public in a very direct way. The new collection, however, is not an homage,” he pointed out. “It keeps the free, wandering spirit.”

“Paris of the North,” A New Exhibition In Stockholm, Shows Parisian Haute Couture’s Nordic Connections

Fashion is a global language that has many local dialects. At the same time that the lexicon of contemporary American fashion is being parsed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, a recently opened exhibition in Stockholm at the Nordiska Museum, “Paris of the North,” examines how Parisian haute couture was translated for the Nordics between 1902 and 1966. This golden age of French fashion was brought north by the capital’s leading department store, Nordiska Kompaniet, known as NK.

Just as Saks Fifth Avenue had Salon Moderne, where customers had access to imports and in-house custom designs, so NK established the French Couture Atelier, which “at the time was known as the northernmost outpost of Paris haute couture,” explains journalist and curator Susanna Strömquist.

It was through NK’s French Couture Atelier that the work of designers including Coco Chanel, Cristóbal Balenciaga, Madeleine Vionnet, and Christian Dior came to the Nordic region. Patrons were offered three categories of dress: original haute couture pieces from Paris; licensed copies of French designs; and custom looks by NK. Every ensemble of any category was selected or designed by the head of the salon, of which there were three in its 64 years. Madame Suzanne Pellin, a French milliner, was in charge of the operation from 1902 to 1913. Her successor, Kurt Jacobsson, who apprenticed both with Pellin and the internationally known designer Lucile, was in the role from 1917 to 1965. Working at Jacobsson’s side starting in 1923, and succeeding him, was Pelle Lundgren, who had worked in Paris with Lucien Lelong. These three, explains Strömquist in an email exchange, “belonged to a select group of foreign buyers who each season were invited to order original designs at the Paris haute couture houses. The price included a license that covered a limited number of reproductions for private customers in the home market. This business arrangement generated a considerable income for the fashion houses at the same time as it consolidated Paris as the capital of fashion.”

“Paris of the North” is organized in halves. One is devoted to finished garments organized by type—little black dress, power suit, and so on—and period. The other focuses on the atelier and the craftsmanship that was involved in their making.

About half of the 100 garments on view come from museum collections, mainly Nordiska’s; the rest are privately owned and are being exhibited for the first time in this show. (Also on display is photographic documentation of fashion in the period covered.) The loans came through a public outreach made by Strömquist and NK that, she says, “was highly successful and kick-started a major public interest in contributing with memories, documents, garments, and paraphernalia to the project. We are now following up with a digital reach on the museum’s website, Minnen.se.” This type of outreach is in keeping with the inclusive trend of breaking down barriers between the museum and the public. The Willi Smith exhibition at New York’s Cooper Hewitt also had a site dedicated to documenting people’s lived experience of the clothes, brand, and designer.

With its focus on the work of the handiwork of the atelier, and display of NK Original designs, “Paris of the North” charts Swedish fashion history; it also speaks more broadly of an era when Paris was king and fashion followed a trickle-down system of distribution and interpretation. The exhibition, says Strömquist, is “about the more or less forgotten high-quality craft of couture made in Stockholm and the trendsetting role of Paris haute couture in Sweden. It also adds knowledge to international fashion history about the role and importance of the foreign buyers in diffusing Paris fashion around the world.”

One of the most interesting takeaways is the bridge between Nordic fashion’s past and present. “The templates of Scandinavian style as we know it today were already established at the time. Kurt Jacobsson was known for his impeccable fashion sense and ability to translate Paris fashion to Scandinavian style and taste,” states Strömquist. “When in Paris he was always on the lookout for the pared down and timeless rather than the extravagant. Black was his all-time favorite color. There was never a bow, flounce, or ornament too many, and he strictly adhered to his motto: ‘The sober is noble. True elegance can never be too pure and simple.’”

Versace Said To Drop Fendi Collaboration At Secret Second Show

Fendace? Versendi? Either way, Milan Fashion Week has a new hot ticket.

Versace, the Milanese fashion brand owned by Michael Kors parent Capri Holdings is getting ready to reveal a collaboration with Rome-based Fendi, according to people familiar with the matter who declined to be identified as the project is still under wraps.

Yesterday, Versace sent out a cryptic gold-and-white “save the date” — signed by creative director and former owner Donatella Versace — to a small group of fashion insiders inviting them to a Sunday event, although her runway show was still scheduled for its slot two days earlier, sparking whispers of a second, secret show.

Now, we know what’s behind the buzz: Donatella has been working with both of LVMH-owned Fendi’s creative directors, Silvia Venturini Fendi and Kim Jones, on a line set to be revealed at the Sunday event.

Rumours have swirled for months about a collaboration between Donatella Versace, Kim Jones and Kim Kardashian West, fuelled by a July post to Kardashian West’s Instagram account showing the three together with the caption “LEGENDS!!!” But the mega-influencer’s connection to the collection to be unveiled on Sunday could not be confirmed.

Cindy Crawford Is The Savage X Fenty Woman We All Want To Be

Cindy Crawford’s Instagram page is all gratitude posts, family snapshots and throwbacks to her ’90s heyday as a supermodel climbing up the ranks and making her forever mark on the industry. Now, her wholesome #selfcaresunday moments have been interrupted by a high-octane, full-glam shoot for Savage X Fenty.

Drumming up the hype for Volume 3 of Rihanna’s lingerie runway extravaganza, Cindy posed in a shimmering blue, halter-neck Fenty dress with a thigh split to rival anything we saw at the VMAs. Basking in the sunlight beaming through her brutalist surroundings (think Barbican, but model-worthy), Crawford accentuated the colour of her silky slip with electric-blue eyeshadow.

But really, it was all about Cindy’s skin. With a glow that would make J Lo proud, Crawford defied her 55 years and proved that all the Four Sigmatic supplements she posts about are paying dividends.

While the radiant portrait could have been an advert for Fenty Skin – Rihanna swears by the Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint – Crawford showed that Rih’s promise to make underwear for all ages is not just a marketing strategy. She might not currently be listed on the model line-up for the show (Gigi Hadid, Irina Shayk and Joan Smalls are flying the flag for the supers), but Cindy is a stellar brand ambassador for Rihanna’s Fenty empire. And at this stage in her career, she doesn’t say yes to everything. 

Rihanna’s two cents on enlisting the woman who helped pave the way for future models to become celebrities in their own right? (Including her own daughter, Kaia Gerber). “Queens recognise queens,” asserted the Fenty mogul. “Show ’em how it’s done.” It takes one to know one.

Fendi’s Studio 54-Inspired S/S'22 Show

For his first live show since joining Fendi, artistic director Kim Jones was inspired by the late Puerto Rican fashion illustrator Antonio Lopez, and the spirit of Studio 54. Here, British Vogue’s fashion critic Anders Christian Madsen breaks down the five key takeaways from the spring/ summer 2022 collection.

It was Kim Jones’s first Fendi show with a live audience

For Kim Jones, who joined Fendi as artistic director between the two lockdowns, and had to present his first collections to a digital audience, his sophomore ready-to-wear show was a special occasion. “This is my first live show for Fendi, and it’s a celebration. Our woman has let loose a bit – she’s going out, dressing up. We’ve all been locked away for so long that I think that’s what we all need right now,” he said.

It was inspired by Antonio Lopez

Jones found in the Fendi archives a logo hand-sketched by the late Puerto Rican fashion illustrator Antonio Lopez, whose work was defined by the spirits of the 1960s and ’70s. A friend of Karl Lagerfeld – Jones’s predecessor at Fendi – Lopez embodied the decadence and glamour of New York City in the ’70s, and frequented Studio 54, which became the imagined surroundings of Jones’s collection.

Pieces were imbued with Lopez’s sketches

“Lopez was a friend of Karl’s, and has always been someone who inspired me. He was forward thinking; inclusive; looked up to by everyone from Andy Warhol to Steven Meisel and David Hockney. I wanted to introduce him to a new generation,” Jones said. He applied the illustrator’s work to kaftans and shirts, transformed them in intarsia leathers and jacquards, and interpreted them in handbags and hairclips.

It was post-pandemic power suiting

More than anything, the collection felt devoted to suiting: a kind of tailoring so empowering and glamorous it had left the territory of office-wear and entered the evening realm. If post-pandemic appetites call for a “dressed” approach to fashion, but aren’t quite ready for a cocktail dress, this was the happy medium (although Jones had a few cocktail options up his sleeve as well).

Fendi is for everyone

“My Fendi is multi-generational. It’s for all different kinds of women – anyone who wants to feel good about themselves. The Lopez woman, and the Fendi woman, is empowered; she’s someone of her own making,” Jones said, drawing a parallel between the diverse stars of the Studio 54 dance floor and the customer base he is creating at Fendi.

Gigi And Joan Are Sensational In Rihanna’s New Savage X Fenty Show

Welcome to the latest instalment of We Are Not Worthy Of Rihanna. The world’s best bad gal announced details of her Savage X Fenty Volume 3 show with a typically jaw-dropping Insta clip, and now she’s shared an exclusive first look at the talent in action.

Nas, Ricky Martin (!) and Normani are among the performers, while a host of fabulous drag queens, including Gottmik and Symone, join Precious Lee, Soo Joo Park, Irina Shayk, Gigi Hadid, Joan Smalls and Emily Ratajkowski in the 24 September Amazon Prime Video spectacular.

In the glossy imagery, Gigi – all chocolate-brown, polka-straight hair and heavy, cat-eyeliner – walks the runway in an electric-blue robe dripping in sequins, and little else. Smalls – modelling another angular fringe cut – aces Parris Goebel’s choreography in a pleated silver micro twin set, while Precious Lee is another vision in sparkling midnight-blue paillettes.

  

On the entertainment side, Erykah Badu gives good hat game and Jojo T Gibbs and Eartheater are pictured in a steamy embrace. It is as high-octane as you would expect from the queen of immersive shows. Rihanna herself, dripping in black lace and heavy jewellery, makes a brief appearance in the teaser clip, while the initial trailer showing her smouldering in a metallic blue “whale tail” mini dress showed once again that she never does things by halves. (Remember when she chopped her own hair into a painstakingly cool mullet for the Volume 2 promo footage? Again, we are not worthy.)

In case you needed a reminder of why the Savage X Fenty shows are a highlight of the fashion week calendar, the celebrity factor is not it. The underwear arm of Rihanna’s Fenty empire has shifted society’s perceptions of what “sexy” is, thanks to a wholly inclusive brand ethos, product proposition and casting process. Rih and her diverse cohort of savages flip the script on what a fashion show can look like, by raising one another up and having an unapologetically sassy time in the process.

The multi-layered performance pieces, which Rihanna herself calls a “fashion musical”, have become a barometer for true body positivity, and while the industry is making strides to catch up, Rihanna keeps on blazing a trail to electrifying effect. Do not miss the show on 24 September.

Jean Paul Gaultier Collaborates With Lil Nas X

Coinciding with the release of his debut album “Montero,” American rapper Lil Nas X is collaborating with Jean Paul Gaultier on a capsule collection, available for purchase online Sept. 20.

The collection includes 666 units of a remixed version of the French brand’s archival mesh top, which became popular in the 1990s. Sharing a “gothic glamour” aesthetic with Lil Nas X’s “Montero” album art, the shirt is an adapted archive print from the brand’s Spring/Summer 2001 collection, according to the brand.

Lil Nas X, who has become known for being a provocateur as much as an artist, has been increasingly heralded for his marketing prowess, leveraging controversy — like a legal snafu with Nike over his “Satan” shoes — for his own benefit. The approach has boosted not only his own star power but also the power he offers the fashion brands with whom he collaborates. During the Met Gala last week, for example, Lil Nas X, who wore a three-piece Versace ensemble, generated the highest media impact value (a measure of marketing activity across digital channels) of any celebrity at the event according to marketing measurement company LaunchMetrics.

After a Brooklyn company sold 666 pairs of customised Nike Air Max 97s as ‘Satan Shoes’ in collaboration with queer rapper Lil Nas X, the sportswear giant sued to protect its brand. Was it the right move?

Richard Buckley, Longtime Fashion Journalist, Dies At 72

“It is with great sadness that Tom Ford announces the death of his beloved husband of 35 years, Richard Buckley,” a statement from the designer said. “Richard passed away peacefully at their home in Los Angeles last night with Tom and their son Jack by his side. He died of natural causes after a long illness.”

Buckley was born in Binghamton, N.Y., in 1948 and was raised as part of a military family in New York, France and Germany. After graduating from the University of Maryland in Munich, he began to pursue a career in journalism in 1979 at New York Magazine. In 1982, he moved to Paris as the European editor of Fairchild Publications’ Daily News Record, the men’s wear counterpart to WWD. In that and subsequent roles, he had the uncanny ability to spot what was “next” — the young designer who would become the Next Big Thing; a club everyone would soon be flocking to, or a musician, actor or actress set to explode onto the scene.

A man with ramrod straight posture and piercing blue eyes, Buckley’s inquisitiveness knew few, if any, bounds, and he somehow managed to tap into what would be influencing men’s fashions not only a season ahead, but several seasons ahead. And he would do it all with a quietly diligent, soft-spoken manner that endeared him to almost everyone he met — and that hid a sense of humor that delighted in spotting the absurd, or that could make even the most cutting remark come across with seeming kindness.

In 1986, Buckley was called back to New York by editorial director John B. Fairchild to be editor in chief of the company’s newest publication, Scene, which was aimed at the twentysomething daughter of the reader of Fairchild’s W magazine. He also held the title of fashion editor at WWD. While Scene — which was meant to have the gritty feel of the downtown world it supposedly covered — never took off in the way Fairchild hoped, Buckley still managed to carve out a niche for it as an insider’s must-read to learn about the newest trends in fashion, music, art, culture and more.

After Scene shuttered, Buckley left Fairchild in 1988 to join Tina Brown at Vanity Fair, where he became social editor and, again, rapidly turned that beat into more than just a party page. In 1990, he and Ford would move to Milan, where Buckley became European editor of Mirabella magazine and contributing editor at Italian Vogue, while Ford joined the design staff at Gucci. After the couple relocated to Paris, Buckley became editor in chief of Vogue Hommes International. He would continue to contribute the occasional fashion article even after the couple moved to London. Buckley most recently lived in Los Angeles, New York and Santa Fe. He is survived by his husband, Tom Ford, as well as their son, Alexander John Buckley Ford.

5 Things To Know About Matty Bovan’s “Hypercraft” S/S'22 Collection

For spring/summer 2022, Matty Bovan presented his collection inside a dolls house – superimposing the likes of Erin O’Connor and Rosemary Ferguson inside its tiny rooms. Here, British Vogue’s fashion critic Anders Christian Madsen breaks down the five key takeaways from the digital show.

Matty Bovan is feeling domestic

The world may be reopening, but, true to character, Matty Bovan marches to the beat of his own drum. Last season, when we were all in lockdown, he designed a collection founded in an outdoors sensibility. Now that we’ve emerged from our confinements, he did the very opposite. “Subconsciously, working on the last winter collection, I was trying to escape mentally by putting these characters in the middle of nowhere. Now that we’re getting freedom, subconsciously, I’ve created my own home, in a way. I wanted to do something very domestic; inside, building rooms inside your head,” he said on the phone from his native York.

The film was shot in a dolls house

Bovan chose to continue with the film format over a real-life runway show. “I felt that the last two seasons, I could do something a bit different creatively, which I couldn’t do on a runway. I wasn’t sure what was going to be happening by September,” he paused. “I mean, I’m still not!” He customised a 1970s dolls house and shot his models – including Erin O’Connor – on a green screen, superimposing them into his domestic miniature setting. “It’s kind of analogue, real, gritty… I wanted to keep that energy, but anything digital can easily feel laboured.”

The collection was titled Hypercraft

“It was interesting to have this interior world, almost introspective with yourself,” Bovan explained, acknowledging how the lockdown period kind of suited his disposition. “I’m a semi-sociable person, but I’m quite private. When I work, I like to have just one other person around. I’ve always needed some space to come up with stuff. I like to be able to focus.” Fittingly, he titled his collection Hypercraft in homage to that mindset, and the incredibly intricate craftsmanship that had gone into creating his supersized looks.

Bovan literally built houses around the body

“It’s the idea of silhouette and structure within these rooms,” Bovan explained of the magnified silhouettes. “And they got bigger and bigger. They’re ironically quite comfortable, like having a room around your body. It’s very ambitious-looking, but it’s actually relatively wearable.” Bovan constructed his shapes around huge crinolines, layering them with vintage fabrics from the ’70s, fabrics printed with personal family photos from the last century, and toys he played with as a child.

The collection came with a new invention

“There are lycras I got printed with abstract The Shining-esque carpets, which is an eternal reference of mine: the idea of the house creeping onto the body. I do like the idea of when clothes start to almost overwhelm you with print and texture. Something about that really attracts me,” Bovan said. Part of his Hypercraft included creating new textiles from paracord. “That was something I was really proud of, because I’ve never tested it before. So, things got bigger and bigger. I was wondering what Louise Wilson would have said,” Bovan paused, referring to his late legendary teacher from Central Saint Martins. “‘Push it! Go bigger! Just do it!’”

This Denim Tears Capsule Honours The Windrush Generation

As part of concept store Machine-A’s efforts to spotlight exciting independent labels from across the globe, it has unveiled a capsule from the LA-based Denim Tears to coincide with London Fashion Week. Designer Tremaine Emory joined forces with the London-based artist and curator Khalid Wildman to create a collection that reflects history and shared experiences. “It’s not a collaboration, it’s a friendship which has grown into us making art together,” says Emory of their partnership.

Inspired by the Windrush generation, as well as the experiences of the African diaspora as a consequence of British colonialism, the clothes have a depth of meaning that goes beyond the visual. Context here is important: Empire Windrush was a passenger liner that in 1948 brought the first immigrants to London from Jamaica (at that point a British colony) as well as Trinidad and Tobago and other Caribbean islands, to help make up for the labour shortage created by the Second World War. Many of the new arrivals became manual workers, drivers and cleaners, or took up jobs with the newly established NHS. In 2018, a political scandal broke when it emerged that members of the Windrush generation had been wrongly deported or threatened with deportation from the UK by the Home Office.

The 20-piece capsule is an homage to the history and ongoing impact of Windrush, but also speaks to identity, and takes Jamaica itself as a core focus. It features linen shirts, graphic jerseys and printed T-shirts, and an adaptation of the Union Jack with the Jamaican flag colours appears on hand-painted denim and sweatshirts. The limited capsule is available now from the Machine-A boutique in Soho, London.

These Archive Simone Rocha Fabrics Have Been Repurposed In The Best Way

To celebrate her brand’s 10-year anniversary, Simone Rocha has teamed up with long-time collaborator Dover Street Market on a series of unique installations now in situ at its London flagship. “I’m really humbled and proud to have been at Dover Street Market for a decade,” says Rocha of the project. “I’m so happy to have been invited to create this special installation.”

In collaboration with Luncheon Magazine, the designer created a limited run of 10 upcycled tablecloths, made from archive Simone Rocha fabrics such as the daisy broderie anglaise, embroidered gold-thread cherub and red embroidered Delft plate, that will be available to purchase from DSM. The pieces are “reflected in a human tactile way, to bring a sense of home to the experience,” says Rocha. “The tablecloths have also been translated into still life images by the iconic [photographer] Tessa Traeger.”

The installation at the store features a stained glass church by set designer Janina Pedan, which house Rocha’s autumn/winter 2021 collection “Winter Roses”, as well as other signature items from the past decade, and are decorated by hair pieces that replicate hairstylist Cyndia Harvey’s creations from the show. An exclusive range of products made especially for DSM – including one of a kind embellished headbands, mini bags with pearl straps – is available in store, as well as shoes and accessories from the autumn/winter 2021 collection, all of which will be on display for the next three weeks.

Naomi Campbell Is Taking On A Major Royal Appointment

Naomi Campbell is lending her magic touch to help establish a new generation of forces for change around the globe. As the first-ever global ambassador for the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust (QCT), she will work to support young innovators between the ages of 18 and 35 across the Commonwealth, connecting them with opportunities, training and funding. In this way, the QCT has previously been able to incubate the likes of Haima Helath in Nigeria, which, during the pandemic, maintained socially-distanced blood donation by providing transport to blood banks for donors.

Over more than 25 years of humanitarian work, Campbell has fought to create golden opportunities for youth, particularly throughout the African continent. (She credits her “honorary grandfather”, Nelson Mandela, for inspiring her dedication.) A regular supporter of Condé Nast’s Fashion Rocks fundraiser event, the supermodel first founded We Love Brazil, which tackled poverty by supporting local artisans, followed by Fashion for Relief in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The latter has continued to provide support for causes ranging from helping asylum seekers in Syria to bolstering the #MeToo movement.

Of her latest role, announced as London Fashion Week gets underway, Campbell said: “It is my privilege to accept this role as global ambassador for The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust. Regardless of where you are from or where you are now, there are young leaders within your community doing amazing work. Sometimes they are not seen and some of them may not even see themselves as ‘leaders’ yet, but they all deserve our support, and access to education and resources… This is something very close to my heart, and I will continue to do everything I can to uplift the next generation, so they can create a better future for their communities.”

Saint Laurent Is Back On Paris Fashion Week Calendar

The next Paris Fashion Week, for spring 2022 collections, is shaping up to be a strong one: The French Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode has published the final version of the official schedule, with a number of changes.

The biggest one? The return of Saint Laurent, the first big house to step away from preset schedules to set its own pace for collections during the pandemic, who says goodbye to the Venice views and desert vistas to return with an 8 p.m. show on Sept. 28.

It joins returnees Balenciaga, Loewe, Maison Margiela and Valentino among the big names that have decided to return their collections to Paris this season.

Olivier Theyskens, whose physical event was slated for Oct. 1 at 4 p.m., has thrown his hat into the show ring, moving to Oct. 4 for a 7:30 p.m. runway display. Couturier Alexandre Vauthier has moved the reveal of his latest ready-to-wear offering to a bright and early 9 a.m. on Oct. 2.

Also back on the schedule are French label Mazarine and leather specialist Jitrois, Amsterdam-based Ninamounah, and Atlein, which will put on a presentation at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 4. These additions bring the tally up to 97 houses showing their spring 2022 collections on the Paris calendar, up from 88 last season.

Adidas Unveils Its Upcoming 007-Inspired UltraBOOST Pack

Ahead of the release of the latest James Bond movie No Time to Die later this month, has unveiled a selection of reimagined UltraBOOST styles inspired by the world of 007. The movie — which was originally slated for release in 2020 — is the 25th installment in the popular series, and Daniel Craig’s fifth outing as the MI6 agent.

To mark its release, adidas has unveiled a limited-edition array of 007-infused takes on the UltraBOOST DNA and UltraBOOST 20 silhouettes, with “White Tuxedo” and “Black Tuxedo” styles drawing on James Bond’s epochal sense of style. Q Branch is honored in another style which features a pocket hidden on the sneaker’s tongue, while another is inspired by the latest Bond villain, Safin, with a lace cage mimicking his porcelain mask.

Each new design features the brand’s performance-enhancing TPU BOOST midsole, which sits beneath a variety of monochromatic and breathable mesh uppers.

The 007 x adidas UltraBOOST DNA “White Tuxedo” will be available to member of the brand’s Creators Club on September 17, with a full roll-out slated to follow on September 24, all of which will be available via the adidas webstore.

EmRata, Gigi, Gottmik And Symone Will All Star In Rihanna’s Next Savage X Fenty Show

Welcome to the latest instalment of We Are Not Worthy Of Rihanna. The world’s best bad gal has announced details of her Savage X Fenty Volume 3 show with a typically jaw-dropping Insta clip and a prompt to start inviting people to the viewing parties we should all apparently be having.

Dropping on Amazon Prime Video on 24 September, the groundbreaking lingerie spectacle promises to be as high-octane as the last. Nas, Ricky Martin (!) and Normani are among the performers, while a host of fabulous drag queens, including Gottmik and Symone, will join Precious Lee, Soo Joo Park, Irina Shayk, Gigi Hadid, Joan Smalls and Emily Ratajkowski on the runway.

Rihanna, dripping in black lace and heavy jewellery, makes a brief appearance in the new clip, while the initial teaser showing her smouldering in a metallic blue “whale tail” mini dress showed once again that she never does things by halves. (Remember when she chopped her hair into a painstakingly cool mullet for the Volume 2 promo footage? Again, we are not worthy.)

The Savage X Fenty shows are a highlight of the fashion week calendar, and not because Rihanna dials up the glamour and gets the party started (even if via Prime nowadays). The underwear arm of her Fenty empire has shifted society’s perceptions of what “sexy” is, thanks to a wholly inclusive brand ethos, product proposition and casting process. Rih and her diverse cohort of savages – including the fierce choreographer Parris Goebel, model veterans, musicians, pop culture phenomenons, and industry newcomers – flip the script on what a fashion show can look like, by raising one another up and having an unapologetically sassy time in the process. The multi-layered performance pieces, which Rihanna herself calls a “fashion musical”, have become a barometer for true body positivity, and while the industry is making strides to catch up, Rihanna keeps on blazing a trail to electrifying effect. Do not miss the show on 24 September.

Tom Ford’s Maximum Impact S/S'22 Show

Tom Ford delivered a dazzling end to New York Fashion Week with a spring/summer 2022 collection heavy on sequins, satins and shine.

The collection dealt with our return to going out

When the end of lockdown first appeared on the far horizon, designers and critics were quick to declare the return of eveningwear. We weren’t wrong – the appetite and need for formalwear are coming back – but after the pandemic, our relationship with dressing up isn’t as easy as that. If the full-blown, floor-length, trussed-up idea of evening still makes us feel a little hesitant, Tom Ford’s runway homecoming reflected it with poetic panache. “Perhaps it has been the pandemic and more time at home, or perhaps it is the more relaxed lifestyle of LA, but this season I am very much into a kind of glamour that is still chic but more straightforward and somehow still casual,” he wrote in his self-penned show notes.

It was maximum-impact daywear

The collection, set in the David Koch Theater, amplified the silhouettes of casual wear with the emotional impact of eveningwear: sequins, satins, and shine metallised the colours of clubbing, from shocking pink to cobalt and gold. “After struggling with our son’s desire to wear basketball silks to school, I decided to embrace the trend but turn the sports look into eveningwear for women,” Ford explained, referring to nine-year-old Alexander, whom he shares with husband Richard Buckley. “Of course, I still won’t let him wear basketball silks to school but I suppose if he really, really begged me to wear a sequined pair from this collection I might make them for him.”

Ford said social media is impacting our wardrobes

While the pandemic’s impact on our evening wardrobe will be short-lived – after all, the red carpets are very much back in business – Ford argued that social media has reshaped our relationship with dress codes more permanently. “Increasingly people don’t dress in fashion for day but only for night. Or for social media. Instagram may actually be what saves fashion in the end,” he said. “Black doesn’t photograph well and so clothes need to be increasingly cartoon-like to have power on the tiny screens of our phones. It is altering our perception of beauty. It has certainly altered mine.” If the runway-deprived fashion created during the pandemic had to be loud enough to jump through a computer screen, Ford’s collection was the natural evolution of that idea.

The collection wasn’t just for evening

While Ford’s clothes were “simple in cut but not in impact”, as he put it, head-to-toe sequins in disco colours may seem a bit much for a Tuesday. The designer agreed. “My ‘day clothes’ are only really day in an alternate celebrity fashion reality or in the alternate reality of day on social media,” he acknowledged. But this was a fashion show. “My customers will break these clothes down into key pieces to mix with their jeans or sweats for day or wear head to toe for night.” Call it a post-pandemic transition collection: back to life, if not reality.

Ford said it was about hope

At its core, Ford’s collection was a visual expression of the faith fashion and its surrounding world have to keep up during this fragile moment in time. “Mostly, I think that this is a hopeful collection,” Ford wrote. “We need that now more than ever.”

Ann Demeulemeester Store Renewal

As one of the legendary Antwerp Six, fashion designer Ann Demeulemeester first shook up the fashion world in the 1980s with post-apocalyptic silhouettes, only to gain a large global following right after. At the height of her career, Demeulemeester’s creations could be found on the shelves of many a top boutique across the planet, but she also managed standalone boutiques at home base Antwerp and in the overseas fashion hubs of Tokyo and Seoul. Since the Belgian creative stopped designing clothes for her brand in 2013, a period of, let’s say, creative and commercial decline followed. But as of last Summer, Claudio Antonioli, the renowned Milan-based retailer and former owner of the fast-emerging fashion conglomerate New Guards Group, took over the managerial reigns, and the total revamp of the Belgian flagship store symbolises the brand’s major reboot.

Since 1999, the iconic fashion brand has occupied two floors of an early 20th-century building with an ornate façade, and it reopens this week after being revamped by Patrick Robyn, the longtime life partner of Demeulemeester. Mind you, the fashion designer herself remains very much remains connected to the brand she founded, but as an advisor, while also deploying design activities elsewhere. The renewed shop sees a refreshed version of the former setting, but in an even more overt black and white colour scheme as before, and it’s one that’s very compatible with Ann Demeulemeester‘s distinct style. The parquet flooring on the lofty ground floor now dons a pitch black hue, making the custom furnishings, all in pristine white, effortlessly pop.

On one side, a large glass cabinet lines the large arched windows, presenting a curated range of lifestyle goods, while directly opposite, apparel and shoes are presented against a backdrop of white panelling. One of the back rooms leads to a light-filled patio with verdant green, offering shoppers a tranquil spot to ponder over the next trophy purchase. An existing staircase leads to the more intimate upper floor which boasts a visually more spectacular setting anchored by a curved display and other furnishings which allude to the interplay of round and square shapes. The renewed Ann Demeulemeester store carries the brand’s full range of men’s and women’s apparel, footwear, accessories and jewellery, but as said, also a curated range of lifestyle items. Should the relaunch of the brand be successful, additional boutiques are to be opened in the fashion capitals of Paris and Milan in the near future.

Hermes Introduces New Nail Polish Collection

Following up on the launch of the brand's beauty line of vivid lipsticks and blush in March 2020, Hermès is introducing a line of luxury polish as reported by Elle. And yes, it comes in signature Hermès orange.

The french house is dropping 24 timeless lacquer shades, chosen by house leather and silk colorists and formula-tested by Hermès artisans. Leading shades in the collection include “Orange Boîte” (orange box), rich red “Rouge Casaque,” and “Rose Magenta.” The nail colors correspond to the house's range of lip products, so you can match your lips to your nails to your bag — call that boujee beauty.

The one-coat, saturated formula is made from bio-sourced pigments. The collection also offers base and top coats to lock in the glossy color, as well as a branded nail file in "Orange Boîte," made of poplar wood, and nail brushes. The polish bottles are packaged in classic Hermès orange boxes, just like the lipstick tubes and blushes, designed with the assistance of Pierre Hardy.

The Winners Of The Inaugural BFC Changemakers Prize

The British Fashion Council has chosen the three winners of its inaugural Changemakers Prize, launched in April in partnership with Swarovski. Earlier this summer, the BFC announced the first set of finalists, and now the recipients of the award have been revealed.

One winner from each of the three categories – based on the three pillars of the BFC’s Institute of Positive Fashion, Environment; People; and Community & Craftsmanship – were chosen by an prestigious panel of judges, comprised of British Vogue editor-in-chief and European editorial director of Vogue, Edward Enninful, Munroe Bergdorf, Tan France, Lily Cole, Farrah Storr, Ib Kamara, Jo Ellison, chief executive of the BFC Caroline Rush, and Swarovski’s creative director Giovanna Engelbert. Crafter John Hickling was triumphant in the Environment group; hair stylist Cyndia Harvey was given the People prize, and thread-maker Andrew Kenny was selected from Community & Craftsmanship.

“What is really exciting about the BFC Changemakers Prize in partnership with Swarovski is the ability to provide these leaders of the future with the support and recognition to continue to ignite their dreams,” said Caroline Rush. “Our hope is to facilitate them with their incredible work, allowing them to continue to actualise their aspirations for the industry.” Swarovski’s Giovanna Engelbert added: “Swarovski has stepped forward with a bold vision for the future; its mission is to ignite dreams. The brand is true to Daniel Swarovski’s founding spirit as a radically inclusive laboratory of creativity that invites the world to celebrate their individuality.”

Below, the winners share what being awarded the prize means to them.

 
Cyndia Harvey

“I am truly so thrilled to have won the BFC Changemakers Prize in partnership with Swarovski. For me, the core of my creative process has always encompassed a vision of inclusive beauty. My aim has always been to ensure that there’s not just one singular story being told, knowing that real change comes from collective consciousness. This has always been an extremely natural part of my work, so for the BFC and Swarovski to recognise and acknowledge this feels humbling and very special to me.”

Andrew Kenny

“Winning this prize means so much for me and my team. Being recognised by such a hallowed institution as the BFC for the work that we do is a real honour – and one that we craftspeople working behind the scenes in fashion – rarely receive. This makes it all the more special. High-end fashion embroidery, even machine embroidery is incredibly laborious and so building an embroidery company where everything is made in-house has been a difficult thing to do. I was determined to do it because I’m incredibly passionate about the making and promotion of my craft and to be rewarded for it by the BFC and Swarovski – [the latter] a brand whose products we use so regularly to create our work – feels like an incredible achievement and I’m extremely grateful.”

John Hickling

“I am delighted, honoured and very proud to accept the Changemakers award from the British Fashion Council, Swarovski and the wonderful panel of judges; thank you. This is a landmark for Glass Onion: it’s taken 15 years of hard work and dedication from our team, suppliers and customers to get to this point, it represents a new chapter for our business and team. We are inspired by a creative industry which embraces change and are excited to play our part by building Glass Onion and delivering our vision.”

Yes, You Can Actually Watch the 2021 Met Gala This Year

Wondering how, and where, to watch the 2021 Met Gala? Well, you’re in luck: Vogue is hosting the only official livestream of the event, which is known as fashion’s biggest night out. Taking place on 13 September, the livestream will allow you to be a part of all the action as megawatt celebrities take to the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in their finest attire — and all with the simple click of a button.

The Met Gala livestream will begin at 10:30pm BST on the night of the Met Gala, and will be hosted by two special guests: actor and recording artist Keke Palmer, and actor, writer and director Ilana Glazer. Together, they will provide unprecedented access to the Met Gala’s famous red carpet, interviewing high-profile guests as they arrive in grand style. (Expect a double dose of humour and irreverence along the way.) To watch the official livestream, be sure to check back to this article on the night.

The theme for this year’s Met Gala is a celebration of American fashion, so look out for plenty of star-spangled style throughout the evening. “American Independence” is listed as the official dress code, and this can mean anything from splashy, red-white-and-blue looks, to more discreet choices that are made here in the US. No matter the interpretation, celebrities are bound to make major statements with their outfits — the Met Gala has a history of creating memorable fashion looks, after all. 

This year’s notable co-chairs, meanwhile, are the Gen Z superstars Timothée Chalamet, Billie Eilish, Naomi Osaka, and Amanda Gorman — so expect to see them make cameos on the carpet and livestream, too. Designer Tom Ford, Instagram’s Adam Mosseri, and Anna Wintour will also serve as the honorary chairs. Vogue’s livestream of the Met gala Red Carpet, presented by Audi, the official electric vehicle partner of the 2021 Met gala, and Tequila Don Julio.

Dolce & Gabbana Launches Their First-Ever Home Decor Line, Casa

Today, the Italian design house announced their first ever home decor line, Dolce & Gabbana Casa, at their Alta Moda couture show in Venice. The chic collection of colorful curios includes everything from seating, to dining, to cabinetry—each adorned in one of four signature motifs: Mediterranean Blue, Carretto, Leo, and Zebra.

There’s a sofa upholstered in a statement swirling blue-and-white pattern, a round table covered in the eye-popping Carretto motif, animal print stools, and a leopard-pattern rug. “​We wanted an explosion of colors, emotions, scents,” Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana tell Vogue. “Each theme embodies a different lifestyle.”

In crafting their creations, they collaborated with several Venetian heritage brands and artists, from legendary Murano glassmakers like Barbini and Salviati to luxury textile company Tessitura Luigi Bevilacqua.

The brand expansion has been a long time coming, with the design duo describing it as a “natural extension of the Dolce & Gabbana world.” Of course, the world of home goods wasn’t completely uncharted territory: in 2018, they launched a line of juicers, toasters, coffee machines, teapots, and blenders with Smeg. The spring before that, they hand-painted 100 refrigerators for Salone de Mobile.

Yet the designers did feel a newfound sense of urgency over the past 18 months as people sought solace in their homes amid shutdowns. “The circumstances we have experienced recently have led us to live the home environment even more intensely and to devote to it the attention that the daily frenzy often makes us lose,” Dolce and Gabbana say.

So they decided to move from small appliances and objects to pieces that don’t just accent a space but create one. Much like their clothes, which seem to always embody the aura of a glamorous, sensual Italian woman, Dolce & Gabbana Casa is vibrant, feminine and bold, meant for the maximalist who exudes ooh-la-la opulence, considers leopard print a neutral, and dresses themselves and their home “in imagination and fantasy,” as Dolce and Gabbana put it.

The collection will soon be available online, and eventually, the brand says, in stores worldwide. But for now, indulge in some interior-design swooning.

On the Anniversary Of His Death, Revisiting Photographer Peter Lindbergh’s Final Project, Untold Stories

In the two years before his death on September 3, 2019, famed photographer Peter Lindbergh self-curated his first exhibition, pulling more than 140 photographs from his extensive archive, dating from the early 1980s to the 2010s. Featuring unseen images of legendary supermodels such as Claudia Schiffer, Karen Elson and Milla Jovovich, Peter Lindbergh: Untold Stories ran at the Museum Kunstpalast in Düsseldorf, Germany last year.

The work of Lindbergh, which spanned more than four decades and countless magazine covers including Vogue, documented the rise of the 1990s supermodels such as Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford. He photographed Anna Wintour’s first Vogue cover in November 1988—a now infamous image of Israeli model Michaela Bercu, wearing a bejeweled Christian Lacroix top. In what would be one of his final projects, Lindbergh was chosen by guest editor Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, to shoot the cover of British Vogue in September 2019.

An accompanying book, Peter Lindbergh: Untold Stories (Taschen), explored Lindbergh’s experience of curating the exhibition. Full of notes and sketches, the book gives insight into his creative process. “When I saw my photos on the wall in the exhibition model for the first time, it gave me a fright, but also in a good way,” said Lindbergh, when he first viewed Untold Stories. “It was overwhelming to be thus confronted with who I am.”

The outcome of Untold Stories epitomizes the photographer’s attitude to his work. Lindbergh was given free rein to select or veto images from his archive, without any outsider input. Finding himself at a loss and thinking that the project would never be finished, he restarted the process again and again, incorporating new images and rejecting others. But it was through this way of working that the photographer rediscovered a new connection to his work—one that emanates from his final project.