Yseult in Christian Dior, and other stuff
This Week In Fashion
Quite a bit of minor fashion news this week, some more shocking than the rest. Also! We got Sabato de Sarno’s third collection for Gucci, and well…
Anyway, let’s get into it.
With the three collections we’ve gotten from Sabato de Sarno’s Gucci, there’s always a word that the collection is meant to embody– this season it was romanticism. When I think of romance, I think of warmth, I think of knowing someone inside and out, feeling like they understand me. While I have to say that after all the campaigns, and the short film, and the interviews, I do feel like I know Sabato de Sarno better, I’m not sure that I know his client any more than I did during his debut collection. I keep feeling like they’re trying to tell me something about themselves, but instead their walls just grow taller, and our relationship suffers because of it.
With this season, Gucci took us to London. Although it is an Italian brand, Guccio Gucci, the brand's founder, spent his years working at the Savoy Hotel in London. There, he was inspired by the luggage of the upper class guests, and started making luxury luggage and accessories himself. The rest is history, as they say. Sabato himself said that he had personal connections to the city that led him to want to show the collection there.
Sabato wants to be a celebrity, it feels, and with that comes the logic that he is enough for people to want the clothes, but is he? He is the brand first, and the clothing comes second. While I don’t think that every collection ever made needs to have a direct point of reference and a direct theme, I do feel that luxury clothing should be of luxury quality, and should be compelling. It’s possible– we see Matthieu Blazy do it at Bottega Veneta every season– but this era of Gucci feels sterile to me, at least so far. It’s defrosted a bit with this resort season’s boho chicness, and it’s nice to finally see womenswear featuring something other than short shorts, which already feel like a house code, but I’m still confused.
Cruise collections always skew commercial, but that seems to be the goal of every Gucci collection since Sabato’s debut. Some pieces felt like a nod to Alessandro Michele’s Gucci– for example, the pussybow blouses and daisy print, a pair of jeans felt especially Alessandro-esque. One thing that’s been really strong since the beginning is the beaded fringe, often seen on coats, but this time it made its way over to pants. As someone who is pro skirt over pants, I’m not at all mad at it. Some beaded fringe felt like a play on plaid, and was interesting at times, but scary at others, a la an ombré dress whose bust area felt like a disconnected after thought. Lace was there, I guess, and the Gucci “ancora” red is still going strong. It was smart to incorporate the horse bit into the ready-to-wear pieces, since it is so integral to the brand, but also because there’s been quite a few campaigns pushing it recently. Workwear styles and asymmetrical dresses weren’t sharp enough to be that commercial and sheer organza sets looked like they hadn’t been ironed, and not in the intentional way, while ballet flats that had more of a pointe shoe finish are sure to be fan favorites. The show closed with a collection of accordion pleated, chiffon gowns that honestly, were quite lovely, and felt like they were carrying the alleged romance of the collection on their backs alone.
Sure, some of the clothes are nice, but is nice enough if you’re not charmed at all?
- Sophie Turner for British Vogue; Quite a juicy read— I feel like celebrities usually aren’t this open about their lives/relationships. The styling is quite simple, but I think that aligns with the story well. I aslo think Chioma Nnadi is doing such a great job featuring a lot of London based designers. Styled by Camilla Nickerson.
- Haider Ackermann is the first creative director of Canada Goose. Well! I’m happy Haider is getting paid, but I would like something more luxury for him, because what a talent! I’m assuming Canada Goose is trying to go in the direction of Moncler, but I guess we’ll see with time.
- Jacquemus might have some questionable clothing, but their marketing is always top tier. The rollout for their new pop-up and beach club in Saint-Tropez was delicious.
- Another great campaign— the WNBA for Skims. Listen, I’m never giving Kim my money, but her campaigns are always incredible. Skims knows how to make a campaign make sense for whoever they’re featuring in it. The matching basketballs?! Are you joking.
- Michael Rider is leaving Polo Ralph Lauren, and there’s a rumor that he’s taking over Celine from Hedi Slimane. Now, Hedi is apparently kind of the worst to work for, and I’ve personally never been able to get behind his Celine, so I’m welcoming the rumored change.
- Alessandro Michele will be releasing an autobiography with philosopher Emanuele Coccia and I will be purchasing immediately!
- Rosalía is Dior’s latest brand ambassador, unfortunately. We’ve lost another good one, but hopefully she can bring some coolness to the brand.
- Simone Ashley attended the Season 3 premiere of Bridgerton and she wore custom Prada. Honestly, it’s simple, but it’s also stunning. It’s not her season, so I can understand her not wanting to do too much, but she did just enough. I love how full the fringed sequin is and it’s tailored very well.
- Now the star of this season wore custom Danielle Frankel, and while I love this in theory, I do wish it was a bit cleaner. I know it’s the nature of the fabric to wrinkle like that, but since Danielle Frankel is primarily known for their bridal wear, you’d expect this to be crispy!! Especially because we know Miss Nicola is a fashion girl. Anyway, I love that she went with all white, perhaps… foreshadowing!
- I thought this was Louis Vuitton at first, because of the styling, but this styling is way better than it was on the runway— he looks great. I love the flared pant, the mandarin collar, the houndstooth jacket! Also… is this a safe space. While Miss Penelope is holding it DOWN this season, Colin isn’t really doing it for me. I love that he’s finally acting more like himself and is obviously down bad, but I needed him to grovel more. She better walk him like a dog.
- This was rough. Claudia talked about sustainability being important to her and that this was going to be a suit she’d wear more than one, so I do respect that, especially since Stella also prioritizes sustainability. However, I’d really love for her to get the suit tailored before she wears it again. Also, she said her boyfriend picked the shoes, and while he has a great eye for color, styling… not so much.
- Honestly, Anya’s Cannes outfits haven’t been the greatest, but I missed these large ass Jacqeumus hats.
I mean, it’s a nice Dior dress, but it’s not incredibly memorable. Also, whoever was in charge of that seam at the bottom deserves to be reprimanded.
- Lily’s been wearing quite a bit of Gucci recently, and honestly, the custom team must love her, because!!! I’m intrigued by the chiffon being layered over top of the sequins— it’s almost undistinguishable around the waist.
She also wore Balenciaga, and it wasn’t as good. This is based on a dress from 1959, and the original just looks a lot more complete and full. Part of that I think has to do with the pleat into the neckline not having that bow holding it together.
- Oh, the girls hated this one on Twitter. As you know, I’m the first person to hate on people wearing this collection and not retaining it’s magic, but I love this, actually. It’s been made perfectly appropriate for Cannes, on a day when Greta was very busy, doing her judge duties, answering questions all day. I don’t think full porcelain doll fantasy was appropriate. Also, this dress is so beautifully made, I mean just look at the pin tucks and how all the stripes line up with one another! I love the little paper doll straps, and the platform tabi is enough of a fun touch.
Greta’s kind of been turning it out all week, tbh. This is quite simple, but it’s Armani, so that checks out— even still it’s quite sexy for the brand. Armani is always quite prominent during Cannes, and this dress is tailored beautifully.
Couldn’t find a good photo of this, but she wore one of my favorite looks from Simone Rocha’s collection for Jean Paul Gaultier. This is such a scrumptious dress. Naked without being naked at all.
- Probably my favorite look from Cannes so far was Yseult in custom Christian Dior, recreating the iconic New Look that debuted on the runway in 1947. This silhouette was so influential on the fashion industry with it’s signature wasp waist, and seeing it on Yseult, when it was originally always worn on thin, white women is so incredible. Dior has recreated looks from their archives before, but they usually fall flat, however, this is stunning.
- Naomi Campbell is being styled by Law Roach at Cannes this year, and she wore a Chanel dress that she actually modeled on the runway from the SS1997 Couture collection. It might not be the most groundbreaking Chanel look, but it’s such a special moment. This collection focused on stripping back Chanel house codes, and here we have stripes on the skirt, which feel like a nod to breton stripes, and also feel very fitting of Cannes!
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- Imagine ever getting tired of seeing Hunter serve a look? This floral print is pulled from the archives and is based on Austrian folk carvings. Very chic, but still has that quirk that I think is Hunter’s comfort zone. Her and Dara have been putting such Cannes appropriate looks together and I’m obsessed.
She wore an Amrani dress based off of the SS2011 Couture collection, and while they always make that silk chiffon look like the most delicious liquid, that waist seem is very severe and makes the top and bottom feel very disconnected. the original wasn’t much better, but I think the looseness made it less harsh. Regardless, she does look really lovely.
This Prada look had to have been my favorite so far, though. I know it’s simple, but the all white, bodysuit, wrap-skirt, head scarf of it all feels so French Riviera. I love the ruffle in the bust and how it compliments the ruffle in the skirt, as well as the bumper like lining under the bust and into the straps. It made me think of this photo of Audrey Heoburn.
This felt like the most Hunter look of them all. This feels a little sci-fi, and the draping, especially in the pants is insane.
- A simple look from LV, but the way the pleating is done is incredible, and I love the way it’s been used to define the waist. I do, however, wish the transition into the skirt was a little lest harsh.
- This is obviously a reference to the iconic bow dress by YSL for Saint Laurent, except that it is much worse! The skirt falls flat and that extra bow on the bottom is so pointless.
- Sienna!!! What an incredible way to show Schiaparelli in a more casual way, while still maintaining those house codes they’re known for. I mean, she just looks so cool. Once a fashion girl, always a fashion girl.
- I can’t believe people don’t wear Miss Sohee more often. The color, the bodice, the peplum, I’m going to pass away.
So that was this week! I have to go watch the carriage scene in Bridgerton Season 3 again.
TTYL!!!
xx