Plus Zegna eases into summer and Nordstrom’s new pop-up for Black creatives
Words by ELIZABETH VARNELL
Charlotte Gainsbourg eludes time and space in Saint Laurent’s new short film
For nine minutes, post-dinner party, Julianne Moore, Chloë Sevigny and Indya Moore wander around clad in elegantly pared-back Saint Laurent summer looks searching for Charlotte Gainsbourg in a cavernous dining room before departing in the French house’s new film, French Water, directed by Jim Jarmusch. Leo Reilly plays a lone waiter holding glasses of the liquid as the women appear and disappear in dream-like surreal sequences wearing various looks designed by Saint Laurent creative director Anthony Vaccarello who also art directed the project. “Do your friends’ clothes change often?” Reilly asks Indya Moore. The visual answer — replete with soft designs inspired by late 1960s thick jersey uncovered in the archives, tunics and trousers, long jackets, jumpsuits, and shirts with fluffy marabout fringes — is definitively an affirmative. 469 Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-271-4110. 110 Geary St., S.F., 415-765-0975; 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 714-429-0101.
Ferragamo looks back to move forward sustainably
Salvatore Ferragamo pushed a renewable resource into front-of-mind fashion conversations in 1927 when he debuted his revolutionary cork wedges. After all, the naturally flexible and durable material from oak trees grows back after being peeled off a layer at a time from beneath the bark. Now, in a nod to this month’s Earth day and the ongoing search for low climate impact materials, the Italian house is launching a limited-edition iteration of its Top Handle bag handcrafted from natural and renewable Forest Stewardship Council certified cork and lined with linen — a natural and biodegradable material. Even the bag’s zipper, tape and thread are made entirely from certified, recycled polyester. Jane Fonda, Arizona Muse and Maye Musk are each carrying one of the 500 bags created, and the clean production techniques perfected to make them are now at the forefront of Ferragamo’s innovative push into sustainable design and manufacturing. It’s a novel idea, a long time coming. 357 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-273-9990; 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 714-979-7654; 236 Post St., S.F., 415-391-6565.
Harley Viera Newton hearts Ancient Greek Sandals
A touch of whimsy, including all the makings of a fresh summer fruit bowl, enlivens Ancient Greek Sandals’ vibrant new collaboration with Harley Viera-Newton launching May 3. The Hollywood Hills-based model and DJ sorted through the playful motifs of her HVN line of silk dresses for shapes, colors and designs to adorn seven styles of summer footwear and landed on an abundance of hearts, fruits — including a pair of cherries embroidered onto pool-ready clear vinyl sides — and even green palm fronds perched atop thong sandals. Laso slides and Aglaia clogs incorporate heart buckles, strings of the symbolic shape adorn Clio slingbacks and a cut-out version appears on the Mary Jane-style Kaliroi. “We both really embrace a fun, joy-sparking aesthetic,” says Newton, of her heart-heavy partnership with Ancient Greek Sandals creative director Christina Martini.
Valentino supersizes its most iconic motif
Roman architecture inspired the pretty-tough rockstud motif that’s been a staple embellishment adorning Valentino Garavani accessory designs for the past decade. Now the Italian house is debuting its Roman Stud Top Handle bag complete with a magnified rendition of the punky pyramid accent. The quilted bag with maxi studs has both a detachable chain crossbody strap and one in leather, but can also be carried by hand. 324 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-247-0103; 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 714-751-3300; 105 Grant Ave., S.F., 415-772-9835.
Ermenegildo Zegna leans into leisurewear
A new versatile men’s wardrobe signals a paradigm shift at Ermenegildo Zegna. The men’s Italian fashion house’s luxury leisurewear collection suggests easing into spring and summer’s mix of outdoor and indoor dressing by prioritizing personal comfort with multifunctional garments. Zegna classics are reimagined as water repellant field jackets, next generation cargo pants and hooded anoraks in earthy colors, but with the house’s keen sartorial precision. Multihyphenate creative Gabriel-Kane Day-Lewis fronts the spring/summer collection of hybrid designs by artistic director Alessandro Sartori, made to continuously morph as fluid everyday silhouettes. 337 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-247-8827; 375 Sutter St., S.F., 415-986-4380; 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 714-444-1534.
Nordstrom launches Black_Space pop up
Nordstrom’s latest dedicated New Concept shop, Black_Space, pairs Black creatives including Union Los Angeles and Bephies Beauty Supply’s Beth Birkett Gibbs with art director Harris Elliott, stylists Matthew Henson and Marcus Paul and fashion editor Azza Yousif. The pop-up shop curated by these designers, creators and thought leaders includes limited and special edition clothes and products that are largely new to the Seattle-based department store. Lines include Off-White, Bode, Coral Studios, French streetwear brand XULY.bët, UK-based Priya Alhuwalia’s namesake line combining elements from the designer’s Indian-Nigerian heritage and London roots, and Le Tings’ recycled West African rice bags, shirts and hoodies. Gibbs also tailored a selection of beauty and clothing brands for the space including Ceylon face wash and toner, Jersey Shore Cosmetics sunscreen and hand cleanser, and even a lavender BBS oversized terry shirt and wrap skirt. 10250 Santa Monica Blvd., L.A., 424-204-1177; 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 714-850-2570; 2400 Forest Ave., San Jose, 408-248-2180; 6997 Friars Rd., San Diego, 619-295-4441.
Danielle Frankel and Manolo Blahnik dabble with color
The minutely-defined architecture of flowers launched a new collaborative project between New York-based bridal designer Danielle Hirsch of Danielle Frankel and Manolo Blahnik this spring. The pair of creatives are reimagining pumps and slingbacks incorporating images of commissioned floral artwork to add dip-dyed dusty brushes of colors and prints to pearl, cream and ivory designs. The hand-dyed techniques incorporated throughout the shoe collection — and Danielle Frankel’s accompanying ready-to-wear — were developed locally in support of New York’s Garment District. The six subtle new garden party-ready designs feel like a first step back out into the world.
The classic white shirt, revisited
If anything has become clear closet-wise over the last year, it’s the virtues of a pared-back wardrobe. Plainly put, key pieces are getting the most play these days. So it seems fitting that the founders of Wear Cisco have set about exploring one of the holy grails of fashion: devising the perfect button-down shirt. Venice-based artist and designer Carrie Jardine and her business partner Lisa Priolo, who embrace subtle palettes and clean silhouettes in their Cali Dreaming clothes and swimwear, are now creating foundational shirts through Wear Cisco, their newly-launched, made-in-Los Angeles brand. By blending masculine elements with feminine dimensions, their two designs, the Men’s and the Puff — available in a plethora of colors and fabrics — change shape and volume depending on how they’re styled. The seasonless basics are bound to become a staple in any less-is-more closet.
Net-a-Porter and Mr Porter debut Valentino x Levi’s coed 517s
Further advancing the retreat of skinny jeans is Valentino’s timely collaboration with San Francisco-based Levi’s on a limited run of vintage 517 boot-cut jeans and also pairs of newly created Re-Edition 517 denim available on Net-a-Porter and Mr Porter. A run of 517 pairs of the original 1969 cut, vintage and unaltered, include a new Levi’s label delineating the limited collection. Beyond the original pairs, the new Valentino + Levi’s Re-Edition 517s have a similar high-rise and are based on the same cut and produced by Levi’s with dual branding — down to the bright-orange back pocket tab.
May 10, 2021
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