Holiday Gift Guide, Vol. VII

December 14, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

This holiday season, I will share a number of dream gift guides that might make it easier for you to go (and filter) through the festive season. Get ready for a selection of beautiful items that will spark joy and last for years. The ones that will certainly please one’s senses and deliver heavenly feelings. From globetrotting adventurers to design-forward homebodies and fashion fans with a penchant for glamour – whoever you’re shopping for, this Christmas gift guide featuring timeless classics has the perfect presents to suit all needs this holiday season. Treat your loved ones and yourself with the below choices – and shoppable links!

Bottega Veneta Resin And Gold-tone Earrings

A.L.C. Stella Lace-Trim Maxi Slip Dress

Magda Butrym Embellished Leather Sandals

Valentino Garavani Nellcote Embellished Fringed Leather-trimmed Suede Shoulder Bag

Fornasetti Frutto Proibito Extrait de Parfum

Ginori 1735 Oriente Italiano Porcelain Box

Holiday mood: Tim Walker.

Victoria Beckham Backless Satin Maxi Dress

DÔEN Petra Alpaca-blend Cardigan

Smythson Christmas Dog Skiing Card Set

Bottega Veneta Foulard Intrecciato Leather Shoulder Bag

Valentino Metallic Antibes Cotton Fringe Scarf

Chloé Cotton-corduroy Jacket

Simone Rocha Sheer Spiral Midi Skirt with Beaded Embellishments

Holiday mood: Luke Edward Hall.

Marie Lichtenberg Eye Will Locket 9- And 14-karat Gold, Enamel, Cord And Multi-stone Necklace

Cashmere In Love Wira Balaclava

Bally Gerwin Glossed-leather Mary Jane Flats

Magda Butrym Floral-appliquéd Satin-jersey Dress

Smythson 2024-2025 Portobello Weekly Vertical Diary in Panama

Judy Geib 18K Yellow Gold Long Flowery Emerald Earrings

Holiday mood: Tilda Swinton by Tim Walker.

Saint Laurent Blossom Gold-tone Resin Clip Earrings

Bally Belle Large Leather Tote

“Peter Lindbergh. Shadows on the Wall” by Taschen

Isabel Marant Moka Fringed Wool-blend Bouclé Tutleneck Sweater

Dries Van Noten Hammered-satin Midi Skirt

Sonia Petroff Aries Embellished Leather Belt

Hermes Rouge Matte Lipstick, 44 Orange Neon

Isabel Marant Fringed Leather Knee Boots

Just in case you’ve missed the other Holiday Gift Guides:

Volume I, Volume II, Volume III, Volume IV, Volume V & Volume VI.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Nostalgia. Saint Laurent Resort 2025

December 13, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

First, pardon my silence for those good couple of days… had a quite rough time, but things are looking up! I’m back.

Second, damn, what a week in fashion. Honestly, I feel overstimulated with all the news and (r)evolutions. Julian Klausner’s appointment at Dries Van Noten could call it a day. But then, John Galliano officially announced his departure from Margiela (but that was no news to insiders). And yesterday, within mere two hours, Louise Trotter parted ways with Carven (this brand will never know peace) to go to Bottega Veneta, from which in the very same minute Matthieu Blazy left to go to Chanel. Did I miss something? I probably did. 2024 leaves fashion with a bang. 2025 will be all about new beginnings. But when there are too many new beginnings, do you feel that excited? Also, I feel like such thing as customer’s confidence in a brand they felt devoted to and aligned with is dead when so many key positions are changed that abruptly. Good for Trotter, I’m happy she’s finally acknowledged by the industry after all these years of being an underrated designer-star, but I think the now-existing Carven client must feel very confused and puzzled.

Third, in those couple of heavy days, I took note of Anthony Vaccarello’s resort 2025 collection for Saint Laurent. At a first glance, all seems great: bold, bright lookbook shot by Katja Rahwles; free-spirited maxi-dresses; in general, a sort of boho optimism is back (again). But then I wonder: is it enough? Is it enough to just go back to the same images of Loulou De La Falaise in her nomad-inspired paisley dresses and heavy beaded necklaces? From one side you can be totally satisfied with this Vaccarello undemanding offering. But from another, I feel like he’s a living proof that nostalgia isn’t a good thing for fashion. You just can’t look back at the past without applying any contemporary reassessment. Plus, this collection packed with ruffled dresses and resort-ready skirts could easily be something Zara would photograph very nicely with Steven Meisel. Not that the quality would be the same. Although when I see how all the mesh stuff “hangs” in the YSL stores… I’m not that sure. By the way, there was a wild rumor a couple of months ago that Anthony is headed to Zara, so who knows what else the end of the year will bring!

The morale: designers like Vaccarello should dial down on their vintage obsessions-slash-manias and get back to the modern day. It really isn’t that boring and uninspiring.

ED’s SELECTION:

Salome Satin Wedge Sandals

Gold-tone And Resin Cuff

Oversized Belted Cotton-twill Trench Coat

Off-the-shoulder Ruffled Cotton-twill Mini Dress

Paisley-print Silk-chiffon Scarf

Cropped Wool Sweater

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Holiday Gift Guide, Vol. VI

December 9, 2024December 8, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

Miu Miu Floral Poplin and Jersey Skirt

Burberry Cable Alpaca Cropped Cardigan Sweater

Bottega Veneta Oval-frame Acetate And Gold-tone Sunglasses

Simone Rocha Micro Egg Faux Pearl-embellished Acrylic Clutch

Loro Piana Calza Noel Jacquard-knit Cashmere Socks

Brunello Cucinelli Bead-embellished Suede Ankle Boots

Holiday mood: Naomi Watts as Babe Paley in “The Feud: Capote vs. The Swans”.

The Row Iside Satin Midi Dress

Valentino Garavani Belted Faux Fur-trimmed Embellished Cheetah-print Wool Coat

Carlini Silver Lady Christmas Ornament

Valentino Crystal and Pearly Floral Brooch

Dries Van Noten Embellished Metallic Jacquard-crepon And Checked Wool Double-breasted Jacket

Khaite Marion Embellished Leather Wedge Sandals

Holiday mood: Jeanne Lanvin.

Bottega Veneta Small Andiamo Shoulder Bag with Chain Strap (click image)

Alaïa Criss Cross Leather-trimmed Leopard-print Calf Hair Ballet Flats

Comme des Garçons Comme des Garçons Gathered Pleated Wool Midi Dress

Byredo Matte Lipstick

The Row Viktor Fringed Cashmere Scarf (click image)

Prounis Blush Tourmaline and Golden South Sea Pearl Chime Drop Earrings

Holiday mood: The Met collection.

A. P.C. Swan ballet flats

L’Objet Swan Large Gold-plated Porcelain Bowl

Conner Ives Appliquéd Cotton-blend Midi Skirt

Valentino Garavani 9to5 Embellished Leather-trimmed Calf Hair Shoulder Bag

Tom Ford Ébène Fumé Eau de Parfum Fragrance

Diptyque 34 Boulevard Saint Germain Fragrance Hourglass Diffuser

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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