What’s the deal with fugly shoes? I thought they were a post-ironic anomaly, but no, the aesthetically displeasing Uggs, Crocs and Bottega-style Puddle boots are clearly sticking around.
Back in the day, a Margiela Tabi boot was seriously avant-garde and the perfect foil to your minimalist Lang/Demeulemeester/Sander little black suit. Now it’s a whole sub-franchise netting hefty sales for loyal retailers.
The #NewGucci SS24 show led by Sabato De Sarno garnered mixed reactions – some saying it was too minimalist or too derivative of past designers. My main gripe however was the shoes – horrendous clumpy flatform loafers killing the vibe of the otherwise sleek luxury patent leather pencil skirts and cashmere sweaters (below). But now I realise, that was the whole point.
Allison Bornstein’s book, Wear It Well comes out soon and one of her styling philosophies is ‘the wrong shoe’, The idea that by wearing an off kilter or inappropriate shoe with your outfit, you “push your look into a more interesting place”. So leaving aside that the models were clearly struggling to walk in those stacked Guccis, there’s something to be said for adding an ugly detail to your discreet luxury fit. And let’s not forget, that Gucci has been here (many times) before. The Tom Ford clog*, the Alessandro furry mule* (below) …
Ugh, why mules though? They’re my biggest footwear bugbear, drawing attention to bulbous, parmesan-skinned heels andimpossible to run in. Is that the point? Prada’s SS24 collection was also big on mules; satin triangle-heeled ones in electric pink (below) and chartreuse. However, I do sheepishly confess to an – unworn – pair of 1990s Prada lip-print mules under the bed in my ‘archive’ (below). And I did rather warm to the audaciousness of the Alessandro Michele-era Gucci furry mule and those early gender-nonconformist collections.
Anyway, as I said in my AW23 trend report, if quiet luxury is to last more than a season, we’ll need some ways to fuck it up so to speak (i.e., make it look interesting, not basic) and good news for luxury megabrands – quirky accessories are just the way to do that. So, whether I like it or not, I’m bracing myself for the onslaught of wrong shoes, bad flatforms and unwalkable mules.
WORDS: Disneyrollergirl / Navaz Batliwalla
IMAGES: Gucci x 4; Prada; Prada/Disneyrollergirl
NOTE: Most images are digitally enhanced. Some posts use affiliate links* and PR samples. Please read my privacy and cookies policy here
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AW23 is emphatically female-focussed, kicking off with supermodel mania – thatVogue cover, the Apple series and a Linda Evangelista book – and continuing with a slew of women-championing exhibitions. We’ve also got the big Phoebe Philo reveal to come, as well as a focus on revivalist classic fashion (aka gentlewoman style). For this you can easily shop your closet, or consider buying pre-loved – the quality may be better and so may the price. “The connection between instability in the economy and consumers’ desire for classic, quality pieces that retain value is certainly at play, as is the cultural zeitgeist,” Kelly McSweeney, senior merchandising manager at The RealReal, told WWD. Chanel flap bags, Bottega Intrecciato and Louis Vuitton Speedys are the bags most popular with Gen Z, while “floopy” (read: well worn) icon bags like Hermes Birkins in ‘fair’ condition are also doing good business.
1/ DECONSTRUCTED CLASSICS.Gucci shocked everyone with its anti-Alessandro Michele show in February, created by the ‘team’ before we see Sabato De Sarno’s vision unveiled in a few weeks. Notable looks included anti-fit jeans (below), pleat front pants* (below), a supersized boxy blazer and a gargantuan gabardine trench coat* nodding to early Vetements and 90s Margiela. Saint Laurent’s mega power-dressing (below) is also interesting as a clear reaction to the overload of sweats and leggings that have assaulted our eyes in recent years.
2/ HAUTE HIGH STREET. High Street brands have wasted no time in working with high end classicists to deliver (relatively) affordable pieces with in-built longevity rather than inbuilt obsolescence. We love to see it! Peter Do x Banana Republic drops in October; Clare Waight Keller x Uniqlo* lands September 15th (below), while Arket just teamed up with tastemaker and stylist Suzanne Koller to inject some of her off-kilter magic into its wardrobe essentials* (below). Meanwhile Zara has tapped into the 90s nostalgia moment with this surprise Steven Meisel collab (below). That said, I’m not sure how much mileage ‘quiet luxury’ is going to have beyond one season. I suspect we’ll quickly tire of immaculate taste and will be craving some wonk and weirdness by spring.
3/ BIG KNIT ENERGY. All-enveloping knits are my MO for winter and Lauren Manoogian has cornered the market in XXL power neutrals. Her slouchy, slubby crew necks and alpaca shawl-collar cardigans in colours like ‘mushroom’, pumice’ and ‘pebble’ are designed to highlight their hand-made-in-Peru credentials (below). Slightly less voluminous: the eco sweaters from Babaà. So many to choose from, but my fave is the jumper no51 mist.
4/ OR LITTLE GREY SWEATER. Alternatively, the small grey sweater is making big strides. Pair a charcoal crew neck (I have this merino one from Benetton*) with a decorative midi skirt as seen at Prada (below), a voluminous circle skirt as at Officine Générale (below), or tie it like a scarf over your coat like The Row wannabes (below). Use a brooch a la this Erdem shot in Vanity Fair (below) to adjust the volume as required – I’m into this Wales Bonner stunner. Meanwhile, if you want a short sleeve cashmere crew, Miu Miu* is the best one out there.
5/ SHARRPEN YOUR PENCIL. If summer was all about micro minis and shorts, autumn is about the midi pencil skirt. Dior planted this seed in my head with its gamine midi dress, ankle strap heels and socks combo (below), and L’Etiquette magazine cemented it with this midi-Mary-Jane-and-blazer trifecta (below). For cooler weather, swap out the shoes for tall boots, Sacai style (below).
6/ SENSIBLE BAGS.The tote returns now we’re back on the office commute, but the shape du jour is a structured-slouchy hybrid. Structured enough for polish but soft enough for comfort. The Serapian Secret bag* has dimples to give it a ‘floopy’ lived-in effect, while the Loewe Puzzle Fold Tote* (below) has a clever origami-like construction that folds flat for packing. Out of the office it’s all about the pastoral pursuit bags. Look out for Labour & Wait’sBrady pop-up from 16-24 September selling these timeless Small Ariel Trout bags (below), first introduced in 1928 and now Brady’s most popular design. Also of interest, this Toogood x Porter Yoshida & Co collab featuring a range of utility bags from the Grocer Bag to the Reporter Satchel in Porter’s distinctive hardwearing nylon twill.
7/ PETIT PUFFERS. I’d really like to see more cocktail puffers, as demonstrated by Dior teamed with midi skirt and ankle socks (below). Puffers have been the dominant outerwear for years but they’re so… inelegant! Dior and Hermes both showed cropped silhouettes and I’m hoping the high street will follow suit.
8/ STRAIGHT AND NARROW. Much as I love an old school baggy chino, no-one seems to be making the ones I want for women. So I’m going the other way, towards sharp-cut, high waist cigarette pants. Prada showed the perfect example for men in January, teamed with a heavy tread derby (below), while the women’s version also works with a spiky high heel (below), mini cone heel or flat Mary Jane if you get the length right.
9/ VINYL REVIVAL. To counter all the discreet tailored classics, it’s good to see some high shine drama coming through. As always, I like a contrast such as a vinyl* (or vinyl-look) mac* over well-worn denim or utility garb. Or maybe a ‘boring’ school uniform sweater with an Alaia shiny midi circle skirt*. This idea translates especially well to accessories. Patent-leather Mary Janes*, a patent-leather shopper* or even an immaculately applied glossy black mani* all answer the brief.
10/ TO-DO LIST.Sooo many female-focussed exhibitions and cultural events.This month sees Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto open at the V&A on 16th September. Looking at the woman and the legacy, it’s bound to be extremely popular so allow plenty of time. (I have the book, which is highly recommended.) I’m also looking forward to Jacqueline Rabun A Retrospective at Carpenters Workshop Gallery from 20th September. A forerunner of the tactile, sculptural jewellery forms so popular today, this show collates more than 250 pieces from Rabun’s collection alongside archive drawings and photos. Tapping into the contemporary fetish for artists’ personal effects, Joan Didion: What She Means at Pérez Art Museum Miami (until 7th January 2024) features more than 200 personal objects, artworks and ephemera in an exploration of the writer’s life, work and influence on culture. And later this year, the Metropolitan Museum of Art will show Women Dressing Women (from 7th December, below), tracing the history of fashion and its role in enabling economic freedom and independence via the museum’s archive of female designer fashion. Meanwhile, at the cinema, I’m looking forward to Sofia Coppola’s portrayal of Priscilla Presley and teen girlhood. And for the bookshelf, Behind the Gloss*, Tamara Sturtz-Filby’s unveiling of the “true stories of the 1970s fashion world”, and Extremely Online*, Taylor Lorenz’s highly anticipated analysis of contemporary influencer culture.
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WORDS: Disneyrollergirl / Navaz Batliwalla
IMAGES: Johnny Dufort for T Magazine; Gucci x 2; Saint Laurent; Uniqlo; Arket; Zara; Lauren Manoogian x 2; Prada; Officine Générale; The Row; Erdem/ Vanity Fair; Dior; L’Etiquette; Sacai; Loewe; Brady; Dior; Prada x 2; L’Etiquette; Harrods magazine; Metropolitan Museum of Art
NOTE: Most images are digitally enhanced. Some posts use affiliate links* and PR samples. Please read my privacy and cookies policy here
CLICK HERE to get Disneyrollergirl blog posts straight to your inbox once a week CLICK HEREto buy my book, The New Garconne: How to be a Modern Gentlewoman CLICK HEREto buy my beauty book, Face Values: The New Beauty Rituals and Skincare
“You can only be lucky enough to have one style, a style of your own that becomes a caricature of you, your own ‘sound. I’m probably synonymous [with] punk rock and indieness in fashion, beside being known for my androgynous models. I have been precisely this in fashion for more than 20 years. This is the caricature I gladly own.” Hedi Slimane
Proof that if you just stand still and do your thing, fashion eventually catches up with you, Hedi Slimane is once again haute stuff. With revenue doubled since his arrival, Slimane’s recent LA Celine AW23 show (part fashion show, part ‘indie sleaze’ rock concert) unapologetically brought his own greatest hits front and centre. (more…)
Question: do people go for a fully glitzed-up party look these days? Or do they go for more comfort-led with a nod to shine and bedazzle? I’ve seen a lot of extreme glam-rock platform heels* doing the rounds on all the shopping sites, not to mention the Bottega Veneta Mostra heels*. But equally, I’ve noticed that in real life, the gorgeous young things are wearing the opposite. Like, a satin slip with 70s-style Adidas Gazelles (that is, the amped-up 2020s version at 2020s prices – thanks Gucci*).
Somewhere in-between is a middle ground where the New York minimalistas are pitched. (more…)
