Thoughts on the Tod's renaissance, Julian Klausner at Dries Van Noten, and a sale at Marina Moscone.
Welcome to The HALO Report — HALOSCOPE’s new weekly digest, an of-the-moment mix of news items, opinion pieces, and sale announcements designed to keep you posted on the nitty-gritty of the fashion world and all of its tangents without having to keep a constant eye on your feed.
This week, Sandy Liang gives us nothing in a frustratingly dry interview, “rubber lips” are in, Tod’s is the new epitome of chic, the ex-wife gets a redemption arc via jewelry, pants with pockets that turn into punctuation marks are on sale, and more.
The latest long-ish reads from the brightest minds in fashion.
From Timmy Chalamet’s buttery leather Givenchy suit to, of course, the unimpeachable Colman Domingo in crimson Valentino, it’s true that “On the 2025 Oscars Red Carpet, Men Had All the Fun.” In the Vogue piece by José Criales-Unzueta, the writer notes that since we are so primed as a culture to accept the bare minimum of a well-groomed man in a black tux as applause-worthy, efforts like Jeff Goldblum’s whimsical boutonniere or Jeremy Strong’s abstract take on a bow tie are enough to mesmerize.
In a valiant attempt at an interview, Viv Chen of The Molehill writes “i asked sandy liang about the bow tax,” but unfortunately, the designer’s answers to Chen’s thoughtful, expansive questions were, in a word, dry. Liang went so far as to claim she barely knows what the word often associated with her brand, “coquette,” means, and politely demurred when Chen initiated a conversation about the so-called bow tax. It’s fine not to prioritize an intellectual engagement with your brand, but Sandy Liang (the label) has long courted a specific type of bow-loving intelligentsia, filling its front row with so-called critics who spew word salad about the ontologies of girlhood — it feels a little weird to step into the end of the pool marked “DANGER! DEEP WATER” and find that you’re still in the shallows.
“Welcome To The Lip Balm Economy” by Totally Recommend is a well-researched, historically informed look at what the lip makeup the market pushes at any given moment says about that era’s economy: lipstick (or, in the 2020s case, lip balm) is a tiny factor of one’s life that can feel controllable in the face of overwhelming economic anxiety, hence the fetishization of Hailey Bieber’s “glazed donut” maw.
As someone who never has and never will be able to wear even the slightest of heels, Camille Freestone’s “The Enduring Appeal of Christian Louboutin’s So Kate Pumps” for Refinery29 was like a dispatch from another world, one in which a near-vertical incline of one’s foot is a given, the world of stars like Zendaya and Kate Moss.
A few of Hypebae’s “10 Beauty Trends Already Defining FW25” by Valeriya Chupinina are a given — 90s makeup? Groundbreaking — but some ideas, like huge lashes or “rubber lips,” are genuinely inspiring and seem daily achievable at home.
What to keep in mind — and look forward to — in the past and coming weeks.
You may not think of Tod’s when you list the first ten high fashion houses that come to mind, but this season’s showing may change that — creative director Matteo Tamburini has found his stride with an eloquent but not too understated interpretation of minimalism that charmed attendees of Milan Fashion Week. Loro Piana also wowed with a collection inspired by Argentine gauchos, English Aristos, and other global horse-riding cultures, using rich colors and layers upon layers of sumptuous fabric to re-prove itself as the epitome of an Old Money-worthy label.
Today, maybe as you read this, Julian Klausner debuts as the new Dries Van Noten creative director following the departure of Van Noten himself last year — let us know on Instagram what your thoughts are if you catch the show!
For those of us ending no-buys in March, Gemsun’s latest collection is deliriously tempting with its cropped summer cardigans, boatneck T-shirts, coats with built-in scarves, and more carefully-considered warm-weather garb. Hai’s latest fare is just as tempting, with crisp linen-cotton sets that will be perfect for the sun come May.
Jeweler Lia Lowenthal of LL, LLC presents an AW25 collection inspired by the concept of “the ex-wife”: necklace charms read “I LOVE YOU” in the Chase Bank font, rings are engraved with the words “mysterious acts” in French, and more details gorgeously rendered in precious metals add to an aura of irreverent freedom that Lowenthal hopes will redeem the ex-wife from her shameful connotations.
For Yahoo Finance, Colleen Barry writes that “Prada posts double-digit growth in 2024 in a down market as it eyes Versace acquisition,” suggesting a union of one of the coolest brands of the 2020s with one of the least feted. Will Prada be able to snatch Versace from the jaws of death? What do Donatella and Miuccia talk about over drinks at Fashion Week? We are asking the important questions!
Less about impulse buys — and more about tracking discounts on the pieces already on your wishlist.
The Bungee Space winter sale is replete with bizarro wearable sculptures by the likes of Fey Fey Worldwide (think pants with pockets that, when turned inside out, hang at the hips as puffy punctuation marks) alongside more straightforward wintry gear by Baserange, Paloma Wool, and more highbrow labels.
Marina Moscone’s Friends and Family Sale takes up to an unholy 80% off cutesy cotton pajama sets, decidedly not-cutesy blazers with sculpted waists, sub-$200 party dresses, and more.
Long tie-dye puffer coats, surprisingly (for the brand) understated lounge sets, and gorgeous knits depicting a cloudy sky or sunset are all 50% off in the Helmstedt seasonal sale.
Aether Apparel offers up to 60% off its technically-savvy winter gear: fleeces, snow pants, and even items that are hard to find stylish iterations of like snow bibs are all up for grabs.
With SALE10, get an extra 10% off The Outnet’s on-sale slew of Vince poplin shirts (some for under $40 with the code), Ganni going-out tops, Jacquemus cutout dresses, and much more. 🌀
Em Seely-Katz is the creator of the fashion blog Esque, the News Editor of HALOSCOPE, and a writer, stylist, and anime-watcher about town. You can usually find them writing copy for niche perfume houses or making awful collages at @that.esque on Instagram.