Austere Chic. Phoebe Philo Edit 3

| Design & Culture by Ed

Phoebe Philo is back with her Edit 3 collection, which launched today in form of first, capsule delivery. The latest, autumnal offering isn’t distant from Philo’s earlier design ventures at her eponymous, highly elusive label, but surely does deliver a sense of sophisticated chic – and style. Those are two things that one could hardly navigate anywhere during the on-going New York Fashion Week. But in case of Philo, there’s also the feeling of rough austerity that makes her designs look commanding and important. And distinct. The coats with detachable capes and leather jackets are investment pieces for many, many years ahead, just like white, crisp shirting and chunky, black sweater with leather inserts on the sleeves. The designer lets in some experimental twist to a tie-dyed dress that seems to be constructed out of two sweatshirts. One might say that the brand and its designer seem to be stuck in one place – many items from the edit are slightly reworked versions of garments from previous collections. But in the world of ever-changing and endlessly-generated content, content and content, the sense of continuity that Phoebe channels is truly comforting.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Real, Raw, Sexy. Eckhaus Latta SS25

| Design & Culture by Ed

I’ve said it before, I will say it again: the Eckhaus Latta duo have and bring what Helmut Lang had and brought to New York at the turn of millennium. Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta‘s clothes are sexy without trying too hard; they have a sense of style that’s real; and they have that raw honesty about them. Their spring-summer 2025 collection is so far one of the biggest highlights of New York Fashion Week – and has actual clothes one wants to wear (I do!). Eckhaus Latta is a go-to brand for not-so-average knits, and they remained a standout in the latest offering. There’s also the element of playfulness about the labels’ pieces. They invite you to wear them whatever way you want. “I think both of us are very drawn to that sample sale vibe of, ‘there’s something that looks like a pile of rope on a hanger,’” Latta explains. “We’re like, ‘What is it?’ Obviously we have to deal with the idea of hanger appeal, but I think for us, letting these things have a kind of mutability and playfulness, like the scrunches in all these different ways, feels inherent to our curiosity.” Another big thumbs-up goes to the lookbook imagery where you really see how the clothes work on (and with) the body. Of course, there was a fashion show – or rather, a fashion happening – where friends of Eckhaus Latta had dinner and later did an impromptu runway parade. It looked genuinely fun. This brand seems to be one of the few in New York that knows what’s up.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Lost Plot. Khaite SS25

| Design & Culture by Ed

One good thing about Khaite‘s latest collection: it wasn’t shown in some dimmed, cavernous space like in the past couple of seasons. You could finally see the clothes on the runway. But you also saw how Catherine Holstein‘s brand is dangerously losing its plot. There’s just too much of ideas coming from The Row (high-necked collars, voluminous organza dresses) and Lucie and Luke Meier’s Jil Sander (macrame dresses, the overall “soft minimalism” styling). It’s very difficult to distinguish what’s distinctly Khaite about this line-up, even if it seemed to be one of Holstein’s most daring, experimental concepts to date. However at this price-point, one wants to see authentic ideas from a brand.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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