Mood board: Last year the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris staged a glorious exhibition unpicking the unique story of the Maharaja d’Indore – Yeshwant Rao Holkar Bahadur. Bahadur was a figure across both the European and Indian cultural set who commissioned The Manik Bagh Palace, one of the most well-known Modernist constructions of 1930s India. ‘He was an incredible drifter through different cities. He decided to abandon his past in India and embrace Modernism. He was photographed with Man Ray and went into the Surrealist movement – he was this person who just drifted into different things in life. This idea of an urban drifter was interesting to me,’ artistic director Clare Waight Keller said. A/W 20 featured glossed leather trousers and oversized patchwork knits, heavy metal capped boots, bullion thread and crystal embroideries. The look was eclectic yet precise.
Best in show: Slimline tailoring, double-breasted blazers and nipped-in coats were clasped shut with brooches, kilt pins and fob chains laden with charms. Backstage, Keller spoke of the different cultures the prince mingled with; in 1938, he married for a second time in Los Angeles and this mood was translated into a sharpness of suiting. A more urban style paired with the couture elements such as the latex high collar undershirts by Atsuko Kudo and full, hand-embroidered opulent evening wear.
Sound bite: One year on from presenting her first standalone menswear collection for the house, Keller is developing the 1970s glamour and élan she seems to enjoy. ‘A/W 20 is a slightly tougher guy. I have two sides of my menswear – last season was the more urban side but, in Paris, I wanted to remember that really sharp Givenchy, the dark, mysterious romantic that is running through all of my work here.’ An opulence flowing into the couture. ‘The Maharaja d’Indore had this incredible dynamic of moving though different cultures in life and I think that sort of speaks to the way we should be in the world today.’ A spontaneous elegance for new age nomads.
-
Pop culture, nostalgia and familiarity: Sam McKinniss in LAArtist Sam McKinniss’ solo exhibition of paintings at David Kordansky Gallery in Los Angeles taps into familiarity, loss, and nostalgia
-
On the wedge: Love Hultén splices a custom synth into the classic Aston Martin LagondaA retro-futuristic sonic dream, courtesy of this bespoke synthesizer system designed for the back seat occupiers of an iconic Aston Martin
-
A West Austin house invites you to commune with natureWestview Residence by Alterstudio, a West Austin house among trees, makes the most of large windows and open-air decks in a verdant setting
-
Palace unites with Rapha to celebrate inaugural Tour de France FemmesMarking the first time women will compete in the historic cycling race since the late 1980s, this new collaboration sees Palace Skateboards and Rapha create uniforms for both on and off the bike – including an ‘outlandish’ pair of Crocs
-
Paris Fashion Week A/W 2022: Chanel to Miu MiuIn this extended report, Wallpaper* updates you live from Paris Fashion Week A/W 2022 shows, with rolling coverage as runway events unfold
-
Scene-stealing runway sets from S/S 2022 womenswear showsFrom giant roulette wheels to Olympic diving boards and multi-city synchronized extravaganzas – our pick of the best fashion show sets from S/S 2022 womenswear
-
Paris Fashion Week A/W 2021: discotheque chic to apres-ski sleek -
Walk this way: navigating S/S 2021's Paris Fashion WeekHow the City of Lights looked to the sartorial realities of our much changed lifestyles
-
A decade of fashion show history in picturesBritish photographer Jason Lloyd Evans shares his favourite backstage images, from the runway shows of Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel, Armani, Proenza Schouler, Versace and more
-
Louis Vuitton A/W 2020 Paris Fashion Week Women's -
Chanel A/W 2020 Paris Fashion Week Women’s
