30
November

These new fashion collections were designed by AI

By avi maxwel / in , , /

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published by The Business of Fashion, an editorial partner of CNN Style.

(CNN) — When Revolve and Maison Meta, an AI-centric creative agency, teamed up for the first AI Fashion Week this April, the promise was always that the online retailer would turn garments from the top three collections submitted to a design competition that ran during the fashion week’s proceedings into physical products — and sell them.

That first drop is here.

The initial release includes 10 to 12 pieces from each of the winners, ranging from a $1,598 pleated taffeta dress to a $228 one-shouldered top. All are designed with generative artificial intelligence and manufactured by Revolve. Some of the items are fairly traditional, as clothing goes, such as a red miniskirt or pistachio-colored leather trenchcoat. Others, though, show off AI’s disregard for standard clothing construction, like a sequined navy blouse with hand-engulfing satin sleeves and a bolero-esque shape that looks like it would only keep the wearer’s chest covered in a digital world with no wind or movement.

JON BROWN, REVOLVE WOMENS, ANAIIS SCHEERES, JENNY DOUCEDAME

Two of the winning collections came from designers with no fashion background. First-place winner, José Sabral, who calls his new brand

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26
November

CAFA Awards 2023 Joyfully Celebrated the Best of Canadian Fashion

By avi maxwel / in , , , , , /

Photography by George Pimentel

We round up highlights and standout style moments from the biggest night in Canadian fashion.

The fashion industry, and its related events, can get a bad rap for being cold, competitive and exclusive. This was decidedly not the case at the 2023 Canadian Arts and Fashion Awards on October 14. Hosted by drag superstar (and friend of FASHION) Brooke Lynne Hytes, the CAFA Awards 2023 gala was everything movies about fashion tell us the industry isn’t: loving, encouraging, inclusive. And really, really fun.

Marking its 10-year anniversary, the 2023 CAFAs celebrated the best talent in Canadian fashion design, styling and more, and what the attendees observed was a room full of colleagues and peers cheering each other on with unabashed pride. From Jully Black’s stirring speech to present a Changemaker Award to Knix founder Joanna Griffiths (which prompted a ballroom-wide standing ovation) to Heather Diamond Strongarm’s emotional win for the Fresh Face of the Year Award bestowed upon an up-and-coming Canadian model, we loved to see the camaraderie and genuine emotion that permeated the room. (And the Canadian fashion, of course.) Read on for some of

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24
November

Harry Lambert on Putting Harry Styles in Pearls and His First Clothing Collection

By avi maxwel / in , , , , , , /

But it’s interesting, I’m a really big fan of pop culture and pop culture moments, but I love the idea of being behind the scenes. I never came into this job being like, I want to be front and center. I really enjoy getting people ready and then sending them on the way and seeing the reaction. So it’s interesting that in the last several years we’ve become more of a focus. It’s a lot of adjusting to that, and getting out of my comfort zone, which is getting easier. But I dunno, I feel the job of a stylist is so broad now that it’s literally the dream job.

Mark Kean

Mark Kean

Tell me more about your relationship with trends. I think some people would assume that stylists are kind of responsible for building trends. When you work with your clients, it seems to me like you’re trying to do something totally different.

It’s a funny thing. With Emma Corrin for example, we put them in the green Miu Miu underwear set, and I guess that’s a trend. But the intention wasn’t because it was on trend. It was more like: that will be sick and amazing.

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21
November

In-person, online, or hybrid shopping? American consumer habits are changing in surprising ways

By avi maxwel / in , , , , , , , , , /

Photo Illustration by Stacker // Canva

In-person, online, or hybrid shopping? American consumer habits are changing in surprising ways

A woman shopping online in front of a black-and-white image of a clothing store.

American consumers have long been a driving force of the country’s economy and, for the last decade, have been responsible for nearly 70% of U.S. gross domestic product. While spending has changed only a few percentage points since 2007, spending habits have undergone seismic shifts. 

Online sales were already growing before the onset of the pandemic, but it was supercharged when Americans opted for contactless shopping. In 2020, e-commerce sales increased by more than three times compared to pre-COVID-19 rates. While the rate has dropped since social distancing guidelines were lifted, shoppers are still logging on. As of mid-2023, nearly 15% of all retail sales were made online, according to the Census Bureau; five years earlier, that share was under 10%. 

It wasn’t so long ago when online shopping was brand new and apprehensions about the vulnerability of personal information, credit card numbers, and computer connections put many customers off. As payment security has advanced, retailers also perfected their online shopping experiences to attract even more

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17
November

How Preppy Style Has Evolved Through the Decades

By avi maxwel / in , , , /

The preppy style is timeless. Cardigans, polo shirts, and Mary Jane shoes — all staples of the fashion — will never truly go out of style. American prep style has survived brand bankruptcies (J. Crew emerged from bankruptcy in 2020, per a press release from the retailer), store closures, the rise of athleisure, and hype beast trends. It has never really gone anywhere. Rather, it’s simply evolved.

From its not-so-humble beginnings in the 1890s and early 1900s to a revival in the 1980s and 1990s, it’s evident that the preppy lifestyle isn’t going anywhere. Even today, we still love preppy style — as evidenced by celebrities such as Victoria Beckham and Yara Shahidi, as well as designers like Chanel and Ralph Lauren.

Ready to take a deep dive into the preppy aesthetic? Let’s take a look at its evolution before we give you tips on how to wear the trend.

The Origins of Preppy Style

Getty Images

Back in the late 1890s and early 1900s, the “preppy” style was a sort of status symbol worn by wealthy guys who went to preparatory and Ivy League schools — hence the name. Brooks Brothers button-downs, knit sweaters, and loafers were all part

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