Alanui Launches Quiet Luxury Knitwear, Jimmy Choo’s Students Present Collections

QUIET LUXURY: Italian brand Alanui is offering its own take on quiet luxury by introducing “Alanui Finest,” a line intended to represent the pinnacle of its high-end knitwear.

Debuting with the fall 2023 collection, the focused range includes both men’s and women’s styles cut in classic silhouettes and crafted from an exclusive cashmere and silk blend. Featuring a cozy yet lightweight feel, all designs come in monochrome versions in classic colors, including black, midnight blue, dark gray and brown.

Putting a heightened attention on knitting techniques, the collection aims to enhance the brand’s proposition of versatile and easy-to-style pieces designed to stand the test of time.

“With this new collection, we wanted to expand our offering with impeccable attention on craftsmanship. We challenged ourselves, as well as our artisans, to explore new techniques, focusing on the selection of precious and unique yarns, stitches and fits to create couture-like knitted masterpieces,” said Alanui’s creative director Carlotta Oddi, who launched the brand with her brother Nicolò in 2016. 

“With this line, Alanui reveals its more sophisticated facet, but without forgetting the experimental approach and laid-back attitude that has always defined the brand,” added Oddi, revealing that this will be an ongoing project present in all the label’s upcoming collections, and not just the fall ones.

A belted coat with a plush feel is among the highlights of the women’s proposition. The use of a cozy bouclé yarn crafted with English rib stitch — also employed for a turtleneck — enabled Oddi to obtain a honeycomb flat surface inside the items, while giving roundness to the pieces for an overall sense of comfort.

Featuring a ribbed finishing, a crewneck sweater crafted with a plain jersey stitch is also included, alongside one of the brand’s signature cardigans. Coming with fringed trims and a double belt, the latter is crafted from a lighter cashmere and silk yarn treated with a double Milano stitch, that was used also in relaxed pants. 

The English rib-knitting technique defined the men’s styles, which encompassed a standout cardigan punctuated by horn buttons, a crewneck sweater cut with a loose fit and wide-leg cargo pants for an elevated take on the utility look.

Available at a selection of stores worldwide and on Alanui’s e-commerce alongside the main fall 2023 collection, the range is priced between 1,300 euros for sweaters and 4,250 euros for the coat. A series of accessories completes the collection, representing the entry price to the line, with beanies retailing at 350 euros; gloves at 420 euros, and scarves at 1,050 euros. 

The Alanui Finest line adds to the ever-growing world of the brand, which originally launched with a single product — the luxury belted cardigan with a boho-chic vibe that is still the jewel in the crown of the label’s offering and reinterpreted in new ways season after season. These comprise exquisite intarsia designs, which frequently telegraph Oddi’s escapist approach and evoke her seasonal traveling themes or mystical inspirations. 

Through the years, the label expanded to ready-to-wear, accessories, mini-me, pet and home lines. It also released different collaborations, ranging from The Rolling Stones and Looney Tunes to Sebago and Moon Boot, to name a few. 

The Alanui Finest launch follows the brand’s recent debut in eyewear, marked by a tie-up with Jacques Marie Mage on two limited-edition sunglasses, as reported. — Sandra Salibian

SHOWCASING TALENT: JCA, the fashion and design school founded by designer-cum-professor Jimmy Choo, presented its MA students collections at the university’s campus on Oct. 12.

Seven separate presentations, ranging from dystopian techwear from Olivia Black to dreamy clothing with crochet detailing made by Polly McKevitt, filled the rosy-pink halls of the JCA, located in an English town house set around Hanover Square.

Although the students — Aaiyma Masoud, Mariam Saeed, Olivia Black, Polly McKevitt, Rocio Icela Sánchez Martínez, Saleha Hussain and Meryem Bertal — had previewed their collections during London Fashion Week, the presentation, set amid Frieze, allowed them to fully exhibit their work.

“We wanted to hold a space for them to properly showcase their debut collections during Frieze because of its global recognition in culture and art. Fashion design is, at its core, art. A presentation-style showcase allowed the MA students to have even more creative and artistic expression,” said Stephen Smith, the JCA’s chief executive officer.

Founded in 2021, the academy took on 30 undergraduates and five MA students from the U.K. its first year. For the second year, the academy opened applications to international students, while still intending to keep numbers under capacity by introducing short courses in September and a summer school for 13- to 17-year-olds in three weeks. 

“The JCA is still young, but we have done a lot in just a few short years. We have opened two London campuses based in beautiful historic buildings, launched several exciting programs and attracted really talented learners, some of whom we are launching this year at Frieze 23. There is a lot coming up this year and I’m excited to share some of those developments very soon,” Choo said. — Violet Goldstone

GIVING BACK: “We’re so happy to shift funds from a fall fashion event to be here to contribute and work,” St. John chief executive officer Andy Lew told the crowd ready to roll up their tweed sleeves Thursday morning at the Southern California fashion brand’s volunteer session at Baby2Baby in Culver City.

“Especially with the devastation that’s happening in the world right now it means so much you are here to volunteer and give back,” added Baby2Baby co-CEO Kelly Sawyer Patricof, speaking in the organization’s warehouse filled with diapers, formula, clothing, hygiene products, teddy bears and toys ready to be packed up and shipped out.

Michelle Monaghan, Chriselle Lim, Katharine McPhee and stylists Tara Swennen and Rebecca Ramsey were among those who joined St. John executive vice president of design Enrico Chiarparin, design consultant and stylist Karla Welch, and others to pitch in for the organization.

“Over the past 12 years, Baby2Baby has distributed 350 million items to children in need; we are reaching 100 million children this year in all 50 states,” Patricof continued before screening a short film about the organization’s work for mothers, one facing unemployment during COVID-19, and another who lost everything in a fire. Their stories evoked tears in the room.

“United Way calls them for help,” Welch said, in awe of Baby2Baby’s work helping children in homeless shelters, domestic violence programs, foster care, hospitals and underserved schools.

One of the volunteer stations involved packing bags of necessities for refugees recently relocated to the United States, another assembling newborn and maternal care kits.

In addition to a monetary gift, St. John also donated products from Welch’s brand, The Period Company, to support mothers Baby2Baby serves with menstrual essentials. — Booth Moore

THE SPARKLE DIMS: Want to replicate the sparkly lips models sported down the recent Marni runway in Paris? Glitter bugs beware: starting Tuesday, it will become harder to buy loose paillettes within the European Union.

That is because of the European Commission’s ban on the use of microplastics, including in cosmetics and household goods. The law came into effect mid-August, but transition periods vary for different product categories.

“The sale of microplastics on its own, or in products for which no transitional period is laid down, is banned as of 17 October 2023,” according to a commission spokesperson. “This is the case of plastic glitter — loose plastic glitter.”

People took to social media to show how this will affect them. One post on TikTok, Barbie and Ken style, is titled “How the EU will react to the Glitter ban.” A girl notices her glitter spray can is empty and tries, with her friends, to fill it up. No luck. A cry of “no glitter,” resounds from the house. And that’s just the first part of the drama.

Back to real life, in the European Union, loose plastic glitter is coming in a set with other cosmetics products, as well as cosmetics containing glitter, which were given specific transition periods. Glitter for rinse-off cosmetics has until Oct. 16, 2027, while glitter for leave-on cosmetics has until Oct. 16, 2029, in the European Union.

Glitter can keep being sold, however, for makeup, lip and nail cosmetics through Oct. 16, 2025.

“From October, 17, 2031, until October, 16, 2035, in order to continue to be sold, makeup, lip and nail products need to bear a label indicating they contain microplastics,” the spokesperson continued.

The ban does not apply to glitter or microplastics sold for use at industrial sites, made of materials that are inorganic — such as glass or metal — natural, biodegradable or soluble in water or to beads and sequins, among other decorations, that are meant to be threaded or sewn.

“In addition, products containing plastic glitter or microplastics that have been placed on the market before October, 17, 2023, including stocks, do not need to be recalled or withdrawn from the market, but can continue being sold,” the spokesperson said.

The microplastics ban falls under the umbrella of the European Green Deal, which has as its overarching goal for Europe to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. — Jennifer Weil

FAN FACT: Swedish shirtmaker Eton is linking with arguably the most famous British rock band.

The traditional men’s brand under the lead of its creative director Sebastian Dollinger is to unveil a limited-edition capsule collection paying homage to The Beatles and their discography.

“I was honored to transform The Beatles’ legendary discography and unique art into a collection with a nostalgic yet modern flair,” said Dollinger, an avid fan of the rock band.

A cutaway-collared blue striped shirt has the word “Help!” on the left chest in a nod to the Fab Four’s second movie by Richard Lester, while all over printed numbers reference the “Revolver” album’s cover and the signature Abbey Road crossing, the latter featuring sketched versions of the musicians crossing the gray-and-white-striped fabric. Reproduction of the shirts worn by John Lennon and Paul McCartney in the documentary “Get Back,” filmed after the “Let It Be” album was released, are also part of the collection, as well as a dark red polka-dot silk number bearing the “Peace & Love” phrase at the back.

The range also includes men’s accessories such as ties, scarves and pocket handkerchiefs.

The collection will drop in several installments starting in November on Eton’s e-commerce site, as well as at Eton stores and Harry Rosen boutiques in Canada, retailing between 90 euros and 499 euros.

Founded in 1928 in the small Swedish hamlet of Gånghester by Annie Pettersson, Eton has grown into a global brand with a strong footprint in about 50 countries, flagships in Denmark, the U.K., Germany, Sweden and the U.S., and a dedicated e-commerce site. It offers formal and casual shirts, as well as T-shirts, polo shirts and overshirts. — Martino Carrera