V141: THE REIGN OF ETHEL CAIN

THE REIGN OF ETHEL CAIN PHOTOGRAPHED BY STEVEN KLEIN STYLED BY PATTI WILSON INTERVIEWED BY FLORENCE WELCH V MAGAZINE SPRING 2023

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THE REIGN OF ETHEL CAIN PHOTOGRAPHED BY STEVEN KLEIN STYLED BY PATTI WILSON INTERVIEWED BY FLORENCE WELCH V MAGAZINE SPRING 2023

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HEROES There’s a reason they say all good things get better with time. These industry heavyweights and celebrated icons prove just that, cementing their status with highly anticipated new collections, performances, and exhibitions 52

Heroes

KARL LAGERFELD ALL RISE FOR FASHION’S LEGENDARY LAST EMPEROR when the first trace of sunlight was coming up, and how that would be the most peaceful time on the steps to be alone and do this. And so it happened like most things in life–in such a magical, seamless way that when you look back years later, you just wonder how. How it was done and how we managed to pull it off. It is one of my most beautiful memories of Karl, and how his genius laid not only in design but in bringing visions and dreams to reality. Let’s just say, Karl was undeniably a master at manifestation.

Without even knowing it, his whole life became a nonstop series of dreams becoming true. He lived that dream at Fendi, often boasting that he should have been in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the longest house designer that a fashion brand has ever had, and having another dream come true in 1983 when he took over Chanel and revitalized that house along with everything he did for his own eponymous label. He is truly someone in fashion who “had it all” and lived every moment as if it was his last. As I just happened to be one of the few lucky individuals in this world to have witnessed his genius in real life, The Met’s upcoming exhibition dedicated to Karl is truly a celebration, and it enables everyone out there to witness his genius as well. STEPHEN GAN

Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty is on view at The Metropolitan Museum of Art from May 5 to July 16, 2023.

Photography by Karl Lagerfeld

I remember this morning so clearly. It was at the beginning of 2005 when Karl Lagerfeld sent a fax to my office saying he has dreamt up a brilliant idea of dressing eighty models in eighty archival Fendi looks–mostly one-of-a-kind fur pieces from the house’s earlier collections and his favorite ones that he designed in the 35 years he was there–to celebrate Fendi’s 80th anniversary. To up the ante, Karl decided not only to bring this idea to life by photographing it himself but to capture all eighty looks on The Spanish Steps in Rome. Being so close to the Fendi family dynasty for decades, especially Carla and Anna Fendi when he was hired to transform the brand as he worked alongside Anna’s daughter Silvia Venturini Fendi to create memorable collections together, there could truly be no better triumph. Of course, I thought that was an impossibility, considering if you’ve ever been to the Spanish Steps– that scenario would be like trying to do it all in the hustle and bustle of Times Square in New York. But, lo and behold, and in very Karl fashion, we found ourselves in Rome a few months later to make the dream come true for the pages of our September issue for that year.

I heard a knock on my door at 5:30 AM and it was Karl, fully dressed, summoning me to get ready for what was ahead of us.

Just imagine Karl Lagerfeld waking you up and telling you that we had to be at the Spanish Steps in an hour because the models were now getting styled by Panos [Yiapanis] and we had to get the shots

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June wears all clothing PUMA Jewelry talent’s own

JUNE AMBROSE

Photography KENDALL BESSENT Fashion JUNE AMBROSE

Marking nearly 26 years since the first creative collaboration of pioneering powerhouse June Ambrose and music mogul Sean Combs better known as “Diddy”—the kindred spirits reconnect to examine the impact of the iconic hiphop staple “Mo Money Mo Problems.” The video’s influence still echoes through today’s stratosphere, serving as the ultimate testament to the forward-thinking and timeless touch of Ambrose’s work. Now with having styled over 200 music videos, garnered a roster of highprofile clients like Beyoncé, and her 2020 appointment as PUMA’s creative director—the visionary is doubling down on utilizing the power of design as a vocabulary to tell stories deeply rooted in culture.

DIDDY: I’ve known you for years, but I’ve never known how you got into fashion.

JUNE AMBROSE: To be honest, I’ve loved fashion since I was a little girl. Fashion was a way for me to express myself, to tell a story.

Especially growing up in the Bronx, you don’t really see people that look like your dreams, so I wanted to create my own dreams and use myself as my muse. I would literally cut up my grandmother’s curtains and design dresses to create Barbie doll looks. I’m tiny, and I wanted to be larger than life. When I met you, I felt like we had the same personality, you always dreamed big. It was like I was finally meeting someone who could see me. I remember one time specifically you were looking at collection 54

magazines, and I was like, “Oh my God, I’ve found my fashion fairy godfather.” We shared the same dreams and aspirations of becoming what we knew we were born into, which is greatness.But my journey wasn’t easy by any means. I was a five-foot-two woman, with big glasses in a very male driven industry. It was all about the guys back then.

D: In hip-hop you are the true definition of fashion forward. We had our own style and level of comfortability, as far as pushing the limits.

But you were always there to push it a little bit more forward. Where did that come from? Is there something [within] your upbringing that made you so bold with your fashion?

JA: There were two people, to be honest. My mother was a single mom, so she worked tirelessly. She used to put our clothes on layaway, but she would always make sure we were well clothed. Then I had a step grandmother who was like Diahann Carroll. She was super glamorous and just beautiful. When I came to America from Antigua, I lived with my step grandmother in the Bronx and she was my point of reference for what glamor should be.

Even if we were going to the grocery store or to meet the teachers, she had a fur coat on. So my mom was classic and then she was over-thetop. So if I marry those two women together, I would say that they were the perfect example of something to aspire to.

D: The first time I remember really having to trust you and your vision, I was completely not

on the same page. It was the “Mo Money Mo Problems” music video, and everything had so much shine. I was feeling the rain suits with the goggles. But once we got into the red look, I wasn’t sure. This was during the time of gangster rap, you know? So everything was a bit different style wise. You had these bright red jackets that were [sparkly] and I just could not connect with it. But it just really shook things up. It really was a bold statement because it wasn’t anything off of the rack, you designed it.

At that time, everything was the total opposite of shiny suits or even glamor in hip-hop.

JA: Fashion to me was what lyrics are to music. So if I could put style to your lyrics that was an achievement. At the time, the goal was just to really get pop music to play Black music.

I felt like we were popular culture in my head, because I was in front of greatness. I felt like every artist that I worked with was so worthy of bigger ideas and bigger moments. I just felt like in order for us to cross over, we had to do things that took us outside of our comfort zone. Being different is sometimes lonely, but it was worth giving it my all. I was willing to put myself out there just because I knew it would push the culture forward.

Head VMAGAZINE.com read the extended interview.

PUMA x June Ambrose: “Keeping Score” is available March, 2023 online at PUMA.com.

Makeup Keanda Snagg Hair Nicole Newland Photo assistant Mia Jackson Retouching INK

KEEPING SCORE WITH FASHION’S LEADING POWER PLAYER

Heroes

PETE WENTZ

Photography JONNY MARLOW Fashion OLIVER VAUGHN

Grooming Jenna Nelson (The Wall Group) Photo assistant Ram Gibson Location Hype Studios

THE BOY WHO NEVER FELL OUT Pete Wentz has come full circle. He has substituted his side swept emo locks for a bleached man bun. He changed up his bad boy image with being a doting dad. Now after nearly five years out from releasing new music, the bassist and lyrical mastermind is returning with a new perspective for Fall Out Boy’s highly anticipated latest album, So Much (for) Stardust.

“You have to experience new things in order to then go and make more art, so that was very intentional and important,” Wentz explains of his return to the spotlight.

His ascension to punk legend is nearly two decades in the making. The soundtrack to the lives of teens across the early 2000s was written by Fall Out Boy—or more specifically, Wentz. Hailing from the suburban outskirts of Chicago, the musical foursome was formed in 2001 just on the cusp of massive social and technological change. The bass-playing and songwriting prowess of Wentz paired with Patrick Stump’s vocals, Andy Hurley’s drumming, and Joe Trohman on the guitar became a cornerstone to the rapidly expanding pop punk universe of the decade.

Skyrocketing to the world stage in the early millennium, Fall Out Boy augmented the undercurrent of angst and despair collectively experienced in a post-9/11 world. Their music struck a chord with then-teenage millennials riddled with anxiety in a rapidly changing social climate of new buzzwords and talks of conflicts in foreign nations, but offered a different, lesspoliticized escape within the world of punk— heavy on love lost and heartbreak. The inimitable formula behind billboard charting hits like “Sugar, We’re Going Down” and “Thnks fr th Mmrs” was the result of what Wentz describes as a natural synergy of strong suits between he and collaborator, Stump.

“Some of our best songs came from friction between Patrick and I because he really only cares about the vocal pattern and the melody, and I only really care about the words,” said Wentz. “There is something to those two aspects working against each other and finding the balance.”

And that something climbed them up the charts. As their music garnered traction, Wentz’s name became a repeated headline, transforming into tabloid fodder for his high profile relationships with rising starlets and his rockstar image.

Radios have since become bluetooth speakers and gossip columns have become the free-for-all that is social media. But make no mistake, Fall Out Boy’s return is not a blast from the past. Amongst the revival of noughties fashion trends and thrashy punk music, Fall Out Boy’s latest album has all the earmarks of a bestseller record to satisfy the old fans and solidify the band’s legacy for newer generations.

“I’ll be at the airport and people are like, ‘I started playing drums because of [Fall Out Boy drummer] Andy Hurley’ and in my head he’s this goofy kid I met when we were in high school. But to them, he’s a legend. It’s a weird, forced perspective for me.”

The record pays homage to all of their musical eras while still lending something new

circa 2023. “It’s not going to be exactly what it was because we’ve all changed and had life experiences. The world is a different place,” says Wentz. “There is every era of Fall Out Boy, but it’s not crammed into it—it’s there when it needs to be.” SAM TRACY

So Much (for) Stardust is available on all streaming platforms March 24th, 2023.

Pete wears all clothing and sunglasses GUCCI

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Photography JUAN VELOZ Fashion BRYON JAVAR

Patti wears dress SERGIO HUDSON Overcoat JOVANA LOUIS Hat PIERS ATKINSON Gloves LILLIAN SHALOM Earrings and ring SWAROVSKI

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Heroes

PATTI LABELLE

Makeup Dandrea Kelly Hair April Brown Photo assistant Joey Abreu Stylist assistant Kimberly Batino

STAYING ON KEY WITH THE GODMOTHER OF SOUL Patti LaBelle has become synonymous with many things: the “Godmother of Soul,” a celebrated piemaker, the embodiment of warmth.

And rightfully so—LaBelle has forged her way to the top, changing the landscape of American music in the process. But would you peg the soulful trailblazer as a prankster, too? Surely not.

Her bandmate Nona Hendryx would say otherwise. In between sharing anecdotes of “that time in Lenny Kravitz’s kitchen” or “on tour with the Rolling Stones,” Hendryx reminisces on LaBelle’s playful side, recalling one time when LaBelle told them to get glammed up, only to pull the plug at the very end, saying they didn’t actually have an interview.

“You were always doing things you thought were funny. You were the ultimate prankster,” Hendryx shares on Zoom, to which LaBelle responds with a hearty laugh. And if you thought the story couldn’t get any more far-fetched, it ends with Mick Jagger coming into the dressing room and breaking their tiff up.

This surprising quality about the two-time Grammy Award winner shows just how hard it is to pin down the singer. Despite all the monikers you may throw at LaBelle, just one fails to capture her richness. And just as LaBelle as a person is nuanced, so too is the singer. LaBelle’s voice blurs the lines between soul and gospel, having been influenced equally by both genres.

Coming to prominence in the 1970s, a decade that was defined by the greatest generation of Soul singers, LaBelle is a product of her environment. On the other hand, her gospel roots stretch back to her childhood, when her mother insisted she join the local church choir after hearing her voice. Having made a name for herself in her hometown of Philadelphia, LaBelle ultimately joined forces with fellow musicians Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash.

“Back in the day, we were laid back, shut out, and hidden. But now, women are taking over the charts,” the musician shares. To which Hendryx nods in agreement, adding, “And part of it is a result of what we did in LaBelle.”

With their rebellious ensembles and frank engagement with sexuality, the group plowed through numerous firsts–becoming the first Black group to play at New York’s Metropolitan Opera house and the first to ever be on the cover of Rolling Stone.

Now, as she continues laying the foundation for the next generation of music makers, LaBelle, too, enters a new phase of her career.

This month, LaBelle and her extensive discography head out on the road for what LaBelle endearingly calls a “gumbo pot of fun.” And in a career that spans more than six decades, LaBelle proves it truly only gets better with age.

Along with plans to tour, the chart-topping musician teases an R&B album in the works (with the help of Hendryx, no less), gushing, “I want to keep putting my music out because it’s been too damn long.” KALA HERH

To celebrate this new chapter of her already illustrious career, Patti LaBelle reconvenes with her “day one,” Nona Hendryx, for a lively discussion about their LaBelle beginnings, current projects, and the state of music today.

All clothing MOSCHINO Earrings MISHO Ring (left) MARGO SIEGEL Ring (right) AURA TOUT VU

PATTI LABELLE: I was just thinking the other day about our beginnings [in the Bluebelles]. They were rough–and they were cute. Like that time we went from Philadelphia to California to open for the Stones, remember that, Nona?

NONA HENDRYX: Yes, I do remember.

PL: And the trouble I made before the show and how bad I was?

NH: Oh, yes. I remember you used to play cards every day and took our money.

PL: Every day I was playing cards. And when we got to California, I played a trick on you, Sarah [Dash], and Cindy [Birdsong]. I said we had a radio interview and we stopped in Detroit to buy clothes. When we got there, I had nothing to do, but play a prank. I said we had to get all dressed up because we had an interview. The joke though was it was a radio interview so nobody could see you. So everybody got dressed and when it was time, I said “Sike.” They were so mad at me.

NH: We were really mad at you because you fooled us and you were always doing things you thought were funny. You were the ultimate prankster.

PL: I’m excited to go back on tour again. It’s just a gumbo pot of fun for me. I’ve been away from the mic for two and a half years, so it feels great to get back out there. It feels like a brand new beginning.

NH: Your voice has always inspired so many other singers. You have this spirit of connecting your voice with the lyrics in the song–and so many different types of music. It’s really wonderful for an artist to have that range and continue to be a popular, loved artist for over 60 years. That’s not something that many artists can claim.

PL: Well, I’ve always said you were one of the best writers in the world. I mean, you’re so freaking smart. You know everything about music. I love you, honey.

NH: Thank you. And I love you.

PL: I know you do (Laughs).

NH: It’s truly an ongoing sisterhood.

PL: The music industry now is so good for women. Back in the day we were laid back, shut out, and hidden. But now, women are taking over the charts. I don’t know how you see it, Nona, but that’s how I see it. We’re being led out of our prisons and getting the respect that the men got all those years.

NH: And part of it is a result of what we did in LaBelle. I think in terms of being able to change how female artists were seen–creating and producing their own music. Also in terms of stage performance. We broke out of the uniform wig-and-dress-wearing girl group that had existed prior to LaBelle. So I think we were part of that change. Now, you have these young women who have come along and kept that ball moving forward.

PL: I couldn’t agree more.

Head to VMAGAZINE.com to read the extended interview.

Patti LaBelle’s North American tour kicks off on March 10, 2023.

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V GIRLS

London has always been lauded for its counterculture spark. That radical vision is channeled through four rousing musical acts—each with a distinct sound and personal tenor—that are intent on rewriting the very script of the industry

Photography TYRELL HAMPTON Fashion KIRSTY STEWART

From left to right: Stella, Jorja, and Renée wear all clothing DIESEL All jewelry SHAUN LEANE

FLO THE TANTALIZING TRIO TAKING R&B TO NEW TERRITORY In a world of splashy solo acts, it seems popular culture is shifting from the heyday of girl squads—the Spice Girls, TLC, Destiny’s Child.

It’s a wistful goodbye to a class of acts that soundtracked, and defined, listeners throughout the turn of the millennium. Though, through a forwardly nostalgic air and candid lyrics, FLO—the British trio composed of Renée Downer, Jorja Douglas, and Stella Quaresma— haven’t turned the page on the girl group fad.

Better yet, they’re writing their own deeply personal stories.

While the three artists have unique upbringings, they share a common thread: a love for R&B and an unflinching chemistry. Downer, a North-London native and Quaresma, who lived in Mozambique until age 5, initially connected as classmates at theater school. Douglas, who was born in Germany and moved to London at eight months old, took an increasingly modern approach to her craft, posting covers to social media and appearing on the talent show Got What What It Takes. “I was not a performer, [but] I wanted this to be my job,” Douglas states.

“The only way to get myself out there was to post videos on Instagram—I’d say it’s paid off.”

The close-knit Downer, Douglas, and Quaresma hit girl group gold at a 2019 audition.

“We were able to compare to the groups before [us] in the process—they were not good,” Quaresma recalls. “We liked the same music [and] singing with each other, the chemistry was there.” After that fateful moment, the group burst onto the mainstream with their punchy debut single, “Cardboard Box.” On the MNEKproduced track, the trio say goodbye to an unfaithful partner, letting their pitch-perfect tone and immaculately harmonized melodies shine. Not long after, the unassuming Londoners received a barrage of streams, TikTok success, and cosigns from the likes of Brandy and Kelly Rowland.

Their debut EP The Lead proves a musical and thematic prowess well beyond their years.

Opening with the aforementioned single, the 6-track offering is a love letter to friendship, packed with musings on situationships, womanhood, and twentysomething realities.

On “Immature,” the squad scolds an indecisive lover, singing, “Baby, lovin’ you is such a chore / ‘Cause you’re steady movin’ immature,” while on “Summertime,” a girl-powered escapade comes into full focus. Their latest single, “Losing You,” shows a more pensive FLO, one that is introspectively confident and vocally defiant.

“We’re putting out our first album this year, and we’re gonna be performing everywhere,” Downer says of what’s next. “You can expect the unexpected.”

With Downer, Douglas, and Quaresma, there is no “main” singer—each is equally as captivating as the next, each intent on revitalizing the once booming girl group phenomena. Each a contributing author to the must-read narrative that is FLO. MATTHEW VELASCO

The Lead is available on all streaming platforms.

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V Girls Flowerovlove wears dress THE ATTICO All jewelry SHAUN LEANE Shoes JIMMY CHOO

FLOWEROVLOVE A BUDDING SONGSTRESS IN FULL BLOOM From the moment she joins our Zoom call, Joyce Cisse shows herself to be an actual ray of sunshine. She is polite and bubbly, apologizing for the occasional distraction from her puppy, who enjoys chewing on her string lights. Forget about the archetype of the brooding, tortured artist; the 17-year-old beams as she discusses her music. Perhaps it’s this enthusiasm for the craft that’s helped her launch such a promising career before graduating from high school.

Under the stage name Flowerovlove, the South London-native has cultivated an enviable TikTok following and garnered millions of streams on Spotify with her infectious indie-pop songs.

VEVO even named her one of their DSCVR Artists to Watch for 2023, cementing her status as a star on the rise.

Cisse’s passion for music blossomed early.

At six years old, she heard Justin Bieber on the radio and realized she wanted nothing more than to emulate the “Baby” singer. It wasn’t until 2021 that she decided to put her dreams into

action. “My brother started producing and he was there to help me,” she recalls. With her family’s support, Cisse released her debut EP, Think Flower. Whimsical, lo-fi tracks like “Keep Falling” and the electronica-infused “Dancing in the Rain” demonstrated the young artist’s precocious talent for making aesthetically pleasing, laid-back pop.

Her 2022 follow-up EP, A Mosh Pit In The Clouds, doubled down on her uniquely upbeat signature sound while pushing the experimental aspect of her music; innovative track “All The Same” enchants with ghostly whispers and visceral sound effects, while “Out For The Weekend” sees Cisse oscillating between slow, lilting vocals and hyper-fast verses veering on rap.

“The story I was trying to tell [on my second EP] is that you can fall in love with life, and you can fall in love with yourself. I am always telling the exact same story with most of the projects that I have done—I say that as if I have so many,” she adds with a laugh.

Like the rest of the world, Cisse sometimes forgets just how young she is. Her life has become a blur of writing new songs, recording in the studio, and attending classes. As if being a popstar/student wasn’t enough, the rising songstress has also given modeling a go, appearing in the Gucci Aria campaign and walking the runway at Paris Fashion Week. Still, music remains her primary focus. “My goal is just to reach as many people as possible with my songs,” she says.

She admits to feeling nervous about her first tour this February, but if her already-impressive resume is any indicator, the teen pop sensation has nothing to worry about. Just listen to one of her dreamy tunes and you’ll understand—it’s impossible not to love Flowerovlove.

BAILEY BUJNOSEK

A Mosh Pit In The Clouds is available on all streaming platforms.

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MIMI WEBB A FIERY VOCALIST SETTING THE POP SPHERE ON FIRE successful and failed), in her career, and in her personal flourishing.

Sitting down with Mimi amidst project promotion madness, we tuned the world out and dissected her debut album, the story of a girl who has blossomed into a mature lyricist— whose stripped-back 2020 debut single “Before I Go” garnered over 25 million streams in under a year. “Amelia’s gotta deal with the emotional and life changes, and then Mimi’s riding the wave and loving life,” Webb shares.

“This album is going to really give people a better idea of me as a person and as an artist.”

What lies beneath adventurous outfits, powerhouse vocals, and grandiose instrumentals is an artist who has accepted the turbulence of life with ease, sharing her highs and lows with others in a way that is so personal, it almost feels as if we are taking a glimpse into her diary. “[The album] really tells that story of growing up and actually realizing what the

world is; realizing what matters,” the singer meditates. “So there are some really sassy, empowering songs on it and there are also some songs where it’s like, ‘Okay, I don’t feel great right now, but it’s okay to feel that. I can sit in that.’”

Amelia takes listeners on a roller coaster ride, starting with regretful lamentations such as “Both of Us” and “Red Flags,” and ending with a poignant, yet triumphant, love letter to the musician’s younger self. Through the years, Mimi has taught herself how to confront future interpersonal relationships—“The advice I’d give my younger self would be to watch, just be careful, don’t give everything away and put yourself first always,” she states—but perhaps the most illuminating realization she has gained is how to better love herself; Amelia, Mimi, and everything in between. KAYLA CURTIS-EVANS

Amelia is available on all streaming platforms.

Mimi wears all clothing CELINE Earrings and rings TILLY SVEASS Bracelet CARTIER On lips MAKE UP FOR EVER Rouge Artist Lipstick in #156 Classy Lace 62

Makeup (Jorja) Saba Khan Hair (Jorja) Naarah Santos Makeup (Stella) Lake Sanu Hair (Stella) Aliyah Willoughby Makeup (Renee) Jasmine Hamilton Hair (Renee) Naarah Santos, Christos Bairabas Makeup (Flowerovlove, Mimi Webb, Baby Queen) Jasmine Hamilton Hair (Flowerovlove, Mimi Webb, Baby Queen) Christos Bairabas Producer Susannah Phllips (Truro Productions) Production manager Kate Edmunds Makeup assistant Yasmeen Sarwar Miah Production assistants Spyro Kostaftis, Joshua Bratt Location The Standard, London

Mimi Webb lives the best of both worlds, commanding the stage with a dominating presence as the effervescent Mimi while tapping into her vulnerable side as Amelia.

“I always knew exactly what I wanted to do, but just by calling myself Mimi and taking that personality on, it really helped me manifest that person into the world,” she says. Amelia grew up in the rural U.K., attending open mics every chance she got and blasting Adele, Amy Winehouse, and jazz. But it wasn’t until she grew older that she truly allowed Mimi to flourish.

Following a whirlwind year of catchy tunes dominating TikTok and the charts, she is ready to let the world in on every facet of her being— down-to-earth countryside girl, flashy popstar, and pensive writer—through her self-titled debut album, Amelia. The album, penned in a self-ruminating manner, follows Mimi through various points of her life: in relationships (both

V Girls

BABY QUEEN THE INDIE HYPERPOPSTER IS BETTING ON HERSELF Arabella Latham knows how to grab your attention. Born and raised in South Africa, the London-based singer is reserved and affectionate—she writes songs until 7 a.m., loves poetry, and doesn’t consider herself much of a talker. But her moniker, Baby Queen, is an indiepop princess with perky blonde pigtails and an electric-pink guitar. When Arabella talks about Baby Queen, she uses the third person. Maybe it’s because she’s too humble to claim the budding-star status and mega fans as her own.

Or maybe it’s hard to explain that she was her own inspiration.

Arabella (or Bella, as she’s known at home), was only ten when she found her calling. At first, that calling looked—and sounded—like imitations of Taylor Swift’s country twang, her experimental serenades sung to the strum of beginner guitar chords. But Bella knew the ceiling of South Africa’s music sphere could only rise so high.

The minute she turned 18, Bella was off to London. It’s a time she remembers fondly as “delusional,” racing to the doors of googled record labels with nothing but dreams and demos in hand. Wide eyed and strong-willed, this was her shot to stake her place on international radars. If only the industry swooned so easily. “In hindsight, I had absolutely no idea what I was stepping into,” Bella says. Seven years later, it seems that edge has done her well.

But don’t be fooled. At first, she would have told you differently.

It took a while for Baby Queen to pick up steam, held just behind the takeoff line by walls of shame she’d built herself. She’d done the work to push her music, but had one last hurdle to face: her sexuality. “It felt like the biggest secret in the world,” she laments, remembering high school. “I couldn’t allow my brain to go to a place where I was bisexual.” But London’s reality check was ruthless, unleashing a fearlessness her hometown never could. And in place of haunting judgment, came all-consuming liberation.

The confidence found Baby Queen before it found Bella. “I used to say to my label, ‘I don’t want people to ask me about my sexuality. I don’t want it to define my music,’” she explains. Still, Baby Queen’s music overflowed with honesty, from the yearning metaphors of hit “Colours of You” to the self-deprecating wordplay of last year’s “Lazy.” It was only time she heard her own message.

Now, at 25, you might say the two are more alike than ever. “I often feel that Baby Queen came along and saved me,” she says. In some ways, the stage name draws a line between who she’s been, and who she will become. Baby Queen is growing up, and she’s doing it with dignity. AVA MANSON

Baby Queen wears dress VALENTINO On lips VALENTINO BEAUTY Rosso Valentino Lipstick in #100R Roman Grace Satin

“Lazy” is now available on all streaming platforms.

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HEAVEN SCENT All clothing and perfume LOUIS VUITTON x YAYOI KUSAMA 64

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Zoom in on the latest style craze as pared-back colorways take control this season and perennial essentials get a springtime refresh Photography LEA WINKLER Fashion SCOTT SHAPIRO

Makeup Ledora Francis Hair Sena Murahashi Model Beyonce Ambrose (The Lions) Manicure Jazz Style (SEE Management) Photo assistant Chad Hilliard Stylist assistant Natalya Clarke Makeup assistant Mai Kimura Location Candy Studio

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V NEWS

These thundering new releases and capsule collections should have you feeling anything but under the weather, as our latest spring forecast projects sunny with a chance of sky-high stilettos and a hint of breezy handbags

All clothing PUMA

ALL IN WITH PUMA Launching her career in the ‘90s when costume designers were a fixture of film, not music, June Ambrose became one of hip-hop’s first stylists, dressing artists like Missy Elliot and Jay-Z. Undoubtedly, Ambrose paved the way for the connections we see between music and fashion today (think: A$AP Rocky for Dior).

This year—which marks the 50th anniversary of hip-hop— Ambrose launched her first co-branded collection with the label, proving that sport and music are a perfect pair. Merging high-fashion with hip-hop’s casual athleticism, the collection boasts navy, emerald, and white as its central colorway.

Likewise, the collection offers a strong dose of pre-aughts nostalgia through color-blocked track suiting, a youthful pleated tennis skirt, and vintage-inspired sneakers.

ERICA MARRISON

Bag FENDI

FENDI PLAYS PEEKABOO

Sunglasses GENTLE MONSTER x MAISON MARGIELA

Trapezoidal by design, Roman at heart, the Peekaboo bag gets revamped at Fendi. If you’re looking to trim down for the spring, ditch the carbs of the Baguette and take the luxury house’s new Peekaboo Cut bag out for a spin. Stripping down the cult-favorite to its sleek metal bar, Fendi embraces the cold, shiny frisson of the future.

All topped off with an O’Lock chain giving a subtle nod to its logo-mania roots, Fendi offers a subtle take on luxury.

Simplified, nonetheless elegant, watch out for the Peekaboo Cut bag as it asserts itself as the go-to bag of the season.

JOHN KOPP

MAISON MARGIELA MEETS THE (GENTLE) MONSTER Spring is upon us, and while that may be splendid for those who enjoy pulsing sunbeams, some prefer to opt for a more toned-down take on the season of bright new beginnings.

Conspiring against the impending sunshine enters Gentle Monster and Maison Margiela in their latest collaboration.

A master of recontextualizing bourgeois gestures with a punchy flair, John Galliano reimagines expansive, wraparound shades through a Margielan filter. Liberated from binary constraints through classic frames—featuring oval, cat-eye, wayfarer, and clubmaster—opulence and a sporty edge come together in the collaboration’s genderless line— all dipped in an irresistible neo-futuristic gloss. JK 58

V News

ON THE RIGHT FOOT WITH VALENTINO Depending on who you ask, glamour takes on a different form concerning footwear. With each collection rolling out more straps, gems, and chains, a dizzying spell of décor becomes synonymous with shoe shopping. Some may say that more is, well, more—not at Valentino. The Italian powerhouse subtracts the unnecessary to arrive at footwear that embraces its wearer.

This season, Valentino bids farewell to structure and excess as its designs resets fashion’s mantra of ceaselessly amplifying embellishments. Taking luxury to new heights, cuts and transparencies become the statement. Step into Unboxing Valentino, where the essential becomes the elegant. JK

APRIL SHOWERS BRING DIOR FLOWERS What can be said that hasn’t already been said about florals?

Maria Grazia Chiuri rises to the challenge with the Dior Gardening capsule collection. Drawing on the ease of sportswear, practicality and luxury join forces in technically advanced designs encased in its latest take on flowery romanticism. The Dior Lady D-Lite and Dior Book Tote, too, are revamped with botanical motifs in embroidered cotton and raffia.

Welcoming the “L’union fait la force” crest and two new prints to its expansive vocabulary—Dior Petites Fleurs and Dior Birds—old-school glamour and urban charm intersect in a collection evocative of spring’s regenerative energy. JK

Shoe VALENTINO

Perfume CELINE

SAVOR IN CELINE Whether it be comfort, melancholy, or effervescence, scent evokes a different sensation for each of us. Extremely subjective yet universal in impact, it possesses the ability to immortalize memories through a basic instinct—often taken for granted. This season, Celine teaches us fragrance can be a talisman.

Introducing new perfumed objects, its Haute Parfumerie collection welcomes perfumed papers. Crepuscular woods and youthful powdery notes fill the home with its signature fragrance Parade.

That’s not all. With the launch of its small and large Triomphe perfumed céramiques in the house’s iconic Reptile and Parade fragrances, Celine proposes an unforgettable addition to the home. JK

All clothing and shoes DIOR

Photography GRÉGOIRE ALEXANDRE Fashion EMMA OLECK 59

AMERICAN TEEN TO UNDERGROUND

UEEN

Some are born into royalty, while others must fight for the throne.

After a monumental year, Ethel Cain has now taken that seat, her Gucci heels firmly on our necks Photography STEVEN KLEIN Fashion PATTI WILSON Interview FLORENCE WELCH

On December 7, 2022, Ethel Cain played the last show of her Freezer Bride Tour in heaven—well, at Heaven, the nightclub in London. Attendees dressed up in all camo or as nuns and Gibson Girls, a seemingly mismatched cocktail of aesthetics that somehow coalesce smoothly for the Daughters of Cain, the singer and storyteller’s legion of followers. They erupt into fanatics when she begins playing “American Teenager,” perhaps the poppiest track off an otherwise hypnotically goth body of work. The pious performance was the final punctuation of a year that saw the release of the 24-year-old’s debut album, Preacher’s Daughter, a sold-out tour across her native U.S. as well as Europe, the singer’s debut fashion campaign (Givenchy) and fashion shows (Eckhaus Latta, followed

by Miu Miu in Paris), and even a toe-dip into 66

Hip-Hop tabloid stardom after she warned Drake; “Speak on megan again and i will rally the Amish.” (The advice came after Drake accused Megan Thee Stallion of lying about being shot by Tory Lanez).

Because nothing is really out of the question these days, Cain celebrated the tour’s completion by attending a Renaissance exhibit with her one and only idol, singer Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine, the very next day.

At the William Morris Gallery’s show, The Legend of King Arthur: A Pre-Raphaelite Love Story, (which was suggested by Welch’s mom, Evelyn Kathleen Welch, who is an AmericanEnglish scholar of the Renaissance), the singers toured artworks surrounding King Arthur mythology as envisioned by Pre-Raphaelite artists in Victorian England.

The exhibit was a perfect fit, not only due to our queenly cover with Cain, but because it focused on the fictional King’s folklore (some American writers attending said exhibit didn’t realize King Arthur wasn’t real, and that’s okay), which in a way mirrors what both Cain and Welch have created with their artistry; entire worlds that remind us of our own despite being somewhat distant, allowing others (the artists who contributed work to the exhibit, the nuns and Gibson Girls attending Cain’s show) to partake and escape into the mysticism.

After the tour, the women sat down for a candid conversation about LSD psychosis, both escaping and finding religiosity with music, and their kinks for longing.

MATHIAS ROSENZWEIG

Ethel wears dress, gloves, tiara VERSACE Coat dress LEADING LADY COSTUMES Necklace talent’s own Hand rings (left) ANGOSTURA Hand rings (right) IRADJ MOINI On Lips NARS Powermatte Lip Pigment in Save The Queen

Dress and shoes GUCCI Coat NATIONAL THEATRE COSTUME HIRE Sunglasses SWAROVSKI Necklace BULGARI Earrings AREA

FLORENCE WELCH: I want to start with the process. With Preacher’s Daughter, was that just you?

ETHEL CAIN: So, I was actually working on a different concept album, first. I was having some weird LSD psychosis withdrawals. And I was making an album about angels and stuff. I was six months into producing, and I was digging through the Internet looking for samples, and I found this piano sample that was buried in folders. And I heard it and it was like a bell that rang out. I was like, “Oh, I have to do something with this.” So I wrote “A House in Nebraska” all in one day. It just began this vision; like, I don’t need to be worrying about angels. I need to be making music about prairie women.

FW: Is that the moment when Ethel Cain arrived?

EC: It was so psycho. I was sitting on my bedroom floor—I will never forget the day—and I heard that first piano that you hear in the beginning of the song. And it was like I zoomed out and then rushed in and I saw this woman standing in a field with her hair pulled back in her little bun and her little school teacher prairie outfit, and I was like, “Who is that?” And I just immediately wanted to tell this Southern Gothic story about…well, I didn’t know. I was just there, and the interest was there, because I’d always liked Little House on the Prairie.

FW: It’s so powerful to think of a world and think of the character and to embody it, but also to be aware of the construction as well. I think when I was coming up, and things have changed a lot, but there was the idea that if it wasn’t really you, you weren’t being authentic.

EC: I was thinking about it last night at the show, because it’s like, you’re conducting with your arms, and you’re this big, powerful priestess. But then you’re winking at fans and giggling. And they’re like, “Meemaw, we love you!” It’s so funny, and it just nods at itself. I don’t know if I’m her or she’s me or she’s pretending to be me and I’m pretending to be her…

FW: Well before Ethel came to you, were you experimenting already with music?

EC: Well, before that…so being raised as Southern Baptist, I had just moved out of my parents’ house and I had a lot of resentment. I wanted to put a lot of distance between myself and my upbringing. Because Protestant religions are so simple, quiet, reserved, like subtlety is the name of the game. But I was obsessed with Gothic architecture. I didn’t have a name for it, but I had this character that was somehow a duo, it was an evil nun and then a little choirboy who was very weak and powerless. She was all-powerful and wore this crown of spikes and had a lot of tattoos.

“ AFTER GROWING UP IN A CHURCH AND HEARING ABOUT HOW GRAND RELIGION IS SUPPOSED TO FEEL AND THEN NOT FEELING IT, IT’S LIKE AN EMPTINESS. [BUT] HEARING MUSIC OR SEEING AND INGESTING A PIECE OF ART THAT ACTUALLY TAKES YOU THE WHOLE WAY AND FILLS THAT NEED FOR GRANDIOSITY, IT’S LIKE, THIS IS WHAT RELIGION FEELS LIKE. THIS IS WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO MEET GOD.” —ETHEL CAIN And I was making this Gregorian chant music because I was just starting to produce, I had no experience, and I had no idea how to mix anything with vocals. So I would layer 20 vocals, slap some reverb on it and call it a day.

FW: That’s how I did it as well, because vocals were the only thing I knew how to manipulate. So one of the questions the magazine suggested is, When did you first hear each other’s music? And it’s funny because I think we put our records out on the same day.

EC: Yeah, yours came out the day after mine.

FW: Right, that’s how I discovered the record. It’s happened to me twice where a record came out at the same time [as mine], and I discovered an artist who would become one of my favorites of all time. And then I found the Instagram, and I was like, “This artist is so committed to the worldbuilding, and that just filled me with joy.” The world was so complete…and I was just like, “Ethel Cain, where did she come from?” And I really needed that record as well, because it just transported me away from the stress of my own album release.

EC: It’s so funny—to answer that question, I think I was 14 and we were watching “Snow White and the Huntsman.” It was like, November. I was cold and I was being an edgy teenager, and the credits came along. And because I was obviously raised on Christian music—which is very one and done, it’s very uninspired, it’s very what it is—and I had probably heard my first pop song like six months before. I was very new to the world of any kind of music. And I remember my head just spun in a circle [when I heard your song “Breath of Life”]. And I remember seeing you in the studio recording it, just so much larger than life.

And I thought, “Oh, you can be more, you can be bigger, you can be grander.” And it was so inspiring. I’d always been into escapism, but you know, in a small town in Florida, they’re like, “Don’t you want to have a job that pays the bills? And you need to get your head out of the clouds.” But I wanted to go all the way—I wanted to fully commit to the psychosis and delusion of being so grand and falling into the world.

FW: It’s interesting that it appealed to you while coming from Christian music, because so much of what I was doing was always searching for something spiritual that would give me a feeling as if I were connecting to something outside of myself, and that sort of sense of transcendence. It’s a big mess, but the same religiosity is going through it.

Outer corset ELENA VELEZ Inner corset TIMOTHY GIBBONS Top and gloves SIMONE ROCHA Earrings ANDREAS KRONTHALER FOR VIVIENNE WESTWOOD

All clothing THOM BROWNE

All clothing and viel SIMONE ROCHA Gloves LAEL OSNESS

EC: After growing up in a church and hearing about how grand religion is supposed to feel and then not feeling it, it’s like an emptiness. [But] hearing music or seeing and ingesting a piece of art that actually takes you the whole way and fills that need for grandiosity, it’s like, this is what religion feels like. This is what it feels like to meet God. FW: Yeah. I feel that concept. I feel that with art and with artists, and I think I felt that in your performance when you opened for us in Denver, which was so special, because I usually get good numbers and a lot of support, like people showing up, but I’ve never seen [the arena] that full.

Never seen it. [So I thought], this is Hayden’s first arena, and it’s full. [And] I did feel a stillness with which you held that arena, which is so different to how I perform. It was so inspiring, actually. I can kind of manage the energy of an arena but I am an outward performer. But it was almost like you pulled everyone’s energy into what you were doing, and it actually really inspired me to try to manage this stillness in my performance. Because the reverence and your vocals just sort of filled the space, and it just worked.

But in general, how are you finding the connection with the audiences as they’re getting bigger?

How is the interaction with the crowd changing?

EC: Well, I think a turning point was definitely the arena show, because it was a bigger show than I’d ever played. But last night, it was the last show and I was having such a good time, and I got into that zone. And I’d never done it before, but I just turned around and laid down, and [the crowd] was putting their hands up and roasting it together. And I thought, “this feels good.” And I got back up and I looked at this girl and asked, “Can I kiss you?” They want to be a part of something that’s more than just, we’re sitting here watching someone sing to us. They want it to be drama. You have to give them the drama.

FW: I’ve always thought like, [a kiss] could happen. And then I saw you, and I was like, “Well now I have to do it.”

EC: I said, “Can I kiss you?” She’s like, “What?” I asked again, “Can I kiss you?” She’s like, “Yeah.”

And we made out. And I’m like, listen, any great night can always be made greater by kissing a pretty girl.

FW: I’ve been thinking about this a lot in my own relationships, where [these interactions with fans] has warped real relationships for me, because the intimacy and the experience with people in the front row, in those moments, I’m somewhat in control of that. Do you know what I mean? Like I have a really hard problem looking people in the eye. I have a real problem with expressing big feelings in a romantic relationship. And then I can come off the stage and stare someone [dead in the face]. It’s like, I don’t know, I found a safe space to manage those feelings where I can still have control of them.

EC: Romantic relationships are an absolute nightmare. I became such a career girl, and the career is going so well, and I feel like the Boss Baby, and I’m commanding, and I walk in the room and I have a vision. Let’s get this done. But then, with boys I’m like, “I can’t do this.” I kept getting into situations where I was like, I love the idea of this. And always my problem is, I want to be submissive, kind of just like, passive. I almost want to be a housewife in a way to men. And then it’s like, I come out of the gate so dominant, because in the rest of my life, I am. And it’s like, I have a power, there’s a power struggle. It never lasts any significant amount of time. But I try so hard, and then the second someone tries to come in and like, be any kind of dominant, I almost cringe.

EC: I’ve come to realize recently that I’ve always romanticized codependency. Because I thought there was such a beauty in suffering, which is a toxic trait.

FW: Well, I think I have a longing kink.

EC: I’ve never heard someone else say this.

FW: All my work is about like…if someone becomes very real to me, like present in my life at the time, I can’t write a single song about them, because they don’t leave enough space. Like, say I’ve written half a record about someone I spent like, 24 hours with, and they would probably know [I wrote it about them].They must think I’m so intense. Like, was that even real for them? Do you know what I mean? Like, I’ve constructed such a mythology around it…but I’d never speak to him about it.

EC: Never. I will have the most intense feelings toward a stranger, it’s so intense, just like, physically—it’s a little bit just like, the energy, the attention. And then I’m like, “That was great, thanks so much. Have a good day!” And then I’ll live in there and be like, “What was that?” Well, now I can’t stop thinking about you. I’m like, “I’m sorry, I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

FW: I’m always wondering if the people out there who I have written songs about like, do they know? Are we ever going to discuss it?

EC: I love to blame the character. I’m like, “Ethel had a bad day.” But this is not about you.

I promise it’s not about you (Laughs).

Head to VMAGAZINE.com to read the extended interview.

If you’d like to see Ethel Cain live, you can catch her this April playing at Coachella, as well as the Ceremonia Festival in Mexico City, Kilby Block Party in Salt Lake City, and as a special guest for Caroline Polachek’s The Spiraling Tour in New York and Washington D.C. Following up on the success of Preacher’s Daughter, Cain will be releasing a new extended play later this year.

Florence Welch will also be touring in Australia this March, as well as playing European festivals in the summer such as Lisbon’s Meo Kalorama and Ejekt Festival in Athens, Greece.

Dress LOUIS VUITTON Hat JR MALPERE Necklace WIEDERHOEFT Rings ANGOSTURA

Makeup Kabuki Hair Garren New York for R+Co BLEU haircare Manicure Honey (Exposure NY) Executive producer Johnny Pascucci (Photobomb) Digital technician Chris McCoy Photo assistants David Jaffe, Conor Ralph, Donna Viering Stylist assistants Ali Claire Marino, Joseph Reyes, Sho Ishikura, Carson Zehner, Jonathan Baez Tailor Susan Balcunas Hair assistant Miller Brackett Production assistants Jason Trojanowski, Mark Short, Juan David Vasquez Location Pier 59 Studios

Top and earrings GIVENCHY Coat dress NATIONAL THEATRE COSTUME HIRE Shoes R13 Necklace PATRICIA VON MUSULIN Panty COMMANDO On Lips LANCÔME L’Absolu Rouge Drama Matte Lipstick in #508 Mademoiselle Isabella

Anja wears jacket GCDS Earring BOUCHERON On eyes L’ORÉAL PARIS Monos Eyeshadow in Pain Au Chocolat On lips L’ORÉAL PARIS Colour Riche Satin Lipstick in #140 Mauved

ALL

AUGHT

That’s aught! Y2K is here and back with a vengeance as supermodel Anja Rubik transforms through nostalgic throwbacks—distressed denims, low-rise, and ab-baring crops Photography S SØ ØLVE SUNDSBØ Fashion GRO CURTIS 78

All clothing ISABEL MARANT Necklace and bracelet (worn as arm cuff) BOUCHERON Bag CAMPOMAGGI

AND BOTHERED

All clothing FERRAGAMO

All clothing and necklace DOLCE & GABBANA Bracelet (worn as arm cuff) BOUCHERON

All clothing GIVENCHY Sunglasses AKONI EYEWEAR Necklace and bracelet BOUCHERON Belt CHROME HEARTS

All clothing and accessories BLUMARINE Ring BOUCHERON

All clothing EMPORIO ARMANI Necklace and earrings BOUCHERON Shoes THE ATTICO

All clothing GUCCI Bracelet BOUCHERON Belt CHROME HEARTS

All clothing DIOR Shoes THE ATTICO Bracelet BOUCHERON

All clothing and shoes SAINT LAURENT Necklace stylist’s own

Sunglasses JACQUES MARIE MAGE Earring BOUCHERON

All clothing ANDREĀDAMO Shoes AMINA MUADDI Belt CHROME HEARTS

All clothing FENDI

Makeup Val Garland (Streeters) Hair Franco Gobbi (Streeters) Model Anja Rubik (DNA) Manicure Rebecca Jade Wilson (The Wall Group) Production Sally Dawson, Paula Ekenger Casting Director Shaun Beyen (Plus Three Two) Digital technician Lucie Rowan Photo assistants Sebastian Kapfhammer, Michael O Williams, Matt Davies Stylist assistants Emma Oleck, Keeley Dawson Makeup assistant Laisum Fung Hair assistant Michael Pitsillides Retouching Digital Light Ltd

The Burns-Nakashimas wear all clothing UNITED COLORS OF BENETTON

THE BURNS-NAKASHIMAS “ The most rewarding part about being a father is having two daughters who are so loving. Watching them grow, change, [and] navigate this world is such a gift. I look forward to each day. I am very fortunate to have a career that allows me to spend more time with my family than without.”

—RyanBurns

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The family that prays together, stays together. For Andrea Incontri, the new creative director of United Colors of Benetton, it’s not so much prayer that unites families, but rather coordinated outfits. Reimagining the brand’s classic sweaters and button-downs, he argues, the bond between families can be external as much as it is internal Photography MATTHEW BROOKES Fashion NICOLA FORMICHETTI

IN THE FAMILY

THE BUCKLERS “ My background is Korean, and in our culture we have this word: jeong. It means affection [but] doesn’t quite fully translate in English. I consider myself to be quite affectionate, I go out of my way to help others. As a mother to two boys with my husband Andrew, family means everything to me.”

—Syliva Buckler

The Bucklers wear all clothing UNITED COLORS OF BENETTON

The Webster-Brockingtons wear all clothing UNITED COLORS OF BENETTON

THE WEBSTER-BROCKINGTONS “ It’s an honor to share my work with my husband and children.

What a joy! I’m extremely grateful that my children get to see what a positive and respectful environment looks like, and why it’s important to love what you do. Love your work and then it’s not ‘work’—that’s always been my mantra.”

—Isaac Webster

When United Colors of Benetton appointed their new Creative Director last year, their choice might have come as a surprise. Andrea Incontri entered the world of design through architecture, which he studied at Milan Polytechnic University and pursued before broadening his scope into storytelling with humans and what they wear rather than buildings. Now more than ever, the storied athleisure arbiter is focusing on its customers as protagonists, with collections that are driven by human empathy and an overall joie de vivre.

His Spring/Summer 2023 collection encapsulates this bright and joyous spirit through playful fruit patterns, industry-leading knitwear (a Benetton staple), denim and leather goods, and of course, a dazzling array of colors to brighten up your wardrobe—all while maintaining a sense of “normality,” something Incontri believes to be incredibly chic in a moment when most brands are trying to grab attention by being as “out there” as possible.

A family brand since its inception, Incontri was familiar with Benetton’s values even as a child, inspiring him to double down on the importance of family with a collection for men, women, and children. To celebrate the fruits of Incontri’s creativity, V photographed some of our favorite families wearing his creations, and also spoke with the Creative Director about his path, philosophy, and approach to democratic fashion for all. MATHIAS ROSENZWEIG

V MAGAZINE: Can you describe your personal relationship with United Colors of Benetton before you began working with them? Obviously, it is a household name type of brand.

ANDREA INCONTRI: So I’ve known this brand since I was born, because it’s a family brand.

I always knew what was happening inside the world of Benetton. I remember my mother when I was younger, we would go together in the stores, and I just remember the colors—a lot of colors, and maybe the feeling, the soul of it being something playful and very easy to wear. So this is my first memory of Benetton.

V: How would you describe Benetton’s approach?

AI: The approach with the luxury brand is to just have beautiful material at a high level of quality, starting in 1965 with the knitwear. The brand’s big skill is the knitwear, for men, women, kids, and also the home collection. So there is a big world around this; it’s a cultural thing. It’s not fast fashion.

It’s a democratic brand.

V: As you said, Benetton is very much a family brand. I’m wondering if you were inspired to pursue architecture or design by your own family, or was this just a unique interest that you developed independent of them?

AI: It’s strange, my story, because I grew up in Mantua, this small city, and I knew very well what was happening inside the tailoring world because my grandfather on my mother’s side was a tailor.

So I learned about the dedication to the quality of the material, the shapes, the purpose, and the logistics. And then architecture was my first passion. And the keywords are method, discipline, organization, and then strategy. So this space is so important. In my vision, the Benetton products are like small pieces of architecture. So a bag, a beautiful sweater, pants, a skirt, for me, it’s just one thing in high-definition level inside the same guardrails. In my mind, I don’t have seasons for products. I have an evolution of the products. Because when you buy a chair or table, you don’t change it after six months. You have the table for life, or for many years. And this is so important for the responsible approach to creating products.

V: When you were studying architecture, did you ever think that this would be a path you would eventually take into design?

AI: I did not think that this is what would happen after studying architecture when I was younger.

But I’m a curious person. I’m a fashion designer now, okay. But I’m a designer. So I like to work with different things with my hands, and not just one thing. So designer is just one title.

V: You’ve said before that nothing is more interesting than normality. Why do you believe that?

AI: So strange things attach more headlines, I think. The digital media, there’s always so much news, like TikTok, and it’s like an overdose. The more something is strange, the more something is interesting. But it’s almost a big void; you’re holding nothing in your hands. But for me, normality is really sexy. Normality is very special because it’s more of a strong approach to life. And it’s all an education about normality. Normality is more human; it’s about empathy. It’s authentic. We need this value right now, I think. It’s so important.

V: When you began working with Benetton, which obviously has such an established heritage and DNA, how do you balance staying respectful of that while also pushing the brand forward as you see best?

AI: So I don’t like to work a lot in the past, for me both in my personal life and work life, but the knowledge is so important when it comes to the brand’s past. However the world is starting to change, so we need to work on a new chapter and with a new message. Or it could be the same message from a new point of view, because Benetton was always inclusive, colorful, and so many other great things.

V: What types of creatives are you very inspired by right now and again?

AI: So, our next collaboration in the future I hope, will be with an ambassador for Benetton. In my mind, I’m not in front of the project, and each person, each artist, has a beautiful story to share with Benetton and also with the people. So I think it’s important to work with them, these special people with beautiful stories.

Head to VMAGAZINE.com to read the extended interview.

THE CLEMS “ Benetton’s presence unified these precious moments with our loved ones. My two-year-old dog Prince is no stranger to the camera—his high-energy and personality are contagious. Prince has a way of grounding me and bringing moments of joy every day. We are bonded forever and I will cherish this portrait of us.”

—Hunter Clem

The Clems wear all clothing UNITED COLORS OF BENETTON

THE HARPAZES “ Love is the foundation to our security, it’s the safety net of support that allows failures on the road to success. It’s a word often overused and under-delivered. I keep things simple—I do what I love with people I love and come home to those I love most. It takes work to maintain it all.”

—Gal Harpaz

The Harpazes wear all clothing UNITED COLORS OF BENETTON

The Santana-Carrigans wear all clothing UNITED COLORS OF BENETTON

THE SANTANA-CARRIGANS “ Family are the people you can be your whole self with, without having to be nervous that you will be misunderstood.

My friends are my family—once I love you, you can’t really leave me. Sorry! I’m very selective about my friends and family, my circle is small but I like that.”

—Stella Santana

THE CARLOSES “ I call modeling a sport because it takes the same elements of hard work, perseverance, learning on the go, being coachable and able to apply direction immediately.

My transition from football to modeling and entertainment was smooth. I was able to apply these same principles to a new field of endeavor and passion.”

—Keith Carlos

Makeup Sarah Tanno (Forward Artists) for Haus Labs Hair Peter Gray (Home Agency) Models Ryan Burns and family (Ford), Stella Santana and family (Fusion Models), Hunter Clem and Prince, Sylvia Buckler and family (Storm Management), Gal Harpaz and son, Isaac Webster and family (Next), Keith Carlos and family (Ford) Set teacher Jill Gann Executive producer Johnny Pascucci (Photobomb) Senior producer Sara Bielecki (Photobomb) Production coordinator Vicente Luna, Merry Nestor Digital technician Daniel Kim Photo assistants Gal Harpaz, Benny Haber, Theo Harpaz Stylist assistant Genesis Webb Hair assistant Audrey Jonsdottir Manicure assistant Armando Kole Location Smashbox Studios Lightbox

The Carloses wear all clothing UNITED COLORS OF BENETTON

Chappell wears shirt GUESS Hat vintage On lips ABOUT-FACE Cherry Pick Lip Color Butter in Dragonfruit Fusion

AT THE ALTAR OF CHAPPELL Kneel before the sanctum of Chappell Roan, whose dauntless disposition and lewd lyrics will have you surrendering to her musical prowess. With millions of streams under her already blinged out belt and an ever-growing cult-like fan base, the Missouri-native is putting the world under her spell, one earthshattering note at a time Photography SARAH PARDINI Fashion NICOLA FORMICHETTI Text BAILEY BUJNOSEK 92

Chappell Roan’s story starts with a middle school talent show in Willard, Missouri, circa 2011. She still goes by her real name: Kayleigh Rose Amstutz. Christian rock is the genre of choice around town, but she has a taste for hiphop, listening to synthy Drake songs on her iPod in secret. She’s also a self-confessed shy girl.

Still, something compels her to sign up for the talent show—to sing. On the big night, the school auditorium is transformed by a flurry of shiny streamers and a hand-lettered banner.

Willard’s a small town; she knows almost everyone in the audience. But while quiet Kayleigh Rose may be nervous, on stage, she’s Chappell Roan—her fearless, popstar alter ego—and she’s about to put on a show like nothing Willard’s ever seen. She’s anxious but poised as she takes the stage. Before she even realizes it, she’s singing. “Everyone was like, what the—? ” Roan recalls. “And I won the talent show.”

Motivated by the win, she began putting herself out there as much as she could— performing at farm festivals, auditioning for

American Idol and The Voice , and posting original songs on YouTube. It was this last avenue that paid off—at 17, Atlantic Records discovered her channel and signed her. She dropped her debut EP and moved to L.A. a few years later. Roan quickly immersed herself in the city’s vibrant music scene—and discovered a liberation she had never felt in Missouri. This newfound freedom inspired the burgeoning songstress to write the sparkly breakout bop “Pink Pony Club,” a ballad that chronicles the tale of a girl who chases her dream of being a stripper. Released in 2020, the song was a revelation, featuring Roan’s tearfully sincere vocals over an irresistible beat.

Then, at the height of the pandemic, the rising artist was dropped by her label— a particularly devastating blow after the success of “Pink Pony Club” inspired her to take her music in a new direction. “I felt really bad, but it also lit a fire under my ass,” she admits.

Sweater and skirt MISSONI Bikini top photographer’s own Shoes and bow vintage

“ I FIND MYSELF DRAWING INSPIRATION FROM WHATEVER IS BOLD. WITH MY [MUSIC] I WANT THINGS TO GET UNCOMFORTABLE, I WANT TO PUSH PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THEIR COMFORT ZONES AND CHALLENGE THE ‘NORMS’ OF SOCIETY.” —CHAPPELL ROAN

Dress SELF-PORTRAIT Hat JACKALOPE LAND from Etcetera Los Angeles

All clothing ETRO Hat, shoes, gloves JACKALOPE LAND from Etcetera Los Angeles

All clothing VERSACE Tiara vintage

Makeup Lilly Keys (A-Frame) Hair Virginie Pineda (The Visionaries) Executive producer Johnny Pascucci (Photobomb) Production coordinators David Newman, Merry Nestor Photo assistant Branden Wilbarger Location Dust Studios

The next two years saw her taking on odd jobs— from nannying to selling donuts—while trying to figure out her next move. In 2022, she returned as an independent artist, embracing her new, bolder persona in electrifying singles from her album-in-progress. On bewitching tracks like “My Kink Is Karma” and “Naked in Manhattan,” Roan offers an unapologetic take on being a queer woman in and out of love. She thrives on the forced creativity of the DIY-pop scene, attracting the kinds of fans who’d hype you up in the club bathroom and tastefully drag your ex in the group chat. That’s by design—Roan describes her genre as “slumber party pop,” evoking images of girls giggling, gossiping, and dancing around the room.

The Chappell Roan of today is a far cry from the Midwestern teenager that first got discovered off YouTube. She is a queer cowgirl, all glitter and excess. Most importantly, she’s happier than ever. “[Chappell Roan] is what I envisioned a popstar being like when I was little. Like, I’m living out the dream of my childhood self,” she says, almost in disbelief. The journey to get here wasn’t always easy, but Roan’s dazzling arrival proves it was oh-so worth it.

Head to VMAGAZINE.com to read the extended interview.

Dress VALENTINO

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CARRY ON

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Photography CHARLOTTE RUTHERFORD Fashion ANNA TREVELYAN

Showcasing the new facade of luxury it-bags—the accessory’s trajectory from purposefueled keepall to certified status symbol—model Abény Nhial stuns in a bold selection of fashion’s most-coveted carriers. And despite catapulting onto the industry’s runways two short years ago, the South Sudanese-Australian muse certainly has it in the bag

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Makeup Raisa Flowers (E.D.M.A.) Hair Nai’vasha (The Wall Group) Model Abény Nhial (Elite) Manicure Jazz Style (SEE Management) Movement Director Sigrid Lauren Digital technician Nicholas Johnson Photo assistants Zach Forsyth, Casanova Cabrera Stylist assistant Emma Oleck Makeup assistants Eunice Kristen, Aya Tariq Location Jack Studios

Kayaka wears gown and gloves BURBERRY Shoes MELITTA BAUMEISTER Earrings KHIRY

SHAPE UP “Getting into shape” takes on brand-new connotations this season as spring’s most gravity-defying ensembles elevate age-old silhouettes to new extremes Photography CONOR CUNNINGHAM Fashion ANNA TREVELYAN

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Makeup Rommy Najor (Forward Artists) Hair Panos Papandrianos (The Wall Group) Models Kayako Higuchi (The Society), Luoyi (The Industry) Manicure Miku Tsutaya Executive producer Louise Lund (Studio Lou) Producer Luis Fernandez Photo assistant Ashton Herman Stylist assistant Niambi Moore Makeup assistant Aya Tariq Hair assistant Jenna Shafer Location Canoe Studios

SPRING INTO ELEGANCE Tod’s ushers in the new season under the fresh eye of creative director Walter Chiapponi— whose understatedly sharp Spring/Summer 2023 collection reimagines classic tailoring and timeless silhouettes, while building on the house’s decades-long leather love affair Photography ALVARO BEAMUD CORTÉ CORTÉS Fashion GRO CURTIS 124

Blésnya and Malik wear all clothing, shoes, accessories TOD’S (worn throughout) On lips HOURGLASS Phantom Volumizing Glossy Balm in Trace

Makeup Naïma Hair Ilham Mestour (Julian Watson Agency) Models Blésnya Minher (The Society), Malik Anderson (NEXT) Producer Elena Cimarosti (Interlude Project) Digital technician Mitko Frangov Photo assistants Simone Triacca, Emil Kosuge

What V Want Photography AM+PM

WHAT V WANT

Contemporary tastemakers don’t abide by the constructs of trends— instead, pulling from each era, they create an amalgamation of looks inspired by the relics of fashion’s past. This continues to be a mainstay of Isabel Marant’s design process: timeless pieces for the travelers of today, informed by those who came before us.

The Oskan Moon Bag is the Oskan lineage’s latest iteration, which recently debuted on the Spring/Summer 2023 runway. The moon-shaped, adjustable shoulder bag calls to the grunge-punk era of the ‘80s and the minimalism of the ‘90s, ornamented with striking studs, while a sleek silhouette cements its status as a modern staple.

The on-the-go carryall comes in three variations: lustrous vegetabletanned leather in black, cognac, and burgundy, along with a bolder glossy, or matte grainy option in a range of luminous tones. Marant’s reimagined essential occupies the space where novelty and tradition converge, defying time and forging a new, uninhibited path. KAYLA CURTIS-EVANS

ISABEL MARANT Oskan Moon Leather Shoulder Bag (in black) ($950, available at ISABEL MARANT boutiques worldwide.)

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Set design Pierre Vaillant Producer Berrin Vidin (Artlist Paris) Photo assistant Benjamin Markowicz

Tradition meets modernity and of-the-moment converges with timelessness as Isabel Marant’s sleek, studded Oskan Moon Bag is the French brand’s latest love letter to nostalgic effortlessness

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Outfit: Samuel Lewis (Fashion Design student). Styling: Paolo Convinto, Luca Piscitelli, assistant Elisa Nirta (Fashion Styling students). Model: Julian Cerro (Fashion Design student). Casting: Francesco Giuliani (Fashion Styling student). Photography: Alessandro Mannelli.

Special thanks: Serge Girardi, Maxence Dinant.

ROMA

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