Blumarine collabs with Hello Kitty, while Dior packs a punch
Trust Jacquemus to engineer an Instagrammable vending machine in the middle of Paris. Across the weekend, fans of Simon can score the designer’s accessories much like they would a Snickers, a Lucozade Orange, or a packet of Durex. The 24 hour locale can be found on rue de Richelieu and hawks the arrival of the label’s new bag – The Bambino Long. “The idea is to break boundaries in the luxury world,” the designer said. “That’s what Jacquemus is about”. Of course, Jacquemus has imagined his It-bags as convenience foods for a while, having acquired a Chiquito vending machine for his AW20 campaign. It’s not just bags, though, with 90 automated lockers and a McDonalds-style serving screen shilling pieces from the label’s Pink 2 capsule which also launched this week. Think bucket hats, scarves, and the Rond Carré candle (a collaboration with Belgian artist Ann Vincent). Anyone got any change?
In other news this week, the fashion world grappled with the sudden and tragic loss of Virgil Abloh, with Louis Vuitton, the Fashion Awards, and fans of the designer all paying tribute in their own way. Justin Bieber landed another Balenciaga campaign – looking like a ghoulish, ecclesiastical nightporter – while Rihanna vowed to make the yuletide assless. Elsewhere, Harley Weir lensed London’s cool kid teenagers for Acne Studios and Harry Styles’ TikTok cardigan was transformed into an NFT. Oh and Tom Ford left a screening of House of Gucci in tears.
For everything else that passed you by this week, click through the gallery below.
BIMBA, LOLA, Y NATHY PELUSO RING IN CHRISTMAS
Hip con el hop con el hip hop hopa! Nathy Peluso starred in Bimba Y Lola’s Christmas campaign this week. Directed and choreographed by (La)Horde, a french dance troupe, the argentinian musician does as many wish they could on the 25th, slipping beneath the dinner table in a comatose-cum-cabin fever state of chaos. Watch the film here.
HELLO BLUMARINE!
Mining the Y2K era for all its worth is Italian fashion house Blumarine, which unveiled a collaboration with Hello Kitty this week. Though it may seem like the 00s river has been bled dry, it was an era of hyperactive pop culture where trends and tacky-fantastic fads moved at lightning speed – meaning its waters run wild. Nicola Brognano’s capsule swaps out its signature butterfly motif, emblazoning Hello Kitty across low slung bell bottoms and shrunken cardigans, transforming the face into diamante brassiers and kitsch little handbags. Head over to Blumarine to see more.
DIOR’S A KNOCKOUT
For SS22 Maria Grazia Chiuri sent out a collection indebted to the 60s, which came splintered by a score of rhinestone-encrusted boxing looks. It’s little surprise, then, that model and boxer Ramla Ali wore Dior for her Madison Square Gardens fight this past week. Ali bagged her fourth professional win wearing socks, shorts, a vest, and robe from the Parisian fashion house.
GIORGIO ARMANI SAYS NO TO ANGORA
After 40 years in the business, Armani is looking to herald an ethical future of fashion. Having banned fur since 2016, the Italian house has now announced that it will no longer use angora wool. Armani will abandon the material from AW22 onwards, in line with international efforts to reduce the production of harmful materials.
COACH GETS ITS SKIS ON
Coach has rolled out its ski collection with a Zackery Michael-lensed lookbook and a video game. Starring actress Brittany O’Grady, TikTok star Wisdom Kaye, and models Tiffany Guo and Mia Regan, the collection comprises shearling jackets with active, nylon stripes, quilted leather bags, sweaters, and snow boots. “Snow City” is the house’s first venture into gaming and transports players to a snow-capped New York, where they can race through the city as a wee animal. “Coach Ski is inspired by winter adventures and the possibilities of tomorrow,” said Stuart Vevers. “Joyful and nostalgic, it reimagines our heritage within the bold, colorful language of American sportswear.”
CROCS’ WORLD DOMINATION CONTINUES
Kurt Geiger has been unveiled as Crocs’ latest collaborator. The British shoe brand has taken Crocs’ BEA model and pumped it to mammoth proportions – decorating the shoe with technicolour jewels and a faux-fur trim. Both designs will be available from December online and in Kurt Geiger stores.
APPLIED ART FORMS POPS UP IN A GALLERY
Menswear label Applied Art Forms is the lovechild of Guy Berryman, a former architect, engineer, and musician. Minimalist, military, and workwear-indebted, the collection reimagines vintage pieces into contemporary, sustainably-crafted styles. The full collection is on view until December 4 at the Paul Stolper gallery, alongside a wider exhibition featuring art by Damien Hirst, Eames Klein chairs, and music memorabilia.
WEEKDAY-DREAMING
Weekday’s latest drop explores the nature of Avatars and AR reality, in collaboration with Harriet Davey – a leading figure in Digi-Gxl, a community for womxn, intersex, trans folk and non-binary people specialising in digital design, 3D & XR. According to Davey, the capsule’s faux fur coat, which was inspired by Brad Pitt in Fight Club, makes the wearer feel like a creature more than it does a human. With elfin, Burberry-esque ears attached to models, the mishmash blending of worlds brings together denim harnesses and green teddy bear bags. As of yesterday, 17 pieces dropped online, accompanied by an Instagram face filter.
HARLEY WEIR LENSES MANU ATELIER FOR SS22
The creative collaboration between Manu Atelier founder-sister duo Beste and Merve Manastir and photographer Harley Weir continues with a sensual and striking campaign lookbook for SS22. The accessories brand, which melds forward-facing style with traditional, artisanal techniques dear to their Turkish roots, is shot by Weir in contrasting, sensual night and day vignettes. Like their previous partnerships, the women highlight the lookbook as a celebration of the feminine, and a pushback against patriarchy. Weir’s raw aesthetic and deliciously languid style shines through. Peep the brand’s recognisable cylinder bags in candy pinks and high octane greens for the confident colour palette of SS22.