In Need Of POV. Chanel SS25

It’s quite difficult to review this studio-designed Chanel collection, because there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s a grey-zone. And grey-zones easily change into danger-zones. In case of a brand like Chanel, not offering any point of view except for tweed, denim and bit of feathers, can be deadly in the long run. Clients might fall for the logo, but for how long? Chanel needs personality.

In December, we’re expecting the new designer announcement. According to Chanel’s spokesperson, it will be somebody who will stay with the brand for the next decade: the brand wants longevity in this new chapter. I might not be number one Hedi Slimane fan, but I fully admit: he can offer that to Chanel. The Jacquemus rumors? People will go crazy for the French dream in the first season, but this isn’t a designer who can orchestrate a brand like this in long-term. Also, real dress-making skills are needed at hands. Seeing John Galliano at Chanel would be a beautiful fever dream. Phoebe Philo is certainly the woman who could lead this maison with grace. Just like the Olsens, who are auditioning well with their latest The Row collections. But there are also fair chances Chanel is preparing a secret in-house designer to take on the role.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
Don’t forget to follow Design & Culture by Ed on Instagram!

Hey, did you know about my newsletter – Ed’s Dispatch? Click here to subscribe!

NET-A-PORTER Limited

Inventive Sensuality. Victoria Beckham SS25

Victoria Beckham took the surrealist pill this season and came up with a collection that’s strong and inventive. The opening dresses and tops were made out of silk chiffon which had been dipped into a resin so it looked like they had been molded directly onto the body, sculpted close to the torso or floating skywards. Ethereal, romantic and sculptural, the surreal touch brought a sense of much-needed artisanship to Beckham’s fashion – which usually feels plain when separated from runway styling. Then, a series of cool tailoring statements, like slouchy pea green trousers with a deconstructed waistband over which sat a polished burgundy leather blouson. That combo is one of the most distinct looks of the entire season thanks to its sharpness and unobvious sensuality. What was intriguing was how Beckham manipulated all of this to flash a bit of skin or show off the body. “We talk about the relationship with our bodies and the process of getting dressed,” said Beckham, “but this time, it’s about what happens when we take our clothes off too; this idea of what we have against, or showing, our skin.” It seems that Victoria either hired a new, very skillful design team that stimulates her – or she really is becoming a designer’s designer.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
Don’t forget to follow Design & Culture by Ed on Instagram!

Hey, did you know about my newsletter – Ed’s Dispatch? Click here to subscribe!

NET-A-PORTER Limited

Essential. Andreas Kronthaler Vivienne Westwood SS25

Deep plunge neckline, cinched waist and mid-length: that’s Vivienne Westwood‘s signature, ultra-feminine and ultra-flattering dress that charismatic women like Tracey Emin and Pamela Anderson still love and wear. Andreas Kronthaler smartly revived the super-sensual silhouette in his Paris Fashion Week outing that toned-down on his sweet-spot for avant-garde, and focused solely on Westwood essentials. “It’s just clothes, clothes that I think symbolize a very powerful, feminine woman, which I think we are looking for and need more than anything,” said Kronthaler. That’s definitely a direction the designer should keep on developing, because his more “arty” collections as of late felt overly gimmick-y. Spring-summer 2025 is chic, but never prim. Just like the late Dame Vivienne.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
Don’t forget to follow Design & Culture by Ed on Instagram!

Hey, did you know about my newsletter – Ed’s Dispatch? Click here to subscribe!

NET-A-PORTER Limited

The Quotidian. Carven SS25

Louise Trotter‘s Carven is easily one of the best designer-and-brand pairings in a while. The spring-summer 2025 collection, which opened with a minimal dress in shade of champagne and constructed to hover just slightly away from the body, was about sense of an intimate world taking shape in unexpected ways. While the shoes were slippers and puffy mules, there was nothing sleepy about the collection as it beautifully balanced easy nonchalance with sophisticated chic. Trotter – just like Phoebe Philo or the Olsens – understands that dressing women means understanding their relationship to their clothes; her silhouettes are considered yet never overworked. The intriguing ambiguity of a rounded trench on Marte Mei and the extended white tuxedo shirtdress topped with an ample collarless black jacket on Jessica Miller were both standouts. Wherever the Carven woman is wearing these looks (you can imagine them in different circumstances), for Trotter they represent “the quotidian, the rituals.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
Don’t forget to follow Design & Culture by Ed on Instagram!

Hey, did you know about my newsletter – Ed’s Dispatch? Click here to subscribe!

NET-A-PORTER Limited

Flashy. Schiaparelli SS25

At Schiaparelli, I feel like Daniel Roseberry doesn’t have a clear idea of what the brand’s ready-to-wear line should look like. For a consecutive season now, it’s more of an after-thought of his haute couture that was forced to be less in-your-face, more “commercial”, but at the same time still look flashy and rich. In a way, Schiaparelli ready-to-wear is giving Olivier Rousteing Balmain or something Alexandre Vauthier-ish. Paris is overfilled with fashion like this, and Roseberry’s is just adding up to that certain not-so-niche niche.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
Don’t forget to follow Design & Culture by Ed on Instagram!

Hey, did you know about my newsletter – Ed’s Dispatch? Click here to subscribe!

NET-A-PORTER Limited