This week's @anotherloves edit is defined by its attention to artful shaping
Many of Maison Margiela's pieces could be mistaken for works of art (let's not get into the debate about whether fashion is art: it is, but you know what we mean) but these shoes, with their wavy forms and Brancusi-esque stacked heels would look particularly at home on a plinth. They also offer a conceptual twist, housing a pound coin inside a concealed slit at the front of each shoe – a nod to the traditional penny loafers of the 1930s, whose wearers would frequently slip two penny coins into the front of their shoes (enough money to make an emergency phone call). For Autumn/Winter 2016, the house said it wanted to convey "the vocabulary of glamour subverted through the collage of authentic classics", – mission accomplished.
If you're going to wear a motto emblazoned across your chest, make it a good one. We recommend this statement sweater by Vetements, slogan: "May the bridges I burn light the way". Typical of Demna Gvasalia's affinity for exaggerated silhouettes, it puts a subversive spin on the traditional hoodie with its strong, triangular shoulders and looks especially good with a pair of the brand's deconstructed track-pants. Leisurewear at its most progressive.
For the past week, all eyes have been on Brazil, host of the 2016 Olympics, so what better time to appreciate one of the great masters of Brazilian architecture and design: the late Oscar Niemeyer? The pioneer of Brazilian modernism structured his entire ethos around curved, sculptural forms: in his words, "Curves are the essence of my work because they are the essence of Brazil, pure and simple." This delectable, two-seat sofa, with an undulating imbuia wood base and rounded, ivory-coloured leather upholstery proves no exception to the rule. The ideal seat from which to indulge in a spot of games goggling? We think so.
If Margiela's platforms could be compared to a Brancusi, then these earrings by another Brazilian-born creative, jewellery designer Fernando Jorge, could be described as sculptural interpretations of Gustav Klimt's immaculately rendered, patterned backdrops, painted in swirls of yellow and gold. All of Jorge's pieces are made in Brazil, where, according to his website, he "works closely with small workshops and craftsmen in central São Paulo" to realise his unique, highly covetable designs, defined by their "unexpected constructions" and "unusually cut stones".
Of course this week hasn't just been about sporting feats. As any feline fanatic will tell you, it also heralded a major date in the kitty calendar – International Cat Day on August 8 – while the scone scoffers among us have been celebrating Britain's National Afternoon Tea Week (August 8-14) with particular glee. To mark both occasions, we prescribe a mammoth High Tea – cucumber sandwiches, Victoria Sponge et al – accompanied by this excellent yellow leopard stoneware jug, by British potters Quail Ceramics, filled with fresh milk for your Darjeeling. (Brush up on proper tea etiquette here.)
