THE DRG STYLE INDEX: ALL SAINTS, LOUIS VUITTON, GUCCI

Here’s the latest weekly DRG STYLE INDEX ranking, a round-up of the brands currently buzzing on my radar…

1.ALLSAINTS IS ALL GROWN UP

All Saints Instagram Happy Mondays biker jackets

I’ve been tracking AllSaints’ gradual transformation for a while now and wow, the metamorphosis is complete! Its latest Instagram campaign, #HappyMondays is really very cool, a celebration of its ‘Iconic’ leather jacket worn by up and coming models and tastemakers who lend their own personality and style cred to the pictures. Obviously it’s not the first time we’re seeing this sort of campaign, but I dunno, somehow this feels authentic and unique to AllSaints. Its hipster-lite kid is growing up and branching into Acne/Rick Owens territory and the off-duty model casting and styling echo that.

2. LOUIS VUITTON’S L.A ART HAPPENING

Louis Vuitton ss15 - photo by Lea Colombo for Dazed

Oh, what would most brands do to have the budget of a Vuitton or a Chanel! In its latest conscious coupling of art and fashion, Louis Vuitton is staging an exhibition in L.A’s art district, bringing the SS15 collection and show to the public in multi-media installation form. ‘Louis Vuitton Series 2 — Past, Present and Future’ is an ambitious multi-room affair merging a 360-degree slide show, 3d-printed figurines, product displays (obvs) and ‘immersive’ (fancy new word for 2015!) hologram projections, all designed to bring Nicolas Ghesquiere’s Vuitton show experience, influences and inspirations to life in a non-conventional way. The exhibition runs from February 6th-22nd at 1135 North Highland Avenue, Los Angeles.


3. GUCCI REINVENTED

Gucci Creative Director Alessandro Michele via Getty Images

So we finally got confirmation. Alessandro Michele is Gucci’s new creative director, as of Wednesday’s announcement. Michele is tasked with increasing Gucci’s fortunes, no mean feat as Gucci apparently accounts for about half of Kering’s total luxury business. Key to the appointment it seems, is Michele’s cool, youthful aesthetic. (Some might say a little Hedi-esque but what’s wrong with that?) It’s a move away from the traditional, logo-fied Gucci and that’s important for Kering’s international expansion as the Asian luxury customer’s tastes become more mature, diverse and adventurous. Let’s see what Michele delivers for womenswear in a few weeks (meanwhile, I’ll leave you with Katie Grand in this ‘menswear’ look from her Instagram…).

Katie-grand-Gucci-menswear

WORDS: Navaz Batliwalla/Disneyrollergirl
IMAGES: All Saints; Lea Colombo/Dazed; Getty; Instagram