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Calvin Klein: Nostalgia or Now?



Calvin Klein Collection SS25

Lots of people have been in my DMs asking for my thoughts on the Calvin Klein Collection reboot. Lies! One person asked, but I’m here to share my two cents anyway.

This show was the most highly anticipated of NYFW. If the relaunch of a 5-decades-old label is what’s getting people hyped about NYFW, that says rather a lot about the state of ennui. So, Veronica Leoni (formerly of The Row and Phoebe’s Celine) had a great deal resting on her spaghetti-strapped shoulders.

The show was beautiful. It was clean, serene, elegant and poised. It looked like 1990s Old Calvin. But is that a compliment? Or a problem? (more…)



The Toscani effect



Benetton 1984

Farewell Oliviero Toscani, a brilliant photographer and art director who changed the world through his audacious activism dressed as fashion advertising.

I became aware of him in the 1980s via his vibrant fashion shoots for Benetton using groups of racially diverse, often street cast models in simple studio settings, styled in layers upon layers by (my old boss) Caroline Baker. (more…)



Fear of God AW24



Fear of God AW24

90s Armani is on everybody’s mood board right now and I’m not too upset about it. At Fear of God it’s been given an oversized mid-2020s twist but that’s fine by me.

Although… if somebody (Fear of God, Arket, COS, or just… anyone) could please think of the short girls and create an oversize silhouette in ‘petite’ sizes, I’d buy the whole lot. Just a thought. (more…)



Zara is a designer brand now



Zara SRPLS ss24

Everyone’s talking about Rachel Tashjian’s Washington Post deep dive into the cult-like allure of Zara.

From its 1975 Spanish origins to its current position as global gateway to high end aesthetics, it’s certainly the brand of the moment for those who aspire to The Row, Bottega, Loewe et al on a non-luxury budget.

Tashjian spoke to a number of A-list fashion creatives who have worked with or are working with Zara. Think Fabien Baron, Narciso Rodriguez, photographer Craig McDean, hairstylist Guido and even Linda Evangelista, who modelled for Zara’s collaboration with Steven Meisel last autumn. (more…)