SHOWnews: Pop Stars And Pop-Ups Starring Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande Is Campaign Candy

Ariana Grande is both muse and metaphor for Swarovski’s 130th year. Themed Metamorphosis, Grande’s third go round with Swarovski is less pop star, more pop prism — a Mert & Marcus 1960s refraction that photographs colour and light as something saccharine, crystal and full technicolour. Much like hard candy, Ari’s diamonds are sweet, never sticky.

‘I’m intensely drawn to pop culture and the role of jewelry within it — it has the power to transform not just how you look, but how you feel. My vision is to create a new jewelry culture that is high-impact, fresh, and sharp; Ariana embodies this with both beauty and boldness that turns each piece into a symbol of radiance, movement, and joy.’

• Giovanna Engelbert, Swarovski Global Creative Director

Her transformation represents a spectrum of Millenia (a lilac fantasy solidified in the sparkle of a pop icon); Idyllia (flowers and butterflies for an intricate approach to breezy savoir faire); Dulcis (quite literally crystals that retain the lustre of an haute Jolly Rancher); and Chroma (recycled crystals transmit glossy expressions from hard candy revisited). In conversation with a beauty that evolves magic emanating from pop culture at its finest, Ariana Grande is transformed as a radiant star in Swarovski’s galaxy of crystalline constellations.

Loewe As One, One Final Time

Storied LVMH creative directors Jonathan Anderson, formerly of Loewe, and Hedi Slimane, formerly of Celine, still linger in public consciousness. Their strangleholds aren’t surprising since both are legendary names in fashion. Plus their collections are both in stores now (more on Celine below). As Loewe released their latest Paula’s Ibiza summer collection, continuity fomo from Anderson’s latest goodbye resurfaces, making us sad once again…but also aroused. Loewe Fall 24 campaign stars Sophie Wilde and Enzo Vogrincic are off to Portugal this time. Those two get you going whether cold or warm weather. So let’s dry those tears, shop Jonathan’s charming tomato clutch and dream about Comporta, in Portugal.

One of the final Loewe by JWA salvos vibrates beneath the skin. Gray Sorrenti filmed a sensual, sun-glinting haze that drifts between the trees of our Comporta minds. That is where Loewe Paula’s Ibiza exists — a liminal right now, next to a memory. Loewe memories. The koi fish, Speed Racer, manga-printed men's collection staged in a bullring. Comporta sort of floats with you like that. Mixing Loewe’s past like psychedelic prints from this new offering. Sea salt water in your hair. Sand in your Blue Flamenco Fluffy. Crafting desire in a daydream about Jamie Dornan. Paula’s Ibiza 2025 elevates the energy of where you are trying to be, and quite possibly, what you want to wear.

A Celine Girl Pop-Up Think Piece

Legendary French writer Simone De Beauvoir once resided at Hôtel particulier Colbert at 16 Rue Vivienne — the spiritual and literal home of Celine. Her novel She Came To Stay was a dissection of one female’s feelings on another female introduced into her relationship. It is a philosophical look at two splintering into three. And the female is central catalyst, not the boyfriend. Coincidentally, De Beauvoir believed once a female behaves as a human being, she is thought to be imitating the male, our social stereotypical king of the sexes. Makes you wonder about the new ÉTÉ Celine capsule, again on display in Selfridges.

Yes, the Celine girl returns to Saint Tropez. Conspicuously absent is her mini Moke from 2023's Saint Tropez spring excursion. Although her hammock is back, the gold is gone, as is golden Lulu Tenney from 2024’s Plein Soleil. The new ÉTÉ Celine girl, named Ella McCutcheon, indicates certain iconic ghosts (Anna Francesca, Look 1, Collection 05) and premonitions (Where will she go next?). She brought Simone De Beauvoir to mind, whose masculine energy subsumed female preconceptions. Perhaps this means Ella McCutcheon can leisurely holiday in Celine-crafted objects with textures that indicate her decisions are self-assured. She imitates no one. She does whatever she damn well pleases.

We’ve been told the next Celine Haute Parfumerie, Un Été Français, will debut at Selfridges. Taking its name from Collection 24 forthrightly recalls the Simone De Beauvoir notion once again: the woman, or Un Été women, imitating the male, a legendary man. No need to mention names of any artistic, creative, image directors to drive points home. We are on a relaxing ÉTÉ Celine Saint Tropez holiday after all.

Kozaburo And Komune Pop Off With Pair Of Kings

Recently, SHOWstudio released extensive coverage on a few LVMH Prize finalists. Timely move then, that LVMH 2017 Special Prize winner Kozaburo Akasaka partners with that New York-based shop Komune on a 3-day pop-up offering a direct look at the working processes unifying the Tokyo-born designer’s lifestyle trinity: KOZABURO (100% pure made to menswear); Phantom Ranch Market (handcrafted pre-loved fashion remixes); and Wave of Sand (utility garments for unique souls). Chill, it’s not so high and mighty as these words read.

Kozaburo is a well-regarded name in the obsessive menswear realm that truly gets under your skin. He was the menswear lead at Thom Browne for those great 2011-13 shows. Thom Browne’s A/W 12 smash up of Riff Raff, Rocky Horror, Uncle Fester and Felonius Gru’s punk rock alter egos was flat out fantabulous, a personal obsession and Kozaburo knows it. He was first to the party with made-to-order platform boots in 2017 (5 years later the trend exploded…Koza told you all) plus counts Kiko Kostadinov, Nicholas Daley and Willy Chavarria among his supporters. His Phantom Ranch hats are even worn by Michèle Lamy and received a Travis Scott commission. Koza is much too modest, too sweet, too shy-shy to ever say all that shit himself. So the community who knows he’s great pops off instead.

When we first got started, we asked ourselves what kind of brands we wanted to represent in the store. The concise answer is: ‘brands that have a reason to exist.’ From when we first stumbled across Kopi’s work, we found his use of traditional Japanese techniques in conjunction with his westernized fashion education and overall utopian vision something we really resonated with. His design choices felt very deliberate, with each line serving a unique purpose in the brand’s universe.

Back then, Kozaburo was one of the first designers that took a meeting with me, choosing to take a chance on idealistic words. Since permanently opening, we haven’t found a chance to collaborate, meaning this activation is long overdue.

• Martin Li, Co-Founder of Komune

The 3-day workshop marks the first time each distinct house from Kozaburo operates in tandem. Koza and Komune assembled a custom installation in Bushwick. Then they pulled it apart and transported everything to the Lower East Side. Teamworked delicate working and reworking processes sets the stage for Phantom Ranch customisations and indigo dye workshops. Everything starts with an opening reception hosted by New York-based podcast goofballs Pair of Kings. Taking a break from chatting up Chromeo’s Dave 1, 24kGoldn and taking the looniest fit pics ever, Sol Thompson and Michael Smith marry fashion elitists with casuals, this time for a live audience.

‘The ethos behind the podcast is elevating designers, creatives, and voices within the fashion space that we feel should be included in the conversation: we look to bridge the gap between those curious about fashion and those with deep knowledge by facilitating conversations where everybody gets to sit at the table. We’ll introduce you to new people and groups with the hope that you’ll make a new friend.’

• Sol Thompson, Co-Host of Pair of Kings

'I'm a former workwear enthusiast, a lover of casual suits, and a product of the southwest, so Kozaburo is just about everything I could ask for in a clothing brand. I was immediately drawn to him from his fall 2018 collection - it was the first time I saw 'cowboy' clothes that still felt like something completely unique and artistic.'

• Michael Smith, Co-Host of Pair of Kings

The Kozaburo experience starts today. While Pair of Kings lighten the mood, HoK (House of KOZABURO) reignites a unique vision that customises sensitivity over his 'community first!' branded universe.

Schedule:

• Friday, 11 April 6-8PM – Opening Reception with Pair of Kings, sounds by Anna Pura

Opening party hosted by Michael Smith and Sol Thompson of Pair of Kings.

• Saturday, 12 April 12-7PM – Phantom Ranch Market, Hat Customization Shack

Attendees who bring their own hats will be able to have them reworked into a Phantom Ranch stapled cap.

• Sunday, 13 April 12-5PM – Indigo Dye Workshop with KOZABURO team (RSVP HERE)

A limited hands on dyeing session guided by the Kozaburo team – all skill levels welcome, and for many a first time experience with indigo dye.

House of KOZABURO Pop-up located at Komune; 92 Orchard St, New York

A-POC ABLE Issey Miyake Tracks Lighting In Milan

Issey Miyake does installations quite well. Ending this Sunday, the Issey Miyake/Milan flagship has been hosting an exhibition for Milan Design Week.

Here’s a visual: anthropomorphic lighting or wire-plus-cloth equals lighting with a pulse.

TYPE-XIII Atelier Oï project is this warm-blooded exchange between A-POC ABLE Issey Miyake and Swiss design studio atelier oï. It is a prototype-centred installation that exposes variant fashion processes and design techniques to push industries forward. The result is a series of lighting pieces like mechanical flowers in bloom. Atelier oï provides cross-disciplinary fluency, A-POC ABLE contributes a legacy of textile innovation (particularly with pleating) and prototypes begin to flourish.

Two lighting series debut: the O Series, made possible with Japanese portable lighting manufacturer Ambientec’s precision. Users apply lighting in environments according to mood. Recycled polyester from A-POC ABLE clothing becomes lampshades that shrink when exposed to heat. The modular, collapsable lamps provide aesthetic ejoyment in domestic environments.

Series number two, the A Series, is a lighting drama using knit fabrics. Co-developed with Spanish lighting label PARACHILNA, the first iterations’ knit shades can connect for multiple light fixtures offering unique design results. All prototypes will see further development in order to reach market availability.

Milan Design Week ends 13 April, 2025.

Dries Van Noten Expands Their London Footprint

As promised, Dries Van Noten just opened a London store this year. Yesterday Dries Van Noten shop on Hanover Street became the sixth standalone shop for the Belgian fashion house. Ensconced in a former bank, the distinctive quality of DVN UK (Dries LA features a good archive room) is its art and furniture design works. Lithographs from Hockney, Etchings from Man Ray and somehow acquired THE Mario Schifano Coca-Cola lithograph from 1962. The London shop may want to re-concept as a gallery that just happens to sell Dries Van Noten’s final collection for women and men this season. Much like the Los Angeles shop, Dries London engages the eyes and ears with a curated selection of past to present vinyl. Check out the new shop this weekend. And buy SHOWstudio’s fashion critic one bottle of Crazy Basil!