Zara

Zara is a designer brand now



Zara SRPLS ss24

Everyone’s talking about Rachel Tashjian’s Washington Post deep dive into the cult-like allure of Zara.

From its 1975 Spanish origins to its current position as global gateway to high end aesthetics, it’s certainly the brand of the moment for those who aspire to The Row, Bottega, Loewe et al on a non-luxury budget.

Tashjian spoke to a number of A-list fashion creatives who have worked with or are working with Zara. Think Fabien Baron, Narciso Rodriguez, photographer Craig McDean, hairstylist Guido and even Linda Evangelista, who modelled for Zara’s collaboration with Steven Meisel last autumn. (more…)



Trend report: what to wear for SS24



Bally SS24

Spring is properly here, so it’s off with the coats and on with the T-shirts. LOL April Fool! Alas no, it’s still pretty chilly in NW10, so my Spring trend report is leaning a little towards knits and waterproofs for another few weeks. But amongst the leather outerwear and aristo-inspired Barbours and barn jackets, there are skin-baring T-bar shoes, shiny, happy tinted lip oils and molto pops of primary colour (the Italians do it better). (more…)



Joe McKenna x Zara AW23



Joe McKenna Zara menswear aw23

LOL. Joe McKenna is so simultaneously legendary and low key that his Zara menswear limited edition collab went completely under my radar. I just discovered it by chance (it launched a month ago) and it seems there’s plenty left online. (OK looks like he styled it, rather than ‘designed’ it, but still.)

Joe McKenna is the super-stylist who has worked extensively with Bruce Weber and Steven Meisel (another publicity-shy-yet-AAA-list image-maker who Zara persuaded to create a collection) and in his dim, distant past, also acted in Corrie (as you do). (more…)



Trend report: what to wear for AW23



Johnny Dufort for T Magazine

AW23 is emphatically female-focussed, kicking off with supermodel mania – that Vogue 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. (more…)