retail concepts

The culture of fashion: the 90s heritage obsession continues



Raf Simons Fantastic Man cover

More on the 90s vintage story I wrote about in June.

Friday saw 26 pieces of vintage collectables land at Dover Street Market New York from the archive of stylist David Casavant. Curating pieces from the last 20 years by designers including Prada, Helmut Lang, and Raf Simons, highlights include a Raf Simons AW00 bomber jacket (example below) loaned to Rihanna for an event, a piece that Casavant acquired after seeing it on the cover of Fantastic Man (above). (more…)



Streetwear retail grows up



Aime Leon Dore London cafe

Something interesting is happening in the world of streetwear. It’s fixing up, shedding its scrappy roots and going all out for growth. Latest development? In the space of a few weeks, two of its most culty brands have opened retail stores that cement their influence and ambition for mass expansion.

On June 17th, Hypebeast unveiled an impressive new seven-storey HQ-slash-store-slash-event-space in NYC’s Chinatown. Two weeks earlier, Aimé Leon Dore (above and below) opened its London store in the heart of Soho, a two-storey retail destination incorporating a marble-floored café and a VIP private lounge. A sneaker’s throw from Supreme and Stussy, Aimé Leon Dore is a far more refined proposition than these rough and ready rivals. Its branding is more preppie-adjacent than skater kid, yet it speaks to the same youthful demographic. (more…)



Atelier Mayer returns



Atelier Mayer Marrakech

“Anyone can come to Marrakech and go shopping. But I’m editing a special collection showcasing hand-craftsmanship.”

She’s back! The wonderful Carmen Haid has revived her brand Atelier Mayer, expanding its original scope from vintage fashion to lifestyle and interiors. Now with the business based in Marrakech, selling a mix of vintage design pieces and made to order items, her range includes bespoke vases, bowls and tableware alongside vintage furniture. (more…)



The culture of fashion: The 90s is officially vintage – here’s why that’s a good thing



Jil Sander 1990s

It recently dawned on me that the 1990s, the era that defined me, is properly vintage. While it’s a discombobulating thought (I mean, I don’t feel middle-aged), there are some positives. One is that the minimalist-slash-deconstructivist designers of the time – Margiela, Lang, Demeulemeester, Sander, Prada, Klein – have become established as classics and thus there’s a new market for them. (more…)