Exclusive coverage from behind-the-scenes at London Fashion Week Spring Summer 2017.
LFW Backstage: Sadie Williams SS17
LFW Backstage: Shrimps SS17
Exclusive coverage from behind-the-scenes at London Fashion Week Spring Summer 2017.
LFW Backstage: Ryan Lo SS17
Exclusive coverage from behind-the-scenes at London Fashion Week Spring Summer 2017.
Miu Miu CustoMIUzation
Just in time for London Fashion Week, Miu Miu is offering customers the chance to personalise their bags with a large selection of free-spritited badges. Calling the project ‘CustoMIUzation’, it is a novel and interactive idea which enables shoppers to truly make a piece of the brand their own.
The choice of how to customise the madras leather and denim bags is completely at the discretion of the customer, with the patches on offer including the now iconic Miu Miu stars, varsity-style motifs as seen on the AW16 catwalk and adorable wording such as LOVE, KISS and FOREVER.
The process of adorning each bag will be carried out by a dedicated artisan, flown in especially from Italy, and take around 30 minutes to complete. With up to 12 badges to add, one suspects that the majority of the time will be spent deciding on the look to go for. As ever, Miu Miu has kept exclusivity at the forefront of their minds, and as such, there will only be a limited number of bags available. So don’t delay…
Miu Miu ‘CustoMIUzation’ will take place from the 16th September at the Miu Miu New Bond Street store for a limited period only.
Topshop Unveils Runway-To-Retail Concept
For its September 2016 Topshop Unique collection, customers around the world will be able to immediately shop a selection of looks straight from the runway as they appear before them.
Taking place on 18th September, the show will be a pioneering highlight of the upcoming London Fashion Week schedule, and see East London’s iconic Old Spitalfield’s market as the setting for the mother of all democratic industry initiatives.
The clever approach to enabling all to sample the new season wares with such immediacy is both technology-led, with select styles being available to shop online, as well as physical, thanks to a capsule edit of pieces also being ready to buy in key stores around the world.
Topshop has always operated as a particularly consumer-driven brand, and this September is further proof, if needed, that it is a company that places the focus firmly on its customers. In a statement released to the press, Mary Homer, Topshop’s Managing Director, said: “Bringing our customers closer to the London Fashion Week experience has always been a focus for us, but now, more than ever, in a rapidly changing global marketplace where consumers demand immediacy, we recognise the importance of disrupting the traditional model.”
Twin was one of a handful of titles that had exclusive access to the collection on offer earlier this year, and what is coming up will not disappoint. Oversize, cropped puffer jackets were a highlight, as were the nods to ’80s tailoring, delicate evening slips and clever-as-always tailoring.
“The starting point for the Unique collection is always the celebration of British style and its rich heritage, so we feel Spitalfields provides the perfect backdrop to showcase our new collection. With a history steeped in over 350 years of selling to the general public, we also feel it’s a fitting venue in which to debut our ‘Runway-to-Retail’ concept.” – Kate Phelan, Topshop’s Creative Director
Topshop Unique AW16 hits stores
The shift in seasons is truly upon us, well, in a sartorial sense at least. Today sees the long-awaited launch of Topshop Unique‘s stellar AW16 collection, as it arrives in stores and online. So distract yourself from flimsy cotton dresses and kick your way out of those well-worn three-stripe slides, there’s some new kit to play with.
As ever, the girl being designed for by Topshop is part rebellious, part slick – just like London itself. Alongside late-night worthy velvet suiting and slips, there are sequins and corseted minis. Meanwhile, daytime gets a heritage feel, with houndstooth appearing in a variety of blown-out proportions, cropped knits, collared lace and exquisite printed silks inspired by the Bard – The Winter’s Tale landscape.
There is a military element, too, with the introduction of voluminous fur-collar bombers, plenty of khaki and mustard, and hip-skimming mannish army trousers. The final flourish is undoubtedly the swathed duster coats, resplendent with Arctic white shearling. They are the perfect accompaniment to second-skin long johns, a leather mini, those aforementioned sequins or a barely-there negligée. Or, perhaps even nothing at all.
Shop the new collection HERE.
All Eyes On ELLERY
In its biggest collaboration to date, Australian label ELLERY has got together with Specsavers to produce a capsule collection of opticals and sunglasses.
Founder Kym Ellery launched her brand in 2007, and it quickly gained recognition from the fashion crowd for offering beautifully cut clothing that combines a feminine outlook with a nod to the androgynous. Her thigh-skimming yet flared trousers have become a signature silhouette, and now Ellery has turned her creative hand to the world of optics.
Gemma wears ELLERY 12 glasses (SKU 30474741)
The campaign, which is fronted by fellow Perthian Gemma Ward, showcases 14 pairs of glasses and six pairs of sunglasses all at super affordable prices, from $199 to $249 for two pairs. Ellery took inspiration from the movie classics – Diane Keaton in Annie Hall, Susan Sarandon in Thelma and Louise and Woody Allen himself – to produce a range where retro meets contemporary. Shapes include cat eye, graphic oversized square and round silhouettes in a colour palette of classic black, marbled charcoal, tortoiseshell, cobalt blue, bottle green, gold and brushed gold.
Kym Ellery wears ELLERY 13 glasses (SKU 30474758)
For Kym Ellery, designing this debut collection allowed her to explore the sartorial role that eyewear plays in the style of its wearer. She says: “Eyewear is a crucial part of personal style, and I am thrilled to have been given the opportunity to create a collection of frames with Specsavers…When designing, I focus on creating modern classics for intelligent women and this eyewear collection is no exception.”
Main image: Gemma wears ELLERY SUN RX 03 glasses (SKU 30474802)
Emma Charles: The Perfect Balance
Having graduated from Westminster in 2014, Emma Charles racked up an impressive list of experiences before she decided to launch her own label. An intern with Preen during their AW12 collection, Charles spent time at Tom Ford and Stella McCartney, before returning to Preen in 2014 to work as their Archivist Manager. Here, she developed 13 looks for influential women in the industry, including Man Repeller’s Leandra Medine.
“These two years spent with the brand really pushed me in all directions. I was able to absorb everything from my surrounding environment, witnessing the whole process of a collection from sampling, sales, press, production to e-store distribution. Having gained all this knowledge, I felt that I could use it to benefit myself as a brand.”
Emma Charles, AW16
The first Emma Charles collection embodies the core values at the hear of the designer’s ethos: “My ideal woman is creative and has a strong interest in art and fashion. She is more likely to buy into the ‘fun’ yet sophisticated pieces in the collection.” Each piece in the collection reflects this balance, with an aesthetic that marries a smart approach to tailoring with a modern femininity. This aesthetic has evolved from a detailed study of tailoring, and Charles is heavily inspired by menswear from the ’20s and ’50s. “Evenly beautiful fabrics and embellishment play a huge part of my design aesthetic, especially bringing them together to create harmony between masculinity and femininity,” she says. It is these many dualities and contrasts that make her designs exciting.
Emma Charles, AW16
At the beginning of her new venture, Charles is ambitious about where she wants the brand to go: “My goal is to showcase my collections on runway, hopefully within two to three years. Until then I am conscious to work with new exciting photographers, set designers, stylists and casting directors to produce timeless look books.” Amongst dream collaborators she cites photographers such Juergen Teller, Scott Trindle, Jamie Hawsworth and Glen Luchford and stylists such as Jane How. With talent and drive such as this at play, we advise you to watch this space.
Louis Vuitton Cruise ’17: Her Name Was Rio
It’s mere days until Rio de Janeiro becomes the focus of the world’s gaze, as the 2016 Olympic Games get under way. But all this talk of athletic prowess in a stunning setting has made us yearn for the Louis Vuitton Cruise ’17 collection, which took place in the famed city a few months ago.
While we were enraptured then, the prospect of last-minute August escapes has thrown us headfirst into a search for things to wear, and we’re coming up lacking, as all we really want are these creations from Nicolas Ghesquière. The industry favourite, who has always managed to put his finger on exactly ‘what women want’ has done it again – bien sur. “I think what defines our time is that women want to look sophisticated and they want casual sports clothes,” he said. “Those are the two big obsessions.”
For those who missed it in May, here are just a few of the reasons why we’re churlishly wishing this summer away, so that we can get our hands on this collection in time for December.
Culture and Ghesquière have always gone hand-in-hand, and this show was no exception. Held at the Oscar Niemeyer–designed Niterói Contemporary Art Museum, artists also both partook, and inspired, the collection itself with the likes of Hélio Oiticica and Aldemir Martins on the credit sheet.
Model-of-the-moment Mica Arganaraz opened the show, while Twin favourites like Heather Kemesky (who features on one of the covers of our latest issue) also walked.
Thought the ubiquitous flip-flop was reserved yuppies in Clapham? Think again. They are now officially desirable, thanks to Ghesquière sending heavily cuffed versions down the catwalk.
US racing insignia, scuba-esque fabrics and chequered flag motifs were prevalent throughout the collection, adding to the sporting feel of the brand for this time of year.
Remember those skinny lurex scarves you used to love so much? Well, great news for hoarders: they’re back, albeit smattered with sequins amping up their luxe feel. Less good news for Marie Kondo advocates, you’ll have to repeat buy.
Slater’s Sex Skateboards
It seems that Louis Slater, founder of British skate label, Sex Skateboards, has combined his two loves. You name it and Slater has sexed it up, offering not only skateboards but tees, hoodies and artwork (in the form of defaced high end fashion ads and style magazines) all featuring his sex logo. Here, we spend five minutes delving behind the decks.
When did Sex Skateboards start?
March 2015.
How did it come about?
I spray painted the sex logo on a T-shirt and thought it looked cool as fuck.
What’s your favourite mag that you’ve defaced?
I don’t have one, Vice used to be good. I’ll paint on owt, I like very expensive adverts that cost the company loads of money, I get a kick out of that.
You sell hoodies and tees as well as skateboards. Do you plan to extend the range?
Yep the new range is in the pipeline and will hit good shops soon. Loads of new shit, you’re gonna have to wait and see, it’s all kicked it up a gear.
Where can we buy?
Right now the website, and soon to be announced select retailers worldwide.
Taylor Hill is Topshop’s new girl
Supermodel-in-the-making Taylor Hill has today been revealed as Topshop’s new campaign star for AW16. The New York-native, who has fronted the cover of Vogue, was chosen for her versatility, as well as her looks – so says Creative Director, Kate Phelan: “Taylor walked in the February 2016 UNIQUE show – she is a social supermodel and a young woman with style and personality; she is every Topshop girl rolled into one. Whether she is a tomboy in jeans, glamorous in cocktail, or pretty in polka dots, Taylor is Topshop’s ultimate girl crush.”
To mark the appointment of Taylor as the global face of the brand this season, Topshop has released a short film of Taylor, accompanied by her dog (an adorable Labradoodle called Tate), cavorting around her home city of New York in a selection of key pieces from the AW16 collection.
The campaign, which sees Taylor in oversized leather, ’90s LBDs and sheer polka-dots, was shot by acclaimed photographer, Giampaolo Sgura. Speaking to Topshop, Taylor said: “It feels really cool to be Topshop’s campaign girl, I never thought I’d do campaigns, especially not for Topshop. I’d always see the big models doing it and never thought I would, but here I am!”
Okka Block & Okka Found
For a one stop shop that will take you around the world, Okka Block has got you totally covered. Offering a range of homewears, accessories and fashion sourced from the very best artisans in Morocco and India, we caught up with its founder, the stylist Hope von Joel, to discover more…
Tell us about Okka Block…
Okka Block was started from my love and need for wanderlust. I’ve travelled extensively over the last few years, but these countries really inspired my love of textiles and tribal stuff – India, Guatemala and Morocco which is where I took much of my inspiration. The warm coloured streets, the food, smoke and smells, the beautiful traditional clothing and lifestyle and the vibe really stuck a cord with what I believe works in interior design and accessories. The bold combination of colours, the warm tones, the exotic plants and amazing hand made accents really make it exciting.
I first started buying stuff a year or so ago with the idea in mind of selling them back in London. I am working on the new website at the moment and mostly selling through our Instagram until it launches. Have a look it’s a colourful treat.
Where are the items sourced?
Items are sourced here, there and everywhere. I travel all the time and have an eye for beautiful things. Carpets and pillows sourced from the deep Atlas Mountains at 4am after a several hour drive into a local market surrounded by donkeys with my great friend Patrick. Beautifully adorned and jewelled traditional banjara skirts are from the ladies of northern India. Then there are the embroidered bags and tops from the ladies in the hills of Guatemala. The busy bustling markets of the nestled into tents adorned with treasures. Embroideries depicting flowers and multi-coloured pom-poms make my heart sing.
What do you love most about it?
I love that every piece is individually sourced by me for its individuality, uniqueness and quality. I have a story for nearly every item; each has been lovingly packed and transported back to London. Everything is then photographed individually and sold as seen.
Do you have any favourite products at the moment?
I’m totally in love with the rainbow stitched kantha blankets and the massive Moroccan rugs in the amazing colours with sequinned embroidery. The rugs are originally for marriages and are a real statement.
Do you think being a stylist has an impact on what you offer?
Definitely – I have a strong style and know exactly what I like in fashion, interiors and design. I just buy what I love.
Do you have any more exotic trips planned?
More trips for sure, to Mexico, Guatemala and Uzbekistan hopefully this year.
All Eyes On Marianna Goulandris
With a background in luxury swimwear, Greek designer Marianna Goulandris has recently turned her hand to luxury jewellery. Consisting of refined yet statement-making gold pieces, her debut collection has caught our magpie eye, and is destined to inspire all other who encounter it. Recently, Twin had five minutes with the woman herself – here’s what was discussed:
What made you want to move into jewellery design?
It was a natural transition from swimwear. Starting a company so young you grow and change and what turned out being a hobby on the side ended up becoming full time! The continuity of heritage and ancient Greek influence is also strongly shown in the jewellery.
How would you describe the collection in five words?
Quirky, chic, glamorous, gold, luxury.
Who is you customer?
It often ends up being a confident woman who is sure of what she likes. She can immediately target the piece she likes and wears it then and there.
Which is your favourite piece from the collection?
I love my spiral earrings that come in small and large size.
Tell us about the materials you have worked with for this collection and why…
I have worked with a lot more gold vermeil. I wanted to create a luxurious goddess collection with affordable prices!
Can you give us a clue as to what’s in store for next season?
Moving away from the Greek heritage and looking at other forms of good luck charms, not only the Greek mythological matti (eye).
Citizens of Humanity x Mytheresa
This month, an exciting collaboration between premium denim line Citizens of Humanity and luxury retailer mytheresa.com will become available online. The six-piece collection will launch exclusively on the respective websites and is comprised of limited edition denim outerwear and bottoms.
Heavily inspired by the ’80s and early ’90s heavy metal scene, the designs have drawn a lot of influence from cult band Metallica, introducing subtle details in the designs which hint at the ’90s grunge era. The women’s capsule collection goes against the grain, keeping in mind Metallica’s uniform of denim jackets and distressed jeans. To showcase the line and capture its heavy metal influence, Metallica drummer and founding member Lars Ulrich shot the collection, choosing his wife Jessica Miller to model it.
The collection was designed by the Citizens of Humanity Founder Jerome Dahan and Women’s Creative Director Catherine Ryu. Working in collaboration with mytheresa.com, each piece has been produced in Los Angeles, using Citizens of Humanity’s in-house laundry and manufacturing facilities to produce items unparalleled in quality and fit.
Three new outerwear silhouettes have been introduced in the collection, including the Classic Jacket, an oversized boyfriend fit in a light blue wash, a slimmer fit denim jacket in a vintage blue wash called the Trucker Jacket, and the Trucker Vest, a sleeveless washed black denim vest. Three new trouser styles will also become available, these include a high-rise skinny jean in washed black, a mid-rise straight leg jean in a vintage blue wash, and a mid-rise straight fit in washed black.
Head to citizensofhumanity.com or mytheresa.com to browse the pieces for yourselves, which are now available online.
LOEWE’s Ibiza concept store
This June, LOEWE have resurrected their Summer Shop in the Ibiza Museum of Contemporary Art – MACE – for the second year running. As well as the brand’s ready-to-wear and accessory collections, it will also feature exclusive home and vacation essentials, such as bowls, desk items, sunglasses, and blankets.
The shop runs alongside the museum’s main summer exhibition, which is dedicated to the work of US artist, Cy Twombly. With the label’s key pieces such as bags, pouches and various gifts coming in a resplendent array of hot and vibrant shades, the products are in perfect synergy with their seasonal surroundings.
In addition to this, there will also be a selection of art books on sale, as well as wall carpets from weaver John Allen, the designs of which have also made their way onto a number of special pieces as part of collaboration with the textile artist. A variety of sweatshirts and T-shirts with prints based on brooches by Ramón Puig are also available to buy.
The LOEWE Summer Shop at MACE will remain open from 19th June until the 21st August, 2016.
Gucci x Dover Street Market
Wunderkid Alessandro Michele can seemingly do no wrong. This month, the creative visionary behind Gucci has teamed up with London’s Dover Street Market to launch a limited-edition capsule collection that will be sold exclusively through the Haymarket’s coolest hangout.
This is not the first time the two brands have come together, in fact Gucci and DSM are old flames. Last year the brand opened a shop-within-shop at Dover Street Market in Ginza, Tokyo and has twice taken over Dover Street Market Ginza’s Elephant Room.
To celebrate the collaboration, a limited-edition book about Gucci entitled Epiphany will be launched in London on June 12th. Having sold out in New York, this offers a rare chance to have a copy signed by its creator Ari Marcopoulos – the ultimate coffee table addition.
And what of the collection itself? The new collaboration takes in the full spectrum of menswear staples, from cotton crew necks to pyjama trousers. Each piece is adorned with signature detail and romantic embellishment, in line with the ‘Gucci Garden’ aesthetic. Think a tree design on the back of a shirt, rabbit patches on denim jackets and studded detail. Throughout the capsule collection, the Gucci label has been designed with a red rather than white background, ensuring each piece is denoted as truly unique.
As London Collections: Men kicks off, there has never been a better time to adorn yourself in Alessandro Michele’s finery: purchase immediately.
The limited-edition Gucci Dover Street Market menswear capsule collection will be available from the 12th June at Dover Street Market Ginza, London, New York and Beijing.
Well Heeled: DARMAKI
DARMAKI is the London-born shoe brand that merges the masculine with the feminine. In its fourth season now, and stocked in top tier retailers globally, we catch up with its founder, Sultan Al Darmaki to find out more about the evolution of his brand.
Tell us about your label…
Well, let’s say that DARMAKI went through two phases: the first with a business partner, and the second when I took full ownership of the brand. The latter is when I feel that I truly managed to speak about who DARMAKI is through design, so I like to say I officially launched it in 2014.
How did your background impact your choice of career?
For cultural/traditional reasons, the idea of me studying footwear design was looked down upon. I was a young boy, born and raised in the suburbs of Arabia, which was more or less what I would like to call a sophisticated desert; it was a developing transitional area. I wasn’t really “allowed” to study footwear design, so I ended up studying marketing and PR, which I don’t regret doing at all.
What was your childhood like?
My upbringing was to a certain extent very bipolar; just like the London weather (which I love). There were a lot of “do’s and don’ts” for a man; and of course likewise for a woman. A man should be acting in a certain way, should have a prestigious government job, “should, should, should”… But with all of that there was that contradiction of a small feminine aspect that was injected in my life (which I couldn’t speak about in public when I was a kid). My mother would engross me in her world of fashion, of her dreams of an Arabian woman who managed to escape reality through an issue of Vogue, that she would get hold of a year after it was published, from a Canadian nurse who used to work at the one and only hospital in Al Ain – where I come from. Growing up, I was by default brought up by mother to enjoy the very rough masculine upbringing, but with a mix of a fantastic, feminine element, through Vogue.
Did this influence your brand’s USP?
DARMAKI is not an über feminine brand. It’s one part feminine and one part masculine. It has a strong “fem-masculinity” element in it through the rough fractured chunky heel or the thick soles… it’s a mix of both genders but in a very subtle, romantic manner.
Why did you decide to launch your label in London?
After a year or two working for a corporate company back home – this was almost ten years ago – I was done. I felt I needed to do what I love and pack my bags and do what I want and not what society/culture expects me to do. With no education and little money that I had, I moved to London and spent two years flying back and forth to Italy, where I got hands on training in the craft of shoe making. It was by far the best work experience. So, over time, London became my home, and it felt very natural to launch my brand here.
Do you think London and its style has had an impact on your designs?
For sure! I think London has defined my style. That incredible exposure to the multifaceted subculture in London as a whole – one can never not be impacted by it. It’s so beautiful yet so rough in some sort of crazy way. In all honesty, I don’t think I would be where I am or I what I am as a designer if I was living somewhere else.
Who is your customer? Do they have any key characteristics?
Contemporary men and women who are strong, independent and unorthodox. They are confident beyond any need for a sense of belonging to any one community; in a nutshell they don’t belong to a clique.
Describe your design aesthetic…
Grace Jones, David Bowie and Grace Kelly.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
As this is four season and we are already stocked at incredible retailers worldwide – from Boon The Shop in South Korea to Level Shoe District in Dubai – I would like to see that grow more within the next five years… Grow my tribe! I’d like to have the brand in stores that I love and respect, such as Barneys, Colette etc.
The Couture Bridal Collection from Jessica McCormack
The London-based jeweller Jessica McCormack has launched her Couture Bridal Collection, and with universal appeal, the range mixes the whimsical with the avant-garde, the cerebral and the innocent.
Consisting of six couture pieces, these can be created bespoke around different diamonds, from 0.20 carat to 20.00 carat. Each ring design carries the traditional sentiment that you must start with the diamond and then everything else fits into place. In McCormack style though, expect a touch of the contemporary to go with this traditional tendency.
“I want to create engagement rings that speak to the uniqueness of each woman. A ring that you wear every day is more than just a symbol of love. It is also a reflection of personality and history.” Jessica McCormack
My Universe by Mehry Mu
Mehry Mu, the emerging accessories brand founded by Gunes Mutlu, produces the chicest pochettes according to your star sign. Handmade in Istanbul, the city and the vibrant ikat fabrics found in the hidden alleys of the Grand Bazaar prove to be Gunes’ inspiration for her collections.
The Universe collection, which consists of 12 velvet pochettes featuring gold and silver hand embroidery, represent each sign of the Zodiac. Available in a range of cosmic hues: from soft pink to powder blue, green and pale grey – all the colours and star sign details are determined by the Zodiac sign.
Tell us about the Universe collection…
The universe collection is a collection of 12 velvet embroidered clutch bags representing the 12 signs of the Zodiac. The pochettes have been designed and produced in neutral velvet tones and each style and colour is determined by that Zodiac sign’s group – earth, wind and fire etc. The universe design is really personal as the details are so specific to each Zodiac sign that they represent. All the pochettes are hand made in Istanbul and designed according to one simple rule – that they should make life easier whilst making you feel chic in an effortless way.
What’s your zodiac sign?
Sagittarius (featured main).
Where can we buy the collection?
The collection is available to buy from mehrymu.com, The Mehry Mu showroom in Istanbul, Debonnaire London and through several international boutiques including Bloomingdale’s-Dubai and Edit Lifestyle in Singapore.
The M.i.h cult denim pop-up shop
Premium denim brand M.i.h are celebrating 10 years at the forefront of jean genius with a pop-up shop in London’s Soho. Situated on Upper James street, the store features everything from its beloved denim to homeware and fragrance – all imbued with M.i.h’s signature ‘blue-jean’ spirit.
For its 10th anniversary, the brand has launched a unique ‘cult denim’ project, which sees 10 cult items from its archives be re-released as a special capsule collection.
Featuring everything from the perfect ‘7os shirt dress, to the ‘Topanga’ cropped flares, and ‘Painters’ denim parka – it promises to provide the ultimate denim edit for any woman’s wardrobe.
While the full anniversary collection is available from the Soho pop-up shop, there are also accessories from the likes of Illesteva being sold alongside to help punctuate the looks on offer.
Open until the 23rd May; 7 Upper James Street, London, W1F 9DH.
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