17 May 2024 |
Plus Fendi and Montblanc celebrate 100 years.
Feeling starved for red carpet glamor now that the Met Gala is but a distant memory? Well buckle up, because the next two weeks are going to be filled with Cannes Film Festival looks, including plenty of jewelry by Chopard. And speaking of the South of France, just in time for the festival as well as the upcoming Lions, Lanvin has reopened their boutique on the famous Boulevard de la Croisette, after a century-long hiatus. 100 seems to be the magic number this week, because it also applies to Fendi and Montblanc. For the former, in honor of their upcoming centenary in 2025, they’re releasing a line of fragrances while the latter tapped Wes Anderson to make a short film devoted to their signature pen. And while Louis Vuitton and America’s Cup might not be celebrating 100 years, their partnership has been going strong since 1983, as the brand announced a special capsule collection in honor of the race this week.
Read on to learn more and catch up on what else you might have missed.
Fendi Launches a Luxury Fragrance Line to Celebrate Its 100-Year History
Fendi has just announced its next fragrance foray – a high-end collection of perfumes that marks its first olfactory venture in over a decade. As the house gears up for its centenary next year, the release is set to pay homage to its history and those who have played a key role, including its current artistic director for womenswear, Kim Jones and artistic director of accessories and menswear, Silvia Venturini Fendi. Having been developed with the support of the LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton fragrance division, the seven-scent offering will land in both Fendi stores and online this June.
Drawing inspiration from the various personalities of key Fendi players – such as the Casa Grande scent based on the house’s matriarch Adele Casagrande Fendi – the brand heavily emphasizes its dynastic DNA. Expressing this focus through the packaging as well as the fragrances, the refillable glass flacon featuring a subtle arch at its bottom nods to Roman architecture. Marking a new approach to the brand’s fragrance offering, the new scents will only be available within Fendi’s own retail network. Tune into their site to stay in the loop.
Lanvin Heads to the South of France
You’re not imagining things — everyone really is in Cannes at the moment. Add Lanvin to that list as they just reopened their boutique located at 65 Boulevard de la Croisette after a century long hiatus. The French Riviera holds a special connection to the brand — Jeanne Lanvin acquired villas in the area and she also opened up a boutique within the Royal Hôtel in the early 1920s. Fast forward 100 years later, the new space is inspired by her couture presentation on board of the Normandy in 1935. Reminiscent of an ocean liner, the interiors make the customer feel as if they have been transported back in time to when glamorous sea sojourns were the norm. Featuring a capsule of evening dresses and tuxedos (perfect for both the Film and Lions festivals), as well as limited edition accessories in dead stock fabrics, the brand will include souvenir postcards that feature Lanvin’s sketches. And once the summer high season is over, the space will eventually become a permanent boutique to open in early 2025.
Miu Miu’s Latest Upcycled Collection Drops
Finding ways to be kinder on the environment has become a big goal for brands, especially as customers become more green conscious. For fans of Miu Miu, their upcycled collection is one way to shop the brand with a focus on pieces that are getting a second life. They just launched their fifth capsule, with a focus on denim. For these pieces, the brand took apart pieces so now those tight jeans are suddenly loose while micro shorts aren’t quite so micro anymore. With the addition of stitching and Miu Miu branding, it all feels new again. To showcase the styles, Tarek Cassim photographed models Alice McGrath and Ana Elisa in a series of cut-out and collaged portraits that echo the design process. Shop it here.
COS and Artist Kazuki Tabata Highlight the Craft of Shibori
For over 1300 years, the art of shibori has played an integral role in Japan’s culture. The craft, which involves folding dyeing cloth in indigo to create intricate patterns, requires meticulous preparation and one artist known for this work is Kazuki Tabata. Tabata, who is based in Kyoto, combines tradition with modernity which makes it the perfect fit for COS. The brand just announced they will be launching a limited edition collection with the artisan. Featuring 14 pieces of womenswear, menswear, and accessories, it’s the ideal meeting of two worlds as a time-honored technique gets a minimalist, fashion forward twist. With summer on the horizon, these styles were made for warm weather layering. Find the collection in select stores starting in June.
Chanel Reopens at Tysons Galleria
Washington D.C.-area Chanel fans no longer need to leave town when they feel like shopping for a new addition to their wardrobe. The brand just reopened their Tysons Galleria boutique. Designed by longtime collaborator Peter Marino, the space is reminiscent of a residential home — a nod both to D.C. as well as Gabrielle Chanel’s apartment on Rue Cambon. Inside, the shop is divided into ten salons with dedicated areas for handbags and accessories, fragrance and beauty, watches and fine jewelry, ready-to-wear, as well as a private space. As always, the interiors palette is elegant and neutral as black and gold is mixed in with metallics and rich browns. Antique furniture sits alongside newer creations with standout pieces like bronze chairs by Voukenas Petrides as well as a Goossens chandelier that features 17 hexagonal pieces of rock crystal that hang from gold decorative chains. Marino also designed two limited-edition African pedestal lamps for inclusion. Artwork, always a highlight in the boutiques, does not disappoint as a Marc Swanson geometric canvas, Johan Creten sculpture, and Agnes Martin painting are among the selection. For those who want to see all of this in person, they’ll also be able to browse the spring 2024 collection as well as a special selection of the latest fine jewelry along with fragrance and makeup.
Louis Vuitton Goes Nautical
Barcelona isn’t just where Louis Vuitton is holding their resort presentation this year, the brand also happens to be sponsoring the 37th America’s Cup sailing race in the city as well. As one of the world’s oldest international sporting trophies, the two have been intertwined since 1983, when Louis Vuitton first signed on and it’s a natural fit as both share the values of travel, innovation, and performance. To commemorate the event, a dedicated men’s and women’s capsule collection combines nautical influences with the elegance you’d expect from the brand. Split into three themes, Riding the Waves features technical pieces while A Day on the Deck is all about sporty daywear and Elegant Summer Evening is precisely that —sophisticated nighttime creations. One uniting motif? The America’s Cup logo, a graphic V developed by Gaston-Louis Vuitton and featuring color blocks of red, white, and navy. Shop the line when it hits stores and online on July 18th.
Montblanc Gets the Wes Anderson Treatment
Picture a Wes Anderson scene. Is there a quirky protagonist assembling a seemingly mismatched array of items before setting off their quest? Is one of these tools a pen? Of course it is, so it’s only fitting that Montblanc is celebrating their 100th anniversary by asking the iconic director and screenwriter to create a short film. Doubling as a campaign to honor the brand’s Meiserstück, their most famous writing implement, it stars longtime collaborators like Rupert Friend, Jason Schwartzman, and Anderson himself. The three minute, highly entertaining video kicks off with a snowy scene (after all Mont Blanc the peak, is a cold locale) before segueing into a cozy cabin which includes a writing space. The three showcase the pens and watches the brand is known for before setting off to do a bit of writing. To accompany the movie, a series of equally whimsical images starring the Friend, Schwartzman as well as Maude Apatow, Waris Ahluwalia, and Korean actor and Montblanc Mark Maker Lee Jinuk. Watch it here.
Flamingo Estate Teams Up With JW Marriott
Staying at JW Marriott any time soon? Sniff the air and listen to the soothing music that plays when you arrive — it’s a specially curated partnership between the luxury hotel and Flamingo Estate. The California-based lifestyle company is a favorite among the design conscious for their meticulously curated line of pantry, bath, and home goods so it only makes sense that their five star experience is brought to a five star locale. For the partnership the brand is creating a co-branded scent called Expansion that has notes of lush greener, damp earth, and rich flowers which will be made into a candle. As an accompaniment, they’ve also curated four playlists that correspond to the distinct energies at different times of the day: Aurora, Sun, Twilight, and Moon. You’ll be able to hear it in public spaces and they can also be found on Flamingo Estate’s Spotify account. And finally, they’ll also be making a signature honey that features adaptogenic Holy Basil and Bergamot that will be in cocktails as well as savory dishes at each property. For those who are staying in their New York City location, a bespoke pop-up will allow guests to immerse themselves in the collection through June 14 and select items will be at certain hotels like their Madrid and Mexico locations. Not heading there? You can also shop it online.
Chopard is a Cannes Fairy Tale Brought to Life
Forget ten minute long standing ovations and that meme of Jason DeRulo falling down the red stairs, the truly memorable moments from the Cannes Film Festival are the red carpet looks. And what would a red carpet look be without dazzling jewels? Chopard uses this moment to highlight their high jewelry workshops, as they’re the official partner of the festival since 1998. Known as their Red Carpet Collection and designed by Caroline Scheufele the brand’s co-president and artistic director, this year’s 77 designs take their inspiration from fairy tales or Contes de Fees. Chances are you’ve seen the likes of Greta Gerwig, Hunter Schaffer, and Demi Moore among the lucky ones debuting the pieces. Highlights include a sculptural necklace inspired by an oak tree housing woodland creatures made from rose gold and titanium as well as yellow sapphires and tsavorites that took four jewelers six months to create. A mushroom ring, set with white, orange, cognac, and brown diamonds is another whimsical design not to be missed while a multi-colored sautoir necklace includes a flower made from rubellites, tsavorites and colored diamonds. From tiaras to earrings to brooches, if there’s a spectacular creation that catches your eye over the next two weeks, chances are it’s by Chopard.
Milamore Finds Beauty in the Imperfect
Often when you buy gold jewelry, you’ll be advised to opt for pieces anywhere between 14 to 18 karats, with the idea that anything higher runs the risk of warping given how malleable the metal is. But for Milamore’s founder George Inaki Root, this precise softness is the reason why his Jun-Kintsungi ring is made with 24 karat gold. Hand-carved by Root himself in his atelier in Japan, the piece was intentionally chosen for its softness and malleability. Rather than seeing the deformations and scratches as undesirable, the imperfections reflect kintsugi philosophy where these flaws are in fact beautiful. The ring was created to evolve, molding to fit your finger with each ding a reflection of a life well lived. Shop the design here.
