Every now and then, the fashion landscape sees a flurry of happenings—be it huge overhauls in terms of the creative direction for the key maisons or groundbreaking collaborations that attract enthusiasts from every corner of culture. Some of these, undoubtedly causing a palpable shift in the sartorial world. After all, changes at the executive level for the various fashion houses might not only bring about the end of an era with certain iconic designers, but also set in motion a season of change as to who might be next to take up the mantle. One only needs to recall the legacy of Tom Ford’s Gucci or the vision which Karl Lagerfeld had left behind for Chanel; both departures despite being inevitable, were undeniable rupture points for the fashion world.
And at other times, the industry welcomed moments of genius; creative collaborations that cross into the realms of art, film and music turn into the talk of the town, such as Louis Vuitton’s memorable collections with Japanese artists Takashi Murakami and Yayoi Kusama or the many joint moves with widely popular artist KAWS.
Amidst the buzz of affairs this month, it’s inevitable that you might have missed out on some significant drops and announcements over the past few weeks. Not to fret however, for with Vogue Singapore’s bi-weekly round-up, you can consider yourself all caught up. This week, starry ambassadorships take the cake, with Florence Pugh for Valentino and Haerin of NewJeans for Dior. On the designer front, Tom Ford has chosen to make his exit quietly—with a final collection drop that pays homage to the best looks of the brand’s past. Meanwhile, exciting destination opportunities have popped up in the form of the Prada Caffè opening at Harrods in London.
Catch up on all the fashion news to know, below.
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Prada Caffè opens at Harrods in London
There is delight to be had when the world of high fashion ports itself into its adjacent realms; a sentiment which luxury house Prada seems to embrace with the opening of its Prada Caffè. Newly-opened at Harrods in London, the space is an uber-chic reflection of the house’s style codes. The decor of its interiors for one, sees the maison’s signature green plastered all through the velvet upholstering of its furniture—a tonal contrast against the wash of pastel green all over its walls and the black-and-white chequered flooring that mirrors its storied boutique in Milan. For its tabled fare, one can expect all-day options from breakfast sandwiches and risottos to freshly-baked patisserie and evening tipples primed for the evening.
The Prada Caffè will be open from now till 7 January 2024.
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Florence Pugh is Valentino’s latest DI.VA
Joining the star-studded roster of Valentino’s DI.VAs is none other than the effervescent Florence Pugh. And it comes as no surprise, considering the actor’s long-standing relationship with the maison and Pierpaolo Piccioli—who have been behind some of Pugh’s most stunning red carpet moments. Captured by Steven Meisel in New York, her debut campaign as an ambassador for the house is titled ‘Encyclopaedia of Feelings’ and puts the spotlight on the brand’s Garavani Rockstud23. For this specific campaign, the actor poses for an authentic series of portraits that amplify a range of emotions, a nod towards the virtue of bold self-expression Piccioli holds so dearly to his creations.
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Tom Ford drops his final collection for Tom Ford
In quiet, unassuming fashion, Tom Ford has made his exit from his namesake brand official, which he has been helming for the past 13 years since its beginnings. With a nostalgic archive fall/winter 2023 collection—set to be his last—the iconic designer revisits some of his favourite looks over his time with the house, through three lookbook videos captured by photographer Steven Klein. And it has all the makings of a Tom Ford vision: from his beloved model muses Amber Valletta, Karen Elson and Joan Smalls to name a few, to their donning of the momentous looks that will go down in red carpet history. As for who will take up his empty spot on the mantle, Peter Hawkings has been announced as his predecessor and will step up as Tom Ford’s new creative director.
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The launch of Cos Atelier
Last year, Sweden-born cult brand Cos launched Cos Atelier: its luxury answer to its timeless, modern aesthetic. To launch its spring/summer 2023 collection this time around, the brand flew over to Paris for an intimate showing of its elevated occasionwear. On the runway, it spoke of a balmy ’90s summer: where subtle touches of polish meet tailored separates in coordinated suiting, precisely-cut shirts and simple, elegant dresses that boast a flowy, effortless air. The collection is now available for carting straight into your own wardrobes, on its website and in selected stores worldwide.
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NewJeans’s Haerin is Dior’s newest ambassador
And there we have it: Haerin of NewJeans is officially the latest face of Dior—and can be expected to front the house’s beauty, fashion and jewellery campaigns. This appointment was definitely one that was bound to happen eventually, what with the other members of the K-pop quintet cinching their own ambassadorship contracts with various fashion houses. According to Dior who has termed this partnership as “a unique friendship in the name of creativity,”: “This is an opportunity to celebrate the privileged ties binding more than ever the NewJeans singer and Dior.”
