Wish-List: Astier De Villatte

September 2, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

Hello new season! How about a fresh, autumnal revamp of your surroundings with a bit of French beauty? Handmade in Paris by Tibetan artisans, Astier De Villatte‘s trademark are ceramics crafted from black terracotta using a special technique which leaves deliberate imperfections on the surface and are transformed by a milky white glaze. Delicate though they might be, these pieces are extremely durable despite their fragile appearance and make wonderful decorative tableware. The hand crafted Astier pieces make a wonderful gift for collectors and art appreciators and span beyond just ceramics – Astier de Villatte perfumes are equally unforgettable.

ED’s SELECTION:

Astier De Villatte x John Derian A Dozen Roses Printed Ceramic Vase

Astier De Villatte Cygne Ceramic Ornament

Astier De Villatte Tom Ceramic Bowl

Astier De Villatte Historiques Eau De Parfum Discovery Set

Astier De Villatte Chou Large Ceramic Dinner Plate

Astier De Villatte Eau Chic Cologne

Astier De Villatte x John Derian Heart Glazed Ceramic Mug

Astier De Villatte Le Dieu Bleu Eau De Parfum

Astier De Villatte Adélaïde Glazed Ceramic Pitcher

Astier De Villatte Colbert Small Ceramic Coffee Pot

Astier De Villatte Adelaide Ceramic Bowl

Astier De Villatte Dauphin Ceramic Incense Holder

Astier De Villatte Eau De Cologne Discovery Set

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!

Tangled Sensuality. Comme Des Garçons SS03

August 27, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

There’s this one Comme Des Garçons collection I just can’t stop thinking about. I might even say that spring-summer 2003 is my favorite Rei Kawakubo collection… ever. Of course I love and appreciate the garment-installations she’s presenting during Paris Fashion Weeks for over a decade, but I kind of miss that wearability she used to do so evocatively and sensually in the past. Back in 2003, the Japanese designer mused on decorating clothes without using any external embellishments. She wanted to achieve decoration that wasn’t superfluous – as if it was an organic part of the garment, not just sticking out from its surface. As a result, she extended the fabric of her cotton garments, tying and braiding the extra cloth to form bunchy plaits and rosettes. A bulky silhouette informed the collection: boleros, long skirts and tunics were all festooned with outcrops of chunky, tactile elements. But she also had “standard” clothes fused into the collection: very cool cargo pants with raw hems, t-shirts with the Filip Pagowski heart logo layered under “ripped” sheaths, and striking, beautifully tailored jackets with cascading lapels and open-backs. All that tangled up chic was also alive in the wigs by Julien D’Ys, which were stitched-up curls worn as crowns.

Need some Comme in your autumn wardrobe?

ED’s SELECTION:

Comme des Garçons Gathered Pleated Wool Midi Dress

Comme des Garçons Gathered Faille Midi Skirt

Comme des Garçons Gabardine Blazer

Comme des Garçons Bow-detailed Cotton-jersey T-shirt

Comme Des Garçons Bow-detailed Pleated Satin Midi Dress

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!

Thinking About Alber. Lanvin AW10

August 15, 2024August 15, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

Lately I’m feeling very sentimental for the late Alber Elbaz‘s Lanvin. Maybe it’s also the anticipation for Peter Copping’s (hopeful) revival of the Parisian house. But I truly miss Elbaz and his incredible, unmatched approach to dress-making. The autumn-winter 2010 collection is one of my all-time favorite Alber for Lanvin moments. For day, it began with no-nonsense, clean silhouettes cut from matte stretch materials with a molded structure (see Magdalena Frąckowiak’s look!); dresses and coats were cut roomy in the shoulder, tapering to sensually clutch the hips. The eveningwear, consisting of simple jersey togas, was just so sublime. But with Elbaz, you always had minimalist ideas clashed with the joy of maximalism. The technical starkness of the collection was gradually steered away with the addition of chunky metal and rock-crystal jewelry, ostrich feather, sheer lace, and beaded spine-tracing zippers, building up to dynamic feats of diagonal pleating that crossed the torso in one direction and shot across the hips in the other. Dark, yet sensational glamour at its best.

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!

Heatwave. Stella McCartney SS’2005

July 30, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

Lately I love going back to Stella McCartney‘s early collections. They are just so straightforward and simply chic. As the summer heatwave isn’t going anywhere for some time, here’s a throwback to Stella’s beachy spring-summer 2005 (which sometime ago I’ve unearthed in my “Summer of Jessa” newsletter post!). Here, the designer – who was still establishing her brand in Paris – played to her strengths: a smidge of vintage (think floaty floral chiffon dresses), a touch of lingerie (camisoles and bras used to good effect layered underneath tops or dresses), feminine tailoring (safari jackets worn over loose pants). And she made strong case for very-boho tiered skirts, letting them swoosh along the runway in white cotton muslin. Ah, simple times…

Inspired? Get a similar look.

ED’s SELECTION:

Chloé Ruffled Silk-georgette Blouse

Stella McCartney Corduroy-trimmed Organic Cotton-twill Wide-leg Pants

Castañer Chiara 80 Metallic Canvas Wedge Espadrilles

Sonia Petroff Dragonfish Belt

Sachin & Babi Sabrina Gown

Isabel Marant Aurely Embellished Bouclé-trimmed Cotton-twill Jacket

Stella McCartney Lace-trimmed Jacquard Halterneck Maxi Dress

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!

Ease of Today. Carven Pre-Fall 2024

July 11, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

The best indicators of whether a brand is taking shape under a new creative director are not the runway collections, but the pre-collections. Judging by the pre-fall 2024 lookbook, Louise Trotter‘s Carven certainly is on the right path to be your new favorite Parisian brand. “It is not a nostalgic or particular prism of a woman,” said the British designer, when asked how the heritage of Carven informs her approach. “It’s that sense of silhouette and sense of proportion with an ease of today.” Comparing to other designers in Paris who struggle with reviving historic Parisian maisons (think Nina Ricci and Rochas), Trotter isn’t stepping into the trap of the archives. She isn’t pulling out a mid-century dress and trying to make it look somehow relevant in 2024. But she smartly deconstructs elements of Madame Carven’s sensibility, and incorporates them into contemporary Carven. For instance, the 1950s column silhouette is revisited in a tank dress worn over a t-shirt. For pre-fall, the designer is gravitating towards a more masculine wardrobe; think sweatshirt in sheepskin or a technical Prince of Wales trouser. The softly tailored coat that comes in either double-face cashmere or chocolate wool gabardine is phenomenal. “I want to find solutions for her life, as I do for myself,” Trotter noted. “It’s instinctive for me. These are pieces that I appreciate and want to wear.” Other women will, too.