GET THE LOOK:
TOTEME Garderob Grain De Poudre Wool-blend Coat
Jil Sander Cut-out Grain De Poudre Wool And Mohair-blend Midi Skirt
KHAITE Marlene Leather Ankle Boots
Valentino Garavani Vlogo Signature Mini Bow-detailed Velvet Shoulder Bag
Fashion
A Woman’s Touch. Fendi AW26 Couture
Nobody wants to have that conversation, but Maria Grazia Chiuri’s first haute couture collection for Fendi was very good. Of course, there were fillers – she just has to include those client-pleasers: the unassuming A-line, unwaisted silhouettes that tend to fall at mid-calf or ankle length. But then, at her Rome show at the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea, there were genuine stunners, like an ivory cloak that looked like lace from a distance, only to reveal intricate flowers crafted from fur, leather, and fabric up close. Or the opening caftan, pieced together in black-and-white chevron stripes and modeled after a dress worn a century ago by Emilie Flöge. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.
Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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What’s Hot (10.7.26)
Instinct For Restraint. Armani Privé AW26 Couture
Sometimes all you want from a haute couture collection is a goddamn great evening dress. Armani Privé, under the helm of Silvana Armani, delivers exactly that. Of course, Mr. Armani’s niece won’t escape living in the maestro’s shadow. There’s a peculiarly Italian curse surrounding family-run fashion houses: the successor always seems destined to struggle against the legacy of their blood predecessor. Just look at Versace, Missoni, or Etro. Wild rumours are already swirling about who might become the next creative director(s) to steer the Armani empire. But, much like Leo Dell’Orco‘s excellent recent menswear collection proved, why change something that already works?
Some of Silvana’s instincts do feel slightly dated, but that seems more like a styling issue than a design one. Give her someone like Suzanne Koller to shake things up, and the conversation could be very different. Once again, Armani Privé excels where it matters most: the dresses. A sequence of sculptural evening gowns, their fluid lines offset by architectural necklines, delivered a genuine frisson of drama. The restraint and confidence of these silhouettes are virtually beyond criticism. And Silvana clearly has a taste for something with a little more swagger. Just look at the velvet-skirted look with its sheer leopard bodice. It’s easily one of the finest looks of this haute couture season.
Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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