Participating in London Fashion Week is not a luxury but a necessity for any emerging brand aiming to go global. It's your ticket to the world of international fashion. - Katie England, Creative Director of Topshop and curator of the New Generation program
In 1971, Manolo Blahnik created shoes for the designer Ossie Clark's catwalk show in London. Relatively new to shoemaking, the Spanish designer forgot to put steel pins in the heels of the shoes, which meant that models wobbled, unbalanced, down the catwalk.
Whether you're pulling out the stops with pockets, prints or preppy know-how, you can't go wrong with showing off the lightweight outerwear this spring. Along the way, I clocked a lot of really cool jackets, and damn did the wearers look good.
Rosie's Naked Shoes: Stepping out of her hotel, Huntington-Whiteley donned a pair of barely-there black leather pumps with transparent mesh fabric, adding a sheer contrast to her covered yet avant-garde look. She tucked a skin-tight black turtleneck sweater under a pair of brown suede trousers, featuring an asymmetrical low-rise waistline and a long halter-like drawstring that wrapped around her neck.
While the face accessory was potentially meant to render her incognito, the supermodel's choice of attire did quite the opposite. Pulling from the 2001 archives of Jean Paul Gaultier has that effect, especially if the item in question was a plunging halter dress with the deepest low back and 12 oval cutouts across her entire butt, lined by rosettes across the center. The gown's slits were so large that even her beige thong peered through.
This collection captivated audiences with its rich narrative, reflecting the dichotomy of overwhelming love intertwined with frustration and inner turmoil. Kucharska's latest offering approaches the multifaceted journey of motherhood, encapsulating a complex emotional landscape that balances strength and vulnerability. The pressure to endure coexists with a fierce longing for protection and safety, creating a powerful tension that resonates across her designs.
It's not a multi-thousand pound handbag from Hermes that best captures the new era of It bags, but a 149 tote from John Lewis. Launched this season, it's deeper (45cm) and taller (33cm) than your average handbag, and comes loaded with good intentions. It's able to hold your packed lunch, flask and book, as well at a push as your gym kit.
Travelling for art can be incredibly virtuous and culturally rewarding, like collecting souvenirs for your eyes (and from the post card rail in the gift shop). Remembering to research what is on before I book flights is a lesson I learnt all too well after I missed the Metropolitan Museum's fashion exhibition in 2016 by one day. As a fashion obsessed 20 something, I did not take this well and have since improved my itinerary planning and exhibition calendar checking.
Play Hard captures the essence of growing up surrounded by the echoes of empty arcades, the chill of coastal winds, and fleeting moments of joy found in skateboarding culture. It reflects on personal memories shaped by resilience, freedom, and creativity in an environment where opportunities were scarce. The collection embraces an aesthetic that values imperfection, emphasising the beauty found in fragility and the strength derived from community.
As an interdisciplinary artist, Madita defies simple categorisation, moving fluidly between the worlds of fine art, fashion, and performative expression. In this photo editorial, Madita proves that the artist and the artwork are often the same.
