Out of office: what the Wallpaper* editors have been doing this week

It's not exactly been a slow start to the year for our editors. The second week of January marks the launch of the annual Wallpaper* Design Awards, celebrating the best of the best across design, interiors, fashion, beauty, travel, architecture, art and watches. After months of prep, it's finally here, which has allowed us to breathe a collective sigh of relief.

In snatched moments of downtime, here's how the editors have been spending the first days of January.

A colourful pop-up

'Being a fashion-obsessed teenager in the early 2000s, Marc Jacobs’ blockbuster tenure at Louis Vuitton was my lodestar, and in my mind always epitomised by two collaborations: the Speedy bag scrawled with the signature of 1980s designer Stephen Sprouse, and Takashi Murakami’s multi-coloured take on the house monogram (the white canvas version was a perennial favourite with the 2000s it-girl). The latter, which first appeared in Jacobs’ S/S 2003 show, is being revived in a new ‘re-edition’ series for 2025, seeing Murakami’s best-known collaborations with the label (which would span 2003-2015) available to purchase once again.

Launching this January, the highlight of my week was being immersed in the pop-up the house has opened on London’s Brewer Street – a Murakami-filled cartoon wonderland inspired by Tokyo’s modular hotels, complete with fluffy flower cushions, a vending machine and a café filled with satisfyingly branded treats. It’s open until February 9.'

Louis Vuitton x Murakami pop-up. 39 Brewer Street, London, W1F 9UD.

Jack Moss, Fashion Features Editor

A Knightsbridge Italian

'I took the opportunity to visit the recently refurbished Sale e Pepe - a Knightsbridge restaurant that first opened its doors in 1974 and is a much loved institution on the London dining scene. I was expecting sexy 70’s glamour and old-school Italian dishes and I wasn’t disappointed. The classics are all there, perfectly made, generous, and delicious - (which is what I want from an Italian restaurant.) We tried the Beef Carpaccio, theatrically presented Salt-Baked Sea Bass, and a stand-out Pacheri Pasta with Vodka Tomato sauce. The difficulty was in deciding what to eat, as everything was a contender, so I will be returning to enjoy the rest of the menu.'

Melina Keays, Entertaining Director

A glass of guilt-free fizz

'For anyone attempting to live a little cleaner this month, may I recommend LA Brewery's sparkling English white rose: a non-alcoholic blend of Assam and kombucha. It's wonderfully refreshing and good for your gut. Give it a pop, pour in a flute and feel the January blues lift a little.'

Charlotte Gunn, Director of Digital Content

Illustrations of the underground

'This week, I wandered into the prefab sprawl of Boxpark to see Ben Jomo’s illustrations. His work dives into underground fashion, queer nightlife, and the characters who light up those worlds. Freedom of expression pulses through every line—faces stretch, colours clash, and you can almost hear the thrum of a dance floor in his digital strokes. It’s 2025, and we’re still trudging through pop-ups, but Jomo keeps it dazzling.'

Gabriel Annouka, Senior Designer

A pawfect day out

'The arrival of the New Year, following much at-home downtime ensconced in an oodie (gifted to me by my children for winter WFH days, and not deliberately to upset the Wallpaper* fashion desk), spurred plans for 2025 outings. Have I booked a ski trip to a chic Alpine retreat? Or cultural outings to the latest London art exhibitions? Sadly no, my first booking of the year is a debut trip to Crufts in March (only partly for the kids), for which I am getting in the mood by reading Ali Morris’ article on the latest in architecture for dogs, the subject of a Milan exhibition curated by Muji artistic director Kenya Hara.'

Bridget Downing, Executive Editor

The return of a cult series

Severance — Season 2 Official Teaser | Apple TV+ - YouTube

Watch On

'I have been waiting for season 2 of Severance with bated breath and it's finally arrived on Apple TV! I have started watching this week - for its mind-bending plot, powerful minimalist aesthetic, superb acting and of course, its location, Bell Works. The site is the contemporary reimagining of the 1960s former Bell Labs building in Holmdel, NJ, which includes an Eero Saarinen structure and has since been redeveloped into a workspace and housing campus.'

Ellie Stathaki, Architecture & Environment Director

A director deep dive

Since I haven’t had the chance to watch Luca Guadagnino’s Queer just yet, I decided to delve into his archives to satisfy my craving. While browsing, I stumbled upon his early feature, The Protagonists (1999) on Mubi. The surreal faux-documentary stars Tilda Swinton and follows an Italian film crew in London reconstructing a real-life murder case that took place there a few years before. Riotous and disturbing, yet highly stylised, The Protagonists is an interesting glimpse into Guadagnino’s early creativity and how his signature style has grown since his directorial debut.

Sofia de la Cruz, Travel Editor