Michelle Yeoh Named As New Balenciaga Brand Ambassador

 
 

Launching November 9th, 2023, Balenciaga’s Spring 24 campaign of photographs expands upon the collection’s digital presentation, showing scenes from a chic Parisian apartment.

Newly named Balenciaga ambassador Michelle Yeoh stars in the campaign, alongside brand ambassador PP Krit Amnuaydechkorn and friends of the House Malgosia Bela, Arthur Del Beato, Eva Herzigova, Soo Joo Park, and Khadim Sock. They wear looks from Spring 24 with the season's iconic bags: Le Cagole Sling, 24/7, Monaco, Crush, and Crush Sling.

Michelle Yeoh, whose career spans four decades, is credited with perfecting many genres of roles, from action heroine to dramatic lead. Since her start as an actress in the 1980s, Michelle has become ever more celebrated and influential in multiple domains. In 2023, she made several barrier-breaking achievements, including winning a Golden Globe, a SAG Award, and an Oscar—making her the first Asian to win the Academy Award for Best Actress and the first to win in the leading acting category.

 
 

Diotima & Laura Facey Join Forces for Diotima's Spring/Summer 24 Collection

 
 

The recent collaboration between Laura Facey and the Diotima is an exquisite artistic partnership that draws inspiration from Facey's 2022 exhibition, "Laboratory of the Ticking Heart," at Ormsby Hall in Kingston, Jamaica. As such, Facey's captivating body of work for this collection had been conceived before the two artists had even crossed paths.

Diotima’s Founder and Creative Director Rachel Scott was profoundly moved by Facey's exhibition, which left a haunting imprint on her consciousness. It ignited a deep reflection on the historical and enduring legacy of slavery in the Caribbean. 

A chalk drawing titled "Seed" (2022), a creation by Facey in the weeks leading up to her exhibition, was transformed into a cotton print. Diotima preserved the integrity of the original piece while loosely draping it around the body.

Furthermore, Facey contributed miniature versions of her wood-carved hearts, which the designer artfully incorporated into the project. These intricate hearts adorned the body, gracing the neck, abdomen, and even hanging delicately from the ear.

In a mesmerizing fusion of art and performance, Facey adorned herself with the transformed pieces and posed in front of the camera. This collaboration culminated in the creation of an exquisite corpse, a testament to their shared vision and artistic synergy.

KOZABURO Spring/Summer 2024 at NYFW

 
 

Mythical creatures serve as a universal source of aesthetic and spiritual inspiration, evident throughout the KOZABURO Spring Summer 2024 collection. This essence finds expression in garment construction, graphic patterns, and intricate embellishments. Curved lines evoke the undulating contours of sand dunes, while textures and fluidity capture the essence of dragons and serpents.

This collection transcends the constraints of historical clothing norms, embracing 3D-cut pants and styles that defy convention. The Chinese zodiac and the Uroboros symbol, representing rebirth and the future, permeate the collection, both structurally and in attitude.

Akasaka's reverence for ancient aesthetics extends to contemporary fabric choices. SS2024 incorporates a capsule collection produced in collaboration with cycora® by AmbercycleTM—a newly regenerated material derived from disassembled end-of-life clothing and textiles. This circular approach aligns seamlessly with the traditional Japanese weaving technique of Sakiori, a hallmark of KOZABURO, where used strips of fabric are woven into new textile creations.

The runway presentation features a soft serpent sculpture with scales crafted from upcycled denim, symbolizing the eternal cycle. Two drummers, uniting at the point of infinity, symbolize a universal language of communication, ceremony, and spirituality, recalling a past Tokyo show with Taiko drummers.

KOZABURO's Spring Summer 2024 collection is a harmonious mosaic of inspiration, reflecting a decade of creative community and cultural exploration in the United States, a testament to Akasaka's artistic journey.