From left: Blast Studio by Paola Garnousset, Pierre de Pingon and Martin Detoeuf; Dornröschen (Sleeping Beauty) by Vera Siemund. Photography courtesy Loewe. From seeing double at Gucci to a former T Australia cover star’s new role, here’s what’s on T Australia editors’ fashion radar this week.
The Loewe Foundation Craft Prize Returns
Loewe has opened submissions for its Loewe Foundation Craft Prize 2023, scheduled to take place in New York next year. Conceived by the brand’s creative director Jonathan Anderson, the award was launched in 2016 to celebrate the artistry, excellence and originality of modern craftsmanship. “Craft is always going to be modern,” says Anderson of the award’s genesis. “It is about creating objects that have a formula of their own and speak their own language, creating a dialogue that didn’t exist before. It is about newness as much as it is about tradition.” Designed to spotlight and support exceptional international artists, the winner of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize receives 50,000 Euros ($75,000AUD). This year’s judging panel – composed of designers, essayists, artists and curators – includes Craft Prize 2022 finalist Andile Dyalvane, Wolfgang Lösche (Head of Exhibition and Fairs at the Chamber of Skilled Trades, Munich) and Mary Savig (Curator of Craft at the Smithsonian American Art Museum Renwick Gallery, Washington, D.C.).
Burberry Names Daniel Lee as New Creative Director
Following months of speculation, English designer Daniel Lee was named as Burberry’s new chief creative officer, succeeding Riccardo Tisci. Announced September 28, less than 48 hours after Tisci’s London Fashion Week runway show, Burberry confirmed Lee, 36, will oversee all Burberry collections and will present his debut runway collection at London Fashion Week in February 2023. In a statement published by the brand, Lee said he was “honoured” by the appointment: “I am very excited to be returning to London, a city that champions pioneering creativity and that continues to inspire me.” In a post published on Burberry’s Instagram, Tisci wrote, “Burberry is a very special place with a magical past and a very promising future. The chapter I was asked to write in its long story is one that I am incredibly proud of and one I have decided would culminate with my show on Monday. I thrived to continue a legacy of innovation, and consistently championed for creativity and diversity, in order to always keep Burberry moving forward.”
Elsa Pataky joins Bulgari as Newest House Ambassador
Actor, author, beauty brand founder and T Australia cover star, Elsa Pataky, has joined the Bulgari family as an official friend of the house. “I’ve always loved the bold and confident spirit that Bulgari stands for,” said Pataky in an official statement from the house. “There are so many timeless and iconic styles like Serpenti that make you feel powerful and joyful at the same time when you wear the pieces.” Pataky joins a strong roster of ambassadors, including Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Priyanka Chopra, Dua Lipa and Australian actor Olivia DeJonge.
Standout Moments from Spring Summer 23 Fashion Week
Courtesy of an alteration to the traditional Fashion Week timetable, Miuccia Prada (and more of her tiny skirts) had the final say for Spring Summer 23 – a season characterised by, according to The New York Times’s fashion director and chief fashion critic, Vanessa Friedman, “sex, nostalgia and code-switching”. Spectacle, too, shaped much of the offering – as evidenced by Coperni’s futuristic spray-on dress finale, starring model Bella Hadid. Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele mined his personal archives for the autobiographically inspired ‘Twinsburg’ collection, featuring 68 pairs of identical twins as models. Pop legend Cher made an appearance at Balmain, and shoes constructed of deflated balloons walked down Jonathan Anderson’s Loewe runway.
