Author: VOG

If anyone can increase the volume of noise around wool right now, it’s Lantink. Ever since establishing his brand in 2016, his work has turned heads. Lantink’s 2018 vagina pants for Janelle Monáe’s ‘Pynk’ music video served notice of his arrival, while his runway shows following the label’s 2023 Paris debut have established him as an unrepentant rewriter of the rules of conventional fashion form. Inevitably, he has been strongly linked with creative director roles beyond his fledgling brand.“For me, Duran makes us feel excited about the future,” said Versace just after presenting the prize. She added: “This was a…

This article first appeared on Vogue.Somehow or other, it’s already that time of the year again: the LVMH Prize has announced the finalists of its 2025 edition following the semi-finalists presentation during Paris Fashion Week last month. They are: Alainpaul by Alain Paul from France; All-In by Benjamin Barron and Bror August Vestbø from the US and Norway; Francesco Murano by Francesco Murano from Italy; Soshiotsuki by Soshi Otsuki from Japan; Steve O Smith by Steve O Smith from the UK; Tolu Coker by Tolu Coker from the UK; Torishéju by Torishéju Dumi from the UK; and Zomer by Danial…

Buzzy local label Shushu/Tong closed out Shanghai Fashion Week (SHFW) last night, with a sophisticated show that doubled-down on its best-selling aesthetic: playful florals on prim and frilly dresses, colorful knits, and lady-like cocktail hour-ready frocks. The fullness of their vision should make no surprise of the fact that designers Liushu Lei (ShuShu) and Yutong Jiang (TongTong) have built one of Shanghai’s most popular brands both locally and internationally.Pre-pandemic, SHFW was in its boom era, with strong footfall in its showrooms, rising interest from international buyers, and a growing roster of independent brands. Once the lockdowns were lifted, it returned…

The V&A has been behind countless blockbuster fashion exhibitions over the years, from the 2015 Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty retrospective (which started life at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York), to 2024’s first-of-its-kind Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto extravaganza. It makes sense, then, that the London museum is continuing to level up its fashion offering, by transforming its permanent Fashion Gallery at its main South Kensington site.“Fashion has always been integral to the story of the V&A, and since the 1970s, the museum has had a rolling programme of temporary fashion exhibitions which have led the way in contemporary…

It’s almost as if now we are unable — or uninterested — in taking in the big picture. The quick hits of discussing fashion based on internet talking points du jour make for entertaining social media discourse, but calling anything and everything a ‘recession indicator’ or, to look at last week’s column, a case of ‘nacho reheating’ flattens much of the cultural and historical context attached to fashion. Take the case of peplums — we could call them a recession indicator to be funny, surely, but they actually tend to come back in style after moments of crisis (one of…

First, it was trousers — low-rise and tight, or high-rise and baggy? Then, it was socks — ankle or crew? Now, another generational style divide is emerging, this time in the gym. On TikTok, a quiet fashion skirmish is playing out in activewear, with Gen Z increasingly side-eyeing the ultra-fitted sets that defined millennial workout style.In a series of viral videos using a popular ‘approved’ audio clip, users rate their gym outfits. And the verdict is clear: for many younger creators, the once-coveted tight-on-tight silhouette is starting to feel outdated, “middle school” even.Search data suggests this shift is more than…

At the halfway point of Shanghai Fashion Week on Thursday, designer Xu Zhi held a large-scale 10-year anniversary show, with a boho chic collection that riffed on the brand’s origins, featuring a reissue of the tasseled, tiered gowns from his first collection in 2015.Zhi launched his brand from London, and found success quickly. “Ten years ago, I’d just graduated from Central Saint Martins and launched my brand immediately. I was one of the lucky ones,” the designer says. “My first season, I was picked up by Dover Street Market, Opening Ceremony and Lane Crawford. In 2016, I was nominated for…

Francesca Amfitheatrof is exiting Louis Vuitton after seven years as artistic director of jewellery and watches, the house confirmed on Thursday.“After a successful collaboration of seven years on the creation of jewellery and high jewellery collections, Louis Vuitton and Francesca Amfitheatrof have mutually decided to separate ways. With her remarkable talent and limitless creativity, Amfitheatrof has undoubtedly left an indelible impression on the legacy of jewellery at Louis Vuitton,” the company said in a statement.“I am incredibly grateful to have been given the opportunity to create the jewellery and high jewellery collections for Louis Vuitton. After seven wonderful and intense…

During the pandemic, Cadwallader chose to direct a series of fashion films in lieu of shows. Mugler also switched to a see-now, buy-now approach, meaning the collections were available to buy at the same time the films went live. Mugler’s first IRL show post-pandemic took place in January 2023 at Paris’s La Villette park outside of the fashion calendar. The show carried over the cinematic feel of the films with the models, including Ziwe, Arca, Anok Yai, Paloma Elsesser and Debra Shaw, being followed by a camera while walking on the runway.The brand followed the same strategy until SS25, when…

Miguel Castro Freitas has stayed behind the scenes in fashion, but his new job will bring him into the spotlight. The Portuguese, Paris-based designer was appointed creative director of Mugler on Tuesday, succeeding Casey Cadwallader, who exited after a seven-year tenure. He was most recently creative director for the Max Mara-owned brand Sportmax from the Spring/Summer 2021 to 2024 seasons.Castro Freitas was born in a small town called Santarém, near Lisbon. After graduating with a BA at Central Saint Martins in womenswear fashion design in 2004, he started his career at Dior under John Galliano, specialising in haute couture and…