Most of it never materialised, but the hall did, clad in marble, inspired by Venetian Palaces and the ancient architecture of Italy and Greece - coupled with the boldness and futuristic outlook of its modernist architecture genre. The architect’s knack for blending functionalism with a human-centred approach, his specific take on organic design, shines through the building, which sits by the water, gentle yet majestic.

The need for a 'new' Finlandia Hall

Yet, by 2019, nearly fifty years after its creation, Finlandia Hall was due a refresh. On one hand, the ageing structure has been increasingly requiring updates and fixes; at the same time, Finland was introducing tighter environmental sustainability standards across its built environment sector and an older scheme like this was falling short.

Chief Design Officer for the City of Helsinki Hanna Harris points out that the heating of buildings is behind more than half of Helsinki’s emissions, so transforming and updating existing fabric is as critical to lower Finland’s energy consumption, as integrating smart energy-saving choices in new ones. Now a listed monument and beloved city icon, Finlandia Hall is leading the way, revealing its refresh by Arkkitehdit NRT, a deep yet delicate restoration of its fabric and functions set to bring it to the 21st century.

The works included the refurbishment of the façade’s Italian marble, updating the technical systems, and improving accessibility and energy efficiency. Surfaces and furnishings (including 2150 lightning fixtures), most of which were designed by Aalto and his office in the architect’s typical organic style and natural materials, were painstakingly restored to their former glory.

The interiors also received a refresh, comprising the venue’s large auditorium and several multi-functional meeting halls which were designed to be adaptable to different sizes of events and uses. Mostly a faithful restoration, the scheme included the transformation of old storage and dressing rooms into exhibition space, and a new cafe, shop and restaurant (these will be open in summer 2025).

‘Finlandia Hall is a flexible building. Aalto has thought about the problem of simultaneous events and has solved it very elaborately. Despite this flexibility, trying to make changes to it turned out to be very difficult, due to its concrete construction. In the end, however, we happily achieved what we set out to do,’ says architect and Arkkitehdit NRT CEO Teemu Tuomi. ‘The most important act for sustainability in old buildings is to make them work as well as possible for the client.

When the building is optimal and effective in its use, it will become long-lasting and that way sustainable. In the renovation, we renewed the building's “infrastructure” to serve event visitors for the next decades. Of course, many other sustainability elements were implemented, for example, improving insulation, heat recovery, recycling and repairing thousands of building parts.’

‘Everyone who had a sneak-peak before the official opening has been left speechless with admiration,’ says Johanna Tolonen, CEO at Finlandia Hall. After the opening, the aim is to allow everybody who wants to walk inside, to be able to experience this beloved landmark. ‘Finlandia Hall has always been a gem and a source of pride for the nation, but the threshold for entering without an invitation to an event or a concert ticket in the past has been high.

With new services, we want all city residents and visitors to enjoy the dazzling beauty of Finlandia Hall from morning to evening. The new café is open from early morning, a bistro is available in the evening, and visiting the shop or touring the new exhibition from our comprehensive Finnish art collection will inspire your day,’ Tolonen continues.

Blending expert sustainability strategies with a mandate to open up its precious, historical architecture to all, Finlandia Hall is ready for the next chapter in its thoroughly future-proofed, long life.

finlandiatalo.fi

Hedi Slimane translates Jean Arp's sculptures into jewellery pieces for the Celine Bijoux d’Artistes Project

Forms were an abstract concept for German-French sculptor, painter, and poet, Jean Arp, who drew on nature’s organic silhouettes to create sensual shapes in his work.

The ephemeral nature of his sculptures, encapsulated particularly in a series he created in the 1950s after being inspired during trips to Greece, made his estate a natural choice for Celine creative director Hedi Slimane when considering the next focus for the Celine Bijoux d’Artistes Project. The project, paying tribute to great avant-garde artists, has so far collaborated with the estates of French sculptor César and American sculptor Louise Nevelon, translating their works into wearable art forms in 2020 and 2022 respectively.

In 2024, it was the turn of Jean Arp, and third iteration of the project is an homage his work, Ptolémée II, a biomorphic shape juxtaposing solidity with space. Gently curving, its oval form pays as much respect to the void as it does to the bronze, cutting a harmonious balance between the two.

Read about Celine's Jean Arp-inspired jewellery

Wild beauties: high jewellery dripping with drama

At the heart of high jewellery collections lies a dedication to showcasing the rarest and most precious gemstones, putting them in the best possible light. For 2024’s new releases, high-jewellery houses zoned in on colour, eschewing traditional pastels for a generous rainbow of hues, from the muted and abstract to the brilliant and bold.

Read about the high jewellery collections of 2024

‘It is always a pleasure to surprise’: inside Lagos-based high-jewellery house Akano Diamonds

'Design and the rarity and quality of gemstones are everything to me. My love for diamonds stems from the feeling I get when I am wearing them – one of timeless elegance, femininity and strength,' says Akunna Nwala-Akano, founder of Akano Diamonds (formerly known as DEJ), the Lagos-based high-jewellery house, that draws deeply from her cultural heritage and lifelong belief in the transformative power of jewels.

Read our interview with Akano Diamonds’ Akunna Nwala-Akano

‘Given hip-hop’s roots in New York, the chance to tell this story in this city is very special’

Hip-hop’s official 50th birthday was 11 August 2023. But the party is not due to end any time soon. ‘Ice Cold: An Exhibition of Hip-Hop Jewelry’ runs at the American Museum of Natural History in New York until 5 January 2025, and so there's still time to join in. Among the oversized gold chains and diamond-studded pendants is a glitter ball of legendary names – The Notorious B.I.G., Jam Master Jay and Erykah Badu among them. But ‘Ice Cold’ aims higher, going way beyond brilliantly audacious designs to illuminate hip-hop jewellery as part of a multi-layered trajectory of style, politics and sociocultural trends.

Read our Ice Cold exhibition review

Venyx translates Man Ray’s sensual symbols into surrealist jewellery

Man Ray’s influence endures – his offbeat silhouettes and surreal references inspire designers throughout the world and his work is still honoured in exhibitions (such as 2023’s show of Man Ray sculptures in New York). Eugenie Niarchos, founder and creative director of jewellery brand Venyx, is the latest designer to fall under his spell, creating a collection centred around the artist’s sensual and surrealist symbols.

Read more and see Venyx’s Man Ray-inspired jewellery

Lugano’s versatile high jewellery pieces are too good to save for special occasions

High jewellery can, by its nature, be a little formal, a reputation that one American brand has been steadily shrugging off over the last two decades. Established in the US in 2005 by Idit and Moti Ferder (featured in the Wallpaper* USA 400 guide to creative America), Lugano has been championing surprising materials and unfussy silhouettes since its inception. At their atelier/workshop in Newport Beach, California, the husband-and wife duo focus on creating unique, one-of-a-kind pieces that encapsulate an individual.

Read our interview and see more Lugano high jewellery

Jessica McCormack and the Haas Brothers’ playful jewellery

Jessica McCormack and the Haas Brothers bring a playful irreverence to fine jewellery, a philosophy they have stayed faithful to in their second collaboration (the first was the Haas Brothers’ jewellery debut, in 2020).

‘This Too Shell Has’, a compact collection of five pieces, nods to the aesthetic and heritage of all the collaborators. The sensually shaped designs reference the koru fern, a motif from McCormack’s native New Zealand, while the Haas Brothers’ oversized snail sculptures, Snails in Comparison, are a clear inspiration.

Read about Jessica McCormack and the Haas Brothers’ jewellery

African jewellery designers marrying heritage with sharp design codes

African jewellery designers are ensuring the local industry is alive and well. On a continent with so many raw materials and elements, and known for its export of gold and diamonds, the African jewellery market value is rising. It is thanks to the increasing interest in and appreciation of Africa’s locally produced luxury items, but also to several industry players who are continuously on their game, trying to get the market moving – and this is especially true of the jewellery designers.

Discover African jewellery designers to watch

Alighieri marks ten years with ten jewellery classics

For Rosh Mahtani, founder of jewellery brand Alighieri, the company’s tenth anniversary is a significant milestone – a chance to pause and look back, celebrate everything the brand has achieved so far, and cement core values. ‘Over the last ten years, there have been certain pieces that have held such very deep sentiments for me; as soon as I look at them, I'm immediately transported back to where I was when I created them, how I felt, what I was going through,’ Mahtani tells us.

See Alighieri’s jewellery classics

Cora Sheibani celebrates unexpected diamond cuts in a new jewellery collection

‘I have just always loved jewellery, I think it goes further back than my own memories,’ says jewellery designer Cora Sheibani. Since launching her eponymous house in 2002, she has become known for her daring aesthetic, one that is anchored in a life-long love of art, liberally seasoned with personal narratives, and has pieces that consistently point to her profound respect for design, craftsmanship and the plethora of possibilities that gemstones possess. With her latest offering, ‘Facets and Forms’, Sheibani has created a ‘collection that is very much for those people who like jewellery but are into design, who like materiality’, she says, and who, like her, think for themselves and ‘don’t follow trends’.

Read the Cora Sheibani interview

Tour Puro Poznań hotel

Puro Poznań recently emerged from a top-to-toe overhaul, just in time for its tenth anniversary. As with the brand’s other properties, the design, led by London-based studio Holloway Li, has been informed by the hotel’s location, drawing on its home within the city’s historic Old Town.

‘We chose to introduce a natural material palette and focus on a series of new key elements that would have the most impact along a guest’s journey,’ explains project designer Grey Grierson.

The result is undeniably lovely to look at, with these key elements emerging through details such as the striking curved reception desk, elevated on three sculpted limestone plinths. ‘We wanted to create an eye-catching moment as guests enter the hotel,’ notes Grierson. Clad with glossy red tiles, the desk adds a pop of colour to an otherwise subdued colour scheme, while textural details come by way of a hand-tufted rug, its patterns and colours inspired by the nearby public square.

Each space is peppered with regional references. Take the decorative glass in one of the meeting rooms, handmade by local manufacturer Riwal, which echoes Poznań’s art nouveau townhouses. Or the circular cut-out in the partition between the lounge and the reception, which references the early-20th-century locomotives produced in factories in and around the city.

Guest rooms, meanwhile, are kitted out in calming neutral tones, featuring richly textured fabrics, glazed ceramic tiles and carved limestone bedside tables that flow into the curve of the fabric headboards.

Given the hotel’s location (it’s a mere five-minute stroll to the Old Town Square), there’s no excuse not to head out and explore this buzzing city, but if you’re looking for excuses to stay in, then the in-house restaurant might be one. Nifty draws a regular crowd of locals and out-of-towners, who flock here for its contemporary take on regional staples.

During the day, sunlight streams in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, while after dark, soft lighting casts a diffused glow over the leather dining chairs by Norwegian furniture brand Eikund. Long toffee-coloured banquettes and a sculptural artwork by Piotr Łakomy add another layer of interest.

Up next for Puro Hotels will be the launch of its second Warsaw property, designed by Copenhagen-based studio GamFratesi.

Puro Poznań is located at Stawna 12, 61-759 Poznań, Poland, purohotel.pl

A version of this article appears in the January 2025 Next Generation issue of Wallpaper*, available in print, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today.

‘In an age where restocking videos on TikTok garner billions of views, it’s important to recognise the difference between organisation and display,’ adds Layla Sargent from The Seam, a British company connecting consumers with textile specialists (‘makers’ proficient in alterations), founded by Sargent in 2019. ‘Your wardrobe needs to work for you, making the most of the items you have.’ This might mean swapping out mixed-up plastic hangers acquired from your favourite stores for a set that endorses order – and moreover, correctly pairs weights and textures – or addressing the season and finally implementing a rotation system that creates more space. In the spirit of the New Year and clean beginnings, it could also highlight a chance to completely restructure your idea of categorisation, streamlining the contents of your drawers or reworking rails.

While the immediate reasons for organising are largely obvious – tidy living standards are something most of us can get behind – the practice can also shape one’s relationship with personal style, and furthermore should be considered as part of a broader environmental conversation: keeping your clothes intact can significantly improve their lifespan after all. ‘The biggest misconception is that a perfect wardrobe requires constant decluttering or minimalism,’ continues Lewenhaupt. ‘Instead, it’s about creating a balance – choosing versatile, quality pieces you love, and maintaining them well to last longer. It’s an investment in the longevity of your clothes!’

Below, a group of care experts that includes Lewenhaupt and Sargent – also the team behind Vault Couture, an external storage service set up by Mounissa Chodieva in 2012, and Eshita Kabra-Davies, founder and CEO of renting company By Rotation – share the advice they’ve found most effective for properly organising one’s wardrobe.

Break it down

‘Start small!’ says the Vault Couture team, a sentiment generally echoed by all the experts. ‘Focus on one section, preferably bulky items, rather than tackling the entire wardrobe at once.’ Breaking the process down into more manageable steps will quell any feeling of overwhelm, ensuring a calmer and more considered approach agrees Lewenhaupt. Additionally, he suggests that it ‘helps you evaluate what you actually wear and love. So begin by organising the pieces you reach for most often – it’s not about perfection but creating a system that works for you and makes your wardrobe a source of inspiration rather than stress.’ And if it feels along the way that things aren’t progressing much, the Vault Couture team note that hanging items as you go can offer a ‘quick win’, and a more immediate nod of encouragement.

Take your time

With that in mind, it’s helpful to remember there is no actual quick fix, and irrespective of the scale of the wardrobe or variety of the pieces inside, it will probably take longer than you think. ‘A big misconception [we hear about] is time,’ explains the Vault Couture team. ‘Many people assume organising takes just an afternoon or a day, but for a full wardrobe organisation – particularly for a couple – we typically allow two days to achieve best results, because it’s about curating what you have and storing it smartly, rather than throwing things away. Another misconception is that you have to sell or dispose of a significant amount of clothing to have an organised wardrobe.’

Pick a system that actually works

While ordering pieces by colour makes for a fun visual, clothing is best organised according to category – so grouping things like tops, dresses, trousers and skirts, much of which will also share tangible attributes, makes sense. ‘The most common question I get is, “How do I make my wardrobe feel less overwhelming?”’ observes Kabra-Davies. ‘For me it’s having a curated selection that works hard for you: versatile staples you wear often and renting for special occasions – you don’t need to buy a new outfit for every party, holiday, or dinner. Renting these pieces keeps your wardrobe minimal and allows you to experiment without long-term commitment.’

Lewenhaupt meanwhile, goes even further. ‘Curate a system that reflects your personal style and lifestyle, prioritising quality over quantity and grouping items by how often you wear them,’ he says. ‘Organising by item category is generally more practical as it helps you find what you need and builds outfits efficiently. It’s also a good idea to rotate your wardrobe, seasonally, to reflect what you’re currently wearing.’

Seriously consider your hangers

‘Delicate fabrics like silk, satin, and structured items like blazers and dresses should be hung to avoid creases and maintain their shape,’ instructs the Vault Couture team. ‘Knitwear, cashmere and heavier items like jeans should be folded to prevent stretching the fabrics.’ Lewenhaupt swears by high-quality, uniform hangers to ensure smart organisation, prioritising wooden and fabric-padded hangers, the former for their sturdy but gentle credentials that maintain the shape of heavier items, the latter to support delicate pieces featuring thin straps, intricate adornment, or snag-prone materials.

‘The general rule is to hang anything prone to wrinkling or losing its structure and fold garments that might stretch or develop hanger marks,’ he says. ‘Proper care not only keeps your wardrobe organised but ensures your clothes stay in excellent condition for longer.’ Sargent concurs, additionally suggesting that hangers can be a tool for longer-term sorting. ‘By hanging your clothes 'backwards' [facing away from you], then re-hanging them 'forwards' once worn or washed, you'll be able to see which pieces are going un-worn,’ she offers. ’Take stock and consider if they need an alteration, a re-style or a new home.’

Plan, prevent, protect

With the basics established, it’s worth assessing which additional apparatus might further conserve the things you own. ‘Dust covers are essential to keep handbags protected; mothballs are great, especially in wardrobes with wool or cashmere; acid-free tissue paper is useful for folding fabrics, padding inside bags or wrapping items to prevent creasing and discolouration,’ suggests the Vault Couture team, highlighting a number of key problem areas.

‘Iron or steam in advance,’ recommends Sargent. ‘If you're the type of person who dresses in a hurry, pull four or five pieces out of your wardrobe in advance and press them to perfection: you'll have that many more options in ready-to-wear condition.’ For Kabra-Davies, storage boxes are a core necessity: prime receptacles for storing clothes away out of season. ‘They simplify your life,’ she says. ‘And with a streamlined wardrobe, you spend less time deciding what to wear and more time enjoying the pieces you love. It’s also better for the planet, you avoid impulse buys and can focus on investing in quality, while renting what you don’t need every day.’

In his work Ways of Seeing, John Berger states, “The relation between what we see and what we know is never settled,” beautifully expanding the opportunities that lie in the state of being unsettled. A sentiment expanded upon by Jacques Lacan, who ties perception to desire, unconscious thought, and societal constructs. A function of time formulated for both, constance and variance. A New Way of Seeing, curated by Peter Nagy is the inaugural exhibition at the JCA and explores these unsettled realms through works by Indian and international artists that probe the ways we perceive and make sense of art, and through it, the shifting contours of the present moment.

Among the artists are Hiroshi Sugimoto whose Theatres and Seascapes reimagines the interplay of time and space. Black and white photographs show films projected in empty theaters dissolve into glowing white screens framed by opulent interiors, and others reduce ocean horizons to stark yet meditative black-and-white compositions. Dayanita Singh’s Time Measures, comprising red muslin bundles photographed over time, interrogates memory and temporal rhythms, while her Archivologies I, II, and III evoke hidden histories in mysterious paper-like forms.

Alicja Kwade’s Transformator, a bronze-cast tree branch fused with a mirror ball, and Rain, gold watch hands floating like flecks of time, distort our grasp of materiality and logic. Sean Scully’s luminous Quintana Roo Wall uses abstract geometries and vivid hues to evoke emotion and memory. Tanya Goel’s Mechanism 21 blends pigments and natural materials to explore chaos and order, while her Botanicals reinterpret colonial herbarium traditions.

Anish Kapoor’s mirrored discs, Oriental Blue to Clear and Magenta to Clear, dissolve form into fleeting reflections, embodying illusion’s poetic truth. It distorts and discomforts our own reflection as we inch closer to its shiny surface, witnessing ourselves as we witness art. Finally, L.N. Tallur and Manjunath Kamath probe history through sculptural interventions, distorting traditional forms in works like Glitch Tandava and White Whispers over Shy Red Canvas.

Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh, drawing on his family’s legacy of artistic patronage, alongside Co-founder Noelle Kadar, a seasoned contemporary art expert, see JCA as a platform for fostering global artistic exchange, revealing the dynamics of tradition and the evolving language of the contemporary. With their exhibitions, artist residencies, programming, and public art, they aim to engage youth and ensure heritage spaces remain vibrant cultural landmarks while defining the present moment.

A New Way of Seeing is also an exercise in place-making. Here art engages with the textures of heritage, the undeniable presence of history sharpens our awareness of the present. This interplay of craft, architecture, and artistic expression positions Jaipur as a luminous point in the global discourse on culture, where tradition becomes a springboard for new interpretations of the contemporary. Seeing, rediscovering, and linking variances between past and present—a contemporary is shaped by the Pink City’s own rhythm of renewal.

jaipurcentreforart.com

Against a make-up-eliminating Augustinus Bader cleansing balm and a Chanel gel-to-oil formula, the remnants of last night’s mascara stand little chance. And to soothe sore muscles (or heads, for that matter) look no further than an Alpine-inspired bath soak by Susanne Kaufmann.

Read on for more purifying products with the Wallpaper* seal of approval.

Face and body cleansers for a fresh new year

Augustinus Bader (above)

Containing the brand’s signature TFC8 technology, developed by Professor Augustinus Bader for optimum cell renewal, ‘The Cleansing Balm’ is a gentle formula that effortlessly dissolves make-up and impurities, turning into a milky texture upon contact with water. Unlike many other balm cleansers, it leaves no trace of residue. So those with clog-prone skin can proceed without caution.

Augustinus Bader ‘The Cleansing Balm’, £62.

augustinusbader.com

Mirror Water

As Estée Lalonde, the founder of London-based brand self-care brand Mirror Water points out: ‘When have you ever regretted taking a bath?’ And in the case of New Year’s Day, never a truer word was spoken, particularly when said bath is sprinkled with Mirror Water’s ‘Soak Bath Salts’. Made entirely from naturally derived Himalayan and magnesium salt the product is also infused with essential oils, which radiate a deeply comforting aroma.

Mirror Water ‘Soak Bath Salts’, £38.

mirrorwater.earth

Aesop

Some skincare products are considered ‘cult classics’ for good reason, such as the ‘Geranium Leaf’ body cleanser by Aesop. With a verdant and citrusy fragrance, this bath and shower gel may have a low-foaming, gentle formula. But its potent ability to leave one feeling thoroughly refreshed (and, in this instance, ready to take on whatever awaits you in 2025) is unmatched.

Aesop ‘Geranium Leaf’ body cleanser, £39.

aesop.com

MyBlend

Last year, Wallpaper* featured MyBlend’s ‘myLED’ face mask in the February 2024 Design Awards issue. But we are also fans of the brand’s skincare products, too, including the ‘Revitalising Cream moisturiser and the ‘Exfoliating Body Gel-Cream’. The latter is a body treatment providing both chemical and manual exfoliation that removes dry and dull skin to unveil a whole ‘new you’.

myBlend ‘Exfoliating Body Gel-Cream’, £100.

uk.myblend.com

Chanel

Chanel’s ‘Sublimage’ skincare range contains a hero antioxidant developed by the house in its Madagascar Sky Lab, called Polyfractioned Vanilla Planifolia. (Read more about this in Wallpaper’s feature on the ‘Sublimage L’Extrait de Nuit’ night serum, here). The ‘Sublimage Gel-to-Oil Cleanser’ features Vanilla Planifolia Water in particular. Starting as a gel, upon contact with the skin the product turns into a make-up removing oil, before finally transforming into a nourishing milk.

Chanel ‘Sublimage Gel-to-Oil Cleanser’, £95.

chanel.com

Dr Barbara Sturm

Incredibly gentle on sensitive or irritated skin needing a reset for the new year, Dr Barbara Sturm’s ‘Cleanser’ not only removes make-up and impurities but has the benefit of strengthening skin barrier function, with calming and soothing ingredients such as purslane and aloe vera, plus vitamin E and glycerine. One pump dispenses the ideal amount of foam-based formula, which thickens up into a creamy texture when lathered.

Dr Barbara Sturm ‘Cleanser’, £55.

drsturm.com

Susanne Kaufmann

Mother of sustainable luxury skincare Susanne Kaufmann founded her namesake natural beauty brand on the principles of Austrian Alpine living. The ‘Mountain Pine Bath’ soak, is designed to ease tension, soothe the skin and stimulate blood circulation, with extracts of mountain pine oil and spruce needle oil. (The recycled glass bottle even contains a hand-picked spruce sprig).

Susanne Kaufmann ‘Mountain Pine Bath’, £55.

susannekaufmann.com

The Trip to San Miguel de Allende

‘It wasn’t always this colourful,’ says Daniel Valero, founder of local design studio Mestiz. ‘San Miguel has been through different phases, from being a prominent city, before independence, to a ghost town,’ he says of the historic settlement, located in the country’s central highlands, about a four-hour drive north of Mexico City. Valero, who moved here from the capital five years ago, is one of the many creatives injecting new life here. ‘Recently, there has been a wave of young designers and artists refreshing things,’ says Laura Kirar, a US- and Mérida-based designer who opened hotel and design store Mesón Hidalgo in a 17th-century building in the town centre. ‘There’s something magical about the city that draws creative people.’

San Miguel has long attracted artists, partially drawn to the magnificent Spanish baroque architecture erected after its founding in 1542. One of the most influential to arrive in town was the American painter Stirling Dickinson, who co-founded the Instituto Allende and Escuela de Bellas Artes in the late 1930s. These two art institutions attracted American veterans, who were given the opportunity to study abroad under the GI Bill. ‘Not many people know how important San Miguel was for culture and arts in the 20th century,’ says curator Mario Ballesteros, who moved here from Mexico City and launched Casa Ballista, which showcases pieces by designers with a Mexican connection, such as Fabien Cappello and Fernando Laposse. ‘In the 1940s, a group of intellectuals and artists started promoting the town. It was beautiful back then, but it wasn’t really on the radar,’ he says. It spurred a renaissance, luring celebrated Mexican artists such as David Alfaro Siqueiros, Diego Rivera, Pedro Friedeberg and Rufino Tamayo. Walt Disney and Jack Kerouac were known to visit, too.

The city’s popularity has seen much waxing and waning, but it’s currently having a moment. ‘One or two dynamic personalities, with great ideas, can radically change a small community,’ says Kirar. When architect Alberto Laposse, founder of Levain & Co, purchased his house in San Miguel in 2004, the design scene was fairly nascent. He turned his home into Dos Casas, which became the city’s first design hotel. ‘It was the best-kept secret in San Miguel,’ says Laposse, who went on to open bakeries and restaurants around the city. After splitting his time between Mexico City and San Miguel for years, he finally chose to spend most of his time here, opening Mediterranean restaurant Hortus in a heritage building on the central plaza. The walls are lined with wood to mimic the trees in the park outside, marble slabs leftover from a previous project form the bar, and the handmade floor tiles were made by a specialist artisan. ‘Here you have the luxury of working hand-in-hand with craftsmen,’ says Laposse.

This wealth of local artisans, who work with everything from textiles to copper and ceramics, is another reason why creatives are increasingly drawn here. ‘There’s a wave of people focused on craft,’ says Ballesteros, adding that ‘there is an incredible production muscle in San Miguel’. For Valero, who creates playful rugs in pops of emerald green and hot pink, as well as oversized woven lampshades in collaboration with master craftsmen, this access has helped shape his brand. Today, his pieces have become synonymous with a new San Miguel aesthetic – one that is still colourful but also contemporary. ‘It has always been a town that’s in contact with Mexican craft and art,’ he says. Choosing not to be based in Mexico City, where the art and design scene is currently booming, felt initially like a risky choice for Valero. But being away from the noise of the capital has meant he’s not only closer to artisans, but can carve out a distinctive space in the design scene. ‘There’s a lot less distraction than there is in a big city,’ says Kirar, who also has a studio in San Miguel de Allende. ‘You just get a lot more done.’

Maye Ruiz is another creative who moved here from Mexico City. She did so to be with Valero (they are partners) and to establish her own interior design studio. Since moving, she has started working more with natural elements such as wood, in collaboration with local craftspeople. ‘I’ve learned so much from them,’ says Ruiz, who is known for her bold style and use of bright shades – the rainbow-like city suits her well. ‘I love colour and I appreciate that San Miguel is open to this.’ Since arriving, she has designed many interiors in the city, including restaurant Casa Arca, in collaboration with Valero. ‘Previously, people were afraid of me designing a home because my aesthetic is colourful,’ says Ruiz. But in San Miguel, colour comes with the territory. Her shared studio, which is located on a cobbled street in the Santa Tere neighbourhood, is unmissable from the outside, with its yellow walls with a primary blue door and red handle. Inside, Ruiz has designed an open kitchen with bold red tiles and sunny yellow cabinet curtains.

The momentum created by artists moving to the city has also spurred a market for designers to sell their wares, as well as created a slew of sophisticated offerings in hotels, restaurants and bars, many of which have a design focus. Hotel Casa Hoyos opened in a colonial manor house downtown, transformed by Andrés Gutiérrez of Mexico City’s AG Studio. Centred around a main courtyard, the space pops with glazed Talavera tiles and tapestries by Meli Ávila. Its rooftop bar, Bekeb, run by bartender Fabiola Padilla, is on North America’s 50 Best Bars 2024 list and overlooks the entire city. Outside of town is the Albor Hotel, part of the Tapestry Collection by Hilton. Designed by Productora and Esrawe Studio, its muted façade is partially made from a textured red stone that blends into the surrounding landscape, while the lobby is lined with green tiles featuring a pattern by Mexican artist Omar Barquet. Further outside the city is boutique hotel Quinta Amores, designed by Mexican Architect Ian Pablo Amores, with a pink façade and a courtyard punctuated by trees and cacti.

One of the most celebrated San Miguel brands is Casa Dragones, a tequila founded in 2009 by Bertha González Nieves. The house where tastings are held dates back to the 1600s, but it was recently overhauled by Will Meyer, of New York studio Meyer Davis. Responsible for the interiors were curator Ana Elena Mallet and designer Raúl Cabra, who included contemporary design pieces from Héctor Esrawe and Angela Damman. Then there’s Fabrica La Aurora, an art and design centre housed in a former textile factory alongside antique shops, art studios and galleries, while for foodies, there’s Hortus, on the lively main square, Panina, a new bakery opened by chef and sourdough aficionado Paulina Carreño, and Restaurante del Parque, inside Belmond’s Casa de Sierra Nevada hotel, where guests are served Mexican cuisine and mezcals in a courtyard overlooking the garden.

But for all the people that San Miguel is attracting, its remote location weeds out many. Unlike places such as Mexico City and Guadalajara, which are more obvious choices for those in the design and art world, San Miguel still feels a little untapped. ‘It’s not a place where young Mexican creatives necessarily think of working,’ says Ballesteros. And the fact that it’s a less obvious destination with a small-town feel ‘makes the way you work a lot freer’. Its remoteness has also helped to maintain its heritage, which many are determined to uphold. ‘People from here love that it’s a bit isolated,’ says Valero. ‘Even though it’s growing, it preserves the essence of the town.’

A version of this article appears in the January 2025 Next Generation issue of Wallpaper*, available in print, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today.

A fashion graduate from the University of Brighton, Heath began her career in costume design before branching out into window displays and set design for fashion designers. This shift led to her long-term collaboration with British fashion photographer Tim Walker, with her weird and wonderful creations gracing the pages of leading publications and shaping exhibitions, runways and campaigns for fashion powerhouses like Louis Vuitton, Prada, Dior, and Miu Miu.

In 2024 Heath’s star rose stratospherically: her work on Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things earned her both a BAFTA and an Academy Award for Best Production Design, and in December, she was named a Royal Designer for Industry (RDI). Wallpaper* caught up with Heath to reflect on these remarkable achievements, explore how she remains authentic in an increasingly homogenised industry, and find out what she has in store for 2025.

Wallpaper*: 2024 was an extraordinary year for you, with a BAFTA and Oscar win for Poor Things, and being named an RDI. What do awards and recognitions like this mean to you, both personally and professionally?

Shona Heath: Until this year, awards have never been something that crossed my path. I really had no desire for accolades. It’s a bit like when I got married – I thought it wouldn’t change anything from day to day, but it did. There is a feeling that is good. Professionally, I am excited that new projects are coming my way that really want me to show what I do to its fullest. I feel like I have been given a little boost of trust.

The recognition of my craft and the love, care, and energy I put into all the work I do does feel fantastic. I am always part of a group of people working in different disciplines to produce a piece of work – a film, a show, a photograph and it is reassuring that set design, costume, and production design are really seen and appreciated by people. That does make me feel validated, when I have always felt a bit like a charlatan, always doing something I haven’t done before.

I must admit, the BAFTA felt just great on home turf, the Oscar – one of the most surreal nights of my life – and the RDI made me feel a bit older. I was amongst two other fantastic designers who do something profoundly good for people: gardens and urban spaces for humans to find peace within. I do feel a bit like I am the one who just made some inedible cupcakes.

But I have been amazed and enlivened that so many people enjoy my work on a kind of 'importance of dreaming' level.

W*: You’ve mentioned that you now begin your creative process with words rather than images, due to the overwhelming visual stimuli in today’s world. Do platforms like Instagram disrupt your process, or can they be inspiring? How do you block out the noise?

SH: I use Instagram as a portfolio. I don’t read comments – I used to, but it actually felt weird, even the nice ones.

The internet is undeniably great for research. But I do find that if I start my creative process with intense thought, unusual narratives, words, and original stories, it helps to inform my own approach and boundaries before I dive into the visuals. This process helps with authenticity and gives me a clear path.

The time wasted on social media is immense. I don’t like being shown things that some algorithm assumes I would be into – it really pisses me off, and I’m super sensitive to it. As soon as I feel like somebody has worked me out, I want to switch it up.

W*: Your work on 'The Glass Hermit' marks your first foray into integrating AI with your analogue creative process. How did this experience challenge or enhance your usual approach to design, and what potential do you see for AI as a tool in future creative projects?

SH: It both challenged and enhanced simultaneously, which I think is a good thing.

It doesn’t change my approach to design, as AI does not 'design' in any interesting way or think like me. I am obsessed with craft and materials, and these details in my work will always inform the bigger picture.

There is a huge amount of physical waste that unfortunately goes hand in hand with set design. I will always be grounded in the physical. I don’t love computers, so I don’t want to spend any more time than necessary within them.

What I can imagine is being able to tell more ambitious stories with uncharted layers, where AI could somehow help reduce waste – both financial and physical. AI is only a tool. Everyone has access to an iPad, and the opportunity to create is widespread, but unless you have a reason, a truth, and dedication for what it is you are doing, you will always get lost in options, and the results will not be interesting. The same applies with AI.

W*: What has been the most challenging project or moment in the past year, and how has it shaped your perspective or approach?

SH: The Oscar. Sounds like a joke… but I found the competition aspect and public stage confronting, and the social side, however fun, exhausting.

I absolutely love what I do, and I wasn’t doing it for a good few months – too long. I find it an important ritual to output and physicalise my ideas; otherwise, it’s a jumble in there mentally!

When I get my next Oscar – ha ha! – I will get a personal stylist, a therapist, public speaking lessons, learn to meditate, and drink way more water. Maybe I need all of those things anyway!

I have a lot of empathy for people in the public eye, and I only had the tiniest crumb of what some folks have to endure. I am really, really happy to stay behind the camera.

W*: When considering new opportunities, what factors are most important to you in deciding which projects to take on?

SH: I have to feel like there’s a reason it’s me doing them – that I would be the best and only person for this role.

Working from my studio is important; it’s a place of great work and great people.

To be inspired and to know you’re going on a journey that will be captivating, cover new ground, and be creatively rewarding.

And a happy gang around you is everything. This project sounds perfect!

W*: As you look to the year ahead, are there any emerging themes, ideas, or projects you’re particularly excited to explore in your work?

SH: Yes, I want to bring to life some surreal stories I’ve written and have playing in my head. They are super short – like a film snack, visual poems.

I am also concepting a really out-there script for someone at the moment that I’m totally into, so I’m excited about that. It’s keeping my brain very busy.

I would love to weave music and dance into my world in an unknown visual way.

Each year the RSA puts out an open call for RDI nominations. For updates on 2025 nominations, follow @therdifaculty on Instagram. The RSA also hosts a series of open Summer Sessions – intergenerational gatherings where RDIs, emerging designers, scientists and engineers. can share, inspire and challenge.

royaldesignersforindustry.org

shonaheath.com

Top 10 architecture stories of 2024

The old and the new meet in our pick of the year's finest architecture stories. New cultural institutions, rediscovered modernist marvels, world-class transport infrastructure, interviews, and our annual Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory – all form part of the architecture moments that defined 2024. Scroll down for more.

Hampi Art Labs by Sameep Padora, India

Located in southern India near the Unesco World Heritage Site of Hampi, Hampi Art Labs by leading Indian architect Sameep Padora undulates with the landscape, echoing the nearby Tungabhadra River and exuding a lightness of being that belies its sculptural proportions. Spread across 18 acres of virgin land, the recently opened arts centre, founded by Sangita Jindal and Tarini Jindal Handa of Indian powerhouse JSW, plays host to exhibition spaces, studios, ceramic and printmaking workshops, gardens, apartments for residencies, and a café.

Sydney Metro, designed by Woods Bagot in collaboration with John McAslan + Partners, Australia

The City extension to the Sydney Metro opened in August 2024, the latest addition to the city’s underground railroad system. Australia’s largest transport infrastructure project to date, the first tranche of stations opened in 2019 and work will be continuing until 2032 at least, with a total of 113km and 46 stations planned. This is the newly refurbished and expanded Central Station, a collaboration between John McAslan + Partners and Woods Bagot and a key interchange on the City & Southwest section of the system. This is already Australia’s busiest railway station, with rail lines that stretch out into the suburbs handling a remarkable 96 per cent of Sydney’s trains.

Frank Lloyd Wright architecture: from Prairie House to Guggenheim New York

A defining figure in 20th-century architecture, Frank Lloyd Wright (1867 – 1959) is one of a handful of masters who shaped the world of architecture as we know it today, influencing it as few others did. His name crosses boundaries and disciplines, breaking out of the sometimes-introspective world of architecture to touch on art, design and the way we live. With his roots in residential architecture, and his rich portfolio being instrumental in the development of modernist architecture, this is a creative that was both meticulous and versatile; organic and highly refined. By the time of his death, he completed hundreds of projects in the US and abroad. This is our ultimate guide to Frank Lloyd Wright.

Earthship community, New Mexico, USA

Approaching Earthship in Taos, New Mexico, at dusk, landscape photographer Victoria Sambunaris (featured in our Wallpaper* USA 400, a guide to creative America) began to make out the gently sloping profiles of homes, buried in folds of a dune-like landscape. ‘It was like entering some other country, the architecture revealing itself as part of the earth, but of the earth from the earth,’ she says.

Station Lodge by Andrei Saltykov, London, UK

Station Lodge peeks out between New Malden's typical period homes, inviting visitors to the architecturally unexpected. This new home, designed by architect Andrei Saltykov in South West London is certainly unusual - and offers a radical subversion to residential architecture of its region. Built on the site of a former garage, acquired by the client in 2020, the project is now a family home with inbuilt future-proofing - a 'vague initial aspiration' the architect explains, to be potentially split into two homes for the owners' children. In more immediate terms, the new house should provide a comfortable and equitable private space for the couple's two teenagers, as well as room for the family's extensive art and book collection.

Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024: meet the practices

The Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024 has been revealed, highlighting 20 studios from around the world as some of the year's most exciting newcomers. Conceived in 2000 as an international index of emerging architectural talent, the Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory is our annual listing of promising practices from across the globe. While always championing the best and most promising young studios, over the years, the project has showcased inspiring work with an emphasis on the residential realm. This year’s survey spans 20 young studios, from Australia, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Canada, China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, India, New Zealand, Nigeria, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Tunisia, the UK, the USA, with plenty of promise, ideas and exciting architecture.

Marcio Kogan's top 50 films of all time

We love a good film - Marcio Kogan does too. His top 50 films of all time are available to peruse below, exploring the ever-evolving relationship between architecture and film. The architect and founder of Studio mk27 was a Guest Editor in our October 2024 issue (out now) and has had a long and meaningful relationship with cinema - an art form which has influenced him deeply and resonates in his architecture too. Tapping into his knowledge and passion for the moving image, we asked him for his tips on what to watch. Here are his all-time favourites (in no particular order).

Step inside a forgotten brutalist necropolis in Buenos Aires

It's not every day that a book comes out on a brutalist necropolis; so when 'Chacarita Moderna' appeared in our inbox, we stood up and took notice. The publication, out this month by Building Books, is the brainchild of French architect, researcher, and curator Léa Namer, who came across the brutalist architecture site of the Sexto Panteón necropolis during a visit to Buenos Aires in Argentina ten years ago. When she found out the author of the scheme within Chacarita cemetery was one of Argentina's first female architects, Ítala Fulvia Villa, her interest was piqued further. The idea of a book on it was soon born.

Changi Airport’s Terminal 2, Singapore

The completion of Terminal 2 at Changi Airport crafts a new architectural language for airport design (and follows the airport’s Jewel hub by Safdie Architects, which opened in 2019). The project was designed by Boiffils Architecture, a family-owned firm founded in 1984, with a rich portfolio of projects throughout Asia. The terminal expansion was approached by drawing on Singapore’s artistic and cultural heritage, inspired by the surrounding flora and natural light to form an open gateway into the Asian Garden City.

An interview with landscape designer John Sharp

Landscape designer John Sharp's gardens float in the realm between the wild and the ethereal. His namesake Los Angeles practice enjoys telling ‘botanical stories’ through its work – which, right now, wraps the homes of many of the great and the good of California. Studio John Sharp has been behind the lush, native landscaping that frames and complements the works of iconic architects such as John Lautner (hello, Garcia House) and Richard Neutra (Hailey House's gardens are in his portfolio); while the designer has created garden paradises for Hollywood stars, such as actresses Hilary Duff, Sophia Bush, and Zoey Deutch. Organic nature, and a sense of wonder, exploration and discovery are key themes in his work.

Comprised entirely of prints ranging from the traditional lithography Hockney began in the 1950s to his current mastery of the iPhone and iPad, the 160 works are from the singular Jordan Schnitzer. The Portland, Oregon collector, owning more than 20,000 pieces of modern and contemporary art, has devoted himself to acquiring complete sets of editioned works by contemporary legends like Jasper Johns, Ellworth Kelly, John Baldessari and others. He says, “Once I bought that first work of art, it just never stopped. Now I have no sense of ownership but a great sense of stewardship.” The Schnitzer Foundation regularly funds and supports exhibitions of their prints.

Though many have tested the boundaries of printmaking, Hockney has used it to question what constitutes fine art. The consummate painter and colourist embraces untested technologies. The show includes his chaotic collages of multiple photographs to explore ideas about Picasso’s use of perspective. It was through photography that he began researching the camera lucida, its role in Renaissance painting and ideas about “reversing perspective.”

“The moment you realise what Picasso is doing, how he is using time as well—and that is why you could see round the back of the body as well as the front—once you begin to realise this, it becomes a very profound experience, because you begin to see what he is doing is not as a distortion and slowly, it then begins to look more and more real, in fact, it is naturalism that begins to look less and less real.”

Using a Pentax camera, Hockney combined numerous snaps to complete a portrait of his visiting mother in a way that she is swept into the tumult of his shelves of Zervos catalogs and his own Picasso painting while her white handbag and green suitcase lay touchingly on the carpeted floor. 'My Mother Los Angeles' (1982) exemplifies his exploration of Cubist perspective, which evolves throughout the exhibition.

Hockney gravitated to technological innovation in tandem with his interest in Picasso. Using a xerox machine in the 1980s, he made numerous still lifes and interiors whose charm is at odds with their humble origins. He liked the immediacy of printing an image, changing it and reprinting it on the spot.

But it is digital technology that has captured his heart and mind. “Digital photography can free us from a chemically imposed perspective that has lasted for 180 years,” he insists. A 2014 'photographic drawing' titled 'Perspective Should Be Reversed' features images of his friends standing in a room with a drawn red table that appears to move towards, instead of away, from the viewer. The real and invented coalesce.

Now living in France, the 87-year-old Hockney draws and paints on an iPad as though working on a sketching block. Far from a limitation, it seems to have unleashed ever more ambitious endeavours. In 2019, fascinated by the ways narrative unfolds sequentially in the Bayeux Tapestry, he drew scenes of his house and studio in the Normandy countryside in the seasonal hues of spring and fall. Each is inkjet printed on a 40-foot long band of paper.

More than a dozen of his 2021 floral iPad paintings, all hung on a Wedgewood blue wall, prove the variety Hockney can achieve. There is a double self-portrait of the artist himself, seated in two different wicker chairs, looking at these works in his studio. Taking the cue, the museum used lovely coloured walls throughout the show to compliment the works on paper.

The Hockney show originated at the Honolulu Art Museum but was expanded by the Palm Springs curator Christine Vendredi and director Adam Lerner to include earlier, more sexually provocative work for the museum’s new Q+ initiative highlighting work by artists who identify as LBGTQ+. Schnitzer says, “This is an exceptional exhibition, not only for the community here but for any of us dealing with how we evolved.”

Lithographs from Hockney’s 1966 response to the poems of C.P.Cavafy include a delicate rendering of a pair of naked men in bed. Gay friends are featured throughout the show including a print of L.A. icons author Christopher Isherwood and artist Don Bachardy — also one of Hockney’s most renowned paintings — and the prominent art dealer Nick Wilder. There are prints devoted to lovers and partners throughout the years.

The variety and depth of the show is a tribute to Schnitzer. It is rare collector who enables shows that provoke fresh understanding of artists in all of their phases of development.

'There is so much negative discussion about artificial intelligence,' he notes. 'But look at David Hockney when Xerox machines first came out. Look at what he did. Then polaroids and then, in 2004, when the Ipads came out, oh my God, it’s like the horses left the barn! He was able to take that technology and create some of the prettiest things ever made. It’s a joyful exhibition at a time when we all need a little joy in our lives.'

'Perspective Should Be Reversed: Prints by David Hockney from the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation' is at Palm Springs Art Museum until March 31, 2025

psmuseum.org

Below, find a wider selection of articles that got you clicking and scrolling, including a look at Dyson’s latest science fiction-like styling tool and a 15-step illustrated guide outlining the meticulous process of a Korean scalp treatment.

The most-read Wallpaper* beauty stories from 2024

1. Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi almost become lovers in Luca Guadagnino’s Chanel No.5 campaign

In October, Margot Robbie was announced as the new face of Chanel No.5. (2024 also saw Robbie front a nightclub-inspired‘Rouge Allure Velvet’ lipstick collection). See You at 5, an accompanying Chanel No.5 campaign film also starring Jacob Elordi and shot by Luca Guadagnino, saw the two actors ‘almost’ become lovers, as they attempt to meet one another against the backdrop of the setting California sun.

Read the full feature here.

2. How the 15-step Korean scalp treatment rejuvenates hair like nothing else

For the Wallpaper* February 2024 Design Awards issue, we presented a beauty award to the Eco Jardin hair salon in Seoul, for its meticulous 15-step scalp treatment. Including a microscopic scalp analysis, massage, steam LED light therapy and more, Lucy Birant illustrated each step of the process.

Read the full feature here.

3. Marina Abramović releases a skincare and wellness range ‘inspired by mindfulness’

In January, artist Marina Abramović brought the principles of her ‘mindfulness-based’ Longevity Method to a new skincare and wellness collection developed with Dr Nonna Brenner. The project certainly raised a few eyebrows – was it another performance piece, perhaps? Or was she deadly serious? – the Wallpaper.com feature on the products and ideas behind them certainly got people talking.

Read the full feature here.

4. Poor Things’ Oscar-winning make-up and hair: behind-the-scenes interview

Yorgos Lanthimos’ film Poor Things, based on the 1992 novel by Alasdair Grey, received critical acclaim. Winning a Golden Lion at Venice Film Festival, it also garnered 11 nominations at the Academy Awards, with Emma Stone winning Best Actress for her performance as Bella Baxter. The hair and make-up design team, led by Nadia Stacey, also received several accolades including an Academy Award and a BAFTA. We interviewed Stacey about her work on the film on Wallpaper.com.

Read the full feature here.

5. First look: how Diptyque used synaesthesia to create its poetic new perfume collection

Diptyque launched a new luxury perfume collection in the summer of 2024, ‘Les Essences de Diptyque’, which was (true to Diptyque’s form) inspired by the natural world. Here, five unique fragrances captured ‘the scent of coral and mother of pearl’, with five unique fragrances designed by a team of noses using synaesthesia. We interviewed them all for a first look at the project on Wallpaper.com.

Read the full feature here.

6. The new Dyson ‘Airwrap i.d.’ will style your hair using an app

Dyson made further strides in hair and beauty in 2024, with ‘Chitosan’ (its first-ever range of hair care products) and the ‘Airwrap i.d.’, an updated model of its beloved ‘Airwrap’ styling tool. Upon its launch in August, we covered the news on Wallpaper.com, revealing the ‘Airwrap i.d.’ works in tandem with the ‘MyDyson’ app to carry out a personalised curling sequence at the touch of a button.

Read the full feature here.

7. The Substance: how Pierre-Olivier Persin transformed Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley with prosthetic make-up design

The Substance was a film on everyone’s lips in 2024, drumming up plenty of ‘discourse’ for its subject matter and visual language. Directed by Coralie Fargeat and starring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley, the story of Elisabeth Sparkle (Moore) and her ‘other self ’Sue (Qualley) came to life through the visionary prosthetic make-up design by Pierre Oliver Persin. We spoke with Persin to gain insight into transforming the actors into the grotesque and comedically tragic characters ‘Gollum’ and ‘Monstro Elisasue’.

Read the full feature here.

8. Bleach London’s permanent dyes transform hair (without using bleach)

Session stylist Alex Brownsell (who has worked with everyone from Gucci and Versace to Celine and Marc Jacobs) founded the east London hair salon Bleach in 2010, after growing tired of dying her friends’ hair in the kitchen sink. In 2024, however, Bleach made a revolutionary development for dying hair at home, with its ‘No Bleach London’ permanent box dyes, which create vibrant colour without any bleach at all. Brownsell shared her insights on the products with Wallpaper*.

Read the full feature here.

9. Jamie Dornan takes a bath in Le Corbusier’s villa for Loewe Perfumes

In September, the news broke that brand ambassadors Jamie Dornan and Sophie Wilde were the new faces of Loewe Perfumes. A portrait series and film by David Sims saw Dornan and Wilde make themselves at home inside the master bathroom in Villa Savoye, which was designed and built in the 1930s by Le Corbusierand Pierre Jeanneret. The 2024 campaign also spotlighted four scents from Loewe Perfumes’ ‘Botanical Rainbow’ and ‘Un Paseo por Madrid’ collections: ‘Esencia’, ‘Agua Drop’, ‘Un Paseo por Madrid Doré’ and ‘Prado’.

Read the full feature here.

10. What makes a ‘winter perfume’? The Wallpaper* guide to fragrances that linger on the skin and in the air

As temperatures dropped in November, we turned our focus to a selection of potent and long-lasting perfumes for the winter months. This includes fragrances from the Dior ‘Esprit de Parfum’ collection, also featured in the Wallpaper* December Entertaining Issue, ‘L’Eau d’Hiver’, by nose Jean Claude Ellena for Frederic Malle, and more.

Read the full feature here.

“That it has suggests typography on a watch dial matters more that the watch industry perhaps allows for, especially given that otherwise a watch can just be a circle with 12 dots on it,” says Lewis Heath, the founder of Paulin and AnOrdain watch brands. “I think typography is likely under explored as a point of distinction on ‘proper’ watches, and this is something new smaller brands [arguably less weighed down by heritage or convention] are tuning in to. And I think watch consumers are really starting to paying attention to typography now”.

The company worked previously with in-house typographer Imogen Ayres on its Neo watch, and is now collaborating with Kia Tasbihgou - whose clients include the likes of Nike, Greenpeace and Salomon - on a gently italicised, geometric hand-drawn type for a model due out next summer. Neither designers have a background in designing for watch dials.

“When type is being drawn for such a small surface as a watch face usability has to be the most important thing, but once it’s useable it has to be beautiful, because that’s what lends character to any individual piece,” reckons Tasbihgou. “[Right now] there’s a sense that too much watch typography borrows from each other for that”.

Paulin/Anordain is not the only watchmaker looking to external expertise when it comes to type design. Arguably Hermes set that idea running with its 2012 Slim d’Hermes, with its Philippe Apeloig-designed stencil-like number form. Nomos Glashutte too has worked with an agency to create the ever-so-slightly seriffed forms that very subtly cut against its otherwise strictly Bauhausian rigour. Other brands have cornered the use of a certain font - Mondaine with Helvetica, for example, or Junghans with its Max Bill-designed font - or, like Ressence, designed their own from scratch.

But while Christian Knoop, creative director of IWC, reckons that typography accounts for some 80% of a watch’s visual appeal, it remains the norm that many other major and even esteemed brands use off-the-shelf fonts - fonts often designed for very different media - and hope for the best. That can lead to some discordance: Patel Philippe using a florid Chancery font for city names next to hours in plain Arial on its 5131 world time watch, for example, or Grand Seiko’s use of four different fonts on its SBGR077.

Of course, there are technical demands unique to some watch designs - the printing of convex dials using the tampography process, for example, is much more complex than printing on flat paper. But, according to Jerome Burgert, founder of French watch brand Serica, the digitisation of design - which has made tweaking letterforms that much easier - has also engendered, by turns, a homogeneity and a recklessness in watch typography. And this despite the fact that, given that small canvas, the look, size, weight and positioning of letterforms become all the more impactful in giving a dial personality.

But, he stresses, type isn’t everything. With the Parade, Serica’s latest model, an oval dress watch, there’s almost none at all, with even the brand name tucked away in a tiny font size along the minute track.

“With tool watches especially typography is used to convey information about their capability but the dress watch is an example of how it’s possible for a watch’s design to be strong enough to express brand identity without the reliance on typography,” Burgert says. “I like clean lines and the fact is that too many watches put typography all over the place”.

Here, we look forward to an exciting 2025 in fashion, a year which already seems to be embracing the new: whether the changing of the fashion guard at Chanel, Givenchy, Tom Ford, Bottega Veneta et al, or a fresh vanguard of on-the-rise designers set to define the year in style. Elsewhere, there are blockbuster fashion exhibitions at the V&A and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (the latter will be celebrated with the 2025 Met Gala in May), and a vast auction of the work of Maison Martin Margiela. Here’s everything to look forward to in fashion in 2025.

Witness a changing of the fashion guard

After a year of flux – 2024 was a year which saw creative directors depart en masse – 2025 will see a new guard of fashion designers begin to carve out their visions for fashion’s most venerable houses. Notably, Matthieu Blazy at Chanel (his appointment in December was perhaps 2024’s most high-profile hire), Sarah Burton at Givenchy, and Haider Ackermann at Tom Ford. Elsewhere, Louise Trotter will take over for Blazy at Bottega Veneta, Julian Klausner will replace Dries Van Noten after the designer’s exit from his eponymous label, and Michael Rider will take over from Hedi Slimane at Celine. As for which one of these appointments will catch fire remains to be seen, though even for the incidental fashion fan 2025 will prove a year full of intrigue. There will also be revealing collections from Alessandro Michele (his sophomore collection for Valentino, and a first couture collection), Sean McGirr (his third collection at Alexander McQueen) and the first Fendi show since the departure of Kim Jones. And with plenty of rumours abounding about further arrivals and departures, expect the musical chairs to continue into 2025.

Shop the largest-ever auction of Maison Martin Margiela

The early collections of Maison Martin Margiela – the name of the house while the eponymous Martin Margiela was still at the helm – are some of the most influential of the late 20th century, oft-referenced but near-impossible to find IRL. An expansive new auction seeks to change that, putting 270 ultra-rare pieces of fashion and ephemera created by the designer on the auction block, spanning the years 1988-1994 (1988 was the year the maison was founded by the Belgian designer). The auction is being led by Angela and Elena Picozzi, the daughters of Graziella Picozzi, an Italian fashion industry insider who amassed the collection having been a longtime friend and collaborator of Martin Margiela (London’s Kerry Taylor Auctions and Paris’ Maurice Auctions will host). ‘The meeting between our mother, Graziella, and Martin Margiela was a fundamental moment for both of them. We always considered these items an important part of fashion history that ought to be protected,’ say the sisters. ‘Over time, we realised how important it is that Martin’s talent and vision be enhanced, studied, told, and, why not, worn. And that’s why we are selling today.’ Read more.

‘Martin Margiela: The Early Years, 1988-94’ auction will take place on January 27, 2025 at 81 Boulevard Voltaire, Paris 75011 and broadcast live on drouot.com and invaluable.com

Visit the Met Museum’s ‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style’

Each year, a blockbuster fashion exhibition lands at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, celebrating either the work of singular figures (Rei Kawakubo; Karl Lagerfeld) or musing on a theme (American fashion; fashion and technology; the influence of China). This year, curator-in-charge Andrew Bolton has drafted Monica L. Miller – author of the 2009 book Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity – to guest curate an exhibition on ‘Black dandyism’ in the era-spanning exhibition which is titled ‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style’. It will mark the first exhibition since 2003’s ‘Men in Skirts’ to explore menswear, charting the history of Black dandyism as ‘a discrete phenomenon that reflects broader issues of power and race in the Black diaspora’ through a multitude of garments and ephemera, from the 18th-century to present-day, with a focus on tailoring. Though the annual Costume Institute exhibition is best known for its accompanying Met Gala, taking part on the first Monday of May, with this year’s co-chairs including Pharrell Williams, Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky and Anna Wintour, alongside Lebron James acting as honourary co-chair. Tune in on May 5, 2025.

‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style’ will run from 10 May – 26 October 2025 at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Or in London, a Marie Antoinette exhibition hosted by Manolo Blahnik

Meanwhile in London, the V&A has announced its own yearly blockbuster fashion exhibition: this September, it will host a wide-ranging exhibition on Marie Antoinette, tracing her enduring style legacy (it will be sponsored by Antoinette aficionado Manolo Blahnik, whose work will feature in the show). Titled ‘Marie Antoinette Style’, the organisers hope to present a more nuanced portrayal of the divisive historical figure, offering new insight into her links with Britain (she was purportedly an Anglophile), spanning both historical objects and contemporary works influenced by the monarch, including pieces from Sofia Coppola’s 2006 film, Marie Antoinette. Expect a starry opening night, and – as is tradition with the V&A’s fashion exhibitions – queues around the block come the opening. We advise you to book as soon as the tickets drop (currently they are listed as ‘coming soon’).

‘Marie Antoinette Style’ runs from 20 September 2025 to 22 March 2026 at V&A, London.

Watch fashion’s relationship with film continue

With designer Jonathan Anderson, the creative director of Loewe and JW Anderson, already picking up a Costume Designers Guild Award for his work on Luca Guadagnino’s erotic tennis thriller Challengers which was released in 2024, it’s not out of the question to see Anderson become an awards season fixture (the same goes for his subsequent work on Guadagnino’s new movie Queer, where he also serves as costume designer). With Anderson cementing the symbiosis of fashion and film in 2024, the relationship looks set to continue, with British designer Gareth Pugh creating the costumes for Danny Boyle’s 28 Years Later, while no doubt more fashion-filled press tours will take over the red carpet (Wicked part two is released on November 21, 2025, so expect plenty more on-theme green and pink confections from stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande). We also expect a continuing obsession with fashion merch – read Mary Cleary’s exploration of why film ephemera took over film in 2024, from Anderson’s ‘I Told Ya’ Challengers T-shirt to merch from The Substance and Nosferatu.

Queer is in UK cinemas now.

Look out for a new generation of designers set to shift the fashion needle

We have collated a list of eight designers set to shift the fashion needle in 2025, chosen for the way they are not just shaping how to dress, but who to be – from Renaissance Renaissance’s poetic collections, shaped by designer Cynthia Merhej’s Lebanese heritage and backdropped by the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, to Ellen Hodakova Larsson’s subversively glamourous take on upcycling. ‘At a moment when building a brand from the ground up has never felt like a taller task, above all there seemed to be a deeper focus on what makes it all worth it – a love of craft and a need to put things out in the world,’ writes Orla Brennan, who met the eight designers. ‘[They] draw upon resilience in the face of the unknown, offering up powerful new ideas about not only how to dress, but how to be.’

Discover eight on-the-rise fashion designers set to define 2025 here.

Discover Pitti Uomo’s latest guest designers

The January edition of Pitti Uomo, the historic Florentine menswear fair, marks the beginning of the fashion calendar for 2025 (men’s fashion weeks in Milan and Paris will follow, before haute couture week, and women’s fashion week in February). As such it has a feeling of freshness, with the A/W 2025 edition hosting two guest designers both interested in subverting the traditions of menswear: MM6 Maison Margiela and Setchu, the Milan-based label led by Japanese designer Satoshi Kuwata. The latter is a particularly intriguing prospect: trained on Savile Row he combines meticulous craft with avant-garde pattern cutting, which is influenced by both traditional Japanese garments and the country’s most influential designers, from Yohji Yamamoto to Rei Kawakubo. A finalist for the LVMH Prize in 2023, we wouldn’t be surprised to see Kuwata poached for a major label in 2025. Watch this space.

Pitti Uomo A/W 2025 runs from January 14 – 17, 2025.

We profile STO.M.P: Studio for Modernism & Practical Aesthetics

The founders and principals of STO.M.P (short for Studio for Modernism & Practical Aesthetics), based in the southern Indian city of Madurai, approach a site in much the same way a cinematographer would a set, meticulously framing spaces, playing with light and shadow, and ensuring every element tells a story. ‘Like in films, it’s all about creating an experience,’ adds Shamini.

The pair, who met at university and established their architecture practice after graduating in 2016, don’t see themselves as architects. ‘We’re facilitators,’ Vignesh says. ‘We craft environments that are deeply functional, profoundly personal, and sensitive to the cultural context; we are merely mediums between the earth and the built environment.’

This explains why each of their projects has an artisanal quality, embodied by thoughtful craftsmanship, timeless materials, and unexpected moments of wonder. ‘It’s a process,’ Shamini concedes, ‘one that wouldn’t be possible without collaboration with other studios and artisans.’

STO.M.P’s work is driven by a student-like curiosity and backed by the experience of seasoned craftsmen, meaning no project — no matter how complex — is off-limits. They set the bar high with their first residential contract in 2018, in Tirupattur, India, designing a climate-responsive home with a façade of terracotta jali, skylights, and light-wells. Materials, including marble plaster and Athangudi tiles, were sourced from within a 50-kilometre radius.

Vignesh and Shamini regard architecture and interior design as two sides of the same coin. ‘The two grow out of each other, and we don’t really treat them separately,’ Vignesh explains, referencing the ship-shaped dwelling the studio designed in Thoothukudi, India, in 2023. The home features a hull-inspired amphitheatre, seashell motifs on the roof, and various marine-inspired treatments—a tribute to the town’s rich history as a port city.

Recently, STO.M.P has embarked on a new journey, working with the Indian Railways to reimagine three stations in South India. ‘This project serves as a foundation for our broader aspirations, which now extend to multi-family residences, homesteads, and boutique hotels,’ Shamini explains.

‘Each endeavour reflects our commitment to creating spaces that resonate with their surroundings while catering to the diverse needs of the community.’

www.stomparchitects.com

Wallpaper* editors’ 2025 getaway plans

LA: Charlotte Gunn, Director of Digital Content

‘I will look forward to my annual trip to Los Angeles to visit friends and family. I spend the year diligently plotting all the new openings I want to try on a Google Map so I am fully prepped by the time we arrive. I’m already itching to try Camelia, a French fusion restaurant which opened in Echo Park at the end of the summer. I’m also keen to see how the development of Melrose Hill has progressed since my last visit – a couple of notable galleries had moved into the area and there was a pledge to redevelop a disused retail block with new independent shops and restaurants. To get me through the long British winter, I shall be dreaming of fresh seafood at sundown from The Jolly Oyster on Ventura beach.’

Venice & Helsinki: Ellie Stathaki, Architecture & Environment Director

‘The Venice Architecture Biennale always causes a stir of excitement at the architecture desk, so my biannual visit to the Italian city in May for the vernissage is at the top of my list for 2025. I am also dreaming of a winter trip to Helsinki. I’ve always felt there’s lots to see and enjoy in the Nordic capital, and I have only scratched the surface. I have only ever been for work, so going on a long weekend in a private capacity is also on my list. The reopening of Alvar Aalto’s Finlandia Hall in January just adds to the reasons why.’

Switzerland & Budapest: Hannah Tindle, Beauty & Grooming Editor

‘I’m hoping to travel to Clinique La Prairie in Switzerland in 2025, a spa and clinic that has been running since 1931. (Previous devotees to its ‘CLP method’ include Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo). I also want to visit the Omorovicza spa in Budapest, another institution with a storied past, built on the Rác Thermal Bath, which dates back to the 16th century.’

Naoshima: Jason Hughes, Creative Director

‘In 2025, I’m heading back to Japan, more specifically to visit the islands of Naoshima and Teshima, which sit in the Seto Inland Sea and are easily accessible by ferry from Osaka. Famous for their art and architecture, I look forward to exploring both islands on a bicycle and seeing the works of artists Yayoi Kusama, James Turrell, Walter De Maria and Lee Ufan. I’m planning to stay at Benesse House, a museum and hotel concept, designed by renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando.’

Australia, Uzbekistan and beyond: Lauren Ho, Travel Director

‘As I live my life constantly on the road, it’s important for me to plan my trips so that I make the most of each region or destination I am in. For 2025, I will be ringing in the new year in Sydney, followed by a few weeks of checking out new hotels in Australia. In late January, I will be heading to Beijing to see the newly opened Mandarin Oriental Qianmen, the group’s newest property, which unfolds within a 600-year-old hutong complex. This will be followed by a trip to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, which I am particularly excited about, and then, I will make my way to Europe, where I plan to explore Greece’s new hotel openings, and will head from Lisbon to the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe. While luxury hotels are my passion, at least once a year I like to visit a random destination I have never been to and that most people might not have access to. Finally, by June, I hope to make my annual pilgrimage to Africa to get my safari fix.’

Malaysia: Melina Keays, Entertaining Director

‘In February, I am travelling to The Datai beach resort in Langkawi - one of my favourite destinations in the world. Langkawi is the largest of a cluster of islands off the coast of northwestern Malaysia, separated from the mainland by the Strait of Malacca. I’ve been visiting this wonderful place for decades, and it never loses its allure. Langkawi is a proper tropical paradise; awarded Geopark status by UNESCO, it offers lush rainforests, stunning mountain ranges and white sand beaches.

There are fantastic things to see and do all over the island, which is rich in history and culture, but I could easily spend all my time at The Datai resort itself. It was designed by visionary architect Kerry Hill, who was determined to honour its environment, and set high over Datai Bay. The hotel is melded into its jungle setting, and its beautiful rooms and spaces float amidst the rainforest canopy, with breathtaking views of the Andaman Sea. The food at the Datai is superb, and I am particularly looking forward to the delicious Malaysian cuisine at The Gulai House, which is to be found at the end of a candle-lit jungle trail.’

Geneva: Tianna Williams, Editorial Executive

‘For the first week of spring, I will be heading to Geneva, Switzerland, to reunite with my cousin and sister. The location of this annual reunion varies from year to year, from the rolling hills of Shropshire, the coastline of the Gower Peninsula to London’s Hyde Park. I am excited to trade the London smog for crisp Mont Blanc mountain air, warm up with soothing mugs of hot chocolate, and, if feeling brave, take a plunge in Lake Geneva.’

Madrid, Rome, Paris: Sofia de la Cruz, Travel Editor

‘I tend to be quite spontaneous with the locations I travel to, often booking trips or accepting invitations at the last minute. That said, I will begin the new year in Madrid, and a few weeks later, I have a trip planned to Rome to explore the upcoming Hotel Romeo Roma, one of Zaha Hadid’s final projects before she died in 2016. I also have a weekend in Paris scheduled, which is something I make a point to do every year. As for the rest of the year, I hope to fulfil my lifelong dream of visiting Japan.’

Shanghai: Smilian Cibic, Editorial Assistant

‘I’m travelling to Shanghai to visit my dad, who has been working there for the past five years. I’m looking forward to seeing what he’s been up to. He’s designed his own micro home apartment, which has had quite a stir in the Chinese press. We will then travel together to Jingdezhen, the porcelain capital of China and then Shenzhen, the tech capital of the world.’

For more Travel content, visit Wallpaper*’s dedicated channel

Some sought sanctuary amid soaring inflation and political turbulence, like Paolo Carzana, who staged an intimate London Fashion Week debut in his back garden. Others fortified themselves through their communities, such as Willy Chavarria’s resistant portrait of America and Jawara Alleyne’s joyful tribute to Caymanian culture. Many made a case for slowing things down, exploring practices that are kinder to our planet while giving more time to create with purpose. This gust of change was felt in Michael Stewart’s statuesque beaded gowns for Standing Ground, the padded dramatics of Duran Lantink, and the deadstock alchemy of Ellen Hodakova Larsson. At a moment when building a brand from the ground up has never felt like a taller task, above all there seemed to be a deeper focus on what makes it all worth it – a love of craft and a need to put things out in the world.

Here, Wallpaper* looks ahead to the inspiring new forces drawing upon resilience in the face of the unknown, offering up powerful new ideas about not only how to dress, but how to be.

Hodakova

Imaginative, witty, and technically impressive, Ellen Hodakova Larsson’s clothes are something to behold. If you haven’t heard of her yet, the Stockholm-based designer made history this year as the first Swedish recipient of the prestigious LVMH Prize. Merging the emotional and the practical, the designer draws inspiration from her rural upbringing in Strängnäs, transforming old leather handbags and farmhouse fabrics into works of original new beauty. While using deadstock is by no means a new thing – and increasingly it's drummed into young brands to be circular from the get-go – Hodakova’s dedication to sustainability and deft execution puts her in a class of her own. Whether transforming thousands of spoons into a dress for Cate Blanchett or weaving vintage leather belts into timelessly elegant handbags, sustainability is an essential part of her world rather than a virtue-signalling afterthought. So much so that the designer has spoken extensively about her dream to build the world’s first fully sustainable fashion house.

Beyond her ethical codes, Larsson’s Paris display in September was a particularly breathtaking example of her talent as a designer. Playfully putting functional materials we often overlook into the spotlight, waves of zips interlocked to become gilded evening gowns, hundreds of pocket watches formed skimpy cocktail dresses, and practical items like leather belts, tea towels, and buttons were manipulated into joyfully surreal forms. Honouring the landscapes of her childhood while making a case for painstaking craft, it was one of those rare shows that reminds us of fashion’s ability to delight us – and even make us dream. ‘My designs are a reflection of my upbringing, where nature and memory intertwine,’ the designer said following the show. ‘Each piece carries the intimacy of familiar landscapes and the materials that once surrounded me.’ Riding on the high of her LVMH win, triumphant S/S 2025 collection, and bespoke commissions for the red carpet, Hodakova Larsson is a force in tune with our current moment – and one to follow closely in 2025.

Available from Ssense and hodakova.com. Follow @hoda_kova.

Dauan Jacari

DJ Chappel runs his namesake label from his West Village apartment, where he lives with the brand’s creative director Ryan Cardoso. A trained dancer who studied at Pittsburgh’s Point Park University, Jacari’s references range from African American dance icons like Alvin Ailey and jazz leaders like Bob Fosse, to the poetry of modern ballet and the wild improv of ​‘Gaga’ dancing. Creating clothes for the downtown dandy, Jacari’s work explores the relationship between movement and clothing while riffing on codes of masculinity and Black queer culture. He infuses everything he does with a sense of humour, from his ubiquitous ‘spiral boxer skirt’ – a kilt-like piece hewn from underwear material, which has been worn by Lil Wayne, Arca and Shygirl – to the brand’s sharp and funny visual world, where campaigns mimicking the glamour of 1990s billboards are emblazoned with slogans like, ‘Clothes made for men with taste’.

With such a tiny operation of two, Jacari has been building his brand slowly with Ryan over the past six years; however, 2024 felt like their momentous arrival. Staged in an LGBTQ+ centre in New York, the designer’s debut show Paradise was a culmination of these years of toil – a display which imagined an unrestrained utopian world where Black men can express themselves freely. ‘The debut of our menswear collection and seeing everyone attend wearing their Spiral Boxer Skirt was a standout moment,’ he tells Wallpaper*. Beyond the much-loved skirt, the collection brought together sexy scooped and scrunched jersey, halterneck dresses, and low-slung denim. Looking forward to next year, the designer and Ryan are hoping to expand their universe, but first, they want to find a workspace that isn’t where they sleep. ‘In 2025, we want to get a studio and build the strongest team in the world,’ they say.

Available from dauanjacari.com. Follow @dauanjacari.

Renaissance Renaissance

Cynthia Merhej’s clothes aren’t just beautiful, they are woven with deeply personal stories. A third-generation couturier, the Lebanese designer has drawn upon her Middle Eastern heritage and the strong female figures in her life since founding her brand in 2016. This year has seen the designer take her brand in considered new directions, from designing the ultra-chic costumes for the 2024 remake of Bonjour Tristesse, starring Chloe Sevigny, to a powerful S/S 2025 offering that reflected upon the ongoing conflict in Gaza and Lebanon. Shown in her Beirut apartment, Merhej used parachutes as the starting point for a collection that worked into themes of freedom and lightness, playing with volume and form through beautifully-cut cotton gabardine and nylon tulle. In development, these billowing shapes in black, military greens, and deep reds started to resemble Irving Penn’s painterly studies of poppies. Fittingly, poppies were a symbol of Palestinians in the 1970s.

‘Narrative plays a big role in my design language, building the world of a character as she evolves through the seasons,’ Merhej tells Wallpaper*. ‘The core principles of our brand are duality and collaboration, juxtaposing innovation and playfulness with the traditions and quality of artisan workmanship.’ Looking forward to 2025, she’s keen to build upon her experimental and poetic core values, creating delicate clothes that are fortified with a strength found in creative resistance. ‘What really keeps me going is that this job really is fulfilling for me. It allows me to tap into all aspects of my creativity and to collaborate with amazing people, so I can't imagine doing anything else. I'm so excited to continue with the collaborators I work with to put out more beauty and sincerity in a world that so desperately needs it right now.’

Available from Ssense. Follow @renaissance_renaissance.

Av Vattev

Charli XCX and Troye Sivan’s Sweat tour was the hottest ticket of 2024. In full hyper-pop hyperdrive, the pair tore the roof off arenas around the world, wearing a skin-baring wardrobe that was primarily crafted by rising London talent. One of these designers was Antonio Vattev, who aptly has drawn inspiration from a love of music since founding his namesake label in 2020. Radiating with a kind of star power reminiscent of icons like Lou Reed or Mick Jagger, Vattev aims to bring the freedom of the music scenes of the 1970s and 1990s into the present moment. The designer does this by configuring his signature studded, fringed and modish menswear silhouettes in sharp and clever cuts, adding twists of individuality that make each piece feel special – from a graphic criss-cross pattern stitched into tweed to the louche spangling of trousers fit for a rockstar.

Previously working in-house at Saint Laurent, this year Vattev really established himself as a designer in his own lane, taking up a residency at the Sarabande, honing his design identity in chic new collections while finding time to dress stars like Paul Mescal. ‘This year has been a transformative journey filled with incredible opportunities,’ the designer tells Wallpaper. ‘In 2025, I aim to build on the momentum we’ve created by expanding collaborations with artists, musicians, and brands, further bridging the worlds of fashion and culture and growing our community. Ultimately, my goal is for Av Vattev to continue inspiring, empowering, and resonating – solidifying its place as a voice in modern fashion storytelling.’

Available from Farfetch and avvattev.com. Follow @avvattev.

Gabe Gordon

New Yorker Gabe Gordon has always used his work as a way of making sense of difficult feelings. Founding his namesake label in 2019, his first designs worked through the experience of grief in the wake of losing his father. As his brand has evolved, he’s approached every collection as its own nostalgic world, where anxiety, loss and adrenaline are woven into pieces that reflect upon the passage of time. With a background in textile development, for Gordon it’s important these stories start with the fabrics themselves, which he painstakingly knits, hand-dyes and distresses in slow processes that explore ideas of decay. Gordon then uses these unique materials to play with tropes of Americana, in particular referencing his suburban upbringing and clothes his parents would have worn as high schoolers, often twisting these themes through a queer perspective.

A pivotal point of Gordon’s year was his runway debut in New York, an off-schedule display that presented a ‘teenage fantasy’ of a 1980s horseback riding competition. ‘I was, unfortunately, a theatrekid in high school, and the same excitement of performance materialised,’ he jokes of the ‘Horseplay’ collection, which gave equestrian daydreams a dystopian treatment through skewiff body-hugging knits, artisanal leather pieces and distorted Midwestern-esque jerseys. ‘I felt incredibly proud to see my largest body of work in this new format, surrounded by family and friends and customers of the brand.’ While fantasy is a huge part of his work, the designer doesn’t shy away from the reality of being a young designer today. ‘Times are really difficult and sometimes I can feel pessimistic about what I'm doing,’ he says. ‘That being said, it's an exciting challenge and I look forward to figuring out ways to keep growing. I can't wait to continue designing in 2025. I have been collaborating with designer Timothy Gibbons, and we have been scheming new possibilities of wovens becoming included in the work.’

Available from Ssense and gabe-gordon.com. Follow @gabe.gordon.

Ponte

Ponte is shrouded in a veil of mystery. Go on the brand’s website and you’ll find it’s under construction, and you’ll not glean much else from its Instagram, either. Posts that rarely bear a caption in the first place appear and disappear in the blink of an eye, while comments read things such as, ‘Who can I get in touch with for samples?’ and, ‘I’ve DM’d you, please reply!’ The elusive part-art project, part-fashion label is, for those informed, led by Yorkshire-born Harry Pontefract. The designer was one of the most written-about Central Saint Martins MA alumni in 2016, producing a collection that played with ideas of eroticism and memory made from his mum’s tights and found objects. He was snapped up by Jonathan Anderson to design in-house at Loewe – a position he left the security of in 2022 to go out on his own.

Right from the start, Pontefract has rejected almost every traditional mode of building a brand. His collections aren’t seasonal, arriving instead in the form of ‘series’, and his pieces range from wearable wonky football shirts to precious one-off textile sculptures that could hang – and have been displayed, for the Paris debut of his second series – in a gallery. With his ongoing project, the designer is interested in exploring the forgotten stories held in found objects and the subjectivity of clothing; how one person might find a fabric cosy and another person find it repelling. Playing with archetypes associated with things like eveningwear and uniforms, while experimenting with form and divisive textures like shearling and PVC, the designer asks questions about how our collective histories and the ways clothes can communicate, or conceal, our inner selves. It’s impossible to predict what direction he’ll take things in 2025, but whether it's a collection, exhibition or collaboration, Pontefract is bound to surprise us.

Follow @__ponte___.

Giovanna Flores

Giovanna Flores describes her design language as ‘scrappy’ – a vibe brought to her world not only by a resourceful use of off-cuts, deadstock materials and vintage items, but also through a DIY grit grown from nurturing her own business in New York. Flores is one of those ‘if you know, you know’ names in the city’s fashion scene who has kept things relatively low-key since founding in 2019, and like many other creatives in the city, she has built her brand alongside working a full-time job. Celebrating the natural curves of the female body, her charmingly deconstructed looks are a favourite of stylists like Dara Allen and celebrities like Chloe Sevigny and Addison Rae, though the designer maintains an invitingly homespun aesthetic online. Blending iPhone shots of quirky pieces hanging on the back of bedroom doors with imagery of street-cast models in nature, her brand feels refreshingly slowed down in an industry that seems to move at lightning speed – almost like a place where you can stop and take a breath for a moment.

This year, alongside two seasonal collections, she set up her own webstore, having previously made pieces to order. ‘These things were big pushes for me as I work alone in between my full-time work,’ she says. ‘I am very grateful to all of my friends and collaborators. This year I have really felt supported in a way that I never have in the past, and I'm so thankful.’ Looking forward to next year, she’s keen to keep expanding her world, but she’s not in any huge rush. ‘I really love the work and am very energised by it,’ she says. ‘In the last couple of years, I have been trying to show more and make more things available to purchase. Right now I'm just trying to find a pace that feels sustainable.’

Available from shop.giovannaflores.com. Follow @giovannaflor3s.

Lii

Zane Li’s confident designs belie his young years. Born in Chongqing, China, the New York-based 24-year-old launched his brand straight out of his studies at FIT last year, and has already generated an air of excitement around his brand. Proposing a modern idea of elegance, his work takes on an almost architectural quality, balancing bold yet simple colour palettes and dramatic sweeping shapes that celebrate the body in surprising ways. Slip dresses float in geometric formations in front of the body; sculptural sleeves cocoon around arms; and slivers of skin peep out of beautifully boxy silhouettes. These are clothes that are interesting and strong, but are also made for everyday life, as evidenced by a considered launch on the designer’s web store, where grown-up takes on T-shirts, sweatshirts, button-ups, and leather jackets have recently been made available to shop. With only two collections under his belt, Li has already established himself as a shrewd creative mind with something to say, laying down a manifesto for contemporary elegance that truly feels fresh and entirely his own.

Available from Ssense and lii-studio.com. Follow @l__i_i.

Hannah Silver’s culture stories of 2024

01. Miranda July considers fantasy and performance at Fondazione Prada

In the Milan exhibition ‘Miranda July: New Society’, at Fondazione Prada earlier in 2024, there was a short blond wig hung up on the wall, which July had purchased when she was a struggling artist working as a stripper for extra money in her twenties. There was no mention of it, but it was displayed as one of the costumes from her performance Love Diamond. However, that object’s journey from a peep show in 1990s Portland, Oregon, to a major solo exhibition in Milan felt like a fitting microcosm of the show.

That’s not just because ‘New Society’ charted 30 years of July’s career, from her early days in the West Coast punk scene and ending with her latest works, made as an acclaimed artist whose output spans performances, videos, installations, major motion pictures and novels. But also because July’s work has always explored the unpredictable, strange, joyous and heartbreaking turns life can take.

Read our interview with Miranda July

02. Remembering Rusty Egan’s Blitz club: a place to ‘avoid the mob and the homophobes’, where the New Romantics were born

Blitz was the London nightclub where, for 18 giddy months four-and-a-half decades ago, the DJ was intent on ‘inventing the sound of the future’ with a playlist heavy on art-rock, synthpop and obscure European electronica. Where the habitués dressed like the future, too – a riot of homemade fabulousness, punk and post-punk tribalism, accessories galore, fashion student iconoclasm and a little bit of pirate.

And on whose dancefloor the pop stars of tomorrow posed, plotted, preened and performed. This was the Blitz club, a short-lived sweatbox with a long-tail influence. Boy George worked the cloakroom, Spandau Ballet performed their first gig there, Sade was a regular, the co-creators found themselves with a hit single by way of their day job as members of Visage, and a glamorous new subculture emerged from the cramped floor of ‘a dusty old wine bar’ within the dilapidated environs of the old Covent Garden market: New Romantic.

Read our interview with Rusty Egan recalling the Blitz club

03. ‘She made me feel like I could, and should, be myself’: SOPHIE’s friends and collaborators on her enduring legacy

‘It’s no overstatement to call SOPHIE – the late producer who has expanded and shaped the vast majority of contemporary pop with her bright, brash, experimental sound – one of the most influential creative pioneers of her generation.’ So wrote music critic El Hunt for Wallpaper*, reflecting on SOPHIE’s legacy as fans were gifted a last, posthumous album, completed by the artist's loved ones.

‘The work of a true artist will last centuries,' said Danish pop musician MØ – who collaborated with SOPHIE on her track Nights With You, and Cashmere Cat’s 9 (After Coachella). 'A true artist is someone who isn't restrained by the boundaries of trends and general opinion, who is aware of time and culture in an underlying and personal way, making it possible to see beyond these and create from a free place.’

Read about SOPHIE’s enduring legacy

04. Lars Tunbjörk’s uncanny office photography is revisited in a new book

‘DO NOT TURN THIS MACHINE OFF’, warns a yellow label affixed to a computer. The monitor is one of many – seemingly piles and piles – one group of which is potentially dead, with pink post-it notes stamped to their screens, and the other very much alive, all aglow with streaming data. Photographed at a stockbrokers’ office in New York in 1997, at the scene’s centre, a tight corridor of cables gives way to a small American flag, a gentleman in a shirt and tie just visible above.

‘It's not very common that photographers go for that boring environment,’ said Greger Ulf Nilson, reflecting on the wider context of the photograph, the office, as captured by Lars Tunbjörk. ‘There are a few, of course – Anna Fox did a book called Work Stations, then there is Lee Friedlander’s At Work. But just boring offices, not that many have documented that.'

Read about Lars Tunbjörk's uncanny office photography, celebrated upon the posthumous re-release of his book Office, and accompanying new volume, LA Office

05. The ironic demise of the Museum of Neoliberalism

When it comes to arts venues, the Landlord doesn’t giveth, but just taketh away. It’s true that museums are relatively resilient compared to some, less protected, cultural spaces; but many still risk being made into mausoleums. Since the millennium, nearly 500 of them have closed down in the UK and those that have survived have to contend with the risk of being mothballed or demolished. Mainly, due to cuts in funding from local authorities, waning visitor numbers and infrastructural issues. Or property developers with pound signs for pupils

The latest cultural institution to face the wrecking ball is perhaps the most ironic yet. 2024 marked the demise of The Museum of Neoliberalism, an independent gallery founded by satirist and artist Darren Cullen and curator and historian Gavin Grindon dedicated to displaying the evils of neoliberalism: the late-20th-century ideology prioritising free-market capitalism at the expense of everything else. It is – get ready for the sucker punchline – being turned into luxury flats.

Read The ironic demise of The Museum of Neoliberalism

06. Benjamin Li celebrates the Netherlands’ Chinese-Indonesian restaurants

‘It was very important to make the publication,’ says Benjamin Li, relaying the personal magnitude of Chinees-Indisch Restaurant Stickeralbum, a sticker book-cum-photo album that celebrates the artist’s decade-long project championing the unique culture of Chinese-Indonesian restaurants in the Netherlands. Published in May 2024, the book was followed by an exhibition at Amsterdam museum Foam’s 3h space.

‘When Foam came to me [about the exhibition],’ he adds, ‘it was important the book was a centrepiece, that we could somehow integrate a publication as a work of art.’ Titled ‘In Search of Perfect Orange’, the show saw the book re-staged as an immersive experience, with photography spreads blown up to mammoth proportions and sticker sets similarly doubled in size and stuck behind Plexiglas.

Read about Benjamin Li’s celebration of the Netherlands’ Chinese-Indonesian restaurants

07. Inside Noah Davis’ rich, cinematic world

The figures in Davis’ paintings, portrayed within modernist architecture, in domestic interiors, or in public places of leisure, are invariably Black. They are ordinary men, women, and children intimately captured mid-repose, at play, or going about their daily lives. In some works, they’re projected into extraordinary scenarios that are futuristic, cinematic, unsettling and enigmatic. Davis’ representation of Black life is at the core of his painterly interrogation of the fiction of difference. Or, in the artist’s own words, ‘Race plays a role in as far as my figures are Black. The paintings aren’t political at all though. If I’m making any statement, it’s to just show Black people in normal scenarios, where drugs and guns are nothing to do with it.’

Nearly a decade after Davis' passing, a touring retrospective, heading to London and Los Angeles in 2025, sets out to bring the American painter’s work to a wider audience.

Read about Noah Davis’ retrospective, on at Das Minsk, Potsdam, until 5 January 2025; Barbican, London 6 February – 11 May 2025; Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, 8 June – 31 August 2025

08. ‘The Substance’ may be grotesque, but it is not body horror

Elisabeth Sparkles (Demi Moore) has just turned 50 when she is fired from her hosting job by the producer (Dennis Quaid) of a televised aerobics show. Elisabeth, like so many ageing stars before her, is being forced into obscurity by a shallow industry that refuses to look past her aging body. But for the rich and famous there is always another option. Elisabeth is offered a new piece of biotechnology, which allows her to live out her youth once more. Or at least split herself in two and share her life with a younger model who can live the life she is being denied. And so begins The Substance, Coralie Fargeat's sophomore feature film, that has been granted the moniker body horror, due its visceral imagery and mutations of the body.

Read The Substance review and meet the film's special make-up effects designer

09. Art futurists go in search of micro-utopias in Nairobi

For its most extensive exhibition yet, Nairobi-based art futurist collective Kairos Futura explored issues faced by residents of Kenya's capital, and possibilities of a better life. ‘Hakuna Utopia? In Search of Micro-Utopias’ featured painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, and site-specific installations across satellite locations that speak to themes of utopia, apocalypse, and resilience. The show opened in July 2024 at Kairos Atelier, the collective’s warehouse studio and gallery in Nairobi's industrial area.

Kairos Futura – comprising Ajax Axe, Stoneface Bombaa, Coltrane McDowell, Neemo Mungai, Lincoln Mwangi, Shabu Mwangi, and Abdul Rop – encourages artists, designers, and scientists to use the power of imagination to engage their communities.

Axe told Wallpaper* more about the exhibition, and how arts can lead to social change.

Read the interview with Kairos Futura's Ajax Axe

10. Inside E-WERK Luckenwalde’s ‘Tell Them I Said No’, an art festival at Berlin's former power station

E-WERK Luckenwalde’s two-day art festival was an eclectic mix of performance, workshops, and discussion. Will Jennings reported for Wallpaper*…

When I arrived at E-WERK Luckenwalde, a former power station half an hour on a train south of Berlin, the place was quiet. Eerily so, for a site soon to open a performance art festival headlined with raucous angst from Pussy Riot. I had been here before, so knew my way around the campus, comprising the power station, the town’s former swimming pool, and the variety of ancillary pavilions and buildings that E-WERK Luckenwalde’s founders – artist Pablo Wendel and curator Helen Turner – had transformed into spaces for experimental culture

Like me, Wallpaper* had also previously visited. In 2019, when E-WERK Luckenwalde opened with a bang, writer Emma O’Kelly was told by Wendel that the project would be ‘offering art as a power supply’. I confidently strolled straight up the entrance steps of Stadtbad, the swimming pool, and through the double doors to encounter the light-filled Bauhaus hall empty other than for a musician at a piano, filling the space with delicate notes. Immediately, I took out my camera and started recording, a kneejerk reaction to a space and situation I was totally at ease and familiar with. As I completed my panning video, the musician stopped playing to say ‘hello’. I replied, said it was beautiful, then left.

Read Will Jennings’ full E-WERK Luckenwalde 2024 experience

Discover the third iteration of The Edith Farnsworth House

Over its lifetime, the house has undergone significant periodic flooding, with especially severe flooding events in 1996 and 2008 that necessitated extensive restorative work. While various flood mitigation strategies have been proposed, plans to relocate the house to higher ground have been met with significant pushback and largely dismissed, according to Mark Stoner, Senior Director of Preservation Architecture (Graham Gund Architect) for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, who directed the restoration process.

'The house was built in its location for a reason. And if we were to uproot that and to move it anywhere else, regardless of what has happened around the house, it would lose its context and it would lose its purpose as a house, and it would become nothing more than a piece of artwork,' Stoner said.

In fact, Mies sited and designed the house for its specific location, according to Michelangelo Sabatino, PhD, Professor of Architectural History and Preservation and Director of the Ph.D. Program in Architecture at Illinois Tech – Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. Sabatino recently authored The Edith Farnsworth House, which chronicles the history of the house through its various manifestations.

'This was a country house. And it was very much connected to the land. For example, [in an aerial view photo from the book], can you make out where the house is? No, it's hidden here. So, that's the point that I'm trying to make in the book, that this is a country house, and it's connected to the land. My big point is how Mies designed the house in relationship to the land,' Sabatino said.

Beyond efforts directly related to flood mitigation, Farnsworth House recently underwent much needed restorative work, mainly, replacement of the iconic glass panes that, along with the steel frame, comprise nearly its entire structure. The metal framework around the panes was also treated with waterproofing materials to alleviate further moisture and corrosion and minimize the risk of glass fracturing, Stoner said.

'Flooding events are big deals when we talk about the glass. Now, as far as I know, no glass was broken directly because of flooding. But certainly, when we talk about steel and water infiltration both outside and inside, it's an absolute contributor to corrosion within the frame,' Stoner said.

When the most recent work began at Farnsworth House, two original glass panes remained unbroken and in place. However, removing the panes intact – including the two originals – proved to be impossible, so the contractors cut them out in sections. Sections from one of the original panes were preserved for the National Trust as possible materials for awards, while sections from the second original pane were scrapped, Stoner said.

'The original polished plate glass is quite honestly a really dangerous glass from modern standards. When it breaks, it breaks into shards. We decided that this would be the time to remove that glass, clean the frames up,' Stoner said.

The landmark status of Farnsworth House imposed severe constraints on the aesthetics of the replacement of its glass panes. Written permission was required from the Easement Committee of Landmarks Illinois – which specified matching the appearance of the originals as closely as possible to the originals, while minimizing the risk of breakage. As a result, thicker glass panes that would provide insulating qualities but would obscure the transparency of the house were were not an option. Stoner said.

'Instead of putting the original polished plate glass back, we decided to install new tempered glass that matched the specification of that original glass. From a historic point of view, we are incumbent preservation preservationists and stewards of the building [which mandates that] we keep the building exactly as it was originally constructed and completed. [But] we don't fabricate polished plate glass like this anymore.

Again, that's for safety reasons, that's for production reasons. But the glass that we've put in has the same specifications and quarter inch shaft thickness as the existing glass or the original glass was. We had to go to a specialty fabricator, AG Nora, a glass manufacturer north of Toronto,” Stoner said.

The restoration work coincided with a celebration of the 20^th anniversary of the opening of the house to the public held at SR Crown Center on the Illinois Tech campus in June 2024. The celebration also featured the publication of Sabatino’s book.

As part of its ongoing celebration of the 20^th anniversary of the opening of Farnsworth House to the public, Nature+Culture features tours, events and special programming. Two exhibitions are presently on display: Beatriz Morales – Calipso, through 8 December and David Wallace – Landscape and Light, extended through December 2024.

Edith Farnsworth House
Landmarks Illinois
National Trust for Historic Preservation
Illinois Tech – Illinois Institute of Technology

A year in review: star-studded design collaborations of 2024

Solange Knowles for Saint Heron

In 2024, singer-songwriter Solange Knowles designed and released an exquisite trio of glasses that were available to buy from the MoMA Design Store. At the time, she spoke to Wallpaper* about her desire to democratise good design and its power to elevate mundane gestures into ceremonial moments. The glassware collection, ‘Small Matter: Form Glassware 001’, sees topaz coupes top three different onyx bases, each with a distinct personality: there's an elegant deco stem wine glass, a chunky ribbed trunk goblet, and a squat, graphic counterweight of a base for the cordial glass. Lightweight but strong, the glasses feel ceremonial and glamorous, ancient and sexy at once.

Writer Hugo Macdonald

READ: Solange Knowles on designing her new glassware collection, ‘Small Matter: Form Glassware 001’ for Saint Heron

Barbie x Kartell

Barbie and Kartell teamed up to present a series of chairs, both doll-sized and adult-sized, in collaboration with Mattel Creations. The entirely pink series brings a touch of the Dreamhouse to your own home, and was showcased during Milan Design Week 2024. Celebrating Barbie’s 65th anniversary, the design collaboration unites five Kartell chairs – ‘AI’, ‘Venice’, ‘Louis Ghost’, ‘Masters’, and ‘Ero|S|’, all by Philippe Starck – in Barbie’s fun style and distinctive bubblegum Mattel pink.

READ: Barbie and Kartell’s pink chairs are fit for dreamhouses large and small

Michael Bennett x Gantri

Michael Bennett, former NFL star and founder of Studio Kër, collaborated with Gantri to showcase the ‘Ursa Minor Table Light’, which nods to his ancestry and African architecture and design. Drawing inspiration from Bennet's own ties to Senegal, the table light echoes the Little Dipper constellation, which contains the North Star, a guiding light for the many slaves who escaped the American South, as well as countless others throughout history – a symbol of freedom and unity.

‘African heritage is full of amazing art and tradition that I wanted to explore and celebrate with others,’ the former NFL star and Studio Kër founder told Wallpaper*. ‘I got glimpses of it from my grandmother while growing up in Louisiana, and ever since, I’ve been drawn to designs that capture the spirit and strength of those who came before me. Furniture is deeply narrative for me – it's where the stories of my ancestors and my own come together in a tangible way. I love how a piece of furniture can do such a good job of telling stories that are both personal and universal.’

READ: Michael Bennett's collaboration with Gantri is a contemporary take on African heritage

Tyler, The Creator x Parachute

Tyler, The Creator’s lifestyle brand le Fleur* teamed up with Parachute to present a breezy homeware collection of pastels and prints. Le Fleur* is known for clothes and accessories that confound traditional and confining gender norms, embracing multi-hyphenate creative's own personal approach to style and identity. The brand name itself is a subtle reference to his album, ‘Flowerboy’.

The preppy lifestyle brand isn't afraid to play with colour, as evidenced by its collection of nail polishes, bright knitwear and luggage lines. Yet, its latest collaboration with Parachute brings an essence of spa-like tranquillity to the textile bedding designs. The collaboration is an unlikely matrimony that harmonises bold and bright le Fleur* signatures with Parachute's laid-back allure, and spans bedding, cushions, and an extremely soft pair of shearling slippers.

READ: Tyler, The Creator's new pastel-hued homeware collection with Parachute

Ini Archibong, Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre

When designer Ini Archibong – whose portfolio spans furniture-making, lighting, glass and beyond – was asked by music legends Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg to design the packaging for their canned drink, Gin & Juice, he jumped into the world of 2D design. Celebrating the 30th anniversary of Snoop's 1993 debut album, Doggystyle, produced by Dr Dre, the canned gin drink got its name from Snoop's Grammy-nominated song ‘Gin & Juice’, and comes in a variety of fruity flavours. Archibong noticed, when browsing the shelves for a canned tipple, that drinks packaging can often be filled with large graphics, and bold colours. The California-born designer wanted to take this potentially saturated concept and spin it on its head.

Stripping back the design to four colours that signify each flavour, Archibong worked with close school friend and illustrator Wayne Johnson to hand-draw a classic lo-rider that takes centre-stage against a white background, alongside the ‘Parental Advisory, Explicit Content’ iconography that is emblematic of the era of the song's release.

READ: Ini Archibong explores 2D design with Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg for new canned gin drink

Hello Kitty x Fender

There aren’t many products that haven’t been given the Hello Kitty treatment, and although this new haul from Fender (also featured in our pick of the best gadgets and tech of 2024) feels novel, it’s not the first time the cartoon cat has graced the company’s guitars. Back in 2006, the company’s Squier sub-brand brought out an ultra-simple Stratocaster, finished in pink, naturally, but with a Hello Kitty scratchplate and decals. Overlooked at first, it’s since gone on to become a cult item.

Now that Kitty Strat is back. As part of the cat’s 50th anniversary celebrations, Fender Japan teamed up with Sanrio to create an expansive limited-edition collection of items, culminating in a reissue of the Squier Stratocaster, along with a full-fat, Made in Japan Fender Stratocaster that’ll only be available from Fender’s Flagship Store in Tokyo.

Writer Jonathan Bell

READ: Fender Hello Kitty Stratocaster marks 50 years of Sanrio’s finest cartoon cat

The vehicle is based on the Brightdrop Zevo 600, a pure electric truck developed by General Motors to cater for the delivery market, with customers including FedEx and DHL. With a focus on efficiency, range and cargo space, the Zevo 600 makes for a sound platform for RV building – the load area offers over 600 cubic feet of space and maximum highway range for the stock van is a creditable 272 miles.

This is a business with baked in hashtags; RV rental for a generation weaned on a more self-consciously styled approach to life on the road. With that in mind, RollAway has transformed the Zevo 600 into a ‘suite on wheels,’ from the vaguely cartographic exterior colour scheme to a wood-lined interior and partnerships with wellness and beauty brands for the on-board creature comforts.

Founded by CEO Waldy Torres and Wilfred Torres, along with CSO Danny Nauman, Chief Design Officer Carla Garcia Pezzotti and CTO Derrick Tyler, RollAway feels laser targeted at Silicon Valley aesthetes who aren’t willing to fully commit to life on the road but want a weekend version of the experience to be highly Instagrammable.

With this demographic in mind, RollAway is setting up its trucks with Starlink Satellite Wi-Fi and dedicated hospitality app that even gives access to housekeeping services. Amenities come from the likes of Malin+Goetz toiletries and Yeti camping gear, with the promise of breakfast materials provided by ‘local sustainable farms.’

The experience has kicked off in the San Francisco Bay area, with other locations promised throughout 2025. Each van can accommodate two people (plus a pet, should you so desire), and there’s air conditioning, rooftop solar for additional power supply, as well as a full-size shower.

If you’re thinking of dipping a toe into the world of RVing without wanting to make a full-scale commitment, RollAway could just the gateway you need.

GoRollAway.com, @GoRollAway

Lev Tanju on his role as creative director for Fila+

It is Tanju’s unabashed love of clothes that has ensured the success of Palace, the skatewear label he co-founded in 2009 with Gareth Skewis. The pair knew each other from skating on London’s South Bank, and briefly worked together at Slam City Skates in Covent Garden. Palace was built from a desire to create something to rival the dominance that US brands like Supreme had over skatewear. In what would become the label’s tongue-in-cheek style, the name came from the scuzzy flat, affectionately called the ‘Palace’, that Tanju shared with a group of skaters near Waterloo station. Palace began with T-shirts – early designs were send-ups of Chanel and Versace – but quickly expanded into tracksuits, another signature of the label, and then a full wardrobe, recognisable for the ‘Tri-Ferg’ triangle logo, designed by legendary illustrator Fergus Purcell.

‘I didn’t expect people to want to buy the clothes straight away,’ says Tanju. ‘I was just making nice T-shirts. Then I made tracksuits, because I love tracksuits. We accidentally got into the swing of things and began working with other brands.’ This included a prolific slew of collaborations with the likes of Adidas, Ralph Lauren, Crocs, Gucci and even Wedgwood. Palace became known for the eclectic and the unexpected, a reflection of Tanju’s personal style. ‘I’m always looking for something weird.’

Tanju’s latest chapter is a role as creative director for Fila+, an offshoot of the Italian sportswear brand, launched in 2024. It started with a call from a friend that intrigued him enough to fly out to Biella, the northern Italian town where Fila is based. ‘I went to the archive, where I met people who had been working there for 20-odd years. It felt like family.’ Not long after flying to Biella, driven by ‘gut feeling’, he signed the contract. Tanju revealed his first collection last June via a series of images shot by Ryan McGinley, another longtime skateboarder, in Tuscany. That same month, he showed a second collection in a former industrial space in Milan, whereby a cast of characters populated a series of 1970s-style tableaux. The two collections set out Tanju’s intentions for Fila+: an eclectic wardrobe rooted in the brand’s sportswear past, though still defiantly his own vision. ‘I see it as the highlights of the last 110 years of the brand through the lens of what I think is cool,’ he explains, recounting a process he is used to after 15 years of Palace collaborations. ‘I can pull things out of an archive that someone might think is stinking, but I actually love it because it’s stinking. I like so many different things, and I’m not scared of mixing them.’

That said, when first approaching Fila+, he initially had plans to keep things ‘clean and concise, to be really simple’, but it wasn’t long until his intuition took hold. ‘Slowly, it was like my true self came out,’ he says. ‘It’s like a beautiful mess: I’ve always followed what I want to wear, not what does someone want to buy. I’m just like fuck it, I want to make stuff for myself.’ So there are velour tracksuits and cable-knit sweaters, working men’s acetate trousers and V-neck sweaters recalling vintage football jerseys, alongside puffer jackets slashed with panels of red, white and blue, Fila’s signature colours. Silhouettes tend towards a more 1970s fit than the baggy shapes of Palace (‘a looser bottom and a tighter top’), while two new versions of Fila’s ubiquitous F-Box logo appear throughout. The first is reworked into a red heart and appears on caps and ties, while the second is reimagined in the colours of the Italian flag. ‘I didn’t really want to change the logo too much, because to me it’s one of the best logos in the world.’

Tanju’s own first Fila purchase was a pair of the brand’s Grant Hill basketball boots, and early memories include watching West Ham and ACF Fiorentina play wearing Fila kits on TV as a child (back in Turkey, where Tanju’s family originates, his father was a professional footballer). In his Fila+ collections, there is a nostalgia for vintage sportswear: reference points for the first two collections include the on- and off-court Fila uniforms of tennis ace Björn Borg and a climbing collection designed for Reinhold Messner, who was the first to climb Mount Everest solo without the use of oxygen in 1980 (‘the Messner mountain stuff is unbelievable’). Tanju was also fascinated with the theatrical, charismatic figure of Pierluigi Rolando, Fila’s first creative director. In the 1970s, Rolando would transform a brand then known for manufacturing underwear into a global sporting powerhouse with the ‘White Line’ tennis collection. ‘He invented modern-day sportswear. It’s inspirational.’

Tanju says that he travels to Milan or Biella about once a month (plus he does ‘a lot of Zooms’). He wants his Fila+ collections to reflect the idiosyncrasies and innate elegance of Italian style, which he loves. ‘Italians have a gnarly sense of style: they are the best at running fashion houses, the best at food, they’re very passionate and I love the way they dress,’ he says. ‘An Italian guy on a scooter wearing a puffer jacket to me is cooler than a guy in New York wearing a puffer jacket.’ When he’s in Italy, he likes ‘eating pasta, eating pizza’ and, of course, shopping. In Milan, he enjoys wandering down Via Monte Napoleone, the high-end shopping street lined with the flagship stores of the Italian powerhouses Prada, Versace, Gucci et al. ‘When I’m uninspired, I love the experience of going into those places, looking at what’s going on, the colours, the fabrics. Then I just go and sit with a coffee and see what everyone’s wearing.’

But despite 15 successful years of Palace, and his name regularly appearing on the lists of fashion’s most influential figures, Tanju says he does not consider himself a part of that world. On Via Monte Napoleone, he is still an outsider looking in. ‘I don’t feel like a fashion designer. I make clothes – fashion is very different. A good fashion designer changes your perception of how people dress. I’m not really trying to do that, I’m trying to do something very functional that’s also cool.’ What he thinks he’s good at is ‘creating a feeling and a vision and a mood. I like selling the dream. It’s why I think I was a good choice for Fila. Maybe someone could have designed a better collection, but they wouldn’t have been able to do the marketing so well. You weigh it up. I think I’m a good ambassador. I love the brand.’

While early signs are already pointing to Fila+ being a success (Tanju has recently returned from a buzzy round-the-world tour to promote the collection, with stops in Seoul, LA, New York, Milan and London, with pieces from the initial collection already selling out), he says he’s not too hung up on how the collection is being received. ‘It’s interesting to see what people like from it, because there are things that I love, but you never know if I’m just 42 and having a midlife crisis,’ he laughs. ‘But I think as long as I follow what I like, then I’m never really worried, because that’s the way I’ve always worked, following my intuition. If you don’t like it, fair enough – I’m not going to change. Then whatever happens, I know I’ve stayed true to the things I love.’

fila-plus.com

A version of this article appears in the January 2025 issue of Wallpaper* , available in print on international newsstands, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today.

Meet Social Design Collaborative from New Delhi

‘At the core of our practice is creating inclusion within and through the built environment,’ Janu says. ‘Cities globally have been structured along lines of socio-economic inequalities, further amplified by class, caste or race. What role can architecture and design play in creating more just and equitable cities is the question our practice attempts to find answers to. This has required a diversity of approaches ranging from advocacy for housing rights, co-creating community spaces in informal settlements, public art festivals on gender inclusion in public spaces, to counter-cartography questioning top-down master planning in our cities.’

The interdisciplinary nature of the Social Design Collaborative means that its work travels way beyond traditional building design. Examples include ‘Kaun Hai Master? Kya Hai Plan?’ (Hindi for "Who is the Master? What is the Plan?”), a toolbox to make Delhi’s Master Plan accessible as part of the civic campaign ‘Main Bhi Dilli’ (Hindi for “I am Delhi too); grassroots collaborations and activations around the community-driven building of schools, libraries, daycare centres and community halls; policy advocacy and civic campaigning; and curating public art festivals and exhibitions.

‘I think, globally and in India, there is a critical need for diversity in our profession. Who is designing our built environment dictates what kind of built environment we create and live in,’ says Janu. ‘In India, approximately 60% of students of architecture are women but by the time they graduate to professional practice, this drops down to 20%. And it’s a minuscule percentage if we look at how many women are principal architects running their own firms. Not to mention, there is no transgender or non-binary representation on platforms of visibility from panels to publications.’

‘If we are to build inclusive public spaces and equitable built environments, then it’s very important that we talk about diversity in our design studios and planning offices. It’s a similar case when it comes to racial diversity in our profession, globally speaking. It took 42 years before a black architect was awarded the Pritzker Prize. There have only been six women so far who have been awarded the prize since it was first instituted in 1979. These are the conversations I feel are missing in our field today and need to be mainstreamed.’

socialdesigncollab.org

This assessment feels correct. I moved to LA for the sun and the sand but somehow live in Echo Park – a world away from the ocean by the city’s standards. And on the day I meet D.S. & Durga’s co-founder Kavi Moltz – the ‘Durga’ to David Moltz, the brand’s, ‘D.S.’ – at its second Los Angeles location in Silver Lake which opened this month (December 2024), I’m dressed all in black, as is she. ‘I told David it’s funny he didn’t formulate the quiz results for ‘beach goth’ around me,’ she says. ‘But I never get it, because I choose tea over coffee.’

Inside D.S. & Durga’s new Silver Lake store, inspired by Ray Kappe’s 1960s Californian home

D.S & Durga was founded by the husband and wife duo in 2008, becoming known for its unique and immersive fragrances, such as ‘Pistachio’, ‘Burning Barbershop’ and ‘Cowboy Grass’, each created in the brand’s Brooklyn-based studio. It was a decade before its physical presence expanded beyond these walls. ‘Retail was always part of our vision,’ says Kavi Moltz. ‘As a former architect, I was always interested in using these two loves of mine – physical space and perfume.’

After New York, California was always going to be D.S. & Durga’s second home, with the state providing a constant source of inspiration. Its most popular candle, ‘Big Sur After Rain’, a eucalyptus leaf and wet wood-based tribute to the place Kavi and David regularly holiday, was also recently translated into a perfume, ‘Big Sur Eucalyptus’. Silver Lake was Kavi and David’s first choice for a retail location in the city, but they had trouble finding somewhere that worked for their vision. So last summer (2023), they unveiled a debut West Coast boutique in Venice. Designed by Woods Bagot, it pays tribute to modernist architect John Lautner, whilst honouring its beach-side locale with the earthier, sandy tones of plaster and wood.

The Silver Lake store, also by Woods Bagot, takes a similar approach, with uniquely Californian elements. The use of a beautiful, warm-toned wood references Kavi Moltz’ time studying architecture in LA, at a school founded by renowned architect Ray Kappe. ‘He invited a few students to view his house [in the Pacific Palisades] and it had so much of this dreamy California, honey pine-coloured wood. It’s the most beautiful house you’ll ever see – exactly what you’d think of when you think of a high-design and the California hippie movement.’

A hand-poured concrete treatment, which creates tonal, striped layers, is another signature feature (included in every store except D.S. & Durga’s first) and can be seen at the cash wrap. Behind the register is the ‘lab wall’, nodding to David’s Brooklyn perfume lab. There are black lacquered surfaces, programmable coloured lights to match the vibe of each highlighted perfume, plus clear acrylic spiked panels. Artist Leah Tinari, who regularly collaborates with D.S. & Durga, flew in from New York to hand-paint the store’s glass front.

When it comes to perfume, some people stick to a signature scent – or style – while others experiment. Kavi almost exclusively wears ‘Durga’, the scent David created for her; he changes fragrances almost daily, to offset the weather. ‘Generally, people like a heavier, warmer, spicier, earthier scent in the winter, and something more fresh, aquatic, citrusy, beachy, spring, and floral in spring and summer,’ Kavi says. ‘David often does the opposite and wears something like ‘Italian Citrus’ in February to feel as though you’re brightening up a winter’s day. Or if you’re dressed to the nines, but it’s June, maybe you put on something a little heavier to make the mood a little more serious so it doesn’t just feel like a beach day.’

Scent layering is intrinsic to the brand. Its best-selling perfume, ‘I Don’t Know What’, is a fragrance enhancer that blends easily with others. ‘In perfume, there are top notes, heart notes, and base notes,’ Kavi explains. ‘David says that ‘I Don’t Know What’ has no heart; it’s like the structure of a perfume without the substance in the middle, so you can wear any other with it. It’s one we think everyone should have in their perfume wardrobe.’ To encourage layering amongst its customers, the brand recently created a ‘Murder Mystery Set’, which comes with five different mini perfumes – which Kavi and David describe as ‘characters’ – all of which include a touch of ‘I Don’t Know What’ in their profiles.

‘Perfume is Armchair Travel,’ reads D.S. & Durga’s tagline. Each scent from the brand can be associated with a place, a playlist or piece of music, a spectrum of colour or even certain times of the day. Everyone who works at one of its stores is personally trained by David, to provide a retail experience in keeping with its storytelling, so they can find a match for anyone who walks inside. ‘Our ultimate goal is that someone comes in and within this sea of bottles that look similar, they’ll find a connection to something,’ he says.

To mark the opening of the Venice store last year, the brand released a candle called ‘Pacific Mythic’, based on what David Moltz says is an East Coast kids’ dream of the Venice Boardwalk. ‘The surf shops... What you imagine the boardwalk to smell like with the chaos and colourful characters around,’ he notes. ‘It’s desert-like and a little bit coastal.’ But despite the obvious differences between New York and LA, Kavi says the top sellers in both cities are surprisingly similar. ‘Although, when I was in our Venice store last week, two people came in looking for ‘The Carlyle’, a perfume we made with the iconic hotel in New York. I love that people use the opportunity to travel through scent and take home a piece of NYC with them.’

D.S. & Durga Silverlake, Sunset Row, 3300 Sunset Blvd Unit 101, Los Angeles, CA 90026.

dsanddurga.com

The restaurants to book in 2025

Charlee, Mumbai

Charlee, a speakeasy tucked away in the lively heart of Bandra West, Mumbai, has quickly become the spot to be seen in the Bollywood capital. Its discreet location – concealed beneath an upscale wine shop – adds to its clandestine charm. Designed by Kaviar Collaborative, well-known for composing immersive spaces, Charlee entices with its moody, enigmatic ambience that promises intrigue after dark. At its heart, craft cocktails meet vegetarian culinary excellence.

Charlee is located at 1st Floor, Vatsala Niwas, CHS, Plot, 65B, Linking Rd, Santacruz (West), Mumbai, Maharashtra 400054, India, @charleegoesveg

The Corner Store, New York

The Corner Store’s inventive fare became the talk of the town four days after opening. As the first launch in 13 years from Catch Hospitality – known for its steakhouses and seafood spots from Miami to Los Angeles – the SoHo restaurant, housed in the former Dos Caminos space, certainly knows how to have a good time. Designed by the Rockwell Group, the interiors pay homage to old-school New York dining rooms. The menu, conceptualised by culinary director Michael Vignola and executive chef Paul Castro (formerly of Catch New York and Nobu), delivers playful takes on NYC staples. At the bar, martinis reign supreme, with a tableside menu featuring timeless classics and outlandish variations like tomato or sour cream.

The Corner Store is located at 475 W Broadway, New York, NY 10012, United States, thecornerstoresoho.com

DaDa, Marrakech

If Marrakech’s Jemaa el Fna square is the city’s pulse, then DaDa, a new multilevel art-and-dining hub in the Medina, provides an extra jolt –bursting with colour, sound, and flavour. The venue is the brainchild of restaurateur Kamal Laftimi, known for ventures like the Pétanque Social Club. DaDa reimagines itself as a dynamic ‘hybrid space,’ inviting guests to eat, drink, dance, and explore art from local and international creatives. Designed by Anne Favier, a longtime collaborator of Laftimi, the concept takes rich inspiration from the energy and vibrancy of the Jemaa el Fna square and marketplace below.

DaDa is located at 2 place Jemaa El Fna, 40000, Morocco, dadamarrakech.com

The Dover, London

Located on Mayfair’s Dover Street, The Dover is a riot of golden-age glamour and dining decadence. The eatery evokes the splendour of old-school New York paired with classic Italian charm – an ode to ‘Sophia Loren in 1970s Brooklyn’, according to former Soho House group COO Martin Kuczmarski, whose debut restaurant this is. Architect and design firm Quincoces-Dragò & Partners infused the space with understated sophistication. Under the guidance of head chef Valentino Pepe, who trained with Alan Yau and Gennaro Vitto, the menu pays homage to timeless classics such as prawn cocktail, beef tartare and lobster ravioli. Drinks-wise, there’s an enticing array of martini options, New York and Italian classics.

The Dover is located at 33 Dover St, London W1S 4NF, thedoverrestaurant.com

Elastika, Miami

Architecture buffs can now check dining under a Zaha Hadid sculpture off their bucket list at Elastika, a restaurant nestled inside The Moore, a landmark building in the Miami Design District. The 433 sq m pliant web by Zaha Hadid that the restaurant takes its name from, sits above the restaurant’s main dining room, which features an expansive 18-seat bar, elegant velvet banquette seating, a semi-private dining room and a lounge area for coffee and cocktails. Helmed by executive chef Joe Anthony, Elastika offers a range of modern American dishes rooted in thoughtfully sourced ingredients from local farmers.

Elastika is located at 191 NE 40th St, Miami, FL 33137, United States, elastikamiami.com

Trattoria del Ciumbia, Milan

Milan’s Trattoria del Ciumbia sees the Italian hospitality group Triple Sea Food continue its mission of enhancing the gastronomic offer in the city’s Brera district. The interiors by Dimorestudio channel the spirit of the 1960s artistic avant-garde, with creatives such as Piero Manzoni and Nanda Vigo influencing its aesthetic. As for the menu, the restaurant stays true to its Italian roots with a tempting selection of antipasti, primi piatti, and secondi piatti. From marinated sardines to Milanese-style risotto, each dish celebrates the region’s favourites.

Trattoria del Ciumbia is located at Via Fiori Chiari, 32, 20121 Milano, Italy, trattoriadelciumbia.com

With 2024 drawing to a close, we’re taking stock of the Polestar brand, running through the company’s models 1 to 6 and mopping up the concepts, collaborations and other extra-curricular activity. Ingenlath’s replacement is Michael Lohscheller, formerly head honcho at Opel, once Germany’s General Motors subdivision and now one of the many dimming stars in the Stellantis universe. Whereas Ingenlath and Missoni brought together a blend of Nordic and fashion design kudos to the nascent brand, Lohscheller will be working with former VW and Audi designer Philipp Römers.

Will it stick to its plan? Polestar can trace its origins to the tail-end of the last century. High-performance variants of production Volvos were being created by an independent racing team, originally known as Flash Engineering but rebranded as Polestar Racing by the time it had been brought into house by Volvo in July 2015. The first time the name appeared on a car was the 2010 Volvo C30 Polestar Performance Concept Prototype (2010) and the Volvo S60 Polestar Concept the following year. These were followed by a small number of production Volvos, with enhanced dynamics courtesy of the race team’s expertise.

In October 2017, Volvo announced the creation of Polestar as a separate, standalone brand, headed up by former head of design Thomas Ingenlath. The debut model was the Polestar 1, a productionised version of the 2013 Volvo Concept Coupé, originally designed by Ingenlath and transformed into a sleek, upmarket sports coupé, complete with a high-performance hybrid powertrain and carbon fibre bodywork.

The first Polestar 1 was delivered in 2019 and since then the company has produced over 160,000 vehicles (30,000 of which have found homes in the UK). In February 2024, the final financial ties between Volvo and Polestar were officially severed, although Polestar still has space on Volvo’s Gothenburg campus. Elsewhere, the company has an engineering hub in Coventry, UK, as well as three production lines in China and facilities in South Carolina and South Korea.

This global production spread is because both Volvo and Polestar sit under the mighty Geely umbrella, alongside Lotus, LEVC, Lynk & Co and Zeekr. As a result, there’s a helpful dose of shared know-how via the Chinese conglomerate’s manufacturing, technical and engineering facilities in China, in addition to the dedicated Polestar Production Centre in Chengdu, Sichuan province. Polestar’s design and image is very much its own, however, and remains one of the most coherent and consistent visual identities of any contemporary car company.

Get the basics right, as Polestar did, and EVs stay competitive for much longer than ICE cars, with over-the-air updates bringing not just enhanced user experience but even better range and performance. The relative simplicity of an EV platform also has other benefits; when Polestar 2 was given a facelift in 2024 the single motor version was switched from front- to rear-wheel drive.

Here's our guide to every Polestar, from the brand’s genesis in Volvo design through to key concepts and even key partnership ventures.

Polestar 1 (2019 - 2021)

The Polestar 1 was a step into the unknown. Whilst Volvo has had a number of notable coupés in its long history, including the iconic P1800, the Bertone-designed 262C and 780, the elegant C70 and the compact C30, it has never strayed into the luxury and performance realm. With Polestar it was able to do just that. The limited edition, highly bespoke Polestar 1 was a proof of concept for both brand and technology.

With a hybrid powertrain, rather than pure EV, the 1 put out 600hp. A fully carbon-fibre body kept weight down and components were race-spec throughout. Built in China, just 1,500 units were produced – it looks set to become one of the first genuine classic cars of the hybrid era.

Polestar 2 (2019 – )

For most people, Polestar began in earnest with the launch of the Polestar 2, a svelte four-door electric fastback that also had clear Volvo origins. Starting life as the 2016 Volvo Concept 40.2, a proposed vision for the small Volvo sedan of the future using the company’s new Compact Modular Architecture (CMA), the design was refined and transformed into Polestar’s first mainstream product.

Amongst other things, the Polestar 2 pioneered the incorporation of Google into car dashboards, with the first integrated Android Automotive OS entertainment system. Available in a number of battery and motor configurations, the Polestar 2 has been kept fresh since launch with hardware and software overhauls that have improved the range and performance, as well as a constantly revised manufacturing strategy aimed at reducing the car’s overall carbon footprint.

Today’s 2024 Polestar 2 can travel up to 406 miles (654 km). The company has also made two limited-edition performance variants, the BST edition 270 (2022) and BST edition 230 (2023).

Polestar 2, from £44,950, Polestar.com

Polestar 3 (2024 - )

Polestar 3’s gestation wasn’t quite as smooth as the company hoped, with customer cars arriving over 18 months after the car was first introduced in October 2022 (with a photo campaign by Benedict Redgrove and INK). Built on the Volvo Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform, the 4 is comparable in size to Volvo’s EX90, only with five seats to the Volvo’s seven.

At 4.9m long, it’s quite a large machine, but unlike the EX90 there’s a definite sporting flavour to the dynamics and feel. The Polestar 3 follows the brand’s minimal approach and in its most efficient (but not fastest) spec will do over 400 miles on a charge.

Polestar 3, from £69,900, Polestar.com

Polestar 4 (2024 - )

Also new to market in 2024 was the Polestar 4, the current brand flagship. Described as ‘SUV coupé’, Polestar 4 has a much more rakish profile than the 2 or 3 and feels like the natural successor to Polestar 1. Clever packaging disguises the high-riding body and one of the most notable design decisions – doing away with the rear window in favour of a camera system – is one that Jaguar appears to be adopting with its forthcoming GT. It’s also the fastest Polestar built to date.

Polestar 4, from £58,990, Polestar.com

Polestar 5 (2025 - )

2025 should see the arrival of Polestar 5, a new flagship and the brand’s first foray into a truly premium sector, the all-electric sedan. Extensively previewed by 2020’s Polestar Precept Concept, the Polestar 5 will compete with the likes of the Porsche Taycan and the Audi GT.

Polestar Precept, more information at Polestar.com

Polestar 6 (2026 - )

Starting life as an electric roadster concept – 2022’s Polestar O₂ Concept – the forthcoming Polestar 6 is the company’s stab at the premium electric sports car market. The first 500 examples will be sold as the Polestar 6 LA Concept edition, a special edition that sold out almost as soon as it was announced. Full production is due for 2026 and the car will be built alongside Polestar 5 in Chongqing, China.

In 2024, the company also showed the Polestar Concept BST, a high-performance variant of the Polestar 6.

Polestar 6, more information at Polestar.com

Candela C-8 Polestar Edition

What else has been graced with the Polestar name? Most notably, there’s the 2023 Candela C-8 Polestar Edition, an electric hydrofoil from Swedish manufacturer Candela. Not only does this lifting body boat use Polestar batteries, but the special edition has design cues taken from the cars.

Candela.com

Makka – Polestar edition by Cake

In 2021, Polestar teamed up with Cake to create a special edition of the company’s Makka compact electric bike. Using Polestar graphics and colours, with a special connecting cord that allows it to be charged from your Polestar, the project was a fine piece of synergy. It followed on from the collaboration Wallpaper* kick-started for our Re-Made project, where Konstantin Grcic and aluminium producer Hydro teamed up with Cake and Polestar to create the Hydro-Truck.

RideCAKE.com

Polestar Design Contests

Polestar has also put its name to an annual Design Contest, started in 2020. Soliciting entries from student and professional design teams around the world, the Polestar Design Contest covers all facet of forward-thinking and sustainably minded industrial design. The inaugural professional winner in 2020 was Konrad Cholewka with the Polestar MMXL 006, a conceptual city car from 2040.

The following year, the PCD was won by David Vultaggio with the ‘H_UB’ design concept for a 21st-century brand experience centre and charge space. Honourable mention went to Kristian Talvitie’s KOJA micro space tree house, a full-size version of which was subsequently built near Fiskars Village.

In 2022-23, Devashish Deshmukh, Swapnil Desai and Yingxiang Li created the Polestar Synergy, a fantasy electric supercar that blended the three designers’ entries from that year’s contest.

2024 saw a collaboration with Hot Wheels: designer Shashank Shekhar’s Polestar TRX concept will be transformed into a die-cast collectable toy by the manufacturer in summer 2025.

This specific chapter of 20th-century architecture led to the creation of some of the most experimental and bold examples of modern domestic architecture, despite falling into oblivion over time. Villa Caffetto puts this era back into the spotlight.

Take our tour of Villa Caffetto

The house was designed by little-known architect Fausto Bontempi (b.1935), who was highly influenced by his teacher, famous Venetian architect Carlo Scarpa. The latter’s architecture is known for its formal complexity and an obsession with geometry. Bontempi graduated in 1962 and became a consultant for the Lombardy region's Department of Urban Planning, working on Regulatory Plans for the municipalities of Lake Garda between 1970 and 1975. At the same time, he built a few experimental houses and other projects around the lake.

Inspired mostly by Scarpa’s sophisticated attention to detail and material, Bontempi challenged the era’s brutalism with an almost deconstructivist take, creating wild compositions that defy categorisation. His most notable works include the residential complex Cooperativa La Valle in Salò, built in 1968, and the cemetery of Moniga del Garda, constructed between 1978 and 1985. His projects nod not only to Scarpa’s approach but also to the output of his contemporaries, such as Umberto Riva, Leonardo Ricci, Giuseppe Pergugini and Carlo Graffi, who all applied a brutalist aesthetic to complex sculptural forms.

The medium of sculpture draws a parallel between Bontempi's career and that of one of his most enlightened clients, young sculptor Claudio Caffetto whom he met while working for the Lombardy Region. Over the next two years, the two became close and in 1972 the architect accompanied the artist on a business trip to France and Germany. That same year, Bontempi was commissioned to design a home for Caffetto; the latter’s namesake villa was built between 1973 and 1974.

‘Our father lost his mother at a young age. At just 14, he found his first job as a draughtsman in the studio of architect Bruno Fedrigolli to contribute to the family's finances. There, he developed a passion for architecture and met numerous representatives of the Brescian art scene. He attended evening drawing and sculpture courses at the Brescian Artists' Association,’ say Metilde and Giovanna Caffetto, daughters of Claudio and current owners of Villa Caffetto. The artist eventually enrolled at the Art School in Parma. In the meantime, his work as a draughtsman brought him into contact with local pewter craftspeople for whom he designed objects such as jugs and plates. He was just 19 years old when he opened Metalpilter in Brescia, a small pewter craft workshop which later became his main business.

In 1963, Caffeto married Franca Manera. Together they embarked on building their home and artist studio. ‘Our father and Bontempi conceived a house as a universe composed of elements charged with the energy of form, matter and light in a dynamic and harmonious relationship with each other. During the construction, the site was always crowded with curious people on Sundays. [Because of its unconventional looks and geometries, which were not typical for residential architecture] there were rumours that it was an airport and other imaginative interpretations,’ the Caffettos recount.

The composition of the house is the result of interweaving viewpoints and experiences; rooms and levels dynamically flow into each other. There are stairs, ramps and expressively angled rooms, equipped with Bontempi's built-in structural details made of wood, metal and stone, spanning ceilings, lamps, handrails and furniture. Illusion, drama and distortion create an inhabitable sculpture, an illusory M.C. Escher's labyrinth that reflects the creative energy of both its author and his client.

‘Living in the house as a child, especially on the outside, was fun because seen through the eyes of a child, the villa has many nooks, crannies and hiding places. But since it was conceived from the beginning as a house museum for the exhibition of works of art, it did not leave much room for freedom and play,’ say Caffetto’s daughters.

In the 1970s, the villa became a place where local artists met. Gino Cosentino, Alberto Meli, Berocal, Rinaldo Pigola, Franco Grignani, Dada Maino, Delima Medeiros and Hsiao Chi, all exhibited works there. These encounters gave rise to Caffetto’s new cultural activity - Edizioni d'Arte Caffetto, a business dedicated to the production of multiple editions of artworks in different metals, including bronze, aluminium, copper and pewter. Caffetto created these in the house’s top-floor studio and exhibited them in the glass-roofed gallery next to it.

The house is currently partly open to the public as a venue for cultural events, artist residencies, and exhibitions. According to Metilde and Giovanna: ‘The plan is to continue on the path we have embarked on, by setting up an association that can expand the cultural offerings here, organise guided tours, enhance our father's art and the collection of works by the artists who frequented the villa, and keep in contact with the academic world so that the house can once again become a meeting place for creatives; a place for experts in the field of architecture and design. To do this, it will be necessary to step out of the family sphere and create a partnership with professionals in the sector and parties interested in investing in this project.’

A pivotal moment came during a visit to Japan, where Lohmann encountered seaweed and recognised its potential as a sustainable material—likening its versatility to leather but without the ethical complexities of animal death. Delving deeper, she discovered seaweed’s ecological benefits and in 2013 set up The Department of Seaweed, a platform for interdisciplinary research and experimentation with the material.

Since moving to Helsinki in 2018 to join Aalto University, where she is associate professor of contemporary design, Lohmann has advanced her practice as a regenerative designer, fostering innovation and ecological responsibility in design. We caught up with Lohmann just days after she was named a Royal Designer for Industry by the Royal Society of Arts, to learn more about her journey, her groundbreaking work with seaweed, and her vision for a regenerative design future.

Wallpaper*: What does becoming an Honorary Royal Designer for Industry mean to you?

Julia Lohmann: To become an RDI, you have to be nominated and the existing RDI fellows have to review your nomination, so I feel very thankful that I have been nominated. The ceremony was amazing — it was one of those moments when you can stop and reflect on all you have achieved. It really has some meaning to be selected from lots of other designers from the field.

What I find especially inspiring, is the fact that for me to receive the title shows how much broader the industry has become. So often there is a need to categorise the sort of work you do as a creative; people ask, ‘do you do design, or do you do art, or what do you do?’ I think given the challenges that lie ahead of us, we need to be thankful that our industry is now really diverse. With so many different skillsets, we have a better chance of finding more sustainable ways to exist.

For me, what is truly great is that the title ‘Royal Designer for Industry’ broadens the traditionally narrow definition of industrial design.

W*: In your view, has the design industry made meaningful progress in fostering inclusivity and embracing sustainable practices in recent years?

JL: I've noticed a shift towards more inclusive and regenerative design practices, with a recognition of the needs of all species, not just humans. With regenerative design now recognised as part of the broader design disciplines, we can more readily address pressing questions and engage in mainstream discussions about important topics.

In the field of design, you’re trying to push the limits of what's possible. You're always trying to stretch what you're understanding, or at least I do. I always ask, 'who is not included? Who are we not hearing? Who should be around the table, who should have a say around this topic?' That's the process that I'm going through when I design, and in a way, is one of the reasons I am a designer – because you can be challenging. You can critique a field that has such a significant impact on the world but is sometimes applied too unthinkingly.

I think it's really important that we as designers reflect on the changes that we are bringing to this world, because essentially, everything we design designs us back. We have to be very cautious, when trying to understand the potential implications our design decisions might have.

W*: Can you tell us more about your work with seaweed and how it has evolved over time?

JL: Working with seaweed has shifted my understanding of how ecosystemic questions should drive the decision making in a design process. It offers the potential to replace harmful materials while also benefiting ecosystems. If we are now going out and saying, 'seaweed is the answer, let's just harvest more wild stock', then we are just doing it the wrong way – we're just increasing the problems for that habitat. I've been exploring the ethical considerations of seaweed, such as its ability to pull nutrients from the sea and create habitats for other species, and the importance of a sustainable, biocentric approach to seaweed farming.

W*: What projects have you been working on lately that you are excited to see come to fruition in 2025

I'm exploring a diverse range of materials and approaches to address sustainability and our relationship with the natural world. Lately, I’ve been focused on building larger seaweed structures that serve as stages for discussions about how we relate to our water bodies. Seaweed is a recurring element in these projects — it’s wonderful because it brings the Ocean into the space in a multi-sensory way, enriching these conversations.

I’m also exploring new mediums, including a film project for MIT Museum called Mitomnia, which takes a philosophical look at the relationship between mitochondria and humans. Additionally, I collaborated with a colleague on a film capturing the experience of taking students snorkeling with a marine scientist to help them understand their role as designers.

Beyond the seaweed projects, I’ve been working with land-based organisms and conducting research into bio-colours and lighting design from a more-than-human-centric perspective. While the seaweed projects have received the most attention, my work spans diverse materials and approaches, all aimed at addressing sustainability and rethinking our connection with the natural world.

W*: Reflecting on 2024, what are some of the challenges and opportunities you see in the design industry when it comes to sustainability and material innovation?

JL: The past few years have seen an exciting 'biological turn' in design, where working with living organisms opens up new ethical frameworks and material possibilities. There’s huge potential in bio-materials, and at my institution, we’re exploring this through collaborations between chemistry and design. But a challenge remains: it takes time and investment to bring these ideas to market. Often, companies expect immediate solutions, which can stifle progress.

The issue of intellectual property also concerns me – when companies patent biological processes, it can block innovation. We need to rethink the models we’re using, particularly in terms of governance, to ensure we’re not limiting our potential to create sustainable solutions. In the coming year, I’m excited to explore local seaweed cultures and enable other creatives to work with the Ocean through TIDAL arts, an EU-funded project with open calls for residencies and commissions.

Each year the RSA puts out an open call for RDI nominations. For updates on 2025 nominations, follow @therdifaculty on Instagram. The RSA also hosts a series of open Summer Sessions – intergenerational gatherings where RDIs, emerging designers, scientists and engineers. can share, inspire and challenge.

royaldesignersforindustry.org

julialohmann.co.uk

Jorge unites this heritage with his distinctive sculptural silhouettes in the pieces which encompass rings, earrings and bracelets. Snaking around the body, their curved forms bring a fluid flexibility to wood, expanding the ideas Jorge began to explore in the Stream collection a decade ago. ‘Back then, my first Stream pieces were showcased by a jewellery gallery at PAD London,’ Jorge adds. ‘Deep Stream was created with PAD in mind, as a way to interpret my aesthetic within a collectible design setting. I chose to work with a native wood from the Brazil’s Amazon forest and drew inspiration from the exuberance of the region. The flowing movement of water was the original inspiration for the Stream collection. For this special Series, I used more volume and scale to channel the power of the Amazon River. The wood in combination with brown diamonds perfectly represents its deep rich colour.’

Working with wood was not without its challenges for Jorge, who found ways to accommodate its natural properties. ‘It is more porous and fibrous and therefore more affected by its environment. We had to understand these complexities and protect the wood on the finished pieces. The unusually dry weather in the Amazon region also made it quite challenging to find materials that were not overly dehydrated, an interesting reminder of how everything is interconnected.’

fernandojorge.co.uk

The T-shirt, which would retail on Loewe’s website for £225, took on a life of its own after the movie, worn by the film’s stars on the press tour and becoming ubiquitous on social media streams (it would also make for a particularly popular Halloween costume come October). Quite what the T-shirt was ‘telling’ us – in the film, the T-shirt swaps between Zendaya’s Tashi and O’Connor’s Patrick Zweig, seeming to symbolise who is holding power in their relationship – one message seemed loud and clear: movie merch is now high-fashion.

Why movie merch took over fashion in 2024

Speaking about his inspirations for the film’s costumes, Anderson said his designs were born from an obsession with how ‘the relationship between youth culture and clothing and sport changed’. Switch in the word ‘cinema’ for ‘sport’ and the statement is just as valid. Because while fashion has always been obsessed with film, and film with fashion, the symbiotic relationship seemed to take on new dimensions in 2024 – both with the adoption of the themed red carpet press tour (which began with Barbie in 2023 and continued with Dune, Challengers and Wicked), but also a flood of movie-branded T-shirts, caps and tote bags from fashion labels both big and small.

‘Brands really have become a phenomenon that’s always around us,’ says the ever-perceptive Anderson, whose own shift to costume design will no doubt spark a trend among other designers (indeed, Gareth Pugh has designed costumes for Danny Boyle’s 28 Years Later, released in 2025). ‘Ultimately, the style of Challengers in terms of costume design was looking at life and how we are surrounded and bombarded by all of that.’ If movies are brands too, Anderson seems to be saying, then why not allow people to buy into that brand through the clothes they wear?

It’s a savvy approach and one Anderson is continuing on Guadagnino's latest film, Queer. In addition to creating the costumes for the film, Anderson has released a Queer capsule collection through his eponymous label JW Anderson that includes bags, shirts and baseball caps emblazoned with the film’s logo, stills from the set and the quote ‘I want to speak to you…without speaking’. And, if you need even further proof of Anderson’s embrace of the movie industry just look at Loewe’s Spring 2025 campaign, which featured Amazon MGM Studios marketing chief Sue Kroll as a model.

But Anderson isn’t the only designer finding creative ways to unite fashion and film. Plenty of smaller retailers are putting their own spin on movie merch. The limited-run screen printing studios Copycat Video Press and Till Death Press have made T-shirts featuring vintage advertisements, from Eraserhead to The Lost Boys, alongside odes to H.G. Giger and Alejandro Jodorowsky. Most recently, they collaborated on a T-shirt featuring the poster for Michael Haneke’s gruesome house invasion thriller Funny Games (‘sometimes losing your life can be fun,’ it reads). Then there is Cinegogue Shop, which creates limited-run T-shirts, sweatshirts and totes inspired by auteur classics like Paris, Texas and There Will Be Blood. Most recently, the brand collaborated with independent music magazine Synth Histories on a limited-edition shirt inspired by the soundtrack for Twin Peaks, and also with Focus Features on limited edition sweatshirts for Robert Eggers’ new Nosferatu movie.

Alongside Focus Features, other production companies like A24 are also partnering with niche labels to create merch, which often bolsters the films’ cult appeal. An ongoing collaboration with Los Angeles streetwear label Online Ceramics has seen them create (among others) a Love Lies Bleeding beach towel, a Spring Breakers tie-dye shirt and a MaXXXine thong all rendered in Online Ceramics’ signature trippy, DIY style. Streaming platform and distributor Mubi also has a longtime relationship with fashion, inviting designers like Hedi Slimane to create a watchlist for the website and working with Chanel on a prize to award the next generation of filmmakers. More recently, it has also started selling merchandise for its films including a baseball cap, T-shirt and water bottle for the Demi Moore-starring body horror The Substance.

In a way, it seems movie merch like this is on its way to becoming the new band T-shirt – a straightforward, easy-to-wear way of announcing your cultural allegiances. Hagop Kourounian, who runs the popular Instagram @directorfits and creates his own distinctive movie merch – including collaborating with Mubi on The Substance capsule – thinks that the fashionability of movie merch has to do with people’s desire to single themselves out from the crowd; to distinguish their personal brand from any other. ‘It seems like showing off your niche personal interests is what is mainstream now,’ he says. ‘We’ve sort of shifted away from a monoculture to this new thing where showing off your random obsession is what’s cool and makes you “unique”.’

‘I think band T-shirts for a while now have transcended their fan bases to becoming iconic logos themselves,’ Kourounian continues. ‘You don’t need to be a Nirvana fan or a Rolling Stones fan to wear their merch, it’s readily available at fifteen stores at any given mall in the world, so it doesn’t really showcase one’s individuality. They’ve sort of lost meaning with the fanbases that made them who they are, while film merch still has this somewhat niche allure to it that makes it attractive to showcasing your personality.’

Still, Kourounian points out, it’s worth remembering that the symbiotic relationship between fashion and films has always existed. ‘I have this not so fleshed out theory that film directors and fashion designers secretly want to be one another,’ he says. ‘They’re both world builders and storytellers just with different mediums. Both art forms utilise the other's materials to a certain extent. Fashion shows have wild visuals and scores while films have dedicated costume designers to help push along the narrative.’

On Instagram, Kourounian has established himself as a veritable historian of cinema and fashion, and his knowledge is on show when I ask him about the history of fashion brands embracing movie merchandising. ‘The first collection Supreme offered at their first flagship store in NYC back in 1994 featured Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver, Fuct has an iconic Goodfellas logo flip, brands like Undercover have been referencing Stanley Kubrick and David Lynch for over a decade,’ he tells me. ‘Giorgio Armani was essentially introduced to the world through the popularity of Paul Schrader’s American Gigolo and Martin Scorsese made a wonderful documentary on the designer called Made in Milan. Going back even further, Yves Saint Laurent was designing costumes for Catherine Deneuve in Luis Buñuel's Belle de Jour back in 1967.’

Kourounian was an editor of the book How Directors Dress, which was released by A24 earlier this year and proves that directors are as influential on fashion as the movies they make. Flipping through its pages you will find plenty of directors with out-of-the-box style – Dennis Hopper on the set of Easy Rider in full cowboy getup, Rainer Werner Fassbinder in tops too tight to contain his belly, and Wong Kar-wai in sunglasses with ‘true colour’ lenses originally used by pilots who needed to see clearly but avoid strong sunlight.

But what is most striking is how many directors are dressed in what is now the obligatory uniform of stylish urbanites. Spike Lee, Steven Spielberg, Paul Schrader and more all look like guys you see hanging around the Lower East Side or east London today with their baseball caps, baggy jeans, sneakers and oversized jackets. It is a style born out of functionality that has since come to represent the creative act, no doubt in part because people like Spielberg and Schrader helped make it the uniform of creatives at work. As Adam Wray writes in one of the book’s essays, ‘we are attracted to action, and the utilitarian clothes worn by directors and their crews can help us to better understand the efforts poured into shaping these fictive worlds.’

Even though, as Kourounian points out, iconic designers like Yves Saint Laurent have designed costumes in the past, Anderson has set a new precedent by transforming his work on Challengers and Queer into products his customers can buy. It raises the question, then, if other designers will follow suit. Will we see someone like Miuccia Prada selling designs for longtime collaborator Wes Anderson through Prada or Miu Miu, or Yohji Yamamoto selling clothes he’s created for a film by Steve McQueen, who has walked his runway a number of times? And what about the directors themselves? Sofia Coppola has already capitalised on her iconic style by creating pieces for the luxury cashmere house Barrie and it stands to reason that, as the relationship between film and fashion becomes increasingly intertwined, more directors will turn their iconic personal style into items you can buy. Could you one day buy Spike Lee varsity jackets, or a Steven Spielberg-designed baseball cap? How it will continue to play out is yet to be seen, but one thing is almost certain: movie merch will continue to take over fashion. We told ya.

‘How Director’s Dress’, published by A24, is available from shop.a24films.com.

Queer is in UK cinemas now.

Top ten art and culture interviews of the year

Antony Gormley

People, for whatever reason, do associate me with the body – I think that's fair enough,’ says Antony Gormley when we catch up over Zoom, as he prepares to open his New York art exhibition ‘Aerial’ at the city’s White Cube. ‘But I am, and always have been, as interested in the body of the viewer as I am in mine, as an example of a human body in space.’

It is a preoccupation he is building on in ‘Aerial’ through sculpture, which references his earlier considerations of proprioceptive environments we have seen in the cave-like Room, the immersive Blind Light and in the Breathing Room drawings. ‘They are all attempts to somehow catalyse space itself and make environments in which the viewer’s body is invited to sense its own movement through time and space,’ Gormley adds. ‘And you could say that there are a number of works that do both. Take Model, Space Station, Cave – all of those are, as it were, buildings, but made with reference to the form of the body that you can actually enter and move through. And I'm continuing that line of thought.’

Read the full Antony Gormley interview

St. Vincent

Since the release of her 2007 debut album, Marry Me, the Texan-born, guitar-shredding St. Vincent has continued to reinvent herself, dabbling in synth-pop, hard rock and everything in between. Like Bowie before her, she’s played with, and prodded at, the idea of persona. For the release of 2017’s Masseduction – a time she calls her ‘dominatrix at the mental institution’ era – she dressed only in latex, insisting journalists interview her (decidedly prickly) alter-ego inside a neon pink box. During 2021’s Daddy’s Home, she was a louche, 1970s gangster, in a flared two-piece and blonde bob wig. And for mockumentary The Nowhere Inn, directed by Sleater-Kinney’s Carrie Brownstein, she portrayed a heightened (and hideous) self-obsessed version of herself. ‘It wasn’t great for my career,’ she notes, dryly.

Read the full St. Vincent interview

Mickalene Thomas

American artist Mickalene Thomas sensually subverts Black female representation throughout history in works that draw on an eclectic roster of references. Now, her major new touring exhibition, ‘Mickalene Thomas: All About Love’ (currently at The Broad in LA and travelling on to Philadelphia and London later in 2025), featuring more than 80 works created over the last 20 years, nods to Thomas’ desire to imbue the sensual and sensitive figures she portrays with a joyful positivity, with a title referencing feminist author bell hooks’ canonic text of the same title.

‘I am constantly drawing inspiration from representations of intergenerational female empowerment, autobiography, memory and the tenets of Black feminist theoretical writings,’ says Thomas. ‘Authors and academics such as Kimberlé Crenshaw and Patricia Hill Collins have always provided supportive context for my work, in particular, and of course, bell hooks.’ These broad references are reflected in the multidisciplinary nature of the works themselves, which utilise a mix of materials in her distinctive collage style. ‘Collage is such an intricate means of discovery and exploration of all my ideas,’ she says. ‘It’s a way to learn and unlearn within my own process, and a way to anchor and make sense of my compositions. I enjoy rebuilding and the essential peeling back of layers to get to the core of my ideas. Collage does this for me.’

Read the full Mickalene Thomas interview

Laura Marling

In autumn 2016, Laura Marling was playing a run of shows in the American Northwest and West. Starting in Washington state, the English singer-songwriter moved on to Oregon and then down to California. ‘Me and my friend, who was on tour with me, were going down the coast,’ Marling recalls of a journey that took them from Mill Valley, to Santa Cruz, to Santa Barbara. ‘And we were losing so much money on the tour that we were staying in campsites. It's not a boo-hoo story, it was fun to do,’ she clarifies with a smile. ‘It was nice weather. But we were in tents – well, a single tent.

‘We didn't have much cash, but we bought some lino and some really nice card and we started designing sigils [tarot-inspired prints]. We would make 15 of them and sell them at the shows, and then that would be enough money for the campsite and the petrol for the car.’ The sigils were made as linocuts – ‘so they're easily repeatable’ – and were postcard-sized, signed and dated. Marling charged $10 for each.

Read the full Laura Marling interview

Olivia Erlanger

‘Both in school and at home, I was indoctrinated with an ideal of American exceptionalism where progress is linear, and each succeeding generation will be more prosperous than the last,’ says New York-based artist Olivia Erlanger, who is featured in 2024’s Wallpaper* USA 400. ‘This didn’t match with reality. I came of age during the introduction of the personal computer, 9/11, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the advent and parasitic spread of reality TV, the global financial crisis of 2008 – events that have promoted the spiralling and fracturing of that promised progress. But dreams are boring. Delusions are more interesting and more powerful as make-believe frequently turns into reality.’

Read the full Olivia Erlanger interview

Kenia Almaraz Murillo

Bolivian-born textile artist Kenia Almaraz Murillo is rethinking weaving’s traditional reputation with work that zigzags across mediums and references. In her new London art exhibition, Murillo adorns her wall hangings with found, urban objects, from car headlights to motorbike headlamps, brilliantly lit up with curves of neon.

‘In my work, each piece bears witness to a specific encounter, whether it be with an animal, a landscape, a star, a myth, a legend, a story,’ says Murillo. ‘My approach is one of paying homage. I have a great admiration for living animals, and the animals of myths and legends. I try to make them come alive through my threads and to almost relive those precise moments when the discovery took place.

Read the full Kenia Almaraz Murillo interview

Rachel Feinstein

‘It’s very emotional for me to have a show in Miami,’ says Rachel Feinstein, speaking on the eve of her major new exhibition at The Bass Museum of Art. Spanning almost three decades of work by the Miami-raised, New York-based artist, the retrospective – the first in her hometown – celebrates and questions society’s embrace of artifice, particularly prescient when considering Miami’s reputation for decadence. ‘It’s got these crazy extremes, between good and evil, dark and light, male and female, and it’s all been very unconsciously important to me,’ she says. ‘And then, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve done a lot of work on dream therapy and it’s become more important. So Miami is the key to all of that, the basis of everything I do.’

Read the full Rachel Feinstein interview

Wayne McGregor and Max Richter

Sir Wayne McGregor is the master of creative collaborations. As resident choreographer at the Royal Ballet in London, a position he has held since 2006, he has translated an eclectic roster of literary, avant-garde and contemporary references into works for the stage (along with costumes in collaboration with Grace Wales Bonner and with Burberry), as well as taken the helm on film, TV, fashion and music videos projects, and founded his own London-based studio.

His latest project is an adaptation of Canadian author Margaret Atwood’s trilogy of novels, Oryx and Crake, The Year of the Flood and MaddAddam, into a three-act ballet. The project marks 16 years of his partnership with composer Max Richter, whose haunting, post-classical music is the soundtrack to Atwood’s post-apocalyptic nightmare.

Read the full Wayne McGregor and Max Richter interview

Elmgreen & Dragset

As Elmgreen & Dragset, Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset bring a smart subversion to their large-scale installations. Over the last three decades, they have taken a sideways look at social and political systems by recontextualising mainstream motifs: works have included a full-scale replica of a Prada boutique in the Texan desert and a vast, vertical swimming pool, now installed in Hong Kong.

This playful mindset underpins a major new show at Musée d’Orsay in Paris, which, for the first time in its 38-year history, is staging a contemporary exhibition in its central sculpture nave. ‘L’Addition’ (until 2 February 2025) considers the effects of recontextualisation alongside a figurative rethinking of classical motifs, with Elmgreen & Dragset’s works taking their cue from the 19th-century sculptures in the museum’s permanent collection. Here, though, they strike an uncanny tone. Look again at the apparently traditionally styled and crafted works and you begin to spot subversive details: a classical figure appears to be wearing headphones, another a VR headset, and could that one be playing with a drone?

Read the full Elmgreen & Dragset interview

John Akomfrah

John Akomfrah’s immersive and visual works consider migration and diasporic communities through the media of film. In new work for the Venice Biennale this year, commissioned and managed by the British Council, Akomfrah dissects a historical narrative through an auditory lens, putting sound at the centre of his new piece, Listening All Night To The Rain.

‘I’d got to a point where I thought a lot of what I want to say involves trying to pull people into positions of listening,’ he says. ‘It’s about acknowledging connections with other species, and each other. We’re cautioned to listen to rising water levels, CO2 emissions – there are a lot of voices begging to be listened to. It felt like a good moment to just bring up some of the past. [The work] is both looking ahead to the things that we are definitely interested in the present, but a lot of it is also to do with the immediate past and the things we haven’t really paid attention to, [and] sometimes they are related. There’s much to hear.’

Read the full John Akomfrah interview

Set up by Fawaz Thengilan and Vishnu Kuruvanachery, the practice may be just over four years old, but it already has both a rich portfolio and high aspirations, blending creativity and technical expertise and working with a diverse mix of collaborators, from architects and engineers to skilled workers.

We profile Mitti Eco Constructions from India

‘Our methodology centres on creating sustainable buildings without sacrificing design quality and meticulous attention to detail,’ the team explains. ‘We strive to craft structures that not only inspire but also seamlessly coexist with their surroundings. Our buildings are designed to be humble in their environmental integration, yet they make a bold statement through their unique presence and character. This balance of humility and distinctiveness is at the core of our design philosophy.’

Their latest project, '133,' a private home, beautifully illustrates this point. Located on a plot which was significantly impacted by quarrying and filled with waste up to 4m deep, Mitti’s design solution included the excavation of a trench which would both serve as the foundation for the structure above and expose the land’s natural geology, celebrating the beauty of its site.

Their unconventional approach to materials and construction methods extends to readdressing the idea of luxury, too. Set in a mango grove, Flintstone6 in Shoolagiri, Tamil Nadu, looks sleek and contemporary in its form but was made using a technique called Debris Wall Construction - effectively incorporating readily available materials such as soil and waste from a nearby abandoned quarry into the build.

The Mitti team’s dedication to sustainable experimentation means their tests and explorations are ongoing: ‘Currently, we are focused on developing lightweight mud panels and proposing bamboo-based buildings. Additionally, we are working on quicker delivery residential models to meet market demands. These projects reflect our ongoing commitment to innovation and sustainability.'

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Top 10 furniture launches of 2024

Kelly Wearstler’s Nudo 2.0 for ARCA

Inspired by textile craftsmanship and weaving traditions, Wearstler’s project with stone brand ARCA was launched in Miami in December. began with digital explorations of helix forms and weaving patterns. 3D-rendered miniatures were meticulously calibrated before the full-size onyx pieces were brought to life by ARCA's craftspeople using a combination of robotics and hand techniques to carve the monolithic blocks.

READ MORE

Sara Ricciardi’s Swinging Throne for Vissionaire

Italian designer Sara Ricciardi’s fascination with swings was the base for the joyful Aristocrazy project, a series of collectible swing designs based on the use of textile trimmings on a large scale. The latest iteration of this concept is a boldly decorated 'Swinging Throne' for Italian brand Visionnaire, which launched at Salone, featuring tassels by artisan makers Antica Fabbrica Passamanerie Massia Vittorio 1843.

READ MORE

Sabato de Sarno’s Ancora collection for Gucci

Sabato De Sarno launched his first furniture collection, Gucci Design Ancora, reissuing five 20th century pieces at Salone, each by a designer whose work helped establish Milan as the heartland of modern design. Realised in a gloriously rich burgundy colour, known as ‘Ancora Red’, the collection was splashed across Instagram within minutes of its unveiling.

READ MORE

LightMass by Raw Edges

During the London Design Festival, Yael Mer and Shay Alkalay of Raw Edges, debuted a new brand of lighting using FDM additive technology and a custom filament composed of renewable and recyclable biopolymers. The resulting lights are ethereal hanging sculptures, gossamer thin and intricately composed, holding space and attention in equal, gentle measure.

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Orjola collection by Nice Projects for Tigmi

It’s been a good year for rugs, and the collection that stands out for us is the quietly textured range by Nice Projects, born from the collaboration between Australian sisters with Nepalese weavers. Inspired by the artworks of Agnes Martin, evident in the ethereal expression of painterly techniques that marry seamlessly with the processes involved in the Nepalese rug-making tradition.

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Muffin collection by Commune Design for George Smith

There was a plethora of extremely comfortable furniture that emerged over the course of 2024 in recognition of the innate desire we have at the moment (always?) to feel cocooned and held by our sofas and armchairs. Commune Design’s charmingly titled Muffin range for George Smith ticked all the right boxes for elegance, wit, craft and beauty.

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Lesire collection by Mabeo Studio for Design Within Reach

Botswanan designer Peter Mabeo entered a different scale of production, teaming up with Design Within Reach in the US to launch a collection of furniture and objects for the home. The collection is called ‘Lesire’, which in Tswana means ‘wedding veil’, and refers to the scalloped edge motif in the works, derived from crochet lace techniques learned and popularised among female groups in 1950s South Africa.

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Rings by Michael Anastassiades for Mutina

Michael Anastassiades unveiled a stunning new tile for Mutina in September, taking inspiration from endgrain wood historically used as an industrial flooring material. The oak tiles resemble the cross-section of a tree trunk, highlighting the wood’s brush stroke-like natural grain. The effect combines the durability and warmth, taking advantage of the inherent properties of the natural material.

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Care Instructions by ATRA

Mexican studio ATRA showed a spectacular collection during Paris Design Week in October. Neofuturist seating, tables, and lamps feature lines inspired by nature, and noble materials such as onyx, travertine, aged brass, and alpaca. Everything is made by over 100 master artisans in an atelier in Mexico City.

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‘Being and Nothingness - A Discourse on Identity’ by Nathan Yong

At Singapore Design Week, Nathan Yong unveiled a beguiling collection of stainless steel works, comprising 11 quotidian pieces ranging from a sofa, a standing screen and a vase to a lounger, a chair and a bar stool – each constructed of mirror-polished Grade 304 stainless steel. ‘Being and Nothingness’ was superbly tactile in its combination of rectilinear and curved lines; familiar in the silhouette, while a little alien in expression.

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Here, we take a look back at the pages of Wallpaper* from the past year, reflecting on the make-up, perfume, tools and accessories that defined our 2024.

Unboxing beauty products from 2024, as seen on the pages of Wallpaper*

Chanel lipstick in Wallpaper* February 2024: The Design Awards Issue

In the February 2024 issue of Wallpaper*, we presented a design award to the Chanel ‘31 Le Rouge lipstick’. The lipstick comes in several shades and textures, all created to be housed in a glass case crafted by Japanese artisans and designed by Sylvie Legastelois.

Read the full article here.

MyBlend led mask in Wallpaper* March 2024: The Style Issue

For the first Wallpaper* Style Issue of the year in March 2024, we turned the spotlight on the MyBlend ‘myLedmask’, with its uniquely contoured design slightly reminiscent of Pedro Almodóvar’s The Skin I Live In.

Read the full article here.

Acne Studios x Frédéric Malle perfume in Wallpaper* April 2024: Global Interiors

We spoke with the creative director of Acne Studios Jonny Johansson, fragrance legend Frédéric Malle and emerging nose Suzy Le Helley about their collaborative work on ‘Acne Studios par Frédéric Malle’ eau de parfum, previewed in the April 2024 issue of Wallpaper*.

Read the full article here.

Bottega Veneta scented candle in Wallpaper* June 2024: The Travel Issue

Bottega Veneta launched scented candles earlier this year, with three different fragrances available in red, yellow and green lava glaze ceramic pots. We captured the brand’s ‘Redstone’ candle on the pages of Wallpaper* June 2024, which contains notes of plum nectar, tobacco and cedarwood.

Read the full article here.

Rimowa vanity case in Wallpaper* June 2024: The Travel Issue

Rimowa's vanity case also made its debut in Wallpaper* June 2024, our annual travel issue. A reimagined 1970s design from the Rimowa archives, the case is robust enough to contain a multitude of products and tools without fear of damage whilst on the move.

Read the full article here.

Fendi perfumes in Wallpaper* July 2024: The Design Directory

In 2024, Fendi created seven exclusive perfumes, inspired by the personalities and memories of close members of the Fendi family. The collection, which we included in the July issue of Wallpaper*, features refillable glass bottles evoking the vocabulary of Roman architecture.

Read the full article here.

Calvin Klein CK One perfume in Wallpaper* August 2024: The USA 100

The August 2024 issue of Wallpaper* was dedicated US creatives, with an accompanying portfolio shot by Inez and Vinoodh. In addition, we looked at 12 American design icons, including Calvin Klein’s ‘CK One’ eau de toilette. First released in 1994, the fragrance remains a best seller to this day.

Read the full article here.

Solid soap in Wallpaper* September 2024: The Style Issue

For Wallpaper* September 2024, the year’s second issue dedicated to style, we celebrated the pleasures of solid soap, including bars from the likes of Aesop, Celine, Diptyque, Hermès and Sisley.

Read the full article here.

Celine Beauté lipstick in Wallpaper* October 2024: Guest Editors

Celine launched its first-ever beauty line in October 2024, Celine Beauté. Designed by Hedi Slimane, who has since left the house in the hands of his successor Michael Rider, the ‘Le Rouge Celine’ lipstick in a shade of red called 'Rouge Triomphe’ made its Wallpaper* premiere in the same monthly issue.

Read the full article here.

Hermès eye and lip pencils in Wallpaper* November 2024: The Art Issue

Hermès’ ‘Trait d’Hermès’ eye and lip pencils were designed by Pierre Hardy and Gregoris Pyrpylis, the house’s creative director of beauty, to evoke a playful stationary set. We captured the collection’s kaleidoscopic colour palette in Wallpaper* November 2024.

Read the full article here.

Bottega Veneta perfume in Wallpaper* November 2024: The Art Issue

Bottega Veneta’s fragrance collection by Matthieu Blazy (now succeeded by Louise Trotter after his appointment as creative director at Chanel) includes five scents inspired by Venice, with bottles blown in Murano glass. Above, is the brand’s ‘Come With Me’ eau de parfum, as featured in the November 2024 issue of Wallpaper*.

Read the full article here.

Dior perfumes in Wallpaper* December 2024: The Entertaining Issue

In 2024, Francis Kurkdjian, the creative director of Dior Parfums took five fragrances from the house’s ‘La Collection Privée’, reinterpreting their notes in ‘Esprit de Parfum’, a new scent range featured on the pages of Wallpaper’s December Entertaining Issue.

Read the full article here.

Dries Van Noten lipsticks in Wallpaper* December 2024: The Entertaining Issue

After taking a final bow on the runway earlier in the year, for the December 2024 issue of Wallpaper* we caught up with Dries Van Noten about his next steps, which include growing the beauty and fragrance arm of his eponymous brand (and spending more time in his beloved garden).

Read the full article here.

The best alpine retreats in Europe

Le Coucou Méribel in France

The traditional wooden chalet exterior of Le Coucou blends in seamlessly with the mountainous backdrop of Méribel. Inside, French designer Pierre Yovanovitch has put a contemporary riff on the traditional Alpine style. Classic wood-panelled rooms are jazzed up with a modern palette of salmon pinks and pops of electric blue, polka dot carpets and winter white bouclé furnishings. Guests can also find a small collection of artwork dotted throughout the property, including a fresco of owls painted on the lobby ceiling by Matthieu Cossé, a stone sculpture by Ugo Rondinone from the owners’ personal collection, and hand-crafted rock engravings by Gaultier Rimbault-Joffard. Le Coucou’s location in the heart of the Three Valleys, the largest ski area in the world, offers a ton of options for snowy adventures; that is if you can drag yourself away from the spa with its two mountain-view pools and Tata Harper treatments.

Le Coucou Méribel is located at 464 route du Belvédère, 73550 Les Allues Méribel, France, lecoucoumeribel.com

The Cōmodo in Bad Gastein, Austria

Sitting high up in the spa town of Bad Gastein, The Cōmodo is housed in a historic 1881 property which has been given a new midcentury look by designers Barbara Elwardt and Piotr Wisniewski. The duo drew inspiration from 1960s modernism and Vienna’s cafe culture to create a rich palette of wine, bottle green, and retro browns complemented by layers of oak, pine and terrazzo flooring. The richly textured rooms feature a mix of organic materials, from custom wallpapers and woollen throws to vintage chairs, leather bed benches and curved tactile headboards. The surrounding valley offers plenty of ski runs whilst back at the hotel, the spa rejuvenates with treatments based around Gastein’s mineral-rich thermal waters.

The Cōmodo is located at Kaiserhofstraße 18, 5640 Bad Gastein, Austria, thecomodo.com

Experimental Chalet Val d’Isère in France

After launching its first ski hotel in Switzerland, the French Experimental Group is back on home soil with its soon-to-open second Alpine address in Val d’Isère. The trio behind the group has handed the keys once again to long-time collaborator Dorothée Meilichzon, who has put a fun twist on traditional Alpine design – think glossy ceilings in classic chalet shades of burgundy and green, fabric headboards with oversized cross stitching, and an interesting mix of wooden textures and shades in the public spaces. By day, guests have access to various ski slopes including cross-country and off-piste, and by night, the hotel’s three restaurants are complemented by the brand’s signature Experimental Cocktail Club bar for après-ski drinks.

Experimental Chalet Val d’Isère is located at rue de la Poste, 73150 Val-d’Isère, France, experimentalchaletvaldisere.com

Forestis Dolomites in Italy

Forestis Dolomites owners Stefan Hinteregger and Teresa Unterthiner tapped South Tyrolean architect Armin Sader to imagine the minimalist mountain retreat in a way that encourages guests to reconnect with nature. Sadar put Dolomite stone at the centre of the Forestis style, along with spruce wood furnishings crafted bespoke by a local carpenter. Smooth curved lines in the spa suites make a soothing space for relaxation whilst the textured walls and a heavy wooden tasting table in the wine cellar create a more rustic atmosphere that nods to the local terroir. In contrast, blonde wood brings lightness to the Garden Restaurant, complemented by natural fabrics from a weaving mill in Trentino and sweeping mountain views.

Forestis Dolomites is located at Palmschoß 22, 39042 Brixen, Dolomites, Italy, forestis.it

Hotel de Len in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy

With the name ‘de len’ meaning ‘of wood’ in Ladin – a Romance language mainly spoken in the Northern Italian Dolomites by the Ladin people – it’s no surprise that Hotel de Len comes dressed from head to toe in layers of Alpine wood. Italian design team Gris+Dainese used locally sourced timber to root the hotel in the surrounding area, starting with the panels on the striking main façade. Inside, the 22 pared-back rooms have been lined with reclaimed fir and Swiss pine, both chosen not only for their style but also their natural perfume and sleep-enhancing properties. For guests who need more than just an Alpine scent to drift off, a panoramic glass-fronted spa sits on the top floor of the hotel with steam baths, salt saunas, and an outdoor rooftop Jacuzzi.

Hotel de Len is located at Via Cesare Battisti, 66, 32043 Cortina d’Ampezzo (BL), Italy, hoteldelen.it

Six Senses Crans-Montana in Switzerland

The sophisticated design of Six Senses Crans-Montana warmly welcomes guests in from the cold whilst still keeping them connected with nature. In the 78 guestrooms and suites, French interior designers AW2 put a contemporary spin on traditional cosy Swiss cabins and married together rough timber planks and soft leather and wool with modern stone-coloured wall render whilst, in the bathrooms, real stone walls were chosen as a nod to the surrounding mountainside. There’s direct ski-in and ski-out access to the Chetzeron red slope and when you’re done, refuel with piste-side dining at the hotel’s two restaurants. But in true Six Senses style the 2000 square metre spa is the heart of the hotel, where treatment rooms are imagined as mountain cabins with timber panelled walls placed around the Alpine Garden, fully landscaped with native trees and plants.

Six Senses Crans-Montana is located at Route des Téléphériques 60, 3963 Crans-Montana, Valais, Switzerland, sixsenses.com

Up until now, the Chinese car companies that have made the biggest inroad into European and American markets have tended to take existing badges and apply a new high-tech spin – like MG, Lotus, and Smart. Others have arrived with new nameplates – BYD, Nio, Zeekr, Great Wall Motor, for example – while still more manufacturers are readying themselves to enter the market in 2025 or 2026 (Hongqi Auto, Firefly, Omoda, Jaecoo, Yangwang to name a few).

The Chinese auto industry has made huge strides in innovation, safety, quality and branding in the 2020s and the country’s early and autocratically driven pivot to EVs gave it a huge head start on the technology, both in terms of home-grown brands and in the factories it runs for foreign manufacturers.

Today, over three-quarters of all EVs sold go to China, and a substantial proportion of these are built there as well. However, punitive import tariffs are coming from both the EU and the USA, spannering the sales projections of many Europe-based brands that rely on Chinese production, including Mini, Polestar and Lotus.

To the outsider, the Chinese motor industry is a dense thicket of partnerships, alliances, sub-brands, collaborations, platform-sharing and general confusion. In fact, most of the major Chinese car makers are partnered in some way or another with a Western manufacturer – it was a condition of doing business when the market opened up in the 1970s and 1980s.

SAIC Motor works alongside VW and GM, BAIC works with Hyundai and Mercedes, Dongfeng with Nissan, Honda and others. That’s not the whole story, because each conglomerate also has layers of brands and sub-brands, helped by the ease of electric platform sharing and cross-industry partnerships from big players in tech like Xiaomi and Huawei.

And don’t forget – these are just the models that match or exceed our current expectations for how a contemporary car should feel and perform. There are myriad tiny manufacturers making equally tiny cars for China’s vast rural population. Huge sellers like the Wuling Hongguang Mini EV will never break into legislatively prohibitive markets like the EU or the US, however much they tempt with their tiny footprints and low, low costs.

Here's our rough guide to new models and new brands from China that might soon become a whole lot more familiar.

Nio ET9

Nio has launched its new ET9, a ‘land jet’ styled executive flagship, 5.3m long, stuffed with sensors for autonomous driving, with active aerodynamics, self-closing doors and a four-seat layout for maximum personal space.

In this, its tenth-anniversary year, Nio is also creating Firefly, a new affordable brand that will start with this compact EV. Bearing a distinct resemblance to the defunct Honda E, the Firefly is intended as a youth-focused company.

Nio.com, Firefly.world

Avatr 11

Avatr Technology, a tie-in between Huawei and Changan Automotive, builds a number of China-only models, the 06, 07, 11 and 12. The company claims the 11 SUV is ‘inspired by spacecraft’, with innovations that include a message screen set beneath the windscreen (to ‘showcase your personality’), a luxurious interior with screens powered by Huawei's HarmonyOS, and a choice of powertrain offering up to 815km range (506 miles) on the generous China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle (CLTC).

Avatr.com

Li MEGA by Li Auto

The Li MEGA is a highly streamlined family MPV, the high-tech flagship of the Li Auto company. At 5.3m long, the MEGA lives up to its name, with a reconfigurable seven-seat interior, including the ability to turn the second and third rows into a full-size bed. All seven seats have heating, and the first and second rows have a massage function, testament to the emphasis on luxury and quality seen across the Chinese market. The MEGA has a 710km (441 mile) range.

Lixiang.com

Yangwang U9

BYD’s upmarket Yangwang brand sells the U7 sedan, U8 SUV and U9 supercar, all of which are positioned above the company’s other models and sub-brands. The latter has Western sports car manufacturers intrigued and alarmed; the pure electric supercar is said to be capable of 309 km/h with a 0 to 100 km/h spring of just 2.36 seconds and will be priced at 1.68 million RMB (c£182,000).

YangwangAuto.com

Xpeng P7+

A sleek if slightly generic sedan, the Xpeng P7+ is described by the company as the ‘world’s first AI-defined vehicle’. In practice, that means an onboard personal assistant as well as a fully-functional ADAS (Advanced driver-assistance system), at least in China.

The company showed the car at this year’s Paris Auto Salon with a view to entering the European market soon; Germany could be the first company to get on board with the use of the car’s ‘Navigation Guided Pilot’ on motorways.

Xpeng.com

Stelato S9

Huawei has other automotive ambitions in addition to Avatr, part of a series of link-ups known as the Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA) that dovetails its tech expertise into platforms developed by key manufacturers. This time it’s worked with BAIC BluePark to launch the Stelato brand, led by its flagship model, the S9 sedan.

The emphasis here is firmly on luxury and refinement, with a spacious, leather-clad interior, four reclining chairs, wooden trim on the doors and dash, and even a drop-down projection screen for the rear seats.

HIMA.auto

Luxeed S7

Yet another Huawei offshoot, Luxeed’s S7 has strong similarities to the Stelato S9. The partner here is Chery and it’s not immediately apparent what sets the S7 apart from the S9 save for a slightly longer wheelbase in the latter. There’s also the high-riding R7, which has similar styling cues, but a range extender paired with a combustion engine.

Huawei is also involved in the AITO SUV brand, a name which stands for ‘Adding Intelligence to Auto'.

HIMA.auto

Maextro S800

Finally, there’s Maextro, the last of the four brands from Huawei’s HIMA scheme, this time in collaboration with JAC. Where the Stelato S9 is aimed at the Mercedes S-Class, the Maextro S800 goes up a notch to target Maybach and Bentley.

At nearly 5.5m long, this is very much a chauffeur-driven car, with its oversized passenger compartment reflected in the silhouette. Twin-tone bodywork apes high-end Western fashions, but the S800 should pack either a pure electric powertrain or a range extender model.

Vmall.com

Hyptec SSR

Hyptec is the premium arm of GAC International, which manufacturers nearly half a million EVs every year, alongside the more mass-market Aion brand. The SSR was Hyptec’s first product, a scissor-doored electric sports car that’s also available in an ‘Ultimate Track’ edition with all wheel drive and a sub two-second sprint to 100km/h.

Hypetec.com

Rox 01

Rox Motor will have Land-Rover’s lawyers reaching for their briefs (if they haven’t already been completely deflated by past battles in China). The 01 is a ‘luxury all-terrain SUV’ with an uncanny resemblance to the new era Land-Rover Defender.

With a range extender powertrain giving 235km of pure electric range and a total range of 1,115km, the 01 has a six or seven-seat interior configuration and squared off bodywork and detailing.

RoxMotor.com

Xiaomi SU7

Xiaomi is another tech company with its origins in telecoms and its heart set on transport futures. The smartphone maker started Xiaomi Auto in 2021 and its first car, the all-electric SU7 sports sedan, went on sale in late 2023 to general acclaim. Bearing quite a strong resemblance to the Porsche Taycan, especially in profile, the SU7 was joined by the hardcore SU7 Ultra model this Autumn.

With the same four seats and full creature comforts as the ‘standard’ car, the Ultra model is claimed to have a top speed of over 350 km/h (217 mph).

XiaomiEV.com

iCar v23

Founded in 1997, Chery is a relative veteran of the Chinese car industry. In addition to its own brand products, the company launched the iCar sub-brand in 2023 to specialise in youth-centric SUVs.

The new iCar v23 electric off-roader goes on sale this month, with a bright, strong graphic identity, chunky detailing and clear inspiration from Jeeps and Japanese off-roaders.

iCarGlobal.com

Dongfeng Box

The compact Dongfeng Box is exactly the type of affordable, small EV that would flourish in the European marketplace if trading conditions allow – hence, perhaps, the imposition of tariffs. Dongfeng, which also makes the Voyah and MHero brands, have put together a coherent package that draws on a number of influences, with an impressive 430km range. Currently on sale in Switzerland for just CHF 21,990, the company also has plans for a European factory.

Dongfeng-Global.com, Dongfeng-Nammi-Box.ch

By the mid-20th century, designers such as Isamu Noguchi transformed the coffee table into a sculptural statement, pushing the boundaries of form and function. Today, its large, flat surface offers designers a canvas for experimenting with innovative materials and techniques, making it a statement piece that reflects the personality of its maker – and its owner.

See also: our favourite floor lamps and bedside lamps.

‘Meltingpot’ table by Dirk van der Kooij

In Dutch designer Dirk van der Kooij's studio, nothing goes to waste. The 'Meltingpot' coffee tables are crafted daily by the studio's colourist using unwanted plastic prototypes and colour tests, melted and pressed into moulds to create one-of-a-kind pieces. With their distinctive, plasticine-like patterns, each table tells a story of invention, circularity, and material transformation.

From €7,600, dirkvanderkooij.com

'Slon' coffee table by Ana Kraš for Matter Made

Ana Kraš’ 'Slon' tables, named after the Serbian word for 'elephant', debuted in 2015 with Brooklyn-based brand Matter Made. The design rode the rising edge of the 'chubby furniture' movement, which later defined an era of rounded, monolithic forms. Balancing cylindrical legs with a lightweight top, the 'Slon' collection includes a variety of pieces, from benches to tables, among them this portly coffee table.

From $7,100, Matter Made

'Hewn' coffee table by Sebastian Cox

British craftsman and environmentalist Sebastian Cox had been advocating for circularity in design long before it became a major topic in industry circles. The 'Hewn' coffee table, debuted in 2014 as part of his studio's 'Underwood' collection, is crafted from coppiced hazel sourced from his woodland in Kent, South England. The table’s hazel legs feature a rough, almost crude finish that provides a striking contrast to the smooth, neatly tenoned English ash top, grounding the design in its natural origins and highlighting the character of the materials​.

£625, sebastiancox.co.uk

'Plinth' coffee table by Norm Architects for Audo

A collection we admire for its simplicity and versatility, the 'Plinth' series was created for Danish brand Audo by Norm Architects, masters of soft minimalism (who also designed Audo's Tokyo store in 2024). The sleek marble podiums, celebrating the beauty and monolithic nature of stone, function seamlessly as side tables, coffee tables, or platforms for plants, sculptures, and lamps. Shown here is the 'Plinth Grand’, which is offered in four different marble types as well as Kunis Breccia stone.

From £1,250, available through Monologue

'Berg' coffee table by John Pawson for WonderGlass

Appearing like an ice sculpture, the chunky glass 'Berg' coffee table is the result of a collaboration between esteemed designer John Pawson and the skilled craftsmen at WonderGlass in Veneto, Italy. Made from cast glass, which gives its surface a slightly uneven ice-like quality, the table’s sculptural form highlights the possibilities of glass as a medium for delicate yet dramatic design.

£15,055, available through SCP

'Fortune' coffee tables by Egg Collective

Highlighting the hidden powers that objects and symbols hold, the sinuous 'Fortune' coffee tables by New York-based studio Egg Collective nestle together like jigsaw pieces. Available in three sizes and 12 shapes, the modular tables can stand alone or combine to create larger surfaces or sculptural landscapes. Crafted in burnished or polished stainless steel, select pieces feature an optional inlay composition that showcases symbolic motifs from Egg Collective’s 2023 ‘Snake Eyes’ collection. These symbols – such as Protection (Eye), Transformation (Serpent), and Eternal Love (Hand + Heart) – reinforce themes of mysticism and personal meaning.

From $14,000, Egg Collective

'Undique Mas' tables by Patricia Urquiola for Kartell

In 2023, Patricia Urquiola reimagined her existing collection of ‘Undique’ tables for Kartell to create ‘Undique Mas’ – softer, fuller and more generous pieces with an almost cartoon-like appearance. Realised in polyester-lacquered beechwood, the tables are available in three different shapes and sizes and in three complementary colours so that they can be easily arranged in convivial groups.

From £658, Kartell, also available from Heal's

'Monjiro' coffee table by Sori Yanagi for HIDA Sangyo

Japanese designer Sori Yanagi, a pioneer of postwar industrial design, combined simplicity and functionality with modern forms. His 'Monjiro' coffee table, part of the ‘Yanagi’ collection for HIDA Sangyo, features a round solid white oak top supported by a criss-crossed chrome base. Produced in Gifu Prefecture, it reflects HIDA’s century-old woodworking expertise and dedication to sustainability.

£1,818, available through Rarify

Coffee table by Si Hyun Park

Despite its industrial appearance, this bent stainless steel coffee table by Royal College of Art graduate Si Hyun Park is rooted in the practical values of Shaker furniture. Sturdy, lightweight, and low maintenance, the sandblasted stainless steel surfaces feature nature-inspired patterns such as tree bark and animal skin, resulting in an intriguing fusion of references. First spotted by us at London Design Festival 2024, Park later participated in 'Adaptions', a group show of hacked USM furniture at London design store Aram.

£2,300, Si Hyun Park

'Pastille' coffee table by Vonnegut Kraft

The 'Pastille' coffee table was created in 2018 through a collaboration between Brooklyn-based ceramist Natalie Weinberger and designers Vonnegut Kraft. Featuring a tactile matte black ceramic top with a pitted glaze, the table’s graphic stretcher base creates optical illusions, with moire patterns that shift depending on the viewer's perspective.

POA, available through Colony

01. Orchid by Telepathic Instruments

One of the players behind newcomer Telepathic Instruments is Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker. That’s piqued the interest for the company’s first product, the Orchid synthesizer and chord generator. Expect to hear more from them in 2025.

READ MORE

02. Fender x Hello Kitty Stratocaster

The ultimate musical mash-up returned in time to celebrate Sanrio’s famous feline’s 50th. Fender Japan cannily cranked up the kawaii with bespoke guitars, including the revival of its Squier Hello Kitty Stratocaster, and a plethora of accessories.

READ MORE

03. Epson EF-22 Projector

Epson EF-22 is a compact laser projector that performs perfectly and unobtrusively, sized so you can store it away when not in use and featuring Google TV for ease of everyday operation.

READ MORE

04. Openhagen LightBoks projector

On the other hand, you might want to keep your projector on display, in which case the warm wooden stylings of the LightBoks, from Danish maker Openhagen, is the one for you.

READ MORE

05. Apple Watch Series 10

Incremental increases may be possible, but the Apple Watch has come a long way since it debuted in 2015. The Apple Watch Series 10 is the most sophisticated (and sensor-stuffed) device you can wear.

READ MORE

06. Ten years of Monument Valley

Now that the long-awaited Monument Valley 3 has arrived on Netflix, revisit the story of the original game.

READ MORE

07. Analogue3D console

More gaming nostalgia in the form of the Analogue3D console, which brings back the catalogue of Nintendo’s famous N64 console.

READ MORE

08. Bring Your Own Keyboard

Writers love to find new ways of practising their craft. In addition to the reMarkable Paper Pro, our paltry attention span was piqued by the distraction-free design of the BYOK screen.

READ MORE

09. Teenage Engineering EP-1320

TE had a busy year, culminating in the all-new OP-XY sequencer. We couldn’t resist the stylings of the EP 1320 Medieval, a quirky ‘portal into a world of imagined medieval grooves.’

READ MORE

10. On Google Gemini and the rise of AI

AI is such a fast-moving sector that our July musings on the ins and outs of the tech have been superseded many times over. As Google readies Astra, its next-gen multi-modal AI assistant, check back and see the origins of the tech before it blends seamlessly into our lives.

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Crib notes

Name: Ellen Hodakova Larsson

Brand: Hodakova

Alumnus of: The Swedish School of Textiles

City: Stockholm, Sweden

Signature style: Equestrian rigour meets experimental glamour.

Design philosophy

Ellen Hodakova Larsson is both a dreamer and a pragmatist. Raised on a farm in rural Sweden, the designer grew up feeding the horses every morning, chopping wood when her dad was on military service, and watching her crafty mum hand-make everything from clothes to furniture. It’s a life of pastoral simplicity that one might think would be at odds with a career in fashion. However, Larsson’s youth has shaped a design language that is completely her own. Led by an innate respect for the land, the designer makes treasure out of countryside deadstock, twisting the preppy codes of equestrian-wear with a wildly experimental kind of glamour. ‘Looking after the farm and the animals, it’s a kind of care that has shaped me in so many ways,’ she tells Wallpaper* over a video call from her home in Stockholm, where she now lives. ‘You appreciate everything you get back.’

We’re meeting on an afternoon in mid-December, and the designer says she spent the night before enjoying Christmas festivities with her team. ‘I still have a little bit of a headache,’ she says. ‘But it's a really good time to celebrate with everyone here in Sweden.’ Celebrations are more than well-deserved. Larsson has worked incredibly hard in 2024, producing two mind-bendingly meticulous collections, crafting bespoke pieces for celebrities like Cate Blanchett and Saoirse Ronan, and making history as the first Swedish designer to win the LVMH Prize. ‘It's been a crazy year,’ she says. ‘People have been supportive in so many ways. It’s been amazing seeing how they’ve connected with the work.’

Larsson founded her namesake brand in 2021 upon graduating from Stockholm Textile School. In these brief years, she has already honed a design language that is rich and deep, breathing new life into materials sourced from the countryside with incredible wit and skill. Shown in a shadowy chamber on Place Vendôme, her runway debut at Paris Fashion Week this September saw items forgotten by time – such as leather belts, buttons, pocket watches, and oil paintings – woven and warped into a collection that celebrated the landscapes of her childhood. Fur berets salvaged from second-hand stores clumped to make cocktail dresses; riding boots were deconstructed and remodelled into mini skirts; and vintage tea towels were refashioned into chic A-line sets. An astonishing display of emotion and craft, it signalled Larsson’s arrival as one of fashion’s most interesting new storytellers.

‘It's always like a little bit of a diary entry from my point of view, of where I am in relation to the world,’ she says when asked what was on her mind during its making. ‘It was about my love for being in the quiet countryside, the spatiality. I spend more time in the city than I've ever done before, and I feel like I have a hate-love relationship with it. I've just been in a period of longing back to some kind of root or airiness. I romanticise about the smell of the stables nowadays when I’m here.’

Beyond the fantastical efforts of her more conceptual pieces – such as a dress crafted from landscape oil paintings, worn as if the model were piercing through the horizon – the goosebump-raising effect of Larsson’s work is in the details. Leather belts interlock in intricate lattices, waves of glimmering zippers echo the brushstrokes of paintings, and dozens of starched collars encase the body in ribbon-like pleats. Larsson’s process is tactile, and she often starts by draping directly onto the body before spending hours playing with materials that we often overlook, like buttons or zips, in the hope that bringing them into focus will make us think about clothes in a new way. ‘I like using materials that everyone knows, that people recognise,’ she says. ‘I try to use them in a way that changes your perspective. It creates more consciousness.’

Paired with these ideas is another kind of consciousness. Larsson’s dream is to build a fully sustainable fashion house, and she has set about laying down slow, resourceful practices to make that a reality. ‘We have a quite big sorting facility here and there are a lot of second-hand companies we have a collaboration with,’ she says. ‘I really care about the earth. I don't understand how we can live in the world and make so much garbage. We need to do it in another way.’

From telling stories grown from the soil of Strängnäs to the effort of transforming hundreds of spoons into a dress fit for the red carpet, for Larsson everything is personal. At the close of a momentous year, looking forward to 2025, she’s not losing sight of what matters. ‘It's super important for me to show the pieces that actually make me feel something,’ she says. ‘Because if I don’t feel it, no one else will.’

In their words

‘My mum and dad took over my grandma’s house when my grandpa died. There was a lot to do. It was a place where we had horses and animals. In general, we did everything a little bit ourselves, agricultural-wise. Both of my parents are very much doers. They're super unafraid of jumping into projects and not knowing anything; they’ve always trusted the way of learning by doing. My mum’s a really good painter. She's a really good seamstress. She's really good at interior design. She's good at everything. I appreciate it so much because she always did this around us. We were part of it.

‘I always loved painting and my mum encouraged me to study art. We were quite free at the fashion school; they just gave us the tools to understand where we were going. We learned to do tailoring. We learned to do big object spatiality projects. We did everything in between art and construction. I think that's where I am, you know? I think all these things combined and developed, and design became a very natural way for me to think about the communication of ideas. I want to create work that makes you wonder or creates curiosity. I think curiosity is what makes us have conversations.

‘With my upbringing, sustainability is just a core thing of mine. I think it's amazing to see that people want to be part of this kind of change. It’s not about trends. It's actually rooted in the realness of the garments. There’s so much work put into them, but when they come together it's just a little bit of a magic moment. I want everyone to feel that I mean it. It’s the difference between an oil painting and an acrylic one.’

Where to buy

Shop Hodakova at Ssense and hodakova.com.

Dhammada Collective: a profile

At the core of the collective’s work are two interlinked ideas. The first is participatory design, best exemplified by their largest commission to date: an ongoing project in collaboration with the non-profit Hunnarshala Foundation to co-create over 50 ‘rural homestays’ directly with homeowners across nine villages in the central state of Madhya Pradesh for the local tourism board.

Similarly, in the northern hilly state of Himachal Pradesh, the collective is working with students and villagers to rebuild a primary school that was ravaged by recent floods. This method, especially in this part of the world, comes with its challenges. ‘We’re engaging with communities who haven't worked with architects before,’ says Channa. ‘So building trust is a struggle. We have to unlearn what we have learnt and learn from what they know.’

Cultural preservation is the second aspect that unites the collective’s work; every project begins with a survey of local materials and vernacular ways of building and living. A plunge pool at a private homestay in Bhopal, for instance, is constructed in locally sourced basalt, topped with red sandstone that further encases ‘grinding’ stones made by local craftsmen – in a design reminiscent of traditional stepwells.

The group’s work in this realm also extends to discourse. An exhibition designed for the Hunnarshala Foundation as part of the Sharjah Architecture Triennial 2023 shined the spotlight on a variety of traditional building crafts, from brick dome-making to mud and lacquer work. Another upcoming exhibition will employ the traditional Indian charpai (woven bed) to present how pastoral communities travel with their homes.

‘I can’t say that it’s very financially rewarding yet,’ admits Prabhakar of their unconventional practice, ‘but we’re hoping to get there someday.’ The collective has already started developing craft-based products, as much to diversify their revenue streams as to support local economies.

The big dream is to digitally document and make vernacular building traditions across the country available for public access. ‘Sometimes architects have to play roles beyond that of just a designer,’ he says, in an obvious nod to the name of the practice – dhamma ada – which loosely translates to ‘performing one’s duty.’

dhammadacollective.com

Top 10 design stories of 2024

Patricia Urquiola and Kvadrat's sustainable upholstery

Named Best Recycled Material at the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2024, Patricia Urquiola’s Sport textile for Kvadrat was a collaboration with Swiss company #tide and is the world’s first upholstery textile made of 100 per cent ocean-bound plastic.

The post-consumer plastic used is collected within 10km of the coastline of Thailand, as part of #tide’s commitment to prevent the materials from reaching the oceans.

The resulting sportswear-inspired fabric features subtle tactile patterns enriching the surface and a colour palette defined by vibrant shades of purple, green and blue, as well as a series of neutrals.

Writer: Rosa Bertoli

READ MORE

Design Dynasties: the powerhouse families of Italian furnishing

Wallpaper* met with eight Italian families who, generation after generation, have set the standards of furniture design across the globe. These 'Design Dynasties' generously shared the personal stories and experiences behind their success with our writer Laura May Todd. They spoke of their longest-serving pieces and the dynamics that have emerged from being both a family and a business. Through her photographs, Bea de Giacomo captures glimpses of their familial settings and their most cherished designs.

Writer Laura May Todd

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A new era for Iittala

‘Imperfect’, ‘disruptive’ and ‘unpredictable’ are not words often associated with Finnish design, least of all with Iittala, one of its founding fathers. But new creative director Janni Vepsäläinen is not afraid to use all three and apply them to the 143-year-old company. Iittala now hails a new era, led by Vepsäläinen, and marked by a new logo and collections that pay homage to Aino and Alvar Aalto's heritage.

During Stockholm Furniture Fair 2024, Vepsäläinen unveiled her first collection, within a former nuclear reactor in the city. It wasn't your average debut; London-based composer and artist Damsel Elysium performed a piece using glass ‘instruments’, ranging from 2m-long horns to bells and bottles, all hand-blown in the Iittala factory near Helsinki.

Writer: Emma O'Kelly

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Ikea and Raw Color's vibrant crafts

‘Tesammans’ means 'together' or 'in company' in English. It is also the name of the latest collaboration between Ikea and Raw Color, a studio based in Eindhoven and founded by Christoph Brach and Daniera ter Haar. The collection is full of playful designs, vibrant textures and an eye-catching colour palette.

Ikea’s creative brief to the pair was direct yet liberating – reveal the potential of the spectrum. ‘Raw Color possesses a distinctive grasp of colour’s potency, its emotional impact, and its role in shaping our living environments,’ Maria O'Brian, creative Leader at Ikea of Sweden told us. ‘We aim for this collection to spark creativity and empower individuals to craft vibrant and cheerful living spaces in their daily routines.’

Writer: Yoko Choy

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David Lynch presents 'A Thinking Room' at Salone del Mobile

Visitors to Salone del Mobile 2024 were offered a new cinematic experience. The revered director David Lynch – known for cult films like Mulholland Drive, Inland Empire and Wild at Heart – designed an exhibition entitled 'Interiors by David Lynch. A Thinking Room' on the grounds of the Rho Fiera. The exhibition marked a new kind of venture for the Oscar-winning auteur, but according to its curator, Antonio Monda, former artistic director of the Rome Film Festival, it came not totally out of the blue.

'A few years earlier I presented Lynch the lifetime achievement award at the Rome Film Festival, and when I visited him in Los Angeles I found him polishing a desk. I asked him, what are you doing? And he told me he designs furniture now,' recounts Monda. 'So when the Salone del Mobile invited me to commission a filmmaker for this special event, I knew he was the real deal.'

Writer Laura May Todd

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Rimowa and La Marzocco’s compact espresso machine

Rimowa, globally known for its premium luggage, united with La Marzocco, an expert in espresso machinery, to present a carefully crafted Linea Mini espresso machine celebrating German and Italian design and engineering.

Merging Rimowa's signature grooved aluminium with La Marzocco’s engineering, the Linea Mini is a compact design accessorised with bespoke compartments, and packs an artistic punch with your morning shot of espresso.

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Ido Yoshimoto's sculptural pieces

We visited sculptor Ido Yoshimoto at his California studio, where he spoke about his work with wood, from his beginning as an arborist to his sculptures and furniture made with local reclaimed material – whether salvaged cedar, walnut or cypress, or old-growth redwood downed by disaster.

For Yoshimoto, making art is a way to figure out how things work, and how to fix what is broken. Sometimes it’s just repairing an old pepper grinder or cleaning a fish. But it’s also about living as nature, not with nature, an expression of curiosity and connection. Making art makes the world feel less mysterious because it’s tinkering in its highest form.

Writer: Shonquis Moreno

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50 years of the Rubik’s Cube

Hidden away in Budapest’s Buda Hills stands Hungarian inventor Ernő Rubik’s minimalist five-storey abode. Adorned with multiple scenic terraces, it stars an elevator that conveniently glides between levels and furniture of Rubik’s own design. 'Yes, I made other things, too,' he told Wallpaper* on a tour through his comfortable rooms, 'but people only want to talk about the cube.’

The cube, of course, is the Rubik’s Cube, the bestselling 3D combination puzzle that the inventor dreamed up back in 1974. Twisting and turning into some 43 quintillion permutations, the six-sided cube is clad in vibrantly tinted squares that beckon enthusiastic problem solvers.

Fifty years after its birth, we spoke with Rubik about the history of a design classic.

Writer Alia Akkam

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Air Play Moon Safari

While the ‘Air Play Moon Safari’ tour was in full swing across Europe, the USA and Mexico during 2024 (they're playing 2025 dates too), we explored the design of the French band's White Box stage. They played their intimate, retro-futurist classic album, in full, from a five-sided, white-walled, 21:9 aspect-ratio letterbox that faced its voyeuristic audiences like Hitchcock’s Rear Window property as reimagined by Californian modernists. 'It could be a home, it could be our world, our head… our architectural concept,' they said of the project.

Writer Simon Mills

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Designing the Olympics

How do you begin to design the Olympics? On the eve of this year's event, we pulled up a pew with Joachim Roncin, the director of design for Paris 2024, to learn more about gender-free mascots with a genital likeness and medals made from the Eiffel Tower.

This had been a five-year assignment with a sprawling, impossibly broad scope, a hard deadline, a global audience and – ideally – a positive legacy that will span generations of future citizens. The heat was real.

Writer Hugo Macdonald

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‘There were people who had little point and shoot cameras at the time,’ continues Smith, ‘but I was the only one doing what I was doing.’ Over nearly a decade the photographer took 1000s of Polaroids, selling them first for $3 a piece, and later $5. Now, forty years after her Ritz initiation, IDEA Books has launched a new monograph of Smith’s photographs, titled Camera Girl and edited by former editor-in-chief of LIFE magazine, Bill Shapiro. ‘When I look at these old Polaroids, what I feel is creativity and community, freedom and hedonism, excitement and envy,’ observes the DJ Honey Dijon, who spoke with Shapiro for the book’s introduction. ‘These pictures talk to me.’

Indeed, there is a vibrancy about Smith’s pictures that make them specific to the era; a moment when, off the back of a stark financial period in the city, creativity was flourishing, manifesting perhaps most plainly in the recent advent of disco, hip-hop and punk. There’s an energy and an intimacy about the photographs that would be hard to mimic on a camera phone today; sweat patches are not uncommon, while poses appear less contrived. ‘I would chat people up, and if there was a particularly interesting looking person who I felt expressed something about that particular time, I would ask if I could take a photograph for my collection,’ shares the photographer, recalling how she amassed an archive. ‘Almost always they said yes, even celebrities. It was a very different context – you don't see celebrities hanging out in clubs anymore, they're roped off. It's not the same.’

While famous musicians, many of them just starting out in their career, were privy to Smith’s lens – amongst them Madonna, Grace Jones and Iggy Pop; Jones, notably, making several cameos throughout the book – Smith’s biggest thrill was shooting David Bowie she says. ‘Maybe because he just was an amazing, genius person, and a very kind person in the moment that I took his photo.’ Highlighting the picture’s physicality, on the page next to his portrait the back of the photograph reveals Smith’s administration process, with a handwritten name and date (by 1981 she’d upgraded to a stamp). ‘That was Bill's idea [for the book], and we decided to do it with all the celebrities, as a reference to the fact that these are not digital things – they're objects, artifacts.’

Less instant but just as engrossing as those recognisable faces, are the styles that shine through: in some pictures a face isn’t even shown, just a torso or the back of a head, clad in satin magenta or sprayed pastel pink, respectively. ‘A lot of people dressed up; there were lots of celebrity clones, then other people were creating fashion,’ notes Smith. On the book’s cover, a body moves in gold disco pants and a cummerbund-esc starry belt; it’s a strikingly effective place to start, setting the book’s tone. ‘Spandex was a really big deal in the 80s, everybody wore those shiny things,’ says the photographer. ‘Truthfully, that's a photo I didn't pay much attention to until we were looking for the cover, but I wanted something suggestive, symbolic of the time, and that was kind of sexy and seductive.’

‘My own persona developed maybe six months in,’ she continues, alluding to her own sartorial leanings. ‘I called myself Rose, with these black slinky dresses and lace fingerless gloves. I don't know that it was totally conscious at the moment, it certainly was an evolution of the work for me to have a role like that, giving me some distance and perspective.’ Similarly important in navigating the scene was her apparatus, and the interactive quality of the Polaroid. ‘It teaches you a lot about how to approach people,’ reflects Smith. ‘There's a humanity in there, instead of just grab and go, which is what a lot of photographers used to do. But these photographs now are like souvenirs, and I have a lot of affection for those people, for that time in our cultural history. It will never be repeated, it’s done. It’s over.’

Sharon Smith, Camera Girl, is published by IDEA books

ideanow.online/cameragirl

The area’s architecture is equally distinguished, boasting treasures from masters of modernism such as A Quincy Jones and Paul R Williams. All in all, this one-acre clifftop parcel (later expanded to two acres) demanded something very special.

Explore this Beverly Hills house, where big ideas come to life

‘The client wanted a contemporary home, but he didn’t want it to be too cold, too conventionally modern,’ says Donaldson. ‘We wanted to go a step beyond.’ It was the kind of challenge the architect tends to relish: the LA- and Santa Barbara-based Donaldson (then working with longtime partner Russell Shubin; now under his own moniker as Donaldson + Partners) has built a reputation over more than three decades as one of the region’s most daring residential designers.

Emerging from the office of local legend Thom Mayne in the early 1990s, the ostensibly laidback, in fact quietly intense Donaldson proceeded to pursue his own course with projects – notably Hill House in Montecito – that temper the exuberant, techno-forward SoCal style with a contemplative, intellectual aura that’s very much his own. ‘I have always been interested in terrain and topography, and how those intersect with architecture,’ he says. ‘I don’t believe in just doing a neo-modernist Case Study sort of house.’

Donaldson’s experimental disposition would prove a key asset in working on this project with the client, who has a presence on both coasts and a personal philosophy that keeps him in constant search of new thinking in the arts and sciences.

‘The greatest journey is the realisation of potential,’ says the client. ‘What’s wonderful, I think, is living a life of curiosity.’ With that as a starting point, the geology-loving client summoned Donaldson, Shubin, and a diverse group of collaborators, including experts from French jewellery house Van Cleef & Arpels, as well as London collective Based Upon, for an open-ended session aimed at creating a house that could foster similar exchanges, hosting salons with visiting writers and artists: a place, as the client puts it, ‘where ideas and learning would always be happening’.

As the design began to take shape, it would prove an ample container for all the concepts at play within it. At 23,000 sq ft, the structure forms a flying wedge in plan, its two upper-level wings housing the primary bedrooms and opening out to a pool deck with a dramatic panorama of the city; in the middle of the ‘V’ sits a half-sunken courtyard, surrounded by the lower level of the house with its ample bar, 24-seater cinema, spa and gym.

The recurring theme, visually speaking, is the fractal: rendered
in multifaceted fibreglass panels, the motif is everywhere, its hard-edged, armour-ish effect softened by the rich bronze colour of the material and the lush interior scheme from designers Nicole Hollis and Joan Behnke. Down the length of the allée that approaches it, the building’s funnel-like entrance and unusual skin make it singularly hard to read, exactly as its architect intended. ‘It’s something you can’t easily pin down,’
says Donaldson. ‘It has this timelessness.’

As the project moved forward, the client’s particular creative outlook and ambitions began to map themselves onto the Shubin-Donaldson scheme, becoming part of the architectural procession.

Moving through the house, visitors encounter raw gemstones – blue lapis from Afghanistan and opal from Australia – embedded in niches in the walls. Selected in tandem with Van Cleef & Arpels, the geological specimens represent the latent possibilities of materials, as well as in human beings. ‘It’s about beauty and potentiality,’ says the client. ‘And also the beauty of potentiality.’

With almost any other architect, making this unusual narrative an organic part of the design might have been a challenge; not so for Donaldson, whose particular approach helped him accommodate the heady agenda. ‘I think of it almost like a film,’ he says. ‘The house frames these various views and experiences.’

And in a twist befitting a Hollywood screenplay, the house is now also home to a new, unexpected, younger occupant: the client’s first child, born shortly before the project was completed. For its residents, the thematic synchrony is just another of the house’s pleasures. ‘It was
done with so much love and care and intent,’ says the client. ‘It’s very cocooning.’

donaldsonplus.com

Hotel Christmas trees around the world

Sir Paul Smith for Claridge’s in London, UK

Each year, the tree unveiling at Claridge’s is one of Mayfair’s most anticipated events, and this season, it did not fail to impress. Partnering with British designer Paul Smith, the 19ft Christmas tree is a playful nod to the craftsmanship and tradition of toy making. 100 birdhouses decorate the branches, with roofs crafted from playing cards, postage stamps and dice. ‘When designing this year’s tree, I automatically thought of a birdhouse, friendly and optimistic, a symbol of home, which reflects the welcoming spirit of Claridge’s,’ shared the designer.

Claridge’s is located at Brook St, London W1K 4HR, UK claridges.co.uk

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Farrow & Ball x Christopher John Rogers for Riggs Washington D.C. in USA

From blue lobsters to pink shallots, these are the eclectic adornments strung throughout the Farrow & Ball x Christopher John Rogers Christmas tree for Riggs Washington D.C. Although perhaps eclectic to some, the British paint and paper makers were inspired by the names of its paint colours, creating a literal representation of each one. The tree was also made in partnership with colourful fashion designer Christopher John Rogers, who is known for his vibrant use of patterns. Drawing on memories of food and family, the tree is an explosion of 12 statement colours, and varying geometric patterns and prints.

Riggs Washington D.C. is located at 900 F St NW, Washington, DC 20004, United States, riggsdc.com

Jenny Packham for Pulitzer Amsterdam in The Netherlands

For the Christmas tree at Pulitzer Amsterdam, British fashion designer Jenny Packham looked to the hotel’s artistic heritage which is made up of 25 restored 17th and 18th-century canal houses, alongside the famed work of Dutch painter, Johannes Vermeer, specifically his painting, Girl with a Pearl Earring. The tree, which stands at nearly nine metres tall, intertwines Packham’s signature eye for detail, with intricate pearl drops, hand beading and golden age embellishments. The tree was decorated with sustainability in mind, with the intention to be reused to minimise waste.

Pulitzer Amsterdam is located at Prinsengracht 323, 1016 GZ Amsterdam, Netherlands, pulitzeramsterdam.com

Maria Rivans x Philip Hammond for 45 Park Lane in London, UK

The 1946 film It’s a Wonderful Life is the focal point of inspiration for this year’s festive installation at 45 Park Lane in London. The installation is designed to blend film and TV genres while reinventing plot lines, looking like it was plucked from the golden age of Hollywood. British artist Maria Rivans worked in collaboration with florist Philip Hammond to create the installation, alongside her own exhibition ‘Tinseltown’, which will be displayed in the hotel’s lobby and bar.

45 Park Lane is located at 45 Park Ln, London W1K 1PN, UK dorchestercollection.com

Piro for The Madrid Edition in Spain

Located in the heart of The Madrid Edition hotel, a texturally abstract Christmas tree is framed by the hotel’s spiral staircase. The 4.5-metre tree was designed by Spanish visual artist Andrés Sanchez, known as Piro, who crafts sensory and colourful pieces. The sculptural ‘tree’ is composed of raw canvas fabrics which fluidly combine colours and textures, offering a modern and abstract take on a ‘typical’ Christmas tree.

The Madrid Edition is located at Pl. de Celenque, 2, 28013 Madrid, Spain, editionhotels.com

Kengo Kuma x Tokyo Edition Toranomon and Ginza in Japan

At The Tokyo Edition, Toranomon and The Tokyo Edition, Ginza, iconic Japanese architect Kengo Kuma unveiled his two Christmas trees designed to reflect its individual hotel settings. The material palette for both is simple, minimal and natural – crafted purely from wood. With minimal curves and lines by skilled craftsmen the trees are a symphony of oak, magnolia, walnut and maple – and, in a sustainable festive twist, after Christmas, the trees will be dismantled and transformed into furniture.

The Tokyo Edition, Toranomon is located at 4 Chome-1-1 Toranomon, Minato City, Tokyo 105-0001, Japan, editionhotels.com

The Tokyo Edition, Ginza is located at 2 Chome-8-13 Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0061, Japan, editionhotels.com

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What’s a stone dial?

It might be worth taking a moment to understand what is, and isn’t, a ‘stone dial’. Typically, the term refers to watches whose dials are made from semi-precious stones, cut to a thin slice and polished to reveal the mineral’s beauty. Some people include mother-of-pearl (cut from mollusc’s shells) and meteorite in the category; meteorite is also fundamentally stone – rocks rich in iron ore that when acid-treated and polished reveal a jagged geometric pattern – but there is a distinction between this and the mined stones that watchmakers normally use, such as malachite, lapis lazuli, onyx, tiger’s eye and aventurine.

Stone-dial watches’ new-found popularity is no surprise when you consider the shift away from 1960s and 1970s sports watches towards the ‘cocktail hour’ timepieces typical of the late 1970s and 1980s, over the last couple of years. No brand is closer to the prevailing mood than Piaget, which, accordingly, relaunched its Black Tie model at the end of 2024.

The watch had previously been colloquially known as ‘the Andy Warhol’ thanks to its prominence in the artist’s extensive collection of watches. Now the name has been formally adopted and the watch revamped to be even thinner and dressier than before. A new edition features a clous de Paris textured finish on its broad, shallow-stepped flanks as well as a blue meteorite dial; but the mineral treasures don’t stop there. Customers are also invited, says Piaget, to create a custom watch, with ten options for precious stone dials on offer.

It’s no less than you’d expect from one of the original jeweller-watchmakers. But stone dials are also cropping up at brands better known for simple sports watches; over the last few years, Omega has introduced malachite and lapis lazuli dials into its Seamaster 300 collection, alongside aventurine and meteorite Constellation pieces. Hublot, this autumn, partnered with Singapore retailer The Hour Glass to release a set of five Classic Fusion watches with stone dials, limited to ten pieces each, with dials in pink jasper, turquoise, sodalite, nephrite jade and lunar meteorite. It would be a stretch to say the collection surprised fans, given Hublot’s propensity for embracing a wide variety of styles, but it wasn’t something we could have envisaged a year or two ago.

What really was surprising, and pleasantly so, was the appearance of hard-stone dials at Frederique Constant, a brand not known for its daring and indulgent personality, but the Classic Moonphase was revitalised by the addition of a malachite dial, with its vivid green irregular stripes. The ability of such stones to provide an organic, abstract, infinitely varied dial pattern, distinct from machined finishes or the uniformity offered by enamel and lacquer, is their greatest asset.

This exclusivity, coupled with the minerals’ inherent rarity and the difficulty of machining solid stone into a dial that may then need holes cutting in it for the hands, hour markers and so on, has traditionally accounted for high price points and low volumes. And although that remains the case at many brands, there are also independent watchmakers producing enthralling stone-dialled watches for comparatively affordable sums.

Pivoting adroitly away from tool watches, French cult brand Baltic stunned collectors with a run of stone-dial watches in its Prismic collection. The colours seemed more intense than any other stone dials around, particularly the volcanic orange of its red agate. Elsewhere, one of 2024’s most hotly observed start-ups, Toledano & Chan, launched its debut design, the B/1, with a lapis lazuli dial. For the revival of British casemaking name Dennison, the brand chose to launch a series of quartz-powered ellipse-shaped dress watches with tigers’ eye, lapis lazuli, malachite and aventurine. For £557, they offer a touch of smoky-nightclub-era Piaget for a fraction of the price.

Others have latched onto the power a well-chosen stone can have when it comes to evolving an existing collection. Arguably the biggest launch of the year for seasoned watch nerds was that of Berneron, the eponymous brand from the hitherto-unknown former Breitling creative director Sylvain Berneron. Majoring on unconventional design and uncompromising mechanics, it had world-weary watch aficionados swooning. But for the second act, delivered mere months after the first, Berneron shrunk the case size and swapped its iconoclastic wobbly numerals for a plain stone dial. The twist was that each dial featured a small seconds display that had been painstakingly recessed, a challenging approach with such a brittle material.

It was a similar story at Biver, which launched into the horological firmament in 2023 with a jaw-dropping (and jaw-droppingly expensive) minute repeater. Following that in 2024 with a simple, automatic watch could have resulted in a substantial anticlimax, but the answer was obvious: launch the watches with mesmerising stone dials. Naturally, they were a hit.

There are threads that link these conversations: both Demna and Kim Jones talk about modernising the historic art of haute couture, at Balenciaga and Dior Men respectively, while Nadège Vanhée also talks about her quietly rebellious revolution of Hermès’ womenswear collections. Meanwhile, renegade British designer Martine Rose talks about bringing her disruptive vision to the usually polite Milan Fashion Week. America – perhaps down to its shifting political landscape – is also a thematic thread, explored in conversations with Tory Burch, Willy Chavarria, and a new generation of New York-based designers who consider the future of New York Fashion Week.

Selected by Wallpaper* fashion features editor Jack Moss, these wide-ranging fashion interviews tell the intriguing stories behind the designers who’ve shaped 2024.

Nadège Vanhée on a decade of womenswear at Hermès

In the September Style Issue of Wallpaper*, Nadège Vanhée – the artistic director of Hermès’ womenswear collections – opened up about her past ten years at the venerable French Maison. ‘It’s a balance between what I love and what I want to explore – my obsessions, my feelings. What I want to wear, yes, but also pieces that go out of my comfort zone,’ she says of her quietly rebellious design philosophy, which contemplates ideas of female liberation and sensuality. Or in her words: ‘What is the life of a woman today?’

READ: ‘What is the life of a woman?’: Nadège Vanhée on a decade of womenswear at Hermès

The story behind Kim Jones’ first Dior Men couture collection

In June, Kim Jones presented his first couture collection for Dior Men, a virtuosic expression of savoir-faire that drew on the on-stage uniforms of the ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev (the designer’s uncle, Colin Jones, was a former dancer who photographed Nureyev in 1966 for Time magazine). Speaking to Wallpaper* in Paris a few months later – amid preparations for his S/S 2025 show – Jones said the impetus for the collection was a growing desire from consumers for the unique and precious. ‘People want something that nobody else has,’ he told us.

READ: The story behind Kim Jones’ showstopping first couture collection for Dior Men

Willy Chavarria on rewriting American fashion

Ahead of a standout show at New York Fashion Week in September, Willy Chavarria – one of American fashion’s most distinct new voices – sat down with Ann Binlot to discuss the collection, which was titled ‘América’ and paid homage to immigrants’ contribution to the country’s infrastructure (Chavarria is of Mexican-American descent). ‘The community that I grew up in as a kid had a tremendous influence on not only my aesthetic and my work ethic, but also my view of what the country is that we live in, what it means to be American,’ he said. 'I wanted to shine a light on the people who make this country work.’

READ: How Willy Chavarria is rewriting American fashion

The renaissance of Tory Burch

‘I feel like a new designer,’ Tory Burch told us in the August issue of Wallpaper*, a celebration of creative America. A perennial fixture on the New York design scene – her eponymous label began in 2004 – recent seasons have seen something of a renaissance for Burch, who is flexing her creative muscle with experimental and unexpected collections that have garnered her a whole new generation of fans. ‘The only regret I have is that I didn’t do all of this sooner,’ she says.

READ: Inside the renaissance of Tory Burch

A rare conversation with Jil Sander

The occasion of a new Irma Boom-designed monograph led to a rare conversation with seminal German designer Jil Sander this November, seeing the designer reminisce on a career in fashion that began in 1968. ‘I was surprised by the strong feminine side of my work,’ she told Wallpaper*. ‘Some voices categorised me as a designer for business wear. But I was always interested in changing the general performance of men and women... I looked for a more intellectual sensuality.’

READ: A rare conversation with Jil Sander as she releases a career-spanning monograph

Demna’s thoroughly modern haute couture for Balenciaga

Speaking to Dal Chodha in the March Style Issue of Wallpaper*, Demna opened up about his distinctly contemporary vision for the Balenciaga’s haute couture line – a pitch for the historic medium’s relevancy today. ‘I always knew that couture had this kind of magic to it, of being an experiential way of wearing clothes,’ he said. ‘I just wondered if it would still be like that. The world we live in is so oversaturated with information, colour, visuals. We’ve become numb to the beauty of the world. Why don’t we see the beauty anymore? We need it to survive as a human race.’

READ: Balenciaga’s Demna on creating thoroughly modern haute couture

Martine Rose on bringing her disruptive vision to Milan

‘You have to do what you believe in,’ renegade British designer Martine Rose told Joe Bobowicz as she brought her disruptive, subculture-infused vision to Milan Fashion Week (in a particularly enjoyable contrast, it took place just after Prada and a few hundred yards away). Cue plastic noses, trailing wigs, and influences from kink, clubland and street culture: ‘I trust that people will come with me, that people are curious enough,’ she said.

READ: Martine Rose on her disruptive Milan Fashion Week debut

Molly Goddard on creating a community of brides

‘It was really something that I resisted for a while. Partly, it was because people often chose to wear pieces from our ready-to-wear collections and that felt enough,’ said Molly Goddard of her foray into bridal wear, which has been adopted by a community of brides seeking something more unexpected for their nuptials. Sharing her tips on how to approach bridal attire – ‘my main tip is not to suddenly become a totally different person’ – we also catch up with three Molly Goddard brides on wearing the designer for their big day.

READ: Molly Goddard on creating a community of contemporary brides

New York’s next generation designers weigh in on the future of fashion week

‘Beneath the glamorous surface, a new generation of independent designers have been increasingly vocal about how difficult it is to not only launch, but maintain, a successful brand in New York City,’ wrote Nicole DeMarco her introduction to a series of interviews with the city’s rising talent, ahead of the September edition of New York Fashion Week. Talking to the designers behind Diotima, Willy Chavarria, Collina Strada, Meruert Tolegen, Theophilio and Zoe Gustavia Anna Whalen, she asked: what is the future of New York Fashion Week? And: can you still ‘make it’ in New York City?

READ: What is the future of New York Fashion Week? The city’s independent designers weigh in

Jony Ive on collaborating with Moncler

‘If you’re a proper designer, you can design many different forms,’ said Jony Ive about a foray into fashion, a collaboration between LoveFrom – Ive’s design agency – and outerwear behemoth Moncler. Catching up with Laura May Todd in Milan, Ive unpacks the unique collaboration, a shape-shifting, modular collection five years in the making. ‘I love the rigour of this kind of research,’ says Ive.

READ: Jony Ive unpacks his modular LoveFrom, Moncler outerwear collection

Earthscape Studio: a profile

The practice is defined by a core sustainable architecture approach, experimenting with organic materials and adopting a strong site-specific stance. ‘We study and research how people respond to nature and then also how nature responds to the people. So, we try to be the bridge that connects the two. Because when we talk about nature, we sometimes forget that humans are also a part of it,’ they say, adding that their methodology consists of rigorous studies of both the natural environment of each project and the users’ habits and lifestyle. ‘To reduce carbon emissions we focus on self-sustaining structures and try to reduce heavy concrete mass.’

They consider their first built design, titled ‘Haven: The Eternal Experience Pavilion’, in Peermedu, Kerala, as a landmark project for Earthscape. Working with local labour from the area’s surrounding tea plantations, they created a vault construction to house cattle which gave the builders the skills to replicate the structure if they needed more space in the future.

The building is made of four catenary arches, each consisting of three layers of 25mm thick ‘Sithu kal’ (small bricks). Their client’s support was crucial in the scheme’s success, they add. His brief was ‘the world's best cowshed,’ they say. ‘This gave us an enthusiasm to design something unique. He also supported us when the structure collapsed upon our first attempt, and we had to try again.’

Kennedy and Saran are currently experimenting with traditional Indian lime plaster types that require minimal maintenance. Their goal is to explore sustainable buildings which can withstand extreme weather conditions and be erected in different terrains to tackle unpredictable natural phenomena.

However, the human element in their work is equally important, evidenced in their latest built scheme, ‘The Infinite Rise at Anaikatt'i’, a farmhouse in Coimbatore. ‘Craftsmanship is also equally important in sustainability,’ the team says. ‘In this site’s region, people use stone as the primary material as it is easily available. So we used local craftspeople to create the stone walls in the building.’

earthscapestudio.com

Fujiwara’s vision came about following the Italian manufacturer’s partnership with Fragment Design, the multidisciplinary collaborative agency that has created editions with the likes of Nike, Fender, countless small streetwear brands and even a Tamagotchi.

Describing the bespoke MC20 Cielo as ‘tailor-made garments to be proudly worn along the streets of the world’, Fuijwara has been allowed to usurp the legendary Trident emblem in favour of his own double lightning bolt icon.

There are two editions of the MC20 Cielo Fuoriserie by Hiroshi Fujiwara, a matte black (nero essenza) car and a matte white (bianco audace) one. A large Fragment badge sits on the rear deck, above the V6 Nettuno engine.

The six-way power sport seats are finished in black full leather with white stitching and the Trident is still present and correct on the headrests and B-pillar. There’s also a commemorative plate celebrating the collaboration set between the two seats.

The Maserati MC20 Cielo is the open-topped version of Maserati’s magnificent mid-engined sports car. Replacing the conventional top with a retractable smart glass roof, the Cielo is a strong design statement, even before Fujiwara has waved his branding magic over the bodywork.

Maserati’s head of design, Klaus Busse, wants the car to showcase the many ways in which the Fuoriserie programme ( ‘out of the ordinary’ in Italian) can be used to enhance production Maseratis, much like the recent Maserati GranCabrio Folgore Tignanello Edition.

‘Our Trident’s customisation programme is conceived to create extraordinary experiences for our clients,’ Busse says. ‘Our wish here is for them to express their personality and passion by creating their very own Maserati. Just like Hiroshi, everyone can choose from a wide range of personalization features from our Fuoriserie collections or take more individual journeys to design true one-of-a-kind rolling sculptures.’

Fuoriserie By Hiroshi Fujiwara MC20 Cielo, Maserati.com, @Maserati

‘Different experiences take you far. The impression you get from the same thing can differ from day to day, according to your approach. This is the idea behind the coined word Diffar,’ says Makoto Arii, its 38-year-old founder. With its completely natural composition of essential oils and plant extracts, developed and produced at its laboratory at the foot of Mount Fuji, Diffar not only smells great but nourishes the hair, too.

Diffar

Crafted in collaboration with Tokyo-based hair salon Scent, Diffar’s products are light in texture, including a blend of argan, jojoba, camellia and evening primrose oil, combined with shea butter. In addition, rapeseed helps to repair the cuticle and pressed rice oil protects hair from UV damage. The brand’s first collection offers six fragrances: ‘Tokyo Balance’, ‘Woody Earthy’, ‘Herbal Floral’, ‘Japanese Citrus’, ‘Spicy Wood’ and ‘Floral Floral’. ‘Tokyo Balance’ is inspired by the atmosphere of the city on a rainy day and accentuated by vetiver, while the others can be guessed from their names.

Arii had travelled throughout Japan, to source the key ingredients from specific places: Hinoki from Yoshino, Hiba from Aomori, Yuzu from Shimanto and Sansho (Japanese pepper) from Wakayama. These were blended with other precious ingredients from all over the world, such as galbanum from the Middle East, wild armoire from Morocco and agarwood from India. (A single Diffar scent contains a blend of 15 to 18 ingredients).

‘When extracted during the first 15 minutes of distillation, ylang-ylang offers a surprisingly fresh smell, compared to its usual heady note’, Arii explains, of a discovery he made during Diffar’s meticulous development process. (His background in scientific research, including on natural phenomena such as tsunamis and icebergs, dictates a methodical way of working). This is also demonstrated on the last three digits marked on each Diffar bottle, which indicate the number of samples before the finalisation of the notes. For ‘Spicy Wood’, perhaps the most complex accord composed of agarwood, sandalwood, nutmeg, patchouli and oakwood, the sample was renewed 823 times until Arii finally said: ‘That’s it!’

But where does Arii’s sensitivity to the subtlety of nature’s subtle scents originate? The answer comes from his childhood. ‘Born and raised in Minami Alps City near Mount Fuji, which is thriving with agriculture, I always breathed the smell of freshly harvested ripe fruit, straight from farmers’ hands,’ he recalls. ‘When I moved to Tokyo as a university student, I bought plastic-wrapped fruits in a supermarket for the first time and was so shocked by the absence of smell. It was then I realised the effect of smell on our body and mind is so huge.’

This particular experience led him to persistently research until he tracked down the best food preservation company in Japan, resulting in the launch of Fruitest, a pre-cursor to Diffar, a brand of semi-dried ripe fruit which remains soft, juicy and smells incredibly fresh, which he launched with his creative brand development agency Unsungs&web. (He is also currently working on a new flavoured tea collection).

Diffar’s strong visual identity was developed alongside Arii’s partner in crime, the art director Kenzo Shibata. The minimal design of its bottles becomes a canvas for colour blocking. At the same time, they evoke the colours seen in traditional kimonos. But, they also feel decidedly contemporary.

For the brand’s campaign imagery, he collaborated with London-based photographer Yuichiro Noda. In a nod to the complexity and deepness of each scent, Noda, who was born in Japan, photographed core ingredients in their original form before layering them together in a single black-and-white image, contrasting with the brightly coloured bottles. In addition, he shot six black-and-white portraits of people with various hairstyles, using long exposure.

Alongside the hair oil being used and sold at the Scent salon in Tokyo, Diffar has been showcased over the past year at various collaborative pop-up stores, such as the Shibuya-based flower shop Voice and independent store Fujin Tree 355, in Taipei. It made its debut in Europe earlier this year (September 2024) in Paris at the art gallery Galerie 3m2, which is nestled beside the Serge Lutens store in the Palais Royal Gardens.

We look forward to seeing where Arii will travel with the brand in 2025.

diffar.net

Designed with specific breeds in mind and displayed on a series of curated islands, the pieces range from the practical to the fantastical. Shigeru Ban, for instance, crafted an undulating maze and bed for a Papillon (or Continental Toy Spaniel) using ubiquitous cardboard tubes, while Reiser + Umemoto created a cloud-like orange coat tailored for a Chihuahua. Even Giorgio Armani makes an appearance, with a dog-focused capsule collection designed in collaboration with Poldo Dog Couture.

Curated by Kenya Hara – CEO of Nippon Design Center and artistic director of Muji – the showcase challenges conventional perceptions of pet architecture. ‘Dogs are an integral part of many households, but their needs are often met with functional, mass-produced solutions that lack consideration for individuality and emotional connection,’ explains museum director Andrea Cancellato. ‘This project invites world-class architects to reimagine this bond, creating pieces that are as much about enhancing the dog’s environment as they are about celebrating the human-canine relationship.’

To mark the show’s Italian debut, two new contributions by Giulio Iacchetti and Piero Lissoni have been added to the line-up. Working with sustainable design brand Riva 1920, Iacchetti designed a round, plywood-panelled structure for an Italian Greyhound that recalls a Roman camp tent.

‘I designed the kennel as a small, self-contained piece of architecture, simply scaled down,’ Iacchetti told Wallpaper*. ‘A key aspect was the ability to construct it starting from flat elements. The result is an elegant pavilion that harmonises beautifully with the sinuous and enchanting lines of the Italian Greyhound.’

Meanwhile, Lissoni’s plywood and aluminium kennel for a Yorkiepoo takes inspiration from an airport hangar. ‘The hangar is the primeval cave,’ Lissoni explains. ‘It’s the form we used as a home when we were animals, when we were evolving apes. I reimagined the idea of the cave as an architectural model, thinking that animals – this time, four-legged ones – could use this hangar, my technological cave.”

What sets ‘Architecture for Dogs’ apart is its participatory nature: blueprints for all the designs can be downloaded for free from the official website, inviting people worldwide to construct and customise the designs for their pets.

We spoke with ADI President Luciano Galimberti and museum director Andrea Cancellato to learn more about the exhibition’s deeper values and why Milan provides such a receptive context for ‘Architecture for Dogs’.

Wallpaper*: ADI is one of the few museums in Milan – and across Italy – that allows dogs into its exhibition spaces. What do you think this adds to the museum experience?

Luciano Galimberti: The museum gallery, the main corridor connecting all the exhibition rooms, also functions as a public thoroughfare, linking two parts of the city. When redeveloping the industrial site that became the museum, we decided to retain this urban role, fostering cultural, social, and spatial openness.

Since its inauguration, the museum has become a vibrant hub of city life, hosting exhibitions, events, workshops, and more. It welcomes people of all ages – cyclists, wheelchair users, and dog walkers among them. Guided by Design for All principles, we embraced the inclusion of pets to reflect a clear societal trend. Italy has around 15 million pets, and in Milan, one in two residents shares their home with a companion animal.

W*: Some critics suggest that designing for dogs in this way anthropomorphises their needs. How would you respond?

Andrea Cancellato: ‘Architecture for Dogs’ isn’t just about creating ‘necessary’ items – it’s about exploring the joy and meaning behind design. These pieces aren’t purely functional; they encourage humans to rethink their role as caretakers and collaborators with another species. The designs consider dogs’ physical and psychological needs – like burrowing, perching, or observing – while engaging owners in the process of building and customising the structures. This dual approach creates a shared experience and strengthens the emotional bond between humans and dogs.

W*: The exhibition’s free blueprints are a unique feature. How does this change how people engage with design?

AC: By offering free blueprints, Architecture for Dogs democratises access to design, turning it into a hands-on activity rather than something meant only for viewing. This participatory approach challenges the idea that architecture is for experts or human purposes alone.

W*: Having exhibited across the globe, and now Italy, have you observed differences in how these cultures approach design for dogs?

AC: Each culture brings unique perspectives. Italy, with its deep design heritage and love for craftsmanship, has embraced the project as a celebration of artistry and cultural expression. The Italian iteration emphasises natural materials and vibrant aesthetics that resonate locally, while maintaining functionality and enjoyment for the dogs. It also adds a dialogue about how design can enhance both urban living and traditional lifestyles.

architecturefordogs.com

adidesignmuseum.org

Wallpaper* checks in at: Hyde London City

What’s on your doorstep?

Don’t let the sobriety of the Old Bailey (London’s Central Criminal Court) set the tone for the surroundings. Farringdon thrives on its proximity to landmarks like St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Barbican Centre, alongside Clerkenwell’s lively design scene. Almost serendipitously nodding to Hyde’s roots, the well-known techno nightclub Fabric lies just up the road. For a quieter pastime, though, the Thames offers riverside strolls with sparkling city views not far away. It’s this mix of contrasting energies that shapes the profile of the hotel’s guests.

Who is behind the design?

London-based hospitality design firm Studio Moren, known for projects such as 1 Hotel Mayfair and the newly opened Park Hyatt London River Thames, served as both architects and interior designers for the hotel. Architecturally, the studio created a subtle extension over a former rear lightwell, nodding to the original building’s character. While sympathetic in style, the extension used modern construction methods, including brick slips, to accommodate structural limits due to the proximity of an existing substation.

‘With the interior design, we aimed to capture a sense of Victorian grandeur infused with a playful, contemporary twist,’ says Tom Thorogood, co-head of interiors at Studio Moren. As such, dramatic patterns and rich colours – Hyde Hotels’ signature design DNA – were combined with timeless Victorian-era hues: mustard yellow, teal and deep browns. ‘All joinery, furniture, and lighting were custom-designed, along with bespoke colours for the wall and floor tiles,’ adds Thorogood. Highlights include a unique three-legged desk chair, a luggage bench, and beds featuring bobbin legs instead of standard divan bases.

The room to book

Rising seven stories, Hyde London City infuses personality into each of its 111 guest rooms, with signature branding touches like surf poncho-inspired dressing gowns and chunky sliders. Amenities such as Malin+Goetz toiletries and a curated tea and coffee station – featuring chic Hay cups and mugs – add an extra treat to the experience. For a standout stay, book the Headliner Suite, tucked away in the building’s eaves, with its soaring five-meter-high ceiling and uninterrupted views of St. Paul’s Cathedral and the London skyline. Inspired by English Victorian biologist and botanical artist Marianne North, the suite’s House of Hackney botanical wallcovering nods to her global adventures, while a marble-topped private bar sets the stage for perfect sundowners.

An unexpected detail

The guest bathrooms at Hyde London City embrace a world of their own. ‘We were influenced by Victorian illusionists and aimed to create an immersive environment,’ explains Thorogood. Rippled stainless steel ceilings with integrated fibre optics, a 3D-perspective marble floor, and bespoke wallpapers add tongue-in-cheek design touches – take, for example, Newmor Wallcoverings’ plaster, which reveals a hidden face when viewed through a camera lens or Muraspec Decorative Solutions Limited’s wallpaper, inspired by Charles Darwin’s Peppered Moth Experiment.

Mini bar high?

The in-room snacks and drinks carry the same independent spirit as the hotel, spotlighting small, local brands. Think Torres and Soffle’s chips, artisan lokum (a traditional Turkish confection) from Marsel Delights and Sweet Lounge vegan treats. Pair a glass of Unico Zelo Jungle Jungle Dolcetto wine or Moët & Chandon bubbles with a Pump Street chocolate bar in collaboration with Hyde.

Staying for drinks and dinner?

Leydi, the hotel’s Turkish restaurant on the ground floor, draws inspiration from the photographic journal A Victorian Traveller in the Middle East and stands out as a highlight for guests. Created by chefs Selin Kiazim and Halil Simsek, the menu celebrates communal dining with dishes like generous meze – think Muhammara, a sun-dried red pepper and walnut dip, or Atom, garlic yoghurt drizzled with spicy Urfa chilli oil. Add to that freshly baked pide (traditional Turkish flatbread) and Mangal-grilled meats and fish, with the mixed grill offering the best of everything. Award-winning mixologist Kevin Patnode complements the flavours with raki-based cocktails and Mediterranean wines. Designed by Studio Moren in collaboration with Carte Blanched, the space artfully combines trefoil arches, blush-toned plaster, and warm timber finishes, seamlessly connecting the reception, bar, and restaurant while preserving their unique identities.

As night falls, bar Black Lacquer comes alive. The low-lit speakeasy, inspired by Tokyo’s record bars, offers an intimate setting where eclectic cocktails meet a curated selection of sake, shōchū, Japanese draft beer, and a choice of wine and Champagne. Booths carved into pavement vaults offer secluded spots to sip and savour Izakaya-inspired small plates, such as fish finger bao or prawn katsu sando. Meanwhile, the sleek, continuous bar keeps the vibe relaxed and the drinks flowing. Midnight-blue Venetian plaster walls and rustic timber floors set the scene, while daily vinyl selections and live DJ sets bring an ever-changing energy.

Service with a smile?

Despite a leaner team compared to five-star properties, the staff at Hyde London City excel at delivering the brand’s signature warmth across every experience. At Black Lacquer, expect lively chats about music and cocktails with a team who wear repurposed vintage music tees as uniforms. Meanwhile, Leydi takes a more relaxed, attentive approach, immersing guests in Turkish traditions and delicacies.

The verdict

The energy at Hyde London City is contagious, almost like a dose of invigorating colour therapy. With its trademark mix of bold design, spirited hues, and thoughtful details woven into everything from interiors to dining, the hotel stands out among four-star properties. Whether you’re looking to add some flair to a business trip or unwind on a cosy city getaway, Hyde offers the perfect blend of its signature maximalism and a relaxed, laid-back atmosphere – all while keeping you close to London’s bustling heart.

Hyde London City is located at 15 Old Bailey, London EC4M 7EF, UK; hydehotels.com. Rates from: £230