Search Results

Did you really think we were going to let these Bob Mackies rot in storage? No way. L-R: Brenda Song and Kiernan Shipka; Pamela Anderson; Pamela Anderson and extras rehearsing behind-the-scenes of The Last Showgirl. All photos courtesy of Jesse Phillips. Las Vegas used to be full of feather fans and big lipsticked smiles. Rhinestones, kick-lines, showgirls— Nomi Malone with a glittery hairline and Versayce dress. These days, it seems Vegas has taken a turn for a more masculine edge. “... Las Vegas is now America’s most exciting sports town,” hailed the New York Post  in a tweet from early December.  2024 saw both F1 racing turn the Strip into life-size Mario Kart for their Grand Prix race and Allegiant Stadium host the Super Bowl LVII. For months, it looked like Las Vegas was trying to trade in their Bob Mackie bodysuits for Hypebeast Fear of God  sweats. That is, unless Jesse Phillips  has anything to do about it.  Phillips is a costumer who has been working in entertainment for almost two decades. He has experience working on some of the most iconic shows on the Las Vegas Strip with headliners such as Katy Perry, Elton John, Carrie Underwood, and everyone at Super Bowl XLVIII (just to name a few!). In 2009, he was on the wardrobe team for Jubilee , the Don Arden-helmed showgirl revue. In the 1980s, Don Arden (and, by extension, his 10 million dollar extravaganza, Jubliee ) set the standard for spectacular Vegas shows. Jubliee featured a 3-story tall stage (yes, you read that right), a theatrical replica of the Titanic (that actually sank!), and costumes designed by the world-famous Bob Mackie and Pete Menefee. It’s these costumes that Jesse Phillips would serendipitously follow throughout his career. After Jubliee  closed in 2016, the costumes laid dormant in storage for years. That was until none other than Dita Von Teese decided to dig them up and repurpose them for her burlesque show Dita Las Vegas  at the Horseshoe Hotel. Phillips worked wardrobe for the show, repairing feather headpieces and fixing metal bras.  “Tending to showgirl costumes presents a list of challenges,” says Phillips, “You really have to know how to solder. They need constant repair. You have to amplify” [(read: fluff and shine so they look good on stage) “...maintain the constantly shedding feathers, and solder and welt. The hats have to be perfectly balanced so they don’t catch wind as the showgirls walk… it really is a full time job.” It was during the run of Dita Las Vegas  that director Gia Coppola   and her mother, costume designer Jacqui Getty, approached Von Teese looking to rent out the costumes for a little movie they were working on with Pamela Anderson called The Last Showgirl.  The movie   centers around Anderson’s character, Shelley, a longtime Vegas showgirl who, after learning that her show is closing, begins to grapple with not only her future as a performer but her place and purpose in the world. Obviously, for a big Coppola picture such as this, you want some out-of-this-world costuming! It was at this time that Jose Rodrigo, the “keeper of the keys” (read: wardrobe head intimately familiar with the stunning Bob Mackie and Pete Menefee looks) was brought onto the team.  “Jose called me and said you have  to be a part of this” says Phillips. “I did a fitting with Pam, I met Jacqui and we all just clicked. She was like: you’re in.  It’s been such a wonderful experience ever since.” For The Last Showgirl,  Phillips’ working timeline looked a little like this: pre-production was 3-4 weeks on location in Vegas (simple enough, since he already lived there!) and a couple of weeks doing fittings for both Pamela Anderson and Kiernan Shipka. So, all-in-all, about two months of movie magic. “It really was a whirlwind experience. I’d love to do more film and television work,” says Phillips. He actually also has a small walk-on role in the movie inspired by his real-life career in the wardrobe department — so, keep your eyes peeled for him in the wings. Phillips had these final words to say about his experience: “... it has been a full circle moment for me returning back to the Jubilee Theatre and getting to [utilize] Bob Mackie and Pete Menefee’s costumes again. If you could have told me back in 2009, when I started working at Jubilee, that I would be in this position, I wouldn’t have believed you. Jose and I have to pinch ourselves often. I really think Dita Von Teese got the ball rolling on a lot of this. Her show has revitalized the showgirl image with a breath of fresh air. These [are] costumes, which seems silly calling them that after 40 years; these are costume artifacts, and need to be honored as such [...] I just hope that [the showgirl costumes] sort of revive the history of Las Vegas — that it brings people back to its roots. I mean, the showgirl is the ambassador of the city!” The Last Showgirl is in theaters everywhere now. 🌀 Kaitlin Owens  is HALOSOPE's Archival Fashion Editor and the Editor-in-Chief of Dilettante Magazine. For a closer look at her work, please visit kaitlindotcom.com .

Thoughts on Louise Bourgeois' personal uniform, that Givenchy rip-off, and a sale at Nanushka. 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, “chic” leans into its fascist side, how to dress like a corpse flower, Louise Bourgeois’ favorite colors to don, Willy Chavarria peaces out of the US (lucky!), menswear wins and flops are revealed, a Palestinian brand offers a great sale on Bode-ish pieces, and more. The latest long-ish reads from the brightest minds in fashion. My aversion to using the word “chic” in my writing, loaded as it is with connotations of a very specific aesthetic (think: thin, white, wealthy, unobtrusive) has been affirmed by the headline of “ What does the inauguration’s authoritarian-chic fashion tell us? Designers are suddenly eager to dress the Trumps ” by Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett for The Guardian . If Melania’s Evita-core inauguration fit by Oscar de la Renta alum Adam Lippes is any kind of “chic,” the word can’t possibly be a good thing — as Cosslett notes, she looked “positively authoritarian. [Her accessory] was a merciless hat that said: “Resistance is futile, and I won’t make eye contact if you try to beg.” The disturbing amount of politically wishy-washy influencers who have tried to appreciate her clothing as if it could be divorced from the insidious fascist undercurrent it makes manifest are delusional at best. We want to make clear that there is NO place for transphobes, racists, or bigots at large at HALOSCOPE and, inversely, we welcome those who are now endangered by the new administration’s vitriolic policies.  On a lighter note, Vogue’s “ How Putricia the Blooming Corpse Flower—the Internet’s Stinkiest It Girl—Should Dress for Her Coming Out ” by Anna Cafolla is an unhinged paean to the belle of Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens: a nearly-10-foot-tall plant that, as it slowly blooms on livestream, unleashes the smell of a desiccating carcass to anyone lucky enough to catch a whiff. Another corpse flower has begun to bloom at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, if that’s more local for you, but even if you’re near neither, you can appreciate this article’s proposed stylings: What would “Putricia” wear if she could order from SSENSE? Cafolla suggests Simone Rocha, Sandy Liang, Rodarte, and more… “ Louise Bourgeois' relationship with clothes ” by Sasha Zavyalova for Your Offer Has Been Sent  is a fascinating and much-needed account of the groundbreaking artist’s relationship with clothing, from her penchant for luxury brands like Chanel and her friendship with Helmut Lang to the blurring lines between wardrobe and studio as she delved more and more into textile-based soft sculpture as her career advanced. Analyses of her favorite colors to wear, appreciation of her penchant for berets, and genuinely fascinating reportage on her surprising involvements with runway fashion make this article a delight to read and re-read. Everybody is at the point in January where its seemingly unending slog has become almost funny, in an “If we’re not laughing, we’ll cry” fashion, so Jalil Johnson’s “ Getting dressed for the layover month ” for Consider Yourself Cultured provides a sorely-needed dose of outfit inspiration to brighten up this last week of (arguably) the worst month of the year, including fits Johnson expertly styles on himself using runway references from Armani and Auralee.  In light of Ivanka Trump’s tasteless usage of a copied-from-the-archives Givenchy look,  “ The Right—and Wrong—Way to Reference Audrey Hepburn ” by Lilah Ramzi for Vogue is a necessary reminder that not only did Hepburn despise fascists and would roll in her grave knowing she’d been referenced by a right-wing grifter, but “...to dress up in head-to-toe Hepburn (any day but Halloween) suggests some level of parity with Hepburn, while a more subtle reference creates distance between the reverential wearer and the icon.” The distance and reverence are what make the reference feel loving instead of completely out of touch, but how could we expect that kind of thoughtfulness from a figurehead of fascism? What to keep in mind — and look forward to — in the past and coming weeks. The highlight of Men’s Paris Fashion Week so far is the arrival of Willy Chavarria , known for his NYC shows that use inspired casting, rich textiles, and a hefty sense of humor to create shows that pay homage to the oft-underlooked genius of Chicano and Latine style. Chavarria’s departure from the US fashion scene and the T-shirt he sported at the show emblazoned “How We Love Is Who We Are,” from his see-now, buy-now collaboration with Tinder, certainly indicate that the US as it stands is not worthy of his aesthetics OR his ideals.  More shows that impress include Zegna , with romantic layering and breathtaking tweeds on models roaming soft green hills; Sacai, in a very Where the Wild Things Are  mode of seemingly haphazard (but clearly calculated to some level) tufts of fur and masculine florals; and Lemaire , setting trends just by doing what it always does: basics, both sturdy and flowing, rendered impeccably, no BS.   On the other hand, the most underwhelming shows include Jacquemus , which continues to rely on tone-deaf gimmicks like a partnership with Apple to glaze over the fact that the brand’s perspective is all over the place at best, out-of-touch at worst; Pharrell’s Louis Vuitton  similarly relies on gimmicks that would feel more appropriate as a street style collab than under the auspices of LVMH (the head of which, Bernard Arnault, is a kowtowing Trump supporter, making the whole affair feel rather questionable); and The Row  continues to “Emperor’s New Clothes” everyone into thinking even the most well-made coat could possibly be with upwards of $20k, relying on the self-fulfilling gravity of luxury rather than genuine design innovation to buoy its brand name.    Preview Studio Nicholson’s SS25 collection  and sign up for a loyalty account to get early access (January 30th) to the new batch of well-tailored basics before they’re available to the public on February 4th. The holy trinity of comfy-but-seductive labels, Eckhaus Latta, Maryam Nassir Zadeh, and Baserange, drop their first spring wares at beloved boutiques Maimoun  and Bona Drag  respectively.  Less about impulse buys — and more about tracking discounts on the pieces already on your wishlist.  Palestine-based brand Nol Collective offers 30% off  a selection of its gorgeous hand-woven and embroidered pieces that fall somewhere in the camp of Wales Bonner or Bode in their play with masculine and feminine shapes and styles for a fraction of the price point. Though not part of the sale right now, I have coveted this “Viva Palestina” jersey  for many months.  The cutely-collared blouses and comfy but elevated trousers are among the many Damson Madder pieces on sale  until February 3rd, with another 15% off using EXTRA15. Girlfriend Collective offers up to 70% off  all of its wares, including the exercise leggings I purchased in 2018 and still look, quite literally, brand new to this day.  Take 40% off the entire stock of James Street in its sitewide sale , including tons of high-quality knits that feel very current even as we head into 2025. Nanushka’s winter sale  features pages of puffer jackets, trenches, self-belting trousers, and more cold-weather fare with the brand’s signature Eastern European flair—take 20% off on top of the sale prices with EXTRA20. Use EXTRA25 for an additional 25% discount on Anine Bing’s sale selection  of Chanel-lite cardigans, houndstooth purses under $200, and plenty more elevated basics like the perfect white T-shirt or pair of straight-legged jeans.  Though some of Janessa Leoné’s caps give 2010 Silverlake proto-poly-banjo-player, the hats are inarguably high-quality, and some styles, like subtly distressed bucket hats and 100% cashmere beanies are well worth a peek in the label’s 50% off winter sale .   🌀 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.

Thoughts on dress pajamas, the Proenza Schouler boys going to Loewe, and Prada FW25. 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, a surprising movie inspires Willy Chavarria’s color palettes, bags feel naked without their own little belts, Paula Canovas del Vas releases shoes that stick their tongues out at us, short people finally have jeans that don’t need tailoring (they’re half off right now!), and more. The latest long-ish reads from the brightest minds in fashion. “ The Movies That Fashion Designers Watch Again and Again ” by Emilia Petrarca for The New York Times  reveals some new red strings to tack onto our Always Sunny -style board tracking the influences that dominate today’s fashion world — Willy Chavarria never forgot the color palette of The Exorcist , Clare Waight Keller was enamored with Margot’s coat in The Royal Tenenbaums , and the pacing of In the Mood for Love  continues to move Simone Rocha, for starters.  Though skincare is relegated to the realm of “beauty,” isn’t “beauty” just one facet of fashion? It’s inarguable that one’s style extends past the bounds of their clothing and into their body, so “ Dermorexia: Is our obsession with skincare becoming a disorder? ” by Sara Radin for Dazed  is a hauntingly relevant “trend piece” of sorts, tracking the potentially destructive state of skincare today back to, of course, the trauma of the pandemic, among other collective crises.   MacKinley Jade’s newsletter Yeehawt provides yet another perspective on the January-induced impulse toward minimizing one’s consumption in “ Reaching No-Buy Nirvana ,” which includes the truly Zen epigram: “Thank you, cool item, for teaching me something about my taste, now be free!” After watching what felt like a thousand of Helena Yoonie Kim ’s mesmerizing restorations of vintage Coach bags and fixating upon the SoHo Belted Buckle Pouch  specifically, I was tickled to see Kelsey Stiegman of Vogue ask “ Why Does Everyone Have a Belted Bag Now? ” As I would say if I were on a press tour for The HALO Report: “I didn’t know this was happening …!” Vogue mainstay Laird Borrelli-Persson penned “ Brandon Morris’s Ghost Dresses Have a Haunting Beauty ,” a review that covers one of the season’s most compelling sculpture shows (you can catch it at Europa Gallery  in NYC), full of greenish resin gowns that occupy the space with an eerie elegance. What to keep in mind — and look forward to — in the past and coming weeks. The latest from Paula Canovas del Vas, now available at SSENSE , includes a frizzy-haired, sparkly-winged Little Black Dress , trousers with drapey side panels  like parentheses around the legs, and perhaps most compellingly, patent pumps  with vamps that curl up and out like devious tongues making obscene gestures.  Fashion Month begins with its first round of menswear shows — opinions vary on the Prada FW25  showing from Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons, with some fixated on its erotic details, like thick waistbands bulging under fitted knit T-shirts, and others calling the collection misguided and uninspired. So it goes.  While Jake Silbert at Highsnobiety goes full conspiracy theory trying to determine Jonathan Anderson’s next move  after a potential departure from Loewe (Dior?), The New York Times ’ Vanessa Friedman reports on the founders of Proenza Schouler, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, stepping down from their positions as co-creative directors. Will they step up to bat at Loewe next? Stay tuned.  Chelsea Mak’s latest offerings  include some pieces decked in 100% silk ruffles (I was lucky enough to see a few in person at Stand Up Comedy  last week, and the Maud Top  has not left my mind since), plus a pair of red “ Lucky Briefs ” in honor of the Lunar New Year, for which wearing red underwear is said to be auspicious, with a portion of proceeds going to post-fire aid in Los Angeles.      The recent drop from Rachel Comey  is comprised of pieces that, while dutifully grounded in winter wearability material-wise (think knit turtlenecks and denim sets), carry a sense of waiting for spring in their acid-washed colorways and frisky patterns. Less about impulse buys — and more about tracking discounts on the pieces already on your wishlist.  Though the phrase “dress pajamas” may bring back harrowing visions of pandemic years past, Sleeper’s sale takes up to half off  sequined, feathered, and otherwise adorned “sleepwear” designed to translate from bed to bar with minimal embarrassment and is well worth checking out. Subscribe to the Shop Silver newsletter  for a 30% in-store discount on the well-curated selection of clothes, accessories, and home goods the Los Angeles boutique has on offer — a great way to support the community while saving some cash.  A carefully chosen array of minimalist-leaning brands like Lauren Manoogian, Black Crane, and Baserange get price cuts up to 60% in the No. 6 Store winter sale , where you’ll find everything from shoes to outerwear to affordable-but-precious jewelry.  Nelle Atelier, the heaven-sent haven for denim designed specifically for those 5’4” and under, offers 50% off a small but robust assortment of clearance jeans  for the shortest among us.     Thoughtfully crafted jewelry, thigh-high boots, and more accessories are available for big price cuts — some pieces cost under $40 — in the Justine Clenquet seasonal sale .  Anna Sui’s underrated, weirdo-witchy-retro-academic ethos permeates its FW24 sale , with pieces such as argyle knits and quirked-up pleated skirts now up to 30% off.  Take an additional 10% off the already-up-to-half-off sale section at Hope Stockholm  with EXTRA10 — wrap coats, androgynous trousers, and edgy knits still abound.  Add anything from Vaquera's already-on-sale inventory  to your cart and receive an extra 20% off automatically at checkout—fancy a dress made entirely of ruffles (which, as we've noted in THR, have usurped the bow mere weeks into 2025) or a purse shaped like a case for a miniature violin?    🌀

Musings on Hermès’ Birkin, the Walmart version, dupe culture, consumerism, and the current state of fashion. “It’s not just a bag, it’s a Birkin,” said the salesperson to Samantha Jones, the (fabulous!) PR executive played by Kim Cattrall in fashion’s favorite TV show, Sex and the City .  While that sentence might seem stupidly pointless today, once upon a time, it was simply social consensus that a Birkin was not just any  kind of purse. ‘‘Owning a Birkin is more than just about having a stylish bag — it’s about holding a piece of timeless tradition,’’ says Deanna White, Bonhams ’ Senior Fashion Cataloguer.  Now, before your newest prized possession arrived in Hermès' signature orange box, a significant amount of effort was put into getting that bag to your door. With rigorous professional preparation, Hermès artisans spend 18 months in nine production and training centers across France to master singularly French savoir-faire design techniques. Once they have achieved such a meticulous proficiency with this way of making, they start working in the production centers throughout the country.   "...France is synonymous with quality, refinement, and elegance, and Hermès leans heavily into this reputation," Deanna White explains. By tying its products directly to France's heritage of craftsmanship and artistry, the high-end house achieves a prestigious position that has been further cemented by the Birkin. The story of the iconic Hermès bag dates back to 1983. It was conceived by pure chance after the label's former CEO, Jean-Louis Dumas, found himself seated next to the legendary Anglo-French actress, singer, and It girl Jane Birkin on a flight from Paris to London. Carrying her signature straw bag and placing it in the overhead compartment of her seat, the actress dropped it, and the objects inside scattered everywhere. As Dumas helped her, he said that Birkin needed a bag with pockets. The singer replied that if Hermès designed a spacious bag, perfect for everyday life and the demands of a young mother, she would swap her memorable straw bag for good. As the two exchanged bag ideas on the flight, Dumas sketched a first draft on an airplane vomit bag. The rest is history.  After the bag was produced, the Hermès CEO offered to name it after the actress, which she accepted, donating the royalties to charities. In 1984, the Birkin bag was finally released. With clean lines, a spacious interior, and a secure lock, the Birkin bag fully encapsulated Jane Birkin’s je ne sais quoi . It entered the sartorial scene rather gently, costing only an average of $2000 due to the market’s low interest in the bag. It wouldn’t be long until those days were over.   It was in the sleek decade of the ‘90s that the Birkin finally reached It bag status, with celebrities donning them everywhere — from It girl to end all It girls Chlöe Sevigny  to “Posh Spice” Victoria Beckham. Since then, the purse’s price has seen a meteoric rise — nowadays, it starts at $8,500 and reaches up to a jaw-dropping $2 million. But why? It's mostly due to the excellence in material and craftsmanship — according to AnnaGrace Johnson, the Head of Handbag Valuations at the online market of pre-owned authentic luxury goods   ShopPrestige . The meticulous production can take over 48 hours, as a single highly experienced artisan hand-crafts a bag with the finest materials available. However, as an homage to Jane Birkin’s flair, the element that exerts the most influence on the price is undoubtedly its status as a wealth indicator.  L-R: Mary-Kate Olsen, Jane Birkin, Lady Gaga With its high reputation during the ‘90s and early 2000s, Hermès Birkin waitlists were filled to the brim — with a six-year wait time being the longest recorded. The French label strictly controlled who could buy the bag, even among clients who had the money to make such a grand purchase. Hermès limited the number of bags a client could purchase in a year and didn't reveal how many purses would be produced. As a result, the bag emerged as a symbol of total exclusivity. At the time, a client needed not just the money to buy the bag but also the social relevance to acquire the opportunity to purchase. This dynamic is most clearly shown in Sex and The City  when Samantha uses actress Lucy Liu ’s name — one of her celebrity clients — on the store's waiting list to beat the status system and get the bag she so desperately wanted and could afford.  Although it's been 24 years since the episode aired, few things have changed. Waiting lists may have vanished, but Birkin's status remains at the top — same for its prices. While some people opt for the vintage route — be it on   TheRealReal   or   Vestiaire , where prices tend to be a little lower and the models are more tailored to a client’s tastes — new ways of having a Birkin have emerged.  The Walmart Birkin has become something of a hot topic on TikTok and the high-fashion Twitter community. In case you haven't heard of this phenomenon: Fake Birkin bags in various colors are available at Walmart , starting at $75. Wirkin, Walmés , you name it.  Some say it’s sartorial democratization. But is it really democratizing when what we only care about is status? It's no breaking news that fashion and status go hand in hand — whether it's the constant rise of wealth-oriented trends such as quiet luxury and old money or the recurring economic dynamics present since the fashion industry’s establishment. The breakthrough comes when we pretend that dialectic doesn't exist. Status dynamics exist —and we still engage with them. After all, if it weren't for prestige, we'd be buying unbranded, affordable, and elegant leather bags, as stylist and fashion guru Kim Russell, aka @thekimbino , suggests on Instagram.  ‘‘The use of fake handbags goes much deeper than the price,’’   Johnson says. “When you buy an authentic Hermès item, you know exactly where and how it was produced — mainly that it was produced ethically.’’ With the rise of fast fashion and the courage of exploited workers to share their stories, the issue of labor conditions has become something of a hot topic, too. As Johnson   explains, when it comes to buying knockoffs, it's very unlikely to know where or how things are made, or what the working conditions are like. The Wirkin, like any other counterfeit good, could be made with unequal labor or in environmentally unsafe factories. As I logged onto TikTok — something I rarely do — and searched for Walmart's trendy Birkin, one particular video caught my eye, showing exactly why people buy knock-offs. After giving a round-up and review of his ‘‘Walmart Birkin Bag,” content creator Jermain Garcia  says, simply: ‘‘I kind of know what the functionality of the bag is. And it's really not meant to be a cross-body bag, so I don't think I'll ever use it.’’ That is, the Birkin bag isn't part of his sartorial preferences — at the very least, it can be understood that cross-body bags are. So he'll probably never use the one he shows in his video. But he bought it anyway.  In a world ruled by excessive consumption and the power of status, this doesn’t seem odd. Of course, people buy what they won’t wear, what they won’t use, and what they won’t eat. But they don't buy for the sake of buying — they buy to cement themselves socially. Chosen purely for the image of wealth and power that an original holds, a counterfeit Birkin bag carries no sartorial depth. People don't want the bag for its one-of-a-kind design , its craftsmanship, or its story, they just want what it represents: access.  Now that Hermès has announced price increases for the U.S. market, it's safe to say that this will be followed worldwide — and, along with it, a new flood of counterfeit products and vintage businesses. In a way, the faux Birkin answers the question surrounding the exorbitant prices of original Birkin bags: it’s not just due to its exquisite craftsmanship, but, above all, the prestige that everyone aspires to — a status so eagerly craved, even if it is built piece by piece with parts that aren't genuine at all. 🌀 Ana Beatriz Reitz is a Brazilian fashion freelance writer who covers anything fashion-related. As a Latin American fashionista, she values a diverse and inclusive fashion landscape and aims to make a difference in the complex yet beautiful industry that surrounds her.  She has a weekly newsletter called   For Fashion’s Sake , where she explores various areas of fashion. Aside from writing, she enjoys reading books, watching movies, and visiting museums.

From moto boho to underconsumption-core, these young designers weigh in on what's next. L-R: Saint Laurent SS25; Paris Fashion Week FW24 (shot by Phil Oh); Retrofête FW24 New Year’s celebrations bring the return of resolution posts, vision boarding, in and out lists, goal-setting—and the start of a new trend cycle. Every year, fashion giants like Vogue forecast what trends will hit netizens, particularly Zoomers, with viral success based on Pinterest Predicts . But how do these trend forecasts, and the implications of trend cycles, land with young designers? We asked four fashion insiders in Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love and sporty street style, for their take on how 2025 fashion will shape up*. Right to the Core When asked which of Vogue’s five trend predictions  would influence local style, Gwendolyn Attridge, a 24-year-old copywriter for a large fashion brand in Philly, answered, “Moto boho.” Moto boho was also the top choice for other insiders, mainly for its versatility (think elegance with an edge) and urban appeal to city dwellers. Cherry-coded and castlecore were also mentioned—cherry-coded, most notably, for its popularity in 2024 and easy use in accessorizing or indulging in “chaotic customization.” “Cherry red has been all over the fashion scene and it’s a staple color,” said De’Jah Willis, a 27-year-old designer and visual merchandiser. “It can be pulled into different aesthetics, or ‘cores’ as they called them now, and adds pops of color to makeup, hairstyles, and outfits.” L-R: Bella Hadid, styled by Molly Dickson, stepped out in moto boho (2024); Balenciaga FW21 from @__femb0t on X (2024); Hailey Bieber channeling cherry-coded (2023) Kevin Parker, the founder of Philadelphia Fashion Week, mentioned the rise of personal style in his response to Vogue’s trend forecast: “Even though moto boho and castlecore will have an impact, I believe this new era of fashion is all about personal style. Some may follow trends on a micro level, but it's all about personal style and what works well with the body.” For Celina Pierucci, a 24-year-old seamstress and designer who worked for the Urban Exchange Project, the forecast might simply be a style name change:  “I believe in the trend cycle that things always become popular again in the future. These new trends are what we saw 10 years ago, just with a different title.”  When asked to share their own trend forecasts, things got even more interesting.  Predicting ‘25 Style “I envision niche internet labels having their moment, local girls going from skinny to baggy, mixing metals, and the return of timeless dressing for everyday fashionable people,” said Attridge.  “I predict that alternative fashion and experimental styles will dominate this season,” Willis said. “Expect bold colors, playful silhouettes, and a mix of cyber, vintage, and Y2K influences. Think dress-over-pants combos, funky accessories, and vibrant hues like pink, white, green, red, and teal. I also anticipate a rise in experimentation with Asian-inspired styles and silhouettes. Celebrities embodying these trends include Tyler, the Creator, Doechii, Doja Cat, and Megan Thee Stallion.” “Mode breakers like LaQuan Smith and seasonless fashion are the future,” said Parker. “I predict brands, especially smaller brands, becoming more sustainable and using design choices that innovate size-inclusive fashion.” “I know we have been talking about it for a while but I think true indie sleaze will come back,” said Pierucci. “I’m picturing the show Skins – bad ombré dyed hair (that I love!), marching band jackets, and boxing boots with a little dress and a lot of jewelry.” However, right alongside the topic of trend predictions, lurking like a shadow, was the question of just how long the trend cycle would go on turning. One huge  determining factor is business. The Business Behind Trend Forecasts For several years, Pinterest Predicts has been at the forefront of fashion trends by utilizing consumer data from its 537 million global monthly active users, 42% of whom are Gen Z. Pinterest claims that its trends last twice as long as trends “originating elsewhere”  and touts an accuracy rate of 80%, with most trends being fueled by Zoomers (a consumer base that is currently stepping into their purchasing power).  The platform is expected to make over $1.1 billion  in revenue in the next fiscal quarter, profits in no small part influenced by the success of Pinterest Predicts. These findings suggest just how much money is behind the veil and why brands are so motivated to tap into trend cycles to better understand and influence consumer purchasing decisions. But with the rise of “underconsumption core” on TikTok and “de-influencers” on Instagram—reminding their followers of more mindful and sustainable lifestyles—the need for more grounded and personal style choices is evident. Maybe brands should adjust to meet young consumer demands? Zoomers are known for taking up the mantle on environmental issues, and their actions and purchasing decisions back that up. A 2024 report from Deloitte  found that out of the nearly 15,000 surveyed Zoomers, 73% took actions to minimize their impact on the environment and 64% were willing to pay more for environmentally sustainable products. Trend cycles go the opposite way—feeding global consumption (which is 400% higher than in the 2000s) and unnecessary landfill waste (accounting for over 92 million tons globally), according to research from The Center for Biological Diversity.  They also fuel a disconnect between how people view and express themselves through fashion, driving them to depend more on seasonal switch-ups or micro-cores to connect their fashion tastes to the world. Thankfully, personal style is on the rise. L-R: Fit from NYFW FW21 embodying Attridge’s forecast (shot by Tyler Joe for ELLE); Willis’ forecast Pinterest board; Trend piece shared by Parker (@saintchic) Embracing Personal Style When asked about the future of trends, our insiders spoke about personal style. Whether you vibe with this year’s forecast or want to put it on mute, building your signature look cuts through noise and “trend fatigue” by bringing back that human connection.  Staying curious about what styles speak to you is like a form of self-discovery and can even help build a more sustainable future. You can create your own aesthetic by reimagining how you use your wardrobe, experimenting with thrifted accessories, and getting creative with color combos or silhouettes. It doesn’t have to be a try-on haul. Here’s what the insiders had to say: “I feel like the trend cycle is inevitable,” said Pierucci. “But at the end of the day, you shouldn’t change your whole personal style for every single trend. Go to a second-hand store or a thrift store for pieces that are not only cheaper but also more unique than what you’ll find at big brands.” “I want to see more local people paying attention to trends and finding their style,” Attridge said. “While I think the forecast was great this year, I wonder if the trend cycle will ever collapse on itself due to how quick it is. The constant cycle of people chasing new styles because of a trend’s visibility is just unsustainable.” “When researching a trend, take your own style into account,” Willis said. “What kind of clothing do you think you would wear? What are those style elements?” “People are tired of trying to keep up,” said Parker. “So now I see consumers purchasing special timeless pieces that can evolve with their style. I think trend culture will one day be a thing of the past.” 🌀 *Responses have been edited for clarity and brevity. Amara Johnson  is a writer based in Philadelphia, PA. When she’s not writing, she’s reading or scrolling through Pinterest for style inspo. She loves finding the story in everything.

And meet the designers fighting its fetishization. L-R: Jean Paul Gaultier FW96; Three Chinese women featured in Life Magazine (1937); Xiuniang Li Wei SS15 “Oftentimes, it's the intention behind the designs that makes a difference. If I am incorporating elements from the traditional outfits, the idea is to appreciate its beauty but never to create a 'better' version of it,” Danica Zheng, the creator of Danz , tells  NYLON. Zheng joins a new generation of designers working with staples of Chinese fashion — a task that involves history and modernity in equal measure. The cheongsam (also known as the qipao) is one such staple. Dating back to the Qing dynasty  (1644–1912), the cheongsam began as a long, loose-fitting silk gown. Although its exact history is disputed, it’s believed ruling class women wore early cheongsams with a slit on either side of the gown for horseback riding , often with pants underneath.  Today, the cheongsam is identifiable through embroidered silk, high collars, and a straight silhouette. At its peak, the cheongsam was featured over twenty times  in Wong Kar Wai’s In the Mood for Love . The film’s success cemented cheongsams as an essential part of Chinese culture, and one of the most internationally recognizable symbols of Chinese fashion.  Popularity is not without its drawbacks, however. As one of China’s most iconic images, the cheongsam has also been misrepresented in its replications. Ruohan Song, a Chinese fashion influencer and collector, tells  ELLE: “‘When we [consider] the qipao in the U.S., people often think of a dress with a high slit that reveals thighs and buttocks with a cut-out in the front, which is drastically different from the traditional dress.”  Part of this is the inevitable association of clothing with stereotypes that already exist about Chinese women: one of hypersexuality, whether it be through subservience or promiscuity. In 1875, the U.S. effectively banned Chinese women from entering the country, largely over fears sex work would erode traditional family values. From the New York Times ’ coverage of the Page Act : “...discrimination against Chinese women specifically centered on their perceived sexuality. Americans often assumed that all Chinese immigrant women were prostitutes.” And while the cheongsam itself has never been historically linked to sex, the dress has still found itself locked as a sort of collateral. If Asian women are seen as objects, their clothing is subject to appear objectifying.  Appropriations of the cheongsam, promoted by brands like PrettyLittleThing , Zara, ASOS, and countless others, are dangerous because they strengthen such false equivalencies. Sexualizing cultural clothing both reaffirms the image of a stereotypical “Chinese woman,” and homogenizes the cultural details of that image as suggestive in turn. This association of Chinese and Asian women with sexuality has had devastating consequences in the past, most recently seen in the 2021 Atlanta spa shootings .  Disagreements over the cheongsam and its role as a conduit of sexuality exist in China as well. In 2023, the Shanghai-based tea brand Auntea Jenny sparked debate  on Chinese social media apps over its redesigned logo, featuring two women in cheongsams, one of which had a high slit. For some, it was an innocuous design choice; for others, it was historically inaccurate and unnecessarily provocative.  Understanding the cheongsam’s controversy requires understanding its history — its distinctly feminist history. Throughout the 1920s and ‘60s, cheongsams grew in popularity amongst the upper classes of Shanghai and Hong Kong . This golden age of cheongsams coincided with feminist movements , in which women fought for education, careers, and greater freedom of self-expression. To urban women, the cheongsam was a symbol  of the feminist movement, worn by political figures like Soong Ching Ling , a leader during the Republic of China’s revolution.  The cheongsam became an opportunity to modernize an antiquated design , increasingly seen as restrictive. Cheongsams represented a way for young women to show their bodies, and reflect newfound freedom. As women fought restrictive Confucius social norms, cheongsams evolved  into a sheath silhouette embracing Western flapper styles.  Thus, features of the modern cheongsam came directly from women who consciously chose to step into their sexuality and designers who transformed the dress accordingly. It’s this choice that characterizes cheongsams’ evolution as an authentic manifestation of power and sensuality — regardless of the misappropriations that may have occurred on the way.  L-R: Snow Xue Gao's Qipao collection; Samuel Guì Yang SS25; Refuse Club FW19 The cheongsam itself is not inherently sexual, nor is doomed to be sexualized. And today, nuance in portrayals  and understandings of Chinese women is growing. Yes, cheongsams still face assumptions, as do Chinese and Asian women. But as its history proves, the cheongsam is defined by its ability to adapt — to serve as a tool of subversion by women of the time. In this way, deconstructing what a cheongsam can be is as simple as tracing its history.  “Cheongsam, for me, is a signature dress from Chinese culture. My grandmother always wears a new cheongsam on the Lunar New Year, and it has been tradition to guess what color… she will wear,” Snow Xue Gao, designer of her self-titled label , shares  with NYLON.  Of course, several artisans uphold the practice of making traditional cheongsams. Jin Yuxia , 86, has made traditional cheongsams in her workshop for over 50 years. In Hong Kong, Yan Kar-man  is one of the city’s master tailors. At 88, he stands among an estimated 10 remaining artisans who use the traditional techniques of dress-making and has vowed to retire soon. While historical methods of making cheongsams, and even traditional cheongsams themselves, may no longer be in vogue, a new generation of designers is poised to steer the dress through its next evolution. Samuel Gui Yang of SAMUEL GUÌ YANG  sees recreating traditional clothing as a window into the knowledge  of skilled crafts like fabric weaving, embroidery, and printing — traditions Yang draws on while infusing Western influences  into Chinese references. Designer Betty Liu joined photographer Jess Brohier to create the photo series “ Eating the Other ,” challenging how traditional Chinese clothing has been appropriated through Liu’s surrealistic designs. Yuner Shao and Puzhen “Stef” Zhou of Refuse Club  push traditional designs further, reimagining  elements of the cheongsam’s traditional silhouette while directly referencing feminist movements  in China. In 2024, Hu Sheguang  launched a haute couture show in Beijing featuring 100 cheongsams  with themes like French-style elegance, Rock ‘n’ Roll, and Neo-Chinese Style.  On drawing from Chinese traditions, Siying Qu and Haoran Li  of Private Policy note , “[...] the key is to truly understand each garment’s details and its historical and cultural origin. Then, we interpret and present the elements with respect and innovation.” This is perhaps what is most beautiful about cheongsams: their legacy speaks for itself.  Since their origin, cheongsams’ history is one of agency — the agency of designers who transfigured it over time, and the agency of women choosing to express themselves, of which the cheongsam was just one part.  For today’s designers, the cheongsam represents a possibility, both to reflect the multi-faceted history of Chinese women and to clothe them as they continue making it. As designer Ranee Kok shares , discussing her own collection, “[...] cheongsams are part of our heritage… What I am most interested in is how to bring history into people’s lifestyle today.” 🌀 Chinon Norteman  is a writer, researcher, and strawberry shortcake enthusiast based in Hong Kong. Her interests include femininity, feminism, geopolitics, and their intersection.

Thoughts on Vaquera, the Walmart Birkin, and a super-secret sale on frayed-hem camisoles. 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, our thoughts (and, apparently, the thoughts of many beloved brands) are with those affected by the fires in Los Angeles, the Walmart Birkin wreaks socioeconomic havoc (or not?), Gaultier and Vaquera play chicken and egg, the Puppets and Puppets cookie bag is on sale, and more. The latest long-ish reads from the brightest minds in fashion. As those who have built robust platforms on TikTok reconfigure their lives and livelihoods ahead of the seemingly inevitable ban, video creators like Remy Solomon increasingly flock to Substack — Solomon recently published, via her newsletter Immaculate Taste,  a comprehensive, but not doomer-y, guide on “ How to Prepare for Disaster ,” proving that even the creation of a go-bag can adhere to one’s standards of style (function is a given). Given the devastating fires in Los Angeles this week, not to mention the ongoing climate crisis and myriad genocides, wars, and natural disasters that define our era, expect many more such pieces on chic survival gear in the coming months.  It seems our first HALO Report’s  positive forecast on the bright color front is a sentiment shared by the New York Times , where Sarah Bahr writes that with “‘ Wicked’ Green, ‘Room Next Door’ Red and ‘Substance’ Yellow: It’s a Bold Season .” Funnily, Viv Chen, the color-coordination whiz cited in our Playmobil-core blurb, also wrote a piece on the bold costuming in The Substance  late last year.  As a notoriously clumsy person who is just as notorious for hating clothing stains, Vogue’s “ How to Get Ink Stains Out of Clothes ” by Christina Pérez provides timely advice for those of us who may have washed the nifty new pen ( these really are great ) we got for the holidays in a load of laundry that included most of our favorite garments.  The Substack Links I would GChat You if We Were Friends published a sprawling list of “ Your favorite newsletter’s favorite newsletters ,” for which writer Caitlin Dewey asked her favorite newsletters’ writers to recommend a few of their favorite newsletters, and so on, and so on. The list is comprehensive, devoid of the usual strains of nepotism and brown-nosing that such round-ups often elicit due to its diffuse nature, and contains many suggestions for fashion-oriented reads among a slew of publications focusing on everything from the Rhode Island food scene to gaming culture.  “ The Walmart Birkin: Fashion’s Ultimate Status Symbol Undone? ” by Maximilian Migowski for Highsnobiety explores the implications of the “Wirkin,” an $80 dupe of the typically-over-$30k purse, wondering what it says about our culture that accessibility is seen as a threat to value and, ultimately, doubting that the Wirkin will affect much lasting change in our fetishistic herd mentality. What to keep in mind — and look forward to — in the past and coming weeks. We send our support to all those affected by the past week’s fires in Los Angeles, as do brands like Kule, Belle the Label, Mr. Larkin, Collina Strada, and many other fashion and beauty brands who have donated, offered special deals, or sent out free clothing to those impacted by the tragedy. Fashionista has compiled a short list  of some of these labels, but Instagram has been the premier resource for brands looking to assist Angelinos in need.  On the liturgical side of fashion, The Episcopal Mission in Sunnyside, Queens apparently listened to an episode of the fashion history podcast by Avery Trufelman, Articles of Interest , on the style of clergy and used it as a jumping-off point  from which to design their new chausables. Religion has often reverberated into secular fashion — think of crucifix jewelry, cardinal red, and most obviously, 2018’s “Heavenly Bodies” Met Gala  — but now it seems the influence flows both ways.  Gimaguas’ latest arrivals  showcase the beachy brand’s cheeky takes on sporty style — unlike athleisure, the stripe-sided trousers and capris with cashmere “knee pads” are defiantly designed in service of aesthetics, not function.  Beloved (and always-experimental) Oakland boutique Two Two  will host a Lunar New Year art pop-up  with cybernetic artist Jeremy Leung from January 23-25, in which the artist will give live demonstrations, speak on his work, and as per the invite, “demonstrate his approach to making the invisible visible.” Despite this mysterious wording, knowing Two Two, it’s sure to be an inspiring time.  Jean Paul Gaultier’s SS25  has arrived in its e-shop. Haters may note that the plethora of leather sailor hats and ultra-cropped denim jackets on offer eerily resemble the past few seasons’ showings by much younger brand Vaquera , but to be fair, JPG has been riding the nautical wave since at least the ‘90s  (though the ribbed leather does feel a bit on-the-nose).   Less about impulse buys — and more about tracking discounts on the pieces already on your wishlist.  Romance is nowhere near dead when it comes to Ludovic de Saint Sernin — even its sale section  is chock full of deep-V organdy blouses embellished with subtle florals, slinky velvet tanks, and leather halters studded with erotic eyelets, all discounted up to 40% and all proudly gender-agnostic.  While Puppets and Puppets decides its next step after leaving the NYC scene last year, a small but mighty selection of its infamous purses is on sale  for 30% off — even a few of its iconic cookie totes, though the newer hobo bags featuring smashed segments of pipe as handles are potentially even more compelling.  Beloved Toronto boutique 100% Silk offers 30% off  pieces from its clever curation of indie labels — here, you’ll find J.Kim , Mozhdeh Matin, Julia Heuer, and five more pages of fan favorites.  In a rare sale, under-the-radar brand Edward Cuming  discounts even the top-selling pieces from its past seasons: frayed-hem camisoles, well-heeled boots, tweed totes, and piecemeal belts, plus many more “greatest hits,” are up for grabs.  Both the womenswear  and menswear sections of the Studio Nicholson sale  brim with up to 50% off the high-quality casual wear that made the brand blow up in the past three years.  If your winter gear hasn’t been up to snuff this season, Stutterheim offers 50% off  a bevy of water-resistant, insulated, and always sleek coats, boots, bags, and more for a mid-season restock. For those who would rather focus on the aspirationally summery dresses that live under the dutiful layers, Sea NY takes up to half off  the lace and ruffles that will emerge from under our overcoats in just a few short months.   🌀

Thoughts on No Buy 2025, the Turkish ready-to-wear brand we're loving, and a sale at Clyde. 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, there seems to have been a universal memo on tops with built-in shawls (and at least two are on sale!), we are officially on ruffle watch for 2025, a smart voice challenges the dominance of the “No Buy” narrative, the rich and famous have gone full Junji Ito, and more. The latest long-ish reads from the brightest minds in fashion. Big Undies’ Corrine Fay wonders “ Is Everyone Doing No Buy 2025? ” in an opinion piece that challenges this season’s reactionary minimalism fueled by the likes of Emma Chamberlain . Her experience as a fat person informs her skepticism of the impulse towards asceticism that largely privileges thinness and wealth, and Fay interrogates the language of shame that seems to permeate the “No Buy” imperative — all the while exploring the modifications of the “No Buy” that have popped up this year and seem more conducive to a healthy relationship with one’s closet than the more stringent original. At the pinnacle of the copious New Year’s trend roundups stands “ 12 Trends That Will Be Everywhere In 2025, According To Fashion Creators ” by Ebony-Renee Baker for Refinery 29, a list that includes ruffles as provoked by Chemena Kamali’s past year at Chloé; the peep-toe shoes championed by one of the most creative stylists online, Anna Golka-Yepez ; and going out sans purse, though a couple of the phenomena mentioned seem a bit too omnipresent to be considered “trends” — loafers? For spring? Groundbreaking. In the cool-down from the calendar’s turnover, style guru Liana Satenstein argues “ If You Make One Resolution This Year, Take Care of Your Hands ,” her thesis being that even if other aspects of your life have gone awry, to have your hangnails under wraps is a healthy way to control a simple factor in your life that will provide returns in the form of persistent feelings of self-defined sexiness. Emily Kirkpatrick, creator of I <3 Mess , the only tabloid that matters in 2025, has consistently predicted the most off-the-wall trends of the 2020s, from chain mail to butt cleavage, and now she bids us “​​ Welcome to the Build-A-Body Era ” in an investigation as to why it seems the runways have been awash with conical bras, massive panniers, and other near-Cronenbergian faux body modifications of late — what is it about 2025 that has the rich and famous vying to look like a panel in a fashion mag illustrated by Junji Ito? Though it’s not an article, this TikTok  by perfumer Surya of SunScent breaks down, with both scientific accuracy and total accessibility, the process of creating the accords (or groupings of materials and notes that “smell like something” not necessarily found as an essence in nature — as Surya notes, if a perfume has a “biscuit” accord, that doesn’t mean there’s a biscuit essential oil) that comprise the artful, niche perfumes dominating everyone’s wishlists these days. What to keep in mind — and look forward to — in the past and coming weeks. Though this week’s best fashion moment flew largely under the radar, Vogue ’s Hannah Jackson notes that “ Viola Davis Rewears This Black Sequined Dress to the 2025 Golden Globes ” — specifically, a splendid Gucci V-neck gown she last wore to the 2024 LACMA Gala in November. The more noise we make to encourage this kind of thoughtful (and ineffably glamorous) sustainability, the better!   Always on the cutting edge of our sartorial desires, British indie brand HADES  releases what could very well be the definitive garment of 2025 — a 100% lambswool cardigan , handcrafted in Spain with silver buttons that spell out “FUCK.”  Though it unveiled its first collection late last year, Literary Sport  epitomizes the energy we’ve seen permeate the fashion world as we roll into 2025 — sensitive, smart activewear one could imagine Rimbaud, or at least Willem Dafoe, wearing, hewn in heavenly-soft technical fabrics and sporting Lemaire-ish details like subtly curved hems and finely cut pockets. The Rimbaud reference wasn’t just  a name drop — co-founded by a poet, each piece is named after a literary figure like Adrienne Rich or Frank O’Hara. The young brand Siedrés, known for its game sense of humor paired with an undeniable refinement, unveils a new brick-and-mortar store  right on Istanbul’s coast, meaning the label’s Resort 2025 collection  of butter-colored knits and spangled warm-weather gowns can be tried on in-person if you happen to be in the Turkish neck of the woods.   Vaquera and Marc Jacobs release one final run of the unexpected pair’s collaboration: the “ Little Stam ” bag, a muppet-ish mop of fur on a thick, industrial chain and pinned with a faux dollar bill boasting Jacobs’ refined mug graffiti-d with a red heart. Of course Addison Rae was the spokesperson for this fever dream of a mashup. Less about impulse buys — and more about tracking discounts on the pieces already on your wishlist.  Ingenious knitwear brand Rus offers up to 40% off  a healthy selection of its thoughtful and thought-provoking pieces — think contemporary neckerchiefs, cardigans with built-in shawls , and modular vests that work just as well as skirts. Beloved accessories purveyor Clyde takes 30% off  pages and pages of hats, gloves, bags, and more, all ranging from cozy to breezy and primed for any given season or climate. Caron Callahan’s winter sale  features another top with a built-in shawl  (was there a memo we missed?), this one a button-down in crisp poplin, plus tons more pieces that can skew glamorous, academic, or sweet depending on the needs of a given day. As unhinged as ever, Collina Strada’s winter sale  presents steep discounts on trousers that sprout the ruffles  Refinery 29 advised us to watch for above alongside eight more pages of the brand’s always-romantic, always-bizarre, surprisingly-wearable gems. Though it may seem a bit hypebeast-y at first blush, SCRT  is an under-the-radar trove of well-designed merch honoring cult classic films like Fallen Angels by Wong Kar-wai (my personal favorite!), Ghost in the Shell , and Donnie Darko.  Take an extra 10% off the already-well-discounted sale  with SALE2025.  Reliquary takes up to 20% off  a swath of pieces by down-to-earth brands known for their simple, well-made pieces like Black Crane and Studio Nicholson. In one of the most unique sale sections you’ll find on the internet, Thierry Colson discounts  its richly colored, expertly embroidered, vintage-inspired matching sets by up to 50%.   🌀

A brand-new weekly news digest — from buzzings to good links to upcoming sales. 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, we begin the new year with a fresh craving for color, a transition from farmyard to fisherman’s wharf, neo-pagan menorahs, and countless knits on sale to tide you over ‘til warmth returns (or, for our friends in the Southern Hemisphere, as next winter’s contingency plan!).  The latest long-ish reads from the brightest minds in fashion. In the latest edition of Jalil Johnson’s widespread series on style that filters nascent trends through his astute personal proclivities, “ Consider Yourself A Shopper #37: What comes after the barn jacket? ,” Johnson posits that the farmyard-favoring masses will next take to the sea, citing a Pinterest trend report  suggesting “fisherman style” is on deck, so to speak, for early 2025.  Anna Cafolla smartly notes that “ 2024 Was a Ravenous Year for Restaurant Merch ” in a Vogue piece that calls out collabs such as Lisa Says Gah x Fishwife  and Baggu x Russ & Daughters , in addition to iconic food-vendor fashion fodder that’s popped up everywhere from NYC delis (I myself own a Zabar’s baseball cap ) to London wine bars and beyond, becoming especially prevalent in the past 365 days. Following her wedding feature in Vogue , Mandy Lee’s down-to-the-details report “ my nyc wedding was featured in Vogue, here's how much it cost ” offers a refreshingly realistic perspective on the priorities and privileges of wedding planning, plus juicy details as to Lee’s strategic shopping ahead of the event, including tons of tips on tracking down special pieces (the new bride favors archival Simone Rocha).  Though demure, Carolyn Bessette-esque neutrals have dominated the past year’s style sensibilities from SSENSE’s many tabs to the controversial Pantone shade of 2025 , Eleanor Kriseman, Viv Chen, and Em Seely-Katz (n.b. that’s me!) have all declared within the past few weeks that a shift toward color is incoming, respectively citing “ Playmobil-core ,” “ Jelly Belly colors ,” and Kenzo’s prescient late-70s color blocking  as feeling current as we replace our calendars. In “ From Temporary to Transformative: Exploring the Future of Fashion and Beauty Pop-ups ,” Hypebae’s Navi Ahluwalia tracks the hyperlocal trend from Jacquemus’ London storefront to Rhode’s TikTok-serving photo booths and beyond, citing the fashion set’s ravenous appetite for novelty as a sign that the pop-up frenzy is anything but past its peak.  What to keep in mind — and look forward to — in the past and coming weeks. &Daughter’s new collection “Modern Heirlooms”  offers chunky-knit sweaters in 100% lambswool designed for wear, tear, and to be passed down at some point in the distant future. If Jalil Johnson’s fisherman style prediction above whet your appetite for a hardy Irish crew neck, this might be your stop. Artisan Lola Dement Myers releases a collection of sterling silver stud earrings  that look like old-fashioned toy jacks mashed up with neo-pagan glyphs alongside a line of die-cut aluminum menorahs  featuring the same distinct shapes, as if the designer is creating a new pictorial alphabet with her hyper-focused metalworking.  Full of serpentine motifs, delicately sculpted gold, and different shades of crimson, Chloé’s Lunar New Year capsule  features high-end clothing and accessories designed to honor the year of the snake with a heavy dose of nu-boho influence from the brand’s esteemed Creative Director of the past year, Chemena Kamali.  JW Anderson returns to Uniqlo  for the umpteenth time with a collection due out January 9th and featuring smartly-cut, straight-legged jeans; slouchy, unisex rugby tops; preppy striped ties and socks, and more offerings that ostensibly mirror what Anderson himself has in his closet.  The Ritz embarks on its second fashion collaboration of the year with Frame  (its first was with Late Checkout ) — though the above Anna Cafolla story on restaurant collabs feels a wee bit more accessible given the state of the economy, perhaps hotel merch will see a rise in popularity, for better or worse; after all, an alleged hotel magnate is about to retake political office.   Less about impulse buys — and more about tracking discounts on the pieces already on your wishlist.  Another route to acquiring the perfect fisherman (or harlequin, or cardigan) sweater is via Babaà’s winter sale , taking 20% off a rainbow slew of styles ranging from chunky turtlenecks to thin summer knits.  Select seasonal colors of Maya Meyer’s handmade, ren-faire-meets-Reformation dresses and tops are up to 32% off in her tight (but mighty!) edit of a winter sale . Take up to 40% off thigh-high neoprene boots, circle-knit sweaters, and other off-kilter but somehow compulsively wearable pieces in the Kiko Kostadinov seasonal sale . With an extra 20% off at checkout, Christopher Esber’s sale selection  is a great place to search for cut-out dresses, mesh tops, and jelly flats to prep for the advent of spring (soon!). Shaina Mote’s winter sale  offers 20% off cropped sweaters, chore coats, and more “soft utilitarian” goods that will serve you for the chilly seasons to come.   🌀

From Jouissance to Maison Margiela, and everything in between. I could talk for ages about my love for holiday traditions. However you choose to celebrate the season, there is undoubtedly a beauty to marking the cyclical passage of time with repeated ritual and comforting familiarity. Be it putting up a tree, stringing lights, or going to midnight mass, we all have our own ways of making this cold dark wintertime feel a little more warm. This is why, just like I did last year and hope to do again the next, I have come to dutifully deliver you gift-wrapped and tinsel-clad a list of my favorite perfume releases of the year — and to toss a bonus stocking of coal to the biggest disappointments. Indeed, this year marked the tentative mainstream debut of niche fragrance girl culture, with big box retailers like Sephora and designer perfume houses starting to take notice of their younger clientele’s tastes becoming weirder and weirder. I hope I am, in part, responsible for this change. As we will see, its effects on both the popular and niche fragrance markets have very much been a mixed bag. The Year’s Biggest Triumphs Jouissance Parfums, Les Cahiers Secrets I want to start with a release I feel productively channels the growing synthesis between niche esotericism and popular accessibility. I’ve written at large about Cherry Cheng’s Joussiance Parfums  for HALOSCOPE before, but since spending time with my bottle of what I believe to be the standout from her collection, Les Cahiers Secrets , I’ve developed a greater appreciation for how Cheng’s work  sells conventions often regarded as undesirable by younger women right back at them with a smile. It’s delicate territory, and one I tread quite often – when girls call powdery fragrances “grandma perfume,” they do a disservice not only to their grandmothers but to their senses of smell. That said, I love not only how unabashedly powdery Cahiers is but also how sweaty it is. The fragrance is primarily cumin and lily, two notes often associated with underarms and funeral homes, yet in the right hands, can be some of the most gorgeous. Its drydown yields a sort of expired body powder tang that reminds me of Diptyque’s Fleur de Peau , and is outright addictive to someone like me. I’ve found myself reaching for this on days when I just don’t know what to wear and want something to cover me like a second skin or gauze of thinly veiled fabrics. Pearfat Parfum, Up North A limited summer release from hometown hero Alie Kiral’s Pearfat Parfums , Up North  is an unexpected and wholly unique take on the summer freshie. Where most houses opt to convey that sweet summer feeling with bright fruit, creamy white florals, or tropical coconut, Up North does what Kiral does best, and captures the idiosyncratic Midwestern reality of summer along Lake Michigan. There is a sort of nostalgia, here, but it is nothing like the fantastic dolce vita  vacations of Tom Ford’s Soleil Blanc  or  Diptyque’s Ilio . This is a summer fragrance for kids whose parents couldn’t afford to take them out of the country, and who had the time of their life splashing around crowded beaches in coastal Michigan nonetheless. Up North is crazy subtle, so much so that it took me weeks of owning a sample to wear it one day and realize, “ait, this is actually genius.” Its most charming point is an instantly recognizable powdered lemonade accord, like taking a standard cola note and drowning it in watery Lemonheads. Behind it lies the familiar ghost of gentle, almost-rotted florals, deemed willow and white trillium. Deeply aquatic, fleeting, and skin-like, it’s hard not to smile after spraying. Even in the thick of my long-awaited Christmas festivities, smelling Up North makes me yearn for Chicago in June. Needless to say, I hope it will make a triumphant return next summer, to comfort us gentle winter-minded folk who find little to romanticize about the thick summer heat without creatives like Kiral taking the reins. Parfum d'Empire, Un Bel Amour D’été Another hot-weather beauty: Un Bel Amour D’été  (trans. a beautiful summer love ) smells like Goutal’s Songes  on stimulants. Take all the creamy, thick, fleshy, and divine aspects of gardenia, champaca, and ylang-ylang and throw them into one giant sexpot. What you get is a viscerally solar, effortlessly feminine floral organza to rival the perennial reign of Ropion’s  Carnal Flower . I think those two perfumes do very different things, but I do think the women who flock to spend increased Estée Lauder money on the crown jewel of tuberoses might also find it in their hearts to shell out $150 USD for this equally luscious blend. The vanilla supporting note really brings out the summertime feeling in this fragrance and moves it closer to sweet bubblegum banana coconut florals like Guerlain’s Terracotta . An absolute delight to wear, and something I will find myself craving like Odysseus and the Lotus Eaters when the weather starts to warm up again. Hiram Green, Philtre I had the honor of speaking with Hiram  at the launch and limited world tour associated with this fragrance — and found myself taken not just by the beauty of this particular fragrance but by the singular passion that drives his exploration of natural materials in all releases from his house. I generally find quote-unquote “natural perfumery” to be more of a tagline for marketing than a coherent genre of smell, but here, Green’s creations not only speak to the paired-down absolutes that constitute a fragrance oil but also the photorealistic essences of delights from the natural world. I have been a longtime devotee of classics from his line, like the narcotic honey tobacco Slowdive , and the snarling leather birch tar creature Hyde  — but Philtre  surprised me in a way I was not expecting a Hiram Green to be able to do. This is Green’s most dated composition, in a way that feels delightfully thrilling. Centered around the lusty and romantic historical associations of the carnation flower, this perfume spotlights a smell you would be hard-pressed to find in many contemporary releases. I am personally most familiar with carnation in vintage-inspired Oriza L. Legrand’s Oeillet Louis XV : a prim and proper sheer powder recognizing the historic brand’s past as perfumers to the royal court. To modern audiences, carnation is not a smell typically associated with lust, but in the twentieth century, this was downright salacious. Powdery and peppery, silky and spicy, it embodies many contrasts and speaks most recognizably to ‘70s spicebombs and the note it is most often paired alongside: clove. Green follows suit, but the clove here is not overwhelmingly sweaty but rather far more green and stemmy. It is as if a late-century Austin Powers-type groovy conversation den had been transplanted into a countryside meadow. I think of carnations’ history in the Belle Époque‚ the fad-like frenzy around donning them on lapels and over the nose, and Oscar Wilde’s own affinity for the pin-like bloom. This is a decisively old-fashioned perfume but one that does not apologize for its timeless sensibilities. To the untrained nose, a blend of sticky resins, autumnal cinnamon, and vague florals is enough to charm a hapless witness over to the side of true glamour and flamboyance. Jorum Studio, Monolith Another release that is undoubtedly not for everyone, but in its raw, unabashed dirt and smoke, is definitely for me. A rework of an earlier entry into their Psychoterratica  series, Monolith  is defined by an overdose of peat, a material used in the production of certain malt whiskies. Dirty, smoky, and grimy, the opening is pure and intense — like licking the bottom of an outdoor grill. Heady castoreum supplements the initial censing, adding an animalic undertone that almost knocks the breath out of you. Intentionally provocative, I was surprised by how quickly this initial assault wears off, and how easily it yields into quite a handsome aged earthen vetiver. Euan McCall  reportedly spotlighted a vintage vetiver oil in high concentrations in this limited composition, and I think it truly shines in the drydown. I would almost go so far as to say the gorgeous, bloody Firewater  is more of a scary composition than this one — yes, the opening of Monolith is fierce, but what’s under the mask is kindhearted and reasonable. Try to source this for the man or nominally insane woman in your life who wore Imaginary Authors City on Fire  and thought it wasn’t hardcore enough. Lush, Vegan Leather Jacket Speaking of smoky scents — who knew a perfume from modern Lush  with such a stupid name would actually be amazing? Back in their day, Lush’s Gorilla Perfume label put out some truly amazing heavy hitters. But over the last ten years, it’s seemed as if they’ve eschewed niche experimentalism in favor of remaking three of their popular shower gel scents over and over again in different forms. I see cause for hope in the new line of perfumes they released this year. Some, like The Dew on Their Hems , were standard niche fare, a pretty aquatic reminiscent of something you might find at Jo Malone. Others, like the fun Leonard Cohen sendup No Way To Say Goodbye , were interestingly hyper-saccharine to the point of obscurity. I can quite easily imagine this perfume, which smells somewhere between children’s toothpaste and nightcore bath bomb blackcurrant, fitting in mixed with ironic cigarette smoke on some disaffected twenty-something girl’s jean jacket. The clear standout from the collection, however, was Vegan Leather Jacket , which perhaps is trying to appeal to a tongue-in-cheek sense of postured edginess. I honestly don’t care, because this smells reminiscent of something Jorum Studios would make, and can be bought at a strip mall. There is no leather, here, only a heavy-handed trio of cloves, cade oil, and vetiver. Tart, supple, and gorgeously smoky, this opens with a blast of animalics, not unlike Monolith, and then settles into a flaming spice medley that lasts on skin for a neat couple of hours. People online seem to compare it to Estée Lauder’s creamy ‘70s spicebomb Cinnabar , but I only really agree inasmuch as the drydown occasionally drifts toward dark orange Opium  territory. To me, this is really just a fine one-trick pony to scratch the arsonists itch in your wretched little heart without breaking the bank. I love to see mainstream perfume retailers cater to niche markets like this — and know that in their refusal to pander down to a younger consumer base, they will eventually be rewarded. Maksim Perfume, Oud Indochine Another recent example of questionable name, great perfume. A collaboration between experienced perfumers Maksim Bortnikov and Rajesh Balkrishnan , Oud Indochine  is animalic oud at its most camphoric and green. Containing three different oud tinctures — Kinam, South Thai, and Hindi — the nuances in these raw materials would be enough to compel me on their own, but are most notably accented with spices like cardamom, saffron, and cocoa. Orientalist fantasies hardly do this blend justice; it smells like a barnyard was converted into a Hermès boutique, with its windows left open in the summertime. Think waxy-sweet, herbaceous, and astringent. Powerful performance, continually evolving — this fragrance demands to be worn seductively on the wrists of an impeccably dressed man of ambiguous national origin at an outdoor benefit gala. Phronema Perfumes, Desert Water I was absolutely taken by the work of Weston Adam under the moniker of Phronema Perfumes  late in the year. His work is very visibly marked by his deep faith as an Orthodox Christian, but also takes cues from miscellaneous works of theory, manga, and pop culture. His many rough and ragged scents are made with abundant homemade tinctures, and given names after holy prophets and Continental philosophers alike. My favorite he’s released this year (and, indeed, I have tried many favorites he won’t be releasing until next year) is the austere potion called Desert Water . Immediately, you can tell the color of the liquid is pitch-black, and will obviously leave stains on anything not equally dark in color. This formulation functions less like an eau de parfum and more like an ointment. Centered around crystal clear distillations of fir and frankincense, it smells like the ancient Greek predecessor to Slumberhouse’s Norne  or my beloved Fille en Aiguilles . Cracking branches of spruce between your fingers, this smells like pine sap was made into a resin and censed. Spraying this on for the first time, my face lit up at something that might make lesser perfume enthusiasts recoil — this liquid is literally sticky like tree sap. I love moments when perfume can call attention to the nature of its ingredients, and herein the raw tinctures used in its creation feel so unrefined they barely even squeeze themselves out of the bottle. This would certainly be problematic to wear on clothes, but the easy solution is to simply wear this perfume completely naked and run without abandon through the winter woods. Taking its name from the storied life of Father Anthony the Great, arguably the first Monastic, this perfume is requisitely hardcore — but like the monastic life, it yields its beautiful fruit to faithful adherents quietly and gently by the abundant graces of God. Clue Perfumery, The Point I know I have a clear bias towards wunderkinds Laura Oberwetter and Caleb Vanden Boom of Chicago-based Clue Perfumery , but to be fair, I truly do think the degree of intention they put into their scents — not even just with respect to Oberwetter’s perfumery and Vanden Boom’s design — exceeds the output of “trying too hard to be down-to-earth and cool” recent venture capital buyouts like D.S. & Durga, and with a fraction of the budget of my occupationally betrothed Manzanita Capital. The first scent to be released following the brand’s three-scent debut, The Point answers the evocative and site-informed original perfumes of their launch with something far more abstract and referential. The scent profile is inspired by a psychedelic scene from the eponymous animated children’s film soundtracked by Harry Nilsson and voiced by Ringo Starr. Having attended the launch, where the perfume was smelled at the exact moment of this particular scene where jasmine tea pours from ornate cups and whale carcasses slowly melt into the bottom of the ocean, I can attest that the atmosphere of the fragrance feels perfectly suited to the cartoonish-yet-unsettling tone of the filmic referent. Oberwetter, in a strange sense, draws quite literally from this scene: the principal note is what she calls “jasmine tea brewed with ocean water” — here, the previously referenced overly dominant 2000s-esque calone vibe is nowhere to be found. When Oberwetter does conjure the ocean, it is less sea salt and more a musky sort of ambergris wax. It is this note that fuses to a sweet Pez-dispenser jasmine to form the principal accord. Underneath, however, is the intriguing one-two abstract mineral punch of a dry sand note and a chalky porcelain scent. Combined, The Point is perhaps Clue’s easiest and most accessible wear, yet a fragrance that decisively does not falter on the brand’s proven mission to render the experimental approachable and fun. Wear The Point to question the meaning of life by the poolside, or simply to rejoice in the hallucinogenic aromas of childhood. Marissa Zappas, Carnival of Souls Zappas ’ newest not only reiterates her knack for cross-cultural New York artistic collaboration and event planning but cements her current status as the queen of adapting art house movies into niche perfumes. In dialogue with the elusive and atmospheric 1962 horror movie Carnival of Souls , this eponymous perfume is shockingly subtle and delicious. Like whipped cream at the end of the world, it presents a lactonic sort of saline coconut, almost like the fetal embryonic fluid of Secretions Magnifique. I don't get much of the stated incense or spice, but rather, the plasticine, warm, spicy delicacy of perfumer's saffron mixed among various dessert sundries and powdery yellow florals. A very delicate and gorgeous use of mimosa, as if emerging from a harsh winter's frost with hope and perseverance. If this is horrifying, as its textual referent might suggest, it is only so through an abundance of sweetness — like Mary Henry's illusory nightmares, a spoonful of hallucinogenic sugar makes your visions of a ghoulish, pale-faced figure go down. Adi Ale Van, The White Hero — Potion of a Lifetime I discovered Romanian indie perfumer Adi Ale Van  this month, and the awkwardly named White Hero  is without a doubt my favorite thing he made this year. Defined by an overdose of olibanum and mushroom tinctures, this is primarily a dirty and pastoral sort of frankincense perfume bounded with wax and dusty patchouli. Like hastily blown-out candles, pooling beeswax, and sealed envelopes: secrets kept between the two of us in the dark. Feel it dripping, dripping, dripping down your wrist — out the window and down onto the Sodom below. Jumping from your second-floor bedroom window and landing in freshly tilled soil. Think the toxic mushroom omelet from Phantom Thread , a wooden country chapel down the road. It's dark outside now, brisk but not too cold. Wild sage growing along the side of a dirt road. Elopement, digging graves, wreaths of Spanish moss, and mushroom rigor mortis  kisses. This perfume is something of a haunting, something of a curse. Chris Rusak, Caji I saved my favorite for last. Chris Rusak  has been long established in the world of niche and indie perfumery for making tincture-based DIY experimental powerhouses. I’ve loved his animalic pepper Beast Mode , for a while, and he’s surely reached notorious renown with the enigmatic and dirty AEOOJ(LMB) . With Caji , however, I truly think he’s done something special. A unique take on the Foin Coupé (freshly mown hay) genre of French perfumery, this is at once rustic and alien. Technically a release squeezed into the last few weeks of 2023, I’m including it here because it really was the perfume that most wowed me this year. Upon first spraying it, you’re met with an incredibly puckering sour blast of cucumber, purple florals, and fatty carrot seed. This alone smells like nothing else in niche fragrance and is worth the price of admission, but into the drydown, the powdery aspects reach their fleshy, flushed fulfillment, accompanied by a waxy sort of vanilla that just barely evokes the likes of my forever favorite Lipstick On . The hay is just barely discernible past this chaos but is very much a stringy setting for the main action of the perfume. Civet is also present here, but I can’t even bring myself to describe the timing at which it appears or the effect it has on the greater aroma of this perfume, other than to say it really makes it smell sexy. If I had to make a comparison to any other existing fragrance, I would grasp towards the outlier of Marlou’s extreme but terse ouvré, Corpalium , inasmuch as barnyard orris root is portrayed among an extremely evocative set of secondary players. Composed of 80% natural materials and intended to maturate gracefully throughout a many-yeared lifetime, I cannot recommend snagging a bottle of this seemingly limited artisan release enough. The Year’s Biggest Disappointments I won’t spend too long, here. Both because I don’t love speaking ill of others, especially independent perfumers, and also because, to be honest, there wasn’t that much in the world of niche perfumery I felt overtly scandalized by this year. That said, there are several wider releases I feel I have to speak out against, for your own wellbeing. Prada, Prada Paradoxe Virtual Flower The original version of this perfume, entitled Paradoxe, was maddeningly simple and a reduction of everything that white floral perfumes could and should stand for. This year, the fine men and women at Prada  have decided to release a version that’s basically the same, Paradoxe Virtual Flower , except it uses fifteen more buzzwords and tries to incorporate Chat-GPT in the most gimmicky way possible. The scent itself is just vaguely clean ISO-E super musk designed to appeal to women who want to smell unobtrusively pleasant to other women and nothing else. I get it — it’s easy for me to punch down on designer perfume. And, generally, during the rest of the year, I try not to say much about it, because it obviously isn’t really for someone with as repugnant and hyper-specific tastes as me. That said, I call out atrocious marketing when I see it, and this should truly not have been made. I see people comparing this scent to MFK’s 724 , which is somehow a hopeful compliment to me — and I didn’t even like that perfume. Maison Margiela, Afternoon Delight Did they try and make this a vague Proust reference? This isn’t even the first time a perfumer has tried to do this bit , and back then, it was actually a creative concept. Honestly, I’m going to alienate myself from most people reading this and say I actually enjoyed the now-discontinued Whispers in the Library  and much prefer that to what seems to be its successor in the disaffected vanilla slot in Margiela ’s designer-does-niche lineup. Afternoon Delight  smells pretty much exactly like Philosophy’s original Fresh Cream  fragrance, a pungent, untamed stale vanilla that overpowers any attempt at a lactonic accord. There is a reason its layered sequel,  Fresh Cream Warm Cashmere , sells by the crateful. You can’t do vanilla on its own if you’re not prepared to go hard on the quality of ingredients. I think a fruity note like pear or peach more or less smells the same at all levels of extraction, but there is an obvious difference between  a really good vanilla solinote  and the lowest common denominator. It honestly doesn’t even end up smelling like food. The whole idea of sweet gourmands has been done so many times that your average consumer now has a baseline scent memory to compare things against, and blends all low-quality vanillas together into vague Bath and Body Works nicety. And to be honest, I have a professed soft spot  for Vanilla Bean Noel , because at least it doesn’t pretend to be anything it isn’t. Needless to say, this perfume literally does not register as anything to my brain, and when all is said and done, that’s worse than making a scent so awful it’s at least worth remembering. Maison Francis Kurkdjian, APOM Francis , for goodness’ sake! You’ve made countless  masterpiece perfumes  at all price points, and now your latest self-branded release is getting compared to late-term Killian? You either die a niche auteur or live to see yourself cater to Fragrance-Tok YA literature women who think By the Fireplace  smells like mezcal. This perfume smells like if Rihanna wore Love Don’t Be Shy  to the gynecologist. It claims to be a genderless fusion of two prototype fragrances I have not smelled, but I would be shocked to find a virile male Baccarat Rouge  consumer who wants to wear something this mindlessly saccharine. The fact this claims to be a fougère is an insult to Jicky’s  legacy. This updated fragrance now smells like a magazine perfume tester strip version of musky orange blossom and vanilla. I honestly think the legacy of 21st-century musk-forward florals on designer perfume has corrupted what could easily be a pretty and naturalistic flowery scent into something that smells like Justice (2010s clothing store for teens) and early onset body dysmorphia. I can’t really fault perfumers with day jobs that smell like your average American woman’s fantasy of a fancy hotel lobby, but, at its best, designer perfume can subtly challenge the tastes of its consumers, and both nourish and style their scent predilections for the better. Alas, for now, I will have to hope TikTok also influences your average Francophile mother of three to buy a Diptyque sample set. It’s definitely possible — we just have to believe. 🌀 Audrey Robinovitz is a multidisciplinary artist, scholar, and self-professed perfume critic. Her work intersects with the continued traditions of fiber and olfactory arts, post-structural feminism, and media studies. At this very moment, she is most likely either smelling perfume or taking pictures of flowers.

On the perfume of Sofia Coppola’s The Virgin Suicides . Do you ever spray the bathroom with Febreze to cover up the horrifying scent you left behind? In Sofia Coppola’s 1999 film The Virgin Suicides , Cecilia Lisbon uses Dana’s Heaven Sent Eau de Parfum  as an air freshener to mask the fact that her life is a burning heap of garbage. If you’ve ever been a 13-year-old girl, you know that your beauty products and knick-knacks become an extension of your physical body, a tangible safety net to cradle your fall into pre-pubescent despair. I recently got my hands on the 2001 version of Heaven Sent from FragranceNet — however, in the film, the bottle that Cecilia (Hanna R. Hall) has is a vintage bottle by Helena Rubinstein, originally launched in 1941. Both the modern and original bottles look almost identical, highlighting Coppola’s intense eye for authenticity. (This was confirmed by World Wide Aura, an awesome digital archive  of beauty products in TV and film.) On Cecilia’s vanity, designed by Coppola and production designer Jasna Stefanovich, beside Heaven Sent lies a bottle of Jovan Musk cologne from 1972, among other delicate girly accessories — Cecilia has good taste.  Sociologist Erving Goffman’s dramaturgical theory of impression management  provides a useful lens to peer at Cecilia through. In his 1956 book The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, Goffman theorizes that we have a “backstage” and “frontstage" self, and we perform them differently according to each circumstance we find ourselves in. Putting the ubiquity of curating a persona nowadays (like with social media) aside, real-life intimate social micro-interactions are where observing impression management can be useful. This goes much deeper than simply being “real” or “fake.” It is often more instinctual, dare I say, primitive — we want our tribe to accept us so we can hunt together and not die of starvation. Humans have learned we can attempt to manage how other people perceive us, and in the modern era, consumerism makes it incredibly easy to control that external perception. You can order a new persona on Amazon and have it at your doorstep in 24 hours. In the film, Cecilia uses Heaven Sent as a prop in the tragedy that is her life. Maybe she purchased it herself; maybe it was a gift from her evil mother (Kathleen Turner) — we don’t know. Regardless, it’s really quite meta: Coppola uses the perfume as a prop to tell the story in her movie, while Cecilia uses it as an instrument to embellish her short fictional life. People use fragrance as camouflage all the time — like most commodities, this is what makes buying things fun (for example, I wear Angel by Mugler at times when I feel like a goblin). If you take an introductory acting class, the teacher will most likely ask you Stanislavskian questions about your character, such as:  “Who are you?” “Where were you born?” “What does this character do in their spare time?”  Every speck of detail is paramount to building a robust narrative. Similarly, knowing what a movie character smells like, or what personal products they use can enhance the story’s reality and texture through olfactory exploration. The Lisbon sisters’ accouterments strewn about their home, art on their walls, and more stuffed animals than books on their shelves is an unforgettable vignette for most tweenage females —  as biological and psychological emotional turmoil ensues, like the shock of reconciling with not being girl nor woman, but rather an excruciating third thing, the only way to survive it is by retreating to your bedroom dwelling. The bedroom and its contents are the safety mats placed for your first gym class cartwheel; if it’s not just right, the fall will hurt. Hanna R. Hall has the perfect face for melancholy. She effortlessly evokes the boredom, dissatisfaction, and indifference that is mandatory to feel like a Lisbon sister. Her permanent half-smile suggests she spiritually passed away years ago, and her physical body is staying awhile just to mess around — but she is looking forward to leaving this dimension entirely. The peak of Cecilia’s palpable discomfort can be pinpointed to the birthday party scene, when she has a front-seat view of the forced theatrics her mother and father (James Woods) orchestrate for her party. The gathering, prescribed by a therapist who thinks Cecilia just needs to socialize with males her age, is quite literally the nail in her coffin. After the teen boy with Down syndrome is brought into the party and cruelly paraded around like a circus clown by the other boys and girls, Cecilia excuses herself to her bedroom and attempts suicide once again, finally with success. In that brief scene, her empty glare sends a very clear message — this life is a joke. She longed to be heard by her mother, for her to express genuine interest in her life — endangered animal species, for example — but yet her mother is incapable of that connection. She is gone, leaving a cloud of honeyed flowers dipped in powder behind. Each sublime element in Heaven Sent plays a crucial role in this tragedy, from the exposition to the denouement. Let’s dive into a breakdown of the composition of this fragrance, as listed on the box: TOP Apple blossom, bergamot, mandarin, lily of the valley (muguet) MIDDLE Iris (orris), jasmine, heliotrope, rose BASE Amber, musk, oakmoss, patchouli, sandalwood It’s violet petals crushed into a powdery elixir dripping with desire — the desire to be loved, accepted by parents and peers, or just to get through grade school in the suburbs before your excruciating Catholic home life drives you to kill yourself. It follows the precise formula for a chypre, down to the subtle oakmoss bottom note. As it dries down, it is pure baby powder thanks to the orris and heliotrope blend, bearing striking similarities to Heliotrope Milkbath  by Universal Flowering. Add a splash of almond milk, and it will be difficult to make out which is which. This baby powder is so saccharine it borders on gourmand — and has me wishing for a Pixy Stick full of it.  Heaven Sent serves as a tool to mask Cecilia’s angst as the youngest sibling and is a piece of the desperate bridge extended to her mother in longing for emotional presence. Heaven Sent is pure powdery innocence, made with the tears of angels, a protection spell against all evil —  which ultimately contrasts with her miserable life. The ornate bottle is a direct pathway from the Earth to the clouds, a holy grail that ushers her toward mortality. There is something Rumpelstiltskin eqsue to it; an imp-like deity surely weaved this perfume out of gold just for her. In all seriousness, please don’t make Cecilia your role model — get help if you need it. But do yourself a favor and buy a bottle   — not only to honor the inner Lisbon sister in all of us but to reconcile with our desire for a scent both feminine and prurient. 🌀 Lauren Lexa Brown is a Canadian writer, cyber-anthropologist, hardcore perfume enjoyer, and admirer of any and all vintage ephemera. She can be found adding things to her cart and singing to her pet guinea pigs. You can find more of her work on her Substack .

A lost-and-found editorial by Rachel Anne Bartz. Click the right arrow to view the full photoset. Photographer: Rachel Anne Bartz ( @rachelannebartz ) Model: Jessica ( @hotelfantasysuite ) Photo Assistant: Leah Wendzinski ( @leahwendzinski ) Nails: Nim ( @fruityynails ) Film Processing: Chicago's Pro Film Lab ( @cswfilmchicago ) Scanning: Bellows Film Lab ( @bellowsfilmlab )