Pomp and Glamour at Dsquared2

January 13, 2024

Dsquared2’s Dean and Dan Caten continue to frame their seasonal offerings as a reinvention of the house’s classics, making the most of their penchant for panache. “This season, the references symbolized two sides of the coin, and it’s all about transformation from day-to-night,” they said in a backstage interview before the show. “The casting comprises twins, and we chose to have a day version and a night version,” they explained, adding that, “the show features a magic box: a transformation machine recalling the science laboratory which has the twin walking in as specimen A and out as specimen B. Transitioning from the daily look to the evening ensemble, they get polished, chic-ified, glamified and brushed.” With this latest throughline, they considered all manner of shapes, wearer and occasions — youthful shirt dresses, Jersey shorts with holes, white cotton tanks, trapper hats — even if they didn’t label them as such. “It was very fun, and it’s just our interpretation of transformation!” they added. Fall 2024 landed on such an array of layered staples that weighed in on personality in addition to their creative outlook.

By Chidozie Obasi
Photography courtesy of Dsquared2

As someone who loves themed collections, Dsquared2 seemed to realize they can fully let go. And even though this season’s variation had a clear outline from the outset, their Fall rendition felt more conducive to the spectrum of their practice (and clients): the staples delivered good execution and high drama, through structured silhouettes along stylized separates. This expression of attitude came in the form of vintage look shearlings and patched and worn denim, dominating the men’s day looks. By night, twins get a glow up, ranging from transparent chiffon shirts with studs details that open to the waist, low slung pants with a flared ankle in sparkling velvet or glossy printed python leather, a silver sequin bomber and pants and slinky lurex knits worn with clutches featuring back to back D2 gold hardware. Worn suede duffels and Gothic Belt Bags in jacquard knits are juxtaposed with D2 clutches for both men and women in satin and python printed leather. Elsewhere, sneakers, army and Sasquatch boots make way for slightly heeled men’s boots, and high heeled delicate ankle strap pumps for women—both styles elongating the leg and providing a sense of chic-grit.

Dsquared2 is an all-time keen observer of nightlife. With a new, coming-of-age generation of youthful dressers, the brand’s wardrobes must come with a twist, so they keep their propositions as flexible as possible. It will be interesting to see how their young client base bends this lineup to reality. It’s also very possible that Dean and Dan — both witty and commercially-savvy — will eventually have to pick between two worlds. No stress for now.

Fashion

TEMET: If Skims Met Skins

November 04, 2024

I often wonder where the first “afters” happened — whether it was right here in New York or somewhere else. The afters: that hazy, half-lit party that stretches into the morning, more intimate than dancing skin-to-skin with someone you just met, where the crowd thins to only those willing to let the night bleed into morning. Here, you get to watch the sunrise together too.

But today, no matter where you go in the world, if you're at a rave or DIY party, there's probably an afters. If you've never been to one, or don’t care to be, you’ve probably scrolled through your feed and seen that one story: morning sun flooding a cluttered living room, hot people still dancing, bodies tangled on a worn couch — lost in the aftermath of a night that refuses to end.

Creative Director Kiernan Francis
Designer TEMET
Photographer (Still) Alejandro Yullo
Director of Photography & Editor (Moving) Ava Papunen
Stylist Abby Bencie
Makeup Rory Alvarez
Casting Director Kiernan Francis
Lighting Director & Retoucher Lida Ramsay
Executive Producer Kiernan Francis
Associate Producer Ava Perman
Brand Producer Juanita
Soundtrack: "Revolution," Billy Doll (EXCLUSIVE RELEASE)
Makeup Assistant Kandi Milk
Fashion Assistant Jackson Prus
Production Assistant Peyton Nguyen
Production Assistant Emmanuel Delator
Production Assistant Axl Checho

This editorial for Chilean-based TEMET, a brand deeply woven into the underground music and nightlife scene, captures that noctural alchemy. Creative directed by New York’s own Kiernan Francis, the shoot draws inspiration from the afters’ electric liminality. Francis sought to celebrate the paradox of private and public life — where our truest selves might emerge within nightlife and fade into the versions of ourselves we show the world by daylight.

The cast was a mix of DJs, artists, and street-scouted creatives — some known to Francis from the scene, others discovered through social media. The styling leaned into shapewear as an experience, framed by a backdrop that evokes the afters: crowded couches, messy rooms, and the chaos of a night extending into morning. The result? A series that feels like SKIMS meeting Skins UK.

Watch the video below.

Fashion

Nikolaj Hansson Joins Diadora Legacy as Creative Director

October 31, 2024

Diadora's appointment of Danish designer Nikolaj Hansson as Creative Director for its Legacy line signals a fresh chapter for the brand. Known for his Copenhagen-based label Palmes, Hansson’s connection to Diadora began in childhood, admiring the brand’s iconic boots on Premier League defenders. Now, his deep respect for Diadora’s heritage and his vision for merging craftsmanship with progressive design will shape the brand’s premium Legacy line.

His first collection launching in Fall/Winter 2025, will blend his design ethos with Diadora’s storied history, tapping into both the brand’s past and a modern sensibility. Diadora’s CEO, Claudio Bora, shares Nikolaj Hansson's vision of sport as an emotional, daily experience, aiming to create apparel that resonates with the spirit of sport itself. As Hansson says, "the falling in love was mutual," and together, they aim to reignite that spark in a new generation of fans.