Editors' Top Reads: News from LFW SS27, American Vintage, Stone Island and more...

Here are some of this week’s news and features highlights handpicked by TheIndustry.fashion team.

LFW SS27: Ahluwalia unveils third Puma collaboration with ‘Revel’ collection

I really enjoyed attending Ahluwalia’s SS27 show during London Fashion Week, particularly seeing the different influences that came together throughout the collection. Priya Ahluwalia looked to resistance movements, friendship and Festac 77, alongside references to sportswear, tailoring and eveningwear. I liked how these different ideas were brought together without the collection feeling too busy.

Seeing the clothes in person, I particularly liked the contrast between the sporty Puma pieces and the more structured looks. Bright trainers were styled with everything from fringed tracksuits to tailored suits and satin dresses, while fringe, sheer fabrics and exaggerated silhouettes added plenty of movement. The cobalt blue, vibrant green and sky blue also really stood out against the softer pastel colours of the show space.

Catherine Rowe-Kosary, Junior Writer.

Fringe, florals and acid green: 7 trends from London Fashion Week SS27

What do acid green, loose threads and high-low skirts have in common? Why they were all trends we spotted at London Fashion Week SS27.

This season has been especially strong, bringing with it the return of British fashion heavyweights McQueen and Mulberry, a handful of unexpected runway moments and, of course, plenty of new trends.

Across the SS27 schedule, designers revisited 1980s, Noughties and 2010s dress codes while pushing romantic florals, exposed construction and lingerie details in more theatrical directions.

Explore the seven of the trends to emerge from London Fashion Week here.

Camilla Rydzek, Senior News Writer. 

Stone Island steps into Paul Smith’s shoes and takes over Selfridges’ ‘Corner Shop’

‘The Corner Shop’ at Selfridges is having a bit of a moment of late with a new six-week Stone Island installation now running until 6 November.
That comes off the back of almost two weeks of a Paul Smith ‘Dream Factory’ residency, which saw the designer work (in person) alongside a collection of his personal objects and archive pieces, along with introducing a new limited-edition collection.

Stone Island fans and collectors will be made up as the new Selfridges project, called ‘Selected Works ‘982 – ‘026 Stone Island: The Collector Series’, marks the brand’s first formal collaboration with the independent collectors who have “helped preserve, interpret and shape the culture of the brand over four decades”.

Not only will each collector present a personally curated selection, highlighting the history, material innovations and cultural significance of the garments, but all archive garments will be available to purchase.

Alongside the collector archives, a broad selection from the current Stone Island AW26 collection will include three pieces available exclusively at Selfridges.

It could be one of The Corner Shop’s most popular installations to date, as Stone Island fans the length and breadth of the country, as well as plenty of tourists from all over the world no doubt, flock to get their hands on something that little bit special.

Tom Bottomley, Contributing Editor. 

How I started in fashion: American Vintage CEO Michaël Azoulay

I had the great pleasure this week to speak to American Vintage CEO Michaël Azoulay about his illustrious fashion career. He says it’s the constant shifts and fast pace of the industry – which force him to question, evolve and reinvent himself all the time – that make fashion such an interesting place to work, and can keep you, in a way, "forever young".

With a background in business, Azoulay began on the shop floor as a sales assistant before moving into sales, product management and later collection development.

These experiences still have a deep influence in how he runs the brand today, and especially the time he spent on the shop floor has left him with a broader view of the business and a conviction that, even as retail becomes more digital, leaders need to stay close to the product and the customer.

Today he says what he enjoys most about his role is its multitasking dimension, which fuels both his curiosity and his desire to keep learning. With the brand operating across three continents today, he continues to be involved in the development of many different areas of the company.

In the interview he also discussed the lessons of his first fashion jobs, the demands of building a career in the industry and why he admires Amancio Ortega’s approach to making fashion accessible. An absolute must-read!

Camilla Rydzek, Senior News Writer.