From the reopening of Ann Demeulemeester’s flagship store to JW Anderson’s Oscar Wilde collection, we select the most exciting new fashion to shop this month
Fred Perry x Charles Jeffrey LOVERBOY
Fred Perry’s new capsule collaboration with Charles Jeffrey LOVERBOY – the first of three – dropped this week. Inspired by British youth culture, his passion for nu-rave, and the two labels’ shared heritage of tartan, Jeffrey reinterprets some of Fred Perry’s most recognisable pieces. Think polo shirts, bomber jackets and barrel bags, reimagined through his flamboyant punk lens.
The collection launches with a film narrated by Jeffrey. The short stars James Potter from Walt Disco and Lucia Fairfull from Lucia & the Best Boys, who play otherworldly creatures exploring the city of Glasgow.
A-COLD-WALL* x Dr Martens
A-COLD-WALL* and Dr Martens have once again teamed up, bringing together their utilitarian design philosophies for a new collaboration that reimagines the classic work boot silhouette. A reflection of both brands’ working-class heritage, Samuel Ross drew inspiration from his own upbringing as well as brutalist architecture when creating the design for the new 1461 shoe.
The collaboration lands in store and online from September 4.
Ann Demeulemeester’s Antwerp flagship store reopens
If you find yourself in Antwerp any time soon, be sure to head down to the fashionable Zuid neighbourhood and pay a visit to Ann Demeulemeester’s flagship store, which reopened this week following a complete redesign. Built in the 1880s as a school for seamen, the building was bought in 1999 by Demeulemeester and her husband Patrick Robyn. It was Robyn who led the redesign, which aims to create a comfortable browsing atmosphere with “soft yet crisp” lighting and walls draped in painter’s canvas.
Ahluwalia A/W21 “Traces” Collection
Earlier this year, Priya Ahluwalia presented her A/W21 ‘Traces’ collection as part of London Digital Fashion Week. Exploring themes of migration, brotherhood and unity, the collection launched alongside a captivating film of the same name. Created by Stephen Isaac-Wilson, it also comes with choreography by Holly Blakey, and is styled by AnOther senior fashion editor-at-large Nell Kalonji. “Authentic storytelling is important to me because representation is so important,” Ahluwalia told AnOther. “I also just think it’s such a nice way to connect with people.” The collection is now finally available to buy from the Ahluwalia website and other select retailers.
Martine Rose x Gary Gill Fanzine
Inspired by a mutual love for club, punk and DIY culture, Gary Gill’s photography of the Martine Rose S/S20 collection has been transformed into a limited zine. Titled Pay No More than £5 – a nod to pricing slogans used on 80s fanzines – the zine was created using a vintage photocopier and analogue collaging, with art direction and design by Jamie Reid.
Alongside the zine, Martine Rose has released a limited edition T-shirt featuring artwork from the project. All proceeds go to the St Giles Trust charity.
Coach brings back the Rogue bag
Stuart Vevers has revived an old favourite this season, bringing back Coach’s classic Rogue bag. First debuted in 2016, the updated Rogue has been redesigned using organic and recycled materials in an effort to be more environmentally responsible. Alongside the bag comes an all-star campaign photographed by Juergen Teller and featuring Coach ambassadors Kate Moss, Jennifer Lopez, Kōki, Ma Zhe, Kelsey Lu and Xiao Wen Ju, shot in famous landmarks around the world.
JW Anderson Oscar Wilde Capsule
JW Anderson is back with a second iteration of its successful Oscar Wilde-inspired capsule collection, first launched in S/S21. The collection revolves around the motto “the secret of life is in art”, which features prominently across the offerings of hoodies, trousers, skirts, and t-shirts. Parkas, asymmetric dresses and bucket hats also appear in the collection.
The designer has always admired Wilde, a rebel that challenged the norms of his times, for his audacity to be different. With this collection, he pays tribute to the poet and playwright’s vision of aestheticism: beautiful things can sometimes just be beautiful.
Rick Owens DRKSHDW x Converse
Hot on the heels of his collaboration with Birkenstock earlier this summer, Rick Owens has taken on another classic shoe: the Converse Weapon. Tall, dark and thick, the shoe’s proportions have been exaggerated including an extra elongated tongue – a feature carried over from the designer’s version of Chuck Taylors. “When I discovered how powerful just oversizing something a little bit was, which I've done with a lot of my clothes, that became one of my tools,” Owens says.