/ 12 April 2023

Objects of Desire | Audacious Aesthetics

00040 Louis Vuitton Fall 2023 Ready To Wear Detail
Carry your gear in a trunk shaped like Louis Vuitton’s headquarters.

The world of luxury is constantly shifting shapes and sensibilities. This week’s gaze into luxury’s crystal ball reveals how this season’s sought-after objects are shaping up to put the classic and personal touches at the centre of our worlds.

Designer spaces 

Now is the time to ruffle some feathers. Why not do so with a trompe l’oeil or a trick of the eye? Mabeo Studios, one of Botswana’s top designers, has collaborated with Fendi to bring classic African designs to the world. Mabeo Studios’ Embi Server puts the basic shapes of classic storage units together with organic, handcrafted chips, to give a rich, scale-like texture to the face. Available through Mabeo.

Embi-web-size-3-scale-edited-2020-final-version2

Good jeans

For another installation celebrating the 150th anniversary of the 501 silhouette, Levi’s and Japanese designer Nigo are joining forces. The collaboration includes Hickory Stripe 501 jeans and 557XX trucker jackets as an ode to the theme, “the future is in the past”. Nigo says his collabo is bringing back a Hickory Stripe jacket he hasn’t seen reproduced by Levi’s since the one he bought in 1995. Available through HUMAN MADE.

Stitch in time

At last week’s Watches and Wonders fair in Geneva, Switzerland, Rolex unveiled its line-up for this year. The watchmaker will be reimagining the classic Day-Date 36 by swapping the day and date windows for words describing emotions and 31 emojis. The new dial reminds us that life is a puzzle pieced together daily. Available through Rolex.

French flair

Designers of all disciplines are in an era that pushes ambition into the region of audacity. This gives rise to playfulness and surrealism. For Louis Vuitton’s Fall 2023 collection, designer Nicolas Ghesquière asks, “What is French style?” One answer is Louis Vuitton’s headquarters, which is transformed into a trunk, marrying heritage and cheeky aesthetics. Available through Louis Vuitton.