Item of the Week news and archive

Item of the week: the retro men's cardigan

What it is: The AW23 season saw cardigans move beyond women’s wardrobes, to now be a staple item in men’s collections, offering the group a casual layer addition. This can be linked back to the item’s origins, as a piece worn by men during the Crimean War in the 1800's. Its name even descends from a British Army general, James Brudenell. The...

22 Mar 2023

Fashion

Item of the week: the statement sneaker

What it is: While sneakers have never really fallen out of fashion since their incorporation into trend-led streetwear in the 1990s, they have adapted to become staples of modern fashion. And their inclusion on the runways for AW23 has taken this one step further, with many brands taking on the popular shoe style in eye-catching ways. This...

15 Mar 2023

Fashion

Item of the week: the plaid skirt

What it is: While the plaid skirt is most regularly linked to pop culture of the late 90s, its history is more complex than that. The pattern, also often known as ‘tartan’, descends from 18th century Scotland, where it was used by the Jacobite army, an anti-British group. Over time, however, the symbolism that comes with plaid has evolved over...

8 Mar 2023

Fashion

Item of the week: the double-breasted blazer

What it is: Double-breasted refers to a jacket with two buttons sitting symmetrical to one another, with an overlapping front closure. The blazer is often used in a formal setting, however recent years has seen it adapted and shift into the casual wardrobe, as evident in the rise in popularity of oversized fits and the modernisation of classic...

1 Mar 2023

Fashion

Item of the week: the denim maxi skirt

What it is: In line with the return of 90’s fashion, the denim midi skirt has made a resurgence, seeing it appear almost everywhere, from multiple runway collections to street style trends across all fashion capitals. A world away from the denim mini skirts that have defined recent years, the midi iteration ushers in a new era of comfortable...

22 Feb 2023

Fashion

Item of the week: the party bag

What it is: From sequins to metallic materials, party bags were one of the ‘it’ bags for the SS23, popping up on runways at every fashion week to add a bit of zhuzh to collections. The style was typically defined by shoulder bags, mostly smaller in size, with short straps that were often embellished or utilised a chain. The comeback of the party...

15 Feb 2023

Fashion

Item of the week: the heart motif

What it is: Ahead of Valentine’s Day, the heart motif seems like an appropriate item of the week. However, the style, while occasionally considered dowdy, has had a fashionable update for the seasons ahead, thanks to its adoption by multiple designers that have elevated the look through modernised, experimental designs. While luxury brands...

8 Feb 2023

Fashion

Item of the week: the cobalt blue hue

What it is: Cobalt blue is a colour based on the oxidation of cobalt and aluminium, resulting in a vivid, yet light shade of blue. The tone was predicted to be one of the colours of the AW23/24 season by colour and trend authorities WGSN and Coloro, which linked the tone to the “new Space Age” and the ongoing digital transformation taking over...

1 Feb 2023

Fashion

Item of the week: the beret

What it is: The beret is a staple piece of headwear that originated in France, where the commercial production of the design began in the 17th century. The style became a common fashion accessory among women in the region around the 1920s, but later entered into the mass fashion world thanks to Coco Chanel, who was cited as the first designer to...

25 Jan 2023

Fashion

Item of the week: the leg slit skirt

What it is: The leg slit skirt is a style that was heavily adopted by designers for SS23 collections, hinting at its resurgence in the coming months as the skirt of choice for the warmer seasons. Such a style can come in many forms, from flowing wrap skirts to skin-tight pencils, giving each silhouette a new shape that subtly exposes skin and...

18 Jan 2023

Fashion

Item of the week: the oversized bag

What it is: The handbag has taken on new forms in recent seasons, no longer restrained by standard sizing and instead assuming extreme silhouettes, from minute to bulky sizes. It is the oversized handbag that we will be exploring today, a style that has barged its way into the limelight with its voluminous appearance that demands attention. This...

11 Jan 2023

Fashion

Item of the week: the utility jacket

What it is: Utility wear was prominent throughout collections in the SS23 season, as both a response to the bleakness of current affairs, like war, and an evolution of streetwear, which has seen various military-inspired styles become more elevated. The utility jacket is one iteration of this trend, and refers to jacket styles that hold specific...

4 Jan 2023