KIKO KOSTADINOV’S HYBRID SNEAKERS & TOM FORD’S REPLACEMENT: YOUR MONDAY BRIEFING

The first Monday of May is always marked by one celebration: the Met Gala. As we patiently wait to see what our favourite celebrities will be wearing at this year’s Karl Lagerfeld-theme event, we’ve got some non-Met news for you to stay in the know. After Tom Ford’s surprise retirement from his eponymous brand, a new replacement has already been found, while at Bottega Veneta a certain supermodel is being celebrated in its Summer 2023 series of published books. Keep reading to stay informed in this week’s Monday Briefing.

KIKO KOSTADINOV UPCYCLES AN ASICS SOLE

Just in time for summer, Kiko Kostadinov creates a sneaker based on Asics‘ donation of its Gel-Kayano 14 sole. Kostadinov’s Zlatyu is a hybrid of a smart shoe and a sneaker, featuring a hexagonal design pattern on its upper, coloured stitching detailing and two-tone laces. Coming in two colourways – “Hickory” and “Verdant” – the Zlatya shoe is now available online for £495.

BOTTEGA VENETA DEDICATES A FANZINE TO KATE MOSS

Bottega Veneta publishes a series of 3 books, one of which is all about the supermodel Kate Moss. Being an inspiration to the creative director Matthieu Blazy, Moss was his “first Google search” as well as “the first photo to be printed on the family printer”, and continues to inform Lee and his creativity on the daily. The other two books dive into Bottega Veneta’s history and core brand identity, with unseen photographs of artist and collaborator Gaetano Pesce’s work for Summer 23.

CAFÉ KITSUNE CREATES OUTDOOR FURNITURE WITH HELINOX

Just in time for the warmer weather that we all hope to enjoy sitting outside with a coffee in hand, Café Kitsune is preparing for those summer days by releasing a collection in collaboration with furniture brand Helinox. The collaboration, now available on Helinox’s website, offers a lightweight Café Chair and Café Table for £220 and £325 respectively, both foldable and transportable to enjoy your coffee wherever you decide to set up.

BOILER ROOM ACCENTS PRINTS IN ITS SS23 DROP

For its SS23 collection, the London-based music brand Boiler Room releases a series of ready-to-wear pieces, both in monochromatic and loud print iterations. New additions include the black-and-white Crowd pant and jacket, as well as tie-dye hoodies and a tri-pattern tee that features two panels in different tie-dye colours and one panel with a bleached black and light orange motif. The collection is now partly available to shop on Boiler Room’s website, with more drops to come soon.

SERGE DENIMES TAKES INSPIRATION FROM THE WORLD’S SEVEN WONDERS

For its Pre-AW23 offering, jewellery brand Serge DeNimes turns to historical references based upon the Ancient world’s Seven Wonders for inspiration. With a mix of Middle Eastern design and early Grecian architecture as references, the Lighthouse of Alexandria can be seen informing the Lighthouse Ring. The new range features 30 pieces, including 14 rings, 10 necklaces, 3 earrings and 3 bracelets, which will all be up for sale on May 3 online as well as select retail spaces.

ATHLETIC FOOTWEAR IS GIVING ITS 2.0 SNEAKER A WATERPROOF MAKEOVER

Building on its 2.0 sneaker that came out last year, Athletic Footwear updated the shoe in a waterproof edition. Built with its MOLDTEC technology, a seamless way of construction, the Waterproof 2.0’s come with a non-slip rubber sole, making the shoe a fit for both urban and hiking adventures. Coming in both a mid and low-top version, Athletic Footwear’s latest sneaker is available online for £235 in a white and a grey colourway.

D&AD SUPPORTS SELF-TAUGHT CREATIVES WITH ITS NIGHT SCHOOL

The British educational organisation D&AD, also known as Design and Art Direction, are launching a fully-funded night school program to uplift creatives who haven’t received formal training. In the five-month course, members of under-represented communities will be able to receive industry mentoring from brands such as adidas. The applications for D&AD’s night school are now open.

TOM FORD HAS ALREADY FOUND ITS NEXT CREATIVE DIRECTOR

After a surprise retirement after 13 years his eponymous brand, Tom Ford has officially been replaced by Peter Hawkings. Hawkings has been in Ford’s life for 25 years, starting as a design assistant at Gucci and leaving the brand to follow Ford in founding his own brand, helping in the menswear department. The change feels like a natural progression for the brand, which will still receive guidance from Ford until the end of the year.

DOJA CAT BECOME SKECHERS’ FIRST-EVER ARTIST IN RESIDENCE

Revealed at the Time100 Gala, Doja Cat has announced that she will become Skechers’ artist in residence, the first of its kind. Wearing a custom dress made out of deconstructed Skechers Uno sneakers, the singer and rapper stated “Skechers has given me a new canvas to create and I can’t wait to show everyone what we are building”.