RESORT 2021
Versace
Dsquared2
Gucci
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LUMA
FASHION CHAPTERI
TB SUMMER MONOGRAM
Kendall Jenner honed her already strong selfie game even further during lockdown, and now the supermodel has teamed up with Burberry to bring the brand’s new collection to life with the help of an at-home shoot. “Riccardo is an icon, so any chance we get to work together is exciting,” she tells British Vogue of working with creative director Riccardo Tisci on the project. Campaign images show Kendall wearing a bright blue and acid-orange printed bodysuit, part of the TB Summer Monogram launch, which also features a quilted towelling iteration of the Lola bag (a favourite accessory of Irina Shayk), and pieces made from eco-friendly e-canvas, as well as bold Italian-woven silk scarves, espadrilles and sneakers.
For the shoot, Tisci called upon photographer and longtime Burberry collaborator, Nick Knight, stylist Katy England and art director Peter Saville, who helped design the graphic interlocking “TB” monogram that Tisci used in the first Thomas Burberry Monogram collection for the house in May 2019. The iconic logo –which was inspired by the original Thomas Burberry motif – has been reimagined in a vibrant, summery palette of dark beige, azure blue, graphite, and cobalt blue with orange accents.
Restrictions in place as a result of the Covid-19 crisis meant that Tisci had to think outside the box for the launch, hence the campaign video created using a combination of real-life movement and CGI technology. In the video, four virtual “Kendalls” navigate a fantastical world of skate parks and swimming pools, each dressed in pieces from the TB Summer Monogram collection. The futuristic results contrast with the raw self-portraits of the supermodel, shot at home on her laptop.
For those seeking lockdown entertainment, the virtual world of Burberry can be further explored through “B Surf”, a water sports video game that has launched globally on Burberry.com. Players can choose an avatar and a surfboard, and dress their chosen character in outfits from the Burberry TB Summer Monogram collection before challenging their friends to a race around a TB-shaped track.
“POP”
In the accompanying editorial for the latter, which was a viral sensation shared on the supermodel’s Instagram, Bella Hadid poses inside a perspex box, like the the work of art that she is. As critics and visitors look, on Hadid cuts some impressive shapes despite her fractured ankle, sporting clothing by the likes of Dior, Prada and Kenzo. Alongside this, she’s stunning on the coveted front page spot, which will be sold with various different images, lensed by Charlotte Wales and Stevie Dance, who also shot and styled another editorial featuring Bella in the same issue. Take a sneak peek at the images here while you wait for the issue to hit newsstands later this month.
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Luma Grothe Seduces As Woman In Red, Lensed By Greg Swales
Model Luma Grothe seduces in sensual, scarlet fashion drama styled by Arnold Milfort. Photographer Greg Swales creates the sultry artistryforElleSerbiaFebruary 2018./ Hair by Brittan White; makeup by victor Noble
She started modeling in London, England, where she learned English.
RUNWAY CHAPTERII
VERSACE
“FLASH” versace
It’s rather difficult visualizing a Versace glamazon quarantining at home in casual loungewear and flip-flops—least of all Donatella Versace. But while her confinement uniform will remain forever a well-kept secret, the energy and chutzpah with which she confronted the pandemic was on full display for resort. Developed remotely with her team, the collection rings as Versace’s battle cry for post-lockdown self-confidence and optimism.
Called Versace Flash, it’s a dual-drop coed collection, tightly edited and ready to hit the stores running in see-now-buy-now mode. The first capsule will be delivered in August, and the second will land in November. After months of lockdown, brands and retailers are hopeful that people will be eager to return to mood-boosting shopping activities.
Resort was inspired by young musicians’ attitude of rebellion and their unconventional style choices. During a showroom review appointment, members of the design studio praised La Signora’s confident lockdown direction, hosting constant Zoom chats and steering the team towards a daring, instinctual approach— fun, creative, more personal. Joyful colors, energy, and “nothing boring, people don’t want boring clothes right now,” was apparently what she recommended.
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Indeed, nothing says “I’d like to go out and have a good time” better than like a loud, strong mix of Versace acid brights, pyrotechnical patchworks of archival prints, and sexy snakeskin patterns. Versace likes a dressed-up vibe: Silhouettes were shapely, short, and structured, with powerful ’80s shoulders; gold rings and peep holes were cut into the fabric, revealing flashes of bare skin on glam, form-fitting black jersey numbers.
The menswear was sportier, with sweats, surfer tees, wide-leg shorts, and tracksuits featuring a bold Medusa Amplified motif mixed with snakeskin patterns. Cropped-wide-pant suits in pastel colors—lavender, mint, baby blue— provided a tongue-in-cheek soft-tailored alternative to formal dressing.
gucci
“EPILOGUE”
As two weeks of digital fashion “shows” roll to credits, it’s the videos that capture the elusive quality of authenticity that stay with us. Some best practices: gritty can trump glam, process is everything, and designers often make for better content than models. We can all agree, I think, that the days of filming pretty people dancing in front of a camera and calling it a wrap are over.
Gucci’s Alessandro Michele has never been an up-and-down the runway kind of designer. At his first resort show for the brand, held in New York back in 2015, models walked across a West Chelsea street before stepping inside the art gallery venue; it was a public-facing show before that was a thing. Last February, days before the coronavirus crisis broke out near Milan, he staged a show in the round that was spectacular and intimate at once. In retrospect, it looks rather prescient: In inviting the audience behind the scenes and exposing the backstage goings-on of the hair and makeup crews and model dressers Michele was celebrating the very things that we’re all missing so badly in COVID-19-time: human interaction, collaboration, being part of a receptive audience.
Ruminating on the pandemic that brought Gucci to this novel way of doing things, Michele said, “It’s a disaster. But it’s not only a disaster. It’s a huge sign of something not going the right way, a moment to be reborn.” A wild pig spotted on the streets of Rome became a lockdown totem for him, its presence there suggesting a much needed realignment. If nature can do it, maybe fashion can, too?
Back in May Michele announced Gucci’s reduced show schedule, effectively canceling the far-flung destination shows of its past. This may be the brand’s last resort collection, but the name “Epilogue” might be a misnomer. The learnings of lockdown— the importance of his team, the value of feeling—will stick with him, he thinks. “It’s not just a way to close, but to say what we’ve done and put seeds of what will be in the next chapter. Yes, it could also be a beginning.”
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The lockdown didn’t seem to tarnish the irrepressible energy of the Caten twins. Back in Milan from a quarantine spent in Cyprus, they looked fit and tan, as if fresh from a fun-filled holiday in St. Barth’s. During a resort presentation at their headquarters, it was hard keeping up while they pranced springingly around the showroom.
Besides enjoying Cyprus’s sunny weather, quarantine was a time of work and reset. “It’s been a learning curve,” said Dean. “We’ve acted according to ‘The Three As’: Acceptance, Appreciation, and Adapt. You need to accept the situation, appreciate what you’ve been given and be grateful, and adapt to a new way forward.” They worked on resort remotely—and they loved it. “We’ll try to adopt this modus operandi also in the future,” he said.
The look book was shot in an impromptu studio, set up near their headquarters and staged as if it were backstage at a fashion show. The energy is full-on, and the Catens can be seen getting in on the action with models and assistants. Both collections give off the same feel-good spirit: real clothes with a dynamic, agile, sporty/urban vibe. They’ll be great for traveling when it resumes, as they’re made with easily packed technical fabrics—crisp nylons and waxed papery cottons, with thermo-sealed detailings. A ready-to-go spin and a feeling of vitality define the mood. Sweatshirts, bombers, and tracksuits can be reshaped with adjustable drawstrings to give the silhouette curves and volume. Denim shorts, a favorite look chez Dsquared2, were cut and re-mended to achieve the perfect fit and hybridized with nylon for newness.
The collection’s edit was much more focused than usual, both for women and men. “There has been a lot of ‘too much.’ People don’t need all that stuff,” Dan explained. They would also like their customers to find things in season in the stores. “I don’t need a huge piumino in July,” they said. “Say you go to Mykonos in summer, what you’ll find are down jackets and no bathing suits. There’s no logic. Bring back the logic! Buy it—wear it!”
