Thoughts on Louise Bourgeois' personal uniform, that Givenchy rip-off, and a sale at Nanushka.
Welcome to The HALO Report — HALOSCOPE’s new weekly digest, an of-the-moment mix of news items, opinion pieces, and sale announcements designed to keep you posted on the nitty-gritty of the fashion world and all of its tangents without having to keep a constant eye on your feed.
This week, “chic” leans into its fascist side, how to dress like a corpse flower, Louise Bourgeois’ favorite colors to don, Willy Chavarria peaces out of the US (lucky!), menswear wins and flops are revealed, a Palestinian brand offers a great sale on Bode-ish pieces, and more.
The latest long-ish reads from the brightest minds in fashion.
My aversion to using the word “chic” in my writing, loaded as it is with connotations of a very specific aesthetic (think: thin, white, wealthy, unobtrusive) has been affirmed by the headline of “What does the inauguration’s authoritarian-chic fashion tell us? Designers are suddenly eager to dress the Trumps” by Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett for The Guardian. If Melania’s Evita-core inauguration fit by Oscar de la Renta alum Adam Lippes is any kind of “chic,” the word can’t possibly be a good thing — as Cosslett notes, she looked “positively authoritarian. [Her accessory] was a merciless hat that said: “Resistance is futile, and I won’t make eye contact if you try to beg.” The disturbing amount of politically wishy-washy influencers who have tried to appreciate her clothing as if it could be divorced from the insidious fascist undercurrent it makes manifest are delusional at best. We want to make clear that there is NO place for transphobes, racists, or bigots at large at HALOSCOPE and, inversely, we welcome those who are now endangered by the new administration’s vitriolic policies.
On a lighter note, Vogue’s “How Putricia the Blooming Corpse Flower—the Internet’s Stinkiest It Girl—Should Dress for Her Coming Out” by Anna Cafolla is an unhinged paean to the belle of Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens: a nearly-10-foot-tall plant that, as it slowly blooms on livestream, unleashes the smell of a desiccating carcass to anyone lucky enough to catch a whiff. Another corpse flower has begun to bloom at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, if that’s more local for you, but even if you’re near neither, you can appreciate this article’s proposed stylings: What would “Putricia” wear if she could order from SSENSE? Cafolla suggests Simone Rocha, Sandy Liang, Rodarte, and more…
“Louise Bourgeois' relationship with clothes” by Sasha Zavyalova for Your Offer Has Been Sent is a fascinating and much-needed account of the groundbreaking artist’s relationship with clothing, from her penchant for luxury brands like Chanel and her friendship with Helmut Lang to the blurring lines between wardrobe and studio as she delved more and more into textile-based soft sculpture as her career advanced. Analyses of her favorite colors to wear, appreciation of her penchant for berets, and genuinely fascinating reportage on her surprising involvements with runway fashion make this article a delight to read and re-read.
Everybody is at the point in January where its seemingly unending slog has become almost funny, in an “If we’re not laughing, we’ll cry” fashion, so Jalil Johnson’s “Getting dressed for the layover month” for Consider Yourself Cultured provides a sorely-needed dose of outfit inspiration to brighten up this last week of (arguably) the worst month of the year, including fits Johnson expertly styles on himself using runway references from Armani and Auralee.
In light of Ivanka Trump’s tasteless usage of a copied-from-the-archives Givenchy look, “The Right—and Wrong—Way to Reference Audrey Hepburn” by Lilah Ramzi for Vogue is a necessary reminder that not only did Hepburn despise fascists and would roll in her grave knowing she’d been referenced by a right-wing grifter, but “...to dress up in head-to-toe Hepburn (any day but Halloween) suggests some level of parity with Hepburn, while a more subtle reference creates distance between the reverential wearer and the icon.” The distance and reverence are what make the reference feel loving instead of completely out of touch, but how could we expect that kind of thoughtfulness from a figurehead of fascism?
What to keep in mind — and look forward to — in the past and coming weeks.
The highlight of Men’s Paris Fashion Week so far is the arrival of Willy Chavarria, known for his NYC shows that use inspired casting, rich textiles, and a hefty sense of humor to create shows that pay homage to the oft-underlooked genius of Chicano and Latine style. Chavarria’s departure from the US fashion scene and the T-shirt he sported at the show emblazoned “How We Love Is Who We Are,” from his see-now, buy-now collaboration with Tinder, certainly indicate that the US as it stands is not worthy of his aesthetics OR his ideals.
More shows that impress include Zegna, with romantic layering and breathtaking tweeds on models roaming soft green hills; Sacai, in a very Where the Wild Things Are mode of seemingly haphazard (but clearly calculated to some level) tufts of fur and masculine florals; and Lemaire, setting trends just by doing what it always does: basics, both sturdy and flowing, rendered impeccably, no BS.
On the other hand, the most underwhelming shows include Jacquemus, which continues to rely on tone-deaf gimmicks like a partnership with Apple to glaze over the fact that the brand’s perspective is all over the place at best, out-of-touch at worst; Pharrell’s Louis Vuitton similarly relies on gimmicks that would feel more appropriate as a street style collab than under the auspices of LVMH (the head of which, Bernard Arnault, is a kowtowing Trump supporter, making the whole affair feel rather questionable); and The Row continues to “Emperor’s New Clothes” everyone into thinking even the most well-made coat could possibly be with upwards of $20k, relying on the self-fulfilling gravity of luxury rather than genuine design innovation to buoy its brand name.
Preview Studio Nicholson’s SS25 collection and sign up for a loyalty account to get early access (January 30th) to the new batch of well-tailored basics before they’re available to the public on February 4th.
The holy trinity of comfy-but-seductive labels, Eckhaus Latta, Maryam Nassir Zadeh, and Baserange, drop their first spring wares at beloved boutiques Maimoun and Bona Drag respectively.
Less about impulse buys — and more about tracking discounts on the pieces already on your wishlist.
Palestine-based brand Nol Collective offers 30% off a selection of its gorgeous hand-woven and embroidered pieces that fall somewhere in the camp of Wales Bonner or Bode in their play with masculine and feminine shapes and styles for a fraction of the price point. Though not part of the sale right now, I have coveted this “Viva Palestina” jersey for many months.
The cutely-collared blouses and comfy but elevated trousers are among the many Damson Madder pieces on sale until February 3rd, with another 15% off using EXTRA15.
Girlfriend Collective offers up to 70% off all of its wares, including the exercise leggings I purchased in 2018 and still look, quite literally, brand new to this day.
Take 40% off the entire stock of James Street in its sitewide sale, including tons of high-quality knits that feel very current even as we head into 2025.
Nanushka’s winter sale features pages of puffer jackets, trenches, self-belting trousers, and more cold-weather fare with the brand’s signature Eastern European flair—take 20% off on top of the sale prices with EXTRA20.
Use EXTRA25 for an additional 25% discount on Anine Bing’s sale selection of Chanel-lite cardigans, houndstooth purses under $200, and plenty more elevated basics like the perfect white T-shirt or pair of straight-legged jeans.
Though some of Janessa Leoné’s caps give 2010 Silverlake proto-poly-banjo-player, the hats are inarguably high-quality, and some styles, like subtly distressed bucket hats and 100% cashmere beanies are well worth a peek in the label’s 50% off winter sale. 🌀
Em Seely-Katz is the creator of the fashion blog Esque, the News Editor of HALOSCOPE, and a writer, stylist, and anime-watcher about town. You can usually find them writing copy for niche perfume houses or making awful collages at @that.esque on Instagram.