222: What it takes to get your hands on an Alaïa Teckel bag
Plus Carven lands online, Uniqlo brings back JW, and Dion Lee's archive sale starts at $129.
When looking through SSENSE’s new-in pages last week, to see what jumped out at me to take advantage of the 20% off app sale, I experienced a mirage. An Alaïa Teckel bag, in its rarest, studded suede form, was staring back at me. I bought it without hesitating (though the brand is excluded from the discount), or at least I thought I did. A day later, SSENSE’s AI customer service emailed to say there’d been a stock error and that they had to cancel my order. Still seeing it on the site, I ordered it again, and I waited.
This wasn’t my first attempt at buying the bag. I knew it was set to be a cutthroat silhouette when I was told by an associate that there were “none available in all of France” at the brand’s Paris flagship in February, and I’d already seen from my own scans that at the time it was out of stock everywhere reputable online.
In monitoring the stock over the course of the last week, I watched the state of inventory rise and fall into moments of almost no availability at all, and it’s only as of days ago that some models have been replenished. The brand’s inaugural “dialogue” with the Parisian cabaret Crazy Horse Paris highlighted the bag in 11 shades, introducing new colors including magenta and aquamarine versions that have yet to hit shelves.
As of now, Bergdorf has a single large Naturel for buy-now and the large Black for pre-order; Neiman Marcus has a small Peche; and the Alaïa site has the widest range of colors including red, blue, nude, and croc-embossed nubuck (with others marked as ‘available soon’). My hottest tip is that there’s a single small black Teckel for sale at $1,841 through Grailed from the seller Luosophy—the liquidator tasked with offloading Matches’ remaining inventory.
But where there’s scarcity, there are dupes. When Alaïa landed at spot 16 in last month’s Brand Rank, I predicted there’d be an uptick in alts. Sarah Shapiro assembled an edit of “East-West bags” (a euphemism for a Teckel dupe, the way I see it) that included Khaite’s Simona bag, Loewe’s cropped Puzzle bag, and this vegan leather Freja bag for under $300, which has been making its rounds lately despite having been around for over a year.
If it crossed other shoppers’ minds (as it did mine) that the Teckel might make a good investment opportunity, given the head-spinning price of $2,850, resale prices seem to suggest they were onto something: six are listed on Vestiaire Collective between $3,185 and $4,093. The rare-fashion sourcing platform Sourcewhere started receiving requests for the bag in the first week of February 2024, coinciding with its launch and initial sell-out, and it reports that interest is ticking up following the Crazy Horse campaign. Even amid the Teckel fervor, Sourcewhere shares that the brand’s mesh flats are still the most requested style, making up 70% of Alaïa inquiries—it’s no easy feat for a brand to have two viral hits at the same time.
The twin successes are a testament to creative director Pieter Mulier, who we should enjoy in the role while we can. The original industry gossip newsletter Miss Tweed suggests the designer who’s brought the house back to Clueless-era relevance (“But it’s an Alaïa!”) might be headed to Celine to replace Hedi Slimane next.
If that’s the case, this will mark a memorable season in the brand’s lifetime, one I’m glad to commemorate with a bag of my own. According to SSENSE, the second Teckel bag I ordered as a hail Mary is on route to me, and I even got a $100 discount for my “troubles.” As expected, it’s sold out once again from SSENSE, but a medium model in my same studded suede is in stock (for now) through Alaïa’s site.
With News Editor em seely-katz
What’s new
After an excruciating waiting period during which I sent foot soldiers to do on-the-ground research, new Carven is finally online. A selection of the Louise Trotter-designed collection, including the green satin bomber, sculpted tunic top, and heeled mules that Khuyen Do reported on from the flagship a week and a half ago, are listed in limited sizing that’s diminishing quickly. Within hours of being uploaded, an extraordinary cashmere t-shirt, an organza skirt, the one bag style offered had already been completely sold through. Of what remains, this technical silk overcoat and hooded parka top my list, but having now seen the wealth of options at the Carven store thanks to our Paris correspondent, I may hold out another month or two and shop in person.
This Carven-Phoebe Philo double-header might feel familiar, but the two brands just happened to time their latest launches for the same day. Carven’s online arrival, and Phoebe’s second edit, third delivery hitting site. Notable from Phoebe’s latest (and with a greater understanding from having interacted with the pieces at its Bergdorf boutique launch) are a pair of high-angle thong wedges (I’ve had my eye on these vintage Pradas), wool BMX trousers (!), and an olive-green silk version of the cropped leather bomber that devastated me in person. My most “realistic” purchase I’m considering is this jersey cape top. Phoebe’s jersey pieces are among the most underrated.
Unlike his couture collections, JW Anderson’s SS24 for Uniqlo is no-nonsense, with only hints of Anderson’s Looney Tunes-leaning sensibilities visible in the double stripes on spread-collared rayon polos, the self-tying belts on Klein blue seersucker sundresses, and the pointed front pleats down the length of otherwise relaxed unisex linen pants. Uniqlo collab socks are always randomly nuclear apocalypse-proof in quality, and happily, those on offer via Anderson are smart, striped, and under $10 a pair.
Last year’s “balletcore” fumbled the opportunity to push legendary dance-horror film Suspiria’s stylings on the masses, but COS’ Atelier SS24 is picking up the slack—crimson silk chiffon blouses drape from structured necklines with Tilda Swintonian majesty; knit bolero sleeves reach past the knee, designed to elongate and punctuate each moment of wear; and the expected ballet flats make an appearance, but as blood-red, pointy-toed, scratchily perforated perversions of the typically-coquettish shoe.
Even though it’s still pre-access only, Dries Van Noten’s High Summer 2024 is quickly selling out, the small collection featuring only a few hot-weather styles and focusing on pattern play that makes Marimekko look demure—mint-and-butter florals give way to sporty, striped maroon cuffs on a pair of pull-on pants, lunar-like geometrics splay across a silk shirt dress that would’ve done numbers pre-eclipse, and a couple of kaleidoscopic scarf-skirts gamely tie everything together.
Our oft-mentioned Nordstrom safe space, the SPACE emerging designers section, has added Ashley Williams and Coming of Age to its roster, the former coming in hot with its classically unhinged sense of humor—think low-riding miniskirts printed with photos of haunted dolls playing jump-rope—and COA bearing new colorways of its its quintessentially Brooklyn Everyday Tote, plus brand-new styles in its signature silk taffeta, like a drop-waist gingham minidress that suggests a welcome expansion of the label’s ready-to-wear experimentation.
Ganni’s collaborative capsule with supermodel Paloma Elsesserlooks like an easy-to-wear distillation of the Dune 2 runways, with slinky, hooded, sleeveless dresses in a sandy knit melange, wine-colored mesh, and Miu Miu-style sheer polka dots, each fastened at the sternum with two golden Ganni logo clasps and all available in extended sizes, from 0 to 22. Paired with matching trousers for the melange and maroon colorways, these dresses are full looks in and of themselves.
I may have dragged Khaite for this unfortunate portmanteau of shoe trends (a mesh loafer? Really?), but that shouldn’t overshadow the deeply desirable pieces that make up the rest of the collections that’ve just launched. There are two ways to shop new Khaite: via its Serene Summer capsule on site (the sleevey Quico top and crane-print dress are exclusives) and by pre-ordering pre-fall via Moda Operandi, where I have my eye on a pink, sculptural organza dress and the flattering Toto bodysuit in butter yellow.
Jacquemus’ “Le Mariage” collection has all the urgency and giddiness of a shotgun wedding, the front-draping train of a bridal-style satin slip dress a literal twist on the classic columnar shape, heeled sandals wearing their own heeled sandals in their rush to the chapel, and a sheer black polka-dot dress standing at the ready to outfit the inevitable death or divorce.
With our expansion into menswear (yay Louis Cheslaw!), we’re already seeing Colbo get the uptick in love it deserves, with inaugural column guest Nick Dierl shouting out its in-house line. The brand makes up a portion of my own wardrobe, and I consider it a deeply unisex line, so news of the arrival of its SS24 collection belongs here too. It’s a particularly strong offering, with seemingly innocuous button-downs blowing your mind the way the fabrics feel, and Phoebe Drop Jean seekers might consider the Big Pocket Denim instead.
Commission’s SS24 really proves the label knows its niche (outfitting anyone who would sneak into the Harvard Club to smoke salvia on a dare): a shifty layered dress in cotton twill pinches at the shoulders like a paper doll’s outfit, a powder-blue v-neck sweater is slashed at the shoulder as if involved in a narrow escape, and a Nubuck leather Moto Bag is the exact right size to fit a questionable wad of cash or a sandwich saved for later.
Someone at Zara grew up cutting Phoebe-era Céline out of their parent’s old editions of Vogue, because the first drop of SRPLS’ SS24 is inspired: mossy “poncho” tops collide with layered khaki cupro dresses and self-belting cargo midi skirts, everything evoking the esoteric, matter-of-fact femininity Philo defined at prices that don’t even exist in the same universe (everything listed above runs under $140).
I really like Victoria Beckham as a fashion designer. It can take a few years for a celebrity pivoting into the role of creative director to settle into their own style and manage not to over-design. She’s brought a good eye and that same restraint to her collaboration with Mango, launched today, which includes a sheer paneled dress reminiscent of one she showed on her latest runway (I covered it here).
Sometimes, it’s scary to check out the new offerings at Tigra Tigra—each extremely limited-edition garment may contain something absolutely necessary for aesthetic actualization; it hurts to watch them sell out. Luckily, there’s still plenty in stock: a hand-printed gown tied twice into huge, grassy bows at the shoulder and hip, white cotton pants overlaid with hand-woven netting, and a cargo skirt in tomato-red silk mashroo, a textile that originated to skirt (ha) 14th century Islamic fabric law.
Sensoria Market’s latest sale subject is Mara Hoffman, bringing a slew of swimwear to the table, with bikini bottoms in neon green and floral patchwork under $60 and one-pieces in the label’s favored popcorn texture around $130, plus vintage finds curated by Hoffman, like a tan, high-necked Bill Blass jacket and a shrunken white Balenciaga blouse.
There’s also: Balenciaga’s new 10XL sneaker is as cartoonishly curvy as the warped background of an influencer’s *unedited selfie, giving “Mickey Mouse goes to Erewhon”; Acne Studio taps perfumer Frédéric Malle to create its first fragrance, released just one day before Malle announced he’d be stepping down from his namesake brand; Altuzarra’s deeply gorgeous Doctor Bag, which has been frustratingly listed as pre-order only for months, is at long last here—if I hadn’t just bought the Teckel, I swear…; Miaou’s new swim collection ranges from a zip-up swim tank to a teeny-weeny silver bikini; footwear worlds collide in the strappy sandals and gladiators of the Ancient Greek Sandals x Castañer collaboration; this perfectly cast (featuring Leighton Meester) Edie Parker x St. John collaboration might be just what the latter needs to shake off its unironic boomer baggage; Thom Browne brings his signature stripes to bed with four-bar towels, sheets, blankets, and more in classic gray and navy; & Other Stories taps Susan Fang for a capsule of beaded, crocheted, and otherwise configured princess-y gear; Maison Kitsune designs four pairs of Havianas reminiscent of retro postcards; and G. Label’s April collection features dresses for all three genders: Hostess, Boyfriend, and Patricia.
What’s on sale
The spring markdowns have started in earnest at Bergdorf’s, where 4,000+ new-season items are 25% off. Of immediate interest are the twisted Tove top I wore through fashion month, a very vacation-suitcase tunic dress from WE-AR4, a fine cashmere Guest in Residence button down I just picked up myself (I’m wearing it as I’m writing this lol, so soft), and a ruched Interior top.
Moda Operandi is directing its discounts at “finishing touches”: beauty, shoes, bags, and other accessories are 20% off with 20OFFBA in this edit that includes Aeyde flats, a Louis Abel sterling ring, a dead-useful St. Agni bag, and Dr. Sturm eye cream.
Mercifully sparing us a “We NEVER do this!!!” email subject line, Café Forgot is holding its “$pring $ale”, with 20% off special pieces that are truly hard to find in the wild at a discount: low-waisted, baggy, coated cotton jeans by XXXXXXSOCIETY are $150; a Chiomato “maxi belt” in the vein of the dread Diesel relic but 100x more wearable is under $200; and 13 pieces by Mortica, an impressive, nascent label, are available at price cuts.
It’s private access only hours at the Dion Lee online archive sale, where modular corset dresses that can be chopped and screwed into bolero + tank + skirt sets are $129; surprisingly (for Dion Lee) delicate, foamy knit tanks run $159; acidic denim miniskirts can be acquired for $209; and all 19 pages truly feel like New York’s Hottest Club.
It’s the season of letting weird parts of your skin see sunlight, and Christopher Esber’s online warehouse sale is here to facilitate—a chocolate-colored tee dress, marked $492 down from $820, gapes abruptly at the hip bone and shows off a single shoulder; cage “the dogs” in three-pronged thong sandals for under $500; and cover absolutely no more than necessary with a tiny rectangular top ($217 down from $432), making sure you’re safely buckled into its leather straps.
Until it’s rudely yanked off its ventilator, Matches Outlet is chugging along, offering an additional 30% off its already up to 80% off deals with OFFER30—that’s practically highway robbery, but sizes are dwindling in “the good stuff,” e.g. shearling-lined clogs from the coveted Birkenstock x Tekla collab for $120 down from $430, a woven Super Yaya halter for an unheard of $65 (down from $463!!!), and… a Flore Flore dress for under $20. Amen.
If you can brave its convoluted website (turn sound OFF) and decode the stipulations in this post about Giu Giu’s Earth Day sale, you’ll be able to use BLESSEARTH for 50% off a selection (see post) of the label’s eclectic, neurotic knits—since these racing-stripe lounge pants are “earth tone,” they’re $173 down from $345 until midnight, if our calculations are correct.
The Materiel Tiblisi archive sale takes up to 70% off pieces so unique that you’ll be the only one at the impromptu block party or, god forbid, high school reunion wearing, say, a cape vest mini dress for $275 down from nearly $800 (good for pretending to have invented the Post-It), or a faded grape “pockets out” cropped jacket and shorts set ($400 down from over a grand).
Take up to 30% off heavy-hitters from Vince’s spring collection with SPRING: there are washed cotton shorts with preppy pleats and chafe-proof length for sub-$200; strategically-frayed, champagne-colored slip dresses under $400; leather heeled thongs under $210; and more.
Araks is offering 50% off a selection of its laciest lingerie—plenty of matching bralette/underwear combos are under $100 total, when usually a single bralette costs over the $100 mark.
Using ALBUSJUMBO, take 50% off sitewide in the Albus Lumen Jumbo sale, with inclusions as far afield as turquoise fish earrings, a sleeveless crocheted maxi dress, bergamot and palmarosa hand sanitizer (under $13!), and abstract terracotta vases.
In the Pistola Denim friends + family sale, true blue straight-leg denim can be found for under $100, as can kick-flare crops, with a surprisingly wide selection of 100% cotton knits and baggy, sub-$40 “muscle tees” to round out the jeans.
There’s also: It’s almost skeezy club/freaky festival season, and I.AM.GIA’s sale takes up to 80% off all the supplies you’ll need; Madewell offers an extra 30% off its sale section with SPRING30 (the perfect knit tank is $28, FYI); take 20% off a full site of Santa Fe-originating skincare in Ayond’s Spring Sale; and Candice Swanepoel’s swim brand Tropic of C (great colors + fabrics in my experience) is offering 25% off select styles for Earth Day with EARTH24.
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Leather Mechanic Tool Bag. In black $120. At hightide downtown la
https://hightidestoredtla.com/products/leather-mechanic-tool-bag-small-yellow?variant=34602141384862
the studded one is gorgeous. bought my large black teckel on Italist in February.