Author: CNN

Milan CNN  —  It’s been a tumultuous start to 2025 on the world stage — and the first international fashion catwalks of the year have reacted with themes of protection, resilience and comfort. The latest menswear shows in Milan for the Fall-Winter 2025 season left their usual buoyant mood at the door. Instead, the focus was two-fold: timeless style featuring classic fabrics like shearling, leather and denim; and high-performance outerwear that innovated with cutting-edge materials. “The world is becoming so conservative, and everybody asks us designers to be revolutionary, but what is happening in the world is not a celebration,”…

CNN  —  With her eyes almost entirely obscured by the rim of her wool boater-style hat, Melania Trump stood behind President-elect Donald Trump on stage at the United States Capitol Rotunda as he pledged the oath of office. Designed by New York-based milliner Eric Javits, Trump’s hat was an austere flourish to a neat, military-style ensemble. Her navy silk wool double-breasted coat was nipped at the waist and worn with bare legs and stiletto heels. The piece was designed by Adam Lippes, a New York-based designer who has dressed Biden and Michelle Obama. (Trump has previously worn Lippes several times,…

CNN  —  By the time each U.S. President is sworn in, the first lady may already be a familiar face, either due to her campaign trail appearances (or absences), or prior roles within the White House. And, since 1965, when Lady Bird Johnson spearheaded her environmental campaigns, it has also become customary for first ladies — and, presumably in the future, first gentlemen — to prepare their own policies. Still, the presidential inauguration has long been an opportunity for the first lady to make an immediate first impression — and they’ve often done so through their fashion choices during the…

CNN  —  It’s one of the most important jobs never applied for. Unelected, yet inextricable from politics; constantly visible on the world stage, but rarely the one behind the microphone — for all its glamour, the first lady of the United States is a role of unsolicited duty, often bringing with it intense public scrutiny, including over what they wear. For previous first ladies, fashion has been an important communication tool signposting what they stand for individually. Michelle Obama — who could transform a designer’s career with a single photograph — used clothes as a vehicle to platform and support…

Editor’s Note: Featuring the good, the bad and the ugly, ‘Look of the Week’ is a regular series dedicated to unpacking the most talked about outfit of the last seven days. CNN  —  Not since Lady Gaga arrived at the 2013 American Music Awards on a Trojan-style horse has a celebrity entrance caused such a ruckus. On Tuesday evening, at the London premiere of “A Complete Unknown,” Timothée Chalamet continued the eccentric spirit that has dominated his current press tour by cycling onto the red carpet via Lime Bike. For the uninitiated, or the non-Londoner, Lime Bikes are the UK…

Editor’s Note: The views expressed in this commentary are solely those of the writers. CNN is showcasing the work of The Conversation, a collaboration between journalists and academics to provide news analysis and commentary. The content is produced solely by The Conversation. The Conversation  —  Sunglasses, or dark glasses, have always guarded against strong sunlight, but is there more to “shades” than we think? The pupils of our eyes are delicate and react immediately to strong lights. Protecting them against light — even the brilliance reflected off snow — is important for everyone. Himalayan mountaineers wear goggles for this exact…

Reuters  —  Oliviero Toscani, the man behind the shock advertising campaigns that helped make Italy’s Benetton one of the world’s biggest clothing brands, died on Monday at the age of 82, his family said in a statement. Toscani was admitted to hospital on Friday in Cecina, near his Tuscan country home, in a very serious condition. A source with knowledge of the matter said on Saturday he had lost consciousness. “It is with great sorrow that we announce the news that today, 13 January 2025, our beloved Oliviero has embarked on his next journey,” Toscani’s wife Kirsti and three children…

CNN  —  The red carpet at LA’s Beverly Hilton came alive with sparkling sequins and shimmering satin on Sunday, as Hollywood’s biggest stars gathered for the 82nd Golden Globe Awards. And the evening’s standout fashion trend was very much on-brand for the annual ceremony: gold. From the glittering scales of “Anora” star Mikey Madison’s Bottega Veneta gown to Ariana Grande’s intricate 1960s Givenchy archive piece, attendees embraced a variety of golden hues and embellishments. Demi Moore and Mindy Kaling joined in, too, arriving in a sculptural Armani Privé outfit and an Ashi Studio column dress, respectively, while Cate Blanchett wowed…

CNN  —  WNBA player Angel Reese has landed a Vogue cover, posing for a story about how the worlds of fashion and sport have collided. With interviews from Reese, tennis player Frances Tiafoe and Olympic sprinter Gabby Thomas — the last of whom also received a separate cover — the story delves into why fashion brands are tapping athletes as some of their biggest stars. Though luxury labels have often tapped fashionable athletes in the past for campaigns and on-court collaborations, the relationship has been hypercharged as of late. NBA, WNBA and NFL “tunnel walks” have turned arenas into highly…

CNN  —  Coco Chanel, possibly apocryphally, once said: “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off,” establishing the idea that, in her eyes, to be overdressed was a fashion faux pas. It’s a commandment that has informed many fashion houses for decades; take the monochromatic styling of Issey Miyake, or the clean leatherwork of Hermès. Muted, neutral tones, simple silhouettes and chic fabrics have previously found favor in the fashion world thanks to the “quiet luxury” aesthetic, made even more visible by shows like HBO’s boardroom drama “Succession.” (HBO and CNN are owned by…