Alexander McQueen SS25

September 30, 2024

The Alexander McQueen Spring/Summer 2025 show, held in Paris, was a powerful blend of sharp tailoring, ethereal fabrics, and folklore. Under the creative direction of Seán McGirr, the collection took inspiration from the banshee—a haunting figure in Irish mythology—and transformed it into a symbol of feminine strength and resilience.

Twisted British suiting formed the backbone of the collection, with wool mohair and gabardine tailored into angular silhouettes. Ethereal silk chiffon and intricate cobweb lace contrasted the sharpness, giving the collection a haunting, ghost-like quality. The color palette was predominantly ivory, grey, and black, with fiery accents of yellow and orange.

The show space, designed by Tom Scutt, echoed the collection’s themes of tension and duality, blending classicism with modernity. Accessories, from sculptural boots to jewelry inspired by the banshee’s lore, reinforced the mythical narrative.

By Enzo Holdt
Images Courtesy of Alexander McQueen

Fashion

Backstage with Who Decides War at NYFW

September 16, 2021

As the last day of New York Fashion Week rolled around, founders and creative directors of the iconic contemporary brand Who Decides War, Ev Bravado and Tela D’Amore, came to prove that the fun wasn’t over just yet. The show took place on a rooftop at New York’s Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum, setting the stage for a collection that went above and beyond.

With this collection, titled “Vessel”, Bravado and D’Amore wanted to reintroduce Who Decides War. Previously known for their distressed denim and detailed embroidery, they did not want to stray from their origins, but rather build up from there. This collection, which features some signature items as well as new knitwear and outerwear, is meant to be worn throughout every season — and is, above all, accessible.

Interview by Kayla Curtis-Evans
Photos Courtesy of Who Decides War, Ria Ankrah, and Jojo Korsh

Key looks include jackets and trench coats embossed with symbols that display the juxtaposition between good and evil, sweaters accented by patchwork reminiscent of stained glass windows, a denim jacket adorned with the faces of prolific black figures — Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr, and more — and an incredible transitional gown. The dynamic assortment acts as a culmination of the growth the brand has experienced over their past four collections, while also establishing that Bravado and D’Amore have perfected their artistic visions.

office had the opportunity to speak with Bravado and D’Amore, as well as receive some behind the scenes commentary on each look, ahead of the stunning show. To get the full rundown of the runway show, read the full interview below.

Kayla Curtis-Evans - How does it feel to be back at fashion week presenting a live show again?

Tela D’Amore - It’s definitely exciting after the past year with the pandemic.

Ev Bravado - It is like a homecoming; everyone is here, the energy is here, and we look forward to showing here more.

KCE - I know past collections have been inspired by the Bible and draw upon unconventionality; what is the inspiration behind this collection?

EB - Duality is the main theme, especially emphasized through the differences between the men’s and women’s pieces. A few pieces from the collection represent the fight between good and evil. When it comes down to the brand name, “Who Decides War,” it represents that there are two different sides to many things. We really wanted to hone in on that in this collection through some core looks.

TD - I feel like every time we’ve talked about this new collection we call it our starting point. This is our jumping point. This time we really wanted to scale back and create very commercialized pieces — bring it down from the craziness that we’ve been doing and really cement ourselves within the commercial space and then grow from there in a new direction. With that, we also are launching three new styles that are considered our “signature” styles.

KCE - How do you implement sustainability into your designs?

EB - A lot of our denim pieces are reworked or use vintage denim. There is a trench coat in this collection, that instead of buying new yardage, we just used leftover scraps.

TD - Our finale piece is an amazing transitional dress made out of a recycled parachute. Arturo Castañeda and the team worked for over twelve hours on the gown for today’s show, completing it at 7:00 am this morning.

KCE - What are you hoping people take away from this show today and the collection as a whole?

EB - I just want people to feel a sense of calm. We always have been trying to push the envelope and make a statement. I feel like now we are finally settled in and showing, you know, that this is us.

TD - I feel like with our past couple collections we were just doing whatever to make it work, but this time we feel confident and very good about it. In the past, we didn’t even have the time to think about those things. We hope that that translates through the clothing and that it is also something people feel good in.

Check out the full collection, as well as behind the scenes photos, below.

Fashion

Thom Browne's Backstage Madness

September 16, 2021

Backstage coverage has been done many times before - but never to this prestige and reputation. When Thom Browne asked office to cover backstage for their post-gender SS22 show, it was imperative that an agreement was in place. From stars like Rosalia, Evan Mock, and Jeremy O'Harris casually roaming around near the makeup chairs, to staff walking around in uniformed Thom Browne pieces, it was a sight to see that should only be made accessible to everyone.

While we were backstage, Browne's Spring 2022 ready-to-wear show, or like most would say performance, was doing what Thom Browne productions are most known for — grand gestures. Pegasuses cycled enormous unicycles in rainbow tulle down the stone runway, models transformed from hedges into statues, and bachelors thrusted down the right-angled path showing off a full floral head-to-toe piece.If you think this sounds absurd check out the energy conveyed backstage.

Text by Tiana Randall
Photos by Deren Owji

Checkout the madness below.

Fashion

LOEWE Launches FW21 Collection

September 15, 2021

LOEWE launches the FW21 Eye/LOEWE/Nature collection, an ensemble of garments that embodies the essence of the outdoors. Practicality goes hand in hand with inventive detailing, fusing to create a collection that is designed to live outside, in contact with elements. This collections ethos: Fully being aware of one’s environment, as both a place to inhabit an organism to respect.

Vibrant playfulness pervades the collection. Ideas of patchwork and upcycling are brought to the extreme and explored as a way to create not only surfaces but also entire garments. Materials, styles, and colors are mixed in bold collages. Outdoor, vintage and military elements are hybridized with traditional sportswear, creating progressive pieces of clothing. Upcycled tailored tweed jackets fused with sports jackets.

Text by Ronald Kahihikolo
Photography courtesy of LOEWE

Environmental responsibility is focal, with stress on upcycling. Reusing and repurposing materials with past lives is not only a way for LOEWE to produce less, and therefore create less harm to the environment, but also a way to reassess craft and give unicity to each piece.

Check out the collection below.