204: Being very loud about SSENSE's Silent Sale
Plus Peter Do for Helmut Lang lands, Paolina Russo at Nordstrom, and Bergdorf's private discounts.
Six disjointed thoughts to tide this newsletter over while I properly immerse myself in Paris Fashion Week. (The depth lacking here will be made up to you in a Future Shopper guide to the best collections in the coming days.)
The SSENSE Silent Sale is a real thing and it’s happening now, if you follow this link.
Where is Carven SS24? I realize it’s still February and that the grace period for releasing actual spring clothes has a fair amount of runway ahead, but in fashion-world terms it’s overdue, and the delay is giving me an ulcer of anticipation. The house’s rebrand under Louise Trotter means more to me than Phoebe Philo’s eponym launch, so I guess I’ll just stay biding my time and sitting through another “new Carven” show without having shopped a lick of it.
I never told you what I bought in London. Aside from the phone booth keychain I grabbed at the airport (my Mulberry bag is enjoying getting dressed up in fashion month’s souvenirs), I picked up only two things: a striped, waxed bread bag from Labour and Wait that’s so charming I considered using it as a clutch before a slight residue on my fingers cautioned me otherwise and Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act: A Way of Being from Artwords in Hackney. I’m looking forward to digging into both.
In the spirit of bucking the algorithm, I’m not taking anyone’s recommendations this visit and am instead leaving my extracurricular activities here in Paris up to…chance? Circumstance? Whatever it is, it’s going well enough so far: After landing yesterday, I was aching for a facial and ended up throwing myself into the hands of Carine Mezinis at Le Fresh Club, which I found by searching for facials on Google Maps around my Airbnb. She was a godsend…one straight hour of lifting and sculpting and lymphatically draining my face up off the ground with nothing but her pro fingertips.
I spoke to
about a pair of once-worn Puppets and Puppets leggings, and she gave me homework. For the next few weeks (or indefinitely if it’s successful, ostensibly) I am to decide within three minutes of meeting a piece whether I’m going to buy it or not. Apparently my downfall is my methodicalness, so we’re trying to rehabilitate my decision-making gut microbiome. Will report back on how this experiment goes!I can’t remember who I stole this idea from, but you know that copy-paste feature in iPhone photos that lets you highlight just a person? Brilliant for dumping into Notes app and tracking your FW outfits by day. So many little mes floating on a neatly organized page…haunting, but of course I love it.
With News Editor
What’s new
Pieces from Paolina Russo’s SS24 runway debut are finally trickling in to Nordstrom: Mirroring the brand’s iconic pre-debut poncho tops, a sweater skirt bares hips with a criss-cross design knit in dawn-like gradients of pink and yellow, its unlikely match a rash guard-esque long sleeve top with techy elements cut in unassuming chartreuse gingham; and bias-cut dresses in trippy lenticular fabric are selling quickly, epitoizing the brand’s ethos with their technopagan prom sensibilities.
Tove’s new SS24 arrivals showcase the label’s obsession with draping, from the asymmetric cowl neck and nipped-and-tucked waistline of the Old Hollywood-style Zola dress to the twisted, ruched Eleonore sweater in 100% merino wool and the Yoonmi coat—its front straightforward in soft gray lambswool, but pleated like an accordion in back, giving the piece body and movement.
The new Expedition collection by Chimi romanticizes pragmatism with genderless pieces that prioritize ‘utility’ (its aesthetic, at least): a loose-knit top the likes of which we’ve seen for years at Libanati features a vestigial “sandblast hood flap,” slim-cut capris are still a pretty hard sell, though they’re inching closer and closer to a polarizing resurgence, and the collection’s nine pairs of sunglasses, each $200 or less, are the most truly utilitarian pieces on offer.
Sézane’s new spring collection is as Euro as ever, featuring a patchwork long sleeve sundress in the colors of Neapolitan ice cream, a matching button-down, boxy organic cotton cardigans for sub-$200, an entire section specifically for striped, “sailor-style” tops and sweaters, and one shade (ecru) left of the cult-inducing Clyde trench coat, with restocks of the other colors impending.
Peter Do’s approach to helming Helmut Lang’s SS24 seems fanboy-ish, in a good way: Do might be the perfect antidote to the brand’s decade-long lack of momentum. Yellow graphics printed on silk trousers and virgin wool blazers fastened with fuschia seatbelts reference Lang’s radically “lowbrow” ads atop taxis in the 80s and 90s, while satin skirts with tiny pleats and very Interior-like drawstring-neck sweaters show Do flexing his ability to work femininity into his architectural visions.
If you’re wondering what it takes to sell your work at The Row, the black jade pieces of California-based jeweler Lisa Eisner are handmade and one-of-a-kind, and the artist’s son is married to Ashley Olsen. With stones sourced in Wyoming carved and twisted with bronze and gold wire into abstract symbols named for astrological signs and mountain ranges, the pieces are timeless and hardy, but with prices available only upon request, they’re also unsurprisingly exclusive.
After creating a sculptural installation for the label, Isabella Benshimol collaborated again with Paloma Wool on an exclusive capsule of pieces that build upon the artist’s M.O.: understanding intimacy, capturing ephemeral moments, and embarking on the “quest for an answer in everyday occurrences.” Elements of underwear invade basic garments, all in white, like a bra clasp sewn into the back of a baby tee and a boxer-like button fly on a pair of terry-cloth joggers.
St. Agni’s latest collection is perfect for those of us who never look quite “right” in summer clothes but need to steel themselves for the coming months of heat: asymmetrical tank/camisole hybrids in wintry colors like pewter and icy cerulean, wool blend strapless mini dresses with sculptural detailing, and flip-flop/slides with leather uppers in Bottega-ish weaves are all “cool” in attitude but primed for a heat wave.
Linda Farrow’s new collection for COS offers 16 pairs of sunglasses for a fraction of how the designer’s work is usually priced—all the glasses ring up under $200, from skinny cat-eyes to thick, retro oval tortoiseshell frames.
A label that focuses on recreating vintage silhouettes in contemporary contexts, Marlies Grace, has a trunkshow on Moda Operandi where the dresses overshadow everything else on offer—two highlights are a bell-sleeved maxi dress with an oversized keyhole cutout across the entire sternum and a sheer satin gown with a huge ruffle up one side that, ingeniously, comes with a spandex two-piece set to wear underneath (odd that almost no other sheer-dress-sellers do this!).
Emily Dawn Long released a couture collection of pieces like the Chastity Panty, embellished in tiny beads with an Everlast boxing belt logo in homage to Mel Brook’s 1993 film Robin Hood: Men in Tights, and the Heart Mini Skirt which references the brand’s prolific, now-sold-out belt with dozens of meticulously hand-beaded, multicolored hearts.
From blue velvet to black patent and silver mesh, Le Monde Beryl’s new ballet Mary Janes all have very slight block heels, well-cushioned soles, and an almond-shaped toe like a perfectly manicured nail. Though it didn’t make it into the top 20 lineup, LMB is a Magasin chat favorite, so head over there and ask around if you want a larger sample size of reviews!
The half of the Clarks x Zara capsule that’s still in stock is full of platform suede Wallabees (another week, another sign the creeper sole is coming back tout de suite) with shearling details and a creamy leather version with neon chartreuse laces, plus a furry, mule-style slip-on pair.
There’s also: Mejuri x Ganni drops a four-piece jewelry capsule with hoops, a ring, a bracelet, and a necklace all in sterling silver and gold vermeil, decked with a four-leaf clover made out of tiny hearts; beachy basics label CDLP introduces its SS24 collection with bikinis in black and butter yellow, Tencel pajama sets, and more; Casey Casey’s first drop of SS24 offers its signature crinkly fabrics in blouses and dresses with new colorways ranging from peach to mushroom-print green; menswear label Smock’s SS24 drops exclusively at Mohawk, with macramé zip-up jackets, tie-dye beanies, and more Northern California-vibe spring suiting; Kye Intimates comes out with its Spring 2024 collection full of black-and-white bras, t-shirts, and underwear (including discounted five-packs); the beige and seafoam green cargo skirts, dresses, and jackets in Sacai x Carhartt WIP’s second drop are selling out quickly; new colorways of Mansur Gavriel bags in bucket, clutch, and more styles; and Saie x 4AM Skin’s limited edition collaboration includes reusable under eye masks and a multi-use glowy serum, with 100% of proceeds going to The SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective.
What’s on sale
Though the SSENSE sale is officially over, a “silent sale” continues creeping on unannounced, some deals as good as they’ve ever been—there are brands high up on our latest Brand Rank, like Dries Van Noten offering florals in every form, including a 30% off silk halter; Wales Bonner with 38% off the few remaining sizes of this so-cheesy-it’s-cool football shirt; and Toteme taking the same percentage off a navy vented midi skirt—and there are brands that got nary a mention in our research but deserve them going forward, like Masha Popova (43% off a drapey, swirly, graphic denim skirt) and Paula Canovas Del Vas (33% off two-pronged ballerina heels trimmed in glitter AND denim).
Bergdorf’s Private Sale is a highly curated 200-item trove of mostly Prada, Bottega, and Burberry—which is about to have a moment in the wake of its FW24 show which re-proved the brand’s dominance in the outerwear market—for up to 60% off, with some of the best deals on $535 Prada slingbacks, a Burberry cape-trench from Linda’s List, and those Bottega rain boots for under $350.
Since its shocking ascent to top three status in our brand ranking, Banana Republic has been offering (probably in celebration and gratitude) up to 40% off everything from sweater dresses for $130 to tweedy Remanso Donegal trousers, with a few waning options from the Peter Do capsule still hanging on at a discount.
Two Two, a boutique we love in Oakland, CA, is offering up to 50% off its brilliant selection of pieces from deep cut brands you may know, like KkCo and Brain Dead, and even deeper cut labels you probably don’t: Renata Brenha makes pieces like crisply pleated trousers and scrunchy handbags (this one now $130) out of upcycled football (soccer) jerseys, Bench makes Japanese spa slippers-meet-loafers ($42!), and that’s only the tip of the iceberg…
It’s easy to forget how quietly bonkers Siedrés is, but its archive sale will remind you, with up to 70% off disco ball-shiny halter dresses, contrast piped puffer jackets with stand collars that look like something the most fashionable Klingon would wear, sunset-looking gradient bike shorts for around $45, and much, much more.
Take an extra 40% off Gardenheir’s entire sale selection, including beautifully-made leather fisherman sandals in red, white, or blue for $83 a pop; fringey merino wool blankets for the same price; and a brown corduroy trousers-and-vest set for $208 all together.
Give Neil J. Rogers your name and email for access to an extra 25% off your whole order, including already-on-sale pieces—biker boots go for under $240, current-season Obi slides for about $350, and more footwear and leather accessories for steep discounts.
Get an extra 20% off the Réalisation sale at checkout, with pieces from its Elvis, David Bowie, and Claudia Schiffer collections still in stock and as low as $36 for a hardy, carefully-constructed graphic t-shirt.
Sign up with your email to receive up to 50% off in Camper Lab’s final reductions on its always-well-made, always-chaotic selection of shoes: ballet-style slip-ons and leather loafers both go for as low as $158 for a limited time.
I may earn some money if you make a purchase through one of the links above.
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Same. I've been checking the Carven site, too. Nothing.
Gah I’m dying for the Carven to hit too. That was such a phenomenal show. Curious what Phoebe has for us in her spring drop too, but not panting quite so heavily this time. Feel like my nose was pressed against the glass a little too hard last round.