Plus more fashion news you missed, including a Mowalola pop-up in Shoreditch and the Woolmark Prize announces its 2022 batch of nominees
A great famine settled over the land and deep in the bowels of a Bavarian forest, two children are left to fend for themselves having been abandoned by their parents – simply for being too greedy. There, they fall into the hands of a witch, who lures them, bellies rumbling, into her gingerbread house, scratching for a taste of their sweet, plump flesh.
The tale of poor wee Hansel and Gretel has been repeated as a warning on the dangers of gluttony for centuries. And this Christmas, it has been memorialised by Swarovski and Richard Quinn, who have transformed the façade of Annabel’s in Mayfair into a glimmering cottage crafted from cookies, cakes, candy, chocolate, and jellies. With Swarovski crystals vining around candy cane columns and dusted onto fiberglass, Quinn also redesigned uniforms for the club’s doormen, which now come with twee scalloped edges and twinkling embroidery. Wouldst thou like to live deliciously? Head down to Berkeley Square for a taste.
In other news this week, Burberry and Marcus Rashford began to ring in the festive season, announcing that they would build 10 libraries in underprivileged schools, while Jacquemus teased a canned CBD beverage. Cardi B reached for a gold Schiaparelli facemask at the AMAs, while Gucci gave a hand to young jewellery designers. Elsewhere, it came as little surprise that Wednesday Addams (AKA Christina Ricci) was deigned a Marc Jacobs girl, while George at Asda actually did shock pundits, announcing a sale of archival Gucci.
Click through the gallery below for more news you missed.
MOWALOLA POPS UP IN SHOREDITCH
Designer, Fashion East grad, musician, and creative director of YEEZY Gap, Mowalola, is opening her first pop-up store in Shoreditch this weekend. From November 26 to November 28, the label is taking over the Dray Walk Gallery with pieces from Mowa’s LolaLand merch drop, rare archival items, limited edition Monsta boots and Bundle bags, rings, temporary tattoos, jewellery, and even furniture. Open from 11am to 6pm, the only condition is “no swag, no entry”.
ALBER ELBAZ CONTINUES TO BE MEMORIALISED
Back in October, more than 50 leading designers came together to remember the life and legacy of Alber Elbaz, who passed away from COVID earlier this year. With contributions from the likes of Donatella Versace, Raf Simons, Rick Owens, and Rei Kawakubo, the tribute show which closed Paris Fashion Week is now being sent to a museum. Curated by Alexandre Samson, the exhibition will run from March 5 to July 10 at the Palais Galliera fashion museum in Paris and promises an immersive catwalk experience.
THE INTERNATIONAL WOOLMARK PRIZE UNVEILS ITS 2022 NOMINEES
Priya Ahluwalia, Saul Nash, Peter Do, Rui, Egonlab, Jordan Dalah Studio, and MMUSOMAXWELL have all been announced as nominees for next year’s iteration of the International Woolmark Prize. The theme of the competition is “play”, which the IWP described as “a true celebration of forward-thinking design and innovation, (calling on) finalists to experiment with textiles, design, and business practices to drive change and innovation for a brighter future.” Sustainability is still central to the contest, however, and participants will be expected to come up with innovative solutions to their supply chains in order to impress the judges.
ALESSANDRO MICHELE TO BE HONOURED AS A TRAILBLAZER
As we approach the 2022 Fashion Awards on November 29, IB Kamara and Tommy Hilfiger have already been revealed as award recipients (for the Outstanding Achievement and the Isabella Blow prize, respectively). And now, Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele has been awarded the evening’s Trailblazer honour. Previously given to Kim Jones and Sarah Burton, according to Caroline Rush of the British Fashion Council, Michele is “a pioneer in every aspect of his creative output and uses the power of design to pave new paths connecting the fashion industry to all other industries from film to digital innovation”. Check back with us on Tuesday (30 November) morning for everything else that goes down at the Fashion Awards ceremony.
CRAIG GREEN COMES HOME
After nearly three years, Craig Green is returning to London and will present a collection off-schedule during the week commencing February 7. The last time that the designer took to the runway was in 2019 during London Men’s Fashion Week and though details are sparse, it seems that Green will not be leaving the Paris calendar for good. The one-off presentation will take place a week before the capital’s first 2022 edition of fashion week which is set to run from February 18-22.
BALENCIAGA’S NEXT SHOW WILL BE A FILM
Dubbed The Lost Tape/The Show That Never Happened, Balenciaga’s AW22 collection will debut with a video on December 8, alongside a look book of the collection. It feels as though the dust has barely settled on the brand’s most recent The Simpsons SS22 jaunt in Paris, but while the devil works hard, a blacked-out, faceless Demna works harder.
MIISTA SAYS GET EDUCATED
Cult shoe brand Miista has launched a culture series across podcast and zine, untangling the movements and moments of today, investigating micro-trends and speaking to the people who forged them. So far, writer Grace Banks, the host of MIISTA SAYS, has held conversations with Natasha Stagg on Y2K fashion, Bay Garnett on thrifting, and Jamilla Okubo on fashion existing in art. Check out the pod here.
DIOR, TOO, ACTUALLY
Speaking of podcasts, Dior has launched Common Thread, which explores Kim Jones’ art collaborations at the French fashion house. The first two episodes feature the designer, Ed Tang, the co-founder of Art Bureau, and KAWS. Future guests are under wraps for now, but looking back at Jones’ Dior tenure points to Amoako Boafo, Daniel Arsham, Raymond Pettibon, Hajime Sorayama, and Peter Doig as future collaborators. Listen here.
LINDA FARROW GETS GLITZY FOR CHRISTMAS
Sara Shakeel, the digital artist known for glitter collages, has created a festive capsule collection with Linda Farrow. She joins Area, Jeremy Scott, and Dries Van Noten as collaborators, producing a capsule of three frames, featuring glitzy crystal embellishments across handles and encircling lenses. Head over to Linda Farrow to see more of the collection.
REFORMATION MOVES INTO SHOREDITCH
East London’s cohort of Ref-loving gals now have a main line to the effortless, sustainably-minded US brand, with its latest store opening in London’s Shoreditch.
Reformation Shoreditch brings its feminine collections of dresses, everyday wear, shoes, and activewear to the 2,000sq ft space on Redchurch Street in the heart of East London. Its cool, lush interior uses natural and recycled materials with vintage furniture, eco-friendly textiles, reusable totes and a commitment to offsetting 100 per cent of the store electrical usage with wind energy. Be sure to peep the specially curated vintage selection, the recent shoe and accessory editions, and the FibreTrace denim pieces.
With its Notting Hill store, East and West Ref girls have their pick of sustainable stuff.