“The genesis of Guest In Residence is to honor past heirlooms and give life to new ones spanning generations,” says model and founder Gigi Hadid. Inspired by her parents’ hand-me-downs that brought her comfort while on the road, each piece is made from sumptuous cashmere and designed to be cherished. Here are couple of my favorite pieces by the brand that might come handy this festive season – both as gifts that will keep on giving and as outfit-wise evening-savers!
Collage by Edward Kanarecki. Don’t forget to follow Design & Culture by Ed on Instagram! By the way, did you know that I’ve started a newsletter called Ed’s Dispatch? Click here to subscribe!
For his third showcase at Fashion East, the sensational Standing Ground designer Michael Stewart doubled down on his statuesque yet ethereal aesthetic in a collection – entitled Tethys, a reference to the prehistoric Tethys Sea which was an early ocean formed about 35 million years ago when most of the countries of the earth were still one large landmass- made from offcuts and leftover fabrics. This time, the palette was inspired by the pastoral landscapes of Ireland, featuring shades of powder blue and moss green. There were column dresses with ruched detailing adorned with intricate beading. “While I’ve developed something of a distinct aesthetic that’s a combination of technique and form, this season’s pieces have a certain purity and softness, while maintaining something of a sci-fi vibe,” he shared ahead of the show back in September. Ever since founding Standing Ground in 2022, Stewart has strictly dedicated himself to the canvas of the evening gown. He is a designer who knows the importance of a sharp fold and a glamorous wrinkle. Naturally, his spring-summer 2024 outing delivered that in abundance. The construction of these pieces was exquisite. It will be hard to forget the cobalt blue gown constructed from a single piece of fabric or the green crushed velvet number that genuinely made that notoriously tacky fabric look couture. Of course, the beaded accoutrements were the stars of the show. The show notes described them as “Xenomorphic coils, conjuring subliminal techno-erotics and a gothic posthumanism.” They encrusted the dresses like barnacles, or a H.R. Giger-style exoskeleton.
Collage by Edward Kanarecki. Don’t forget to follow Design & Culture by Ed on Instagram! By the way, did you know that I’ve started a newsletter called Ed’s Dispatch? Click here to subscribe!
Marcelo Gaia’s Mirror Palais is a cult worth giving in to. Since 2019 the stylist turned designer has been whipping up sensual ready-to-wear, which has done quite well due to his keen eye for fit. For his spring-summer 2024 collection, presented during New York Fashion Week in September, the designer aimed to find a balance between fantasy and wearability, which worked well through his glam lens. Inspired by a love of vintage, the line offered a modern ode to flirty, feminine and sexy decade-spanning nostalgia with craftsmanship to match. “Definitely the late 18th century – there’s a little bit of Marie Antoinette, then a little bit of 1950s Audrey Hepburn and the 1990s supermodels. Eras when women were in their most flowering, and they’re fun,” Gaia said of the season’s inspirations. Looks spanned from flounced taffeta skirts with little tops to a strong assortment of corsetry (a cream blazer with little shorts; a polka-dotted strapless top with ‘50s capris, or laced up numbers) as well as pretty white day dresses, mushroom-like knife-pleated dresses and ‘90s bodycon bandage styles. Whether leaning into ladylike sensibility with a fluid polka-dot gown or going full femme fatale with sheer, ruffled frocks, Gaia emphasized the importance of offering styles for all body types, utilizing more stretch fabrics, adjustable waist details and a mix of sheer and lined silhouettes throughout.
Collage by Edward Kanarecki. Don’t forget to follow Design & Culture by Ed on Instagram! By the way, did you know that I’ve started a newsletter called Ed’s Dispatch? Click here to subscribe!
Renaissance Renaissance persists and thrives. Currently based between Paris and Beirut, Cynthia Merhej, the Lebanese designer, has recently come out the other side of a period of reviewing, revising, and refining. She has sought out suppliers and factories in Lebanon to assist her mother with production; reworked all her patterns and fine-tuned the fit of her existing garments; scrutinized her best-received designs to date and rejuvenated them. And she has found the time to develop shoes: sleek leather ballet slippers with sporty rubber soles, made at a family-owned factory in Lebanon, and embellished with silk bows she hand makes in her mother’s atelier. Merhej’s spring collection was beautifully put together, styled for the lookbook by Claudia Sinclair. “I wanted everything to be able to be layered over everything else,” the designer explained. “And I wanted to make everything really wearable, so that even our signature tulle skirts didn’t look too pouf-y and princessy, but could be worn every day, maybe even over jeans.” The highlights: neat little military-style, technical-twill blazers that segue into delicate tulle trims; a dove grey, bubble-hemmed mini dress in a sportswear taffeta that can be layered over knits or worn against the body; gathered tulle skirts, shirts and dresses that form a clever contrast with beautifully cut cotton shirts; layered cotton day-dresses with charming little bows and fastenings; cropped cardigans with slashed backs and trailing tulle ribbons embroidered with lines of poetry by the Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish. “I just loved how they were able to talk about these very difficult subjects, sometimes violent, in a very soft, beautiful way.” For spring, Merhej had envisioned a protesting woman, walking on the street with white banners flying behind her. “I wanted to mix the idea of something that feels a bit more crisp and structured with a lot of softness, lightness and fragility,” she said. “I felt like I had to be a warrior, I had to keep going, and at the same time I felt inside like I was gonna crack!” She’s right to pour her vulnerability into her clothes.
Collage by Edward Kanarecki. Don’t forget to follow Design & Culture by Ed on Instagram! By the way, did you know that I’ve started a newsletter called Ed’s Dispatch? Click here to subscribe!
