fashion shows

On Willy Chavarria SS26, refined subversion and a menswear succession moment



Willy Chavarria SS26

“I’m not interested in luxury as a symbol of privilege. I’m interested in luxury as a symbol of truth in one’s own character. Exquisite tailoring and craftsmanship worn to elevate one’s personal intent — that’s power. That’s fashion.” Willy Chavarria, SS26

Boy, was I fortunate to see this quote in action last Friday, from my Paris menswear front row seat at Salle Pleyel. From the sober-but-powerful opening scene (to José Feliciano’s California Dreamin’) of 35 men in long white tees, shorts and socks, referencing the recent dehumanisation of U.S immigrants in Salvadoran prisons, the collection then went on to exuberantly reflect Chavarria’s personal exploration of identity, resistance and “refined subversion”. (more…)



The culture of fashion: how the catwalk soundtrack got its groove



Michael Clark Bodymap fashion show - photograph by Robert Rosen courtesy BodyMap

Models! Clothes! Music! Fashion show soundtracks are increasingly part of shaping a brand’s identity. And in the digital era they’re about to become even more important…

The year was 2017. Kim Jones was menswear artistic director at Louis Vuitton. At the appointed hour, his first models sloped onto the Paris runway in iterations of slouchy 80s overcoats, baggy flannel trousers and Basquiat-style suits with untucked shirts. Then the kicker – internet-breaking Speedy holdalls emblazoned with red-and-white Supreme logos. And to add the crucial fourth musical dimension: Honey Dijon’s mix of Sound Factory bangers including Chez Damier’s Can You Feel It (MK Dub), completing the downtown New York nostalgia trip.

Since then, other notable catwalk soundtracks have included LaQuan Smith’s AW23 Ballroom fabulosity-fest; Benji B’s eerie David Lynch-like Chromatics mix for Jil Sander SS25 and Saint Laurent’s long-term music collaboration with DJ SebastiAn – so integral to the brand, they packaged it as a box set and sold it in Saint Laurent stores. (more…)



Calvin Klein: Nostalgia or Now?



Calvin Klein Collection SS25

Lots of people have been in my DMs asking for my thoughts on the Calvin Klein Collection reboot. Lies! One person asked, but I’m here to share my two cents anyway.

This show was the most highly anticipated of NYFW. If the relaunch of a 5-decades-old label is what’s getting people hyped about NYFW, that says rather a lot about the state of ennui. So, Veronica Leoni (formerly of The Row and Phoebe’s Celine) had a great deal resting on her spaghetti-strapped shoulders.

The show was beautiful. It was clean, serene, elegant and poised. It looked like 1990s Old Calvin. But is that a compliment? Or a problem? (more…)



Hermès takes Manhattan



Hermes AW24 New York Theo Werner

My SS24 trend report picked up on the major appetite for leather, and of course Hermès comes top of the leather lust list.

Hermès just showed the second ‘chapter’ of its AW24 collection in New York – a seductive, cinematic portrayal of wearable-yet-sexy (for straight-laced Hermès) leather trousers, jumpsuits, outerwear and abundant Mapplethorpe-esque caps that some thought dominated the show, but I rather loved. (Once a stylist always a stylist.)

Dior paid a similar tribute to Manhattan recently (more…)