038: Isioma Iyamah is leaning into auntie territory
Plus a mini SSENSE sale, Skims Swim, and the $30,000 Bottega skirt.
I get so bumblingly dumb and sappy every time the season changes. I turn into a complete cartoon character and have to stop myself from saying things like, “it’s almost hard to believe that despite everything, the magnolia blossoms still bloom right on time.” Ugh!
I’m closet dumb in these times, too. Not like closeted—I’m flamboyant in my idiocy, I swear—but I forget how clothes are supposed to go together, what’s comfortable in what outdoor temperatures, and even what I prefer to look like. It’s t-shirt, jeans, sandals, and an over-shoulder-tied sweater for me for at least a month until I get my bearings.
Meanwhile, not that this is the platform you’re looking to for bar and restaurant reccs, but there are a few new places that I’m excited to bring into the fold: Gem Wine, Saraghina Caffe, Prima (where I met Isioma to pick her brain on the below). So if you see me there wearing the same outfit over and over and over again… now you know why.
What’s new
The $30,000 Bottega skirt scandal story broke this week, with incredulous Tweets from Rachel Tashjian and an entire newsletter from Amy Odell in its honor. They both made great points about the fringed leather piece de resistance of Mattieu Blazy’s first show as CD, not least of which: “I can’t afford that.” The skirt, a part of a FW22 trunk show on Moda Operandi, is no longer available for pre-order (that’s a $15k deposit BTW), but there’s plenty of other current and soon-available Bottega Veneta that cost less than a downpayment on a house.
Skims’ most anticipated category finally launched with the arrival of Swim, and for those who thrive with clean lines and simplicity, this may have been the end-all-be-all for poolside fits. If it was even remotely shoppable. The solid-colored collection’s one-pieces, bikinis, and coverups sold out almost immediately, leaving behind only sparse sizing on either end of the spectrum for very select pieces. You may still be able to get a Swim Cycle Suit or a Long Sleeve One Piece, but for, say, the more competitive Cheeky Tanga Bottoms or Long Sleeve Shrug, you’re going to have to join the waitlist. Fortunately, I suspect that alongside a restock, the brand will release new swim silhouettes mirroring their best-selling intimates—expect a lycra Micro Thong in stock by May, or get a cotton set alongside a matching Skimpy Scoop Bralette until then.
Luxury sock brand Comme Si already earned ready-to-wear rights with its trend-catalyzing poplin boxers, worn everywhere last summer as the short du jour. Recently, its expanded on its line of bottoms through a collaboration with stylist Danielle Goldberg that introduces The Studio Shirt, a crisp, architectural button down fit for a sensual Italian businesswoman. It’s sold out now, but a restock is on the way; sign up for waitlist to get it as soon as it’s back.
There’s also: Jacquemus SS ‘22 lands at SSENSE; Gola x J.Crew launch two new buttery sneaker styles; Clergerie and Gabriela Hearst team up on two breathtaking raffia brogues; Aeron’s spring collection arrives at SSENSE; Carbon38 drops compressive, sueded workout clothes in its new Melt collection; Jimmy Choo gets into jewelry; as does Collina Strada, with new frog rings and necklaces.
What’s on sale
The SSENSE sale isn’t quite back, but there is a 15% off vanity code—SS2022—running through morning of April 4. If you’re looking for inspiration (beyond the latest Jacquemus or Aeron collections linked above), here’s a landing page of the site’s best-sellers from the past month, which includes a good number of home and personal fragrances, plus some sexy going-out tops.
Nordstrom put over 5,000 of its house-made brands on sale for 25% off, most of them loungewear, casual separates, and workout clothes, but a few dressier things like loose blazers are mixed in. If you’re not a complete Hanes loyalist, this would be the place to re-up on ribbed tanks and baby tees for summer, cheaply.
Saks’ Friends & Family Sale is underway, which translates to 25% off new arrivals for the next week. Bags are included in the sale—even some from BOYY, Coach, Mansur Gavriel, Proenza, and Loewe.
Realisation Par, too, is extending 25% off everything, including already marked down Farewell Sale items with FULLMOON. Even if it predates the platform, I recognize the Devon Lee Carlson of it all feels a little TikTok. Still, I want to emphasize the laissez-faire sexiness the brand’s clothes exude. It’s hard to accomplish and rarer yet at this quality and price point, so I’d seriously consider taking advantage of a quarter price cut.
There’s also: Skincare brand Herbivore Botanicals hosts a Friends & Family Sale, extending 25% off with BEWELL; and used furniture platform is “celebrating” its biggest sale of the year.
Isioma Iyamah's ineffable cool
So much love and tons of humor.
Isioma is a magnet on both sides of the image. As a creative director, she’s captained visual voyages for major companies (Vice, Louis Vuitton, Levi’s) and independent brands (Free Lance Paris, Gentle Storm) alike. As a model, she’s appeared in campaigns for Jacquemus, Rui Zhou, and Sandy Liang. Try to look away and you’ll feel like you’re missing out on something big and important, something very much afoot. If Isioma seems ineffably cool—which she is—it’s a confluence of brave taste and genuine kindness and agency. Soon to begin her role as Glossier’s new Senior Art Director, Isioma shared some of her recent purchases, below.
I: I got these motorcycle chaps. Inspired by my friend Paige. And they’re so cool. I wear them all the time now. They’re Harley Davidson men’s smalls, they snap up the front, and I wear them with whatever pants. I think when it gets warm it’ll be fun to wear them with shorts. L: They’re literal chaps, like cutout leather? I: Yeah, but they’re not crazy looking, they’re really discreet. It’s just like, “Oh, you’re wearing… chaps!” I was so bored of everything. I'm tired of all my clothing. And I just wanted something to freshen up whatever I already wear—I feel like I fall into uniforms. I’m currently in uniform.
And there was the SSENSE sale. I had some stuff in my cart waiting and then I checked like two days ago and of course it was over. I did get this A. Roege Hove mini-ish dress. I'm just imagining it as something I could wear with my new haircut in the summer, with this necklace from the now defunct Subrina Heyink vintage store—it's basically fish line sparsely strung with tiny little pearls and it's so nice and delicate and just really works with the décolletage. And as far as shoes, I kind of want to get back into basic sneakers, like those really annoying New Balances, the gray ones that were very 2018, 2019. But I'm kind of into it. L: Are you styling differently since changing your hair? I: Yeah, I think because I had braids and then I buzzed it, suddenly I feel very auntie looking. I’m leaning into auntie territory. I was wingwoman-ing my recently single girlfriend at Clandestinos the other week. L: The last truly single place. I: I was wearing a navy cashmere hoodie and baggy pants, and this guy was like, “Are you guys together?” Auntie had struck again.
Also from SSENSE, I just got this mini that I’m not really sure about yet—it’s the MNZ mini skirt in lilac, actually. It hasn't arrived yet, so I just don't know about this one. I feel like I won't be able to sit down in it, but like, that could be fun. L: This is like a standing, walk-around-looking-hot moment. I: I know, I think I'm leaning into that. I'm preemptively buying for spring and summer. L: We’re almost there finally, I think it’s spring already like next week. I: Oh, like, legally? L: Legally! Like, enforceably.
L: Who was the Italian vintage girl you were telling me about before? I: I have no idea what her actual name is, but she's based in Rome and I think she maybe used to live in the States. She's, like, the mistress of Brooklyn. I feel like whenever I compliment any of my friends who are wearing something unique, they go, “Oh yeah, I got it from Maj Kiosk,” and it's always just really cool. You can sign up to the mailing list for basically pre-sale, an “exclusive” early selection—and everything sells out so quickly. L: Okay, hot tip. I: Yeah. It's very decently priced, honestly. I feel like I'm trying to figure out what the analog is here, but we don't really have that. Do we? It's different. Where do you buy vintage? L: I’m wearing pants from The Break, or I’ll go to Tokio 7. I always love an eBay moment.
Oh my god. I just learned about something though. I have some friends who are on the opposite aesthetic spectrum—they’re more like Girbaud, more like the streetwear-rave-Japanese outdoor-wear aesthetic. Really cool technical wear from like the ‘00s, ‘90s and ‘80s. And they do this thing where they have a thread where they kind of low ball for each other. You know how it’s “OBO” for certain auctions. They're like, “Okay, I'm going to low ball this so that you can get this offer and you can buy it.” And it’s crazy, but it works. L: Whoa that’s like some whole other level. I: They’re like eBay sharks, it’s great.
I think what I've been spending money on recently is mostly books, and experiences. I went to Mast Books yesterday. It was a book signing for Hillary Taymour’s creative partner, Charlie Engman.. L: I didn’t realize he had a book, what’s it called? I: It's called “Mom,” it's about his mom. It's very Cindy Sherman. His mom is like this really crazy character, like wild outfits. She's older with a wrinkled, really incredible face. There's a lot of interesting makeup exploration and outfits. It's a really fun book—not super sentimental, but you can see so much love in it and tons of humor. It’s beautiful.
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SUPERSTAR