Events

Everyone’s talking about Balenciaga couture



Balenciaga Couture Fall 21

The highlight of couture week has been Balenciaga couture Fall 21. A tribute to the absolute essence of Balenciaga, it was both austere and grandiose, and I think it’s fair to say, surpassed everyone’s expectations.

Having kind of tuned out recent Balenciaga ready-to-wear collections (too hype-y, too meme-y!), I was enthralled by this first Balenciaga couture collection in 53 years. The minimalist silhouettes, (what a fab trench!), the space-age headgear, the jeans and tee treatment and the baublicious jewels. What looked like a crocodile skin skirt and trousers were in fact made from tiny pieced-together squares of leather. There were shades of Margiela (one of Demna Gvasalia’s most respected designers), McQueen and – to my eye – Raf’s Dior. (more…)



Business of beauty: Chanel N°5 Factory Collection [updated]



Chanel No 5 The Body Oil - Chanel No 5 Factory Collection

[UPDATED: THE COLLECTION HAS NOW LANDED AT SELFRIDGES…]

If I could do a career switch, I would love to be a Chanel beauty-packaging designer. Every product I’ve ever interacted with, from the lipstick bullets to the Les Beiges bronzer compact has been the ultimate personal luxury experience. (Also, the products are the best of the best.)

Just launched is the Chanel N°5 Factory Collection*, a limited edition line that takes that idea to its logical conclusion. Chanel has taken its 100-year-old flagship product – Chanel N°5 – and turned it into a brand in itself. The Chanel N°5 Factory Collection is a capsule of 17 limited edition products, all scented with the smell of Chanel N°5. Genius.

The real genius part is the packaging. Functional-looking tubes of body cream*, individually wrapped bath tablets*, gouache-style body lotion tubes* and a body oil bottle that looks like it belongs in the garage (top). The collection is designed to mimic utilitarian products, giving Chanel N°5 a witty, youthful accessibility. (more…)



Would you shop at a Sotheby’s ‘buy it now’ store?



Sotheby's retail store in New York

Gotta love the millennialisation of auction houses. From online speed auctions to hosting sales of rare Nikes to courting hype curators, the likes of Sotheby’s and Christies are pacing ahead in attracting younger demographics.

The latest initiative is a Sotheby’s boutique. Just opened at Sotheby’s‘ flagship on York Avenue in New York, the bricks-and-mortar store will rely on guest tastemakers to curate pop-up sales that hopefully mimic the adrenaline rush of scoring a hard-to-get grail item from one of its auctions. (more…)



Quote of the day: Leonie Bell, V&A Dundee



Disco by Bill Bernstein

“Even though nightclubs won’t be reopening for a long time and many have closed down permanently, we wanted to assert them as critical cultural spaces, just as much as museums are. We’ve never had so many people ask if we’re having an opening party. People are just desperate to go out and dress up.” (more…)