IF THE SHOE FITS: Dior is growing its footprint in men’s sneakers, with a new addition to its lineup set to pre-launch online Oct. 10 before it hits stores on Oct. 19. The brand hopes its B57 shoe, designed to be worn with any look, casual or smart, will become a new icon.
“It’s a must-have of the spring 2024 collection,” said Kim Jones, artistic director of men’s collections at Dior. “We’ve reinvented the Dior signature, in relief with two shades of leather or in the iconic Dior Oblique. We also played with the emblematic colors of the house with tones of gray and shades of navy. It’s just the perfect shoe for a casual-chic look.”
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The retro-look B57 kicks are a reinterpretation of the label’s B27 style, introduced in 2020, and incorporating the CD initials it introduced with the sportier B30 design a year later.
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The introduction features CD initials on its side in Dior Oblique jacquard fabric or in two-tone leather. The leather shoes are available in gray, black, red, beige or cream, and will be priced at 1,100 euros a pair.
Since its successful collaboration with Air Jordan in 2019, when 5 million people registered for the chance to buy one of 13,000 pairs of the Air Jordan 1 OG Dior limited-edition shoes, Dior has cultivated a faithful following with its sneakers.
As well as the B27 and B30 styles, last July it introduced the B33 design, with each pair featuring an NFC chip embedded in one of the soles to act as an encrypted digital key linked to a digital platform and certificate of authenticity. One of the numbered, limited-edition models was even offered with what Dior described as a “digital twin” or NFT version, a first for the LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton-owned label. — ALEX WYNNE
KORS’ NEW SIGNATURE: Michael Kors has introduced a new statement print called the Empire Signature Logo, that will be splashed across a range of women’s and men’s items and silhouettes in the Michael Michael Kors collections.
The print can be found this fall on such products as ready-to-wear, shoulder bags, totes, sling packs, crossbodies, camera and messenger bags, card cases and footwear.
A new campaign will break Tuesday featuring models Grace Elizabeth and Malik Anderson. It was photographed by Ethan James Green in New York and showcases the new print, which entwines the brand’s iconic Signature logo with the architecturally-inspired Empire motif. The print is aimed to capture timeless glamour and modern ease.
Ads will appear on social media. — LISA LOCKWOOD
A HUMAN LENS: Prada Reporter, a project between Prada and Magnum Photos, will showcase 150 works of photography based on the relationship between humanity and nature.
The images have been formed into an exhibition titled, “Witness to Nature,” that will be making its debut at Selfridges Corner Shop through Nov. 11, featuring floor-to-ceiling panels that showcases the images. It will then travel to other international cities.
The exhibition holds four key themes, which have been shot by eight photographers.
The first theme is “Nature & Metropolis,” drawing on the works of Paolo Pellegrin and Trent Parke, exploring transformation.
Spanish photographer Cristina García Rodero’s eye for capturing festivities and rituals will be featured in the second theme, “Costumes & Cultures,” alongside Cristina de Middel’s dark take on nature.
“Community & Seclusion” is the third theme, featuring images of the secluded banks of the Yenisey River in Siberia captured by Nanna Heitmann and a dystopian take on American life by Alec Soth.
The final theme is “Eternal & Ephemeral,” taken on by Japanese photographer Hiroji Kubota and Iranian artist Newsha Tavakolian, as they both respectively depict mountains and the effect of global warming.
At the Corner Shop, customers will be able to shop items that reflect the exhibition and the uniform of nature photographers who wear camouflage and carry camera bags.
The space has been decorated with aluminum trunks and tripods — tools often carried by photographers out in nature.
In July, WWD revealed that Prada will be launching into makeup and skin care with Lynsey Alexander and Inès Alpha signing on as the brand’s global creative makeup artist and e-makeup artist, respectively. — HIKMAT MOHAMMED
CFDA RECOGNITION: LA Fashion Week is back from Oct. 18 to 22. And for the first time, it’s officially recognized by the Council of Fashion Designers of America.
N4XT Experiences is behind the reimagined production in Los Angeles since acquiring LAFW in January 2022. Entering its second year, the lineup will include Imitation of Christ, No Sesso, Theophilio, Luis De Javier, Kwame Adeusi, Neon Cowboys, Sergio Hudson, BruceGlen, TomBogo and Advisry. Sami Miro Vintage, AnOnlyChild and Demobaza are among the returning brands.
“We’ve invited and curated a specific group of designers to showcase the future of fashion — exciting emerging brands showing alongside respected, established labels with deep ties to Los Angeles,” Noah Kozlowski, vice president, head of designer relations at N4XT Experiences, said in a statement.
Founded by Ciarra Pardo, president of LAFW and former chief creative officer of Fenty — with Imad Izemrane, Marcus Ticotin, Keith Abell and Jackie Trebilcock, Kozlowski is N4XT Experiences’ newest team member. He’s responsible for securing designers for partnerships with LAFW.
“Each brand brings a unique perspective and we are proud to present this preliminary list of designers,” Kozlowski continued. “They have all been carefully selected to reflect the dynamism of the fashion industry, with important opportunities to introduce new names to center stage and help them grow their businesses globally. Our goal is to inspire the next generation of creators, as well as audiences. There is something for everyone and we cannot wait to share more soon.”
Imitation of Christ kicks off festivities, while No Sesso will be showing at LAFW for the first time. Saintwoods, the Montreal-based lifestyle brand, will host the official after party. — RYMA CHIKHOUNE