OlaandCerise Alabi-helmed British labelCold Laundryhas introduced new colorways to its line of cozy essentials. The brand’s latest release is a continuation of simple and minimalist styles ranging from pufferjacketsto loose-fitted trousers.
The range kicks off with hoodies and matching sweatpants in photo-ready hues of ivory and dusty blue that are perfect for lounging around at home. Similar tones are spotted on long-sleeved tees and worker jackets, as well as hooded half-zip sweaters. Adding a touch of texture, a polo tee comes with ribbed knit detailing throughout, while simplicity takes over a series of crewneck tops. Taking the spotlight this time around are brown and black puffer jackets, which serve as a unisexouterwear piece for the cold weather. To elevate your look, you can also get your hands on boxy blazers and suit sets to style with both sneakers and heels.
Last week,Swarovskiteased a reworked version of its logo as part of its rebranding for 2021. Now, thejewelrycompany has officially unveiled its new identity thanks to the vision of its Creative Director,Giovanna Engelbert.
Designed in collaboration with branding agency General Idea, the iconic Swan is seen turning its head upwards, poised to take flight. Inspired by organic lines of historic Austrian design, the logo symbolizes eternal love. Elsewhere, Swarovski’s packaging has been given a colorful makeover embellished with the revamped Swan motif on the front.
To celebrate this occasion, the brand has introduced its rebranding through a campaign film titled Wonderlab starring model Adwoa Aboah, Game of Thrones‘ Gwendoline Christie and The Queen’s Gambit‘s Isla Johnston. According to a press release, Wonderlab “represents a modern crystal lifestyle where magic and science meet, instilling a sense of wonder in anyone who experiences it.”
The full visual is set to release on March 19. In the meantime, you can watch snippets of Wonderlab down below.
Kim Joneshas just revealed his first womenswear collection forFendi, paying homage to the luxury house and its key codes – as well as the women who have built its legacy. “The Fendi family are women of intellect who work hard – and that’s what I wanted to celebrate.”
Referring to the five Fendi sisters as “a powerful dynasty,” the Fall/Winter 2021 collection celebrates the femininity and savoir-faire unique to the Fendi house. “I’m taking the amazing, strong women who I both know and work with, and listening to their needs. There’s a usefulness to the collection, explored in a chic, timeless way,” Kim Jones explained.
The collection transitions from warm beige tones into deep browns and greys, and finally wraps in monochrome white and black looks. Inspiration from Karl Lagerfeld‘s legacy at the house is reflected through the Karligraphy monogram print, which dresses sheer nylon tights as well as leather jackets, and also translates Lagerfeld’s era at the house. Nods to Kim Jones’ first Haute Couture collection for the house are also present through marbled prints and delicate silk and organza materials throughout.
The collection sees the use of luxurious fur throughout, as Fendi remains one of the last few houses to continue using real mink and shearling for its pieces – including coats, bags and jackets in the FW21 collection. Fur is a signature to Fendi’s craftsmanship, specializing in using fox and mink fur, which Silvia Venturini Fendi previously described as “the most natural material that exists,” in an interview with Vogue. The house is famous for its intricate pieces, and refrain from using faux-fur, whilst many other luxury houses have abandoned the use due to its nature. “It can be about really luxurious self indulgence, which pleases the person wearing it more than anyone else,” said Kim Jones about the fur pieces in the collection.
As for accessories, logo earrings and chunky chain necklaces reign supreme, representing Delfina Delettrez Fendi. Dubbed FENDI O’Lock, the pieces use carabineers and padlocks, creating a metallic contrast against the delicate materials used throughout the range. For bags, new silhouettes are introduced, dubbed the FENDI Way tote and FENDI Touch shoulder bag, as well as new takes on classics like the Peekaboo and Sunshine Shopper.
Take a look at the Fendi Fall/Winter 2021 collection in the gallery above.
What started out as a hobby forMadison Beerhas turned the singer into a global success overnight. Back in 2012, Beer experimented withYouTube, much like any other 13-year-old was doing at the time. With an interest in music, the songstress would upload her singing covers,one of whichquickly caught the attention ofJustin Bieber.
After trending worldwide with a viral tweet from the Canadian artist, Beer signed to her first record label and the rest is history. The year after being discovered, the singer was working on what was supposed to be her debut album. However, that project was eventually put on hold. “I didn’t feel like I was ready. I was so young and I didn’t want to put something out because you only get one debut,” Beer tells HYPEBAE. Fast forward to 2021, the 21-year-old talent finally drops her first full-length album Life Support, after releasing a slew of singles including “Selfish” and “Baby” and “BOYSHIT.”
We spoke to Beer about the inspiration behind her new album, as well as the life lessons she’s learned from her music career so far. Read on for our interview.
Life Support is out now on all streaming platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music.
How does it feel to finally put out your first full-length album?
It feels amazing. I’ve been saying this all day, but it feels like I’ve been pregnant for a year and a half and I’m finally giving birth. You could only imagine how much pain I’ve been in just needing this out in the world. I’ve been working on this for so long and it’s such a period piece in my life that I’m excited to open this chapter to the world, but also close it within myself and start finishing up my next project.
What prompted you to title your project “Life Support”?
I have a song on the album that’s called “Emotional Bruises,” and in that song, I say, “You got me on life support.” My mom really liked that as the title for that song, so I named that song “Life Support.” The more I thought about it, I kind of wanted to name the album “Life Support” because I feel like this album was literally my life support for a while. I felt really alone, sad and depressed. I felt like I didn’t have much to live for, to be honest. So this album was really what got me through it. Creating it was like my therapy, so I’m really grateful for it. It got me out of a really bad time.
Did you experience any creative blocks while working on Life Support amid a global pandemic?
We actually finished it a year ago, so we luckily didn’t have to work on it through the pandemic. I’m actually already fully working on my second album. It’s been fun and we’ve been able to work through it. Being in quarantine for so long has also given me so many new ideas that I want to explore.
What made you choose to release “Good In Goodbye” and “Selfish” first?
We made “Good In Goodbye” a long time ago, so at the time of releasing it, we thought the album was going to come out within three months of that. I knew I wanted “Selfish” to come out because it’s my favorite of the whole album and I needed everyone to hear it. I’m really glad that I went with “Selfish” as the main one because it really resonates with a lot of people and connects with so many.
What was the creative process behind the visuals of your album? What inspired those concepts?
Each song has its own world I want it to be in. We’ve always had this experimental lab idea for Life Support, even for “Dear Society” that came out two years ago. I just always really wanted that aesthetic. Even though each video is super different, it’s all tied together and I feel like they all have similar themes.
Which singers did you look up to growing up? Did they in any way influence your sound now?
I listened to a lot of The Beatles. My dad was always playing Grateful Dead. I was also listening to Britney Spears. I definitely think they all influenced me in their own way and finding my own sound through all of that has been a really fun, exciting journey. I’ve been around music my whole entire life. It’ll be a part of me forever.
Back in 2013, you were working on what was supposed to be your debut album. Can you share with us what made you decide to push back that idea?
I didn’t feel like I was ready. I was so young and I didn’t want to put something out because you only get one debut. I just wanted to hold it off until I felt 100 percent confident in what I was doing, and at the time I didn’t.
What life lessons have you learned from being in the music business so far? How has that shaped you into the artist you are today?
I’ve learned a lot of really hard lessons at a really young age, which was difficult but they’ve shaped me into who I am today. My self-worth has grown so much because of the trials and tribulations that I’ve had to go through. I’ve been able to not rely on anyone per se. I am signed with a label now and I have people who support me, of course, and I’m so grateful, but my fans are also my world and they’re the ones who have never, ever left me. They’ve supported me through all the ups and downs, whereas a lot of other people in my life have jumped ship when they found it convenient.
What are some things about your YouTube days you wish you could relive?
Probably my ignorance. Maybe that sounds a bit dark, but I thought that it was all just like sunshine and rainbows, and the facade of everything. I was pretty naive, which I actually don’t wish I was still, but I feel like it’d be nice to feel that for a moment.
Are you working on anything else for the rest of the year?
I’m working on some sort of concert, which I’m super excited about. Hopefully a tour in the future once I can – that would be incredible. There’s a lot that I’m really hopeful and excited about. Unfortunately, things aren’t certain yet, but I definitely want to perform the album as much as I can.
A casual, everyday style, Alexa’s half-up-half-down ‘do uses Briogeo Farewell Frizz spray to define curls. After slicking back a portion of your hair, add twisted strands at each temple to help hold the updo in place and add detail. Ky achieves a more dramatic look with her “Kybraids.” Simply wrap strips of colorful African waxed fabric around each braid and secure at the end with thread.
“I think there is a dormant designer in most stylists,” saysNasrin Jean-Baptiste, founder of accessories brandPetit Kouraj. Jean-Baptiste’s observation is one that took years to manifest within herself — she started out as a fashion assistant and went on to work as a celebrity stylist, fashioning clients includingAlicia Keys, for over a decade. Struggling to findaccessoriesthat reflected her personality and style, Jean-Baptiste casually entertained the idea of launching her own brand. After the birth of her eldest daughter and a trip to her ancestral home of Haiti, two experiences she describes as “pivotal,” theBrooklyn-based creative translated her idea to reality and launched Petit Kouraj.
“The birth of my eldest daughter gave me an understanding that there is a difference between my actual ability verses what I tell myself,” Jean-Baptiste reflects. “I had always been petrified of childbirth, but after having a natural, unmedicated birth, I learned that my fears can be dismantled and overcome. I used this rule to help give me the confidence to start the brand that I had been too scared to start before,” she explains. Things fell into place when, on her formative trip to Haiti, the designer discovered a woman-owned and operated workshop that she would eventually enlist to produce Petit Kouraj’s handmade bags.
Sheena Sood/Petit Kouraj
Three years after that trip to Haiti, Jean-Baptiste’s Petit Kouraj — which is Haitian Creole for “little courage” — has paid off. Merging whimsy and sophistication, the brand’s signature fringed handbag twists and twirls with the wearer, adding energy and movement to any outfit. Each fine, hand-applied strand whips to and fro like horsehair, expressing a vitality that most bags — static, structured containers or slumped pouches — lack. The hero design is one Jean-Baptiste came up with entirely on her own. “There was a disconnect between what I envisioned in my mind and how the samples would come out,” she recounts. “I decided to make a sample of the fringe net bag myself and literally spent hours constructing it by hand. It was such a validating feeling when I had finished…It was at that moment I knew I was holding something special,” she says.
After producing the sample, Jean-Baptiste worked with Haitian artisans to devise a plan to replicate the bag at scale. “The fringe is applied and sewn individually, and the handles are wrapped with leather cord. It is a very labor-intensive process and although producing in Haiti comes with many unusual challenges, I think it’s worth the extra effort to produce in a way that is slow and meaningful,” she notes. As for her propensity for fringe, the designer explains its appeal: “It’s mysterious, fun, sexy and most of all, it has life. It has a personality of its own.”
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Niki Hall/Petit Kouraj
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Niki Hall/Petit Kouraj
Petit Kouraj is, at its core, all about translating the dynamism of clothing into accessories. “I want to create bags that give the feeling of clothing,” Jean-Baptiste remarks. “I often take inspiration from womenswear or jewelry and re-imagine it as an accessory. Petit Kouraj is all about the interplay between texture, movement and, being from the Caribbean, I love color.” In addition to its fringed offerings, the brand also crafts hand-knit totes decorated with seashell charms and bric-a-brac pendants, reminiscent of tiny treasures caught in a fishing net. It’s a product lineup that encapsulates the joy and wonder of discovery without becoming twee or overly precious.
When asked to offer a piece of advice to aspiring designers, Jean-Baptiste urges self-reflection. “Find the thing within you that is uniquely you, and the ideas that refuse to rest. Then double down on them,” she encourages. She also advocates for kindness, an asset that often falls by the wayside amidst the frenetic pace of the fashion industry. “Remember your worth and be kind to everyone. You never know who or what will be the person and experience that propels you.”
Ola and Cerise Alabi-helmed British label Cold Laundry has introduced new colorways to its line of cozy essentials. The brand’s latest release is a continuation of simple and minimalist styles ranging from puffer jackets to loose-fitted trousers.
