It’s all a family matter, that’s how people like to think of it in Italy – and when it comes to design, the cliché is surprisingly often true. Also Carolina Castiglioni is with her brand Plan C not the first of her clan to deal with fashion: her parents were the founders of Marni. And when the Milanese is now launching a new edition of the bags, on which drawings by her children can be seen, she is staying true to tradition, so to speak. The characters Pili and Bianca have featured in Castiglioni’s designs since Plan C was founded four years ago, giving them a mix of playfulness and a hint of subculture. For the new edition of the printed canvas bag, she teamed up with the Milan concept store 10 Corso Como together, whose graphic logo forms the background for the children’s sketches. The coated bag with a red handle will put you in a good mood even in bad January weather and is available in two sizes (from January 20th, plan-c.com).
That’s how things work: Fashion brands like Burberry are celebrating the Chinese “Year of the Rabbit” with their own campaigns.
(Photo: Courtesy of Burberry)
If you want to know which animal it is in the Chinese horoscope this time, all you have to do is take a look at the current campaigns of the fashion brands: goodbye water tiger, hello rabbit! January 22nd begins “the year of the rabbit”, the year of the rabbit, and the marketing machines are already running at full speed. Loewe produced a really cute film with actress Tang Wei and designed lots of bags with floppy ears that hang down the sides like bow ends. Burberry photographed actresses Qi Xi, Shi Pengyuan and soccer player Zhao Lina in a rabbit-print collection. Arket has teamed up with British design duo Yuk Fun for a limited edition collection. China is known to be one of the most important markets for the fashion industry, which is why the date is now a fixed point in the calendar. But this time it’s particularly good because the little animal (in contrast to rat or ox) is extra cute and the corresponding things can also be sold well in the rest of the world. In 2024 it will be more difficult again. Then comes the year of the dragon (loewe.com; burberry.com; market.com).
The perfect companion for Moleskine’s iconic notebook
(Photo: Moleskine)
Cooperation between two brands does not always have to unite the greatest possible opposites. The good is so close! At least you can with the new stationery dream team Moleskine x Kaweco so to say: The well-known, classic notebooks and calendars paired with the manufacturer of traditional writing implements, that just fits very well. The result of the joint work has then also become a real reward for those who write beautifully and a lot and for everyone who values a neat desk: The fountain pens with golden refill, ballpoint pens and rollerball pens are in a hexagonal retro design (also rolls in rough seas not off the table!) and nostalgic colors. Small details and the logo are set off in gold and underline the elegance of writing by hand. The non-slip housing made of ABS plastic is reminiscent of Bakelite, but is also available in aluminium availablethe prices for the pens start at 23.90 euros.
Unmistakably Kusama: the polka dot edition for Louis Vuitton.
(Photo: Louis Vuitton)
Yayoi Kusama is 93, has a flaming red pageboy haircut and has been living in a psychiatric hospital in Japan for more than 40 years. She is without question one of the greatest artists of our time, and anyone who strolled through a retrospective of her in Berlin’s Gropius-Bau the summer before last understood immediately why: her preference for dots, her iconic “polka dots”, plus the giant pumpkins , Kusama’s passionate, almost obsessive preoccupation with the concept of infinity puts you in a good mood – and at the same time also refers to the tinyness of your own existence. Many years ago, when the Japanese woman lived in New York, Kusama dealt extensively with fashion, an interest that continues to this day: she has just – for the second time – with Louis Vuitton worked together, the collection, which consists of around 400 pieces, is a riot of colors and dots, and has products ready for every situation, from a small purse (630 euros) to pajama bottoms (1440 euros).