Dries Van Noten Textured-leather Clutch
Bottega Veneta Intrecciato Leather Gloves
Bally Embellished Studded Leather Ballet Flats
Simone Rocha Crystal-embellished Faux Fur Hair Clip
Bottega Veneta Pleated Glossed-leather Midi Skirt
Ugly Chic, Extreme. Prada SS25
Back in the 90s, Miuccia Prada introduced “ugly chic“, a style so wildly anti-fashion it polarized the entire fashion industry. Yesterday, together with her creative partner Raf Simons, Prada presented a collection so notorious, bizarre and “wrong” that one can either hate-hate it or hate-love it. I’m grateful to both of them for showing a collection that sparked true dismay and confusion – finally, fashion that doesn’t just deliver momentary visual satisfaction or, at worse, lack of any impression. Like a remix of Prada’s greatest hits seen through the lens of a teen who’s living a “Brat” summer 365 days in a year (and probably loves acid), the tackiness, ill-fittingness and clumsiness of this collection reaches perverse levels. So perverse, you feel a kinky affection to it. Yes, contemporary fashion can still make waves, edge the internet so sharply it will spill venomous hate in response, and leave the viewers electrified – with unhinged ecstasy or absolute frustration. Prada and Simons are still capable of shaking the status quo of aesthetics. This is “ugly chic, extreme“.
Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Essential Beauty Routine. Marni SS25
It’s Francesco Risso‘s ninth year at Marni. His work at the brand took different turns, from being avant-garde-sketchy to raw and crude (like last season). Spring-summer 2025 was a pursuit after beauty. “Beauty is a white rabbit,” said Risso backstage. “You chase it, though you fall short in capturing it.” But he actually took grasp of it, especially in closing part of the collection, inspired with bygone era of fashion shows and 1950s haute couture, through a lens of “Funny Face“. Slender silhouettes in soft hues, small hourglass dresses shaped by vertical pleats, tight siren skirts with stiff ruched hems – this is Marni that will certainly attract the clients to the stores. But this wouldn’t be Risso’s Marni if it was all pretty and prim. The collection was made of humble cotton, being a “thread that mends relationships and wounds, guiding us back to the right path after we’ve strayed and leading us toward what I call the essential beauty routine“. The seemingly rough, canvas texture of broad-shouldered jackets, pleated trousers and cut-out skirts gave the collection a sense of “work in progress“. In Risso’s world, beauty isn’t a constant. It’s something you look out for with patience and perseverance.
Marni-fy your wardrobe…
ED’s SELECTION:
Marni Printed Silk-satin Mini Dress
Marni Embossed Leather Ballet Flats
Marni Embroidered Cotton-blend Mini Dress
Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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What’s Hot (20.9.24)
Toned-Down. Fendi SS25
This year, Fendi celebrates its 100 years. Maybe that was the reason for Kim Jones to finally deliver a good collection for the brand. What kept it cohesive was the combination of house craft, toned-down color palette, and an attitude that stemmed from the jazz-age modernism of the 1920s. The embroidered flapper-dresses worked nicely with all the streamlined minimalism. Still, looking at the taupe shirt-dress, one just wonders what differs Fendi from Max Mara? Except for Baguette, pretty much nothing. It would be great to see some fun back at the brand, a Karl Lagerfeld-ian wit.
Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Design & Culture by Ed 