Brought up in North China, LUCIEN WANG moved to Paris and studied at the prestigious Studio Berçot, following in the footsteps of Isabel Marant and Roland Mouret. Juggling editorial styling and designing a graduate collection, Wang then went on to work at fashion houses including Veronique Leroy to hone in on his skills, which can be seen via the tailoring in his AW15 collection.
Who is the LUCIEN WANG woman?
The LUCIEN WANG woman is elegant, attractive, reserved and fashionable. I hope that every LUCIEN WANG woman could let people around her feel easy going, I have never thought about putting a certain person as the icon for LUCIEN WANG, just wish the one who gets chance to wear LUCIEN WANG could feel herself.
You moved from China to Paris, how has that had an impact on your and your work?
I am a very thoughtful person, since my childhood, I love to observe everything that I haven’t touched before, including art, humanity, geography, climate, politics etc., even the language. The experience of getting along with a French family has made myself get the opportunity to study the reason that how a nation gains such a great success in the fashion. The long time working habits could let me change my mind among different countries, different cultures, I often change my thinking, and add a bit of humour into my collection.
You have previously worked at Veronique Leroy, what did you learn most while working there?
I was very lucky to get the chance to work with designer like Veronique Leroy, she has brought me a lot of different visions, especially how to work with fabrics, and the experience makes me understand and know deeper about the procedure and working method of fashion industrialisation.
How do you begin the design process?
At the beginning and during the process of making every collection, I will think about the comfort level and wearability again and again, and then to create, to create constantly, to build the expectation.
Do you have a favourite look from the AW15 collection?
I like looks featuring the overcoats, because they make the winter look not so dull, of course, all of them are my children, so I love them all.
Which are your favourite Paris hangouts?
My favourite places in Paris are the department stores, I tried to get to know what could attract me permanently, not just for once or twice, so the stores help me for my creation. Of course, galleries are the must-go place for me every week.
Martin Margiela may be the most elusive figure in fashion. Never has he given an interview, or been photographed in regards to his designs, however now he is the subject of the YOOX Group’s first documentary.
The Artist is Absent, directed by American writer and director Alison Chernick, reveals the vast, groundbreaking impact of the Belgian creative genius who changed the way in which fashion is seen and the enigmatic mind behind some of the most exquisite creations of the two last decades.
This intriguing narrative tries to unveil the true essence of Martin Margiela’s deconstructivist revolution. He becomes real through the images of the documentary, frames of his creative path, and interviews with some of fashion’s greatest names who have been part of his incredible life, including Raf Simons, Jean-Paul Gaultier and Suzy Menkes.
Chloë Sevigny has been at the forefront of cool since the nineties; modelling for Sassy, appearing in a Sonic Youth music video and starring in the independent and controversial film Kids (1995). It was her eclectic and avant-garde fashion sense that caught the attention of many, and now it has been chronicled in a new book.
Published by Rizzoli and with a forward by Kim Gordon, the personal photography tome journeys through her style evolution. In addition to childhood images, film stills and imagery from magazine editorials, the volume also features pictures of Sevigny’s most prized memorabilia.
Chloë Sevigny is out now and available to buy here.
Image: Chloë Sevigny by Kenneth Cappello for TWIN IV
Timeless, chic and minimal is the philosophy behind this luxury swimwear brand, Thapelo Paris. Established by Sydney born, Wil Ariyamethe, as the name suggests Thapelo Paris is both designed and produced in France, highlighting the brand as not only swimwear but also fashion pieces. Known for their pleated, draped and clean lines, Thapelo Paris plays on the contemporary, with a retro glamour. Twin caught up with the brand to find out more.
Tell us about Thapelo Paris… I’ve always had the idea to start a business. A large part of my work experience was developing swim lines and I enjoyed it, so it felt instinctual to start a swim based fashion brand. Thapelo is a French company and was set up after my husband and I relocated to Paris. The first collection was a small capsule in 2011.
What is the secret to the perfect swimwear? You wouldn’t guess how much work goes into finding the right balance between sex appeal and elegance. It’s all in the cut and details to flatter the different parts of a woman’s body. I love to accentuate the fold of a woman’s back and of course the right amount of cleavage. We design pieces that can appeal to a mix of women and not a cliched view of certain age groups. There are so many different components into making a great swimsuit, a high quality quick dry stretch fabric and to mix fashion details (accessories) for the different collections.
What makes Thapelo Paris different? It’s a combination of elements that make us different. We work closely with our manufacturers and admire the French savoir-faire, so we are 100% made in France. As we’re in Paris it’s such a great base and inspiration for fashion. We aim to make swimwear that is considered to be fashion pieces.
Do you have an all time favourite piece? Like the little black dress I love the MIMI, our version of a classic black one piece swimsuit. But I’m excited about our upcoming Resort and SS16 collections. I’ve been wearing our new collection tunics over pants as they translate well into city daywear.
Where is your favourite holiday destinations? Thailand and Australia.
What are your top 5 suitcase essentials? -Sandals, lots of sandals.
-Lightweight bags, I hate carrying a heavy bag or suitcase. I travel as light as possible.
-Jersey dresses that can go day and night.
-A natural face and body scrub so I get a nice tan, something that smells tropical too so I really feel like I’m on holidays!
Material and nature: those are the focus behind vegan bag brand Matt & Nat. Their e-shop features a cornucopia of chicly-designed backpacks, satchels, totes, clutches and other assorted arm candy, all created from recycled goods.
From its inception, the company committed itself to not using leather or any animal-based materials in their designs. The result is a variety of sustainable fabrics: recycled nylons, cardboard, rubber and cork, with linings created from old water bottles.
Yet these are not fusty, out-of-date, hippy designs. Witness sleek backpacks, perfect for the city-slicker: the Paxx (£138) in midnight blue or black, or the more feminine Peltola (£115) – perfect for summer in duck-egg-blue. The vintage collection is rife with retro, structured shapes. The curved Nemesis (£103) and the Phil mini-messenger (£95) are favourites.
Using such textiles requires constant innovation. The vegan leathers produced by the team in Quebec are coloured with vegetable dyes, giving them an authentic appearance, much like the real deal, and means the bags come in an incredible range of hues, both on-trend pastel and day-glo brights. And the material’s strength means you can continue loving your bag for years to come.
Quirky fashion and music label Maison Kitsuné continues its infiltration of the US with the opening of its second US store in NYC.
The 700 -square-foot space will occupy 5 Rivington Street on the Lower East Side, which, founders Gildas Loaëc and Masaya Kuroki say is the “ideal neighborhood…[because] there’s an independent vibe and a natural convergence of music and fashion here that perfectly reflects the spirit of Maison Kitsuné.”
Offering a more feminine and intimate feel to offset the existing New York flagship, the store is launching several Rivington exclusives which include a grey cotton sweatshirt and t-shirt with the brands signature tricolour patch. They’re limited edition though, so you’d better get in there quick!
It’s officially time to dust off those shades. Or, purchase some shiny new ones. When choosing the right frames, timelessness is key as trend-led styles will bore you over time. You may be partial to a tortoiseshell pair, but here at Twin we like to keep things a bit more classic.
Our top four sunglasses are synonymous with effortless style; their shapes will stand the test of time, but are much more than your standard wayfarer. Their design is durable, hard-wearing and feels luxurious when worn. It’s time to take your pick…
Issey Miyake has obtained legendary status in the fashion world, with his multitudinous labels garnering a cult following. On 4 April, the brand will open its first multi-label store, Issey Miyake Marunouchi, in Tokyo.
Featuring 6 Issey labels (although sadly not the iconic Pleats Please), the store focuses on the contract between history and the future. The Tokujin Yoshioka-designed space is themed around the colour red, with a sleek, luxurious feel to compliment Miyake’s minimalist aesthetic.
The brands included in the store cover just about anything you could imagine. From In-Ei, which uses materials from recycled polyester, to 132 5., which creates clothes through algorithms, the focus remains on Mr Miyake’s pioneering approach to sustainability in fashion.
In the second instalment in their Artist in Residence program, Hostem has teamed up with Atelier Baba for the whole of the month of April. The collaboration has seen the take-over of the entire lower ground floor of the Hostem store on Redchurch Street to celebrate the launch of Baba’s debut collection, Timiditine.
Established in 2013 by Gabriella Massey and Melissa Thompson, the luxury London-made womenswear brand creates footwear using craft techniques and rarefied natural materials. They have worked with dealers, artists and makers in London to source artefacts for the installation, from antique linens and furniture from Christopher Howe to rare indigo textiles and clothing from Molly Hogg. Perfumed with rose and tea from the Sahara desert, the display is set to musical recordings and the sound of bells.
Timidtine is collection of boots, shoes and blankets, dyed with indigo pigment from North Africa. The collection includes an unlined thigh boot in midnight suede, a low boot in indigo calf leather or raw silk appliqué and three slipper shoes in unlined indigo-dyed cordovan, raw silk and Sahara suede with crocodile toe.
Italian sneaker brand Superga, known for its collaborations with Rita Ora, Alexa Chung and Suki Waterhouse, recently announced that the latest high profile person to front their campaign and design a collection is top model Binx Walton.
The 19-year-old has created a limited-edition range of trainers that are said to hit stores in the Autumn/Winter 2015 drop, however, these first look images have been released.
“I have always wanted to explore other aspects of the industry,” states Walton. “And I’m so lucky to have such an amazing brand supporting me on not just the model side, but also the creative, directing, and designing. Which is such a dream come true for me!”
Four of Prada’s iconic boutiques have exclusively launched the Spring/Summer 2015 Prada Raw Eyewear Collection. Utilising new materials such as black walnut and Malabar ebony, they have combined these two precious types of wood with their contemporary design to create a unique new range.
The stores, Milan Galleria, Paris Faubourg St Honore, London Old Bond Street and New York 5th Avenue, now feature a customised window display, created by Martino Gamper in collaboration with Prada, to celebrate their unique craftmanship.
Jil Sander and UNIQLO: rarely have a high street and a designer brand worked so perfectly hand in hand. When the collaboration first launched in AW09, it immediately garnered a following because of its avant-garde, clean-cut styling and reasonable prices.
Last week, UNIQLO launched the Best of +J Spring/Summer, a selection of items from the iconic +J Line. The sharp tailoring, freedom of movement and statement silhouette perfectly characterise the brands’ shared design ethos.
The ‘Best of’ collection consists of 22 items and will be sold exclusively online, with women’s items starting at £29.90 and men’s at £39.90.
Blending experimental identity with the viral energy of streetwear, VEER NYC’s design philosophy encourages the wearer to blur the lines of masculine vs feminine style, transcending traditional dress codes and encouraging expression through individuality.
As the concept of a ‘third gender’ in fashion marks a significant turning point in the way we think – VEER NYC are exploring the notion of ‘his’ and ‘hers’ by moving between a genderless aesthetic, a neutrality only determined by fit and sizing.
Founded in 2013 by Jenny McClary and Allie Leepson, we caught up with the design duo to discuss the redefinition of popular dress, and how fashion is moving forward to reflect the realities of the way we live now.
What were you both doing before launching Veer NYC? Allie – I was (and am) a fashion photographer for multiple brands.
Jenny – I was doing creative strategy and marketing for creative production companies serving the fashion and advertising industries.
Describe your core aesthetic – how does it differ in comparison to other womenswear labels – what are you trying to inform the wearer about? J – Our core aesthetic is minimalist with complexities in detail, modern and functional. VEER [almost always] exists around the absence of colour and also the transformability of pieces that hold their strength in the details (fabric, hardware and construction). We’ve also truly rejected feminine silhouettes in favour of a fit that ends up looking very androgynous.
A – A lot of other brands that claim to exist in the same sector end up being more masculine of centre and not quite as clean and minimal as what our goal is to be.
So how did the decision to start the label come about – in particular, focusing on an androgynous silhouette? J – Both Allie and I had a sense of style that was hard to satisfy. We were seeking fashion that was truly genderless in design and aesthetic – but would also actually fit. We weren’t looking for the tomboy trend, nor were we looking for womenswear that was “menswear-inspired”.
A – Those trends we were seeing all still maintained pretty traditionally feminine details and shape so it wasn’t cutting it.
There is growing experimentation to find a neutral space between male and female fashion, making the line between genders more ambiguous – why do you think this is? J – I think the definition of beauty is growing as a culture as a result of people experimenting in this space. Just as we saw the blending of gendered roles, we are going to see that in aesthetics as well. Each traditional “model” has its strengths and a lot of people right now are feeling free and confident enough to pull from both ends of the spectrum to create what’s right for them.
A – Women and men are constantly going to move towards better and more open ways of self-expression. As we learn more about what feels “right” it’s only natural that we find that within aspects of both womenswear and menswear. We’ll each find our own sweet spot!
Do you think the fashion industry could be doing more to promote the concept of a ‘third sex’– could the future be genderless shopping? J – That would be amazing if unisex fashion became more solidified! I think the difficult part of unisex clothing is that the buyer has to be willing to play around with sizes to achieve the fit he/she wants. Male and female bodies are different so it’s not such a transferrable “look” when buying. I think we’d first have to tackle the way we approach size.
So is the non-gendered route a progressive factor in your creative vision for the label?
A – We will continue to push the boundaries with our line and we’d love to design what we are comfortable calling unisex.
You don’t design by season, so how does your process evolve creatively and where do you draw influences from? J – We are constantly creating! I think a lot of our process has to deal with how we piece together a lot of clothing that could fall in multiple seasons anyway. Layering is key for us.
A – And I suppose “de-layering” as well haha. We also take a lot of influence from Japanese and Korean menswear.
You’re only available online at the moment – how do you envision the label growing in the future? As VEER, we exist on veernyc.com, but we do have a couple of brick and mortar shops that are selling our pieces now. In NYC we have American Two Shot, upcoming in Canada is Frances Grey, and online we are with Not Just Another Label. We’ll be expanding that so we can have a presence in so many more cities and states.
So let’s think for a moment about the VEER NYC muse – if you could choose one person who completely embodies your design ethos and attitude, who would it be? J & A – Patti Smith.
And Patti was all about freedom of expression as we know. So in terms of tapping into your own creative freedom to build the label, what has been the most rewarding part of the journey so far? J – We love seeing how different people with different styles transform our pieces.
A – We never really had one specific type of person in mind when we started the company. We wanted to build a brand that, at a glance, looked one way, but could easily be re-shaped to fit another. When we see that happen it’s incredible!
VEER NYC’s latest collection DRIFT [01] is now available online.
Today sees the release of Dior & I, the latest documentary from filmmaker Frédéric Tcheng – his solo directorial debut – that follows Raf Simons as he starts his role as Creative Director at the Parisian fashion house.
You find yourself immersed in the world of Dior, from the ateliers, to the business and communications, and even in the legend that is Christian Dior himself. Throughout the film we see vignettes of Christian Dior in black and white, using voiceover quotes from his autobiography. It’s these snippets that emphasise the work ahead of Simons as he embarks on the task of creating his very first haute couture collection for Dior, modernising the legacy for a new generation. They also act as a reminder of the past, baring weight on the shoulders of the designer of the future.
There are times in the film where things don’t always go to plan. Which, expectably, there would be. Simons is known as a minimalist (although he does not see it that way) and has never designed a couture collection before, let alone in eight weeks, and so these mishaps were bound to happen. But, what you notice is that every hurdle is handled in a rather elegant manner and only once do we witness a tiny designer tantrum – if you could even call it that.
A sense of thrill and excitement hangs over the experience; you are anticipating the grand finale right from the very start, cheering on the rather timid designer and Pieter Muller, his right-hand-man, the entire length of the movie. Tcheng does this by creating a crescendo of sorts. The voiceover shifts from the past to the present as we draw near to the catwalk show, and it acts as a commentary on Simons’ whole experience. When the collection finally does walk the runway, in a beautiful slow motion scene, emotions are high, and watching this little slice of modern couture history evokes those same feelings in anyone with a place in their heart for style.
Culottes are a welcome reminder that the weather is heading in the right direction. Either worn with flatforms or crisp white kicks, it’s finally time to bare those legs (well part of them) in some wide-leg crop-length trousers.
Our top four just so happen to be made from the fabric of the season, denim. And we’ve taken a liking to the frayed variety, but you’ll find a plethora of styles, cuts and washes out there. Here are our Twin picks to get you started.
Best of British: this is an ethos that has always emanated from luxury brand Burberry. But it is now taking this one step further with the addition of a café, featuring an all-British menu from Rocket Food. The café is already under construction in its 121 Regent Street store. While a restaurant belonging to a major design house isn’t new (see Armani, Ralph Lauren and Bulgari), Burberry’s space will have the edge thanks to its plans for a gifting area.
In the latest chapter of A Model Moment with Sophia Aerts, we meet Charlotte Richman, 21. Originally from Dorset, she moved to Brighton at 18 to do an art course and after one year moved to London to pursue modeling.
On London
My favourite place in London is Love Walk around Camberwell, where I often go to the Love Walk Café with my housemate. Sometimes we have Malibu on the rocks at an inappropriate hour in the morning and walk all the way to Herne Hill market, eat burgers and sit in Brockwell Park smoking and laughing at passersby.
I also love the Grant Museum of Zoology, which is full of weird and wonderful things, such as taxidermy and jars filled with bugs.
On style
My style completely changes week to week. Sometimes I’m very tomboy and punky and kind of scruffy, at other times I love to look 60s with shift dresses and jackets and heavy eye makeup with little shoes.
The last thing I bought was some blue and white big striped jeans from Mango in Istanbul. They remind me of a shirt my mum used to were when I was little. Designer-wise, I love Paul Smith.
You’ll aways find milk and diet pepsi in my fridge for tea and hungover mornings, plus ham and halloumi.
I absolutely hate it when people say ‘emotional roller coaster’.
Sneakers and running shoes have been an unexpected trend that has spread like wildfire in both the fashion circles and on the high street, and it seems that many consider them to be well and truly here to stay. Well, that’s what lifestyle retailer Pam Pam thinks, at any rate.
Last week, they launched the first women’s only sneaker store in the UK, 1,500 sq foot space located in Bethnal Green, featuring 10 footwear brands including adidas, Reebok and New Balance. Not limited to just footwear, the store will be home to accessories and clothing from a wide variety of expertly curated, well known and independent labels, including the Australian brand Vanishing Elephant, Bethnals and Penfield.
The store’s founders, Bethany Heggarty and Rio Holland, hope to enrich women’s lives; aside from their tightly edited selection of clothing and accessories, they will be providing different opportunities, such as yoga classes, workshops, music sessions and cultural events.
Trainers, clothing, yoga and female empowerment – a fashion and lifestyle concept that’s not just for kicks.
Strangely moving and beautifully composed, Savage Beauty is the most fitting homecoming for fashion’s rare bird.
Just as complex as the man himself and just as deeply layered, the V&A’s retrospective of the late great Lee Alexander McQueen is as powerful as it is poignant. At the time of writing 70,000 advance tickets had already sold for Savage Beauty. So far, that’s 3,000 more than the V&A had sold during the same period for David Bowie Is… It says something when a fashion designer can outsell a rock icon.
This amplified version of the original exhibition staged at The Met in 2011 has been fittingly expanded to begin at the beginning, with McQueen’s hometown and the raw, scratchy, seedy energy of London. You can trace a line through McQueen’s growth as a designer from his Central St Martins MA collection, inspired by backstreet debauchery, through to the exquisite aristocratic and ornithological references that chime with his complex relationship with Isabella Blow. Brutally beautiful rather than conventionally so, McQueen effectively reprogrammed femininity.
Almost twenty years of transformative and transgressive design are here and the iconic garments come thick and fast, from the goose feather coat dipped in gold to the bumster trousers and the crocodile head epaulettes. Animalistic and erotic, the pieces feel real and three-dimensional in ways that many fashion garments fall short in this kind of setting. Layered thick with references, implied and explicit, they transcend ready to wear. There are over 240 garments showcased over the ten rooms, including 70 additional pieces that particularly resonate with the London homecoming. Exhibition designers Sam Gainsbury and Joseph Bennett have taken a thematic route through McQueen’s archive, creating theatrical spaces that are powerfully evocative of his most recognisable influences.
A Cabinet of Curiosities exposes many of McQueen’s most memorable garments, including some he created for Givenchy. At the heart is the rotating dress from his Spring/ Summer 1999 No. 13 collection, in which Shalom Harlow was famously sprayed by robots. Soaring up to the ceiling are 120 other pieces, but emphasis is placed on highlighting the sculptural jewellery and headwear accessories created by long-time collaborators Philip Treacy and Stephen Webster. The association with McQueen seems to even elevate these two master craftsmen, standing on the shoulders of a giant. The exhibition ends with McQueen’s final collection, Plato’s Atlantis (Spring/Summer 2010), which in retrospect feels like the pinnacle of his fascination with anthropomorphic metamorphosis. And those armadillo shoes will define him – and the label – long, long after his death.
The poignancy of his brief genius resonates through a re-staging of the Kate Moss hologram that closed the Widows of Culloden Autumn/Winter 2006 show; an ethereal wisp of cheekbones and organza floating mid-air finally drifts off into the distance and disappears into the black solar system. It’s a fitting metaphor for a designer whose star shone brighter than most, but who was ultimately consumed by his own personal tragedy.
Savage Beauty is at the V & A Museum until 2nd August 2015.
Two major fashion retailers hailed the start of something new last week, with Selfridges unveiling its new ‘Agenda’ store concept and thecorner.com announcing plans to create a no gender area on the website in June.
Selfridges launched a three-storey Agender space designed by Faye Toogood, starting in the Beauty Hall. The space will be home to items specially selected by their buyers as suitable for both men and women, as well as exclusive offerings from 5 unisex labels: Bodymap, Underground, Nicopanda, Rad Hourani Haute Couture and Toogood. Other featured designers include Twin favourites Comme des Garçons, Ann Demeulemeester and cutting edge Hood By Air.
The launch was accompanied by the release of an Agender film, featuring original music by Devonte Heynes.
Creative director Linda Hewson, said that the campaign ‘challenges the future of shopping at Selfridges,” which sounds similar to thecorner.com’s support of a new approach to shopping that goes beyond the gender divide.
The luxury online boutique prides itself on being forward-thinking and will open a brand new section dedicated to gender-neutral clothing. From Rad Hourani to Yohji Yamamoto, their expertly curated selection will allow you to choose according to personal taste rather than being influenced by a male-female dichotomy.
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