Item of the Week news and archive

Item of the week: the chunky knitwear

What it is: Chunky knits are always a favourite every time the cooler seasons come around, and that is no exception for SS24, when designers clearly chose this style of pullover as their frontrunner. For this season’s collections, however, the knitted sweatshirts took on more bulging formations, with rounded sleeves and bodies that brought a...

Fashion

Item of the week: the peacoat

What it is: Like many staple fashion garments, the peacoat’s origins lie in the military, specifically the Dutch navy, which introduced the silhouette in the 1800s and took the name from ‘pije’, the Dutch word for wool. The look only infiltrated the fashion industry following World War II, alongside other popular military-wear that had taken on...

Fashion

Item of the week: the panties

What it is: If there was one fashion garment that has really held its ground over the last few seasons it was none other than the panty. Starting with a splash in Miu Miu’s AW23 show, and later infiltrating the collections of other designers for SS24, panties have been everywhere. And the styling variations are surprisingly vast. The piece can...

Fashion

Item of the week: the satchel

What it is: The satchel bag has been around for hundreds of years, yet its specific origins remain unknown. Linked to everything from Roman soldiers to Scottish monks, the piece has been regularly adapted and transformed to fit the time period it was found in. Now, however, its design is distinctive, more often than not defined by a strong...

Fashion

Item of the week: the Bermuda shorts

What it is: Like many tailored items today, the Bermuda shorts have their foundations firmly set in the military, first designed in order to cater to the needs of the British army who seeked uniform that suited the tropical weather of their colonies. Towards the beginning of the 20th century, the garment was then adapted for businessmen and...

Fashion

Item of the week: the belt bag

What it is: The belt bag as a concept has many origin stories. Also known as a ‘fanny pack’, the piece’s first appearance, however, is typically considered to have been about 5,000 years ago and was discovered on the body of a mummified Ötzi. Fast forward to the 80s and, following a string of various uses, it finally became a commercialised...

Fashion

Item of the week: the cargo gilet

What it is: If there was one item that has been particularly hard to avoid in recent months it is that of the cargo gilet, a look that is typically defined by its sleeveless shape and onslaught of fastenings and pockets – making it both fashionable and functional. While its history is largely tied into military wear and fisherman’s attire, the...

Fashion

Item of the week: the cropped blazer

What it is: As the casualisation of office wear continues its hold onto formal attire, a recurring offset of this trend has come to light in the form of cropped blazers. While this silhouette may already be a common staple among the fashion crowd, it's only recently that the shape has taken on more genderless heights, largely appearing in...

Fashion

Item of the week: the asymmetric skirt

What it is: It was rare to find a straight-hemmed skirt on the runway for the spring/summer 2024 season, and if there was one, it was often formed using multiple slits that trailed up the leg and therefore only confirmed the desire for asymmetry in designs. Designers strayed from the standard silhouette, opting instead for high leg slits,...

Fashion

Item of the week: the hobo bag

What it is: The first hobo bag appeared on the market in 1936, but only began to peak in popularity in the early 2000s, when they became the “it” bag among fashionable celebrities. While the actual name is hotly debated, many cite its origins to be rooted in cartoons, where characters would sport sticks with a crescent shape material tied to the...

Fashion

Item of the week: the windbreaker

What it is: With a history that dates back over 500 years, the windbreaker is by no means a ‘new’ wardrobe staple. However, it wasn’t until the 1970s that the garment was granted the status of an informal fashion attire and took on a more modernised flair. A descendant of the ‘parka’, the windbreaker typically refers to an insulating outwear...

Fashion

Item of the week: the print trousers

What it is: Tailored pants took on new heights during spring/summer 2024 collections, in the form of eye-catching prints in bold colourways and graphic patterns. Print variations that were generally favoured among SS24 menswear collections, where they ranged from psychedelic shapes to more painterly techniques. The silhouette type they could be...