From charitable photographic prints to sustainable fashion collections, a list of brilliant things to spend your money on this July
A Photographic Print
A number of photographic print sales have launched in past weeks to raise funds for anti-racism charities in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests taking place around the world. These include See in Black (ending today), which comprises over 70 Black photographers and raises funds for vital civil rights charities in the US; Pictures From Ireland, which supports the Irish Network Against Racism; My Queer Blackness, My Black Queerness (MQBMBQ), a photo sale and digital journal which amplifies and raises money for the Black trans and queer communities; and Anti-Racism Photography Fundraiser, launching today, which supports charities uplifting Black communities in the UK.
Creatives 4 Systemic Change
A new project, Creatives 4 Systemic Change, sees a collective of designers, artists and photographers come together to raise money for organisations which amplify the Black trans community – namely, The Marsha P Johnson Institute, The Okra Project and For the Gworls. Each participant – including Martine Rose, Eckhaus Latta, Wales Bonner, Kiko Kostadinov, Parnell Mooney and more – has donated a piece which is then available to win by purchasing a raffle ticket for $10 (or $5 to be entered into a mystery draw; winners will be picked at random). But be quick – the sale finishes on July 4.
JW Anderson
JW Anderson has launched two new collaborations: the first is a capsule collection, designed to be worn across genders, with online retailer YOOX. Marking 20 years of YOOX, and ten years of JW Anderson, the collection finds inspiration in the brand’s archive. “I kind of was like looking back at one of the very first press statements I had done, myself,” designer Jonathan Anderson told Alexander Fury of the collaboration. “I made this manifesto and it was about this idea of a shared wardrobe. That clothing was whatever you wanted it to be.” The second sees Anderson teaming up with the Tom of Finland Foundation, celebrating the work of the seminal queer artist on a trio of accessories which will raise money for HIV and Aids awareness charity, Visual Aids. “I think he is someone who has really changed queer culture,” Anderson told AnOther on its release.
Alexander McQueen
A new selection of men’s jewellery arrives at Alexander McQueen this month, captured in a series of beautiful images by American photographer Ethan James Green. Comprising chunky hand-crafted necklaces, charm and crystal pendants and antique silver rings, set with insects trapped in resin, the pieces draw inspiration from the organic world.
Gucci
Since the coronavirus pandemic hit, designers and brands have taken the opportunity to rethink their practices – perhaps most prolifically, Alessandro Michele at Gucci who has set out a “new path” for the house, built upon a more sustainable approach to fashion. With that in mind, he launched Gucci’s first Off the Grid collection, born from the newly conceived Gucci Circular Lines initiative, which champions the practice of circular production. Spanning genderless luggage, accessories, footwear and ready-to-wear, most of the collection is crafted in 100 per cent regenerated nylon created from recycled ECONYL® yarn, among other recycled materials and more sustainable alternatives such as metal-free tanned leather, recycled polyester thread and lining, and recycled brass.
Ready Made Merchandise
Ready Made Merchandise has launched a new collection of T-shirts that pay homage to punk icons. Now available at MACHINE-A, the pieces nod to “real rebels, artists, and anarchists”, while subverting the idea of tour T-shirts. “Although some of these heroes and heroines are more known than others,” says designer Thomas Alsop, “Ready Made Merchandise encourages the audience to take on their own exploration into why these figures are so important, what makes them iconoclasts, and why we have recognised them in our Anarchy Archives.”
Stella McCartney
Gucci isn’t the only brand committing to a circular economy: this month, sustainable fashion pioneer Stella McCartney launched a collection of exclusive, one-off pieces crafted from leftover fabric. Each bearing a special note from McCartney herself, sewn into the fabric, the collection demonstrates the designer’s ongoing commitment to sustainable practices, including the re-use and recycling of fabric so that nothing goes to waste. Captured here by photographer Richard Jenson on model Lena Hardt, the collection is available at the brand’s Old Bond Street store.
Aries x Hillier Bartley
Streetwear label Aries and luxury brand Hillier Bartley have joined forces for the second time to create a playful capsule collection of jewellery charms. Melding Aries’ skate influences and Hillier Bartley’s simple, refined style, the collaboration features seven 14 karat gold-plated charms which are designed to attach to Hillier Bartley’s signature paper clip earring, or a gold chain created for the capsule collection. As a part of their collaboration, Aries and Hillier Bartley invited students from City and Islington College to a multidisciplinary arts workshop, which focused on industry skills such as branding, product development, fashion communication, art, and photography, while also giving students an opportunity to present their work. Images from the workshops taken by photographer Clare Shilland are set to be released in an upcoming book.
Launched last year, Sterling Ruby’s fashion label S.R. STUDIO. LA. CA. was formed as an evolution of the California-based artist’s creative practice, which has historically included fabric elements such as quilts, bleach-sprayed fabrics, and soft sculpture. Ruby’s artistic approach to fashion design is felt particularly in Ruby’s latest project, UNIQUE, which sees the designer release a series of one-off, handcrafted pieces which double as both garment and artwork. Like a painting, each UNIQUE piece is tagged with a signature, date, plus an inventory number entered into the same database used for tracking Sterling Ruby’s artwork catalogue. In a time of isolation and global protest, the collection sees Ruby reflect on the world of today with the incorporation of timely book covers into the pieces, including Hannah Arendt’s On Violence and Men in Dark Times, George Orwell’s Notes on Nationalism, Audre Lorde’s The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle The Master’s House, Jack Kerouac’s Piers of the Homeless Night, and James Baldwin’s Dark Days, among others.
Ralph Lauren’s Design for Good Polo Shirt Project
Ralph Lauren has released a limited edition polo shirt as part of its new Design for Good initiative, which is inspired “by the hope and optimism that has been expressed and witnessed by people around the globe” during these tumultuous past few months. After inviting people to submit an original design concept inspired by the world today, the American heritage brand selected the work of artist Michelle Smith for the new Polo, whose piece Just Let Me Breathe portrays her son wearing a face mask. “Figuratively speaking, my son struggled to breathe in a racially charged society; now there is the physical mask needed to stay safe from the virus,” the artist says of the design. “There are days he feels as if he cannot win, but there is always hope waiting to move.” 100 per cent of proceeds will be going to the Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund for the World Health Organisation, plus Ralph Lauren has donated $25,000 to the UNCF (United Negro College Fund).
Givenchy’s Antigona Bag Collection
Celebrating ten years since its initial release, Givenchy has reissued its 2010 it-bag Antigona, which has been favoured by celebrities and fashion fans alike over the course of the last decade. Alongside the reissue, the French house has given the Antigona bag – named after the Greek heroine, Antigone – a modern-day update, with the release of the more curvaceous Antigona Soft style as well a miniature version of the bag, both of which come in a pleasing array of colours.