In the spring 2014 women's fashion issue, T looks at the way women really want to dress. Our cover subject is the cult fashion-designer Phoebe Philo, whose quiet, understated designs for Céline give new meaning to the term “power dressing” — and are coveted by some of the smartest, savviest women out there. In our Sign of the Times essay, Cathy Horyn examines the divide between what women actually want to wear — beautiful clothes that they feel good in — and the tricked-out, challenging get-ups that come down the runway. We also celebrate three women who insist on doing things their way: the designer Maria Cornejo, whose art-inspired designs stay true to her singular vision; the up-and-coming singer Kelela, who is finding her voice somewhere between electronic music and old-school R&B; and the Fiat heiress Ginevra Elkann, who juggles duties as a film producer, art museum boss and mother while building a legacy — and a home — that goes beyond her famous name. Additional highlights include a behind-the-scenes look at Matthew Barney's epic new art film; a pair of New York icons, Elaine Stritch and Chloë Sevigny, tune in to the latest rap music; and five prominent novelists — Colson Whitehead, Douglas Coupland, Mona Simpson, Joyce Carol Oates and Roddy Doyle — invite us into the spaces where they created their latest works. See all stories from the issue >>
Upstairs, downstairs, in a corner, at a desk, on the bed, with a view of trees, water, the street, the sky. Five writers, who all publish new books this year, explain how the right space can unlock the mind and let the words flow.
Playing with the idea of a uniform is easy when it consists of fashion’s two favorite colors.
Many designers are collectively referencing a Pop aesthetic, from vivid cubism to the giddy kitsch of the Memphis group.
A brief look at the harrowing and often hysterical week that kicks off every new fashion season.
As the runway revolves, one front-row fashion fixture ponders how practical dressing has come to feel like the most modern of ideas, and why designers haven’t quite caught on.
Matthew Barney’s film “River of Fundament” summons Norman Mailer, Egyptian mythology, an oboe-playing porn star and one dead cow. In this oral history, Barney, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Ellen Burstyn, Aimee Mullins and others involved in the project reflect on the experience. Plus: exclusive video commentary from the artist.
Metallic, once the sheen of choice for louche after hours, is stepping out into the daylight in casual new ways.
As fashion fetishizes fetish more than ever, it’s worth considering the power dynamics of our enduring obsession with bondage chic.
Below-the-knee pleated skirts — when contrasted with boxy shirts and sporty accessories — are the breakout stars of the new fashion season.
The mood fashion shows inspire is a far cry from the one many women feel in the morning while getting dressed, when a series of realities must be addressed and decisions made.
At Phoebe Philo’s Céline, boundary-breaking fashion is secondary to the meaning behind the clothes.
Ginevra Elkann’s classic beauty and old-world charm might be an inheritance from her grandmother Marella Agnelli, but her Roman apartment reflects her life as a busy, modern woman.
The American artist Aaron Curry adds an additional layer of surrealism to Cathy Park Hong’s rumination on a wrestling show from the 1980s.
In this unique multimedia feature, we explore J. Mendel’s heritage and showcase some of its most extraordinary new pieces.
A new kind of transparency is coursing through fashion. From open weaves and sheer fabrics to slashed fringing and laser-print cutouts, each look offers a unique way to expose some skin.
With their latest outpost, the owners of Ace Hotel and the design firm Commune are bringing their hipster formula to one of the most fabled buildings in downtown Los Angeles.
A fringed bag, whether it’s an embroidered coin purse or a two-tone clutch, makes a daring, anything-can-happen statement.
A life lived as a series of love affairs with scents might sound flighty or hard to please — but the science of smell and memory explains this kind of promiscuity.