As Ru Paul’s famous aphorism makes clear, “If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love anyone else?” Here, we give you a hand-picked edit of beautiful clothes, books and beauty to buy yourself this Valentine’s Day
Luxurious, modern and beautiful to look at: it’s fair to say Jonathan Anderson has nailed the home fragrance vision for Loewe. Created alongside the Spanish brand’s in-house perfumier Nuria Cruelles, this tomato leaf candle is inspired by the earthy and sweet scents of the vegetable garden.
Love Spells & Rituals for Another World, Lilly Markaki & Caroline Harris (ed.), Claire de Rouen
Just in at independent book store Claire de Roeun, this book, edited by Lilly Markaki and Caroline Harris, investigates themes of desire, sex, love and care through essays by a selection of artists. Originally part of the COVEN: Witchcraft for Politics (2021) exhibition in Greece, these excerpts explore relationships through queer, feminist and decolonial perspectives, “inviting us to think of desire as a kind of evental magick.”
Raf Simons has brought to life a number of surprising collaborations over the years – from collections with adidas to a drop which celebrated 2010s alt band The xx. His latest partnership marks the 50th anniversary of the Smiley with a collection of mood-lifting, yet still slightly dark, apparel and accessories. “I love the optimism of the Smiley projects,” said the Belgian designer. “I love the focus on a brighter and better future.”
Tekla Terry TowellingPhotography by Philip Messmann and Frederik Säl
Start off a new self-care ritual with Tekla‘s new towelling collection, which was inspired by Finnish sauna culture. Launched this month, the release includes a tactile selection of terry towels in muted hues, alongside cosy hooded and classic bathrobes.
Twice a year, London’s legendary Dover Street Market closes its doors to reconfigure its space, erecting a wonderland of new installations, collections and immersive areas which together form what Rei Kawakubo once described as a “beautiful chaos”. This February sees a slew of exciting new offerings at the store, including Nigo’s first shoppable pieces for Kenzo and a space dedicated to Pieter Mulier’s new vision for Alaïa.
Founded by Emily Davies in 2019, Athlyn flowers creates offbeat floral bouquets which are inspired by natural landscapes and the tenets of surrealism. Davies and her team have created two new arrangements for those who either “love or loathe Valentine’s day” which are inspired by heaven and hell. Whichever camp you fall in, either bouquet will add a touch of splendour to your living space.
Founded by former Dazed editor-in-chief Isabella Burley in 2020, Climax Books sells hard-to-find ephemera, periodicals, erotica, VHS tapes, anthologies and books on art, photography and counterculture – browse the website for items by the likes of Cindy Sherman, Sofia Coppola and Kathy Acker. Treat yourself this Valentine’s Day to a special book by Yayoi Kusama, I Like Myself from 2007, featuring rare images from the late 1960s and early 1970s of the artist's body paintings and radical happenings in New York and Tokyo.
Browns has launched a special capsule collection centred on the practice of gratitude. Emitting positive vibes only, Bethany Williams, JW Anderson, Martine Rose, Phipps, and Robyn Lynch have all created limited edition T-shirts for the ‘Gra-T-Tude’ release. “It was nice to have some time to reflect during lockdown in London,” says Jonathan Anderson. “My kind of mantra was ‘keep looking up’, and that’s the message I wanted to pass along.”
