Kaushik Valendra’s winter collection cements on a unique insight into the Indian designer’s creative modus operandi. The presentation began with an inversive traditional type of runway show, working with members of the atelier. Meld with the familiar wall of popping incandescence, the models then step off the runway and into the environment for which the clothes were produced; that of the red carpet. It’s a transparent transition that allows the audience to fully understand the artisan’s dedication to the craft of menswear, while also realizing the power of the clothing in the most glamorous of settings.
Indeed, while glamour is paramount in this collection, elegant tailored silhouettes on show in fact eschew many of the tenets of classic tailoring. Instead, Velendra has been inspired by the DNA of sportswear, the placement of its seams, and how it drapes on the human anatomy, while at the same time accentuating the key principle that has always underlined tailoring – the aim of flattering the figure.
“Naturally fascinated by this dichotomy, my intention was to find a way to recreate those sexy and masculine shoulders, elegant elongated proportions and bold muscles using modified tailoring techniques and fabrication,” says Velendra. “My collection investigates the infinite possibilities of linking the two modes together, creating a ‘new generation’ of a modern, futuristic, sophisticated, and luxurious man.”
Key to the collection is the juxtaposition of traditional Indian embroidery techniques in collaboration with the lauded atelier of Vastrakala, founded by Jean-François Lesage, with the incorporation of space-age fabrications, such as magnetic zips and a heat-reactive felt that naturally molds over the contours of the shoulders, eliminating the need for traditional padding. Most striking are Velendra’s removable shoulder molds which, like armor, are designed to accentuate the human form but without ever compromising fluidity of movement. Velendra’s seamless hybridization of sportswear and tailoring charts new territory on the map of glamorous contemporary menswear.
Bais is one of the most promising Italian artists with a rich and sophisticated palette, fusing elements of pop melancholy, R&B, smooth and alternative sounds.
The uncomplexed modernity of the Front de Seine in the 15th arrondissement of Paris is a striking backdrop for the Lacoste Fall/Winter 2021 collection designed by Louise Trotter.
While waiting for the third album, which is expected to be out later this year, we met Olly on Zoom to discuss his upcoming new era, the pandemic and how social platforms are changing the music industry.
Muy pronto llega la Venta Privada de primavera, uno de los momentos más esperados del año, en el que podrás disfrutar de un 20% de descuento adicional en tus compras en el Village.
The fully immersive exhibition, RETURN TO SLYGO will celebrate the coming together of Nicholas’s multicultural Jamaican-Scottish roots with his passion for music in a multi-sensory installation.
In its second season, the meeting between the House and the professional basketball league explores our collective memories of the two cultural institutions around the time of 1990s’ basketball mania.
Leïti Sène is releasing T-REX, the first single of his upcoming solo album; we talk with Leïti himself and director Miguel Morillo on having a dream, a career, a lovelife and the most primary and animal part of ourselves.
The collection is dedicated to Nika Jorjadze, a reckless boy who died tragically at age 15. His music, art, and style became an inspiration for this streetwear brand releasing.
This world-renowned bilingual design school, the first in the heart of the Paris Latin Quarter, is keeping positive and busy during these uncertain times.
Conan Gray wearing Lacoste and shot by Tommy Dorfman.
In this issue, we explore how we are connected to nature and the intersectionality of social and sustainable issues.
We talk to designer Bethany Williams who believes that social and environmental issues are connected along with
designers Francisco Terra of Neith Nyer, Tom Van der Borght, and actor Archie Renaux. Stylists were encouraged to not only explore conscious designers but to pull from the archives, vintage, and to forget about seasons with editorials.
