Actress Emma Watson will soon be seen in the 'Little Women' film adaption. Ahead of the film's release, Emma has been surprising Londoners by hiding copies of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel 'Little Women'. This is also part of 'The Book Fairies’ campaign wherein over 2K copies of 'Little Women' have been hidden in cities in 38 countries for readers to find.
London, UNITED KINGDOM – Celebrities pictured at “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” European Premiere after party at Cineworld Leicester Square in London. Pictured: Phoebe Waller-Bridge BACKGRID USA 18 DECEMBER 2019 BYLINE MUST READ: Bob Grey / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
Phoebe Waller-Bridge is a person who loves fashion so much she often writes very specific garments into her storylines. And she treats red carpets, movie premieres, and after-parties with just as much excitement. On Wednesday, the English actress and producer attended the Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker after-party in a futuristic Ralph & Russo matching two-piece.
Emmy-winner Phoebe Waller-Bridge stepped out in a silver-y blue lurex tweed short-sleeve jacket and matching culottes from the brand’s fall 2019 collection. Ralph & Russo is known for its elevated elegance, and in 2014, became the first British brand invited by the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture to show during couture in almost a century. “When you land on an outfit that you love, there’s no greater feeling,” Waller-Bridgen told Vogue. “Still,” she said, “I maintain the right to leave the house looking like shit, in my pajamas.”
While we’ve yet to see the Fleabag actress photographed in her ‘jammies but we do remember the now iconic post-Emmys photo at the Chateau Marmont in which she wore a glittering Monique Lhuillier gown with a cocktail in one hand and a cigarette in the other.
Refinery29 is proud to partner with TENCEL™, a fiber brand that strives to set a new standard of sustainability with innovative fibers and an environmentally friendly production process. Certified as compostable and biodegradable, TENCEL™ branded fibers can fully revert back to nature.
Climate change is one of the defining issues of this generation. If not mitigated, it could have devastating effects on life as we know it, leading to natural disasters (think wildfires, hurricanes, flooding) and ultimately extinction. The impending catastrophe has several industries on alert, fashion included. As it stands, the apparel business is one of the major polluting industries in the world. Consider the fact that a major cause behind global warming is the increase in greenhouse gases, and more than 8% of global greenhouse-gas emissions are produced by the apparel and footwear industries.
In an effort to reduce the industry’s overall carbon footprint, fashion editors have become increasingly vocal about being more sustainable, from eliminating polyester to denouncing wasteful packaging. But how do they reconcile their desire to be more sustainable with jobs that revolve around indulgence, disposability, and newness?
For many, the first step is to stop shopping fast-fashion brands. Below, we talked to seven fashion editors about the moment in their lives when they decided to quit fast fashion. Some recognize the privilege that allows them to disavow fast fashion in the first place, while others acknowledge their role in bringing awareness to the issue. Here, they share how they shop for clothing, their relationship with fast fashion, how they approach their job, and why they look for fabrics made from TENCEL™ branded fibers that retain softness and color without wreaking havoc on the planet.
Naomi Elizée, Associate Market Editor at Vogue
“I stopped wanting to buy fast fashion because I saw firsthand the impact it made on our environment and how unnecessary it truly was. I remember after learning about the processes and the chemicals used to make our clothes, I just wanted to take my clothes off because it scared me so much! To think, formaldehyde could have been used in the dyeing process of the jeans you are wearing right now, it makes me so uneasy. When looking at sustainable materials, I look for reclaimed/recycled fibers and fabrics. I make sure I research and are aware of sustainable brands so that when we do have an editorial coming up I could recommend that brand, should it fit the story of course!”
Danielle Prescod, Style Director at BET
“It was not hard for me to quit shopping [fast fashion] at all. It really only required me to be more mindful. I only shop consignment retailers or sustainable brands now. I recycle via various clothing recycle programs.”
“A lot of people’s commitment to sustainability is driven solely by their wallet. Even for myself, I wasn’t able to fully cut off brands that are not sustainable until my income allowed me to. More than anything, it is on brands to make sure that they are doing the most environmentally responsible things. Of course, not only consumers should start making a change in their purchasing behavior, so much good can also be done by corporations making even tiny changes to how clothing and accessories are manufactured, produced, packaged, and shipped.”
Chelsea Peng, Fashion Editor, Refinery29
“As a reluctant shopper, I buy clothes less frequently now. I still love fashion and clicking through the latest season’s shows, but instead of immediately trying to replicate these looks, I have a stronger vision of what works for me. I know there’s always a vintage or secondhand version of the latest trend that’s probably better constructed and potentially cheaper, and now, I enjoy taking the time to seek this out (versus buying a shoddy version from a high-street retailer). This means I rarely purchase new clothing, unless I know it’s got quality construction in a style I can wear for a long time. If a purchase is new, and unless it’s a very, very special piece, it has to be made from sustainable materials. I’ve not had much luck with vintage denim, for example, nor the patience to try on endless pairs, so I do sometimes buy new, but these are almost always made from TENCEL™ branded fibers — a type of cellulose fiber produced from wood pulp from sustainably managed sources, a renewable resource.”
Whitney Bauck, Associate Editor at Fashionista
“I bought some sunglasses from [a fast fashion brand] in Ireland when I was studying there in 2013, and a week later, the Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh, which was the worst accident in garment industry history, happened. The fast fashion brand was one of the brands that had been producing in that factory. Even though that fast fashion purchase was far from my norm, it really shook me to feel like my purchase was implicated in that tragedy. It wasn’t hard to stop buying fast fashion after that because I was already so much more of a vintage shopper, but it was sobering to come to terms with the way that Western consumption habits contribute to suffering in the rest of the world. We can’t buy our way out of this problem: we need to be willing to change not just where we’re buying from, but how much we’re buying in the first place. Most of the people reading this probably don’t actually need any new clothes, and won’t for years. Myself included. If I am buying new — which happens less and less frequently these days — I gravitate towards things that are made from recycled materials, materials that are regeneratively farmed or organic.”
Callia Hargrove, Contributor at CD Denim
“My shopping habits over the past few years have done a total 180. Now I approach shopping via a three-pronged system. Everything I buy is: made sustainably/ethically, an investment that has a high cost per wear, or pre-owned. Each season, I put together Pinterest boards with inspirational images that I use to think through what I want to buy. Then I pin the exact items I plan to buy on a separate board so I know where my money is going and I can budget. Most seasons I buy one high-end investment item and a few sustainable/ethically produced basics, along with some trend-based thrift buys.
When it comes to new clothes, I try my hardest only to shop with brands that are not only sustainable, but also employ ethical business practices. On the materials front, I definitely have a lot to learn. I’m a big fan of TENCEL™ because they use a sustainable closed loop production process, which is so important. And they are way ahead of the trend when it comes to textile fibers: they transform wood pulp into biodegradable fibers, all with a really low environmental impact.”
Alyssa Hardy, Senior News Editor at InStyle
“It’s actually difficult for me, at times, to reconcile my job with my beliefs. On the one hand, I have extremely strong feelings about many of these brands and their practices, and on the other, I feel that everyone has the right to afford cute clothing. So when I’m writing about a trend or a sale, I make sure I’m giving the most quality options available, information about how to get the trend in other ways, and which brands offer transparent manufacturing. Also, I think fashion editors are in a unique position where we have a direct line to these companies, so I’m always giving feedback about sustainability and trying to hold them accountable when I can. It’s really important to remember that you have a voice in this movement. You can tell brands what you want to see from them and let them know when you feel there is a problem.”
Faith Cummings, Contributing Writer at Bustle
“We should all try to shop less. Honestly, do we really need more clothes? I know it’s super hard because clothes and accessories are so beautiful and they really do have the power to boost your mood and make you feel equipped to take on the world. But you probably have enough already. Look all you want, but be more selective with what you buy. I’m completely aware that a lot of these fast-fashion stores allow people with less disposable income and curvy people who can’t always find their sizes in traditional stores have access to fashion that makes them look and feel good. So I think that’s another major problem we need to tackle. People of all socioeconomic backgrounds and sizes need affordable clothes that won’t fall apart after one wash and hurt the planet in the process.”
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You’ve read the 2019 recaps, made your reservations (and/or bought your club crawl tickets), and planned your resolutions — now all you have to do before New Year’s Eve is figure out what to wear. Dressing for the ball drop used to be simple: Throw on your one sequin dress, pack your metallic clutch, and toss on a pair of slinky black heels. But since this New Year’s Eve isn’t just ringing in a new year, but a new decade, why not use the night as an excuse to give your go-to party look a bit of a refresh?
All that’s left to do now is find a dress that’s perfect for you. But since dress shopping probably isn’t on your already-overbooked agenda, we went ahead and did some digging for you. Loyal to sequins? We’ve got those covered. Sticking with black? We’ve found those too. Feathers, rhinestones, velvet, and more — no matter which NYE sartorial trope you’re planning on kicking off 2020 in, we’re betting that it’s somewhere in the slideshow ahead.
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 07: Mama Cax, also known as Cacsmy Brutus, walks the runway for Chromat during New York Fashion Week: The Shows at Gallery I at Spring Studios on September 7, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for NYFW: The Shows)
Mama Cax, the Haitian-American creative, model, and advocate known for her work to make the fashion industry more inclusive for differently abled women and women of color, died on December 16, according to an Instagram post from this morning. She was 30.
Earlier this month, while in London for a photoshoot, Cax discovered blood clots in her leg, thigh, abdomen, and around a medical filter near her lungs that was implanted when she first battled cancer in her teens. According to the Instagram post, she spent a week in the hospital, battling illness with “the same grit” that she brought to her entire life.
A post shared by Mama Cāx 🇭🇹 (@mamacax) on Dec 20, 2019 at 7:58am PST
Cax, who lost her leg to bone and lung cancer when she was 14, spoke generously and openly about how disease affects not only the body, but also the spirit: “Childhood cancer left me with a million scars (mostly emotional)” she wrote. The ferocity with which she advocated for self-care, self-love, and self confidence through creative pursuits made her an undeniable force that helped trigger a new, more empowered phase within the fashion industry. Despite the fashion industry’s notorious reluctance to embrace different kinds of bodies, her career was as dazzling as the rhinestones that frequently appeared on her prosthetic leg. She was the face of Refinery29’s Take Back The Beach editorial in 2016. She landed her first campaign for Wet n Wild in 2017, and went on to model for major brands like Tommy Hilfiger and ASOS, and in 2018, she landed a Teen Vogue cover. She made her runway debut at Chromat’s always-inclusive show, appearing on the catwalk in crutches and swimwear in September 2018. She was also much-followed street style star during New York Fashion Week; her electric outfits were fearless, expressive, and experimental, gleefully combining dozens of references, colors, shapes, and designers as if she couldn’t get enough of the beautiful, lovely things in life.
Cax brought a unique perspective to body positivity that challenged the way the movement has been perceived by the mainstream. After speaking at a recent panel for Oprah Magazine, she posted on her Instagram, “Body positivity [is] not only [about] embracing yourself and your body’s journey but learning that if your embracement of bodies does not include ALL BODIES it is not body positive. […] I always remind my audience that their bodies allowed them to get to work and at the end of the day it will take them home to their loved ones. […] If you’re not ready to love your body for how it looks, admire it for how far it’s gotten you.”
Cax frequently shared images of herself with and without the prosthetic, working to normalize the very radical idea that beauty isn’t limited to able-bodied women. Her commitment to publicly loving and respecting herself despite the way the fashion industry has traditionally treated differently abled women opened the door for a new generation of models to succeed, and designers to create clothing with all types of bodies in mind.
In a post about fashion label Henning in which Cax wore a pair of heeled slides with a transparent prosthetic leg that she called “a jellyfish,” Cax wrote: “After my amputation, I had so many body insecurities. If my future self came up to me and told me that one day, I’d transcend these feelings and start seeing my body as art, I would never believe it. A piece forever in progress, yet art at every stage.”
And what a masterpiece it was.
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 21: Kate Mulleavy and Laura Mulleavy and Kirsten Dunst attend the Fifth Annual InStyle Awards at The Getty Center on October 21, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Donato Sardella/Getty Images for InStyle)
Last night, California design duo Laura and Kate Mulleavy of Rodarte took home the coveted Designer of the Year Award at InStyle Magazine’s InStyle Awards — and they didn’t do it alone. To join in on the celebration, their cult-like following of celebrities, including long-time friend Kirsten Dunst, Euphoria’s Alexa Demie, January Jones, InStyle Editor in Chief Laura Brown, and more, arrived dressed in head-to-toe Rodarte.
“Laura and Kate’s creativity comes from something so personal and emotionally moving that their dresses almost feel like songs on your favorite album,” Dunst recalled as she presented the sisters with their award. “They are pioneers of the fashion industry, sticking to their roots and always using their home state, family, and friends as a source of endless inspiration.”
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 21: January Jones, Natasha Lyonne, Alexa Demie, Laura Mulleavy, Kate Mulleavy, Kirsten Dunst, InStyle Editor in Chief Laura Brown and Gia Coppola attend the Fifth Annual InStyle Awards at The Getty Center on October 21, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for InStyle )
This win comes as no surprise, as Rodarte has had quite the decade. Not only did they win the coveted CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year Award in 2009, they were also featured in the Costume Institute at the Met in 2013 and the National Museum for Women in the Arts. By collaborating with brands like Target and & Other Stories, writing and directing fantastical films like Woodshock (starring Kirsten Dunst, of course), and designing costumes for major motion pictures like Black Swan, Kate and Laura Mulleavy have made a name for themselves and their brand throughout the 2010s. But it’s their dedication to female friendship that really makes Rodarte feel so relevant and deserving of this award as the decade comes to a close.
For their Spring 2020 collection, rather than go the runway route, Kate and Laura Mulleavy produced a romantic photoshoot with all of their best friends. The week-long production, shot by photographer Daria Kobayashi Ritch, featured Lili Reinhart (holding a puppy), Haim, Gabrielle Union, Kiernan Shipka, Rowan Blanchard, Maggie Rogers, Margaret Qualley, and about a dozen other of-the-moment celebs, in a dreamy sculpture garden reminiscent of Renaissance-era France. The dresses followed suit, all covered in tasteful arrays of tulle, sequins, ruffles, and polka dots. The campaign was a viral success.
Anyone who’s seen a Rodarte gown knows that Kate and Laura Mulleavy can design beautiful and lavish fashion. The way they go beyond just dresses, though, is why this win is so right in 2019. Film, art, fashion, and friendship — Rodarte’s paving the way for fashion that is about more than clothing in the decade ahead.
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Before there were influencers, there were people who acted as “muses” to fashion designers and photographers. Amy Fine Collins is one of those people. Collins worked at Home & Garden, Harper’s Bazaar, and finally Vanity Fair, where she spent over 20 years writing about style, culture, and the fashion industry. Designer Geoffrey Beene considered her a close friend and muse until his death in 2004. She’s one of four people Eleanor Lambert bequeathed her infamous International Best Dressed List to and as one would imagine, she’s just as particular about her own personal style as she is about what makes it on the list.
“It’s not quite severe but it’s not soft and gentle,” she continued. “I’m told often that people find me intimidating. My thought is: Why are you so insecure? It’s just an effect that I can have. But, I often feel like I look like a drawing.”
Fine Collins transitioned her glamorous role at Vanity Fair during Condé Nast’s glory days into an editor-at-large position at Airmail, the newsletter of former Editor-in-chief Graydon Carter. She also wrote a book, The International Best Dressed List: The Official Story. So what happens to the “Best Dressed List” in the age of Instagram? Is it better to just go viral? “I think people want to become memes,” she said. “It happened to me one year at the Costume Institute.”
As a rule, Fine Collins only wears clothing designed by friends. “Clothing is so personal. The maker has such a connection to his creation. It merges sensibility, stories, and narratives,” she explained. “I know so much what Thom [Browne] feels and what he thinks and why he does what he does.” Browne plays a lot with androgyny; and because Fine Collins has short hair and what she describes as a slim, muscular figure, she said it’s a perfect match.
But only wearing pieces designed by her friends has not cut down on the amount of clothing in her closet. “I ran out of space ages ago,” she confirmed. There are things in her country home, her mother’s basement, and racks where she says they shouldn’t be. She refuses to use a storage unit because she needs to have “pigments on my palette within reach.”
Fine Collins will never reach for sweatpants, though. “If I had to run out and grab a cup of coffee and I didn’t feel like getting dressed, I would get dressed,” she laughed. “Or I would have the coffee delivered and be my pajamas.”
The commitment to her personal presentation paid off. So much so that she says she was often photobombed when legendary street style photographer Bill Cunningham would take her picture for the New York Times. “It was so important for so many people to be on that page and they never quite understood that it wasn’t about the person,” she said.
The same can be said not just for the International Best Dressed List, but of Fine Collins’ work at Vanity Fair. She hopes as younger people discover her work, they understand how much work went into her larger-than-life stories. “One of the complaints I hear about 18, 19, 20-year-olds, is that they want it right away,” she said. “Everything is work. Part of the skill of being a good anything is doing so much work, but making it look effortless” — not unlike the way Fine Collins gets dressed.
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You will be surprised to know to the price of the sweater.
Actress Emma Watson will soon be seen in the 'Little Women' film adaption. Ahead of the film's release, Emma has been surprising Londoners by hiding copies of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel 'Little Women'. This is also part of 'The Book Fairies’ campaign wherein over 2K copies of 'Little Women' have been hidden in cities in 38 countries for readers to find.
Don’t we all fill our bags with packets of chips, puffs, popcorn, cola and candies before we head out for a road trip?
