May N° 130
The Creative Issue with Paris Jackson
April showers bring
May flowers
L’OFFICIEL STYLE
State Of The Art Both deeply rooted in self-expression, the relationship between fashion and art is one of symbiosis, and this season, designers are all too keen to show us why WORDS ABIGAIL LEONG
FLOWER POWER Florals for spring are hardly groundbreaking, but in the hands (or should we say, les petites mains) of Dior, garden variety prints are elevated to an art form. Drawing on myriad sources of inspiration from Monsieur Dior’s sister, resistance fighter turned avid botanist Catherine, to the Grand Herbier at the Museum of Natural History in Paris, Maria Grazia Chiuri imagines a series of ethereal dresses, matching separates, and efflorescent accessories enlivened with flourishes of foliage in the style of herbaria. Sprigs of wildflowers are captured in watercolours, then reproduced in embroidery on silk, tulle, cashmere, jacquard, and canvas. Other floral patterns are created through eco-printing, an ageold technique of dyeing textiles wherein pressed flowers are heated so as to imprint their shapes and colours onto fabric. Forget roses, we’d take a bunch of Dior flowers any day.
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GET SURREAL Jeremy Scott does nothing by halves – when he lands on a concept, he goes all out. And for Moschino’s Spring/Summer 2020 collection, that means putting a literal, larger than life spin on Pablo Picasso and his expansive oeuvre. Touching on different periods of the artist’s work, Scott transforms Picasso’s experimental Guitar sculpture into a string instrument-shaped dress, and his Au Lapin Agile self-portrait into a sequinned and ruffled Harlequin jumpsuit, while Le Matador is reinterpreted as matching torero sets with bejewelled fringe or tassels. That’s besides a plethora of Picassian motifs like flamenco dancers, minotaurs, and even death (by way of a floor-length, skeleton-traced black dress and veil), with each print skilfully painted by hand before being digitised. The result? A collection that brings new meaning to the term “wearable art”.
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L’OFFICIEL NEWS
K CANDY
Straight from the Spring/Summer 2020 runway, the bag has already earned cult favourite status, counting Hailey Bieber, Blackpink’s Rosé, Lucy Boynton, and of course, Gerber herself among its fans. As effortlessly chic as the model who inspired it, the Kaia takes shape as a petite satchel with gently rounded edges, minimalist in design but maximal in impact. Showcasing the iconic YSL logo on the front in silver- or bronze-tone hardware, the bag comes in two sizes – small and mini – and a variety of textures and colours, including smooth leather in black and golden brown, python leather in mottled shades of black, burgundy, tawny, and hunter green, and matte-finish black lizard skin. 26
WORDS ABIGAIL LEONG
Kaia Gerber is definitely not your average teenager. The 18-year-old is a fashion scion (her mom is ’90s icon Cindy Crawford and her dad is modelturned-mogul Rande Gerber), a supermodel in the making with several seasons and countless campaigns under her belt, a social media star with over five million followers and counting, a straight-A student, and a muse to Saint Laurent’s Anthony Vaccarello. So much so, in fact, that the designer created a bag after her, fittingly named the Kaia.
RIVER DEEP MONTAIGNE HIGH You already slather on sunscreen to shield your skin from harmful rays (and if you don’t, you really should), so what about your eyes? A snazzy pair of sunglasses isn’t merely a style statement, it’s also a vital part of UV protection. Luckily enough, Dior has just what you need to throw all the right shade: its 30 Montaigne sunglasses. Referencing the Maison’s headquarters in Paris, the new sunnies boast an oversized, slightly retro square shape. A lightweight acetate frame is matched with shaded or mirrored lenses providing full UVA/UVB protection, while the hinge on each side is formed from the initials ‘CD’, mimicking the 30 Montaigne handbag. Choose from black, ivory, and tortoiseshell rims with gold temples, or black and white rims with matte metal temples.
TIP TOP Not everybody can be a model, although with Furla, you can at least accessorise like one. The brand’s new top-handle bag is already a favourite with Irina Shayk, spotted multiple times with the supermodel at Milan Fashion Week this past February. The sleek and structured design exudes both timeless sophistication and contemporary charm, and comes in three sizes (mini, small, and regular) and myriad textures from monogram-embossed patent leather to plush velvet to shiny satin.
BASKET CASE A weekend getaway is wishful thinking at the moment, but Dolce & Gabbana might just have the answer to your sun, sand, and surf yearnings. Echoing the tropical theme of its Spring/Summer 2020 collection, the luxury house gets the beach vibes going with the latest interpretation of its Devotion bag, now in summer-ready braided wicker. Woven wholly by hand in a deft display of the brand’s expert craftsmanship, the top-handle bag comes in wicker or wicker and calfskin variations, all embellished with the classic sacro cuore (or sacred heart) clasp on the front.
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For her solo collection, Silvia Venturini Fendi wrote an ode to bright summer days - as captured in these Fendi 2020 backstage images. And now more than ever, the vivid shades, sunny optimism, and beach-readymeets-utilitarian pieces make for the perfect escape PHOTOGRAPHY DANIELE LA MALFA ALL CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES FENDI SPRING/SUMMER 2020
BIJOUX L’OFFICIEL
Chain Reaction The latest timepieces from Cartier put a twist on the conventional chain link motif with torsive, kinetic bracelets of gold and precious stones WORDS ABIGAIL LEONG
Only a select few can take the mundane and turn it into magic. And that is exactly what Cartier has done with the latest addition to its horological repertoire. The new Maillon de Cartier puts a twist (literally) on the dime a dozen chain link and transforms the motif into a series of timepieces that are as singular as they are sumptuous. Elongated links of 18-karat gold are offset and aligned on a bias to create a kinetic yet sensuous bracelet, at once edgy and elegant. A hexagonal dial allows case and chain to intertwine in one seamless motion, deftly demonstrating the Maison’s exceptional savoirfaire, while the signature blued-steel, sword-shaped hands that circle the silvered opaline surface nod to the luxury house’s watchmaking heritage.
The Maillon de Cartier makes its debut this month in six stunning combinations of gold and precious stones. The simplest version arrives in yellow gold with a sapphire cabochon crown, while rose gold and white gold variations feature brilliant-cut diamonds on the crown, bezel, case, and bracelet, with an especially opulent iteration fully encrusted with 486 gemstones. There is also a limited and numbered edition of 50 pieces in yellow gold with a black lacquer dial, set with an even more staggering total of 580 diamonds.
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floral faces The beauty of spring is reflected in these pastel makeup looks inspired by blooms and light
PHOTOGRAPHY SANTI RODRÍGUEZ / THE BLACKSHOOTER STUDIO HAIR & MAKEUP NACHO FERNANDEZ / MISTER PEREZ MANAGEMENT MODEL EVA PALMA / UNO MODELS
PHOTOGRAPHY ALAN GELATI STYLING DEBORAH FERGUSON TEXT ROBERTO CROCI TRANSLATION ABIGAIL LEONG
Having grown up in the spotlight thanks to her famous father, the model, actress and activist is now making her mark by advocating for causes like the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation and Australian bushfire relief
Sequined jumpsuit with belt, Saint Laurent Earrings, Chopard Serpenti necklace, bracelet and rings, Bulgari With Paris’ Bengal cat Kille