1 ON THE RIGHT TRACK
Travel, of both the physical and temporal variety, lies at the heart of the Cruise season, which, as its name implies, originated as a source of getaway clothes. But when it comes to the ability to take a jaunt through the past to arrive at a seductive new future, few designers come close to matching Miuccia Prada. For her latest Miu Miu outing, she transported her audience to Hippodrome d’Auteuil, a racetrack in Paris that dates back to the 1800s. That period yielded Belle Epoque elements such as elongated lace collars and exaggerated puff sleeves, but in true Miuccia fashion, she turned those tropes on their heads, mixing Edwardian drama with a dash of ’80s flavour. Poofy sleeves and supersized shoulders were paired with the tiniest paper-bag shorts, leaving miles of leg on show. The equine setting also informed the collection’s prints of horses, chariots, horseshoes and jockey stripes. But the cleverest take on the equestrian theme was the Ascot-worthy headgear that Miuccia subverted by hybridising sun hats, newsboy caps and cloches with baseball caps.
Clockwise from left: Gown, $549; sling bag, $64.95; shades, $94.95; dress, $119; booties, $399, H&M x Giambattista Valli
2 VALLI GIRLS
Beloved by starlets and socialites the world over, Giambattista Valli is often the go-to for a red carpet splash. He has translated his brand of unabashed, romantic glamour for H&M, teasing with a sold-out pre-drop capsule in May. Those who missed out can shop the full collection starting 7 November. There are tiers of tulle, cascades of ruffles and prints galore, from sweet florals to fierce leopard spots and a graphic, gilded Rococo motif. In signature Valli style, the womenswear is undeniably feminine with fit-and-flare silhouettes, tutu skirts and sweetheart necklines. These are counterbalanced by sharp tailoring and sporty basics, rounding up a full wardrobe proposition that reflects the way modern women dress. Accessories such as a mouth-shaped pendant, heart-shaped bags, printed socks and logo tights keep things playful. The collaboration also marks Valli’s first foray into menswear, which is rendered in the same eclectic-glam spirit as his womenwear.
3 HEARST TO HEART
With her carefully considered and beautifully executed approach to love-forever investment pieces, Gabriela Hearst has built a sizable and loyal fan base. Her strikingly sculptural bags often spark lengthy wait lists, partly a result of her decision to sell only by order, and only through her direct retail and e-commerce channels. Those who haven't been able to get their hands on one will now be able to do so, thanks to a partnership with On Pedder, which is hosting a pop-up store of her accessories at Pedder on Scotts until 15 November.
"The new Off-White store is dedicated to womenswear"
4 OFF THE WALL
Off-White recently opened its second store in Singapore, which also happens to be the first in Southeast Asia that is solely dedicated to its womenswear offering. In stark contrast to its first flagship store at 268 Orchard Road, the new 140sqm boutique at Paragon is decked out in richly textured, pleasing shades of blush, from the marble floors to the velvet curtains and herringbone walls. Brushed-metal accents, bronze brass fixtures and potted greens lend a touch of warmth to the space.
"The fitting room"
"Ralph Lauren partnered with Bloomingdale’s to recreate the sets seen on Friends for its capsule collection"
5 FRIENDS ZONE
In celebration of the 25 th anniversary of the massively popular ’90s sitcom, Friends, Ralph Lauren has unveiled a new capsule collection—a fitting tribute to Jennifer Aniston’s Rachel Green character, who worked for the American fashion behemoth. Christened “Wear to Work”, the collection comprises mainly polished, timeless pieces, such as wool suits and smart knits, geared to the needs of modern working women. Mixing it up are directional pieces such as leather trousers, suede skirts and jackets in velvet, purple shearling or faux leopard fur. The brand has also partnered with Bloomingdale’s to recreate the show’s sets, such as the beloved Central Perk cafe, which will travel to different outposts of the department store.
6 NATURAL WONDERS
As fashion swings between cool minimalism and exuberant maximalism—while making occasional pit stops at brash streetwear—a pleasing middle ground has emerged in the cruise 2020 collections. Taking cues from the natural world and bearing the increasingly treasured imprint of the human hand, designers from Daniel Lee at Bottega Veneta to Maria Grazia Chiuri at Dior are crafting rich, soulful pieces from materials such as cork, wood and raffia in warm hues of sand, stone and straw.
Clockwise from top: Bag, $3,060, Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello. Pouch, $2,740, Bottega Veneta. Tote, $4,090, Salvatore Ferragamo
Dior cruise 2020
"The Ariana is Givenchy’s modern take on the tiara"
7 HEADS UP
Givenchy engineered a viral moment when it enlisted one of the world’s biggest pop stars to star in its fall/winter 2019 campaign. Now, the brand is capitalising on that momentum with the Ariana headband—introduced at the haute couture show in July and named after Grande, who wore it in the campaign reveals. Composed of clusters of Swarovski crystals and resin pearls in different sizes, the headband is part accessory, part jewellery and a wholly modern update on the brand of coquettish chic indelibly associated with the House and its eternal muse, Audrey Hepburn.
8 TECH TALK
Wearable tech has evolved, with many innovations now truly deserving of the “fashion accessory” moniker. The Apple Watch Hermès Series 5 has introduced Dark Art, an all-black model with straps in calfskin or rubber. Gentle Monster teamed up with Huawei on a capsule collection of smart eyewear with noise-reduction stereo speakers and a touch-activated smart assistant to manage calls, music and reminders. Saint Laurent tapped the expertise of Jacquard by Google, the company’s wearable tech division, for the Cit-e Backpack, which comes with a Jacquard Tag that connects the bag to a smartphone, allowing wearers to control music, drop location pins and snap pictures.
Clockwise from top left: Saint Laurent x Jacquard by Google Cit-e Backpack. Gentle Monster x Huawei eyewear. Apple Watch Hermes Series 5 40mm watch with a Double Tour band
"Customise your Walk’n’Dior sneakers"
9 SPELL IT OUT
Introduced during the ABCDior pop-up at Marina Bay Sands earlier this year, the personalisation service for the brand’s popular Walk’n’Dior sneakers is now a permanent feature at its ION Orchard boutique—one of only 30 in the world to offer the service. Clients can customise their low-top kicks, whether in Oblique monogrammed or plain canvas, by embroidering up to three letters on a two-tone label that will then be affixed to the back of the shoe. You can even choose different combinations for each side.
Doublet fall/ winter 2019
10 15 MINUTES WITH...
MASAYUKI INO OF DOUBLET
How has winning the LVMH Prize last year affected the brand?
It has been very impactful. A lot of people all over the world now know about Doublet or want to know more about Doublet. Before this, if we did something like the horror funhouse mirror installation [for Dover Street Market Singapore], people would probably think that Doublet is just about shock or gimmicks. Now, people think differently; they dig deeper into what the brand is about.
What is Doublet about?
It’s not just about fashion; it’s also about creating an experience. Like the Polaroid film T-shirts that revealed hidden images when photographed with a flash, it’s about fun, but also about something that stays in people’s minds. In each of our garments, there is a tag that details the whole process and a description of each piece. We do these special tags and messages [in the hope] that customers will love and wear the clothes for as long as they can.
From the Polaroid shirts to the just-add-water expanding pieces, it seems that technology and innovation is a huge part of the brand— has that always been a fascination?
I’m interested in technology, but not in the sense of something very advanced or futuristic. I like discovering materials or techniques that have not really been used in fashion. When I find that, I get very excited and I will keep researching; like finding suppliers that are able to do what I have in mind. I usually get inspired by something I have seen or experienced in daily life or my childhood.
Do those materials and techniques determine the start of your creative process each season?
It always starts with ideas. I would write down a list of ideas that I have, and then decide which ones can actually be executed. Once I’ve settled on an idea, I would dig deeper and brainstorm on the details even more.
BY JEFFREY YAN
