One of the collaborations I did not see showing up this year is the recently announced collection from British clothing brand Folk and the iconic swim brand Speedo. The Cold Water Swimming collaboration features a wide range of pieces for both swimming (obviously) as well as staying warm before and after your icy plunge.
As Folk founder and Creative Director, Cathal McAteer, describes it:
“Losing yourself in nature has always appealed to me – hiking up mountains, dancing in a field, floating in the sea – all big positive moments. So naturally we have admired and been part of the love for cold water swimming, these small groups & communities of people taking to the rivers, ponds, lakes & coast to get the elemental rush of being outdoors in the water wanting to introduce a lived-in sense of ease to the kit that people use, the aim was to make an excellent range of swim and warm-up gear. So we designed robes, fleeces, base layers, hoodies, hats etc plus partnered with swimming icon, Speedo, for performance quality swimwear. We have tackled the outer cold to help deliver the inner peace.”
I love what they done with the patterns and colors for the collection. I think the combinations work so well because they contrast so nicely with the water and earth tones. The photoshoot does a great job of selling the idea of cold water swimming, I’m almost convinced it’s something I would do.
There are some everyday objects that you should consider investing in. As Marc Jacobs is known to say, “a nice version.” And as a person who has been a life-long wearer of sunglasses, keep your specs safe (and accounted for) is a top priority. So when I spotted Valextra’s quite sophisticated take on a glasses case I realized what’s been missing in my day-to-day kit. With over twenty colors to choose from, there’s a shade for every bag or outfit. I always default to the more natural tones, though the mint and peony pink/poppy red combo are definitely calling to me.
There are people in life who stand out from the pack. Their view point unique, their self-confidence seemingly unwavering, and through personal style, creative projects, or any number of aspects of self-expression, they seem extraordinary. Think Virgil Abloh, Miuccia Prada, or Hayao Miyazaki, each marching to the beat of their own drum.
What made me start thinking about this was a piece by Rachel Tashjian for the Washing Post titled, Whatever happened to having taste? In it, she speaks to the second (perhaps third?) coming of Jenna Lyons, famously know for her time as the womenswear designer for J.Crew, and one of the new additions to The Real Housewives of New York. To succinctly sum up the piece, she talks about how Lyons simply has taste, especially in contrast to her RHONY costars who primarily have, well, money. She then dives into our experiences of the last 20 years or so, delving into fashion blogging, and how it evolved and gave rise to “influencers,” which steadily gave rise to capitalizing taste. Folks started to realize they could make money showing off their taste, until the whole thing became watered down, and now 99% of it is performing for cash doled out by brands.
This applies to all matter of creative endeavors. Being able to take risks, do something unlike others in your industry, having the charisma and gall to make outlandish things. That’s hard for most people. I look to Jenna Lyons as a personal inspiration. I don’t necessarily want to dress like her, per se. What I want is to have an eclectic wardrobe of stylish garments, putting together eye-catching ensembles, and have the confidence that she emanates whenever you see her. Beyond that, how can I carry that same weight in my design work? With my writing? Hell, how do I bring that power into the way I carry myself?
I believe in myself and my personal taste, which was a huge part of why I started The Fox Is Black again. Social media can be such a vacuum of taste. Curating style guides from brands from the mid-century, runway shows from the 90’s, photo galleries of brutalist homes. It’s simply saying, “HERE ARE THINGS” without any context, nor personal view, of “here is why this is important to me.” Superficiality curated. I am certainly guilty of this, and that’s why I’m trying to do more with this space, ensuring I provide more of the why to my writing. Because, in my opinion, good taste needs a point of view. In Tashjian’s piece on taste, she speaks with Leandra Medine, well-known for her blog Man Repeller, who’s quote I agree with wholly:
“I respect my taste,” Medine says. “My loyalty through all of this has to be to creative progress. And the way to stay close to creative progress is to also stay close to your taste.”
Ferragamo has launched its Fall/Winter 2023 campaign, titled “New Renaissance,” which was shot by Tyler Mitchell at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy. Mitchell, who is known for his work with Beyoncé and Vogue, is one of my favorite photographers right now, his work is beautifully editorial. This campaign is no different.
The Uffizi Gallery was chosen as the location for the campaign due to its rich history and cultural significance. The campaign features a mix of classic and modern styles, with a focus on bold colors and patterns. And like, you can’t go wrong with Kelela being one of your models, she’s so iconic. Truly obsessed with this entire shoot.
We’re deep in an era of Croc-inspired footwear, where squishiness and comfort reign supreme. Plenty of fashion and lifestyle brands have taken a jump into the space though it’s interesting to see how some brands are iterating on the style. Nike recently announced the Calm Mule, an updated take on their Calm Slide, that comes equipped with an adjustable strap on the back as well as a closed toe. It’s a bit reminiscent of the design of a Suicoke sandal, which is probably why I like it, especially in this olive color. No word on when exactly this will be released, though I’m probably going to snag a pair for myself to wear around the house.
It’s been 10 years since Craig Green started designing clothes and it’s incredible how he continues to reach into new spaces. He presented his AW23 and SS24 Collections this week, and each had very unique points of view, you’d be hard-pressed to know these are from the same mind if you aren’t familiar with Green’s work.
There’s the knitwear, that feels like an assemblage of blankets and sweaters, maybe colorful kites from times past. They come together in the most fascinating ways, some that feel ceremonial, others that feel organic. Then there are these sparring dummy meet Evangelion looks, the models adorned with the hulking, lifeless frames. And finally, he gave us these patchwork suits, like Gene Kelly’s Singing in the Rain attire have gone through a futuristic transformation for our modern times. It’s all so fascinating when you view it together, and truly shows how Green’s mind is so expansive, constantly reaching for new ways to think about what clothing can possibly be.
I received a text from Kyle yesterday saying, “did you see the Longchamp? they did a toilet paper collab.” I was confused. Why would Longchamp make their own toilet paper? I know luxury brands are branching out though this seems like flushing money down the toilet. Then I realized, Kyle meant TOILETPAPER, the always fun, always edgy brainchild of Italian artists Maurizio Cattelan and Pierpaolo Ferrari.
The collection reinvents the iconic Le Pliage with five original designs, combining bright illustrations, colors, and pop art touches while maintaining classic Longchamp motifs. Inspired by emblems like the baguette and French bulldog, as well as Longchamp symbols like the horse and leather pipe, the collection adds favorite visuals to create a bold and humorous take on the Pliage canvas.
As you can see above, Longchamp went all out in certain locations, like their shop on Passieg de Gracia here in Barcelona. Inside they’ve done a very TOILETPAPER-esque takeover of the space, and even kitted out the employees in fun jumpsuits that match the space. It’s an unexpected move and I for one am here for it. Ultimately, we decided on picking up the Travel Bag for ourselves, a perfect tote for our train rides around the country.
As climate change continues to wreak havoc (while very little is being done about it) artists have continued to try and raise awareness and stir action in unique ways. Temperature Textiles is a project by Raw Color which takes climate data and translates it into knit blankets and socks, bringing the data into our every day lives.
“Temperature Textiles range from knitted blankets, to scarves and socks and are designed to carry climate data and to provide warmth to the user. The manifested data shows three main drivers and results of Global Warming. These can be identified as Temperature Change, Sea Level Rise and Emission.”
I think the project is gorgeous to look at, though it does feel a bit capitalistic at the same time. Is making a series of lifestyle products the way to get corporations to care about climate change? Will it even matter in the end? I’m not really sure! I guess it’s better to try and do something than nothing at all?
The current (increasingly tiresome) infatuation with quiet luxury would seem to make Lemaire more relevant than ever. But only Lemaire has built so much versatility into its luxury. And the brand will continue to exist this way—well beyond the latest sneakers and store designs—no matter the trend.
That’s exactly what makes this collection feel so special. These are clothes which, if you saw someone wearing them on the street, you may do a double take. There a chic, effortlessness to the pieces, an extra ordinary quality. It’s so rad to see Christophe Lemaire and Sarah-Linh Tran continue to raise the bar on easy essentials. If I could dress like this every day I would, especially as I get older.
To this day I still love print magazines. My apartment is literally lined with stacks of printed goods. So I was pretty stoked to see that Acne’s most recent issue of Acne Paper, their stunning, over-the-top magazine, would be devoted to “the idea of a house with a fantasy collection of furniture, art and objects.” Yes, please.
“The house has nine rooms and a garden: ten chapters which features a photographic story by some of the most exciting image makers of today. Behind every door there is also a conversation, an informal interview with ten remarkable people from the world of art, design, architecture, performance, literature and interiors.”
The size of the book is astounding. On the website to buy it, they don’t say the page count (though I did some sleuthing and it’s over 500 pages) they instead tell you the dimensions: 27 cm x 22 cm x 5 cm, which is roughly the height of a medium sized egg. And for only €40, it’s such a steal. I should be getting my copy this Friday.
It feels as though Jacquemus can’t go wrong lately, as the label continues to create the most fantastic work. Scheduled to drop tomorrow (on their website) is the JF1, a collaboration with Nike, which combines the silhouettes of the Air Force 1 and the NIKE ACG Terra, the latter being Simon Porte Jacquemus’ favorite Nike shoes.
It’s interesting how Simon put his spin on the silhouette. There’s the the very petit, metal swoosh, the leather tabs at the end of the laces, and the way the “laces” help to marry the uppers and the sole beds which gives the shoe such a unique silhouette. Do I want a pair of these in white? Very much so. Will I be able to afford these? Sadly, the answer is probably no. I also need to mention the ad campaign teasing the release (at bottom) which is this like, high-contrast, cult marching through the desert energy. I’m not sure how this exactly ties into the release though I’m really loving the drama of it all.
There are few fashion brands doing more interesting marketing than Jacquemus. First their were the giant Bambino bags driving to the Opéra Garnier, now they’re showing up as a boat sailing across Lake Como. It’s surrealism at it’s finest. No people, no celebrities, no content creators, simply beautifully crafted vignettes that get you talking about Jacquemus. If you need more inspo, pop over to Simon Porte Jacquemus’ Instagram feed where he’s sharing what’s inspiring him currently.
