Telfar Celebrates Its 20th Anniversary Not With Spectacle But With Substance

Two decades after its quiet beginnings in Queens, Telfar turned the streets of New York into a runway and the community into the main event. This was not just a fashion show; it was a reminder that independence, creativity, and cultural impact are what fashion is all about.

Courtesy of Jason Nocito

What began twenty years ago in a Queens apartment by a teenage Telfar Clemens has evolved into the largest Black-owned fashion brand in the world, and likely the longest-running genderless brand in history. The brand has charted its own path entirely, remaining 100% independent, without investors and little entanglement with the fashion industry. Yet, with its captivating DNA, Telfar managed to build a loyal following of over three million customers along the way.

Telfar has long stood out as a brand that simply gets it right. It’s visionary, equitable, and deeply in tune with its audience. From the beginning, it gained a loyal community drawn to its commitment to cultural storytelling, accessible pricing, and customer-first values. This integrity helped elevate the iconic “T” bag into one of the most sought-after accessories of the past decade, carried by A-listers and aspirational shoppers alike.

Over the weekend, following a five-year hiatus, Clemens took to the streets of New York City to make his return to the runway.

 

Courtesy of Telfar

 

At the show, the support and love were undeniable. Fans, friends, family, and industry insiders all came crowding to the street behind the Telfar store, fittingly on Juneteenth weekend. Among them were familiar faces like Luar’s Raul Lopez and Solange Knowles, who’s often cited as the one who promoted the brand in its early years. Her sister, Beyoncé echoed that same support in her 2022 Renaisssance album, closing it with a shoutout to the brand: “This Telfar bag imported, Birkins them shit’s in storage,” encapsulating everything the brand is all about.

As always, Telfar did things their own way. Instead of a traditional runway cast, the show featured people directly from the brand’s community. Through a series of open castings at the Telfar store called New Models, anyone could take part. The final lineup was chosen not by insiders but by the public, who voted live during the first episode of New Models, streamed on Telfar’s own platform on June 19. Friends, family, and longtime collaborators all walked the show, making it a true celebration of the people who have shaped the brand.

Telfar’s Spring/Summer 2025 collection was a bold celebration of community and creativity, and every look was met with cheers and applause. It opened with reimagined suiting and shirting, crafted from deconstructed jersey T-shirts that honored the brand’s twenty-year history. Loose-fitting jackets, flared trousers, and relaxed silhouettes offered a fresh take on fashion staples; easy streetwear, and polished tailoring—echoing the brand’s ability to capture New York’s forward-looking vibe. The collection continued with khaki in tones of beige, black, and camo as a foundation, denim spanning vintage to futuristic rib knit dresses, and logo jelly sandals in various colors, just in time for the minimalist footwear wave.

Courtesy of Jason Nocito

Accessories took center stage as much as the clothing did, proving once more why Telfar changed the way the industry thinks about “it” bags. The debut of the Tie Bag—an evolution of the Telfar shopper as a slouchy hobo tote—is available in three colors and one perfect size. Of course, the legendary Shopping Bag was also present in spirit, reminding everyone just how Telfar became the brand known as Bushwick Birkin. Together, these pieces underscored Telfar’s core message that quality design and cultural resonance need not break the bank.

Twenty years in, Telfar has proven that good things are worth the wait. The fashion industry constantly demands speed and instant reinvention, often leaving creatives forced to accumulate. But Telfar Clemens has built an empire that allows him to listen to a slower, more authentic rhythm, and he understands the value of risk in fashion. As he celebrates the brand’s platinum anniversary, it’s never been more clear that Clemens is still winning the game, with rules he made himself.

Prada’s Architectural Meditation in Osaka

Prada Mode, Osaka
Courtesy of Prada

text by Andrea Riano


At a time when fashion’s cultural events are so often reduced to surface-level branding, Prada Mode’s second edition in Japan is a serious meditation on how architecture can reimagine the ecosystem of an island. In the heart of Osaka, the brand collaborates with architect Kazuyo Sejima, inviting guests to participate in a critical dialogue, exclusive performances, and an immersive exhibition.

Open to the public through June 15th, Prada Mode Osaka takes place in Umekita Park, a rare oasis nestled between Osaka’s glass towers and directly connected to the country’s busiest train station. This is the twelfth edition of the brand’s cultural journey, which has landed everywhere from Miami to Hong Kong and now, for the second time, in Japan. This particular edition is curated by Pritzker Prize-winning architect and head of SANAA, Kazuyo Sejima, a frequent collaborator of Prada.

Prada Mode, Osaka
Courtesy of Prada

In 2008, the Fukutake Foundation, which manages the Benesse Art Site Naoshima, invited Sejima to reimagine and shape the built environment of the small Seto island of Inujima. At Prada Mode, the architect shares this ongoing work through models, videos, and other materials at a SANAA-designed pavilion in the park. In the days leading up to Prada Mode Osaka, Inujima Project offered a private preview of Inujima, introducing the history of the island, Sejima’s projects there over the past 17 years, and her vision for its future. During the Inujima Project, Prada and the architect unveiled a permanent pavilion at Inujima Life Garden, designed by Sejima and donated to the island by Prada.

“On Inujima, a tiny island rich in nature, visitors will encounter and experience symbiosis - a landscape that combines history, architecture, art, and daily life. In Osaka, a city with historical ties to Inujima, this experience will be shared and expanded to reach a wider audience. At this edition of Prada Mode, Symbiosis will take shape through conversations and discoveries, creating a new landscape that continues to grow with the participation of all,” says Kazuyo Sejima.

Kazuyo Sejima at Prada Mode, Osaka
Courtesy of Prada

The programming reflects that same ethos. The week-long schedule is a soft collision of art, intellect, and experimental sound curated by Craig Richards, featuring performances by Nik Bärtsch, Reggie Watts, and C.A.R. (Choosing Acronyms Randomly), the latter being an incredible post-punk performance. Guests lounged on floor cushions, sipped Prada-branded negronis and olives, while watching film screenings by Bêka & Lemoine and a dance piece by choreographer Wayne McGregor, joined by composer Keiichiro Shibuya. Shibuya also presented “ANDROID MARIA,” a newly created android developed with a team of leading developers, produced and presented by ATAK.

“It’s not about promotion here. It’s about architecture, music, ideas. The curation is unique. Prada genuinely wants to support culture.” says Shibuya, who is known for challenging the boundaries between humans and technology through his compositions and collaborations with artists and scientists, such as his Android Orchestra. 

Indeed, Prada Mode has never really been about fashion, instead, it's about the contexts that shape it: cities, people, materials, and memory. In Osaka, that vision reaches a new level of clarity.

Prada Mode, Osaka
Courtesy of Prada

Prada Mode is on view through June 15th at Umekita Park, Ofukacho, Kita Ward, Osaka, 530-0011

Cartier Champions Women Entrepreneurs at Expo 2025

courtesy of Cartier

At Expo 2025 Osaka, Cartier made a bold and enduring statement about the future—not through products, but through purpose. The Maison’s long-standing commitment to empowering women found tangible expression in two landmark moments: the inauguration of the Women’s Pavilion and the 2025 edition of the Cartier Women’s Initiative (CWI) Impact Awards. Together, these initiatives underscore Cartier’s belief that when women thrive, humanity thrives.

The Women’s Pavilion, co-created by Cartier with the Japanese government and Expo 2025 organizers, is more than an architectural feat—it’s a cultural and social force. Designed by architect Yuko Nagayama and envisioned as a space of global dialogue, the Pavilion serves as a living platform for discussing gender equality, showcasing innovation, and amplifying women’s contributions across sectors. Events like the WA Dialogues brought together leaders from UN Women, grassroots organizations, and the private sector to explore systemic change, while art performances and ceremonial design wove together tradition and contemporary thought.

A centerpiece of the Pavilion’s launch was the message from Cartier’s leadership. “Women’s empowerment is the beating heart of our collective future,” declared Cyrille Vigneron, Chairman of Cartier Culture and Philanthropy. This ethos permeated every facet of the Pavilion—from the cymatics-inspired stage, to the reuse of its materials in future environmental projects, ensuring that its legacy continues beyond the Expo.

The spirit of the Pavilion found its most poignant expression in the 2025 Impact Awards, a celebration of nine extraordinary women entrepreneurs whose businesses are improving lives, preserving the planet, and creating economic opportunities around the world. Selected from a pool of over 330 past fellows, these women represent the power of scaling local solutions into global movements.

Each awardee received $100,000 in funding and joined a year-long fellowship designed to support impact measurement, leadership development, and strategic growth. But beyond the numbers lies a powerful narrative of resilience and innovation. From Ireland to Rwanda, India to Jordan, these women are solving critical challenges—from menstrual health to clean energy, emergency response systems to education for refugee children.

courtesy of Cartier

For example, Kristin Kagetsu’s Saathi produces biodegradable sanitary pads from banana fiber, reaching over 114,000 women and cutting down plastic waste. In East Africa, Caitlin Dolkart’s Flare has reduced ambulance wait times from hours to minutes. And in Armenia, Mariam Torosyan’s Safe YOU app now supports survivors of gender-based violence in five countries with AI-powered emergency services and financial empowerment tools.

These aren’t isolated successes; they’re proof points in Cartier’s larger vision of business as a vehicle for social transformation.

The Impact Awards Week, set against the backdrop of the Women’s Pavilion and the broader Expo, brought together 180 global changemakers for panels, workshops, performances, and shared meals. The week was as much about forging new connections as it was about celebrating achievement.

Events like the emotionally resonant “Letter to Our Younger Selves” video, or the keynote by Sandi Toksvig OBE, reminded audiences that leadership is not only a matter of innovation but of courage. June Miyachi, President & CEO of Cartier Japan, underscored this in her opening remarks: “The Women’s Pavilion is a space for the elevation of voices, of ideas, of perspectives—and a reminder that lasting equality is within our reach when we choose to build it together.”

The week closed with a performance choreographed to the theme “Forces for Good”—a fitting end to a program that wove together cultural celebration and civic urgency.

The Cartier Women’s Initiative continues to evolve. Applications for the 2026 edition are already underway, with plans to spotlight 30 entrepreneurs across ten award categories, including a new Science & Technology Pioneer Award. As the Initiative grows, so does Cartier’s investment in fostering a global network of visionary women.

In a luxury industry too often focused on surface, Cartier’s alignment with structural change feels not only authentic but necessary. The Maison’s efforts remind us that the future of luxury lies in long-term thinking, cross-sector collaboration, and a profound respect for human potential.

At Expo 2025, Cartier didn’t just stage an event—it illuminated a movement. And in doing so, it offered a blueprint for how heritage brands can lead with meaning, beauty, and impact.

A New Story Every Day: Read Our Interview of l'Area's Edouard Chueke →

The Center of Le Marais’s Social Scene Is A Mom & Pop Restaurant/Bar Serving Lebanese/Brazilian Fusion & Drinks Until Late.

 
 

L’Area tonight, like every Saturday night, has spilled a crowd of well-dressed twenty-somethings out onto the streets. The rain comes down in a light haze, and smokers rotate in groups out of the doors. Some women’s fur coats are being flattened by the rain that rolls off the edges of their slanted umbrellas. The smokers hug the small, flat green face of l’Area and step away from the windows, from which you can see, behind and around them, a growing crowd inside the bar.

L’Area, during the day, is a quiet restaurant that serves Lebanese and Brazilian food on a side street between Bastille and Le Marais. The food feels home-cooked, comforting; it’s rich curries and shawarma, black rice and pita bread, citrusy ceviche, and a cold glass of white wine. You can’t go to l’Area and order just one thing—a meal at l’Area means a table covered in plates.

But at night, l’Area becomes something else—an overflowing bar where you can start or end your night, a refuge from the rain, good drinks and good music, but also one of the hearts of Paris’ youth scene. L’Area attracts artists, students, musicians, and, during fashion week, half of everyone who’s left their afterparties. It’s designed for conversations, for making connections. At l’Area, you can find a photographer for your brand, a writer for your magazine, or a date for next Saturday.

Inside the bar, the soft light feels as if it could all be from the glow of candles. The walls are mostly covered with thick white paint that thins in some important places and cracks in others. On each wall, there are mirrors, tchotchkes, and photos and paintings in thick and thin frames. The bar’s counter is long and shining and turns at one end to meet the wall.

The wall behind the bar has a splash of blue and green tiles. There are glass shelves covered in glass bottles and aluminum cans and corks and towels and art and busy hands and other things that a bar should or shouldn’t have. And the bar’s counter itself is covered in action and movement, the knocking of glass on the counter, the shifting of elbows under thick coat sleeves.

I move with the crowd as the room thins and then pushes out into the bar’s barely larger backroom, filled with a traffic jam of tables, benches, chairs, and people. You have to step over and squeeze past creaking wooden chairs with skinny iron legs. Boot heels catch on coats, elbows brush against the shoulders of drinkers, and backs press against backs. A small projector sends a faint blue glow—cut through by the shadow of the spinning ceiling fan’s blades—against a screen blocked by pots of flowers, a glittering silver lava lamp, and an enormous glass vase filled with coffee beans. Wine-soaked cushions and a floor sticky with Saint Germain lick the soles of boots and Puma runners.

The restaurant's owner, Edouard, steps into the backroom and lights his cigarette from a candle placed on a countertop. Edouard has silver hair and skin that looks like it has spent most of its life smiling. He wears a sweater knit tight like l’Area’s weave of tables and chairs. It is my first time back in two years; Edouard remembers my name.

There is no l’Area without Edouard. You would be hard-pressed to find a kinder man in Paris, and if you did, he would be nowhere near as cool. Edouard creates the culture of l’Area. When he can find a break between pouring drinks and hugging friends, he will pull you aside to connect you with someone he wants you to know. And all night, until the bar closes, through every backhanded glass, late reservation, and declined card, he keeps smiling.

I caught up with Edouard the next day. I sat at the counter as he paced back and forth behind the bar. I had to follow him with my phone so the recording would stay clear. Read more.

Cocktail Celebration and Signing For Autre's Fall/Winter Citizen Issue At The Stone Island Flagship In NYC

November 7th, Autre Magazine took over the Stone Island flagship in Manhattan to celebrate our FW24 “CITIZEN” Issue and a 166-page supplement by @sicknethi generously supported by the cult luxury outerwear brand. Sethi signed copies and two large lightboxes of the covers greeted guests at the door.

Ocean&Climate Village Offers Ecological Expansions to Maritime Tradition in Barcelona

Students, citizens, tourists and sailing enthusiasts who flocked to Barcelona for the final stages of the 37th America's Cup welcomed the opening of the Ocean&Climate Village traveling exhibition at Port Olimpic in the Catalan capital with great enthusiasm.

UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay visited the Ocean&Climate Village exhibition at the Olympic Port in Barcelona and the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli base, where she met the Luna Rossa Women’s and Youth teams. The Director General was welcomed by Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada Group Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Max Sirena, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team Director together with the Italian Consul in Barcelona Emanuele Manzitti. Azoulay warmly congratulated the Youth team for their recent victory and wished the best to the Women and the whole team for the upcoming regattas. 

The exhibition, which welcomed around 1000 visitors in the first six days of its opening and hosted 500 scientific workshops, allows visitors to explore the complex relationship between the ocean and the climate through educational tools such as infographics, photographs, interactive virtual reality installations and haptic experiences, with a focus on the ocean's crucial role in regulating the climate.

This special edition of the Ocean&Climate Village is part of the partnership between UNESCO and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, created to highlight the importance of sustainability in maritime sports and the contribution that the sailing world can make to marine scientific research through the collection of valuable data.

The First UN Conference Dedicated to Ocean Literacy Meets in Venice for World Oceans Day Organized by Prada Group & UNESCO

On June 7th and 8th, for World Oceans Day, the first United Nations conference dedicated to ocean literacy entitled “Ocean Literacy World Conference” took place in Venice. The event, organized by the Prada Group and UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission represents an important milestone in the partnership between the two organizations which, since 2019, have been working side by side to develop the SEA BEYOND educational program aimed at raising awareness among the younger generations on the health and protection of the ocean.

This included the presentation of the first SEA BEYOND Ideas Box, the result of a collaboration with the international NGO Bibliothèques Sans Frontières, which aims to facilitate access to education for children and young citizens in vulnerable communities. Designed by Philippe Starck in 2014, the Ideas Box is a mobile multimedia center of over 100 square meters, equipped with internet connection, tablets, laptops and over 250 books and games, as well as hundreds of training materials. To celebrate the Ideas Box’s tenth anniversary, Philippe Starck and Patrick Weil, Founder and President of Bibliothèques Sans Frontières, told the story of its inception in a dedicated conversation. The contents of the media center were curated by UNESCO's ocean literacy team in collaboration with Bibliothèques Sans Frontières and a selection will also be integrated into those already operating in metropolitan France and overseas regions (8 Ideas Boxes), Burundi (4 Ideas Boxes) and Ivory Coast (6 Ideas Boxes). The teams responsible for managing the individual Ideas Boxes will be trained by UNESCO’s ocean literacy team.

The conference brought together 131 delegates from UNESCO Member States and ocean literacy experts from around the world to contribute to the “Venice Declaration for Ocean Literacy,” a collective document that in ten points contains concrete recommendations to rebalance the relationship between the ocean and human beings. The declaration will be shared with UN Member States on July 2nd in New York to help shape the agenda for the UN Ocean Conference to be held in Nice, June, 2025.

Mercedes-Benz Premieres the All-New Electric G-Class In Los Angeles

Last night in Los Angeles, the all-new G-Class was released with a star-studded world premiere with a surprise performance by Travis Scott. Few other vehicles have influenced pop culture like the Mercedes-Benz G-Class with its instantly recognized silhouette. First launched 45 years ago, the G-Class, which takes its name from Geländewagen meaning off-road vehicle, formed its worldwide reputation as a sought-after brand icon. With its long-lasting durability, 80 percent of all G-Class’ ever built remain in use on or off–road. Learn more here.

SPLAT: A Sensory Play Party & Performance By Bobbi Salvör Menuez @ Performance Space New York

“Sometimes performing, leaking always, together” reads the subheading of Bobbi Salvör Menuez’s SPLAT, a sensory play party at Performance Space New York, where the multidisciplinary artist also gave a private performance. Guests had their tongues painted by Early Shinada in quori theodor’s gnaw installation, brought towels for “slime hour” in the “splash zone,” were offered beverages and a place to communally shower in the bathroom before engaging in some dry, quiet play in the “soft zone,” and documented themselves while traveling through the “liminal zone.” All guests had stickers placed over their phone cameras, so the only documentation of the night came from within an interactive, live-feed macrophilic installation resembling a giant mouth titled I’m Big, You’re Small. All attendees were asked to take rapid Covid tests before attending and encouraged to engage in consensual cruising and play. A house manager could be found on site to support in all ways necessary and voyeurs were received with a warm welcome.

Autre Magazine Co-Hosts A Fog Art Fair Dance Party In San Francisco With On Approval and Friends

Last Friday, AUTRE magazine cohosted a hot and sweaty late night dance party to celebrate Fog Art Fair in San Francisco with On Approval, Altman Siegel, Value Culture and Exhibited.At. A mix of tech and art worlds collided with locals at the Lions Den Lounge in Chinatown with music by Eugene Whang and Jeremy Costello. photos by Oliver Kupper

Nike Women Celebrates Style, Self-Expression and Movement for Her in Los Angeles

Nike Women’s Stud Country Event. Image by Simone Niamani Thompson.

Nike Women hosted a weekend imbued with innovative movement and style as an homage to the power that can be derived from community-focused experiences.

On Friday, December 8, Nike Women hosted an intimate dance class with Stud Country at The Paramour Estate. Guests were encouraged to hit the dance floor wearing pieces from Nike’s holiday 2023 collection, selected by stylist Keyla Marquez, paired with favorite pieces from their closet. Stud Country was born from the legacy of queer dance spaces and honors the rich history of LGBTQ cowboy culture.

The next day, on Saturday, December 9, Nike hosted a day-long immersive experience called Nike Style Studios Neuehouse West Hollywood. Hosted by world renowned talent such as Honey Balenciaga, Sienna Lalau, Storm DeBarge and Courtni Poe, guests participated in a range of unique workshops that inspire different forms of self-expression through style, dance, creativity, and community. 

Nike Women celebrated the power of community in Los Angeles with this special weekend of programming that honors a new era of democratized fashion, prioritizing style, self-expression and movement.

 

Stud Country Portraits by Carlos Eric Lopez.

 

Park Nights Return @ Serpentine Galleries In London, Featuring Live Music, Performance, Dance, and Poetry

Serpentine was thrilled to announce it’s returned of Park Nights this August. Its experimental, interdisciplinary, live programme sited within the annual architectural commission, the 22nd Serpentine Pavilion designed by Lina Ghotmeh.

Bringing together multi-disciplinary artists, and featuring rave music, performance installations, poetry and dance, the exciting live programme invites audiences to engage, reflect, and connect. Park Nights runs from August to October, featuring The Living and the Dead Ensemble; Castiel Vitorino Brasileiro; Bambii and Christelle Oyiri.

Catch it’s final evening on October 8th, where Christelle Oyiri/CRYSTALLMESS will present a live iteration of her upcoming record with invited collaborators and musical guests.

The events will run through early October at Serpentine Galleries, Kensington Gardens, London.

Bold Tendencies Is A Cultural Hub in London That Exemplifies the Dream of Urban Adaptability

text by Lara Monro

Bold Tendencies is a cultural community hub located within the rooftop spaces of a multi-story car park in the heart of Peckham. Established in 2007 by contemporary art gallerist Hannah Barry, the not-for-profit organization has rooted itself within the bones of the local community and is recognized for taking culture and civic values seriously through a mix of standalone education and community initiatives. 

What was initially a bold arts project has turned an unlikely structure into one of the city’s most exciting public spaces. With breathtaking panoramic views of London and an accompanying (and very popular) bar, Frank’s, Bold Tendencies exemplifies the dream of urban adaptability. Sitting somewhere between pop-up and permanence it has harnessed a thriving cultural presence in a once dead, dark space. 

Sharon Eyal and L-E-V perform OCD LOVE at Bold Tendencies in 2019. © Susan Bingham

Over the past sixteen years, the hub’s cultural program has attracted 2 million+ visitors. It has commissioned 128 artworks to date, including Richard Wentworth’s silvery curved floor painting, Agora (which comes from the Greek term for a gathering place) as well as the gaping ghoulish fairground-style painted mouth of artist Matt Copson. Bold Tendencies also boasts award-winning live programs of music, dance, opera and readings, including performances by the internationally-renowned choreographer Sharon Eyal. And, let’s not forget to mention the car park’s bubblegum-pink, Instagram sensation, stairwell; an artwork in itself by Simon Whybray. 

Bold Tendencies’ 2023 Summer program, Crisis, includes artworks by Emory Douglas, Jenny Holzer, Kahlil Robert Irving, Sandra Poulson, and Abbas Zahedi. The live program opened with the Philharmonia Orchestra performing The Planets by Gustav Holst, and after the success of the award-winning production, The Endz, The Multi-Story Orchestra’s Young Creatives performed Routes. Set in Peckham, Routes is inspired by the musicians’ personal experiences of growing up in the borough. It is directed by Abi Falase, with music led by singer-songwriter Frances Lobo and composer Kate Whitle. The Multi-Story Orchestra is made up of a group of exceptionally talented young musicians renowned for their innovative and boundary-pushing approach to music-making. 

Manchester Collective, known for their innovative and daring collaborations, presented a one-off, double program of German composer and conductor, Richard Strauss’ final masterpiece, Four Last Songs, paired with Metamorphosen, a haunting work of rhythmic and melodic complexity for string orchestra written towards the end of the Second World War in 1945. To accompany the mesmerizing scores leading soprano, Ruby Hughes, beautiful (and haunting) voice reverberated off the car park’s exposed concrete frame, leaving hairs standing on the back of necks. 

Most recently, Bold Tendencies welcomed Irish chorographer Oona Doherty to their public programme for the first time with Hope Hunt, an ode to strength and vulnerability, hitting and swerving at extreme stereotypes of cultural and social class. Based in Belfast, Oona studied at London School Of Contemporary Dance, University of Ulster and Trinity Laban (BA Honors and Postgraduate in Contemporary Dance Studies). Doherty’s distinctive, visceral, and intense performances highlight her rare ability to connect a gesture with the web of emotions that sustain it. She explains, “my work attempts to play with the barrier between the flesh and the soul, the audience and the stage; to share a kinetic experience. I’m motivated to explore states of pure metaphysical honesty. To bring the sex, the punk, the romance and the chi back into the body, the black box, the white cube, and Ireland.’’ 

Still to come, Caleb Femi will present Stone Seed, an immersive live performance that celebrates the power of Peckham to rebuild and reclaim what has been lost in a rapidly changing socioeconomic landscape. Finally, the 21-year-old Swedish-Norwegian violinist, Johan Dalene will perform four pieces—chosen specially for performance in the concrete space—alongside his regular performance partner, award-winning British pianist Nicola Eimer. With music by Arvo Pärt, Francis Poulenc, Sam Wu, Edvard Grieg, Dalene’s program explores the crises of our time with extreme virtuosity and sensitivity. 

Book tickets for all up coming events via the Bold Tendencies website.

Air Afrique Launches With Bottega Veneta To Celebrate Afro-Diasporic Creativity and Conversation

Bottega Veneta has initiated a new partnership with Air Afrique magazine, a fresh platform for Afro-diasporic art and conversation. The magazine, conceived by a young collective in Paris and inspired by the pan-African magazines of the 20th century, launched with an event at the Centre Pompidou in Paris on 23 June 2023. Air Afrique is named after the pan-African airline Air Afrique, co-owned by Senegal, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Niger, Congo, and Chad, and operational between 1961 and 2002. An important expression of recently independent countries and of a certain pan-African ideal, the airline became a major patron of arts and culture, as well as a means of cross- border transportation. Published in both French and English, Air Afrique is led by the airline’s cultural vision, and by the logic of its in-flight magazine Balafon, which was distinguished by its ability to celebrate the cultural and historical diversity of the African continent. Air Afrique will combine this ethos with a sharp, precise aesthetic to transmit African cultural heritage and inspire cross-border creativity and discussion. Each issue of the magazine will include both archival material from the airline’s cultural patronage, and contemporary cultural expression from French, French-Caribbean, and African artists and writers.

The Air Afrique collective consists of Founder and Creative Director Lamine Diaoune, Editor-in-Chief Amandine Nada, Co-Founders Djiby Kebe and Jeremy Konko, Editors Zhedy Nuentsa and Ahmadou-Bamba Thiam and Graphic Designer Axel Pelletanche.

In its partnership with Air Afrique, Bottega Veneta will provide its brand name and platforms, as well as tailored events, to support the magazine launch and help build and connect engaged communities of readers. The brand will also release a limited-edition series of blankets by Franco-Sudanese designer, Abdel El Tayeb, a designer in the Bottega Veneta studio. Specially commissioned by Matthieu Blazy to mark the launch of Air Afrique, each blanket is a unique composition of the finest wool, silver leather, and shearling from the Bottega Veneta archive. Under his own label El Tayeb Nation, El Tayeb combines Sudanese craftsmanship with Western tailoring in an aesthetic that mixes couture and ease. The label aspires to create a space for Afro-descendents to express their multicultural identity. The Air Afrique Afro-futuristic blanket designs are inspired by the vibrant patterns of the traditional toub dress worn by El Tayeb’s mother.

A model looks into the camera behind the words Bottega Veneta wrapped in a plush textile blanket.

Kate Parfet Debuts Unique Coffee Table Poetry Art & Photo Book

Milking a Duck is a casebound poetry, art & photography coffee table book by Kate Parfet, printed by die Keure. Available today, via publisher pois é and in select bookstores worldwide including Arcana Books on the Arts, Casa Bosques, Claire de Rouen, Mast Books, Librarie Yvon Lambert, McNally Jackson and Skylight Books. This book is a representation of the female experience, and more specifically motherhood, recognizing all mother stories as both universal and singularly unique. Parfet’s deep exploration of (and at times outrage for) the ways in which politics, medicine, and society shape the motherhood experience inspired her to create this book. Click here to order.

AMEN Picasso: A Night @ The Picasso Museum in Paris

AMEN Candles celebrates the launch of AMEN Picasso with Diana Picasso, Haider Ackerman, Ellen Von Unwerth, Delphine Arnault, Giambatista Valli, Marco Ribeiro, Willy Cartier, Sinichiro Ogata, Prince Wenzeslaus of Liechtenstein, Pauline Ducruet, Quentin de Briey among many others.

Maison AMEN is a Paris-based candle brand that was established by Uruguayan-born designer Rodrigo Garcia in 2020. Pioneers within the market, they create high-end candle and light sculpture designs that are handmade in Grasse, the world capital of perfumery, just minutes away from Pablo’s Antibes Studio. On a mission to create a world free of plastic, AMEN’s products are entirely sustainable, made from vegetal wax that is free of toxic paraffin. They are poured into a reusable porcelain jar and packaged in plastic-free, mushroom containers that are carbon negative. The launch of their new collection of candles took place at the Musée national Picasso-Paris in collaboration with Diana W. Picasso, curator of the exhibition Maya Ruiz-Picasso: Daughter of Pablo.

With the aim of bringing together a significant ensemble of fourteen portraits, the exhibition asks us to reexamine a part of Picasso’s oeuvre through the prism of their filial relationship to highlight the bond that unites father and daughter and to emphasize how Maya’s presence nourished and amplified the artist’s fascination for childhood. Through the presentation of major works from the 1930s — portraits of Maya and Marie-Thérèse — sculptures, paper cut-outs, and memorabilia such as letters, poems, and personal objects, the project seeks to illustrate this chapter of Picasso’s intimate history. Completed by an important selection of photographs, some of which hitherto unseen, the exhibition will, more generally, question the relationship between Picasso and his children, notably during his years in Cannes during which the artist shared happy moments with his four children gathered together. It is the first of many Picasso exhibitions that will take place at museums around the globe throughout the year of 2023 in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the artist’s death.

The scented candles were selected by Rodrigo Garcia and Diana Picasso. As curator of innumerable Picasso exhibitions, she combines paintings with feelings and memories from her life as the artist’s granddaughter. “I felt strongly that the scent for Figure (1927) was Naranja y Canela, a Mediterranean summer in the south of France. Acrobate (1932) became the strength of the Ginger and Nu couche (1932), which translates to ‘Lying down naked’ is the sensuality of Amber. For Guitar a la main blanche (1932) with the letters MT, I remembered a love letter of my grandfather Pablo to my grandmother ‘You are always on me, Marie-Thérèse, mother of sparkling perfumes pungent with star jasmines.’ To me, it's been the most exhilarating experience to add sense to all these profoundly emotional works. I immediately responded to the beliefs behind AMEN: to add soul to the scents and to cherish our Mother Earth.”

scribbles of writing on a piece of paper.

The collection is available to purchase at the Musée National Picasso, Paris Dover Street Parfums Matket, the Met Museum New York, Gagosian’s galleries in New York & London, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Selfridges, Antonioli Milan, Moda Operandi, and globally through amencandles.fr. Maya Ruiz-Picasso: Daughter of Pablo is on view through December 31 at the Musée national Picasso-Paris 5 rue de Thorigny, 75003.

Donate to CIELO This Giving Tuesday to Provide Critical Language Services for Indigenous Angelenos

Comunidades Indígenas en liderazgo (CIELO) is an Indigenous women-led non-profit organization that works jointly with Indigenous communities residing in Los Angeles. One of their key priorities is to fight for social justice through a cultural lens. The fight for social justice includes ending gender-based violence, providing language access rights, cultural preservation, and reproductive justice. CIELO is a link, a resource, and a liaison for migrant Indigenous communities residing in Los Angeles. You can learn more about CIELO and its matriarch, Odilia Romero, in our current FW22 issue, which is available for purchase in our online store.

Click here to make a donation today.

Watch Both Teasers Of "MIASMA", A Live Installation By Hannah Rose Stewart and Blackhaine @ Trauma Bar und Kino In Berlin

Drawing from Ligottian horror, MIASMA takes place in an unnamed seaside town in the artists’ home region of Northern England where a blackened volcanic hole opens below an abandoned car park. The work incorporates 3D design, neo-noir film, and the Japanese dance theatre of Butoh to unearth sensations of dread, mourning, and alienation.

MIASMA autopsies the corpse of post-industrial urbanity, carving out its wounds in unparalleled catharsis: an encounter with darkness that oscillates between the solemn and abrasive.

In Thomas Ligotti’s The Shadow at The Bottom of The World, a strange profusion surfaces and exhausts itself into the atmosphere, afflicting the air, vegetation, and people in a nearby town—ultimately turning a familiar place into an estranged version of itself. This duality becomes the subject of Hannah Rose Stewart and Blackhaine’s (Tom Heyes) debut audio-visual installation, MIASMA.

These uncanny dispositions frequently appear throughout MIASMA, within crowds of twisted and curled faces, as characters and dancers stagger past illegible signs of defunct businesses—a gesture to Mark Fisher’s Ghosts of My Life: “You suppose that you could be in familiar territory … few landmarks. The tracks have numbers, not names. You can listen to them in any order. The point is to get lost.”

Live and recorded Butoh alchemize MIASMA’s provocations into a visceral, unnatural domain, forcing viewers to take part in the mutative rift that opens, not only across the towns, but also within the minds of its inhabitants and visitors.

Through the virtual and choreographic, MIASMA conducts its autopsy on the town’s post-industrial corpse, carving out its wounds in the act of unparalleled catharsis: an embrace and respondent transformation to darkness characterised by its balance of the intimate and abrasive.

Text by Matt Dell

MIASMA will be on view this Saturday, October 22 at 21:00 @ Trauma Bar und Kino Heidestraße 50, 10557 Berlin

Video by Hannah Rose Stewart
Graphic design by Jordi Theler
Ue5 development by Filip Setmanuk Soundtrack by Blackhaine, Croww, Rainy Miller

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Tea Hacic-Vlahovic Celebrates The Launch Of A Cigarette Lit Backwards

On September 22, Tea Hacic-Vlahovic and friends celebrated the launch of her second, brutally honest coming-of-age novel, A Cigarette Lit Backwards, at Ace Hotel in Los Angeles, following the smash success of her 2020 debut novel, Life of the Party. Hosted by Paper Work, the night included a performance by ZAESOTERIC aka Isiah Edwards, as well as CPR guidance and safe drug using instructions by Narcan Nate, who distributed fentanyl testing strips, Narcan, and business cards for neverusealone.com. The book is out now and can be purchased in select book stores and abramsbooks.com. photographs by Michael Krim