Virgil Abloh, the designer behind Milan-based label Off-white, has been announced as the new artistic director for Louis Vuitton‘s menswear. He succeeds Kim Jones, who left the brand earlier this year and was recently appointed a position at Dior Homme, replacing Kris van Assche. Change is everywhere.
Abloh continues to be one of the greatest influencers in the evolving fashion landscape, having lent his talents to other iconic brands including Fendi, Moncler, and Nike. And as the streetwear and luxury spheres continue to merge, assigning Abloh to a label as recognizable as Louis Vuitton is a landmark occasion. His first collection for the brand is expected for June.
Rising luxury e-commerce startup Via Luca recently announced an ongoing collaboration with Italian opera singer Luca Pisaroni, who will serve as the premier brand ambassador. Via Luca, which launched only last fall, aims to introduce traditional Italian craftsmanship to a global market, working exclusively with family-owned businesses across the region.
“I am honored to collaborate with Via Luca, a company with a unique mission that is near and dear to my heart,” Pisaroni said in a statement. “The pieces sold by Via Luca are individually selected by Rachelle and her team and are handcrafted in Italy by artisans who have kept their businesses local and have passed down their knowledge through several generations. This kind of dedication and craftsmanship is very similar to the process of rehearsing an opera.”
Round 2! After releasing a highly successful collection last spring, Uniqlo and J.W. Anderson have paired up for a second line. The functionality and simplicity of Uniqlo balanced with the surrealism of J.W. Anderson is a perfect marriage of elements that bring a sartorial edge to everyday wear. The new collection is very Dad-at-the-beach — a seagull graphic print pulls together an underlying nautical theme, which seems perfectly fit for summer. Additionally, asymmetrical stitching and other experimentations with cut and fit elevate otherwise everyday pieces. See for yourself below.
The collection will be available online on April 19, and in stores the 20th.
Kenzo continues its girl power initiative and we’re here for it. After tapping New York icon and frontwoman for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs Karen O for an original song for its SS18 campaign, the French/Japanese label announced Britney Spears as the face of its latest collection, La Collection Memento N°2.
The collection is a denim-heavy assortment of pieces inspired by the brand’s debut presentation in 1996. The campaign, shot by Peter Lindbergh in Los Angeles, focused on a theme of ‘Icons.’ When you consider the relationship of contemporary pop cultures icons and denim, Britney seems like a rational choice. And despite her living legacy status, this is her first major fashion campaign.
“It really just had to be the right fit and the right opportunity,” Spears said in a statement. “KENZO pushes boundaries in the fashion world, which is what I like to do in my own career.”
KENZO – La Collection Memento N°2 will be available in stores and online on March 21.
Swimwear line KATAMA has released a new collection for a cause, partnering with environmental conversation group Oceana on a charity capsule that benefits ocean preservation efforts. Inspired by the Polar Bear Plunge (when a bunch of people dive into freezing waters for a cause), the fittingly titled Polar Bear collection features swimsuits, t-shirts, a jacket, and cardigan that each contain a polar bear motif — perfect for your next Plunge. And for every piece sold, KATAMA will donate 20% directly to Oceana.
“We share this earth and its oceans together and it is our duty to protect it together. That’s why I am passionate about our amazing collaboration with Oceana,” KATAMA founder Garrett Kneff said in a statement. “They [Oceana] are the leading organization in maintaining and protecting our oceans which are our most diverse resource on the planet.”
The Polar Bear collection is available now. Check out some of the campaign below.
Bottega Veneta released the newest video sequences as part of its Reflections series for SS18. The new videos, directed by acclaimed art director Fabien Baron of Baron & Baron fame, titled Utopia (above) and Rebirth (below),continue the saga as the latest segments in the ongoing Art of Collaboration initiative.
Art of Collaboration was first launched in 2001 by creative director Tomas Maier, as a vehicle to work with renowned photographers and artists for the Italian designer’s campaigns — all can be found in a book chronicling the project. While earlier releases have focused on pushing the limits of fashion photography, the new version aims to amplify storytelling through a luxury lens. This is emphasized in the warm pink glow of Utopia and in the surreal nature of Rebirth.
“We have always told stories about our products and our brand,” Maier said in a statement. “The evolution of the Art of Collaboration enables us to reach and have a dialogue with the customer on his or her own terms.” Check out the videos here.
In a time of such rapid technological development and general global uncertainty, audiences can turn to sci-films for gripping social commentaries. I remember when I first saw Ex Machina, writer/director Alex Garland’s directorial debut, and was compelled by how they positioned the role of technology. At first it seems like a clear Frankeinstein-esque man vs. creation conflict, but it’s more nuanced in how it explores the relationship between humans and AI as something that isn’t so black and white.
Garland’s latest feature, Annihilation, kinda does the same with man’s relationship with nature. It’s a hybrid of sorts — part jungle adventure film, part alien/monster movie, and part general sci-fi flick. I’ve never seen anything like it, and it definitely raised more questions than it answered. So if you’re looking for clarity and thorough explanations, it’s not for you. But if you like ambiguous social commentaries of sorts, read on. Potential spoilers ahead.
The film follows Lena (Natalie Portman), a former soldier/scientist, and several other women as they descend into the Shimmer, a weird new ecosystem that appeared a few years earlier (we’re lead to believe from space) that houses weird creatures and an abundance of new life, and is rapidly expanding. Several crews had been sent to investigate the void, but none have returned, except for Lena’s husband (Oscar Isaac), who mysteriously returns a year later, gravely ill and on the brink of death. It’s then Lena decides to avenge her husband and find out what the Shimmer is all about before it spreads and wreaks havoc on the rest of the world. The film’s sequences are carefully measured — gory action scenes and a balance of sharp and insightful dialogue work together towards a slow build up that eventually reaches a climax, yet doesn’t reveal or explain itself entirely.
Image: Paramount Pictures.
There’s a couple of themes to follow — existentialism and environmentalism being the obvious ones, but I also enjoyed the feminist perspective with the all-women scientist crew heading into the Shimmer and finally figuring out what is going on. However, I feel like the main idea to take away from the film is mentioned in the trailer, when Portman’s character explains that the Shimmer “is not destroying, it’s making something new.” Destruction is a form of creation — an ecosystem evolving without consideration for humans is not necessarily bad. It simply exists. However, the need to destroy what is viewed as threatening or what is misunderstood is an entirely human characteristic, something the film explores thoroughly.
I compare the film to Garland’s previous work since they seem to exist in a similar universe, with each posing a greater question about the future and our role in it. At the end of Ex Machina, it wasn’t that the technology was evil, just oblivious. And I think the same goes for Annihilation — it isn’t the Shimmer that is inherently harmful, it is just operating on its own accord, creating a new world because that’s what it’s biologically programmed to do. How we — the people who have single-handedly destroyed the planet, mind you — choose to interpret that is subjective. The whole world doesn’t revolve around us. Maybe alien involvement could be seen as some type of divine intervention? I don’t know. I’m not a scientist or a film critic. But definitely watch it and see for yourself. It should be on Netflix soon.
Reinterpreting the pieces that made it famous, J. Crew has released a new collection of its most popular pieces, including the classic rugby shirt, to celebrate the brand’s heritage. Each piece of the new collection has been modified to accommodate more contemporary trends (think slightly more tailored fit, etc), while retaining the distinct bold and preppy patterns that made the label an American staple.
Shop the new J. Crew Heritage collection online now.
KARL LAGERFELD, the label inspired by the eponymous designer and innovator, has released a new line of luxury basics, called Karl Essentials. The assortment of pieces includes baseball caps, wallets, and other assorted accessories are embellished with various branded iconography and nods to the designer’s legacy. The monochromatic color palette of the collection allows for seamless mixing and integration into any wardrobe.
The new collection launches globally in KARL stores and online on March 8th. Check out some key items below.
O happy day. Acclaimed British artist and smooth-as-silk-voiced entity Sade has released her first song in 8 years for the soundtrack of the upcoming A Wrinkle in Time. Writer Ava DuVernay first broke the news on Twitter back in February, when she explained how she reached out to the famously reclusive artist with the possibility of creating an original tune for the film, calling her “kind + giving.”
Dubbed “Flower in the Universe” — very on brand — the new song is a beautifully intricate, pulsating tune that shows that Sade has not lost any of her brilliance since her debut 30 years ago. It’s been nearly a decade since her last release, 2010’s Soldier of Love, so this could be a sign that a new Sade era is on the horizon. Fingers crossed.
After being seen on Bella Hadid during Paris Fashion Week, Italian footwear brand Rombaut has released a new provocative campaign for FW18 on Instagram. Shot by Kito Muñoz, the series of images features contorted models in glass cages, placing emphasis on the clean yet cheeky design of the natural footwear label. Check out the images below and see for yourself.
Sisley, the skincare brand that loves plants, has launched its first range of hair products. Rather than starting small with a simple product before expanding, the label released Hair Rituel, a full six-product regimen that tackles hair health from the scalp outwards.
Each product — including a pair of shampoos, conditioner, a mask, serum, and oil — aims to enable scalp and hair fibers to naturally strengthen themselves over time. For scalp health, the brand uses rice proteins, linseed extracts, and sage extracts among other ingredients to help fortify the surface — a healthy scalp makes for healthy hair growth, you know — making it stronger and more vibrant. Other products from the regimen rely on passion fruit, moringa, and shea, macademia, and hazelnut oils to rebuild the hair follicles and reinforce their natural strength. Additionally, it gives the hair a nice healthy commercial-ready shine.
