Beauty Is Back. Valentino Pre-Fall 2025

December 15, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

As some of you might remember, at first I was very on fence with Alessandro Michele’s debut take at Valentino. It just felt very archaic to me at the time. But something clicked for me the moment Donald Trump won the elections in the U.S. (here’s the post on that). I suddenly realized I need escapism. A sweet, decadent, indulgent escapism – exactly what Michele is known for through his unhinged vision he channeled at Gucci (with Gucci’s ready-to-wear limits) and now at Valentino, where he’s got the ultimate couture know-how.

This week, Alessandro’s third act for the Rome-based brand got released, and it’s his best one so far. I really liked how Lyas described it as “punk”. It really is punk whilst pretty much everything in fashion right now is pure conservatism, from bland “quiet luxury” minimalism to “office-core” – on the way of trad-wives and white-cube ad campaigns. Michele’s vision couldn’t be further from all that. It’s full-throttle boheme, striking with artisanship and well-traveled, idiosyncratic approach to styling.

His Valentino is of course very vintage-y. Now you might say I’m a hypocrite – I just shaded the Anthony Vaccarello’s nostalgic Saint Laurent collection. But here’s the thing: while you can trace Vaccarello’s vintage-obsession to exact, well-documented references, in case of Michele it’s totally not the case. Alessandro’s history-mania has echoes of Diana Vreeland’s “the eye has to travel” way of thinking. He takes from the past, remixes it, and recontextualizes it. Plus, it’s really striking to see how he not only is inspired with 1970s and 80s fashion (and Valentino Garavani’s work from that period), but also does his best to measure up to the craftsmanship standards of these times.

The pre-fall 2025 collection is transfixingly beautiful and dreamily opulent. The silk dresses are made out of patches of prints, from robust paisley to wallpaper florals; the lace is so intricate it looks like porcelain, and the lush, dense embroideries on velvet jackets and big-sleeved, peasant blouses is beyond. And I went completely crazy for the bags, especially the fringed, knitted pouches. Bode looks kind of poor next to these works of art. New Valentino is heirloom-status fashion. If this is what the label’s ready-to-wear looks like in Alessandro’s hands, I can’t wait for his first haute couture outing.

Unabashed beauty is so back, baby!

Here are some of my favorite pieces from new Valentino…

ED’s SELECTION:

Valentino Resin and Crystal Butterfly Brooch

Valentino Embellished Pointelle-knit Cotton Socks

Valentino Polka Dot Ruffle Organza Mini Dress

Valentino Polka-dot Silk Head Scarf

Valentino Twill Paisley Fringe Scarf

Valentino Nellcote Suede Fringe Shoulder Bag

Valentino Garavani Après L’hiver Shearling-trimmed Metallic Brocade Coat

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Recession-Chic. Balenciaga Pre-Fall 2025

December 3, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

For Balenciaga‘s pre-fall 2025 collection, Demna isn’t only the creative director – but also the photographer. The newly-released lookbook is basically a roll of unretouched, fitting photos, taken with an iPhone. Not that Balenciaga didn’t have a budget for Juergen Teller or Mark Borthwick, but this is a signal: recession is here, and it’s hitting the fashion industry. Far-fetched destination shows also don’t feel right at this very moment.

This savvy mode appeared to be the right medium for Demna. This collection is the essence of his Balenciaga, stripped from flashy moments or big statements. The only gloss you can find is in the merch-like t-shirts depicting the brand’s ambassadors, from Isabelle Huppert to Nicole Kidman. Just brilliant and truly witty. I also loved the straightforwardness of the collaboration with Scholl: the spike-heeled sandal mule is both fashion-forward and orthopedic. The collection was primarily about Demna’s love for dystopian deconstruction: take the jersey underpants sliced open to be worn as micro-skirts and swathed mega-scarves made from cut-up coats and trenches. These looks – and the cocoon-ish, Cristobal-ish echo behind them – are very recession-chic.

If you’re not into recession yet (ha-ha), here are some of my favorite Balenciaga pieces you can get.

ED’s SELECTION:

Balenciaga Le City Small Textured-leather Tote

Balenciaga Technoclog Rubber Mules

Balenciaga Asymmetric Draped Cape-effect Pleated Crepe Dress

Balenciaga Poplin-trimmed Leather Pumps

Balenciaga Oversized Asymmetric Cotton-twill Trench Coat

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Falling Apart Glamour. All-In SS25

November 30, 2024November 30, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

It’s not surprising that Benjamin Barron and Bror August Vestbø of All-In found Tess McGill from the 1988 classic “Working Girl” a character perfectly aligning with their sensationally quirky spring-summer 2025 collection. They weren’t only interested in Tess’s wardrobe (high meets low), but also her messy circumstances. Unlike the pop star alter-ego the creative duo channeled in their past seasons, Tess must make a living and her wardrobe must work for day and night. Similarly, the designers wanted to add an element of relatability to their work, both in terms of offering and materials. “I think that often our characters have this idea of something contradictory to them… there’s something about her that is both glamorous and also falling apart, and this time there’s also an element of trying to achieve some sort of version of yourself“, Barron said. The dolls that walked the spring runway certainly achieved that with their charisma, seen in both their walk and appearance.

The designers played with the idea “of wearing clothing on display,” as Vestbø put it. So, for example, a shirt that looked like it was suspended flat on top of the body was anchored by a band of fabric that went around the body, leaving the back almost bare. This collection made great use of the “business in front, party in the back” trope materially and ideologically. Any number of skirts, including the frothy explosion of tulle worn on the finale dress, were shorts or just shorter in the back. Having taken the decision to show once a year, the designer’s “All-In” print publication, said Barron, stands in, in some sense, for the second season. All in all, the designers seem to be writing a case study for a new way of doing things.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Ravishing Beauty. Jawara Alleyne SS25

November 24, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

Jawara Alleyne‘s latest collection is one of the most impressive line-ups of the whole spring-summer 2025 season. It was just so touchingly evocative, oddly elegant and truly beautiful. The title of the collection, “Island Underground“, nodded to Alleyne’s upbringing on the Cayman Islands, and the mystical air that hung over the show – models walked slowly, fabric dragging behind them as if they’d just been rescued from a shipwreck – had an electric, spiritualistic energy.

For Alleyne, embarking on his journey as a designer and delving deeper into his Caribbean identity has been therapeutic. While growing up, he resented the limitations of being so far away from the world’s fashion capitals, and he looked to heroes in Paris like Alber Elbaz, Alexander McQueen, and Karl Lagerfeld: “To me, being inspired by the islands felt a little bit restricting,” he said. But his interest in reconciling these two sides of himself has now ended up producing some of his most striking work. “I think there are a lot of brands that are just pulling from culture, and so I think it’s really important for me as a designer to make sure my collections aren’t just inspired by that culture but give back,” he added. It’s worth noting that Jawara is a fantastic colorist, knotting together kaleidoscopic fabrics into highly desirable, sensually-charged dresses and crafting a series of intriguing ombré dyed looks. London sees a wave of emerging designers with a knack for deconstructionist approach to clothes, and that’s really exciting to observe.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Fairy-Tale. Conner Ives SS25

November 16, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

Conner Ives isn’t only a talented designer, but a great storyteller whose fashion fairy-tales make you believe in fantasies and miracles. For his spring-summer 2025 collection, the London-based, American designer took us on a journey from the medieval lords and ladies of Arthurian legend to the invocation of Camelot by Jackie O’ to describe the Kennedy administration. The eclectic patchwork of centuries and eras – medieval England, 1960s Americana, the It girl of today – made for a line-up with truly wonderful clothes (and desirable accessories, like the “hard-bodied bias” bag inspired with a vintage clutch from his mother’s wardrobe or an actual hennin hat). Slinky knit dresses with trumpet skirts were inspired by cotehardies (long-sleeved medieval garments), while jacquard knitwear took its cues from the elaborate motifs found on 17th-century clocked stockings (just the right kind of whimsical chic). There was plenty of fabulous, demi-couture dresses for the loyal coterie of glamorous party girls that surround the designer (think Ivy Getty), from a swishy mauve pink dress hand-painted with polka dots to his final, swan-like bridal look, a silk jersey column dress worn with a dramatic vintage fox-fur collar.

Ives’ eveningwear, even though packed with history and sentiments, never feels like “too much” or too retro (even though the term “vintage” plays an important role in the designer’s brand, noting all the upcyling practices). You can picture both a Carrie Bradshaw and a real, contemporary girl wearing those dresses. And Carrie would definitely style them with one of the season’s most adorable accessory: upcycled fishing lure charms adorned with colorful feathers and tinsel of the kind Ives remembered seeing glitter from his Florida aunt’s bait and tackle box as a child. You really want to read deep into Conner’s fairy-tale.