Brands

Gentlewoman style: the Essēn demi-dressy summer flat



Essen Mary Jane mules

You know how I feel about mules. But I’m, willing to make a one-time exception for this very elegant, comfortable-looking and not badly priced Mary Jane mule from Melbourne-based brand, Essēn.

The toe is elegantly chiselled, with the merest suggestion of toe cleavage. The heel is a city-friendly 5mm, but the killer detail is the delicate strap that sits high on the instep, so from the front you barely know it’s a mule and it seems to secure the shoe in place, while still exposing plenty of ankle. (more…)



See this: summer watch list



Asteroid City Wes Anderson

Everyone’s talking about Barbie, the movie, but I’m probably going to give that a miss. Instead, I’m looking forward to Wes Anderson’s latest kookfest, Asteroid City (above), with its usual stellar cast line-up, and BlackBerry, a satirical biopic of the tech company to satisfy my chronic nostalgia-itis. (more…)



The culture of fashion: Pharrell x Louis Vuitton SS24



 Pharrell x Louis Vuitton ss24

All the Substacks and TikTokers have hit ‘post’ on their Pharrell x Louis Vuitton SS24 hot takes.

So, here’s mine.

I was expecting to hate the show and collection. (more…)



Saint Laurent menswear SS24



Saint Laurent spring 2024 menswear

Saint Laurent just showed its SS24 menswear show in Berlin and it was a slick continuation of my favourite recent Saint Laurent women’s show.

Sharp, tailored silhouettes with monumental shoulders and mucho fluid drapery accessorised with hi-shine, heeled boots and glam aviators, it’s disrupting the gender norms conversation in the most elegant and refined way possible. (more…)