Prior to this month’s first digital Fashion Week in Paris, Colm Dillane had been rejected twice by the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode to show his fashion line KidSuper on the official calendar.
For the opening looks of both his unofficial Paris shows, he sent out outfits printed with the French organization’s rejection letter as a symbol of his brand’s outsider status. “To me that was what the brand was about,” Dillane tells PAPER. “It was never about being accepted, it’s about the journey and the unrealistic goals!”
So when KidSuper was finally approved to show on the official Paris calendar this season (albeit digitally), he opened his collection with the acceptance letter as a nod to his journey thus far. But unlike other brands who showed short films (Dior Men, Berluti and Hermès, etc.), Dillane developed a stop motion runway turning inanimate objects into life-like creatures.
His cast of “claymation” models included the likes of Bernie Sanders, Naomi Campbell, Stephen Hawking and Elon Musk walking the runway in front of Anna Wintour and Kim Kardashian caricatures. The original plan, he says, was to stage a real fashion show and hire doppelgängers of famous people to attend as a sort of statement on how fashion has long correlated the importance of a show with who actually attends.
“I don’t like the concept of your fashion show’s only good if people like these ‘right people’ come,” he says. “I remember when I was planning and working with different people to throw the fashion show, everyone was like, ‘Who’s your front row?’ And I was like, ‘Who gives a fuck about my front row?’ Your creativity shouldn’t be determined by who attends.”
Dillane’s experience with claymation goes way back to his first music video, where the titular character would do everything from climb Mount Everest to fly planes and play soccer as a proof that KidSuper could do anything. (The brand is not just a clothing label but a creative studio that does art shows, paintings and music.)
But fashion is a natural extension for the Brooklyn-based artist, who started out by selling T-shirts in a high school but always had Paris Fashion Week in the back of his mind. “It’s all about leveling up and doing kind of the unthinkable,” he says. “This brand, KidSuper, was always built off of this ethos that anything is possible and you can dream as big as you want. The idea of having KidSuper in Paris was kind of unexpected.”
Dillane does not rule out experimenting with a virtual format again next season, and says that, in a weird way, he was thankful for the obstacles that lockdown presented.
“I think showing digitally is actually best for me, because it’s more about ideas than it is about physically dumping money into a crazy production,” he says. “I love the concept of virtual.”
After causing a stir this past February during Paris Fashion Week, Kanye West is apparently reviving his Sunday Service show once again for Easter Sunday. This time, however, it’s going digital.
Typically an exclusive affair reserved for last minute pop-ups and celeb gatherings, it seems West’s Sunday Service series is opening up to a wider audience thanks to controversial televangelist, Joel Osteen. According to TMZ, in light of the ongoing coronavirus epidemic the two are teaming up on a big gospel performance that will broadcast from LA and be livestreamed via Osteen’s Lakewood megachurch.
The upcoming Easter livestream is also said to feature guest appearances by Tyler Perry and a special webcam performance of “Hero” by Mariah Carey as part of a tribute to medical professionals, making it potentially one of the most star-studded church services ever.
Related | Kanye West: In His Own Words
Sunday Service first started cropping up in the wake of West’s album, Yandhi, getting scrapped, beginning as small jam sessions in his Calabasas home and eventually culminating in the show’s 2019 Coachella debut. That was the start of West’s “Come to Jesus” year, when he declared himself a “Christian artist now,” and released his most overtly religious album to date, Jesus Is King. He also continued throwing intermittent Sunday Service shows in lieu of a proper tour.
This Easter livestream isn’t the first time that West has courted the company of Osteen either. Last fall, West came under fire after he appeared as a part of a Lakewood service, and rumblings that the two could embark on a tour together began to surface. Many pointed out Osteen’s history of problematic behavior, including closing his church doors during Hurricane Harvey, failing to condemn racism in the wake of the Charlottesville rallies and repeatedly calling homosexuality a sin.
Many feared that Osteen was merely taking advantage of West’s renewed faith in order to seem more progressive, but if this upcoming virtual Easter service is any indication, the rapper doesn’t seem the least bit bothered by those assertions.
With all of us social distancing, now is a good time to brush up on your fashion education. From in-depth documentaries to can’t-put-down biographies, there are countless movies, books, podcasts and TV series that can provide some much needed escape while you’re home isolating. Here are 40 options to check out now.
MOVIES
The Devil Wears Prada (Available for rent on Amazon Prime, Youtube, iTunes and Vudu)
The tale of a ruthless magazine boss and lowly assistant never gets old, but the numerous references to designers, photographers and other fashion “insider” details makes this worth watching again and again.
13 Going on 30 (Available on Hulu, Amazon Prime, Youtube, iTunes and Vudu)
This classic 2004 flick chronicles a 13-year-old girl who gets to become a successful 30-year-old fashion editor at a magazine called Poise, where she navigates all the complexities of adulthood and love in New York City.
Coco Before Chanel (Available on Amazon Prime, Youtube, iTunes and Vudu)
The story of Coco Chanel’s early life is captured in this drama film, which shows her beginnings working at a local bar to designing hats for society ladies.
Yves Saint Laurent (Available on Amazon Prime, Youtube and iTunes)
Fashion lovers will rejoice seeing this biographical drama of designer Yves Saint Laurent play out, which shows him and his business partner Pierre Berge navigate the French fashion scene with the launch of their label.
Phantom Thread (Available on Amazon Prime, Youtube and Vudu)
Actor Daniel Day-Lewis’ last movie before his retirement sees him play a dressmaker who takes a young waitress as his muse, with tons of references to design and craft incorporated throughout.
Prêt-à-Porter (Available on Amazon Prime, Youtube, iTunes and Vudu)
Few other films showcase the glitzy drama of Paris Fashion Week complete with models, stars and designers from all over the world.
Gia (Available on Hulu, Amazon Prime, Youtube and iTunes)
Angeline Jolie gave one of her most memorable performances as Gia Marie Carangi., one of America’s first supermodels. Faye Dunaway as her agent Wilhelmina Cooper is icing on the cake.
The Neon Demon (Available on Amazon Prime, Youtube, iTunes and Vudu)
While more of a horror/sci-fi film, fashion plays a big part thanks to Elle Fanning playing an aspiring model who books shoots and shows throughout.
TV Series
Styling Hollywood (Available on Netflix)
This series chronicles Jason Bolden and his partner’s styling and interior design business, with plenty of red carpet shots and cameos of clients like Taraji P. Henson and Ava DuVernay seen throughout.
Next in Fashion (Available on Netflix)
Hosts Alexa Chung and Tan France are joined by guest judges like stylist Elizabeth Stewart and Eva Chen to find the next great fashion designer in this competition series.
Project Runway (Available on Hulu, Bravo and Youtube TV)
The long-running design competition is currently hosted by Karlie Kloss and consists of judges like Nina Garcia, Brandon Maxwell and Elaine Welteroth.
America’s Next Top Model (Available on Hulu)
With more than 20 cycles under its belt, the original fashion reality show is a must-watch if only for Tyra Banks’ kooky antics, particularly in the first couple of seasons. (“Be quiet, Tiffany!”)
The Rachel Zoe Project (Available on Amazon Prime, Youtube and iTunes)
The OG of reality TV about styling, Rachel Zoe takes us inside her glamorous (and often times hectic) life as she prepares for important fittings with celebrity clients.
What Not to Wear (Available on Hulu, Amazon Prime and Sling TV)
Stacy London and Clinton Kelly gave us 10 seasons of dramatic makeovers and fashion inspiration. A reboot for 2020 on TLC is in the works.
Making the Cut (Available on Amazon Prime)
Tim Gunn and Heidi Klum return to TV with this big budget production to find the next global fashion brand with judges that include Naomi Campbell, Carine Roitfeld and Nicole Richie.
DOCUMENTARIES
McQueen (Available for rent on Amazon Prime, Youtube and Vudu)
Released in 2019, this film chronicles the life and career of the late designer Alexander McQueen. Old interviews of McQueen are shown alongside clips of his most memorable fashion shows.
Unzipped (Available on Amazon Prime, iTunes and Vudu)
One of the first fashion documentaries to shine a light on the industry, Unzipped follows designer Isaac Mizrahi as he puts together his Fall 1994 collection and includes appearances by supermodels Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Kate Moss and Christy Turlington.
Jeremy Scott: The People’s Designer (Available on Netflix and for rent on Amazon Prime)
This documentary captures the rise of Missouri-born designer Jeremy Scott and the beginnings of his career which takes him from Paris to New York. Celeb cameos include Miley Cyrus, Rihanna and Lady Gaga.
The Gospel According to Andre (Available on Hulu)
From his early life in the south to traveling the world as Editor-at-Large of Vogue, Andre Leon Talley opens up about the adversities and difficulties he’s faced to get to where he was in his career.
Dior and I (Available on Amazon Prime and Hulu)
Designer Raf Simons gets ready to present his first collection for the house of Dior and deals with the pressure that comes with such an important debut.
The First Monday in May (Available on Hulu)
Fashion’s biggest night takes months to prepare, and this documentary follows Anna Wintour and MET curator Andrew Bolton as they get ready to premiere the museum’s exhibition “China: Through the Looking Glass.”
The September Issue (Available on Youtube and Amazon Prime)
Cameras follow the happenings inside the Vogue offices as they working on putting out the magazine’s biggest issue of the year and how it all comes comes together.
Very Ralph (Available on HBO Now)
This documentary features interviews with fashion luminaries like Anna Wintour and Calvin Klein who weigh in on Ralph Lauren’s career, from his humble beginnings in the Bronx to 50 years later as a global brand.
BOOKS
The Battle of Versailles by Robin Givhan
Washington Post fashion critic Robin Givhan details the importance and influence of the Battle of Versailles in Paris between American and French designers.
Scenes from the Fashionable World by Kennedy Fraser
One of the pioneers of fashion writing, author Kennedy Fraser’s essays observe the the world of fashion through a critical and analytical lens.
D.V. by Diana Vreeland
Legendary Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue editor Diana Vreeland takes us through her rollercoaster journey and her love of fashion in this poignant autobiography.
The Beautiful Fall by Alicia Drake
The fashion scene in Paris in the ’70s was like no other, and this book documents all the drama and happenings that were going on during this glorious time.
Fashionopolis by Dana Thomas
Acclaimed fashion author Dana Thomas examines and investigates the damage the apparel industry has wreaked upon the world and the environment.
Kaiser Karl by Raphaëlle Bacqué
Released in an english translation earlier this year, Kaiser Karl is an in-depth biography of the late Karl Lagerfeld and captures the man behind the dark sunglasses and mysterious exterior to uncover his illustrious life and career.
I.M.: A Memoir by Isaac Mizrahi
Designer Isaac Mizrahi’s memoir is an astute and often times hilarious look into his life and career in the ’90s.
The End of Fashion by Teri Agens
A must-read book for any fashion lover and/or student, Agens lays bare how fashion fundamentally changed from its French roots to mass consumerism in this in-depth look at the industry.
PODCASTS
“Fashion No Filter”
Witty fashion journalists Camille Charriere and Monica Ainley offer their take on the week’s most important fashion headlines while giving insight into the many ways the industry operates thanks to interviews with experts and fashion insiders.
“Dior Talks”
In this series of podcasts, Dior invites friends of the house to discuss subjects like feminism and art. Guests include Maria Grazia Chiuri, Judy Chicago and artist Tracey Emin.
“The Memory Of… With John Galliano”
Episodes in this podcast coincide with the debut of a new runway collection, where artistic director John Galliano articulates all of his inspirations for the season.
“Fashion Victims”
Haute le Mode’s Luke Meagher teams up with Darnell Jamal to dish all the fashion and news and gossip we care about with his signature “sassy and analytical” approach.
“American Fashion Podcast”
Hosted by Charles Beckwith and Cathy Schepis, “AFP” delves into the world of fashion through interviews with top industry names with an emphasis on sustainability and innovation.
“Pop Fashion”
Lisa Rowan (a former vintage store owner) and stylist Kaarin Vembar discuss fashion news through the lens of pop culture while tackling topics about business and creativity.
“The Road Less Travelled”
Season 2 of “The Road Less Travelled,” the podcast by the British heritage brand Belstaff, launched this week and is hosted by the documentary filmmaker Reggie Yates. Guests include Riz Ahmed, James Norton and Mark Strong who discuss topics like overcoming adversity and what it takes to success.
“The Collector’s House”
This weekly podcast by luxury retailer MatchesFashion features interviews with some of the most creative fashion professionals in the industry to discuss their backgrounds and stories. Guests include Susie Lau, Nick Knight and Venetia Scott.
[Intro: Lil Uzi Vert]
You know Mister Lil Uzi got the guap
I swear Mister Lil Uzi got the guap
You know Mister Lil Uzi got the guap
I swear Mister Lil Uzi got the guap
You know Mister Lil Uzi got the guap (Slime)
I swear Mister Lil Uzi got the guap (Slatt)
You know Mister Lil Uzi got the guap (Woah)
I swear Mister Lil Uzi got the guap, uh (Ayy, Brandon, man, why you do that?)
[Chorus: Lil Uzi Vert]
Money come in, won’t stop
You know Mister Lil Uzi got the guap
You know any time I’m gon’ drop
You know none of them songs gon’ flop
You know all of them songs gon’ pop
I went platinum again, my God
I went two-tone on my drop
Bugatti, that’s one-point-six off stock
Don’t need no brakes, don’t plan on stop
I told that girl I only want all the top
Because punani always fall on my lap (Yeah)
They know that I got the game all in a lock
He talkin’ ’bout bird, we get that by the flock
A Benjamin Franklin always in my knot
I got way too much love right there right for my block
And as long my heart beating, it will not stop
[Verse 1: Lil Uzi Vert]
I don’t know nothing, who done got shot?
All I know I’m just booling with my slime (Yeah)
And if they come get you and you got whopped
Then lil’ slime, you gotta do your time
Like never mind that lil’ shit ’cause we rich
‘Cause right now we living and we doin’ fine
And I understand why you livin’ that life
We from the same hood, that’s a nickel and dime
That’s all we know
God gave me the opportunity to open doors
I’m up in Starlet’s, seen yellow doll tape on my go (Woah)
She not even on the pole (No)
I got that girl from my bro (Facts)
Yeah, yeah, you know how this life goes, yeah, yeah (Yeah, yeah)
I’m coming out Starlet’s like four (Four)
DQ watching the door
He blast at the opps for sure, yeah, yeah (Rrah, rrah)
They ain’t even know me and Bubba was close (Let’s go)
Niggas, they plot on the low (Let’s go)
But they all get smoked, sheets and toe, yeah, yeah
[Chorus: Lil Uzi Vert & Young Thug]
Money come in, won’t stop
You know Mister Lil Uzi got the guap
You know any time I’m gon’ drop
You know none of them songs gon’ flop
You know all of them songs gon’ pop
I went platinum again, my God
I went two-tone on my drop
Bugatti, that’s one-point-six off stock (Skrrt)
Don’t need no brakes, don’t plan on stop
I told that girl I only want all the top
Because punani always fall on my lap (Yeah)
They know that I got the game all in a lock (Game, game)
He talkin’ ’bout bird, we get that by the flock (Woah)
A Benjamin Franklin always in my knot (Let’s go)
I got way too much love right there right for my block (Woah)
And as long my heart beating, it will not stop
(Slime, slatt, slatt, hold up, baby)
[Verse 2: Young Thug]
Take the top off the coupe, wear the covers (Skrrt)
If you love me, then come eat my nuts (Slatt)
Hundred million up now, ain’t no trust (No trust)
Comme Des Garçons down when we lust
Get the pack in and I ride like the bus (My God)
I had rent you them bands out in custody (Yeah)
Told a cougar to try not to love on me
Push the bitch to the ground, she was nuttin’ on me
She was crying and write me a summary (Woo)
Yellow and black the Lam’, the bumblebee (Woo)
Just like a dog, she come to me (Yeah)
I put a fish on the wrist (I put a fish on the)
Parkay, it come with a dish (Dish)
My Lambo’ is washed, I don’t rock Jordans, but today I got some, yeah
Yeah, Chanel is one of the reasons all them notice me
Yeah, it’s been a long way to the victory and the nominees
Paris Fashion Week, shit ain’t enough for me
I took the drip to Jupiter, never come back to the States
[Chorus: Lil Uzi Vert & Young Thug]
Money come in, won’t stop
You know Mister Lil Uzi got the guap
You know any time I’m gon’ drop
You know none of them songs gon’ flop
You know all of them songs gon’ pop
I went platinum again, my God
I went two-tone on my drop
Bugatti, that’s one-point-six off stock
Don’t need no brakes, don’t plan on stop
I told that girl I only want all the top
Because punani always fall on my lap (Yeah)
They know that I got the game all in a lock
He talkin’ ’bout bird, we get that by the flock
A Benjamin Franklin always in my knot
I got way too much love right there right for my block
And as long my heart beating, it will not stop (Skrrt)
The apocalypse came to Paris Fashion Week when Balenciaga’s Fall 2020 show flooded the runway in February, front row seats almost entirely submerged underwater. A nod to rising sea levels, the show epitomized the fashion world’s approach to climate activism: dramatic but virtually meaningless.
Fashion week is inherently unsustainable. Factoring in transportation and set waste makes that a no-brainer before we even mention the industry’s bigger sustainability issues at large. Like the fact that the fashion industry at its current growth is predicted to be responsible for a quarter of the earth’s climate budget by 2050.
A recent report explored the emissions from global Fashion Week events, measuring the travel required to attend the four major fashion weeks during four women’s and two men’s wear seasons, as well as attendance at a number of major trade shows in such cities as Copenhagen, Tokyo and Seoul. It found that the travel undertaken by buyers and brands produced about 241,000 tons of CO2 emissions a year — that’s equivalent to the annual emissions of a small country.
Related | The 7 Biggest Trends From Paris Fashion Week
With that in mind, it’s no wonder that another recent survey found that 61% of New York Fashion Week participants reported feeling some guilt about the toll the whole event. And yet the resource-intensive runway show continues its struggle towards achieving “sustainability,” mostly on a superficial level. Burberry’s London Fashion Week show was completely carbon neutral, Stella McCartney asked showgoers to take Lime scooters to her Paris Fashion Week show that showcased her most sustainable collection ye, and Collina Strada founder Hillary Taymour provided her audience with pamphlets on eco-friendly food choices in New York. (Seemingly aware of how futile the cause was, she declined to use the s-word when referencing her collection, which used deadstock fabric.)
It’s not all bad. Beyond sustainability as a greenwashed buzzword, or an opportunity to make a statement, this season did mark a number of positive shifts in the right direction. Copenhagen Fashion Week introduced a sustainability requirement for any brands wishing to show on its schedule and promised to reduce their own greenhouse gas emissions by 50% over the next three years. This is following Stockholm’s self-cancellation out of concerns for the environment last year. It’s clear the industry is slowly catching on that the traditional runway show won’t cut it in the face of our climate and ecological crisis.
This is something that climate activist network Extinction Rebellion has been trying to push for years, hosting regular fashion week protests in London and New York. It’s also a key message coming from alternative fashion week’s that are running alongside some of the most anticipated shows, like ReFashion Week in New York. Patrick Duffy founder of Global Fashion Exchange, which hosts global clothing swaps, helped to open The Empty Shop in New York this season to encourage the recirculation of thrifted clothes.
“Since we first started working with global fashion weeks around the world like Lisbon, there has been a huge shift. I knew that starting with the smaller global fashion weeks was going to be easier to get programs and education onboarded,” Duffy explains. “The larger fashion weeks are huge machines and have a lot of moving parts and take longer to move. Why not have every fashion week be an education platform for change?”
As the larger fashion week events play catch up with smaller sustainable fashion initiatives, alternative fashion conferences and events like Slow Factory Foundation’s star-studded Study Hall summit and international sustainability forum Rio Ethical Fashion are creating a dialogue that’s often greenwashed by runway shows. This includes the intersection of climate justice and social justice, and how the climate crisis disproportionately impacts black and brown communities (many of which the fashion industry also relies on for production).
“We avoid having fashion or trade shows due to a more critical and independent approach towards overconsumption and carbon emissions as well,” says Yamê Reis, the founder of Rio Ethical Fashion. “There is a growing interest in sustainability in global fashion weeks, specifically in the last two years, but for me the next step would be setting boundaries of set design materials, logistics, waste generation, energy, water spending and making carbon compensation mandatory.”
With the coronavirus outbreak calling off many shows, and some smaller fashion weeks taking place in the coming weeks, some may consider “fashion month” over — but the conversations around more meaningful commitments towards a more sustainable fashion industry are only just beginning. At Moda Lisboa Fashion Week in Portugal (Europe’s “green capital”) this past weekend, events acknowledged their cultural, social and educational responsibility, and the entirety of the free admission activities were dedicated to discussing ways to “reinvent the fashion system.” Smaller, more locally-driven fashion events like these might just be the future — especially if they’re livestreamed for those who live several carbon-heavy flights away.
Related | Barragán Puts Mexico on the Fashion Month Map
Although there’s a valid argument that fashion’s “sustainable” efforts are currently not in line with the severity of the climate crisis, Céline Semaan, executive director of Slow Factory Foundation, urges us not to shy away from such efforts altogether. “Sustainability is not a bad word. Every brand out there has to begin investing in impact and pushing for climate positive action,” she explains. “The idea of us humans working with the planet and its creature should not drive us to fear or condone the words that describe that motion.”
With less than 11 years to prevent irreversible damage from climate change, we can only hope that environmental initiatives progress more swiftly next season. As Semaan puts it: “If we can turn fashion week into an event where actionable solutions are showcased and push for progress on climate positive action, we can influence people from all areas of the industry to enact lasting change. For now it is still a show with little action even when brands take a stand and show their value, we still have a long way to go.” The impact of not doing so could make Balenciaga’s underwater show less of a statement and more of a prediction.
Runway photos via Getty Slow Factory Foundation photography by Joey Trisolini
Following yesterday’s Yeezy presentation at Paris Fashion Week, the internet went wild for North West’s surprise performance on the runway. The 6-year-old Kardashian-West performed a rap over fellow toddler, 5-year-old viral fashion icon ZaZa’s original song, “What I Do?,” which debuted last summer.
Related | North West Rapped Onstage for Yeezy Season 8
As Kim and Kanye were proud parents watching young North perform, others questioned their lack of credit to the song’s original creator.
After North’s performance, ZaZa’s parents took to Instagram to explain the backstory behind “What I Do?”, and to ask the Kardashian-Wests to acknowledge their inspiration.
💕ZaZa💕 on Instagram: “in July of 2019, ZaZa & her dad went into the studio for the ultimate experience! To finally begin making the music she wanted to make. We…”
Shortly after ZaZa’s parents’ Instagram post, Kim expressed her pride of North via Twitter, while also giving a little shout-out to ZaZa. She then commented on ZaZa’s Instagram post, claiming she “didn’t mean to not give credit where credit was due.”
While this seemed to resolve the matter at hand (ZaZa’s parents posted Kim’s comment to their story with the caption “All love, all good”), it brings to light a much larger, ongoing problem. Celebrities of Kardashian caliber are often caught referencing — or even appropriating — the work of lesser-known artists without giving credit (think: when Ariana Grande’s “7 Rings” sounded a little too familiar to Princess Nokia’s “Mine”).
Naturally, Twitter users had a lot to say on the matter, below:
