Kylie Jenner announced the launch of Kylie Swim, and Bianca Saunders unveiled a chic new vision for SS22
Central Saint Martins graduates Feben and Randa Kherba were this week announced as the first recipients of Samuel Ross’ Black British and POC artist grant, which, beyond fashion, saw lump sums of £2,500 granted to creatives working across sculpture, AR, furniture design, and film. “The vanguard of Britain’s soft power, on a global stage, is missing far too many Black, POC, and non-linear voices,” the designer said. “We’re missing the propensity, the nuance, and panache that have formed, and exist within our nation’s melting pot. And so, we’ve decided to do something.”
Even with input from the Royal College of Art, the British Fashion Council, and the Design Museum, it’s little surprise that the founder of A-COLD-WALL* should see the future in these two designers. Much like Ross’ own label, Kherba’s 2018 graduate collection prodded at the boundaries of fabrication – her technical outerwear crackling and turning transparent under layers-on-layers of material treatments, as if they had been frozen under an arctic avalanche. Feben, on the other hand, has used fashion to translate her feelings of misplacement, as both a child refugee and a Black woman, into raucous and surreal garments – full of nose-shaped heels, and trompe l'oeil slips. “To all those who applied: we’ll be delivering a similar award programme next year,” Ross added.
Elsewhere in fashion news this week, Supreme unveiled collaborations with New York’s subway system, and erm, Shrek, while Shein came out in support of its “philanthropic” support of emerging designers. We said goodbye to Wallet, the chin-strokey fashion criticism magazine, as Bella Hadid led tributes to the legendary fashion photographer, Hiro. Otherwise, Ryan Murphy announced a new series dedicated to the tragic love story of the Yohji Yamamoto-wielding, 90s style icon, Carolyn Basette-Kennedy, Charli XCX continues to tease her new era in a fun and free Fiorucci look, and music “aficionados” finally clarified the unspoken rules of wearing band merch.
Click through the gallery below to see what else has been going on this week.
FILIPPA K TAKES US TO THE POETRY SLAM
Filippa K has tapped writer and activist Kai-Isaiah Jamal for its new AW21 campaign – What Lies Within. Stepping into both men’s and women’s, the London-born model penned an accompanying poem for the pared-back Swedish label. “I wish you fabric that blows and whispers in the wind, and an unending piece of string,” they say, straddling a line of craggy rocks along the blustery English coast. Check out the video here to see Jamal’s performance in full.
PARLEZ-VOUS ANGLAIS? BIANCA SAUNDERS GOES TO PARIS
Having bagged the prestigious ANDAM award last month, Bianca Saunders made like Balenciaga and wiped her Instagram clean – uploading just a trifecta of shots from the emerging label’s pre-SS22 campaign. Swapping out South London for the terraces of Paris, Saunders snapped her muses in louche-cut silk separates and twisted tailoring, as lensed by Djiby. See more of that over here.
RICK OWENS GIVES BASKETBALL DUNKS THE DRKSHDW TREATMENT
This week, Rick Owens unveiled his second collaboration with Converse. Yet, where the “prince of darkness” usually offers elongated stump-toes and outstretching tongues – this latest model is pretty reserved. Reworking Converse’s Weapon sneaker with a double-sized outsole, the designer said “when I discovered how powerful just oversizing something a little bit was, which I’ve done with a lot of my clothes, that became one of my tools.” The shoe drops on August 31 on both the Rick Owens and Converse websites.
GANNI’S GONE WILD
It’s about “throwing your arms around the world, having fun, dancing, hedonism – an antidote to our recent times of lockdown and staying home,” says Ditte Reffstrup, creative director of Ganni, as the label’s SS22 collection hit the runway at Copenhagen Fashion Week. Staged atop the CopenHill – an active power plant covered in grassy slopes – bursts of tangerine mini shorts and strappy jersey dresses came out as if they were begging for attention. Much like the loose netted skirts, crochet bikinis, and gauzy, knitted slip dresses, which rounded off the show. “It’s more about a mindset. Reigniting our love for life and self-love. And wanting to do things responsibly.”
NAOMI OSAKA SERVES UPCYCLED LEVI’S
Levi’s and tennis champ Naomi Osaka have collaborated on a four-piece limited edition capsule, forged from upcycled denim. Trucker jackets have been reconstructed as corset-style bustiers, while other pieces include a jean kimono and a nipped-in obi belt, drawing on Osaka’s Japanese heritage. “I always loved wearing kimonos when I was a kid,” Osaka said. “So, to be able to do it in denim felt really different and a bit unexpected.” The collection goes live on August 24, exclusively on the Levi’s app.
A-COLD-WALL* AND MACKINTOSH DESIGN FOR MR SPOCK
Though Star Trek may be an unlikely, and accidental, reference point for a streetwise fashion brand, A-COLD-WALL* has collaborated once more with heritage label Mackintosh, producing a line of slick, technical outerwear – mimicking the priest-collared looks of space scientist Dr Spock. Design-led and just a little dystopian, the collaboration is “a selection of modernist layers, the meeting of weather protective properties and precise, contemporary cuts,” the brands say. And, it’s available to purchase now on either A-COLD-WALL* or Mackintosh’s website.
KYLIE DIVES INTO SWIMWEAR
Kylie Jenner has sprouted another tentacle from her billion dollar KYLIE empire, encircling and punching a hole into the world of swimwear. The full line has yet to be revealed but the Jenner teased her first piece on Instagram this week – a stringy halter neck bikini which lattices across the body in pink and yellow gradients. While the post racked up 11 million likes, not everyone was so enthused – “my coochie will fall right outta that after walking 4 steps,” one beleaguered Instagram user commented. Stay tuned for more.
CHARLI XCX GETS CHEEKY IN FIORUCCI
Everyone’s number one angel and Fiorucci’s number one fan Charli XCX continues to tease her new era with music, BTS video clips, and cheeky Instagram pics – this one sees the pop star in the iconic Italian brand’s Commended Bikini in Cali.
“I can live in your dreams/ With my angel wings and Fiorucci jeans,” she sang on 2017’s “Babygirl”. With her new song with Joel Corry and Saweetie “Out Out”, her latest podcast series, and a guest spot on Lady Gaga’s remix album on the way, Charli continues to keep busy in the run up to her new era. The “Unlock It” singer has been pulling an array of even more glam looks that speak to the sensibilities of the next Charli evolution – big hair, monochrome, corsets, mesh and satin. Like a moody actress in a Fellini film – Fiorucci is ofc then, the swimwear for the moment.