One of the cornerstones of Phipps is character work. Less so in the theater kid tradition of “yes, and?”-ing one’s way through life, and more so in the Cindy Sherman-esque school of studying and embodying an individual. Designer Spencer Phipps builds his product not around nebulous inspirations, but around people, characters, that exist in the … Read more
It’s an angsty world out there right now, with a lot of reasons to be concerned—climate change, a redo American election, and the disappearance of the middle class, just to name a few. Many designers have been expressing a sense of apprehension through their recent collections. As for John Elliott, he’s been there, done that, … Read more
I started reporting on the menswear trends at the women’s collections after the spring 2023 ready-to-wear season. That initial report covered the launch of Simone Rocha’s menswear line alongside the occasional men’s look on the women’s runways of Molly Goddard, Collina Strada, and Blumarine, among others. The items identified in that “men’s at women’s” roundup … Read more
There was no overarching inspiration at Daniel Silver and Steven Cox’s Duckie Brown this season. The collection is a reflection of Cox’s pure, undiluted sense of color and shape. On the walls inside their West Village studio, loose leaf papers were taped to the wall, each one bearing an abstract expressionist croquis, some more immediately … Read more
Of the four meanings Merriam-Webster assigns to the word “compile,” the third—“to build up gradually”—seems to resonate most with the cadence, and dimensional materiality of Daisuke Obana’s latest project, a seasonal film called Fashion Zombies that crescendos into a surprising conclusion. (Watch it above.) Obana, a one-time vintage dealer turned collector and designer, stepped away … Read more
Amidst the milling crowd popping canapes around Loro Piana’s static and featureless mannequins, this presentation contained a jewel. Two gloved custodians stood by a table on which rested this fabric-founded house’s first-ever sample book, from the spring/summer 1926 season. A double breasted suit in the atrium of Loro Piana’s presentation space (just next to the … Read more
Ahead of his debut Dunhill show in London, Simon Holloway hosted Vogue Runway at a preview amid a frenzy of fittings. Despite the tense atmosphere at the brand’s Mayfair HQ, his pristine showroom was organized to a level of meticulousness that only a seasoned designer, along with a world class team behind him, could achieve … Read more
The central dichotomy of Jonathan Simkhai’s new menswear line is East Coast/West Coast, but the styling of the lookbook suggests a sort of middle ground or “Weastcoast” look, where tailoring and streetwear intermingle. Suits are worn with tanks, and tailored tweed coats are teamed with a fine merino polo and made-in-LA jeans. Much attention has … Read more
Nihl serves as a vitrine for Neil Grotzinger’s preoccupations and obsessions. This time around, it was tactility which occupied the designer’s thoughts. More specifically, how one can evoke the sense of touch without offering an abundance of texture. Grotzinger is an avid beader, and each season has included a run of intricate hand-made pieces. This … Read more
Willy Chavarría’s fall collection was originally going to be presented exclusively through a short film. “The whole story is about love, protection and our need to protect each other,” he said at his Greenpoint studio a few days before the show. “It was hard for me to think about clothes because there are so many … Read more
