Formal

It's a little-known fact that Ubisoft generate product ideas by writing game names, mediums, target audiences, and such on scraps of paper, popping them into a big hat, then drawing a handful to discover their next big hit. This foolproof system recently produced the combination of [Assassin's Creed] [Book] [For Children, But Really For Parents] [Mister Men crossover], leading Ubisoft yesterday to announce a series of Mister Men and Little Miss books starring the murderers of Assassin's Creed. (more…)

For a time largely spent alone, the pandemic year has prompted a lot of conversation about clothes. When lockdowns began, it seemed like every news publication ran a nearly identical roundup of advice from work-from-home veterans, who often suggested getting dressed in normal work wear every morning. That didn’t really last—a few months into the pandemic, people started recommending lists of luxury sweatshirts, daytime pajamas, and less restrictive bras. Now that vaccine distribution is ramping up, talk has turned to the expiring era of round-the-clock sweatpants, and let’s just say—I will scream into a pile of French terry if I have to hear another joke about the painful transition back to “hard pants.” But I will admit: I want to know which of those much-maligned hard...

The Queen chose a magnificent brooch to complement her simple black coat. - PAThis was the first British royal funeral for the internet age. The level of grooming and the height of many of the women’s heels was notable – there was not a single inappropriate outfit, and one was aware that many of those present would have dressed for the closest scrutiny of the cameras.If anyone understands the significance of mourning dress, it’s the royal family. And wearing black - a colour traditionally worn ever since Queen Victoria wore it following her husband Albert’s death in 1861 - means that deeply significant jewellery can be seen with piercing clarity.The Queen chose a magnificent brooch to complement her simple black coat.But the cut-away necklines of the Duchess of Cambridge's Roland Mouret dr...

Screenshot: MetropolitanA title card at the beginning of Whit Stillman’s debut feature, Metropolitan, identifies the time period merely as “not so long ago.” At the time—the film was originally released in 1990—Stillman was looking back roughly 20 years, to the early 1970s; of course, many more years have passed since then. It doesn’t really matter, though, as Metropolitan has always felt like a movie that exists in a strange, insular little bubble of its own, utterly divorced from the personal experience of virtually anyone who watches it. The film’s enduring appeal lies in its sardonic yet warmly affectionate portrait of New York’s debutante-ball subculture, which has rarely appeared onscreen before or since. Few will identify with the ludicrously wealthy characters, w...

If you missed it, Kim Jones has released another sneaker and apparel collection with Nike. It's a relationship that goes way back, with the incumbent Dior chief first putting his name to a Swoosh collection in 2016. But why, we must ask, are these collabs always really bad?All things considered, Jones — an actual tailoring master — is one of the best designers on the planet. There are so many phoneys out there, but Jones "gets" sportswear, a vital part of UK subculture since forever.Having first collaborated with Umbro way back in 2008, he has always been adept at bringing worlds together. Scratch beneath the surface of his collections, even his work at Louis Vuitton, and you'll find a reference to sportswear of some kind (for the spring 2016 collection he turned the idea of tracksuits int...

The Berluti Fall/Winter 2021 collection is inspired by the works of abstract, contemporary painter, Lev Khesin. The artist’s use of color and texture heavily influences the tactile expression of the season’s techniques and fabrications. Khesin’s aesthetic echoes that of Berluti’s own artisanal patina methods, further emphasizing the kismet creative alliance between artistic director, Kris Van Assche and the artist. Khesin’s vibrant and contrasting colors and textures are reinterpreted in the garments and accessories of the house of Berluti, creating a foundation for the collection that embodies adaptability ...

After becoming the official formalwear partner of Arsenal Football Club back in 2019, Los Angeles-based streetwear label 424 now teams up with the English Premier League side and adidas for a collection on the more casual side. Taking 424’s bevy of streetwear expertise and combining it with the performance product of adidas, the trio’s collaboration comprises a selection of apparel, footwear and accessories. Boasting pops of red, black and “Carbon Grey”, the collection not only represents the colors of the club, but is also a nod to the architecture of its Emirates Stadium home. Realised in the form of a tra...

Slack launches a new direct messaging feature, Amazon Web Services gets a new leader and we round up our favorite Y Combinator startups. This is your Daily Crunch for March 24, 2021. The big story: Don’t panic about Slack’s new Connect feature Slack recently launched the new direct messaging feature Connect, which is supposed to enable employees “at more than 74,000 organizations and counting” to message anyone “inside or outside their company.” I don’t know about you, but that sounds like the exact opposite of what I’d want to see in Slack. However, we’ve confirmed that the feature is opt-in, rather than opt-out, at least on the organizational level. “[A]n organization’s IT admins can control who has access to this feature, disable this feature for their teams, and monitor all extern...

Much like the Fall 2021 runways in New York, the London collections hinted at a hopeful future — one punctuated by parties and meaningless celebrations. Designers across the pond gave us several reasons to want to leave the house, all of which fall under the all-important "to be seen" category. With room-occupying and body-hugging silhouettes, British luxury brands reminded us just how beautifully bold and uncompromising fashion can be. Before we turn our screens to Milan, let's take a look back at the top trends from London Fashion Week.Balloon SleevesThe Brits love a puff-sleeve, and this fall, they want us to go all-in with a dramatic balloon sleeve. There's nothing like announcing your entry back into society after a pandemic-driven drop-off with some big shoulder energy. Cascading Ruf...

Photo: Courtesy of Thom BrowneThom Browne might just be the biggest Olympics fan in fashion.Following his Spring 2021 collection, for which he hosted the world's first Lunar Olympics (in the near future of 2132), comes another collection paying homage to the international event. The designer tapped Lindsey Vonn to star in a kind of eerie take on "The Wizard of Oz," in which the former Olympic athlete befriends some stick figures before skiing her way down a mountain staffed by faceless models wearing head-to-toe Thom Browne creations.Where Spring 2021 had been about all white looks, for Fall 2021 Browne instead turns everything black. It's a mix of formalwear and sportswear the Thom Browne way; athletic materials like puffer jackets transformed into dramatic shawls, trompe l'oeil gloves em...