Author: Design & Culture by Ed

Cosplay Chic. Saint Laurent SS25

| Design & Culture by Ed

Anthony Vaccarello served a collection that just couldn’t go wrong: 1980s-inspired tailoring and outerwear, checked. Bella Hadid in le smoking, checked. Pinches of Yves’ 1976 Ballets russes collection, checked. The Saint Laurent woman is a walking nostalgia. Especially, when she’s cosplaying Nan Kempner in brocade evening looks. It’s easy to fall in love with what Vaccarello does – he knows fashion theatrics, and certainly knows hot to sell big-time sensuality. But I always wonder if this good-looking time-machine (or irresistible time-trap) makes sense in our contemporary times?

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Bonkers Glam. Vaquera SS25

| Design & Culture by Ed

Vaquera opened Paris Fashion Week with bonkers attitude – but one that is also commercially viable. “We’re still very punk in our roots,” said Bryn Taubensee, “but we’re asking ourselves, how can we also make it easy for people to understand and wear, and easy enough for us to survive?” Patric DiCaprio, the other half of Vaquera’s heart, put it more bluntly: “Shooting ourselves in the foot isn’t really where we see the future for our lives and this brand.” That’s why the spring-summer 2025 collection is all about Vaquera essentials – black bubble miniskirt with built-in bike shorts, bullet-bra tops and jersey tees with logos – with a provocateur twist. The XXL faux-fur coat is a joyous delight, just like the puffy ball-skirt in a kitschy, vintage-y chain print, styled with a monumental cloud-shaped. But there’s nothing whimsy about Vaquera, even their eveningwear as the New York-based duo styles it with over-sized rugby shirts and well-worn trainers.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Idea of Wow. Bottega Veneta SS25

| Design & Culture by Ed

Bottega Veneta show was livid. It made you love living life! Matthieu Blazy really starts feeling the Italian air and flair of dolce vita. His spring-summer 2025 was a joyous, vibrant finale of Milan Fashion Week – and a reminder to let your inner child out from time to time. “I was interested in the idea of wow, the wonder you have as a kid when you try something – it’s almost like primal fashion, your first experience of fashion when you try your parents’ clothes,” the designer said. He showed too-big jackets and one-leg pants under asymmetrical wrap skirts, and pieces like a black tank dress and khaki and navy shirtdresses with built-in wrinkles like they’d been crushed at the bottom of a trunk waiting for a game of dress-up. The details were pure fun: frogs perching at the neckline of a dress and clinging to the heels of shoes, lapels in the shape of bunnies on leather coats, a scarf top printed with giant fish. Humor was all over the spiky wigs and flower bouquets made out of leather (of course, it’s Bottega!). Blazy’s enthusiasm is perceptible and catching. This is exactly what we need in 2024.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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