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Bode menswear AW21



Bode AW21

Fashion week is officially all year long now. We’ve just seen another spurt of shows – from Celine, Gucci and Bottega Veneta (they had an event in a club in Berlin, while the rest of the city’s in a strict lockdown, and allegedly hired Soho House for the afterparty, kicking out existing residents – not cool!) – while other brands are doing smaller scale ‘activations’ and releasing their look books.

I’m very much into Bode at the moment and its unique way of telling stories through textiles. These Bode AW21 looks have the nostalgic charm of early Alessandro Michele for Gucci mixed with a Wes Anderson naivety without going full-on costume. It feels more real to me. (more…)



Positive fashion: Homebrunn handmade jackets



Homebrunn jacket

I recently spotted these images on my friend Emma’s Instagram and had to know more. Homebrunn is the brainchild of Emma Brunn, who I met while she was working in PR for Agnes b. She agreed to answer a few quick questions for the blog about her wonderfully homespun line of quilted jackets and waistcoats. Read and enjoy…! (more…)



Ask Alison: How Browns Brook Street has recast itself as the new luxury omni-flagship



Browns Brook Street The Focus

There’s a new luxury retail destination in town and it’s a storied Mayfair townhouse that features a heady mix of culture, community and the latest personalised tech-led shopping services. DRG retail editor, ALISON FARRINGTON reports…

Apart from the appealing fact that visiting an actual store is somewhat of a novelty as we emerge post-pandemic, we are about to enter a new era of phygital retail. Phygital 2.0 plays to the strengths of being inside a physical boutique environment – all the trappings of tangible and joyous purchases plus social interaction – while having frictionless digital retail services at your fingertips.

Launching on 12 April, at a reinvented flagship location, Browns Brook Street is the manifestation of owner, Farfetch’s visionary ‘Store of the Future’ omnichannel strategy that we first heard about in 2017. (more…)



Retail roundup: beyond transaction



Selfridges Pangaia Corner Shop 2021

I can’t wait to go to shops. While lockdown news has focused on the e-commerce successes, the UK high street is doubling down on getting punters back through the doors. For me, shopping is not only about buying, but also about socialising and seeing what’s new. The best stores have always been more than transactional destinations; from Topshop, Oxford Circus (R.I.P) to Dover Street Market, they’re discovery zones and temples of worship to community and culture. (more…)