CHANEL
By Monica Kim
There is a Coromandel screen at Apartment Rue Cambon that once graced the 31 Rue Cambon apartment of Gabrielle Chanel. Black lacquer inlaid with mother of pearl, the screen, one of 32 believed to be in the designer’s private collection, depicted the rolling hills and sculptural pines, the pagodas and pleasure boats of the scenic West Lake in Hangzhou, a city Chanel would never visit in her lifetime. This Coromandel screen was the starting point of the latest Metiers d’Art collection, which waxed on the idea of a journey to Hangzhou like one Chanel might have taken in her dreams, perhaps gazing at the artful lacquer and imagining herself there.
In the absence of an artistic director, the studio team took up the task of executing this season’s celebration of house savoir-faire, for which Chanel flew more than four hundred guests to Hangzhou. At the entrance, waiters with glass pots of tea and flutes of sparkling wine stood before a small fleet of wooden boats with glass windows, some with ornate gold lotus ornaments on the sides, that ferried guests like actress Lupita Nyong'o and director Wim Wenders over the water. Upon reaching the distant shore, past an expanse of trees, a pianist sat on a circular platform, lit by a single spotlight, playing songs like a Shostakovich waltz as guests crossed the wooden walkway leading out to a sleek black half-shell, where six rows of seats spread out in a semicircle. Fog on the lake set the mood, sending showgoers into the dreamscape.
At nightfall, to the beat of traditional drums, the first models emerged in head to toe black, dripping, as though they were creatures emerging from the lake, as in dreams. The long shouldered coats, beautifully cut in tweed and satin and velvet, were the first in the collection’s key proposition: layering (and lots of it), for the soigné packrat who simply must prepare for every dressing occasion. There were bags on bags on bags, carried together—mini flap bags attached to quilted totes and duffel bags, crystal clutches sparkling with dream-like stars. A series of satin-silk “pillow” bags in shades like pale pistachio and canary yellow spoke to both the travel and dream themes, alongside a certain ease of silhouette in flared pants and slip dresses, knit skirts and sweaters, elongated by incredible over-the-knee wedge boots.
CHANEL FALL 2025
Renaissance Renaissance Spring 2025 Ready-to-Wear
By Tina Isaac-Goizé
Early this month, as Paris Fashion Week was winding down, Cynthia Merhej transformed her apartment into a showroom and put as brave a face as possible on a situation that already was challenging and only has gotten worse since. “When things are bad, it’s good to have something to throw yourself into,” said the Beirut-based designer. “We’re very grateful to have distraction from the reality of things, and fashion is a great distraction.”
By the same token, fashion has always been a formidable vehicle for resistance. A year ago, as war broke out in Gaza in the wake of Hamas’s attack on Israel, Merhej said she sought to counter anxiety and depression by designing clothes that would be light and liberating. Parachute material, sourced from an Italian mill specializing in technical fabrics, offered timely inspiration. As she manipulated it, the designer realized that the material could resemble flowers, poppies in particular. The work of Robert Mapplethorpe attracted her, and from there down a rabbit hole she went, discovering along the way that the flower was a popular symbol of Palestinian resistance in the 1970s and ’80s.
Emilia Wickstead Resort 2025
Carolina Herrera SPRING 2025 READY-TO-WEAR
By Nicole Phelps
We’ve been talking about a changing of the guard at New York Fashion Week since we returned to in-person shows post-COVID. Carolina Herrera is the last brand you’d put in that league; Mrs. Herrera launched the brand 40 or so years ago in the go-go 1980s. But more and more, the label that Wes Gordon inherited from her in 2019 looks like a young woman’s brand, with a sexy freshness that most of the time doesn’t compromise the sense of circumstance long associated with the Herrera name.
Carolina Herrera Spring 2025 Ready-to-Wear
Hermès SPRING 2025 READY-TO-WEAR
Bottega Veneta SPRING 2025 READY-TO-WEAR
Matthieu Blazy sure knows how to set a scene. The animal beanbag chairs—Michelle Yeoh on a ladybug, Kendall Jenner on a horse, Jacob Elordi, the new face of the brand, on a bunny—put the Bottega Veneta crowd in a buoyant mood tonight. It was like we were all kids again in a rec room, knees tucked under our chins, eage
Victoria Beckham SPRING 2025 READY-TO-WEAR
Fioletowy: From India with Love
Fioletowy, designed by Samatha, recently unveiled their spring/summer collection in an exclusive showroom in NYC. Samatha’s creations draw deep inspiration from her faith and passion for art, evident in the elegant ensembles that showcase a vibrant mix of colors and textures.
"I cherish how God has bestowed each of us with unique talents and creativity. My love for fashion spans the globe, and my inspiration springs from the diverse places I visit. Our collection beautifully merges European and Japanese styles to create a stunning global feminine statement."
Our mission is to connect with a worldwide audience and provide job opportunities for women who have faced hardships or escaped challenging situations, helping them regain their footing. This purpose fuels my drive to keep creating.
"As the head designer, I aspire to explore and craft garments that have never been seen before—pieces that are not only visually stunning but also resonate with the soul," says Samatha.