February's Favourite: BLACK OPIUM LE PARFUM

Our Grooming Editor Christos Theophanous takes over once again and he promotes his favourite pick of the month, the new version of BLACK OPIUM by YSL Beauty.

Le Parfum takes Black Opium’s original floral gourmand scent and shines a spotlight on vanilla, it’s most precious facet. The iconic coffee accord has been twisted with an exceptional blend of four vanilla notes, each different yet complimentary. Ranging from the most delectable aromas to sensual woodyotes, the diverse quartet of vanilla ingredients combines to create an unexpected smoothness, with uncompromising intensity. Bound to an exhilarating dark-coffee accord, and bright white florals, this new take on the classic Black Opium signature exudes a wildly powerful sensuality, equal parts bold and exquisite. An ultra-intense scent for those seeking the ultimate day-to-night olfaction.

Unlike any other Black Opium bottle, this over-black jewel shines from cap to toe with a reflective gloss: like an expertly cut gem, chiselled from a precious dark stone. At its centre is a dazzling heart of glitter, emblematic of the vivid fragrance found within.

Photographed by Dimitrios Kleanthous.

JW Anderson unveils a 100% upcycled and genderless capsule collection

The team of JW Anderson came together via phone, email and videoconferencing to create a 100% British wardrobe, throughout the creation process, from the design made in England.

Introducing JW Anderson’s Made In Britain capsule collection: reimagined iconic shapes and silhouettes including oversized shirts, a trench, a cape, a dress and t-shirts made of existing surplus materials. Using signature techniques like patchwork, reverse stitching and raw and exposed seams made the collection instantly recognisable as JW Anderson. Also true to the brand’s DNA, the pieces in the capsule aren’t designed with any gender in mind; the entire collection was shot on both female and male models to reinforce the fluidity of Made in Britain.

One of the main characteristics of it: the Genderless silhouettes


Gender Neutral London Fashion Week to Launch With Digital Platform

British Fashion Council (BFC) today announces that for the next twelve months all London Fashion Weeks will merge womenswear and menswear into one gender neutral platform, to allow designers greater flexibility. For this June, London Fashion Week, will take a new form, as a digital-only platform in light of the current environment, and will run from 12th June 2020 through the time period of former London Fashion Week Men’s. The digital platform www.londonfashionweek.co.uk will relaunch and be for both trade and consumer audiences; embracing the cultural commentary, creativity and humorous spirit for which British fashion and London are known for.

Caroline Rush CBE, BFC Chief Executive commented: “It is essential to look at the future and the opportunity to change, collaborate and innovate. Many of our businesses have always embraced London Fashion Week as a platform for not just fashion but for its influence on society, identity and culture. The current pandemic is leading us all to reflect more poignantly on the society we live in and how we want to live our lives and build businesses when we get through this. The other side of this crisis, we hope will be about sustainability, creativity and product that you value, respect, cherish. By creating a cultural fashion week platform, we are adapting digital innovation to best fit our needs today and something to build on as a global showcase for the future.  Designers will be able to share their stories, and for those that have them, their collections, with a wider global community; we hope that as well as personal perspectives on this difficult time, there will be inspiration in bucketloads. It is what British fashion is known for.”  

London Fashion Week June 2020 will put storytelling at its heart and give a voice to British fashion businesses and creatives, allowing them to tell their stories in these extraordinary times by tapping into London’s cultural zeitgeist and highlighting its position as a global multi-cultural city. Bringing the fashion community together, the platform will host exclusive multimedia content from designers, creatives, artists and brand partners, enabling collaboration and bringing together fashion, culture and technology. 
This new digital experience will be open to a global public and trade audience, and will work as a meet-up point, offering interviews, podcasts, designer diaries, webinars and digital showrooms, giving the opportunity to designers to generate sales for both the public through existing collections and the retailers through orders for next season’s products.

Alongside longstanding brand partners of London Fashion Week, British GQ, Evening Standard, JD.COM, INC, LAVAZZA, LetsBab, Mercedes-Benz, The May Fair Hotel and TONI&GUY, BFC has engaged a number of digital pioneering brands, including Amazon Launchpad, Facebook, Google, Instagram, JOOR, ORDRE/ORB360 and YouTube, who will all be activating content in unique ways, helping British designer businesses reach new public and trade audiences. The generosity and commitment of our partners, suppliers and supporters is more vital than ever. Please help us by acknowledging their support for London Fashion Week June 2020 alongside our Official Suppliers: Fashion & Beauty Monitor, Getty Images, Launchmetrics, S’well and Official Supporters: The Department for International Trade, The European Regional Development Fund and The Mayor of London.

MONSIEUR BUTTERFLY

Photography & Art Direction Dimitris Theocharis

Styling Martina Ghia

Grooming Olga Van Der Hayden

Assistant Stylist Saik Gonzalez

starring Charly @ PRM London

HERCULES

Photographed by Alan Román

Styling FranzCisco

Starring Pavel Hofman @ New Icon Models

Kyle Lo Monaco Exclusive: 'Not of the Age' capsule collection

Kyle Lo Monaco is a London based fashion designer who doesn't like labels and barriers on his creations. 

He has introduced himself through his custom and bespoke made services and finally we are happy to present you his first official project which is a capsule collection before the first completed Kyle Lo Monaco collection for Spring Summer 2019.

The 'Not of the Age' collection is taking inspiration from every day life activities that used to be a man's job but they have been adopted to be done by the modern woman of 2018 as well. Painting the walls, gardening or customizing a furniture are some of the activities that  Kyle's mother has been doing in her daily routine and work as an interior designer, and that was the main inspiration of the collection. A modern mother  that equally works and performs as the contemporary man of 2018. His mother and his strong heritage background have been strong influences of him and his projects in the past, and they still own a huge part of inspiration on the current collection.

Black, white and red are the main colours of the 'Not the Age' collection with oversized  shirts, light layering  and stripes patterns leading the project. Versatile, contemporary pieces that can be worn even from her boyfriend, as the collection has a gender fluid aesthetic. 

The campaign is photographed by Christina Ebenezer and styled by Kyle Lo Monaco.

Thom Browne Fall 2018: a statement show to remember

Androgynous looks and grey flannel for women; pants down, heels and puppy heads for men. 

A runway which looked like an art studio and “Lady painters painting portraits of ladies, in grey flannel.”  Models styled with androgynous outfits and with hair inspired from 18th century French aristocracy strolled along the runway, taking up positions for the painters while Madonna's 'Vogue' was the main soundtrack of the show. 

For the second and main part of the show, models walked wearing deconstructed outfits, all in the 'fifty shades of grey' flannel Some remind us men's office clothes, some others school uniform and the hero pieces are definitely statements inspired by the same century. 

Half dresses combined with others, skirts as tops and the opposite were some of the highlights.

And as a conclusion the most powerful statement of all: male models wearing grey dog head masks and heels walked out, all harnessed, followed by Grace Bol, the South Sundanese model holding their leashes and wearing a ball gown.

dogs.jpg