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Cannabis brand Pure Beauty is launching two artfully designed collaborations that are, well, pure beauty.

On September 18, the imprint will unveil 10 bongs designed by Jochen Holz, the glass blower known for crafting colorful, one-of-a-kind homewares that take on abstract forms. Part smoking device and part object d’art, the bongs — displayed and sold exclusively at Nonaka-Hill Gallery in Los Angeles — stay true to Holz’s aesthetic with sensually curved mouthpieces and pastel-colored chambers.

Holz’s work will range from $800 to $1,200 but fear not, Pure Beauty is offering something for more casual cannabis dabblers, too: five packs of mini joints housed in boxes designed by Sterling Ruby (whose infamous work, Veil Flag, is prominently featured in The Met’s new fashion exhibit), Hassan Rahim of Total Luxury Spa, musician Yu Su, Nic Fensom’s SNEEZE Magazine, and natural winery Purity Wine.

The packs price at $30 and all proceeds will go to federal justice reform efforts by Dream Corps Justice — a charitable component that addresses the implicit racism in marijuana enforcement.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTzgCl0l4dE/

The number of states with marijuana legislation in place now outnumbers the states without, setting the stage for more cannabis crossovers into fashion, art, music, design, and beauty.

Always ahead of the curve, Vetements debuted a gold grinder necklace in 2016. Over the past year, skincare and makeup brands such has Milk, Dieux, and Kiehl’s have incorporated the cannabis plant into their products. In fashion, “smokewear” brands like Sundae School are garnering buzz.

The possibilities of a fashion-forward cannabis industry are endless — Bottega Veneta rolling papers and Telfar vapes might just be in our future.

This year’s Met Gala was the site of some major sartorial wins and losses.

Celebrities and designers interpreted the night’s theme, “American Independence,” rather inconsistently. From Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s statement-making gown (a win, in our opinion) to Justin Bieber’s sloppy suit, the night peaked at thrilling highs and dropped to concerning lows.

On Monday night, each celebrity appearance was gauged by a phrase oft thrown around the Twittersphere: They understood the assignment. A Balenciaga and ERL-clad Rihanna and A$AP Rocky understood the assignment. In a shocking fall from grace, Jennifer Lopez did not.

But beyond the buzz of the Gala’s red (or rather, beige) carpet, the exhibit executed the assignment with aplomb.

In the face of such a glitzy event, it’s easy to forget that the Met Gala is a fundraiser for the museum’s Anna Wintour Costume Center, this year home to a timely exhibition, In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.

However inconsistently interpreted by our favorite celebrities, the overarching theme of American fashion — its past, present, and future — is apparent in every garment head curator Andrew Bolton selected for the show. In curatorial terms, In America: A Lexicon of Fashion gets an A.

“Organizations like The Met and Instagram are evolving,” Adam Mosseri, head of the Facebook-owned app (the show’s sponsor), proclaimed at a media preview of the exhibit. “We have to evolve if we want to stay relevant.”

Helmed by Bolton, the Costume Center is indeed evolving, in the best sense of the word. Ten years ago, the Costume Center (back then, called the Costume Institute) wouldn’t have bat an eye at designers outside of the LVMH-Kering-Richement sphere.

Now, the museum is giving up-and-coming talent their flowers. Perhaps most striking about In America is its inclusion of emerging talent — brands such as Puppets and Puppets, Lou Dallas, and Dauphinette (hardly household names) are displayed alongside American greats including Claire McCardell, Tom Ford, and Ralph Lauren.

Instagram’s sponsorship of In America certainly had a hand in de-institutionalizing (so to speak) the Costume Center and its new show. During the preview, Mosseri emphasized the role of the online creator in shaping culture: discovered on social media, unsigned faces become sought-after models; ambitious designers land spots on the Fashion Month schedule.

These internet-savvy up-and-comers comprise the heart and soul of American fashion today. The go-to platform for creatives to showcase their work, Instagram is expediting a sort of “trickle around” effect, wherein small brands are influencing the greats, which are inevitably copied by fast-fashion retailers. It only makes sense that Bolton would include these emerging yet resonant voices in the conversation.

Though Facebook is a hotly debated character, there’s no denying that Instagram has helped democratize the fashion-scape, allowing unknowns to catapult to viral success with one perfectly timed post. In fact, many of the designers included in the exhibit — like No Sesso, Vaquera, and even the mighty Telfar — built their followings on social media, and their businesses on e-commerce.

Much like a patchwork quilt, the quintessentially American creation that serves as an emblem for In America, the Instagram Feed is a mishmash of content, stitched together by some invisible algorithm.

In the hallowed halls of the Costume Center, a sweatsuit by Fear of God shares the same thread as an ensemble by ERL; a lingerie set by Savage X Fenty is as glamorous as a Charles James gown; Halston and Hood by Air are treated with equal significance.

Bolton reaches for inclusion, a move that, to Eugene Rabkin, rings hollow, considering the ills that plague American politics — but to me, it’s a welcome change.

In a sense, the show’s lineup mimics the Instagram Explore Page experience: on mine, an up-and-comer will land next to an industry giant, followed by a paparazzi shot of Ben Affleck and a polaroid by Andy Warhol, succeeded by a photo of Lil Nas X‘s latest publicity stunt. (And so on and so forth.)

It’s this cross-cultural exchange — an American ideal that, admittedly, our country imperfectly grapples with — that Bolton successfully captures with his careful curation.

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In America: A Lexicon of Fashion

September 18, 2021 – September 5, 2022

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

1000 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10028

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Brand: Billie Eilish x Nike

Model: Air Jordan 15

Release Date: September 30

Price: TBC

Buy: Online at Nike SNKRS US

Editor’s Notes: Hard on the heels of the first official look at her upcoming Nike Air Jordan 1 KO collaboration and fresh home from the Met Gala, Billie Eilish is back in the spotlight – this time around with official images of her collaborative Air Jordan 15.

Billie’s adoration for the Air Jordan line is no myth. Throughout her career thus far, she’s been seen sporting several silhouettes and has confessed her love for Don C’s Jordan Legacy 312. Naturally, the next step for any global artist is to undergo the creative process of having your name on your own pair.

Following several teasers earlier this year, it appears the official Billie Eilish x Nike rollout has begun. Unlike Travis Scott, whose collaborations with Jordan Brand have utilized the biggest models in the franchise, such as the AJ1 and AJ4, Eilish has opted for some of the lesser-known silhouettes – which you may find unsurprising, considering her unorthodox style.

Similar to her upcoming AJKO, this pair of Air Jordan 15’s goes for a tonal palette, although the color of choice is the polar opposite of its counterpart. Light tan covers the sneaker, giving each of its fighter jet-inspired leather stitched panels a militaristic finish.

​​To stay updated on everything happening in the sneaker world, check out the best sneakers to add to your rotation this week, follow @highsnobietysneakers on Instagram, and sign up to our newsletter for early access to the best drops sent straight to your inbox.

Thuan Tran, the founder of ONLUNCHBREAK, is quick to point out that he’s wary of labeling the collective as a production company. What started as a band of friends coming together to create cool shit has slowly evolved into a fledgling creative agency of sorts with a primary goal of empowering each other and their communities first.

“It’s just a community for my friends and creators, and people in our community to look to us for support when it comes to creative production and getting jobs done,” he tells Highsnobiety. Tran believes in paying it forward, especially when it comes to local communities where he shares strong ties.

Keeping in line with that theme, Tran and OLB are working with Girls Only again to open up a second community fridge in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. With creative tools like Canva at his disposal, he’s excited to cook up something special for the next launch. “I see myself using the Canva app to promote events we do. With the community fridge, there are a lot of announcements you have to make, especially when it comes to volunteering and helping,” he explains. “I’m looking forward to being able to add some spice to our announcements.”

We spoke to Tran to learn more about his early days before OLB, how he broke into the creative industry, how Canva makes his work easier, and more. Read our interview below and explore how Canva can take your own projects to the next level.

Anthony Blue Jr.

Anthony Blue Jr.

Anthony Blue Jr.

I’m the founder and director of ONLUNCHBREAK. OLB is developing into a creative agency/family/resource center and educational friend. I was very wary of labeling OLB as a production company, and I definitely don’t see it ever becoming that. It’s just a community for my friends and creators, and people in our community to look to us for support when it comes to creative production and getting jobs done.

I worked at an e-comm site that went bankrupt years ago. Our boss at the time let us keep the office space for the remainder of the lease. It was kind of a dream come true. We were like, “Damn, we just got all of our friends together in a creative studio and we have this space for the next year and all this equipment.” We started branching out and doing our own things. I started doing music videos, my friends were doing photoshoots and styling and getting into casting.

We were all using that office space as a collective, centralized hub for us to do our own projects. It was like a safe space for us. I think brands started to see us doing stuff on social media and constantly being together. In my mind, I was like, “I need to formalize this and make money off of these brands trying to tap into what we’re doing.” That was the beginning of it. We started doing music videos for a long time, which helped solidify our name in the video industry.

Now we’re stepping back a little bit and focusing on creative stuff and more narrative things and community-focused initiatives.

The beautiful thing about ONLUNCHBREAK is that we don’t rep anybody. It’s not an official production company that reps directors and artists. It’s more like an unspoken clubhouse. When a job comes in, I analyze it and see if it’s right for me in the first place. If it’s not, I tap my frequent collaborators and friends who would be more fit to lead the project. I think where we come in is we have some production experience. So we support in that and help young directors and photographers get their feet in the door with our experience, production, support.

We’re friends first and then jobs will come in and I’ll be like, “All right, this will be great for so-and-so and so-and-so, and let’s get him on, and let’s get her on it.” It’s definitely a lot more casual than what people probably perceive. We value our friendship and communities way more than what’s on the calendar and what’s coming in from the clients. We always put that first, and then the jobs come secondary.

Anthony Blue Jr.

Anthony Blue Jr.

Anthony Blue Jr.

My phone, for sure. I’m constantly on Vimeo, Instagram, TikTok. TikTok has been a big source of inspiration for me. I like to look for very nostalgic and relatable moments, and I feel like TikTok is full of that. I look at those things and absorb them and see how I can implement them into our narrative and creative storytelling. I feel my main source of inspiration is my friends showing me cool stuff. I think technology and community and friendships play a big part of it. That’s what constantly keeps me thinking.

When it comes to the actual work process, I always start with the idea and that comes with tons of references. When a project comes in, I’ll spend a whole day just watching music videos from the director’s library, looking at screenshots, and trying to compile a look. That’s when I start writing words. Once I have all of my elements, I’ll put it all together in a director’s treatment. That’s the Bible for the shoot. It’s the go-to structure for how the project should ultimately end up looking.

I’m new to Canva and I wish I discovered it sooner because I was doing everything very manually and I have zero graphic design skills. I felt I always had to rely heavily on the mood board pictures to make up for the fact that the presentation wasn’t the snazziest. So when I started using Canva, I realized that this is going to make it a lot easier for me to just shoot out ideas, because now it’s not so reliant on the mood images.

The app interface makes it easy for someone to jump in and make a very graphic design-savvy presentation without having to even try. There are dozens of templates. It could take two days to finish a brief, just compiling all the elements. But now, with Canva, it skips that whole process of putting it together, because it’s automated in a sense where everything is kind of set. You can customize everything, drag and drop and replace stuff. It helps me get my ideas on paper faster and I think a lot of times, that’s what wins jobs — being fast and agile. You can’t spend days on every presentation.

Girls Only, the community organization I work with, we’re trying to open up a second fridge in Crown Heights. I see myself using the Canva app to promote events we do. With the community fridge, there are a lot of announcements you have to make, especially when it comes to volunteering and helping. I’m looking forward to being able to add some spice to our announcements and not make it just an Instagram story, but not have to look for someone to make a flyer for us every time we want to make an announcement. I could easily use the same two or three templates that we always use.

Back-to-school is upon us and, for many, back-to-the-office is also finally happening. It’s going to be a struggle to settle back into the swing of things, but what we’ve lost in social ability we’ll make up for in back-to-office style. Our primary focus on this front, considering that we’re entering the colder months, is knitwear.

The power of wool sweaters to tie a look together should never be underestimated. From the no-fuss efficiency of a Stone Island sweater that fits every occasion to the out-there boldness of JW Anderson’s multicolored creations, there’s a wool sweater to suit everyone. So whether you’re looking to keep things formal and dialed-down or hoping to provide some cheerful brightness to a dark fall morning in the office, Luisaviaroma has got you covered.

When it comes to menswear classics like raincoats and, as it happens, wool sweaters, Stone Island always finds a way to keep things fresh. This lightweight wool-blend sweater is understated enough to style with sweatpants or tailored trousers.

Italian luxury doesn’t come much more Italian or luxurious than Ermenegildo Zegna. Cut from cashmere, this two-tone piece of knitwear perfection is a lifelong investment.

Woven using cashmere and silk, this Agnona cable-knit sweater is the definition of high-end. Sure, it’ll set you back, but this is genuinely the peak of knitwear.

Crewnecks are a standard go-to for the modern gent, but opting for a rollneck is not only ideal when the mercury drops, it also opens up a lot of layering opportunities.

Much like that Harry Styles-approved JW Anderson patchwork cardigan which sparked an internet crochet craze, this JW Anderson knit is made up of colorblocked patchwork which exudes joy.

Continuing with the bold palettes, this Andersson Bell sweater features unfinished threads, lending it unorthodox texture as though it’s being worn inside-out.

If you love the flowing intarsia knit of the Andersson Bell sweater but don’t fancy yourself as a morning-brightener, opt for this more pared-back number by Dries Van Noten.

While Jonathan Anderson’s work under his eponymous label sides with the punchiest colors, his archive at Loewe is much more toned-down. This slim, blue sweater is made of pure wool and features understated logo embroidery to each side as detailing.

So you love the ’70s but can’t hit the office in your flares and frilly shirts? Rep your era with subtle finesse with the help of this Lanvin Sweater which features the brand name in an unmistakably ’70s typeface.

When it comes to wool sweaters for the office, it’s sometimes best to keep things neutral. This Nanushka Virote Sweater is made in a versatile earth-tone with enough detailing for a touch of office-suitable personality without distracting any co-workers.

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International model Irina Shayk graces the cover of the latest issue of HIGHStyle, a Magazine by Highsnobiety. As well as shooting her for a massive 28 pages of the mag, we also got Irina to play a favorite Highsnob pastime — Cop or drop.

Though Shayk kicked things off by saying “I’m Russian, so I want to cop everything,” that actually wasn’t the case. She dropped an $8k Bottega Veneta bathrobe, an electric surfboard, and, unsurprisingly, a stomach-turning tub of Cup Noodle ice cream.

Recognizing the accessory as an outlet for current frustrations, she copped a JW Anderson punchbag bag, as well as some LEGO x adidas sneakers, a neon pink Rimowa suitcase, and more.

Check the full video above to find out Irina Shayk’s verdict on all 10 products, most of which you can shop, or drop, below.

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Unlikely Closet Staple is made in partnership with MATCHESFASHION. It’s a series in which we explore some of the less likely but no less essential aspects of the modern wardrobe.

The past decade has seen luxury fashion take an increasingly apparent interest in pure utility. Of course, at its most obvious, this consists of high-end performance pieces like taped-seam GORE-TEX jackets and the like, but there a countless other smaller but no less real examples of this. Take the dad shoe, for example, which was a style pariah until the mid-2010s when it was resurrected for its no-fuss, unpretentious silhouette. More recently, market bags have seen a new lease of luxurious life.

Usually crafted from woven nylon, these ginormous, checked bags are designed purely out of necessity, with little or no thought paid to aesthetics. Sitting, essentially, on the polar opposite end of the scale to luxury fashion has ironically put them in the firing line for a luxury reboot.

A luxury reboot that’s safe in the hands of Marni, Gucci, Charles Jeffrey Loverboy, and more of fashion’s finest. A luxury reboot that we’re diving into with the help of MATCHESFASHION.

Marni can be credited with having one of the best-loved luxury interpretations of market bags on the market. These colorful, woven masterpieces show the true potential of the style.

Gucci takes a very direct route in translating the market bag into the luxury sphere. The typical tricolor checks of the OG style remain but are elevated by leather trims and, of course, a Gucci logo front and center.

Obviously, Balenciaga is on the front lines of this high-low exercise. Much like Gucci, Balenciaga cuts and pastes the unmistakable checked motif but opts for less luxe finishing touches with a drawstring top and webbed straps.

Never one to follow trends, A.P.C. abides strictly to a timeless-design-only rule. So, although this big woolen tote bag is defined by the same utility as market bags, it looks like a much more refined version.

When we picture OG market bags in their natural habitat, it looks very different to the hot bohemian buzz of Ibizan markets. Loewe hits the nail on the head with this Balearic take, though.

The size of market bags makes them difficult to position in the lifestyle arena. LASTFRAME passes this obstacle with its rib-knit construction which gives this shopper-inspired sack the ability to grow and shrink depending on its contents.

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Brand: HOKA One One

Model: Bondi X

Release Date: October 1

Price: €220 (approx. $260)

Buy: Online at HOKA

Editor’s Notes: The apex of high-performance is getting an upgrade – because fast isn’t fast enough.

Los Angeles-based French running brand HOKA One One has remained firmly at the forefront of running and performance wear since it burst into the mainstream – thanks to its tactful collaborations, on-trend styling, and constantly evolving technology.

Testament to these elements is the latest development within the ever-popular, first-to-the-mark Bondi model. The Bondi has been central to the brand’s popularity, with silhouettes such as the Bondi 6 Low equipt for long-distance running and an on-trend chunky build.

The shoe’s long-distance origins remain a staple of its design and are the basis of its latest upgrade. With the introduction of the Bondi X, HOKA elevates the silhouette’s cushioning with the addition of a carbon plate for a smoother step from heel to toe. Coupled with the lightest foam ever developed by HOKA, the Bondi X is taking the idea of speed and turning it up a notch.

As you’d expect from any Bondi model, the upper consists of a breathable mesh, with maximized comfort cushioning throughout. The first appearance of the HOKA One One Bondi X arrives in a white-to-yellow gradient, with contrasts of blue and orange across the sole and midsection.

​​To stay updated on everything happening in the sneaker world, check out the best sneakers to add to your rotation this week, follow @highsnobietysneakers on Instagram, and sign up to our newsletter for early access to the best drops sent straight to your inbox.

Buying sneakers used to be the cheap option. While leather shoes have remained at a fairly constant price, the sneaker market has been blown wide open, with prices for mesh sneakers regularly topping those of genuine, artisanal leather shoes. While this explosion in popularity has turned many off the world of sneakers, we’re here to say that it’s still possible to find a decent pair of high tops for less than $300.

Sure, even $300 feels like a lot to drop on sneakers, but as a budget it works well, allowing you to access the world of collaborations and rare sneakers without breaking the bank. High-top sneakers have seen a resurgence alongside the uptick in retro styles and, with labels like Nike and adidas YEEZY seemingly releasing an internet-breaking shoe each week, the high-top has never looked stronger.

That also means that it’s never been a more difficult time to cop a pair of high-tops for less than $300. We’ve teamed up with Stadium Goods to prove that it’s still possible.

The Air Jordan 12 Retro is a Jordan silhouette that hasn’t yet been picked up by the hype machine, so you can still bag beautiful pairs without the 400 percent premium.

Summer 2021 was a very strong season for the Jumpman. So strong that some releases fell under the radar slightly. The Racer Blue 3 lost out on newsfeed space to more hyped releases but it’s one of our standout drops.

The Nike Dunk High may not have been as popular as the Low this year, but it’s still had its fair share of hype surrounding it. The fragment design Beijing collaboration is an instant classic with its rich purple & black palette.

The adidas YEEZY partnership is one of the most prolific sneaker collaborations ever. Every week sees a new colorway or model, but some stand the test of time. The 500 High Tactile Orange has been on our mind since it dropped in May this year.

Much of the adidas YEEZY range takes its inspiration from sportswear, but the YEEZY BSKTBL is perhaps the most obviously performance-based silhouette from the partnership.

We love commemorative pairs. It always adds an extra angle to a shoe, and it often positions it as a collector’s piece. This pair pays homage to the 2021 NBA All-Star game and features glittering marbled overlays against a soft Barely Green backdrop.

Made in collaboration with Japanese streetwear label READYMADE, the Nike Blazer gets a complete revamp while retaining its central characteristics. Yuta Hosokawa describes his take on the Blazer as a “deconstructed look that doesn’t lose sight of the model’s DNA.”

We’re always here for a reupped old-school colorway. The original Stealth dropped way back in 2006 and the colorway still hasn’t lost any of its charm.

Dropping earlier this year, the Nike Air Jordan 1 High OG Pollen was a hit with fans of the Swoosh thanks to its iconic color palette. The two-tone black & grey look is a rare but well-loved combination and this pair nodded to the fan-favorite Wu-Tang iteration.

While heading up Dior and Fendi, Kim Jones still has enough time to drop wild collaborations with names like Nike and Converse. The Utility Wave High puts a technical spin on the iconic Chuck Taylor 70.

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While travel is still partially on hold and taking an actual trip through Tokyo will have to wait, these Havaianas flip-flops might be the next best thing. The drop takes inspiration from five Tokyo neighborhoods — Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, Akihabara, and Ueno — where the campaign, featuring freestyle footballer Kazane aka @kazaneflowerboy, was shot.

Highsnobiety / Houmi Sakata

Highsnobiety / Houmi Sakata

Highsnobiety / Houmi Sakata

Tokyo might seem like an unusual choice for the Brazilian brand’s biggest Tradi Zori release so far, but Havaianas links to Japan actually go way back. The traditional zori sandal was the point of inspiration for Havaianas’ three-pronged design and last year, Havaianas honored it by launching the Tradi Zori, a flip-flop with a chunkier design and a more angular sole similar to that of the traditional zori. The new model was launched in collaboration with Mastermind and, this summer was the subject of a collaboration with Japan streetwear favorites, BAPE.

With the new Tradi Zori collection, Havaianas continues to pay tribute to the model’s Japanese connections by taking a trip through the country’s capital. At first glance, the bright and clashing colorways in the collection might look like a quick take of the city’s aesthetic, but each colorway is actually a thoughtful ode to one of five key neighborhoods.

Highsnobiety / Houmi Sakata

Highsnobiety / Houmi Sakata

Highsnobiety / Houmi Sakata

The Harajuku iteration draws from the busy and bright aesthetic of Takeshita-Dori street, combining pastel pinks and blues with and a pop of lime green. Meanwhile, the purple and turquoise that appear on the Shibuya edition match the Hanzomon, Ginza, and Den-en-toshi subway lines that pass through Shibuya Station.

Highsnobiety / Houmi Sakata

Highsnobiety / Houmi Sakata

Highsnobiety / Houmi Sakata

The ​​Akihabara flip-flop clashes primary colors pulled from the vibrant façade of the back-alley discount electronic shops and animé-themed cafés that make up the buzzing neighborhood, while the Shinjuku colorway captures the neighborhood at night with hits of yellow and pink recalling shining neon signs. The final colorway is a more traditional take and features red-and-cream shades in a nod to the cherry blossom, paper lanterns, and festive decorations that appear periodically in Ueno park.

The collection is available now and with their colorful palettes, this Tradi Zori collection is ideal for those looking to go bold and hop on the tabi sock with flip-flops trend this fall.

While the dust settles from the pomp and circumstance of the Met Gala, and the accompanying discussions of who wore what, we take a closer look at the actual fashion exhibit that was the nominal cause for the celebration, which opens tomorrow.

The “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion” exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is the first installment in a two-part series that aims to reframe the image of American fashion as the underachieving cousin of its posh European relatives. Andrew Bolton — the English head curator of the Costume Institute at the Met — is surely aware of that, and so the exhibit invites us to think about American fashion in other terms.

This makes sense — instead of constantly comparing American fashion to that of Europe — why not highlight its own merits that may exist in other realms? To err on the safe side, the Met decided to circumvent the ideas of technical excellence, complexity, beauty, fantasy, theater — where, let’s face it, we still have some catching up to do — and go for the purely subjective, which is the emotive. But even if we assume that all emotions are valid, as our current culture dictates, that does not automatically make all fashion great.

In any case, to underpin the exhibit around emotiveness, the Met curators decided to pick a slew of nouns, each corresponding to an outfit, and thus create a vocabulary surrounding American fashion. The introductory exhibition plaque claims that these nouns are “stitched together through their emotive resonance, resulting in a richly textured quilt of American fashion that is as diverse, multifaceted, and heterogenous as the nation itself.” Perhaps. But the problem is that there are about 100 outfits in the exhibit, which means a hundred nouns, which in turn means that by the time you are done with the exhibit, you are at a loss for any thread of meaning, and words.

What is uniquely American about, say, “Humor” — are other nations or their fashions devoid of it? Last I checked, the Italian Franco Moschino or the French Jean-Paul Gaultier had enough to spare. And what is to be said about a noun like “Artfulness,” hardly something that American fashion can lay claim to over the Japanese Rei Kawakubo, for instance, or the English Alexander McQueen.

The unfortunate reality for an exhibit curator is that once you lock yourself into a theme and a method, you are forced to make connections that can become too tenuous even for the most generous audience. Take, for example, a Tommy Hilfiger mock ’50s college heavy-knit sweater with a giant “H” emblazoned on it. The notecard that goes with it — noun, “Association” — claims that the sweater somehow “democratizes a moniker that has historically been restricted to the elite.” But how? By selling it at Macy’s? Last I checked, anyone could go into a Harvard merch store in Boston and buy a sweater, or order one online with just a few clicks. And if you think that Hilfiger had any hand in democratizing anything, you have not been paying attention to American politics for the past few decades. The elites are alive and doing better than ever and their spots at Harvard are guaranteed via donations and legacy admissions.

If there is a story to be told about Hilfiger, it’s one of aspiration — of Black inner city youth appropriating Hilfiger in the ’90s because it aspired to the narrative of the rich, white New England lifestyle the brand pushed, and then, in a circle, of white youth imitating the Black because hip-hop made Hilfiger cool. Anyone who grew up in ’90s New York, as I did, witnessed this firsthand.

By the time I was done with trying to process a hundred nouns, all attempts at creating a meaningful narrative in his poor head crashed and burned. What I was looking at in the end was a collection of words and a collection of outfits, and the outfits were definitely more American.

While this “lexicon” did not satisfy a man’s search for meaning, it definitely satisfied the current demands for inclusivity. The political-cultural minefield museums have to navigate today is vast, and its terrain daunting. The result of this can be seen in the front room of this exhibition — a rather inane idea that America is made of different types of people that are somehow “stitched together” like a patchwork quilt. But this rings hollow after the events of the past years; it’s hardly an argument that America has been unraveling like an H&M sweater after its third wash. If there is a noun that no longer describes the US, it’s “Solidarity,” and certainly not in the form of a Tommy Hilfiger knit with the Stars-and-Stripes on it.

Here is another great question that the exhibit could have engaged with — who gets to be called an American fashion designer? It was raised implicitly in the aforementioned quilt room, but the answers sometimes were puzzling. For example, there was an excellent reworked Burberry coat by Miguel Adrover, a talented Spaniard who showed in New York for about five years before returning home. But what about the Austrian Helmut Lang, who arguably did his best work in New York, and has remained here after he stopped designing and started making tantrum art? Surely, an outfit of his would have enriched the exhibit that featured work of lesser designers.

There is no shortage of stories in the American fashion vernacular. We may lack the finesse, elegance, and craftsmanship skills of Europe and Japan because we don’t have centuries of aesthetic appreciation as a nation. In its nascent stage, America had other, more pragmatic concerns; and anyway, it was founded by Puritans for whom esthetics were not only unnecessary but outright dangerous.

Instead, we have energy, chutzpah, youth culture, pop culture, and a sense of possibility and daring that often comes from the street, unencumbered by tradition and spurred on by the cultural and business climate propitious to newness and risk-taking. That is the American story, and that is the American fashion story. I would have much preferred to see that, rather than the tiring set of kumbayas about our togetherness or a meandering collection of nouns. One can only hope that part ll of the exhibit, titled “In America: An Anthology of Fashion,” takes a different route.

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Brand: Loewe

Season: Fall/Winter 2021

Buy: MATCHESFASHION

Editor’s Notes: Loewe’s shape-shifting purse is an accessory for all occasions.

The brand’s pleated leather shoulder bag — a soft-sided cylindrical pouch — can be folded around the wrist and fastened to itself, a feat that transforms the accessory into a bracelet-purse hybrid.

Where was this bag when I was going through my clubbing phase? It would’ve been perfect for keeping my credit card, keys, and gum secure while leaving my hands free to text “where are u?” every ten minutes.

Though I’m no longer much of a partier, I always appreciate an accessory with a bit of Transformers-esque charm. Prada‘s Monolith boots with an AirPods case strapped to the side? Why not. CELINE‘s Trio Bag, featuring three detachable compartments? Absolutely. Feng Chen Wang‘s UGG boot-turned-sandal? Yas!

There’s something innately fun about modular fashion. The ability to experiment with a product, to customize it to one’s own liking, unlocks a kind of playfulness, an exuberance that Loewe’s Jonathan Anderson is able to infuse with sophistication.

The bendable bag is anchored by gold, logo-embossed discs at both ends. Both discs are constructed with sleek D-rings that can be attached using a gold carabiner, securing the bag around the wrist.

If you’re feeling more conventional, just pop on the detachable shoulder strap and sling the bag on your arm.

The possibilities are endless. Personally, I’d slip the bag onto my wrist for a stroll with my dog, or use it as a card carrier for running errands. And who knows — the next time I hit the dance floor, I’ll stash all my after-hours essentials in Loewe’s clever little design.

Ever since Robert De Niro appeared in the 1978 epic war drama The Deer Hunter, it elevated him to superstar status among Hollywood elite. The film earned five Academy Awards the following year and even counts as one of Frank Ocean’s favorites.

De Niro’s newfound celebrity made fans even more obsessed with emulating his style, particularly the now-iconic orange parka he donned in the famous hunting scene with Meryl Streep (she wore a green version). That jacket was produced by Holubar, one of the original American outdoor clothing manufacturers that’s been making dependable gear for nearly three-quarters of a century. Founded by husband and wife duo Roy and Alice Holubar in Boulder, Colorado, they pioneered new materials and manufacturing techniques like 60/40 fabric and sandwich padding, which made garments dry faster, and were one of the first to work with nylon and down.

Holubar

Holubar

Holubar

Sharing the same name as the film, Holubar’s FW21 collection returns the Deer Hunter parka to its original big-screen glory with improved features, new colors, and different versions for varying climates. The collection itself references the brand’s rich archive and wide use of textiles, with an emphasis on laminated cottons, Cordura, technical wools, and tonal alpacas.

Shop Holubar FW21

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Boulder LI77 Long Parka Jacket

Holubar $850

BUY $850

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New Mustang Long Down Jacket NY20

Holubar $575

BUY $575

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Solo Liner Vest NY21

Holubar $225

BUY $225

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Short Hunter Jacket LI77

Holubar $650

BUY $650

BUY

New Mustang Mid Down Jacket NY21

Holubar $850

BUY $850

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Holubar

Holubar

Holubar

Ever since the 1950s, Holubar has been mixing high-performance fabrics with technical features and inventive details season after season. In 1955, it started using nylon in outerwear and sleeping bags and pioneered wavy stitching as a performance quilting technique, which was more resistant to the cold. This season they’re expanding their offering to include heritage-inspired flannel, corduroy shirts, cotton and wool sweatshirts, and pants.

Holubar

Holubar

Think of this ensemble as everything you need to keep the elements at bay — in style, of course. With the introduction of materials like Ventile, a highly breathable cotton-based waterproof fabric developed in the notoriously wet UK climate for the Royal Air Force, Holubar is committed to upholding its reputation of innovation while also minding its environmental footprint. They’ll also be collaborating with Thinsulate this year to gradually increase the use of sustainable synthetic insulation in its outerwear and reduce its reliance on natural down feathers.

Holubar

Holubar

Holubar

Take a look at some of our favorite styles from Holubar’s FW21 collection and learn more about the brand at holubar.com.

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Acne Studios Fall/Winter 2021 Denim Selection takes all of the legwork out of finding the perfect pair of jeans.

By now, you’re sure to be familiar with the Scandinavian approach to design, characteristic of Acne Studios. Unless you’re a long-time follower of the brand, its humble beginnings may be somewhat of a mystery.

Despite still feeling like a very new brand, Acne began building its cult status and standing amongst fashion’s top-tier from the ground over a decade ago. Beginning its journey in 1996 as a creative collection helmed by Jonny Johannson, Acne would find its footing through denim. The team created 100 pairs of raw denim jeans with red stitching, which moved through Stockholm’s creative underground via friends and family, and kickstarting its continued success.

This selection of 100 pairs set the foundations of what Acne Studios would grow to become and how integral denim would be to its DNA. Throughout seasonal releases, denim has undergone constant evolution, with styles such as the 1996 and the new 2021 giving the category a distinct visual identity.

As Acne’s efforts in other categories such as outerwear and footwear have become focal points of the brand offering, denim has remained key. For Fall/Winter 2021, the denim selection on offer (like many brands in a post-lockdown world) looks to the outdoors as a point of inspiration, resulting in “Earth” and “Clay Blue” washes.

The Acne Studios Fall/Winter 2021 Denim Selection is available online now.

Grailed, the online marketplace for luxury streetwear and vintage fashion, raised $60 million in a Series B funding round.

Led by GOAT Group, owner of sneaker resale app GOAT and footwear retailer Flight Club, the funding round attracted additional big-name investors including Groupe Artémis — the Pinault family’s holding company — and Gucci CEO Marco Bizzari.

According to a press release, Grailed will use the money to improve its digital authentication process and invest in more tools for sellers and buyers.

“Grailed and GOAT share a common approach, based on authenticity, trust and a highly curated perspective on style, which is core to our brand as we bring the greatest products together from the past, present and future,” said Eddy Lu, CEO of GOAT Group.

At first glance, GOAT’s investment in Grailed is surprising, given that the two are seeming competitors. However, considering resale’s boom in popularity, the partnership is a strategic move, one that will likely expand the reach of both platforms.

Resale is having a major moment, a phenomenon best exemplified by Etsy’s purchase of Depop — a $1.6 billion deal — earlier this year. Since then, brick-and-mortar retailers such as Selfridges and Galeries Lafayette made moves to launch secondhand pop-up shops in-store.

From a consumer’s point of view, buying pre-owned and resold goods has become a fashionable way of signaling a sort of in-the-know sophistication, an awareness of the environmental benefits of circular consumption. What was once a fringe method of shopping is now a popular norm.

Grailed’s impressive new roster of investors is a big win for the resale sector — and a major score for GOAT Group.

As part of the release of our latest HIGHStyle magazine, Irina Shayk steps in as a guest style editor for Highsnobiety, giving the lowdown on everything from her travel essentials to brands she loves right now. We also asked Irina what style regrets she had — she said none.

I recently played Cop or Drop with you guys (dropping tomorrow), and you showed me an $8k Bottega bathrobe, an electric surfboard, and that disgusting Cup Noodle ice cream that I’m still having nightmares about.

Thankfully, this time I’m picking the product. As I told you before, I LOVE sneakers. And I love jewelry. In fact, I’m Russian, so I want to cop everything.

Even so, I’ve managed to make a very difficult selection of just 5 looks or products that I’m loving right now, from Burberry to oversized Levi’s.

Graphic and print pieces are always fun. It’s an easy way to inject more color and casualness into your wardrobe. Retro is one route to take, and I’m very into the ‘90s-style Bambi pieces that Givenchy and Burberry have done. If I’m in the mood for a little more sophistication — then something like the all-over TB print from Burberry always works.

Though I love designer clothing, high fashion can get a little OTT sometimes. I’m also very much a casual person most days, so the mix of fashion house and streetwear that’s happened over the past few years is something I’m into a lot. The Moschino x Palace collab was very cool. Oh and pretty much any fashion Supreme Collab.

I’m traveling a lot for work and when I’m not, I need to relax. Therefore, I need my wardrobe to be comfy and not restrictive. Oversized clothing keeps me happy, and I usually look to classic brands like Levi’s to provide it. Denim jeans and jackets are always present in my wardrobe, as is a cozy sweater.

I’m a big believer in unisex clothing, and streetwear definitely does it best. Love love love the neon palettes and bold silhouettes that 032c uses.

No, I’m not just saying this because I’m here. Highsnobiety’s own line is full of super nice staple pieces that round out the wardrobe well. Tees and hoodies are always needed in my book — they are the foundations of my looks, especially on my days off.

Want to keep browsing? Head to the Highsnobiety Shop for more products that we love. Highsnobiety has affiliate marketing partnerships, which means we may receive a commission from your purchase.

With this week’s FRONTPAGE, we are thrilled to announce HIGHStyle, our new print magazine available from retailers around the world and our online store. In this devastatingly glamorous interview, our cover star Irina Shayk is the embodiment of a fashion icon.

The standard celebrity response to the relentless pursuit of the paparazzi is, at worst, smoldering rage, and at best, casual indifference. But Irina Shayk has a happier approach. Each morning, as she gets ready to take her 4-year-old daughter, Lea (whose dad is actor Bradley Cooper) to school, she plays dress up. “You can’t leave your house with dirty nails and dirty hair — even though I really want to sometimes,” she says. “But during lockdown, we had no red carpets. I was like, ‘I’ve got to make school runs fun.’”

Highsnobiety / Heji Shin

Highsnobiety / Heji Shin

Highsnobiety / Heji Shin

The photographers have been extra-feverish lately, as rumors swirl that she is Kanye West’s first post-Kardashian girlfriend (more on that later). But that’s just meant more opportunities to show off; in a Pepto pink men’s suit, or a purple-and-yellow plaid Vivienne Westwood jacket and skirt, or a faux fur-hooded coat the color of Big Bird. “Sometimes my daughter is scared — she sees the paparazzi from miles away. She’s a KGB baby,” Shayk says. “We had to explain to her, like, ‘They’re just doing their job. By selling pictures, they make their living. You don’t have to be scared.’”

Shayk, after all, knows how this fame game works, and has been making proverbial beets into borscht since her childhood in Russia, one that was filled with rougher stuff than what gossip columns dish out. Today, her remarkable rise has brought her to the Highsnobiety office in downtown Manhattan, where she is being fitted for this cover shoot, her skin deep brown from a highly Instagrammed trip to the Bahamas, her light eyes popping like emeralds. As she settles in, she kicks off one Burberry sandal to get comfortable on the couch, futzing with a gold anklet around her foot, and tells her origin story — an almost impossible journey from Yemanzhelinsk to here.

Shayk — now 35 and casual cool in a bright red crop top, with an icy diamond cross hanging from her neck — grew up in a humble village near the border of Kazakhstan. Her father, a coal miner, died when she was 14, and her mother, a kindergarten teacher, was left to support her and her sister, Tatiana, alone. “We didn’t even have diapers. You had a cloth that you wash by hand — we had no washer and no dryer. I remember in the early 1990s when we had to survive the winter, my mom would be like, ‘Don’t tell people that we have nothing to eat.’ She’s a very proud woman,” Shayk says. “It taught me to be tough, how to take ‘no’ and turn it into ‘yes.’”

Shayk was discovered by a model scout in the slightly bigger city of Chelyabinsk (where her sister was attending beauty school), and brought to Paris before she was 20, barely knowing a word of French or English. “I’d never held a fashion magazine in my life,” she says. “I never knew modeling was a real job.” She was housed in an apartment with four other girls, given €50 per week as pocket money (barely enough to survive on), and sent the first money she made home to Russia so her mom could buy a sofa. She ate bowls of plain rice when there weren’t better options and jumped the turnstiles of the Paris Metro to get to castings, hoping she wouldn’t be noticed by the police. “It was no Facebook, no Instagram. You had to go to different young photographers, get your test pictures. The agency would give you a map, okay? A physical map,” she says. “I still remember it now. There was one studio — it was a nightmare to get there. You arrive and they look at your book, and then they’re like, ‘Okay, thank you. Bye.’”

A different manager saw potential in her, though, and uprooted her again, this time to New York, sending her to a casting in 2007 for what would become her big break: the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue. “I only had one swimsuit — pink and floral. It was double-sided and so used and abused, it was floppy,” she remembers. “I was like, ‘Oh my God, how am I going to go to this casting with this shitty-ass, tacky swimsuit?’”

Within a week, chintzy suit or not, she was booked. And within a few years, she was on the cover, photographed in Hawaii with a lion’s mane of wavy, shiny Little Mermaid hair in a teeny tiny bikini. At that time, the swimsuit issue cover was enough of a pop cultural milestone that she was invited on Late Night with David Letterman in 2011 to announce it. “I barely spoke English. Before I went on, they said to me, ‘You know, Dave can be very tricky.’ I didn’t even know who David Letterman was!” she says. “I thought, ‘Okay, I’m going to go on and take over. I’m not going to let him get me.’”

In the wake of charming Letterman and fronting Sports Illustrated, Shayk blossomed on the more commercial, mainstream side of the industry, featured in the Glamours and Cosmopolitans, fast fashion ad campaigns, and (notably, considering current relationship rumors) the music video for Kanye West’s “Power.” But she also had one eye on the more rarefied space of high fashion. She was noticing a shift in the industry and wanted to shift with it. As social justice movements grew through the 2010s and #MeToo began to send shockwaves through the culture, the glossy sex appeal embodied by Sports Illustrated and Victoria’s Secret was beginning to feel stale and problematic. Media was turning toward something rawer, realer, even political, and so were brands. Just this year, Victoria’s Secret ditched their famous glamazon Angels for LGBTQ+ activist and soccer player Megan Rapinoe as a spokesperson, and the 2021 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue cover girls — Naomi Osaka, Megan Thee Stallion, and trans model Leyna Bloom — are women of great professional and personal accomplishment, with much to say about feminism, mental health, gender identity, everything.

Shayk could’ve been left behind; an emblem of a simpler, more superficial time, something like the 21st-century modeling equivalent of the silent film actresses who couldn’t cut it in talkies. “Nobody wants an empty vessel. Now you have to bring more than just beauty,” Shayk says. “Everyone is fed up with perfect.” She worked to deepen her image, even though she wasn’t, at first, the ideal fit — literally — for the cooler brands. Physical attributes that made her right for swimwear shoots weren’t always appreciated by luxury designers. “Usually, you see models on the slimmer side. I had an agency that said, ‘You’re never going to work if you don’t lose 15 pounds,’” she says. “I have boobs and a butt. When I was doing the Marc Jacobs show, Marc came for a fitting, I pointed at my boobs and butt, and said, ‘These are how I bought my West Village apartment.’”

Highsnobiety / Heji Shin

Highsnobiety / Heji Shin

Aided by big-time stylist friends like Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele and Carine Roitfeld, and a close relationship with designer Riccardo Tisci, the tiny bikinis were gradually replaced by full runway looks, the cover of Sports Illustrated swapped for Vogue Italia. “It was hard to break through to the fashion side, but I just went picture by picture by picture,” she says. “It’s like building a house. You need a little base.” Shayk also became a draw for her personal life, getting hired as a personality in her own right. In 2015, she began to date actor Bradley Cooper, eventually having her child with him in 2017. Their breakup in 2019 made her a fixture in the tabloids and, if not a household name, at least a known one. But even though her dating history is part of her appeal, she also seems to understand that a dash of mystique can only make her even more intriguing, and has remained famously mum about her romantic life, crediting her Russian roots for her discretion. “My grandma was a secret agent in WWII,” she says. “I think private life should be private. Irina is KGB-style.”

That brings us to Kanye, whom she is currently rumored to be dating. The two have been photographed together in Provence, France, and it seems like every hour there are new developments about their relationship in the press, all attributed to anonymous sources. Shayk is, characteristically, a closed book on that topic, though she doesn’t deny the rumors outright. “Tomorrow there is going to be a rumor that I’m dating my doorman, okay? Then after tomorrow, it’s going to be someone else,” she says. “Look, there’s always something there, and I’m just keeping it to myself.”

She’s slightly more open about past relationships. She and her ex Cooper live a couple blocks away from each other in the West Village, remain friends, and share parenting responsibilities. “He’s a full-on, hands-on dad — no nanny,” she says. “Lea went on holiday with him for almost two weeks — I didn’t call them once.” She knows her daughter is being raised in immense privilege and won’t receive the hard-knock Russian values that she now credits for her own strength. “Me and her father are very strict. When she finishes eating, she gets up from the table, takes her plate, says ‘thank you.’ Without ‘please’ or ‘thank you’ she’s not getting anything,” Shayk says. “It’s hard, because she has so many toys. I had one doll, and I still have this doll. Blonde, blue eyes, big Russian doll. My grandma used to make clothes for her. And I always explain, ‘Look, this is my doll. I had only one.’ Or sometimes, ‘You have this candy. I used to have candy only for Christmas.’”

Highsnobiety / Heji Shin

Highsnobiety / Heji Shin

As for the future, Shayk says the plan is no plan — maybe a movie role if it’s fun (she had a small part in the 2014 action film Hercules), maybe some kind of fashion brand of her own one day. During quarantine, she had an infrared sauna installed in her house and works out a few days a week with a trainer. Her mom, who she says keeps her humble and ego-free, came from Russia during lockdown to help with Lea. “It’s important to keep the real people in your life,” she says. “Fame — it’s the same addiction as alcohol and sex. Old school people? They ground you.”

She has been enjoying messing around in her closet, experimenting with more menswear-inspired outfits, egged on by Burberry designer and close friend Tisci. “He sent me men’s shorts and a button up, saying, ‘You have to wear this super baggy,’” she says. “You don’t have to be squeezing into something tiny to feel sexy. You don’t have to pull your stomach in.” Her biggest vices, she says, are sunbathing and the occasional margarita on-the-rocks. “I never took drugs in my life,” she says. “I never went through a party phase.”

Overall, she’s refreshingly — and, it appears, genuinely — unshakeable, never once wanting sympathy for the struggles she’s overcome, never once taking the whole thing too seriously, always grateful for the successes and good fortune. “My grandma, she lived in a very tiny, small apartment in Russia. And every time you would be sad about something, you would call her and she would be so positive. You always wanted to move her to a bigger house, and she’d go, ‘I’m just happy to go to the bathroom and open the faucet and have water,’” Shayk says. “Here in New York, I have it all.”

Highsnobiety / Heji Shin

Highsnobiety / Heji Shin

Shayk fills this nondescript conference room in downtown Manhattan with a hard-won sense of levity, the kind only people who have been truly tested possess, where every story, even the difficult ones, are told with a winking self-awareness. “I’ve never been drawn to being a model. My goal was to help my family,” she says. “I’m 35 and I’m still looking okay. But at 45? We all age. It doesn’t matter what I do for a living. Tomorrow? Maybe I’m not going to do it. In one year, maybe nobody will know me.” Life, as Irina Shayk describes it 5,000 miles from where she began, is a lively game — one she’s been really good at playing. “It’s all about timing,” she says, her bright eyes locked into focus. “And for me, this is my time.”

Order HIGHStyle, a magazine by Highsnobiety, via our online store.

When fall rolls in, you should be instinctively gearing up for a wardrobe makeover. The weather starts to get more and more unpredictable from here on out and you don’t want to be caught unprepared, sporting your mesh shorts, a Cuban collar shirt, and canvas sneakers in a full-on downpour. Where better to start the transformation than the kicks? A good pair of zip-up boots will see you through unforeseen meteorological disasters.

With the help of SSENSE, we’ve rounded up 10 pairs of the best zip-up boots for men this season. From bold luxury by Raf Simons in the form of his futuristic Solaris-21 Boots in metallic silver through to big, puddle-stomping goodness from Virón in the punk-leaning 1992 Boots, there’s a style for all occasions and wardrobes.

Virón’s eco-friendly faux leather forms the upper to this pair in a rich green hue that’s ideal for earth-tone fall styling.

When we talk about timeless shoes, we don’t usually mean silver boots like this, but when we all start living on Mars in 50 years, you’ll probably fit right in with these on.

Toga Virilis has a nack for embellishment. Using a classic, high-end navy suede boot as its foundation, a jagged pattern cut in the upper distinguishes this pair.

Saint Laurent’s Lukas Boots are an icon in the world of men’s boots. With the classic cowboy heel and soft leather uppers, they’re a stylish take on a fall essential.

Exclusive to SSENSE, this white leather pair of zip-up boots from Adyar is not one to go puddle hopping in.

Again, not a pair suited to fall hikes, but a perpetual go-to for the most stylish men in society, the Margiela Tabi features the iconic split-toe finish.

If you are, however, in the market for a pair that goes above and beyond the call of duty for fall boots, look no further than this pair by Heron Preston. With one of the chunkiest soles of the season, you’ll be towering above the crowd in both stature and style with this pair on foot.

For every wild pair of zip-up boots, there’s a classic pair that resets the universe’s natural balance. This understated pair by Tiger of Sweden is working overtime to keep that balance right now.

The power that emanates from this pair of square-toe boots by Acne Studios will have you itching to kick your way through the doors of your favorite bar but we’d advise against it.

In similar, Western style, Ernest W. Baker’s Western Boots boast one of the sleekest silhouettes we’ve seen this season. Filled out in luxurious leather, they’re verging on irresistible.

Want to keep browsing? Head to the Highsnobiety Shop for more products that we love. Highsnobiety has affiliate marketing partnerships, which means we may receive a commission from your purchase.

What does a luggage brand, whose entire value proposition is built around travel, do when a pandemic hits, and both global and local travel is halted completely?

It improvises.

“We had to [indeed] reconsider what our campaign was going to be now that we knew that the world was never going to be the same after the crisis,” says Emelie De Vitis, Chief Marketing Officer at Rimowa.

Now, what happens when the world comes to a stop, and you’re a global figure whose day-to-day life is spent in a permanent state of transit, living from a suitcase? That’s exactly how the legacy LVMH-owned travel goods business solved its problem; or at least, it’s a first step in what is a global new campaign — titled “Never Still” — featuring Rihanna, LeBron James, 20-time Grand-Slam-winning athlete Roger Federer, and multidisciplinary artist Patti Smith, whose newfound approach to travel is intimately showcased for Rimowa.

Across four short-format films, snapshots — including home footage — of the lives of the icons are on display, as we get an intimate look at what travel has historically meant to each of them, and how they’re redefining it. In the master video, in which the four films are brought together — narrated by Patti Smith and scored by Jamie xx — the overall message is made clear: “No one builds a legacy standing still.”

“Travel as we knew it is over. Now it’s not about how far you go, but why you go. And who you bring along for the ride,” James says in his reflective film.

And just like that, product is humanized. We’ve seen a straightforward suitcase evolve into a product imbued with personality, literally displaying where one has been. We see ourselves in the story, where it relates to how we ourselves travel. Marketing done right.

I called Rimowa’s Emelie De Vitis, and asked her about that exact plan coming to mind early 2020, and whether the business can finally reap the fruits now that global exploration is back on the table, and the company’s ambition to evolve into a “mobility brand” can be put to the test.

Christopher Morency: I want to reflect on the past 18 months. When you’re used to marketing around travel, where do you even start when everything falls still?
Emilie De Vitis: I joined in January 2020. I think it was probably at the peak of our business [when] everything was looking super rosy. Back then, we were planning on working with our ongoing ambassadors, LeBron James and Roger Federer, as we love to build long-term stories. We managed to get away with them just before the pandemic, but we’ve had to adapt to how the shooting was taking place, and also the narrative. But as you said, we’re a travel brand, that’s what we’re experts and leaders in. And at some point, it was a complete standstill. So how does a brand like ours express what it stands for when no one can travel? We knew the world was never going to be the same after this crisis, so let’s reconsider what our campaign is going to be.

Morency: So what changed along the way?
De Vitis: If I think about LeBron, for instance — he shared with us some footage of his youth. We decided to really talk more about his personal situation during Covid, as well as his foundation and all the things that were so important to him, which might not have featured so prominently before Covid. If I think about Roger, we decided to focus on his very close proximity. Again, that might not have been our angle before the pandemic, where we were probably more thinking about the Roger that would travel around the world. Then with Rihanna, how often do you get to see her intimate environment? And the beauty with the campaign was that we had time.

Morency: Beyond the giant fan bases these four figures have, why did you opt for them, specifically?
De Vitis: It [really] wasn’t a big strategic plan. It was more about thinking how powerful it would be to have someone like Patti Smith’s point of view as she’s been using Rimowa since 1995 and she’s what we call a traveler with purpose. For Rihanna, again, someone we know who was using our products and is always traveling. We wanted to know how someone like her stands still for over six months. What I think is key is that all of them said they probably won’t travel the same way as before.

Morency: Can you name an example?
De Vitis: Rihanna was based in LA for all those months that she couldn’t travel. She owns an Airstream, not the one you see in the film, but it was her idea, as she told us that this is what she’s been doing, even before the pandemic — going on these road trips. So she actually came up with her own idea as she had the time.

Morency: When I tie it back to the product, what’s interesting is that you’re positioning it as a product never just being a product. It’s lived in, it represents something. There’s a reason you choose this product over that product, and in a way you humanize a lifeless thing. How do you think about these things at Rimowa?
De Vitis: You’re absolutely right. I was talking about Patti being a Rimowa user since the ’90s and some of her cases have been traveling with her forever. They’re covered in stickers. She has her tour lanyard and everything on them. They’re like a travel companion. I think she’s not someone who would do much commercial activity. The fact that she felt like it was a story she wanted to tell because Rimowa has played a part in her career and her journeys I think is something we definitely wanted to convey. We always say we provide tools for a lifetime of movement, and I think that’s really key. If you’re going to buy one of our products, it’s really going to take you to as many places as you want. And every little dent, every little scratch is a trip you’ve done to a certain place, and it’s going to remind you of whatever souvenir you had from that journey.

Morency: So how do you convey that beyond this big campaign? How do you get this personalized message across to everyday fans?
De Vitis: I think this is truly our first campaign where we’re keen to have a two-way conversation and really get people thinking about the impact the pandemic has had on them and what they’re going to change, keep, evolve, you name it. It’s truly a universal question. I think there will probably be less futile travels but more travel for purpose.

Morency: How has that changed your thinking when it comes to product?
De Vitis: You asked me earlier what changed for us. I think we’ve had to adapt pretty quickly, because at some point you couldn’t do long distance travel, so you would look at more weekend getaways, short distance trips. And this is where we decided to extend our range and come up with more solutions for our clients that wanted to be able to look at different forms of travel. It’s been a great catalyst of change for us in terms of our communication with our clients, as well as the willingness to accompany them on any form of journey.