Pharrell Williams

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…)



Japanese convenience chain FamilyMart is getting a fashion glow-up



Nigo announced as FamilyMart creative director

The vogue for hypebeast grocers (documented in my aw24 trend report) continues.

News just in: Japanese streetwear wonderkid Nigo has been named creative director for convenience store chain FamilyMart. If you’re thinking Tesco or Co-Op, it’s a bit more significant than that. The convenience store game in Japan is way bigger than plastic-packed egg sandwiches and lottery tickets. They do everything from letting you pay bills and print documents to selling underwear and toothbrushes for on-the-go white collar workers. And their snack aisles are legendary. (more…)



The culture of fashion: Pharrell x Louis Vuitton SS24



 Pharrell x Louis Vuitton ss24

All the Substacks and TikTokers have hit ‘post’ on their Pharrell x Louis Vuitton SS24 hot takes.

So, here’s mine.

I was expecting to hate the show and collection. (more…)



In case you missed it – 2022 edition



Miu Miu chinos ss22

While newsletters may be the new blogs, I still have a solid reader base and for that I thank the regulars who revisit and even subscribe. You know who you are! (Reminder: you can subscribe here to receive my weekly blog digest.) But in case you missed any, here are a few of my favourite posts from 2022…

The trend round-ups are always popular. 2022 was the year of Miu Miu chinos, designer water bottle holders, Mary Jane shoes and Khaite everything. Revisit the reports here and here. (This month I also chimed in on the Miu Miu micro-mini craze for BBC Culture.) (more…)