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Perfume addicts know what it is like to experience fragrance burnout; there is simply a point in time where you feel like you’ve been there, done that and sniffed it all. With hundreds of fragrances released each year (and 90 percent of them smelling identical) the search for something original can be long and arduous. Byredo Perfumes provides a welcome break from the usual suspects; their lineup of atypical scents with names like Baudelaire, Gypsy Water and Bal d’Afrique, is easily among the most exciting range of scents I’ve come across recently. Factor in the collaborations with both Fantastic Man and Acne and you have the makings of the hippest niche brand on the scene.
Byredo & Acne Candle, Lilla Nygatan 23
Cool points rarely mean gravitas, but Byredo has both; there are many lines that boast unusual ingredients or strange combinations, none can match the crisp freshness of Byredo; one spray of the aptly titled, Green is akin to walking through a garden of sage, spritz Pulp and you can almost taste the sweetness of ripe blood oranges. There is something wholly addictive about the way in which they manage to radiate that rawness that comes with natural smells.
The bottle of La Tulipe sitting on my dresser
Created ex-basketball player Ben Gorham (read the fascinating story of his move from sports to perfuming here) the line is chock full of winners. Personally, I am partial to the zest of the aforementioned Green, as well as their quintessentially Spring fragrance, La Tulipe, but there really is something for everyone.
When my mother told me about Kate Cusack’s unique zipper jewelry, I was intrigued yet skeptical. The idea of a line of jewelry created entirely from zippers seemed gimmicky, but Cusack’s artful execution was more than enough to ease my doubts. If I didn’t know that these pieces were comprised solely of YKKs, I would never guess; when twisted, folded and turned inside out they look completely different and serve as the perfect little statement add-on / conversation-starter. Just goes to show you, I should listen to my parents more often…
Alexander Wang has created an empire by making the kind of edgy, downtown basics seem to garner two reactions; obsessive love or complete ambivalence. If you fall into his target demographic of leggy Lower East Side girls who have hair that never seems to dry, then you will love what he has to offer for resort. If you don’t then, you may still find yourself begrudgingly intrigued by his handmade sweaters and casual cropped trousers. Though Wang has kept his grunge spirit, this collection is decidedly pristine; cream colored mini-dresses, crisp white denim worn with a leather jacket, even :gasp: a good ol’ fashioned khaki! Even non-believers may find themselves swayed, by the ease and accessibility of this collection.
A selection of monochromatic dresses and jumpers, followed by a cropped crochet top and white pants with a little hint of stomach.
Gorgeous burgundy mixed with khaki – love the bathrobe inspired trench coat, sure to be a hit. The cuffed khakis are almost preppy.
Signature black and white for the true Wang devotees, note the amount of midriff were seeing this resort season.
By the time you read this post, someone will have tried to convince you that there is a new minimalism. Whoever this person is, they are a liar and should not be trusted in any capacity. Minimalism never went away and the new minimalism looks suspiciously like the old version; case in point, this season when every other designer is attempting homage to the days when Helmut Lang, Calvin Klein and Jil Sander were actually helming their respective labels. All this millennial redux isn’t a bad thing as our appetite for simple, elegant clothes is never quite sated, but for those of who lived through the decade, the nostalgia can feel just a little too early. After all, there are women who still have their original camel coats tucked safely in storage, do they really need the new Celine variant?
The answer is of course, yes. There is still something appealing about the K.I.S.S. ethos of pared down design, be it fashion, art or even in the stripped down designs of publications like Gentlewoman and Dapper Dan. Whether or not women are ready dress like austere models seen on catwalks, they retain their interest in simplicity. Beneath the severity of minimalism lies a utilitarian spirit; Stella McCartney’s faux leather separates may look sleek, but they are also cut to flatter, accented by functional flat shoes and in season defying neutrals – same goes for the slouchy new offerings at Bottega, or even Philo’s heralded creations. Is it any wonder then that we keep hearing about the rebirth of minimalism season after season? The spin might be getting old, but the clothes keep working.
Balenciaga F/W 2010
Celine in Vogue Nippon, July 2010
John McLaughlin,
Bottega Veneta Resort 2011
Bottega Veneta, Bazaar June/July 2010
Kitty Kraus, Untitled 2006
Stella McCartney F/W 2010
Margiela in Vogue US, 2001
Jil Sander S/S 2002
*Intro image | The Row F/W 2010 by Jak & Jil
SansArtifice 
