Designers

Ballet-core meets actors-in-rehearsal at Altuzarra AW24



Altuzarra AW24

“I wanted it to feel like walking into someone’s wardrobe that they’ve collected over a long period of time, where things feel like they say something about the person’s personality.”

Joseph Altuzarra* celebrated his 15th anniversary with an intimate salon show that mixed the cosplay romance of ballet and theatre – the clothes that actors wear in rehearsal – with upscale wardrobe longevity. To that end, there were long, roomy girl-about-town coats layered over fluid, calf-length skirts, flat pumps and opaque dancers’ tights, peacoats and duffles, Deborah Turbeville-style cuffed knit joggers, plus great styling from Pierrot doll collars and toque-style hats. (more…)



Cartier Trinity x Emma Corrin



Emma Corrin Cartier Trinity in HTSI

Loving Emma Corrin in the FT’s HTSI this weekend.

To celebrate the centenary of Cartier’s Trinity ring, Emma is showing off the new ‘cushion shape’ (jeweller-speak for square with rounded corners) in both the ring and bangle update. The Cartier Trinity ring with its three intertwining bands of yellow gold, rose gold and white gold is famous for its radical simplicity and gender-fluidity, which chimed with 1924’s garconne era of flapper dresses and gamine haircuts. While fashion lore ascribes its creation to Jean Cocteau, it was in fact designed by Louis Cartier. (Cocteau was an avid fan though, so that’s endorsement enough for me.)

Bonus points here for Harry Lambert’s styling and Indigo Lewin’s photography. Never not loving an extreme close-up cover and a skinny leather tie… (more…)



Gentlewoman style: Toteme time



Toteme AW24 fashion show

If Toteme is trying to be the affordable(ish) Row, it’s succeeding. Its stealth AW24 fashion show during couture week delivered lean trench coats and floor-sweeping trousers styled with the airiest of scarf-neck blouses, while its new Mount Street store is a shrine to tailoring, leatherwear, handbags (that T-lock!*) and jewellery as polished as its more expensive neighbours (but with much more welcoming sales staff) .

I suspect having established its early position in the stealth luxe sphere, Toteme will start to add a few more unpredictable designs and styling twists to keep our interest piqued (more…)



The existential poetry of the overstuffed bag



Miu Miu SS24 main

Will we ever not be eternally fascinated by the ‘what’s in my bag’ trope? This SS24 – surprise! – capacious bags are trending, and not only are they big, they’re stuffed to the brim. Aligning with the outpouring of Jane Birkin love (and hot takes on her bulging Birkin), Miu Miu’s SS24 show was lauded for its chaotic bag energy – each exit showed a model toting a classic bowling bag, top handle or tote overflowing with spare shoes, keys and clothes. As you do. (more…)