Tag Archives: Dolce&Gabbana

austin mahone shirtless

Enter the Ring with Austin Mahone

The top comment on a 2015 YouTube video of Austin Mahone preparing for prom dissects his date, high schooler Ashley Hare, with razor-sharp critique. The teen’s on-camera composure apparently wasn’t indicative of a “real Mahomie,” wrote user Kim Coleman, referencing the shorthand title for Mahone’s league of acolytes. If Hare indeed deserved time with Mahone, she would’ve been “crying and smiling non-stop.”

 

Of course, the clip doesn’t document Mahone’s own high school prom but Hare’s, the winner of MTV’s Promposal Mania—a show connecting fans with their favorite stars for one memorable night. Hare had been following Mahone’s singing and dancing career since 2012, evidently just months after he filmed himself (accessorized with braces and diamond studs) singing the Justin Bieber Christmas classic, “Mistletoe.” The likes of star-making platforms Music.ly or Triller were still half a decade from global ubiquity, and after several years of persistently sharing his own covers of pop songs to YouTube, this was the Texan’s breakout moment. The rudimentary music video, which concludes with a 15-year-old Mahone winking at the camera and mouthing “I love you,” has since accumulated almost 20 million views. No one sets trends like teen girls, and with their investment, mainstream media quickly proclaimed Austin Mahone the “Baby Bieber.” Eight years on, and at the precipice of his next full-length release, he’s a rockstar in his own right.

 

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Consequently, the singer never attended his own prom. All the milestones experienced by “regular” teens were quickly interchanged with glamorous substitutions, like record deals (Universal), relocations (Miami), and automatic entry into celebrity circles (including studio sessions with Bieber himself). Perhaps for these reasons Mahone doesn’t feel like he really missed out, adding he “wasn’t liked too much” in high school—something that allowed him to better adjust from life in the San Antonio suburbs to superstar status.

 

“I was never a popular guy, I didn’t have many friends,” he reveals. “I left high school early and didn’t care what anyone was doing. I was a city boy living in a country town, and going from that to ‘You’re a superstar, girls are chasing you’ really helped me break out of my shell. Being a ram, you have to go headfirst in every situation and adapt—we go for what we want and don’t stop until we get it.”

 

This isn’t the first time Mahone references his semblance to the roguish animal during our conversation, and it won’t be the last. We’re speaking on the eve of his 23rd birthday, and the singer is remarkably well-versed in his zodiac placements. An Aries sun and Libra rising, Mahone deeply relates to both the fire and air elements—which he claims he’s currently dressed to reflect: Nike Air Jordans 1s with the red soles (fire) and a Chanel chain with pearls (air). Unsurprisingly, fashion is the latest industry he’s set his sights on, and it didn’t take its gatekeepers long to return the love. This year, Mahone walked New York Fashion Week for Philipp Plein’s Fall 2019 collection, hot off the heels of his international Dolce & Gabbana campaign in 2018.

 

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It doesn’t end there. In true Renaissance-man fashion, multi-hyphenate Mahone recently added another skill to his repertoire: shooting film. On his thousands-strong photography account Honoroll, the artist oscillates between Spring Breakers-esque debauchery and Southern serenity—interweaving surreal scenes from fast-lane living with celebrations of the female form. It’s all part of his newfound commitment to non-conformity: “Take it or leave it,” he says, “this is who I am.”

“I’m still kicking a lot of doors down, but it feels like there’s nothing I can’t do right now. I feel like anything I put my mind to, I can do it. I remember when I signed this record deal when I was 16 and thinking, ‘This is it, we’re playing in the big leagues with the big boys now.’ The ride has been a lot of ups and downs, but I’ve become a better artist all-around.”

 

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Still, the big leagues present heightened challenges: going weeks without connecting with friends or family, as well as the full-body fatigue of performing in 20 countries in 30 days. Mahone waved goodbye to privacy with the iPhone’s omnipresence (“You can’t hide anything”), which has created a plethora of dating difficulties.

 

“It really is a very tough thing in this industry [to find genuine people], nowadays. Especially with social media and never being in the same place for long,… it’s definitely hard to live in a world where everybody watches you and expects you to impress or entertain them. But the right one will come along, one day.”

 

After several high-profile relationships (Mahone has been linked to fellow artists Camila Cabello and Becky G), the singer has a formula in place: no online posting of any love interest with whom his relationship hasn’t yet graduated to “serious”—not while fans wait outside his condo and proclaim themselves “Mahone’s wife” online. Case in point, one young woman made international headlines in 2017 after sending the singer photos for almost three years.

 

But that doesn’t mean they don’t have a chance. “I’ve dated a fan before. I can’t tell you who, I have to keep that a secret. She DM’d me—you know everybody can get a hold of anybody now. You can’t help who you fall in love with.”

 

 

Mahomies have been chomping at the bit lately with even more ferocity than usual. It’s been two years since the release of his last EP, and the soon-to-be-released follow-up is shaping up to be a departure from all of his previous offerings. Recruiting songwriter extraordinaire Charlie Puth, Mahone is fresh off the consecutive releases of jazzy soul-pop singles “Why Don’t We” and “Anxious.” Their visual accompaniments provided the singer opportunities to show off a newly-shredded torso and superior choreography. And all signs are pointing to a chart-topping project.

 

“I keep an eye on the numbers, but I’m also trying to create something new,” Mahone claims. “A new style or a new feeling… It’s such a good feeling to see people smile. That’s the energy I want to build. I don’t want to just be for one group of people, the teens, or the college kids. I want the parents to be listening.”

 

They might not be far off. The singer has been reaching out to “one of his first loves,” Rihanna, about a potential collaboration, and expresses dreams of cooking something up with Ariana Grande. While Mahone credits humility for his commitment to the straight and narrow, he reiterates it’s his “full-blown Aries power” to which he owes his relevance.

 

“I just want to be remembered for someone who was fearless. I want to not care what the rest of the world thinks of me. I want people to remember I went for it and made a real stamp in whatever industry I’m in. There have been times when I’ve wanted to take a breather, but nothing beats traveling the world and seeing fans sing your songs.”

 

And you can bet they’ll be crying and smiling non-stop while they do it.

 

Correction: An earlier edition erroneously titled one of Austin’s singles as “Anxiety.” It has been corrected to “Anxious.”

 

This story appears in the Summer 2019 issue of Essential Homme, out now.

 

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Roundup of Milan’s Hottest Bags for FW18

Before we jet off to Paris, Milan’s bags for Fall/Winter 2018 season are worth taking a look back at. With Dolce & Gabbana flying in their bags on drones, bags were swinging all around including a conveyor belt presentation. This season, Italian designers offered us a completely new look at the “man-bag.” No longer are we carrying around clutches, instead giving way to chunky traveler-bags for everyday use. These are worn standard carrying by the handle, or clutching underhand, as seen by Bally. The leather bag isn’t going anywhere yet either, but there are newer options available from Versace made in velvet and decorated with tassels, oh my! Backpacks are still very much trending with Etro and Tod’s with a sturdy structure. Meanwhile Fendi took the travel theme quite literally to real-size suitcases and some smaller, suitcase-resembling pieces as well. Looking forward, this trend is anticipated to be reinforced in Paris as well.

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Dolce&Gabbana Chronicles the Rise of the Millennials in New Book

dolce---1Images: Dolce&Gabbana.

Just in time for the holidays, fashion megahouse Dolce&Gabbana is releasing a book following the rise and global domination of the Millennial generation (read: 90’s kids) through the digital sphere. Published by Rizzoli New York, Dolce&Gabbana Generation Millennials: The New Rise will feature candid shots and interviews with some of the label’s biggest millennial ambassadors, and explore the brand’s adaptation to their global relevance.

“The word ‘Millennials’ refers to the generation born in the digital age, who have known no other reality. We are proud to share an important part of our history with these young people in the form of a book, wherein they recount their uniquely personal vision of the Dolce&Gabbana universe,” brand founders Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana said in a statement.

Celebrating the house’s longevity and the rapid takeover by Millennials that has revolutionized many industries, the book features over 150 images of some of the millenium’s most promising and captivating talent. Some of the subjects portrayed in the book include EH August/Summer cover star Cameron Dallas, models Brandon Thomas & Dylan Jagger Lee, Lucky Blue Smith, style prodigy Luka Sabbat, among many others. Take a look at some of the images below.

Dolce&Gabbana Generation Millennials: The New Rise is available on November 14 at all major bookstores and online.

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David Gandy Revisits Dolce&Gabbana Light Blue Eau Intense

Video: Dolce&Gabbana

Proving to be the sensual olfactive narrative to beat, Dolce&Gabbana‘s Light Blue Eau Intense fragrance receives its next visual installment with the release of a new, fitfully steamy campaign. Reuniting with the same creative team behind the frosty iteration of last year, models David Gandy and Bianca Balti bare all in front of photographer Mario Testino‘s risqué lens, wearing little else besides the scent under the sweltering Mediterranean sun just off Capri. The dual for him/for her fragrance sees its deep sensuality rediscovered in the seaside tryst, the film pulling inspiration from the scent’s juicy citrus and masculine notes of amber for an adventurous portrayal of romantic exploration.

Dolce&Gabbana’s new Light Blue Eau Intense is available online now.

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Weekly Instagram Roundup: Dolce&Gabbana, Saturdays NYC, and More

This week’s complete social snapshot, distilled for your pleasure.

From the hottest celebrity parties to the regretful morning-after shots, ESSENTIAL HOMME‘s Weekly Instagram Roundup brings all of the hottest designer, model, and trendsetting pics from the week directly to you. After all, no one has time to scroll through anything but the best.

Dolce&Gabbana

Dolce&Gabbana continued its exploration of youth with the Italian house’s latest eyewear campaign. Featuring Presley Gerber, the rising model and son of fashion icon Cindy Crawford, among other young talents, including internet sensation Cameron Dallas, the prints speak to the Millennial-centric Spring/Summer 2017 campaign released earlier this year. Here featuring the Jazz eyewear collection, the #DGCapri still is the latest in a string of all-in-the-family imagery that reinvented the label as an all-encompassing, familiar staple.

adidas Y-3

Yohji Yamamoto‘s adidas off-shoot Y-3 jumped to new heights in this first look at the upcoming Spring/Summer 2017 sport collection. Featuring the all-black aesthetic familiar to the brand, this athleisure take reinvents the shoe sole for a buoyant, lightweight design, highlighted by stylized knee-length socks. Though don’t expect the logo-centric look to stick around, come Autumn/Winter 2017 the marketed approach will take a backseat to the brand’s more reserved take.

Saturdays NYC

Though the team at Saturdays NYC may be busy—the brand having just released its first grooming line and is currently in the process of expanding its physical sale presence across the globe—the surf-ready label still has time for a little fun. Stopping by the Flower Shop, New York’s recently opened pub and eatery, the team met up with the restauranteurs for a quick bite and a little chat on what makes the space the city’s latest must-see destination. The owners, friends of the brand, are pictured here wearing the Clay Ditch hooded sweatshirt and Sanders long-sleeve terry polo, as seen in the label’s latest lookbook.

Bruce Weber

Iconic fashion photographer Bruce Weber has kept himself busy—shooting ads for David Yurman, Louis Vuitton, and, of course, Versace. His next project, a Ralph Lauren campaign highlighting its Polo Red Extreme fragrance, saw Weber return to film with a bold extended director’s cut of his cinematic creation. Featuring actor Luke Bracey and models Kenneth Guidroz and Alyssa Miller, the shared image is a behind-the-scenes shot of the dirt road, red pickup truck energy of Weber’s modern/western visual landscape.

Follow ESSENTIAL HOMME on Instagram at @EssentialHomme.
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Kit Harington Becomes Latest Face of Dolce&Gabbana’s The One for Men

Kit Harington the One for MenImage: Dolce&Gabbana.

A classic Dolce&Gabbana fragrance gets a refreshing facelift with Kit Harington’s appointment as the new campaign star for The One for Men. No stranger to the olfactive world—the “Game of Thrones” actor previously starred in Jimmy Choo Man’s 2014 prints—Harington takes command from previous heavyweight Matthew McConaughey, whose 2013 slow-moving ads embraced the scent’s spicy candor. “Harington is exactly how we see the Dolce&Gabbana man,” says founders Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. “Young, naturally charming, charismatic, with a personality rich in traits. There could be no other face for The One for Men.” While the first official release for the tobacco-infused scent won’t be arriving until September 2017, expect a Jon-Snow-is-alive level of speculation—the actor has already been spotted filming in Napoli, Italy wearing a crisp Dolce&Gabbana suit and dancing in the cobbled streets.

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Weekly Instagram Roundup: Dolce&Gabbana, Topman, and More

This week’s complete social snapshot, distilled for your pleasure.

From the hottest celebrity parties to the regretful morning-after shots, ESSENTIAL HOMME‘s Weekly Instagram Roundup brings all of the hottest designer, model, and trendsetting pics from the week directly to you. After all, no one has time to scroll through anything but the best.

Dolce&Gabbana

Dolce&Gabbana embraced its free-spirited Italian heritage with a peek at the brand’s new Spring/Summer 2017 campaign. Starring viral social media mogul Cameron Dallas and featuring the lush backdrop of Capri’s more colorful destinations, the images read like a raucous party in the most expensive wares.

Topman

Topman opened London Collection’s Men with a pulsating ’90s club collection, an unfiltered look at fashion through the ever-popular athleisure lens. With James Bay in attendance, rising model Lennon Gallagher walking, and tastemakers showing up wearing #topmanstyle in droves, LCM is off to a smashing start.

Jordan Barrett

After being crowned Models.com‘s 2016 Male Model of the Year, Jordan Barrett took to partying on the sunny shores of Sydney to ring in 2017. Soon to be taking the lead in Roberto Cavalli‘s Spring/Summer 2017 campaign, not to mention cover bookings and runway engagements, it’s no wonder this recently discovered Aussie is smiling.

Mert Alas

Embracing 2017 as only one of fashion’s most renowned photographers could, Mert Alas partied well into the night with Riccardo Tisci, who most recently reworked Givenchy’s VISOR eyewear, at his side. Look out for his and artistic partner Marcus Piggott’s upcoming works with DSQUARED2‘s, Givenchy‘s, and Giorgi Armani‘s Spring/Summer 2017 campaigns—#newlife indeed.

Roberto Bolle

American Ballet Theater principal dancer and former Dolce&Gabbana fashion ambassador Roberto Bolle rang in the new year alongside a few of his friends. After waving goodbye to 2016 with a heartbreaking performance of Romeo and Juliet with Misty Copeland, the ESSENTIAL HOMME June/July 2014 feature subject amped up the party in Trieste’s famed Politeama Rossetti.

Follow ESSENTIAL HOMME on Instagram at @EssentialHomme.
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Weekly Instagram Roundup: David Gandy, Alessandro Sartori, and More

This week’s complete social snapshot, distilled for your pleasure.

From the hottest celebrity parties to the regretful morning-after shots, ESSENTIAL HOMME‘s Weekly Instagram Roundup brings all of the hottest designer, model, and trendsetting pics from the week directly to you. After all, no one has time to scroll through anything but the best.

David Gandy

Fresh off the heels of Dolce&Gabbana’s new Light Blue fragrance campaign, brand-favorite model David Gandy rubbed shoulders with Prince Charles at the Style for Soldiers Christmas reunion party.

Versace

Versace announced its Spring/Summer 2017 campaign on Instagram this week, featuring an equestrian-inspired shoot conceived by Donatella Versace. The creative director gets intimate with Bruce Weber in ESSENTIAL HOMME’s December 2016/January 2017 issue.

Ermenegildo Zegna

Alessandro Sartori, Ermenegildo Zegna creative director and ESSENTIAL HOMME December 2015 / January 2016 cover star, posed with dancer Benjamin Millepied for the L.A. Dance Project Gala Night at the Ace Hotel.

Alessandro Michele

Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele teased audiences with behind-the-scene clips from the brand’s Spring/Summer 2017 campaign, which, in classic Michele fashion, included an on-set giraffe.

Armani

Armani decked out the Bayern Munich football team in tailor-made suits, capturing the styles in a short film by Juergen Teller. The photographer is known for his sportswear shoots, such as his recent adidas campaign.

Follow ESSENTIAL HOMME on Instagram at @EssentialHomme.
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Dolce&Gabbana Continues Light Blue Campaign

Dolce&Gabbana Light BlueImage: Dolce&Gabbana.

Dolce&Gabbana, ever the champion of progress and change, offers up a new look at one of its classic scents, Light Blue. Following up on last year’s sultry Capri campaign—a steamy look at passionate love—the new campaign, Light Blue Winter, is a continuation of the love story that escalated into one of the brand’s most tantalizing scents. Starring David Gandy and Bianca Balti, the visual prints, and accompanying video, follows the two as they traipse across the powdery snow of the Italian Alps, stealing kisses and embracing the fragrance’s his/her duality. The location, vying for its place in the spotlight, is a scene-stealer, the first to take the brand away from the sandy beaches, ushering in a new landscape against which to shine. Pondering the ideals of both icy indifference and melted romance, the campaign, shot by Mario Testino, is a breathtaking look at not only the iconography, but also the man that made the Dolce&Gabbana fragrance a lover’s must.

Dolce&Gabbana Light Blue is available online now.

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2016 Holiday Gift Guide for Yourself

The crisp flick of a black card is a sinful, self-indulgent holiday treat when they’re your bags to take home. Here to help you partake in a smarter form of vice, we present the 2016 Holiday Gift Guide for Yourself. Of course, any selfish grab can be balanced by a few humble purchases for the other important people in your life: check back next week for delicious picks for the rest of your squad.

1. Zipped Bi-Fold Wallet, ALEXANDER WANG

Image: Alexander Wang.

Banish all thoughts of demure or introverted tendencies with this statement-making accessory from Alexander Wang.

Alexander Wang zipped bi-fold wallet, $250. Available at Alexander Wang, NYC and AlexanderWang.com.

2. Classic 11 Shields, SAINT LAURENT

Image: Saint Laurent.

Don’t go quietly into winter this season with a fuzzy piece from Saint Laurent giving a daring new meaning to eye-catching.

Saint Laurent special edition classic 11 shields, $675. SaintLaurent.com.

3.  Sk8 Hi & Old School, VANS x DSM

Image: Vans x DSM.

Throw it back with these checkered kicks from DSMNY and Vans, black and white nostalgia pumped with a modern flair.

Vans x DSM old school in black and white, $64. Available at DOVER STREET MARKET NEW YORK and NewYork.DoverStreetMarket.com.

4. Snake Print Silk Scarf, GUCCI

Image: Gucci.

Wrap yourself up in this truly sleek accessory from Gucci, the printed snake design a tightly coiled, decadent motif.

Snake print silk scarf, $465. Available at select Gucci stores nationwide and Gucci.com.

5. Mini Tool Box, LOUIS VUITTON


Image: Louis Vuitton.

Jet set in style with Louis Vuitton’s latest opulent addition to a line of iconic cases and travel sets.

Louis Vuitton mini tool box, price upon request. Available at select Louis Vuitton stores, 866-Vuitton, and LouisVuitton.com.

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Weekly Instagram Roundup: Prada, Opening Ceremony, and more

This week’s complete social snapshot, distilled for your pleasure.

From the hottest celebrity parties to the regretful morning-after shots, ESSENTIAL HOMME‘s Weekly Instagram Roundup brings all of the hottest designer, model, and trendsetting pics from the week directly to you. After all, no one has time to scroll through anything but the best.

Prada

Prada’s latest video campaign, “Past Forward,” a celeb-studded starrer by director David O. Russell, assembles an all-star cast of elegant women ostensibly running through an airport, before stopping in their tracks at the sight of their masculine counterparts—an homage to long lost loves of old.

Opening Ceremony

Victor Solomon, an artist who creates bejeweled, stained glass basketball backboards, once again collaborated with Opening Ceremony to release a new design, Mono Flow. The luxe backboard will be auctioned off with 100% of proceeds going to Planned Parenthood.

DSQUARED2

On DSQUARED2’s 2017 agenda is a blaze of glitter and color, as shown in its Spring/Summer 2017 menswear pre-collection. This week the brand teased with this glam rock leather jacket, boasting purples that evoke Prince, but a style that suggests Bowie or Mercury.

Jordan Barrett

Nineteen-year-old Aussie male model Jordan Barrett returned to his homeland this week at the Louis Vuitton pop-up store opening in Sydney. Wearing a “Volez Vouguez Voyagez” shirt from the brand’s Autumn/Winter 2016 collection, he rubbed shoulders with Kim Jones, Louis Vuitton’s men’s artistic director.

Public School

Public School debuted a capsule collection of glutinous popularity, dubbed PSNY Pizza. The range is a light-hearted departure from the brand’s more ostentatiously brooding Spring/Summer 2016 campaign.

Dolce&Gabbana

It was a big week for Dolce & Gabbana, celebrating Stefano Gabbana’s 54th birthday and launching a new winter campaign for its Light Blue fragrance. Brand-favorite David Gandy reprised his role as the face of the campaign, this time posing in the Italian Alps.

Follow ESSENTIAL HOMME on Instagram at @EssentialHomme.
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Weekly Instagram Roundup: DSQUARED2, Versace, and More

This week’s complete social snapshot, distilled for your pleasure.

From the hottest celebrity parties to the regretful morning-after shots, ESSENTIAL HOMME‘s Weekly Instagram Roundup brings all of the hottest designer, model, and trendsetting pics from the week directly to you. After all, no one has time to scroll through anything but the best.

KENZO

Famous faces congregated for the wild dance party that was KENZO x H&M‘s collaborative runway, with everyone from Joe Jonas to Lupita Nyong’o getting down and dirty.

Gabriel Kane

While on a carefree Mediterranean jaunt, musician Gabriel Kane offered a behind-the-scenes peek at the upcoming Dolce&Gabbana campaign, titled #millenials, currently shooting in Capri, Italy.

DSQUARED2

ESSENTIAL HOMME December 2014/January 2015 cover stars Dan and Dean Caten threw it way back with this grayscale #TBT, just days after announcing DSQUARED2‘s new partnership with Manchester City Football Club.

Baja East

John Targon and Scott Studenberg of Baja East threw their support behind Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton with a cheeky nod to this week’s political debate – of course wearing the New York brand’s soon-to-be-iconic “Be With Her” tee and sipping on some Don Julio.

SIBLING

Envelope-pusher SIBLING honored the late Sonia Rykiel with monogramed versions of her famous poor boy sweater, spelling out “Sonia Forever” in bright pops of color.

Donatella Versace

The queen of Italian fashion announced her eponymous brand’s off-shoot Versus Versace‘s upcoming partnership with megastar Zayn Malik for ZAYN x VERSUS, complete with tongue-wagging, emoji fun.

Follow ESSENTIAL HOMME on Instagram at @EssentialHomme.