| Watching the SS26 shows last year, I felt that fashion had turned a corner. Suddenly there seemed to be more colour, more lightness, more laughter in the air. What was this newfound expression on the catwalk? It felt fresh, confident and free. 
© Indigo Lewin This issue is dedicated to fashion’s new joy, perhaps a strange emotion to be exploring at a time when things more globally feel pretty bleak. That the industry should be so blithe and perky might seem anomalous against the background of more complicated world affairs. For some time, fashion has followed a consumer mood that has been more conservative and quiet. But there are only so many greige sweaters one can accumulate and sometimes, when world events are dour and overwhelming, clothes offer some escape. What better way to face this endless winter, for example, than with a shot of acid yellow or an unexpected pop of red? 
© Indigo Lewin We have drawn deeply on Chanel artistic director Matthieu Blazy’s assertion that being joyful needn’t make one less serious. I interviewed the designer for this issue and am keen to emulate his sense of play. But what do we mean by fun in fashion? Too often it is interpreted as frivolity. Here we have used it as a mood shift and an excuse to celebrate the simple pleasure of lovely things.  <img width='1' height='1' style='display:none;border-style:none;' alt=' src='https://images.passendo.com/t/2/8448/npnj5xo85s@niepodam.pl/5824522933157968/0/0'><img width='1' height='1' style='display:none;border-style:none;' alt=' src='https://images.passendo.com/extt/2/8448/npnj5xo85s@niepodam.pl/5824522933157968?pid=1'><img width='1' height='1' style='display:none;border-style:none;' alt=' src='https://images.passendo.com/extt/2/8448/npnj5xo85s@niepodam.pl/5824522933157968?pid=2'><img width='1' height='1' style='display:none;border-style:none;' alt=' src='https://images.passendo.com/extt/2/8448/npnj5xo85s@niepodam.pl/5824522933157968?pid=3'><img width='1' height='1' style='display:none;border-style:none;' alt=' src='https://images.passendo.com/extt/2/8448/npnj5xo85s@niepodam.pl/5824522933157968?pid=4'> |  |
Bright bags to beat the winter blues | | | | We open with a popping accessories shoot that’s an ode to colour. Benjamin Canares and David Abrahams have worked together to find bags and combinations that will immediately update one’s look. Ben worked double time for this issue – he also styled a Technicolor homage to retro chic. The lurid clashing prints and mini hemlines featured recall the spirit of the ’60s, another period of social tumult and bold, expressive style. 
© Sonia Szóstak A different facet of playfulness is present in Isabelle Kountoure’s story with Sonia Szóstak, which showcases lots of feathered, fluffy, pouffy skirts. The catwalks for spring were notable for scarves and fringes that dripped and spilled from hemlines, tailoring and sleeves. Birds are a common motif in fashion and they were drawn on frequently. I love the dressing-up-box extravagance of the Ginger Rogers-esque feathered dresses. Let Top Hat be your guide; this season is all about movement, fluidity and dance. For those less comfortable with actual feathers, I recommend a silk scarf, tied to a bag handle and left to trail à la Celine. Take a tour of four fabulous fashion closets | | | | 
© Will Pippin On the subject of dressing-up boxes, I would like to thank those women who invited us to rummage in their wardrobes so we could find out how they keep their clothes. My own are stashed in every available nook and cranny, and it was with no small degree of envy that I admired these people with their Polaroid-arranged shoes, colour-coordinated sweaters and clean racks of shirts. I’m particularly impressed by Leandra Medine Cohen (founder of the blog Man Repeller and now the Substack The Cereal Aisle), who does a rigorous edit of her clothes every other month. I’m an extremely guilty member of the “save for later” school of wardrobing. But, on the plus side, I can shop my wardrobe; having so many vintage pieces means my cupboard is the best boutique. | | | | THREE MORE STORIES TO READ THIS WEEK | | |
