As the reconfigured Robert Palmer anthem Addicted to Love blasted over Tom Ford's smooth, salon speaker system, it was clear that we were in for a date with overtly sensual, rock 'n' roll high priestesses. The American designer may have sighted references from his own 1990s back catalogue as the season's lynchpin - indeed the bra cups and black mesh were classic Ford-era Gucci - but the Lurex flares, baby doll dresses and stretch sequins surely strode right out of a Seventies discotheque. Either way, Ford's jewelled 'pasty' flowers were obviously a contemporary addition. Striding six foot plus in their platformed clogs, spiky shag crops and kohl-rimmed eyes, these models were calling out for a stage, as their long chiffon choker scarves trailed behind. And if not for their gold leather chain embroidery dresses, then certainly for their camouflage jacquard boot cut jeans. This was not a season for the shy or even slightly self-conscious. Ford's tee-shirts were more akin to bodysuits, his evening wear - inspired by Carlo Mollino's provocative photographs - equaling sequinned bands or harness bras floating on stretch tulle. Instead, this was a collection for the beautiful and the damned.
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Year in review: top 10 design stories of 2024Wallpaper* magazine's 10 most-read design stories of 2024 whisk us from fun Ikea pieces to the man who designed the Paris Olympics, and 50 years of the Rubik's Cube
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Sharon Smith's Polaroids capture 1980s New York nightlifeIDEA Books has launched a new monograph of Smith’s photographs, titled Camera Girl and edited by former editor-in-chief of LIFE magazine, Bill Shapiro
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A multifaceted Beverly Hills house puts the beauty of potentiality in the frameA Beverly Hills house in Trousdale, designed by Robin Donaldson, brings big ideas to the residential scale
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Get to know Issey Miyake’s innovative A-POC ABLE line as it arrives in the UKAs A-POC ABLE Issey Miyake launches in London this week, designer Yoshiyuki Miyamae gives Wallpaper* the lowdown on the experimental Issey Miyake offshoot
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Margaret Howell London Fashion Week Women's S/S 2019 -
London Fashion Week S/S 2023: Ahluwalia to Martine RoseThough slimmed-down, London Fashion Week nonetheless provided the moments of creative expression the city is known for – from Ahluwalia’s ode to Africa to Martine Rose’s much-anticipated runway return
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Discover these fashion brands at London Craft WeekDuring London Craft Week, fashion brands including Smythson, Bally and Serapian are hosting events across the capital
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Nicholas Daley's multicultural roots celebrated in London -
New York Fashion Week A/W 2021: drive thrus and digital distortionNew York Fashion Week's digital-first offering presented solutions to life post-pandemic and political crisis, from brands including Tom Ford, Proenza Schouler, Khaite and Collina Strada
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Modern Manhattan: how NYC navigated the S/S 2021 showsAs the spring shows kick off in New York, designers offered respite, innovation and escapism from a city still moving towards recovery
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V&A spotlights the sartorial and social significance of the kimonoFor the latest endeavour of London's Victoria and Albert Museum, Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk explores the evolution of the iconic Japanese garment
