Business of fashion

On clubs, culture, commerce and… candles



DISCOTHEQUE Paradise Garage candle
The post-Covid hedonism wave we were promised doesn’t seem to have quite materialised. There are glimpses of it – a whiff of a smoking revival, the return of the indie sleaze aesthetic – but mostly it’s a lingering backward glance to wilder times.

Discothèque candles got the memo and ran with it. Founded by L.A ladies Jessie Willner and Hanover Booth, the intoxicatingly-scented and gorgeously packaged candles are named after storied clubbing landmarks of their time – think Hacienda, Crisco Disco, Paradise Garage and the Mudd Club. (more…)



Gérald Genta is officially back



Gerald Genta LVMH revival

“He said, ‘Don’t we own Genta?’ He then said to me: ‘Why don’t you run it?’”

The watch world is agasp at the news that Gérald Genta is being revived by LVMH. To be precise, by 24-year-old son-of-Bernard, Jean Arnault. (more…)



Coming soon: Brunello Cucinelli fragrance



Brunello Cucinelli fragrance

“We wanted a fragrance that could feel like a cashmere sweater…”

It’s an embarrassment of cliches; the ‘cashmere sweater’, the Umbrian outdoorsy inspo, the his-n-hers coupling, the mid-century minimalist bottle design. Brunello Cucinelli has gone full fragrance launch bingo and yes, I’m here for it. (more…)



Quote of the day: Maggie Bullock on J. Crew and the legacy of prep



J Crew book by Maggick Bullock - with a New Yorker prep explainer by Hua Hsu

“A man who confidently strolled into class or an office in well-scuffed bucks didn’t have to worry he’d be held back by some bourgeois triviality. He knew where he stood. So did everyone else.”
J. Crew chronicler Maggie Bullock, New Yorker

A fascinating explainer on J. Crew and the history of prep. New Yorker writer Hua Hsu reviews Bullock’s new book, deep-diving into the status signifiers of Brooks Bros, J Press and the rest, and their significance on society at large. (more…)