A recap of worthwhile fashion news, the lowdown on fresh releases and updates on what’s buzzing in retail this month
All things considered, we’ll go ahead and claim it: Our first (and we’re hoping last) February in quarantine will be anything but boring. In the same way January kept our hopes up, with signs that the fashion industry is bouncing back nicely from pandemic-related setbacks, this new month holds just as much promise…if not more. Think: Valentine’s Day specials, cute limited-edition Chinese Lunar New Year collections and the beginning of the shift toward summer style. That’s on top of the already steady stream of exciting fashion news popping up here and internationally.
There’s a lot more coming up, but we’ll get this month’s Wonder Wardrobe rolling. Here are the need-to-know fashion headlines you can catch up on in one go:
Ha.Mu’s Abraham Guardian and Mamuro Oki introduce a contemporary spin-off label MÜÜ.HÅÅ
The new project is powered by Benilde Hub of Innovations for Inclusion @ Peter D. Garrucho Jr. Innovations Institute.
The new brand builds on the idea of uniform dressing, where garments can be mixed and matched easily with an existing wardrobe. For avant-garde designers at the helm Abraham Guardian and Mamuro Oki, the debut Spring/Summer 2021 collection is an exercise in breathing new life into basic silhouettes. School wear and pajama wear are approached differently but with the familiar Ha.Mu flair. Multifunctional pieces also find their way into the collection, specifically showcasing a multiway dress/skirt and multiway wrap overskirt.
“We wanted to highlight the idea of versatility in each of our pieces––from function to occasion and even to sizing,” shares Abraham and Mamuro in a press release. “This collection has been carefully designed to minimize the [production waste] and we also made sure that the fabrics are picked out to fit the pieces’ functions and will last in your wardrobe for many seasons.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CKi-XcYhdLC/
Shop the collection at muu-haa.com and follow the brand on Facebook and Instagram for more updates.
Watch This Space: Visayas-Based Brand Downtown Lavish Teases a New Chapter With a Three-Act Fashion Film Series
“Planet Home” reflects on the year 2020 as a lead-up to the Downtown Lavish website launch and the big reveal of what’s to come for the ready-to-wear brand.
Drawing inspiration from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince, the Downtown Lavish film series uses “a singular character to portray us all” touching on the “emotions and situations brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.” In Planet Home Act I, the first of the three episodes, the brand recalls the ever-present feeling of uncertainty and hopelessness at the beginning of the quarantine. What follows is a story of reflection amid isolation and finally the eventual signs of hope.
Stream Act I below and watch out for the remaining episodes coming out this month.
Follow Downtown Lavish on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
RELATED: Studio Ghibli Does Fashion: The Loewe x My Neighbor Totoro Collaboration Is Here
Coach Launches Coach Conversations, a Monthly YouTube Series About Culture, Community and Creativity
The debut episode “What’s Your Calling?” is a conversation between Jennifer Lopez and monk-turned-purpose coach Jay Shetty.
Featuring discussions with members of the Coach family and community, the new YouTube series is centered on “finding one’s path and purpose, standing up for your values, and the courage it takes to be yourself.” Entitled Coach Conversations, this serves as a new avenue for the luxury label to get a dialogue going on some of its core beliefs: that “we should have the freedom to express who we really are” along with the power of positivity and gratitude toward those who helped us on our paths.
“There is so much pressure around finding your purpose, and I do think you have to listen to yourself and the words you tell yourself,” said Jennifer Lopez in the pilot episode. “What you say becomes your reality. When something really speaks to you—a mission, a calling, a purpose—you need to trust that you’re the right person to manifest that.” Watch the full episode below.
Subscribe to Coach on YouTube for more “Coach Conversations” and watch out for episode two premiering at the tail end of February.
Uniqlo Reveals Its 2021 Collection Lineup (So Far)
This includes several continuing collaborations, a capsule honoring the late Jason Polan and UT x Musée du Louvre.
Uniqlo has revealed a whopping seven new collections. Teaming up again with designers Jonathan Anderson, Hana Tajima and Ines de la Fressange, the brand has begun its shift toward breezier, more lightweight offerings for the new season. It also pays homage to New York artist Jason Polan, who passed away in January last year, through a collection that remembers Polan’s talented takes on everyday life. All these are tied together by Uniqlo’s new line of transitional wear, which takes into consideration the “growing shift towards online communication and the blurring between the boundaries of home and places of work or study.” Comfort, for Uniqlo, has become even more important. “Fabrics and textures for more active lifestyles and easy-care cleaning are imperative when choosing clothes,” the brand says in a statement. “Now more than ever, people need everyday items that fit their lifestyles.
RELATED: What To Wear Between Now And Beyond Quarantine: Loungewear
The UT (UNIQLO T-shirt) brand, meanwhile, is also set to launch something new in February: its collaboration with Musée du Louvre. This commemorative first series is part of a partnership between Uniqlo and the Louvre and looks to uniquely interpret and immortalize historical masterpieces.
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Shop the collection in stores and online at uniqlo.com/ph beginning February 8.
GUESS Celebrates Valentine’s Day With a New Luxe Jewelry Line
The first collection features heart-shaped earrings, pendant necklaces and charm bracelets.
It’s love month and GUESS is seeing hearts. The American brand––known for its iconic lineup of GUESS girls, classic denim and, most recently, art and music collaborations––is building on the idea of Valentine’s Day gifts that are made to last.
The newly launched jewelry line features bracelets, earrings, and necklaces perfect for gifting. Prices range from ?1,398 to ?1,698. But this month, shoppers get up to 20% off when they buy any two pairs of GUESS jewelry online and in stores. This promo runs from February 5 to February 16.
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Shop jewelry on the GUESS official website or through the new GUESS app available on Google Play.
Don’t Blame the Kids and Bratpack Get Together for a Valentine’s Season Capsule
The brands’ fourth project together is “not for your ordinary valentine.”
The latest #DBTKBratpack collaboration features several firsts. Across the “his and hers” shirts and limited-edition Hydro Flasks in this release, you’ll find graphic artwork that celebrates “diverse and inclusive love that can be celebrated in many ways.”
“In this virtual world heightened even more by the pandemic, the need to ‘connect to connect’ is stronger than ever,” the brand stated in a press release. “Whether with your family or friends, the important thing is to stay in touch with your true self and with others.” This touches on just one of the design inspirations for the collab. Self-love and Frida Kahlo, an artist who became an icon for resisting social standards and expressing beauty through pain,? are two others.
This DBTK x Bratpack capsule drops February 14.
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The collection will be exclusively available in limited quantities at bratpackstore.com.ph and in the following Bratpack stores: In Manila, Ayala Greenbelt 5, Ayala Alabang Town Center, Ayala Manila Bay, Ayala UP Town Center, Araneta Gateway, SM North The Block, Robinsons Magnolia, Robinsons Las Pinas, Robinsons Manila, Robinsons Galleria, Fairview Terraces, Lucky ChinaTown. In Luzon, S?M Pampanga, Ayala Marquee Mall, Ayala Solenad Nuvali, Ayala Camp John Hay and Robinsons Pangasinan. In Visayas, Ayala Center Cebu. In Mindanao, ?SM Davao, Ayala Centrio Cagayan and Limketkai Mall Cagayan.
Proudrace Is in Transition: The Local Label Heeds an Ecofuturist Call With Its 2021 Prêt-à-Porter Pre-Collection
Garments for this collection are from found bedspreads, tablecloth and scrap denim.
“Continuing to thrive as an independent contemporary label, we have found a new ground,” said Rik Rasos. All the while, the brand goes back to its roots: reworking and reconstructing dead stock garments and fabrics. “This collection reintroduces the roots of the brand’s aesthetic,” he added. “Proudrace started as an experimental brand, reworking and deconstructing found garments and deadstock items. The [number] of old samples and prototypes that have been produced while in quarantine is turned into a mini collection to introduce this new sustainable direction for the brand.”
There are a number of things to expect from Proudrace this year. The brand is also introducing Proudrace Artisanal, a line of one-off pieces made entirely from recycled and reworked garments and past prototypes. Next up is Proudrace Factory Sample, the brand’s line of classic silhouettes, which will be regularly available on the Proudrace website and in stockists. Proudrace Main Line, meanwhile, will continue to explore the brand’s seasonal experimental collections.
Ahead, see snippets from Proudrace’s first 2021 lookbook featuring creative director Rik Rasos.
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All items can be purchased through Instagram DM or via email at [email protected]. All prices can be found in Proudrace’s Instagram story highlights.
adidas and Beyoncé Launch the Third Ivy Park Collection
“ICY PARK” marries together alpine-ready silhouettes and classic streetwear elements.
New Ivy Park apparel, footwear, and accessories are hitting stores. But beyond the new lineup by the celebrated partnership, the collection “ICY PARK” seeks to inspire creativity, individuality and imagination. This message is on full display via the new campaign featuring a diverse number of collaborators, an invitation to all to think outside the box. New faces featured include model Hailey Bieber, record label CEO and rapper Gucci Mane, singer Kaash Paige, and models Akesha Murray, Shi Gray, and Kyla Coleman, to celebrate freedom of expression.
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The third adidas x IVY PARK collection launches on February 19th on adidas.com and ivypark.com and will be available in store and at select retailers globally from February 20th, with items available in sizes XXXS – 4X.
Style Moment of the Month: Givenchy Dresses the Weeknd for the 55th Super Bowl Halftime Show
Creative director Matthew M. Williams designed custom pieces especially for the performance.
It may have been made just for the event, but The Weeknd’s outfit embodies the sharp tailoring, minimalism and intense contrast Matthew M. Williams brought to his Givenchy debut.
At the Super Bowl LV Halftime Show, the performer wore a fully hand-embroidered jacket with crystals that required four Givenchy Haute Couture embroiderers and more than 250 hours to complete. To complete the look, the jacket was worn over a black cotton poplin shirt and a pair of wool trousers, accessorized with a leather tie, gloves and derbies.
In the Philippines, Givenchy is located at Shangri-La Plaza Mall East Wing, Greenbelt 4 and Solaire Resort & Casino.
Uniqlo and Jil Sander Have Extended Their +J Collaboration
The Spring/Summer collection arrives in stores soon.
The Japanese retail giant is set to launch a spring-ready lineup for +J. After a sensational comeback in Fall 2020, Uniqlo and German fashion designer Jil Sander are picking up where they left off with a new collection of essential modern uniforms. Stay tuned for more information.
The Air Max Spring 2021 Collection Celebrates Nike Air’s Constant Evolution
It introduces three key silhouettes: the Air Max 2090 EOI, the Air Max Viva and the VaporMax Evo.
Whether as a unit or a standalone outsole, the new collection showcases a progressive heritage of Air. The first shoe, the Air Max 2090 EOI hybrid, is part of the season’s larger EOI Pack, which includes variations of the Air Max 270 React EOI and the Air Max Zephyr EOI. The Air Max Viva, meanwhile, includes a Cushion midsole and an exaggerated Air Max Unit in the heel: an iterative development of a women’s specific Air Max model. Finally, the VaporMax Evo explores a bolder VaporMax style.
Scroll through for an up-close look at the collection.
The Air Max 2090 EOI retails for ?8,295, the Nike Air Max Viva for ?7,345 and the Nike VaporMax Evo for ?10,545. Pieces from the Air Max Spring 2021 collection are set to drop through spring this year.
Got fashion news to add to Wonder Wardrobe? Let us know in the comments!
Art Alexandra Lara and Matthew Ian Fetalver
