29 Dec
Beauty

The Great British Minimalist

Alessandro Michele at Gucci

More than ever, the fashion industry has become one defined by binaries. On the one hand, you have the “throw everything at it” maximalists, many of whom only exist on our Instagram feeds or immortalised on the pavements of fashion week, and whose look is spearheaded by the likes of Alessandro Michele at Gucci and Demna Gvasalia at Balenciaga.

On the other hand, you have a fashion tribe who are rejecting the noise and clamour of clashing prints and accessory overload and instead embracing a more contemplative approach to dressing. Yes this is minimalism, but not, perhaps, as you know it. An aesthetic that has simmered beneath the cultural surface for decades, minimalism has occasionally bubbled-up and made its presence felt, but never really disappeared entirely

Minimalism 2.0

Over the last few seasons, it has become clear that simplicity is having another moment in the spotlight—in no small part thanks to the designs of cult brands such as The Row, Jil Sander, Lemaire or Gabriela Hearst who are fronting this ‘minimalism 2.0’. Add to this the fact that, more than ever, shoppers are wanting to invest in pieces that last, both for budget reasons but also for ethical and sustainable implications, and it’s the perfect storm for purists.

“Approaching each season, we look to our six muses; the fashion pioneer, the warrior, the free spirit, the curator, the romantic and the purist,” explains Natalie Kingham, buying director at MatchesFashion. “The Purist opts for minimalist style with a sleek, functional edge, and this season we noticed a new mood for clean, monochromatic elegance on the runway

28 Dec
Lifestyle

Milan Highlights Summer 2020

Milan fashion weeku2019s

Milan fashion weeku2019s u201cphygitalu201d showcases featured many pioneering moments, stunning looks, and vibrant runways. The city welcomed over 50 brands to its fashion week and saw few physical catwalks but plenty of digital presentations. Some of the worldu2019s major fashion houses, such as Dolce & Gabbana and Fendi presented their Spring/Summer 2021 collections via a live, physical catwalk whereas others, such as Prada and Versace opted for a digital display.

Versaceu2019s Spring/Summer 2021 presentation was a moment in history. The electric catwalk featured the brandu2019s first plus-size models walking the runway. Precious Lee, Jill Kortleve, and Alva Claire championed diversity as they took to the runway for Versaceu2019s momentous show. Elsewhere, seasoned model Ashley Graham marked her highly-anticipated return to the catwalk, walking for Fendi, since welcoming her first child in January this year

Moschino Spring/Summer 2021

The former Vogue Arabia cover star looked sensational as she took to the runway for both Etro and for Silvia Venturini Fendiu2018s final solo show, as Kim Jones steps in as the new artistic director for womenswear next season. Venturiniu2019s final show was a poetic tribute to family and powerful women, which lie at the heart of the storied Italian brand. In perhaps one of the most distinct shows of the week, Jeremy Scottu2019s Moschino Spring/Summer 2021 ready-to-wear collection was presented entirely on miniature, marionette dolls.

u201cIt was like having a baby, like watching a child come to life for the first time,u201d Scott told British Vogue. u201cWatching the puppets become so elegant, I have to say, it all exceeded my expectations. Generally, I have a fantasy that is so unreal and unbelievable that getting in that stratosphere is amazing and this just blew me away.u201d As another extraordinary fashion week comes to a close, Vogue Arabia rounds up its best moments in the gallery above.

28 Dec
Sport

Milan Fashion Week AW 2022

Septemberu2019s spring 2021

If not quite a schism, 2020 has sparked a fundamental difference in approach within the Milan fashion system that is set to continue into the new year. Just as at Septemberu2019s spring 2021 womenswear week, next monthu2019s fall 2021 menswear weeku2014five days, reallyu2014will contain a few physical, actually-see-the-clothes runway shows; a fair amount of digital presentations; and some attempts to hybridize the two. Whatu2019s entirely new is that the week will be officially conjoined with this yearu2019s edition of Fashion Film Festival.

Following this past September, those who have stayed true to IRL fashion shows (and that show menswear) plan to remain so: Fendi, Etro, and Dolce & Gabbana. K-Way, the old-school French prep outerwear brand that is now Italian operated, will offer a live event too. Ermenegildo Zegna, meanwhile, will present a fresh variant on its phygitalu2014half-live, half-prerecordedu2014concept, which befits its hybridizations and innovations in everything from sustainability to tailoring.

Keeping the curtains drawn

Our first glimpse of Raf Simonsu2013flavored Prada menswear will be the chief digital diversion; set an alert for January 17 at 2 p.m. CET. A-Cold-Wall, Sunnei, and MSGM are other digital presentations that should be well worth logging on for. Keeping the curtains drawn for now are brands like Giorgio Armani and Dsquared2, while Bottega Venetau2014and this is only a guessu2014seems set to remain aligned with those other Kering-operated marques that have used 2020 as an opportunity.

The changes at Milan Fashion Week reflect a rearranging of the deck chairs across the wider calendar. London Menu2019s Fashion Week has now been absorbed into the newly gender-neutral London Fashion Week in February. Pitti will present a digital platform, Connect, just before Milan next month, starring Brunello Cucinelli, and thenu2014travel and health regulations allowingu2014follow up with a physical Pitti Uomo, which will clash with Londonu2019s mostly digital event in February.

28 Dec
Sport

Valentine’s Day Last-Minute Gifts

Valentineu2019s Day Gifts

If youu2019re reading this article, chances are procrastination has gotten the best of you, and youu2019re currently giftless for the rapidly approaching Valentineu2019s Day. Before you throw in the towel and resort to grocery store flowers (admittedly, some grocery store flowers are beautiful, but you can do better), there are plenty of great last-minute Valentineu2019s Day gift ideas that you can still acquire before Valentineu2019s Day arrives on Friday.

But donu2019t waste any more timeu2014get yourself set for Valentineu2019s Day with the array of gift ideas ahead. From plush robes for lounging around the house to a new overnight bag, these gifts will ship in time for the holiday, leaving your sweetheart unaware that you waited until the last possible minute to find them something special.

Everlane wool-cashmere blanket scarf

Procuring a matching gift with your significant other is a fun way to make a small sartorial item feel special. These scarves will get there in time for the holidayu2014so long as you order before February 12th. Opting for a spa night at home is a great Valentineu2019s Day solve when reservations to all the best restaurants are booked up. Pair this plush robe with some face masks, or luxurious bath productsu2014both of which you can get at your local pharmacy if youu2019re in a pinchu2014and it will feel like a night of self-care between the two of you was the plan all along.

Hook & Albert womenu2019s garment weekender bag. Gifting luggage sends the message that there are many adventures to come between you two. Instead of buying your person a carry-on or a duffle, go for a new overnight bag so that packing for a future week getaway will feel extra special.

28 Dec
Lifestyle

Urban Crossover Collection

Churchu2019s Urban Crossover collection

Lockdown 2.0 is going to be challenging, what with the short days, the month-long American election, dipping temperatures et al. The solution? A brand new pair of chunky monkey shoes from Churchu2019s Urban Crossover collection. The old saying goes that the only two certainties in life are death and taxes, but the person who coined the sentiment obviously hadnu2019t ever tried on a pair of Churchu2019s shoes.

The Northamptonshire-based shoemakeru2019s loafers, lace-ups and deliciously chunky Chelsea boots will, after all, not only keep you sure-footed whenever you wear them, but theyu2019ll also last you a lifetime (and beyond u2013 spooky) if you take proper care of them.

Work-From-Home mood

The Pembrey penny loafer, for instance, features a split toe, coated tongue and double-stitched apron, while elsewhere, the Coalport lace-up boot boasts an even more rugged silhouette with the updated hyper-light tread sole design. Playing neatly into this seasonu2019s current trend for boots and shoes, which would work just as well on military sorties as they would around town, the heavy-soled collection has a smart-meets-casual aesthetic, which perfectly suits the strange work-from-home mood of the moment.

It perhaps shouldnu2019t come as much of a surprise that Churchu2019s has bought so wholesale into the heavy-duty boot trend, given that the brandu2019s sister company Prada was really where the whole thing started. Miuccia has been sending out boots and shoes suitable for paratroopers for several seasons now, and itu2019s a look which has gathered pace both in the fashion world and beyond.

28 Dec
Sport

The Next Step in Eco Luxe

Eco-Luxe

Eco-Luxe basically stands for ecologically friendly luxury. u2018Ecou2019 can be explained as the design based in environmental sustainability and the u2018Luxeu2019 is luxury. Eco-Luxe basically stands for ecologically friendly luxury. u2018Ecou2019 can be explained as the design based in environmental sustainability and the u2018Luxeu2019 is luxury. The new u2018luxuryu2019 returns to products of quality that provide a unique experience of embracing the natural environment and is not necessarily showy, but is all about the details.

Todayu2019s eco luxe indulges the soul, not the ego. It is the production process of eco inclined activities that promote sustainable economic growth along with high-quality standards. Eco Luxe helps us to find a balance between eco friendly and luxury. So using non-toxic , naturally made products helps us be eco luxe. The term eco-luxe is used to distinguish authentically high quality products from those based on non-sustainable models.

Environment, Ecology and Sustainability

Luxury doesnu2019t refer to an expensive commodity but used more to indicate an object that was more beautiful or precious than others and would stimulate appreciation and admiration, so in todayu2019s modern times that we are living in, eco luxe relates to the environment, ecology and sustainability. Companies today are concentrating their efforts towards the achievement of environmental sustainability and consider the following pre-requisites to be fundamental:

As consumers, it becomes our responsibility to make full use of the offered u2018Eco Luxeu2019, which is also the millennial definition of luxury for the new generation. Eco luxe can be anything. Right from your water bottle to your next vacation eco hotel/resort. Eco Luxe is the word for today where we are taking every possible step to offset the carbon footprint. By buying stuff which is eco luxe, you will help humanity to achieve the goal of becoming eco friendly and help our Earth to progress to a more sustainable world.

28 Dec
Lifestyle

Dreamscapes & Artifi Architecture

Masters of fictional architecture

A subculture of designers and artistsu2014masters of fictional architectureu2014are at last getting their moment in the limelight. A new book, Dreamscapes & Artificial Architecture: Imagined Interior Design in Digital Art, which is being released with Gestalten publishing house on June 16, looks at the best moments of this CGI elegance. Featuring roughly 100 designers from Argentina to Tel Aviv, the tome comprises gravity-defying bizarre buildings, otherworldly landscapes, and pastel-hued interiors.

u201cThese CGI visualizations have become the end result,u201d says Elli Stuhler, the editor of Dreamscapes & Artificial Architecture. u201cThe result is these utopian environments, full of exquisite furniture and extraordinary natural surroundings that canu2019t, and wonu2019t, ever be built.u201d

Ultra-inviting bodies of water

The practice had a key moment in 2018, when Buenos Airesu2013born designer Andru00e9s Reisinger posted an image of a chunky pink armchair he called u201cHortensiau201d on Instagram. It was only a CGI rendering, but it became so Insta-famous he decided to build it into reality, lining the chair with 20,000 pink fabric petals and selling it. u201cIt demonstrated the appeal of this type of work, and that it had the potential to spill over into the physical realm, if unintentionally,u201d notes Stuhler.

Thereu2019s also the pink-hued works of Venice-based designer Massimo Colonna; Ouum, a 3D design studio in Ukraine; and Prague-based designer Filip Hodasu2019s dystopian scenery. Paris-based designer Hugo Fournieru2019s minimalist, meditative scenes are included too, as are the lush, green landscapes of Paul Milinski.