Fashion in Motion at the V&A features Thebe Magugu

The Victoria & Albert Museum in London is launching Fashion in Motion, supported by Libbie Scher Mugrabi, presenting a series of live fashion shows featuring leading fashion designers from across the world. 

First to present will be South African Thebe Magugu.  There will be four free fashion shows at 13:00, 15:00, 17:00 and 20:00 on Friday 7 October in the Raphael Court.  Limited tickets will be available on the V&A website from 29 September at 10.00. Booking is essential.

This Fashion in Motion takes place during the Africa Fashion exhibition, which displays a key look from Magugu’s Autumn/Winter 2021 collection, Alchemy.

This will be Thebe Magugu's first fashion show outside of Johannesburg, showcasing highlights from his collection 'Discard Theory', inspired by fabrics discarded by Europe and America.

Magugu, who combines traditional African silhouettes with western styles and graphics, describes the collection as "trickle-up fashion," as he seeks to invert the theory of "trickle-down" luxury, which depicts fashion as a hierarchal and class-based industry.

Magugu created 25 looks in this Fashion in Motion series, after visiting Dunuza – a well-known site in Johannesburg for secondhand clothes discarded by Europe and America. Working with luxury ready-to-wear collections, across womenswear and accessories, his designs interweave African motifs, craft and silhouettes to create vibrant and celebratory looks exploring the history, culture, and politics of Africa.

Magugu said in a statement: "For this collection, I thought about national identity politics, and how western influence has penetrated indigenous dress. Often, I see a woman in downtown Johannesburg wearing a shweshwe wrap skirt, a fabric often worn for traditional ceremonies, but paired with a Vodaphone or Manchester United tee."

This summer. following the launch of its mainline tennis collection in August, Adidas partnered with Thebe Magugu for a new Tennis range.

The Adidas x Thebe Magugu collection celebrates culture, heritage and inclusivity through a range of apparel pieces and footwear featuring unisex styles, gender-neutral pieces and inclusive sizing. The collection also features Unitefit technology, created and tested on a range of sizes and genders, offering "a comfortable gender-neutral fit".  In terms of sustainability credentials, the apparel collection features the Unisex Tee and Unisex Short in Made with Nature fabrication, and all men’s styles are Made with Nature. The rest of the collection is also made in part with recycled materials, including the Avacourt shoe.

Christie's announces new department dedicated to Sneakers, Streetwear and Collectibles

Such is the continuous influence of popular culture, and the rising status and value of collectible sportswear that auction house Christie's in New York has announced the setting up of a new department that dedicates to Sneakers, Streetwear & Collectibles.

Department X builds on Christie’s understanding of popular culture, and strong worldwide performance in the Luxury category, following the recent success of Six Rings – Legacy of the GOAT, featuring rare Michael Jordan sneakers and collectibles. 

To mark the launch of Department X, Christie’s will present a private selling exhibition of two rare pairs of sneakers titled, “Ye Walks.”

“Ye Walks” focuses on Kanye West’s impact on the landscape of design and sports iconography. 

The NIKE AIR YEEZY 1 PROTOTYPE was the first sneaker West designed with Nike creative director Mark Smith and designer Tiffany Beers in the Nike Innovation Kitchen after two years of vigorous effort. The original Yeezy design features notable elements including Air Tech Challenge II with the midfoot strap along with the midsole tooling inspired by the Air Jordan 3.

Featuring a glow-in-the-dark outsole, a translucent red “Y” shaped lace lock, and soft premium leather material, this shoe’s design was the origin of the now common features of the Yeezy innovative look. Exemplifying premium quality and strong references to iconic models seen in popular collaborations, this model was the first of what would become a historic part of West’s design legacy.

Worn during West’s historic and emotional performance at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards, this pair was the first Air Yeezy 1 prototype seen in a public arena, a momentous moment for sneaker culture and the birth of West’s illustrious career as a designer and brand.

The NIKE DONDA WEST AIR JORDAN VI, was created in memory of West's mother, Dr. Donda West. The classic silhouette features lyrics from West’s song "Roses" and is outfitted with his mother’s name on the sock liner. The toe box and upper panels are decorated with intricate lasered roses throughout. The heel and tongue are beautifully finished with embroidered roses. The Air Jordan VI was a favorite of West’s during this era of his career. 

Donda Jordan VIs were never released for public sale. They were created for West and a few of his close friends and family. There are just four to six official pairs in existence, one of which Christie’s is to bring to market.

The new Department X offers rare collectibles across a number of genres - music, fashion, art, and sports history – bringing the best of this exciting category to a new generation of collectors.  From offering history-making footwear to iconic pieces of hype culture, Department X will hold online auctions, with live previews in New York, as well as private selling exhibitions throughout the year. 

Department X will be led by Caitlin Donovan, born and raised in downtown New York, and possessing extensive interest in and knowledge of the luxury and fashion markets, specifically Sneakers & Streetwear. Caitlin is a founding member and current Head of Department, Americas, for Handbags & Accessories. She has spearheaded this new sneakers, streetwear and collectibles initiative at Christie’s, introducing this new category over the course of the past three years of specialized sales. Caitlin will take on the role of Head of Department, Department X, where she will continue to utilize her deep knowledge and interest in these new collecting markets to develop exciting contemporary sales for a burgeoning collector base.

Caitlin Donovan, Christie’s Head of Handbags, Streetwear, and Sneakers – Americas comments: “With a finger on the pulse of popular culture, and the evolution of what is defined as luxury today, we are proud to announce the launch of Department X – Sneakers, Streetwear & Collectibles. With exciting sales that will cross several genres of popular culture and collecting – music, fashion, and sports history – I am excited for new and existing clients of Christie’s to embark on this journey with us.”

All images from Christie's.

Ralph Lauren opens new showroom for home collections in London

Ralph Lauren Home in Chelsea Harbour London is its largest space in Europe dedicated to its home collections. 

Opened in time to join the Design Centre's recently held Focus/22 trade event, the new 250 sqm flagship store is situated in the North Dome of the centre.

Ralph Lauren Home is an arbiter of artisanal luxury, according to industry experts, and one of the world’s premier home furnishing brands that celebrate collaborations with master craftsmen and artisans, resulting in timeless and innovative interior styling.

Clare German, CEO of Design Centre at Chelsea says at the Focus 22 trade event: "We are so pleased to welcome Ralph Lauren Home to our Design Centre community. Industry professionals will be seriously impressed with the space if they're visiting it for the first time at the show." 

Introduced in 1983, Ralph Lauren’s all-encompassing home collections showcase an eclectic mix of classic American style with inspired Oriental and contemporary touches, encompassing bold furniture and lighting; distinctive floorcovering; fabric and wallcovering; fine china, crystal, and silverware; decorative accessories; and luxurious bed and bath linens.  

All photos: Ralph Lauren Home, Design Centre, North Dome, Chelsea Harbour © Lucia Carpio 2022 

The New York Jets and London's Charles Tyrwhitt sign partnership

One may not associate American football with British fashion.

Now London-based heritage menswear brand Charles Tyrwhitt has forged a multi-year partnership with the New York Jets, spanning from the New York Domestic Marketing Area (DMA) to the United Kingdom, under the American football club’s recently acquired expanded territory rights. 

The New York Jets and Charles Tyrwhitt will collaborate to unlock fan engagement synergies between their brands, while also bridging a sport, style, and cultural connection between New York and London.

The agreement marks the first time an NFL club and a clothing company have teamed up with UK rights since the league launched its International Home Marketing Area (IHMA) initiative in January 2022. 

The transatlantic agreement will provide valuable cross benefits for both Jets fans and Charles Tyrwhitt customers alike, such as special offers on Charles Tyrwhitt’s full range of menswear, Jets ticket giveaways, competition for fan trips, player appearances, and creative content. 

There are also future plans to collaborate on a small collection of Jets themed, Charles Tyrwhitt branded merchandise products. One example of this powerful link-up is the Jets’ newly created digital content franchise called “The Art of Style,” of which Charles Tyrwhitt will be a presenting sponsor and collaborator. In this series of short videos, Jets players, including Pro Bowler Braxton Berrios, will be featured sharing style tips and opinions on what dressing well means to them.

In addition to being a fan of Charles Tyrwhitt, Berrios also serves as one of the Jets' United Kingdom player ambassadors. The Art of Style will run across all New York Jets digital and social platforms, both domestic and UK-specific such as @NYJetsinUK on Twitter, @NewYorkJetsinUK on Instagram and the NYJetsinUK.com Digital Fan Hub.

Buckingham Palace releases new portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as nation and world say a final farewell to an extraordinary lady

 

Royal Family/Twitter

Buckingham Palace released a new portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth II on Sunday, September 18, hours before her state funeral at Westminster Abbey in London.  The Queen smiles broadly in the photo, which was shot in May 2022. 

The Royal Family wrote on Twitter: “The photo was taken to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee - the first British Monarch to reach this milestone.” 

In the portrait, which was shot by Ranald Mackechnie, the Queen wears a soft blue dress adorned with her favourite three-strand pearl necklace and pearl-and-diamond earrings, which have been worn by the late monarch on numerous occasions.  Also adorning her dress was a pair of aquamarine and diamond brooches, which were gifted to her by her parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, for her 18th birthday in 1944.

Previously in the official portrait in celebration of her unprecedented Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth posed in a soft dove blue coat and dress with pearl and diamante trim, designed by Angela Kelly, the Queen's wardrobe advisor.

Whether in person or through media coverage around the world, millions come together today to mourn the death of the late Queen but also to commemorate and celebrate her remarkable life.  A farewell to a Head of State, and also importantly, a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

London Fashion Week honours the late Queen Elizabeth II

London Fashion Week has opened today with subdued fanfare as the UK capital is in a sombre mood during the period of National Mourning, a week following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.  

HM Queen Elizabeth II
21 April 1926 - 8 September 2022

Having spoken to designers and industry members, we as an industry want to unite as a creative and business community to celebrate Her Majesty's legacy and commitment to creativity and design.

As a mark of respect to the Queen and the Royal Family, all parties and events beyond collection presentations and catwalks are postponed or scaled back to focus on business.

While all union flags are to fly at half-mast, a one-minute silence is to be observed at 8pm on Sunday 18th September.  The BFC invite everyone to share their tributes on the BFC website.  Meanwhile the NEWGEN Venue at Selfridges Hotel will have space for the industry to write tributes as well.  Post event both the online tributes and those written at the venue will be placed in a condolence book for the Royal Family.

And with the Royal Funeral due to take place on Monday 19th September, there will be no shows on that day, and the original programme is to be rescheduled.  You can find an updated schedule here. 

The BFC and London Fashion Week announce that their websites will be updated throughout LFW with designers’ collections, imagery and information as normal.  

The BFC social channel will promote LFW content including imagery and films from Tuesday 20th September and the LFW social channel ecosystem will direct to what is happening on the LFW website which will remain a hub for designer creativity.

BFC image from its website.

There will be a celebration of London Fashion Week in October which will include City Wide Celebration as well as parties and events that have been rescheduled (exact date tbc) with designer shows and presentations celebrated during this period. More information to follow.

While Burberry and Raf Simons have cancelled their London shows, over the next few days, one can look out for showcases, catwalks and collection launches from the likes of JW Anderson, Edward Crutchley, RIXO, Molly Goddard and HALPERN, as well as NEWGEN designers including FEBEN, Helen Kirkum and yuhan wang.

BFC NEWGEN shows will be live streamed on the official BFC NEWGEN TikTok account. All digital shows and presentations will be available to watch on Tuesday 21st September on londonfashionweek.co.uk. 

R.I.P. Your Majesty. The UK united in National Mourning.

Following the shocking announcement from Buckingham Palace on 8th September 2022 of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the United Kingdom joins the Royal Family in National Mourning.  

We thank Her Majesty for her life of duty to the nation and the Commonwealth, and for her faithful, steadfast and unwavering service throughout her 70 years' reign.  May HM Rest In Peace.  She was very much loved and will be so profoundly missed.

Announcement on BBC UK tv, on 8th September 2022.

LONDON FASHION WEEK presented by Clearpay announces September 2022 City-Wide Celebration in London

The British Fashion Council (BFC)  has announced the schedule for City-Wide Celebration taking place during London Fashion Week (LFW) presented by Clearpay from Friday 16th to Tuesday 20th September 2022. 

Image from London Fashion Week/British Fashion Council website

City-Wide Celebration is a curated programme of unique experiences and promotions open to the public throughout LFW, spearheaded by inclusivity and consciousness, moving the fashion conversation forward through industry wide participation and partnerships.

More than 450 events including designer Q&A sessions, workshops around Zero-Waste Craftsmanship and upcycling, live music performances and limited edition product drops in partnership with key retailers, cultural institutions and designer brands are on the schedule, encouraging participation and increased accessibility, inspiring diverse communities with evergreen content accessible online and in person.

The Celebration will open with a special event curated with principal partner, Clearpay, on Friday 16th September. Taking place in Covent Garden and open to all, shoppers will have the opportunity to shop exclusive merchandise. In addition, look out for City-Wide activations throughout the city in renowned shopping destinations including Chelsea, Oxford Street, Covent Garden, and Regent Street as well as on the LFW Digital Hub.

New this season and with special thanks to Cadogan, Chelsea will host a Designer Picnic’ and sustainability showcase on Saturday 17th September from 10-4pm. Other highlights during the day include a ‘Stitch and Bitch’ session at Duke of York Square, a single-use plastic free Food Market featuring sustainable food pioneers, and brand activations from over 20 neighbourhood shops and restaurants.

Covent Garden is partnering with UK charity Smart Works to bring every fashion and beauty lover’s dream boutique to 20 Floral Street. The Smart Works x Covent Garden pop-up will stock a selection of the most exciting fashion brands including Ganni, Mulberry, Rixo, Theory, The Outnet, Rejina Pyo, Frame, Bobbi Brown at an exclusive discounted price, with 100% of proceeds going directly to Smart Works.

The Crown Estate will also be collaborating with the Lone Design Club on a pop up store, creating a unique series of events highlighting innovations in materials and manufacturing through upcycling, reuse, and rental.

The full schedule of activities taking place can be found on the official LFW website here.

Caroline Rush, CEO British Fashion Council, said, “Our aim with City-Wide Celebration is to engage communities throughout London to get involved with fashion and to showcase the incredible creativity, diversity and openness London is known for. This season will see a fantastic lineup of city-wide events and experiences on schedule driving footfall into the capital, which will increase revenue opportunities for designer businesses and help maintain London’s competitive position as a creative world leader.

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, said “London is an international fashion capital, and the industry is playing a vital role in our economic recovery. The return of city-wide celebrations during London Fashion Week is a fantastic opportunity for people from all backgrounds to experience this dynamic industry that contributes so much to London’s economy. I encourage Londoners and visitors to take advantage of the unique activities and experiences on offer and celebrate our capital’s trail-blazing creativity.”

Nick Molnar, Co-Founder of Clearpay, said: “Our participation in  London Fashion Week has always been to support British retailers and to make fashion accessible to our loyal customers. We’re thrilled that this season’s City-Wide Celebration will allow us to do exactly this by giving back to the diverse communities within London and by providing an important economic boost to London’s retail and fashion industry.”

London Fashion Week presented by Clearpay from Friday 16th until Tuesday 20th September 2022

British Fashion Council has released the final schedule for London Fashion Week presented by Clearpay September 2022, which will run from Friday 16th until Tuesday 20th September.

You can explore the full schedule here.

There have been some key changes in the last week, including but not exclusive to the following, please see new allocations below:

SATURDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER

Completedworks’ (presentation) - 9:30am-12:30pm

MASHA POPOVA (catwalk) - 12pm

BURBERRY (catwalk) - 1pm

Molly Goddard (catwalk) -  4pm

S.S. Daley (catwalk) -  5pm

FEBEN (catwalk) -  6pm

SUNDAY 18TH SEPTEMBER

Nensi Dojaka (catwalk) - 10am

MONDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER

EFTYCHIA (catwalk) - 10am

ANCUȚA SARCA (presentation) -11:30am -1:30pm

Dilara Findikoglu (catwalk) - 5pm

Chet Lo (catwalk) - 6pm

Students' work exhibited at iconic London store

Work created by The Creative Dimension Trust (TCDT) students is now on display at iconic Fortnum & Mason's London Piccadilly store until 18th September 2022.

TCDT offers free online and in-venue workshops, taught by world-class craft specialists, to 14–19-year-olds who wish to develop their hand skills. TCDT aims to have 80% of participants from less advantaged backgrounds and direct recruiting is at targeted schools.

The window display includes an intense deep sea backdrop with intricate eel, octopus and jellyfish architectural models, depicting a futuristic view of life undersea. Shimmering glass and enamel fish dance around in deep water while extraordinary brightly coloured glass coral lace lie on the seabed. The work was created by students during workshops held at Allford Hall Monaghan Morris Architects (London), The Goldsmiths' Centre (London), Zone Creations Ltd (London) and National Glass Centre (Sunderland).

TCDT students have demonstrated the potential to forge a career pathway where precise hand-eye coordination and an understanding of 3-dimensional shapes are prerequisite. Alumni have gone on to pursue careers in architecture, engineering, fine art, jewellery making, art conservation, glass working, theatre design, fashion, and costume design. Student work from TCDT workshops is used to support applications for further education and jobs.

Students from four different TCDT workshops came together to develop this collaboration:

− The architectural models were constructed in workshops at Allford Hall Monaghan Morris Architects 

(AHMM). Students benefitted from one-to-one guidance from AHMM’s head model maker. 

− The wonderful deep sea fish and coral lace were cut and blended at the fused glass workshop at the 

National Glass Centre in Sunderland.

− The brightly coloured enamelled fish on silver were created by students under the tutelage of award 

winning Tomiko Ravn at a workshop at The Goldsmiths’ Centre. 

− The backdrop was created by students with internationally renowned fresco painter Sarah Hocombe 

at a Painting Techniques workshop at leading multidisciplinary design and fabrication company Zone 

Creations Ltd.

The collaboration was brought together by TCDT Trustee Simon Costin, a set designer who brings the creativity of art installation to editorial and fashion shows alike. His clients have included Alexander McQueen, H&M, Valentino, Gucci, YSL and Faberge.

Penny Bendall, TCDT Founder and CEO, comments, “The chance to exhibit work in a window display at the iconic Fortnum & Mason has been an unforgettable experience for the students – which also provided fantastic one-off additions to their portfolios. The theme forced students to think about living undersea, and they rose to the challenge by producing results of a high standard. Many, many thanks to Fortnum & Mason and everyone else involved.”

boohoo partners with Kourtney Kardashian Barker

UK-based fashion e-retailer boohoo has announced a collaboration and partnership with Kourtney Kardashian Barker, entertainment personality and the CEO & founder of Poosh. 

Kardashian Barker is the brand’s newest Ambassador with a focus on sustainability, delivering two capsule collections that have been created in tandem with a journey of investigation into opportunities for creating a more sustainable fashion future.

Launching in September 2022, the year-long project started with design meetings, where Kardashian Barker posed questions about the possibility of using the partnership to discuss the challenges of sustainability in fashion and help people make more informed choices. As the design team worked with Kardashian Barker to develop the first 45-piece capsule collection, discussions with global industry experts began, and Kardashian Barker worked to gain a better understanding of the challenges the fashion industry faces in this space. 

The entire journey has been captured as part of a social content series and gives a first-hand account of the experts they met on and off camera, the conversations they had, what they discovered and how this continues to inform the project and the boohoo brand into the future. Series can be viewed here. The collection will launch on 13 September at 12 ET ahead of the New York Fashion Week show at 8 pm ET as see now, buy now from the runway.

Kourtney Kardashian Barker says, “When boohoo first approached me with this idea that was all about sustainability and style, I was concerned about the effects of the fast fashion industry on our planet. Boohoo responded with excitement and a desire to incorporate more sustainable practices into our line. It’s been an enlightening experience speaking directly with industry experts. I’m grateful for the opportunity to use my platform to drive conversations that lead to ongoing change and use my voice to share actionable tips with consumers on how we can play our own part. There’s still lots of work to be done and improvements to be made, but I truly believe that any progress we can make when it comes to sustainability is a step in the right direction and will open up the conversation for future advancements.”

PUMA collaborates with Cara Delevingne

German sports company PUMA that designs and manufactures athletic and casual footwear, apparel and accessories, has collaborated with English actress, model and activist Cara Delevingne to create Exhale, a yoga collection made with more sustainable materials for which all unavoidable carbon emissions have been offset. 

The collection, which is in its fourth season and consists of tops, tights and jackets, is made with more sustainable materials such as recycled or certified cotton and polyester. To offset unavoidable emissions that are created in the production process, PUMA has purchased carbon offset credits through First Climate in support of a project in Vietnam to build a biogas facility, which can help replace conventional fuels such as firewood and coal in rural areas.

“Yoga is the art of letting go but it is also about being conscious about the here and now,” said Cara Delevingne. “With this collection, PUMA and I also wanted to make conscious decisions about the materials we use.”

Sustainability has been the focus of the collection, Exhale uses PUMA’s highly functional dryCELL technology, which draws moisture away from the skin to keep you dry and comfortable. 

Design Shanghai postpones 2022 event to June 2023 when it will celebrate 10th anniversary

Design Shanghai, billed as Asia’s largest and leading international design event series, announces its postponement of the much anticipated global show to June 2023. Due to take place on 13 – 15 October 2022 the show has now been rescheduled to take place on 8 – 11 June 2023. This will coincide with the 10 year anniversary of Design Shanghai and is set to be a monumental event. 

The decision has been made in response to the continuing uncertainty and challenges to events during the on-going Covid-19 outbreaks in China. 

Organisers say Design Shanghai will return next year to the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Centre.

To mark the 10 year milestone the show will see a major expansion including additional features and attractions. 

Design Shanghai showcases more than 500 international brands from 30 countries and regions. It is a platform where the global design community can unite, converse and present solutions about today’s cultural topics and challenges surrounding design, architecture and technology, say organisers/