Riccardo Tisci was in a nostalgic mood. He named this Burberry collection Memories, as a paean to his formative years as a young designer, uprooting from Italy to London where he studied at Central Saint Martins before moving to India after graduation. What’s resulted from that fond trip down memory lane has been more or less a continuation of what he’d been building at the heritage label: numerous options that cut across generations and demographics, globe-trotting sophisticates (uber-luxe coats and suits with copious lashings of faux fur) and streetwear-obsessed youths (endless permutations of the house’s famous checks and tricked-out takes on the humble rugby sweater) alike.
FENDI
Silvia Venturini Fendi has presented a femme fatale that reads as both powerfully sensual and austere in her second solo collection for the brand. Nipped-in waists and a contrasting play on filmy dresses against aggressively voluptuous silhouettes (extremely puffed-up sleeves are a key motif) – all complemented by noirish makeup – neatly charts the dual themes of softness and structure. Continuing that dichotomy is a largely sombre palette of grey spiked with delicate pinks and yellow. Alongside a heady mix of cashmere, fur, leather and lace, it all makes for one visually lush collection.
DIOR
You have to hand it to Maria Grazia Chiuri – once the designer finds something that she believes in, she’s doggedly consistent with following through. Take her pro-women messaging for example, which has been there since she debuted at Dior three years ago. This season’s show set had slogans such as “Consent” and “Patriarchy = C02” (courtesy of the feminist art collective Claire Fontaine). What about the clothes? A parade of elevated everyday pieces of a more relaxed glamour, complete with sportswear and school-boy overtones – inspired by memories of Chiuri’s teenage years in 1970s Rome and guaranteed to delight longtime fans. Paired with combat boots and leather flats, the collection’s overall utilitarian nature can be said to contribute a sense of pragmatism – a subtler nod to feminist values, perhaps?
BALENCIAGA
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Tiger tiger, burning bright
FELIPE OLIVEIRA BAPTISTA IS REMAKING KENZO FOR A MODERN AGE, TAPPING AS MUCH INTO THE ARCHIVES AS ITS FOUNDING JAPANESE DESIGNER’S ETHOS OF CULTURAL CURIOSITY FOR HIS DEBUT THIS SEASON. GORDON NG REPORTS ON HOW HE’S CONTINUING KENZO TAKADA’S LEGACY.
A Fall/ Winter 2020 Collection Report
(And some of the asian models who commanded the season’s runways)
A Place In The Sun
For the multitude of differences that we ought to recognise and embrace, there are some things that Asian women in general share in common when it comes to discussing matters of the skin. For example, scientific studies have shown that the all-protective, outermost layer of the complexi0n known as the stratum corneum in asian women is thin. We also are more prone to pigmentation because of higher levels of melanocyte activity. At the same time, the region’s humidity means that our sebaceous glands – which asians tend to have more of – can overreact (hands up if oily skin bothers you) while UV rays and pollution levels have made sensitised skin a growing condition here. All launched this year, the products on the next two pages don’t claim to cover the skincare concerns of all Asian women, but they do help tackle some of the most common. And – in the spirit of this edition’s theme – they’re all created by brands with roots in asia. Sofia Kim reports.
Home team
LOCAL LABEL BEYOND THE VINES HAS COME A LONG WAY SINCE ITS TO MENTION STORES IN FIVE COUNTRIES), IT’S THE ARCHETYPE OF A, ’ INCEPTION FIVE YEARS AGO. WITH AN EXTENSIVE REBRANDING IN SINGAPORE FASHION LABEL MADE GOOD. SO WHO BETTER TO DISCUSS. PROCESS AND A NEWLY OPENED CONCEPT SPACE AT NGEE ANN CITY (NOT THE STATE OF SINGAPORE FASHION RETAIL TODAY? BY KENG YANG SHUEN
On the up
FROM AN IRANIAN MILLINER CRAFTING FANTASTICAL HATS THAT RESEMBLE SCULPTURE TO A GENDER-FLUID HONG KONG LABEL CHALLENGING TRADITIONAL NOTIONS OF MASCULINITY, THE SEVEN EMERGING BRANDS FEATURED HERE SHARE ONE THING IN COMMON: FOUNDERS WITH ROOTS IN ASIA – AND BOLD IDEAS THAT THE WORLD SHOULD KNOW ABOUT. KENG YANG SHUEN REPORTS.
What Does It Mean To Be Asian?
What does it mean to be asian? That question is so large, so vast, that answering it is nearly impossible. The truth is that Singaporeans today straddle multiple cultural identities: our own ethnic heritage, our place in the world as global citizens and our communal sense of a nation. So instead of trying to find an unattainable answer, we went in search of the particular. Image-making has the power of influencing how we view, imagine and define ourselves. Through their work and research, the three Singapore image-makers we spoke to here each deal with specific perspectives of asian-ness. All start unsurprisingly from some place (or something) personal then delve into bigger, more mercurial ideas: the dominance of eurocentric beauty ideals; the challenge of conceiving and creating a postcolonial identity; the fragility of heritage and history in a modern world. And in doing so, each offers a different viewpoint on what it means and looks like to be asian. Gordon NG goes in for a close-up.
Asia's True Top Models
A diversity report on the fall/winter 2020 runway season by the fashion spot – drawn from 194 shows that took place in the four major fashion week cities – found that 40.6 per cent of models cast were people of colour. In contrast, when the popular online portal started tallying diversity reports five years ago with the spring/summer 2015 season, that figure was 17 per cent. It’s commendable change, some might say – one that reflects the fashion industry’s growing interest in and recognition of the importance of representing a wide range of faces and ethnicities. Based in different parts of asia, the three modelling agencies featured here aren’t just vital players in this revolution; they’re expanding the conversation by championing specifically models from home. Gordon NG finds out how they’re changing the look and perceptions of Asian beauty.
The Power Of Joy
K-pop has undoubtedly been one of the biggest cultural exports out of asia and the same might just go for one of the scene’s most popular young female stars of the moment: the chameleonic style icon and multi-hyphenate entertainer joy.
Modern Talking
In 2019, Louis Vuitton introduced its Artycapucines project, which invites leading international artists to reimagine its Capucines tote – named after the Parisian street on which the brand opened its first boutique and known for its extensive craftsmanship. For the second edition – limited to 200 pieces worldwide per design – hitting selected stores (including the one here at Ngee Ann City) on oct 30, the Maison Ropes in for the first time two asian names: Xinjiang-born Zhao Zhao and Beijinger Liu Wei. Here, an exclusive with these chinese luminaries on their art and how they’ve transformed an artisanal handbag into a true objet d’art. Keng Yang Shuen reports.
Fortune Favours The Boh
Fashion PR, writing, modelling – bohan qiu has tried his hand at all of them. In a way, the Shenzhen-born 26-year-old exemplifies the contemporary fashion multi-hyphenate with his latest turn being the entrepreneur behind boh project, a PR and digital content agency based in Shanghai. Founded last year, the company is already staking a claim in the chinese fashion scene, counting clients that range from giants (calvin klein, selfridges) to emerging names. Among the latter is the fashion and art presentation platform Xcommons, which made global headlines in march for producing a virtual reality presentation for the chinese labels Xu Zhi, Andrea Jiapei Li and Roderic Wong, and garnering over 4.8 million visits within the first day. So who better to speak to for insights into the fascinating, fast-moving and growing chinese fashion industry?
SHREWISH SHARON ON SHAKY GROUND!
She’s catching heat as Talk’s ratings tank
Casa de Sasha
Our style director's guide to all things style when the hits the fan! — Essentials you may want to stock up on in your new WFH bunker
Rodrigo Alday – El hombre detrás de las gafas
Rodrigo Alday fundó la plataforma Tangerine Group, la cual es la distribuidora de lentes de lujo más importante de México y Latinoamérica. Hablamos con él para conocer qué lo impulsó a crear primero esta compañía, y hoy tener Luxury Capital, un fondo de inversión dedicado a desarrollar marcas de lujo en la región.
Lori & Mossimo: More Varsity Blues Bombshells
As shocking new evidence comes to light, lori loughlin and mossimo giannulli’s future is looking dire.
Digital Revolution: Fashion's Next Frontier?
The coolest fashion designers right now are making clothes so cutting edge they don’t actually exist in the physical world. But, asks Hannah-Rose Yee, is virtual-reality fashion a far-out fad or the sustainability-minded future of the industry?
Melissa Rivers Spittin' Image Of Frozen-Face Mom!
Joan’s girl is hooked on nip/ tucks too - insiders
Sizing Up A Strange Season
While the final record wasn’t necessarily impressive, the Dolphins had their share of significant accomplishments in 2019
Works Of Art
In a sprawling gallery in the heart of Berlin, Max Mara staged a classic-with-a-twist resort 2020 show, inspired by Marlene Dietrich and David Bowie. Artist Kiri-Una Brito meumann travelled to Germany to find the nexus point where fashion meets art
Few Simple Wardrobe Tweaks
Could a few simple wardrobe tweaks be the key to a more confident you?
From the Cut: The Bohemian
How the designer behind Marni makes fashion fun.