I always question whether I’m someone who believes in fate, in signs, in the universe trying to tell me something, or whether it’s all just stories built in my head. But every now and then, sometimes, just sometimes, the signs arrive so loud and so clear that, for a moment, I can’t pretend they’re anything else. You’ve probably heard about the girl who recently blew up the internet: Bhavitha Mandava, the first South Asian to open for Chanel. Her story feels like fate, and it resonates something all of us quietly live. Bhavitha took the internet by storm overnight, but she also stole the world’s heart. Not only because she…
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The Year of Uncertainty: Fashion’s Future Hinges on Resilience
2025 will be remembered as the year the fashion industry stopped pretending it could outrun uncertainty. McKinsey’s latest State of Fashion report captures the mood with unusual clarity: geopolitical tension, tariff volatility, and fragile consumer confidence have converged into a kind of global fog. And fashion – an industry built on seasonality and long lead times – is feeling that fog more intensely than most. But what the report hints at, and what industry conversations increasingly confirm, is that this uncertainty does not fall evenly. It discriminates. Regional exposure, supply-chain structure, and business model fragility now determine whether a company merely stumbles or risks structural decline. Regional Resilience Consider two…
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Gen Z, Vintage, and the Realities of Sustainability: A Conversation with Claudio Marenzi
As Gen Z rewrites the rules of fashion consumption, favouring sustainability, authenticity and a new kind of brand loyalty, luxury maisons are under pressure to understand what truly resonates with younger audiences. To unpack this shift, we spoke with Claudio Marenzi, Herno’s Executive Chairman and a key figure in Italy’s high-end manufacturing sector. With notable openness, he discussed the rise of vintage, the power of communication and the uncomfortable truths behind the industry’s sustainability claims. Beatrice Longo: How do you believe fashion maisons are perceived by the new generations? Claudio Marenzi: Well, first of all I think it’s essential to distinguish between male and female perceptions of high-end fashion. Women tend to have a special attention for accessories, while…
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The Cinematic Eye of Fashion
In lieu of the traditional runway, Gucci premiered The Tiger, directed by Spike Jonze and Halina Reign, to unveil Demna’s first collection, “La Famiglia,” for Spring/Summer 2026. Instead of models parading down a catwalk, the 30-minute film immerses viewers in a darkly comedic family drama, where a lavish birthday dinner slowly unravels into surreal chaos. The characters, dressed head to toe in Gucci, play out a theatrical blend of dysfunction, satire, and vulnerability. The collection becomes part of the narrative architecture, revealed not through spectacle but through mood, dialogue, and the shifting tensions between family members. From Sciura to La Bomba, each look becomes part of the script, worn not as…
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BIRKINS: Bags for Life or Overhyped?
Very few fashion items have reached the status of the Birkin. It not only appears everywhere on social media but also embodies an image of success for whoever carries it. This bag represents wealth, yet somewhere along the way, its meaning changed. Today, the Birkin pushes celebrities to engage in a silent, almost hidden competition to grab the rarest and most expensive version of it. The Birkin’s story began on a flight in 1981, when British actress Jane Birkin found herself seated next to Hermès CEO Jean-Louis Dumas. After her straw tote spilled open, she told him she couldn’t find a handbag that was both elegant and practical. Three years later, the Hermès Birkin was born. Jane’s own Birkin was covered in stickers…
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Is it Over for the Clean Girl?
Slicked-back buns, expensive matching sets, shades of grey or beige, and the no-makeup makeup look. Maybe we got so used to these signals of the ‘clean girl’ aesthetic that we forgot this trend just appeared on our screens one day and somehow, stayed with us longer than anyone could have predicted. But why and how did this happen? Why was the trend of looking almost conservative so impactful to Generation Z? And now, are we shifting to something messier, more chaotic? This shift is not just about sloppy dressing — it’s about a symbolic pushback against perfection, productivity mania, and a too-polished online presence. There is a clear idea of what the clean girl looks like: minimalism,…
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Of Faith and Fashion
Dolce & Gabbana Alta Sartoria SS26, Ponte Sant’Angelo, Rome (Image Courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana) During Dolce & Gabbana’s Alta Sartoria SS26 show on the Ponte Sant’Angelo in Rome, the usual front-row crowd of Kardashians, pop stars, and influencers was replaced by dozens of cardinals in scarlet robes. The scene—charged with religious iconography, power, and symbolism—was striking yet unsurprising for the Italian brand, whose intricate relation with Catholicism has always been evident. Although religion has long influenced fashion, bringing the Church onto the runway was a limit no other brand had ever crossed. This spectacle raised many questions. As society seemingly rejects religion, why can’t fashion do the same? From…
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Kiss, Marry, or Kill? S/S 2026 PFW Debuts
Standing out at Paris Fashion Week has never been harder, yet every house this season found its own way to try. The Spring/Summer 2026 shows in the French capital leaned into emotion, experimentation, and spectacle. Creative directors reinterpreted archives, played with presentation, and used theatrics to make their mark. The result was a week defined by individuality and risk, where each debut reflected a different vision of what modern fashion can be. Let’s take a closer look at this season’s Paris Fashion Week debuts. Dior by Jonathan Anderson – October 1st 2025 Siena: Jonathan Anderson brought his signature volume, architectural silhouettes and playfulness from Loewe’s menswear to Dior’s womenswear for…
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Smash or Pass? S/S 2026 MFW Debuts
The Spring/Summer 2026 season felt like a collective reset for fashion. Across Paris and Milan, heritage houses placed their futures in new hands, with creative directors stepping into roles that carried both immense pressure and possibility. The results were varied. Some found strength in restraint, others in spectacle. Let’s take a closer look at this season’s Milan Fashion Week debuts. Gucci by Demna – September 23rd 2025 Stephanie: Demna’s debut collection “La Famiglia” feels like a highlight of Gucci’s best creative moments, an homage to its community, identity and to the previous designer that shaped what it is today. After Sabato di Sarno’s attempt to reinvent Gucci, Demna had to…
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Is Your Skirt a Recession Indicator? A Catwalk Through Economics and Fashion
It is widespread knowledge that fashion is cyclical, but it is less known that its trends can be linked to the ups and downs of the economy. With TikTok flooded by recession-core, dupe culture, and the return of early-2000s model-off-duty dressing, one has to wonder: can our wardrobes really predict a downturn? With that question and a fear of skinny jeans returning, let’s look more closely at the myths behind fashion recession indicators. Looks from the 1920s, 1930s, and 1960s Perhaps the most well-known concept connecting recession with apparel is the Hemline Index, a theory that is often (mistakenly) credited to Wharton economist George Taylor, who studied the hosiery boom of…
