November News Roundup
If you are too busy to keep up with the industry, then here are five standout fashion and design news stories you may have missed that I thought were worth the read:
As designers continue to embrace artisan crafts, it is interesting to see more attention being paid to brands launching from South America, Africa, and central Asia. Magnetic Midnight Maison is a designer-led brand from Colombia that works with artisans from across the country to craft everything from unique, fantastical headpieces to delicate, pouch-style basket bags. Designer Lucia Echavarría creates intricate designs based on her love of costume, cultural handicrafts, and aesthetic objects. Read an interview with her here and be sure to check out her Instagram feed.
A few issues ago, I called out Byzantine jewelry as a go-to inspiration for me this season. It seems I was not the only one thinking about the style of an earlier era, as several designers have been influenced by medieval armor this season. Find out which names are taking design cues from the Middle Ages and how they are transforming tough, hard-edged elements associated with armor and warfare into detailed, romantic fine jewelry.
Surrealism was back in a big way this past year in fashion. The artistic movement known for blurring the lines between reality and the unconscious mind and dreams has been embraced by brands ranging from Schiaparelli (of course) to Louis Vuitton, which installed an inflatable sculpture of Yayoi Kusama at the Louis Vuitton flagship on Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris. But if you want to go back to one of the original surrealists, then dive into the interiors of Salvador Dali’s home in the small village of Portlligat (located on the Costa Brava in Catalonia, Spain). It was here that Dalí produced some of his best-known artworks, which makes this eccentric house of enormous artistic value.
As physical and online retail continues to transform in the post-Covid world, the latest retailers facing business challenges are multibrand e-tailers (think Farfetch). Reasons for the decline range from customers new-found enthusiasm for physical stores and wanting an in-person and social shopping experience to luxury brands preferring to push their own e-shops. I would add that for the consumer, whether shopping online or in-person, the benefit of shopping directly with a brand is being able to view their entire product line instead of seeing how a buyer has decided to cherry pick it. To learn more about the challenges multibrand e-tailers face, click here.
We’ve heard for years that print magazines are a dying breed, but what many in the industry complain of - namely editors and art directors - is the lack of creative and editorial diversity in publishing. And that’s exactly what makes this roundup of food magazines so interesting. From the titles and font choices to the cover artwork and story content, all these publications look at culture through the unique lens of food and, in the process, are redefining the idea of what a magazine should and can be.
Photo courtesy of Olena Znak / Shutterstock
