This is a riff off the classic Uniqlo ULD (Ultra Light Down) jacket, but instead of a tissue-light puffer, it’s an ultra light parka.
My favourite is the COS Technical Hooded Parka Jacket in navy* (above). It runs very oversize (XS is the smallest and still pretty big) which gives it a sporty, superheroic flair and lends itself to different silhouettes – you can push the sleeves up, play with the hood, belt it with a bumbag and team it with tailored bottoms for a ‘rich Milanese nonna’ look. I wouldn’t overload the pockets, but I appreciate that it has both patch pockets for a phone and side pockets for posing.
Alternatively, Uniqlo U has a long, coat-length cotton number* (below). I like its oversize cut that can be worn over spring layers, the drawstring waist allowing you to play with controlled volume and the roomy, cocooning hood. (However,I don’t think I’d rely on these parkas in the rain, the hoods are more windshields or styling details.)
These are a kind of CP Company–Prada Sport hybrid – in easy-care cotton or techy-light fabrics, utility-chic styling and understated colours that lend themselves to versatile wardrobe situations. A good city-break travelling companion I’d say.
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WORDS: Disneyrollergirl / Navaz Batliwalla IMAGES: COS; Uniqlo U x 2 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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This is a season for styling tweaks – perfect pairings (big shorts, small polo), reimagined classics, a pearl-adjacent accessory or two, and the return of dark denim (no, it never went away but still…). With everything about to get (even) more expensive, it’s a good time to analyse what you like wearing and zero in on the pieces that amplify that. Plus, a few pointers of things to see, do and read on my radar…
1/ SINCERITY NOT IRONY. “The door is open to the possibility of strange realities and wonder, impossible scenarios that banish disillusion. This is about the power of sincerity over strategy,” – Matthieu Blazy. Is this the end of fashion irony? If you’re relieved to see the back of snarky, gimmicky fashion (duck hats! Pigeon clutches! Demna-era Balenciaga!), then you’ll be pleased for this new sincerity era led by Bottega’s Matthieu Blazy (top and below). Self-described by Bottega Veneta as, “a new type of power dressing, the power of sincerity, of characters discerning who they are by remembering who they once were,” it’s demonstrated in familiar but elevated shapes such as leather-disguised-as-cotton blousons* and tucked-in suiting. (Also see Lemaire and Auralee.) Some may complain of mid-2020s ‘posh basics’ blandification, but when money’s increasingly tight, people want desirable clothes imbued with charm and personality that they can wear without looking like a walking punchline. 2/ PERFECT PAIRING: BIG SHORTS, SMALL POLO. It’s looking to be a Big Shorts Summer for me. But I’ll be tempering the volume of baggy Bermudas-slash-culottes with a slim-fit polo. I’m delighted with my Jigsaw linen shorts* (below, PR gift) and I’m eyeing the gamine ribbed polos at Bally* (with Zara’s fine gauge polo as the non-luxury option). Teamed with ankle socks and loafers* for day, or opera pumps for night; the effect is a little bit preppie, a little bit alt, a little bit Dad’s Army.
3/ THE JEWELLERY OBJECT. Paris-bound? Don’t bypass Sophie Buhai’s ‘Jewelry Objects’ on view at Gallerie Anne-Sophie Duval until June 30th. Consisting of 20 one-of-a-kind and limited-edition objects and jewellery, these decadent lifestyle objets (think, a silver pillbox toothpick case, lacquer minaudiere, or surrealist silver and rock crystal magnifying glass, below) hark back to the elegant gestural accessories of 1920s Paris. Read more here.
4/ ALL THINGS BUTTER. Continuing the fancy pantry staples obsession from last season, butter is having an entire moment of its own. From All Things Butter’s mouthwatering-sounding cinnamon bun butter* to Alex Mills’ Kerrygold-hued knitwear*, to butter art (this Sophie Estève painting, below, is delicious), we’re all over-indulging in the joy-giving yellow stuff. The Gentlewoman is so invested, its spring issue has 10 pages dedicated to butter (below) – including recommendations for ghee as a skin moisturiser and alt-butter brand, Savor. Side note: if you’re after a superior breakfast experience, indulge in a butter dish from Feldspar, Soho Home* or &Klevering.
5/ RALPH RENAISSANCE. With his well-deserved Presidential Medal of Freedom in January, Ralph Lauren’s star just keeps soaring. Admittedly, Ralph never really went away for me, but the latest ad campaigns seem to have a freshness I’ve not seen for a while. (Confession: I had no idea Alasdair McClellan has been shooting the campaigns for some time but I’m wondering if there’s a new stylist involved.) Anyway, the recent Paris Fashion Week show certainly had a buzz, with tastemakers like Marie Marot (below) in attendance. I’ve been instore and the shorts*, cricket sweater*, suede bomber* and ballerina trainers* are all suitably Ralph-coded, yet utterly contemporary.
6/ LONGEVITY IS THE NEW LUXURY. The lines between beauty/wellness, luxury fashion and hospitality are converging. Fuelled by a backlash to fleeting lifestyle trends, ‘self-betterment’ and ‘longevity’ are the buzzwords taking over from ‘wellness’ and ‘anti-aging’. According toThe Future Laboratory’s Longevity and Wellbeing Strategy report, instead of aspiring to ‘lifestyle’, we’re aspiring to ‘lifespan’ (e.g., swapping instant gratification for ‘value for time’). Pinterest reinforces the trend, reporting a 90% surge in ‘wellness retreat aesthetic’ searches, while beauty retail is taking tips from luxury fashion by creating ‘holistic immersive experiences’ that focus on everything from the products to the interior to the interaction. At the top end of the market, extravagant, hyper-personalised health programmes are the new status markers. The SHA Wellness Clinic Island – the world’s first healthy living island located between Dubai and Abu Dhabi – is slated to open in 2026, blending luxury residences with 24/7 health-optimisation services. And on the fashion front, Sporty & Rich is at the epicentre of the Venn diagram. It has already clocked the hospitality opportunity with capsule hotel merch collabs with The Carlyle Hotel, Le Bristol and Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc (below). Its forthcoming store in West Hollywood will have a healthy cafe and a Pilates studio, while its recent sexual wellness offshoot, Sensual Sport was designed to be “something that a girl who shops at The Row would want to buy”.
7/ CLUTCHING PEARLS. A new name to know for me, Chylak is a Polish brand with something of an affinity for the beauty of pearls. I love this pearl-dropped tie belt (OK, mother-of-pearl coated beads) and the whimsical shopper (below). (Or for the pearl-averse, I like these lace-up ballerinas.)
8/ HALF-WAY HEELS. Everybody’s talking about the imminent arrival of the reinvented Herbert Levine. Who? A back-from-the -past heritage footwear brand, whose moment is about to be reignited thanks to the stewardship of new creative director Trevor Houston (think standout shoes for Khaite and The Row). Yeah, sold. A key selling point is the 60s-inflected mid-heel. “It’s not about this crazy high heel. It’s actually about shoes that are worn and can go with a lot of things. This is a fresh take on footwear for women,” Houston told Footwear News. The new collection – strictly speaking AW25, below – which lands in stores at retail this summer bodes well for the trainers-with-everything backlash. Can’t wait till summer? Check outValentino*, Versace*, Miu Miu* and Celine for mid-heel slingbacks, Mary-Janes and T-straps. Let’s hear it for proper shoes with proper clothes.
10/ MOODBOARD MARKETING. Moodboard mania is taking over the youth – but it’s also playing out in the world of marketing as brands on Instagram use art, poetry and well, moods, in addition to product to hone their aesthetic. As pointed out by Laurent Francois on Substack, moodboards are traditionally used by stylists and art directors to define a visual ‘tone’, while today, influencers’ teams “use moodboards to craft public identities and sculpt cohesive digital personas.” The Row (below) are the OGs (obv) of moodboard marketing but Literary Sport (below) and Sporty & Rich (below) also subscribe to this effective curation-meets-storytelling playbook. On social media it’s an easy way to add cultural context to your vision if your designs are a little on the understated side. It also looks pretty cool.
11/ REVISITING THE CAPACIOUS TOTE. Capacious tote bags are back for the office schlep. (Or the Fashion Week schlep if you’re Jo Ellison, below.) And who’s complaining when they look like these malleable, glossy totes from Proenza Schouler (below)? (With the news they’re the new designers at Loewe, they’re back on my radar.) Alternatively, I clocked these get-better-with-age tumbled grained calfskin totes from Mark Cross, an underexposed heritage brand with classic credentials. I like the unisex E42 in Acorn* (below). 12/ NO-WASH DENIM (YES AGAIN, LOL). I’ve snuck this one in because Harper’s Bazaar said it’s a trend, so who am I to argue? Rich, rigid, non-stretch indigo denim (below) is officially trending, with searches for ‘indigo denim’ up 226% at Net-a-Porter. In particular, Agolde* and Citizens of Humanity* are Net-a-Porter’s dark denim go-tos, while mine is still the Levi’s Column Jean* (with an ironed-in creased and teamed with an Officine Generale blazer and three-inch heels). I also recommend Auralee and Studio Nicholson dark denim in the Harper’s Bazaar feature. Read it here.
13/ SPRING SKIN. Getting ready to bare arms (and legs)? Same. I can categorically say the This Works Skin Deep Dry Leg Oil* is a delight to rediscover, with a pump that dispenses just the right amount, delicately scented with rose and sandalwood. For the face, I’ve been road-testing the new La Roche-Posay Effaclar A.Z Gel-cream*, a heavy duty but light-feeling day cream that multi-tasks on reducing and healing adult spots while adding hydration thanks to its gentle combo of 10% azelaic acid, salicylic acid and hyaluronic acid. Buy it here*. If you love a face oil and massage, do check out, Kama Ayurveda, below, a new-to-the-UK brand (backed by luxury conglomerate Puig) that educates customers on the ancient Indian rituals of Ayurveda. We all love personalisation that seems to tap into our inner core and their sensorial facials (based on your individual ‘dosha’ energy) promise to do just that. Meanwhile, in honour of the clocks going forward, I splashed out on my first ever Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks blusher*. Conclusion: ‘Chouchette’ is the perfect lip and cheek colour if like me, you’re a low-maintenance-high-quality kinda girl. Finally, Laneige Lip Glowy Balm* has been my constant companion for the last two months. It’s hardly tinted, but it is beautifully moisturising, with good, glossy, staying power.
14/ ROUGHED UP RIMOWA. First came the ‘floopy’ (read: well worn) Birkins, now we’re seeing the rise of roughed-up Rimowas. It just dropped a collection of vintage suitcases on its US website, covered in scratches, dents and ancient stickers (below). Selling between $600 and $1000, it’s part of the welcome appreciation for well-worn patina-ed products with a story to tell. And it’s part of a bigger circularity move from heritage brands in which they buy back old pieces, refurb them, then resell them. Rimowa’s initiative is called Re-Crafted and is heavy on the ‘life well-travelled’ rhetoric. It deliberately doesn’t spruce the outside of the case, understanding there’s status in those hard knocks and dents – not to mention a suggestion of rock star cool, since Rimowa’s indestructible aluminium cases are a long-time favourite of touring rock bands. Read more here.
15/ CULTURE CLUB. While London frequently rues the demise of its nightclubs it appears indie art gallery openings may be stepping into the social space they leave behind. According to Plaster magazine (below), a new crop of non-snooty non-traditional London galleries have “entered the fray; their opening nights are packed, well-documented and sometimes done in collaboration with each other.” It’s a fact universally acknowledged that young people can’t afford to go out and get wasted. The art do’s I’ve been to recently – in strip-lit, white-walled, empty office or retail spaces – offer creative and intellectual stimulation combined with the opportunity to mingle sans phone. Even the old-school galleries are getting in on the act. Sadie Coles has a monthly events newsletter that invites artists, publishes, editors etc to curate one-night-only art presentations and performances. “There is an unstoppable wave of do-it-yourself energy and activity and a behavioural change: people are hanging out again. It is fun,” Coles tells Plaster. “It is definitely answering a need. Perhaps [because] everything feels so bleak, we all just want to see each other, talk, and be together.” Coles compares the post-Covid collaboration wave to the 90s anything-goes YBA scene. “There is a sudden feeling of there being space for thinking and doing, of making do with what is available. The 1990s generation pushed themselves out of a dismal economic slump with hotspur and self-determined activity, and this moment feels a bit similar.” Read more here.
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On the one hand I’ve long aspired to the XXL silhouettes of Studio Nicholson, Jil Sander and Phoebe Philo. On the other, I’m a short person. I frequently forget I’m not in fact a 5-foot 10 supermodel and continue to buy men’s sweaters, gargantuan trench coats and jumbo shirts as if I’m David Byrne in Stop Making Sense. Send help! (more…)
This photo of Roy Halston and Andre Leon Talley (above) appeared on my Pinterest and got me thinking about opera pumps.
WTF are opera pumps? Quite simply a Regency-era formal men’s slipper previously adorned with a buckle, now with a flat grosgrain bow (below). The opera pump is traditionally worn with black tie, accompanied by black sheer silk socks (and sock suspenders!). The classic variety popularised by the Edwardians is made from black patent leather, although since the 1950s highly polished calfskin has also been an option. How is an opera pump different to a ballet pump? To me, it has a slightly slimmer profile, a more solid heel, is cut higher on the vamp and finished with a grosgrain bow. (more…)
