Wed 6th March
Plus Prada’s DTLA art carnival.
With fashion month over, all eyes are on Los Angeles with the Oscars this Sunday and the celebrity hubbub that comes along with the Academy Awards. While there are plenty of parties and dinners, one adjacent event happens to be open to the public as Prada has descended and transformed a DTLA warehouse into a nightclub meets carnival meets art installation. Not in California? Other fashion news worth noting runs the gamut from Ferragamo and Audemars Piguet opening up boutiques in Milan while Burberry sets up shop in Austin, Texas. In honor of International Women’s Day Loewe is highlighting female artists with a series of short films and Lafayette 148 is working with Martha Madigan’s daughters on a capsule collection.
Check out all of that plus what else you might have missed this week.
Prada Transforms a DTLA Into an Art-Filled Carnival
Frieze Los Angeles technically ended last week but there’s still one more art exhibit meets event space worth checking out this weekend: Prada’s The Double Club in DTLA. The project by Carsten Höller marks the third time the two have partnered on pop-up installations — fans of his work will know that he’s the genius behind the slide as well as the mushroom room at the Fondazione Prada. For this iteration, there are nine spaces featuring familiar carnival style rides like a carousel, roller coaster, and spinning chair swing. The rides are a nod to the fact that this is presented in partnership with the Luna Luna, the vintage amusement park being restored by Drake, which happens to be next door. Not into taking a spin on the coaster? Inside you’ll also find a performance area featuring music programming curated by Höller in conjunction with Drake as well as multiple bars.
Loewe Highlights Women in Craft For International Women’s Day
Between the Loewe Craft Prize and their upcoming exhibit in Shanghai highlighting the brand’s history in supporting artisans and their work, it’s no surprise that for International Women’s Day, Loewe is again returning to craftsmanship. In honor of the occasion, four female artists, who were shortlisted for previous editions of the prize, were invited to tour each other’s studios in London and Paris, with the aim to inspire and connect. Ceramicist Akiko Hirai, wood sculptor Eleanor Lakelin, and textile artists Luz Moreno Pinart and Simone Pheulpin explained their techniques and found parallels between their work through a series of short, informal films. This initiative continues last year’s #WOMENINCRAFT social campaign, which encouraged female artists and designers to share the work of others that they admire — a chain letter of sorts across the world, Check out all the films here.
Lafayette 148 Celebrates Women’s History Month With a Capsule Collection Inspired by Martha Madigan
Photographer and artist Martha Madigan passed away in 2022, leaving behind a legacy where she used Cyanotype coated paper, sunlight, and botanical objects to capture the ephemeral beauty of nature. In her honor, as well as in celebration of Women/s History Month, Lafayette 148 has a capsule collection inspired by her work. Working with Madigan’s daughters Claire Khodara and Grace Fuller Marroquin, the line consists of a pajama-inspired set and scarf as well as a caftan that features the artist’s iconic flora-infused prints. Launching on March 8, 20% of sales will benefit the Martha Madigan Foundation which funds art education. In addition, from March 13 through April 18, Lafayette 148 in New York City will exhibit her work, including large banner-format archival prints on silk from solar photograms.
Audemars Piguet Opens AP House in Milan
Retail spaces these days aren’t just places where you can shop — the most successful ones tend to offer a sense of community, down to programming. For Audemars Piguet, that idea isn’t new. They first opened up AP House in Milan in 2017, which kicked off similar ones in cities like New York, London, Tokyo, and beyond. Now they’re back in the city that started it all, with a new AP House on Via Bagutta. Located in the former Garage Traversi, the latest iteration spans five floors and has design touches that nod to the watchmaker’s rich history. Designed in collaboration with Lissoni & Partners, the firm drew inspiration from Vallèe de Joux, where Audemars Piguet calls home, using a mix of wood, glass, and metal to fill the space. On the ground floor, the pattern nods to the brand’s Petite Tapisserie guilloché pattern that can be seen in the Royal Oak. In the center, a spiral staircase links all the floors and evokes the watch’s mainspring. Guests can find an entire floor dedicated to servicing while there’s also an exhibition space filled with vintage furniture and design pieces, all naturally made by famous Milanese designers. Speaking of Milanese, the brand also selected contemporary art to line the walls, as loaned by Francesca Minini Gallery. To make the experience even more immersive, Audemars Piguet partnered with Dreamscape Immersive to create a virtual reality world. Called The Clockwork Forest, it shows a magical space where technology and nature meet. And finally, for those seeking a view, the top floor offers 360° views of the city.
Birkenstock Celebrates Downtown New York City Creativity
While you might associate Birkenstocks with being the go-to for comfortable sandals, this spring they’re tapping into their creative side. For the brand’s 1774 collection campaign, Birkstenstock decided to draw from New York City’s reputation as a hub for artists in the 70s and 80s — a time where expression was encouraged and nurtured as an integral part of the community. To illustrate the idea the campaign stars four NYC-based creatives as photographed in a series of intimate portraits by Max Farago. Painters Cassi Namoda and Louis Mueller are joined by Rafael Prieto, an artist who heads Savvy Studio and Casa Bosques, as well as poet and model Coco Gordon Moore. Wearing the collection’s six styles, the two new ones worth noting are the 33 Dougal which is inspired by the Boston clog. In smooth leather with a high shine finish, it comes in black, because what else would a New Yorker want to wear? The other is the 222 West, a blend of the Arizona two-strap and Boston styles. It’s also in black but with chrome buckles and sure to be a design favorite. Shop the entire collection here.
Tommy Hilfiger Adds a Famous New Face to the Family
No one can draw a celebrity turnout quite like Tommy Hilfiger. You only need to look at the brand’s fall 2024 show for proof — the likes of Sophia Ritchie Grainge, Damson Idris, GloRilla among others filled the front row. The latest to join the fold? Kendall Jenner, who serves as the face of the spring 2024 campaign. Along with five of friends, including model and musician Ebony Riley, model and singer Fai Khadra, actor and DJ Travis Bennett, among others, the images are quintessential Los Angeles with its blue skies and sunshine.n Hilfiger classics like oxford shirting, blazers, and polos in shades of red, white, and blue feature prominently, reimagining preppy for a new generation.
Gucci’s G-Timeless Watch Gets a Modern Update
All eyes might be on Sabato de Sarno’s reimagining of the Gucci Marina chain, with its chunky gold design, but the Italian luxury brand’s watches are also getting a subtle tweak as well. The G-Timeless, a classic design that was first introduced in the 1970s, underwent a contemporary update. Featuring a slimline silhouette, ridged bezels, and sleek dial finishes, the new timepieces also include a subtle Gucci motif as well as a three-link stainless steel bracelet. There are 40-mm versions, all with a Swiss-made automatic movement that can be seen through a transparent case back. One steel style has a blue or black dial while a bicolor version has a silver dial with yellow gold-plated bezel and gold galvanized indexes and hands. For those who like a smaller face, there are also four 29-mm cases available. Two have a pink or silver mother of pearl dial with diamond indexes while the other two included diamonds at the 3 and 9 o’clock spots. You can learn more about the designs here.
Ferragamo Revamps Their Milan Boutique
While Maximilian Davis has been at the helm at Ferragamo for two years, the stores haven’t reflected his new vision — until now. The brand reopened their Milan flagship, to better reflect Davis’ creative direction. Located on Via Montenapoleone and designed by architect Vincent Van Duysen, it marks Van Duysen’s first retail project. The space is designed to be a sequence of rooms with Venetian stucco walls, stone floors, and ceilings rendered in a palette of light, warm colors. To complement the soft hues Van Duysen added in red mottled marble slabs (Salvatore Ferragamo’s favorite shade) as well as large bronze mirrors. Finishing off the boutique are carefully curated furnishings like ottomans, armchairs, and display cases that have soft rounded edges. With tables and alcoves by Andrea Mancuso as well as upcycled pieces by JoAnn Tan, the boutique is also a space to highlight new designers. Expect to find Ferragamo’s array of footwear, bags, accessories, and clothing at the shop, including exclusives like the Hug bag.
COS Heads to Mexico For Their Spring Campaign
As warm weather and spring break beckons, it’s only fitting that COS’ spring campaign is set in Mexico. Featuring a diverse cast of models ranging from Mica Arganaraz, Xu Meen, Dara Gueye, and more, the calm images show sunny skies and soothing water. The clothes reflect what the brand does best, namely classics like a trench coat, biker jacket, and easy day-to-evening dresses. Also new this season are retro-inspired leisurewear styles and coordinated sets. To complement these photos, the brand also features in-studio portraits of Rina Sawayama and Jack O’Connell clad in the minimalist styles.
Burberry Expands in Texas and California
Between the takeover at Harrod’s and their new Paris boutique, you’d think Burberry had Europe on the mind. But not so! The British luxury brand just announced two new spaces in the U.S. First up is a two week pop-up at South Coast Plaza in California that’ll run through March 14th. With its tent-like interiors and camping-style furniture the immersive experience will highlight key designs like the brand’s signature trench coat as well as all the prints Daniel Lee showed during his spring 2024 runway presentation. Over in Austin comes a more permanent space at The Domain. Featuring fixtures designed by artist Casey McCafferty as well as rugs by British artist Tom Atton Moore, the space highlights craftsmanship from the clothes down to the design elements.
