As December hits double digits, the temperature may be hitting negatives – but this week has plenty of news to keep you feeling positive. Prepare yourself for the best collaborations just in time for the festive period, drops fit for a spot underneath the tree and music news hot enough to thaw you out this winter. 

Let’s begin…

CDG AND ALPHA INDUSTRIES SOLDIER ON

Alpha Industries have teamed up with COMME des GARÇONS’ diffusion line CDG to bring us a military inspired outerwear capsule collection. But before you cue up the ‘I can’t see camo’ memes, fear not – these pieces are a little more sophisticated than that.

Freshly featured is the LINER JACKET and FISHTAIL PARKA, and whilst both are semi-reproductions of previous pieces by both brands, expect some serious modern updates in both fit and flair. Available on December 16th, get ready for the CDG x Alpha Industries love child you never knew you needed.

WORLD CUP HEARTBREAK AS ENGLAND GETS THE BOOT

It’s (not) coming home for England this year, as the team arrive back on UK soil after their disappointing defeat to France in Saturday’s quarter-final. As die-hard footie fans hang up their shirts and make unscrupulous calls to airlines hoping for a refund on those overly optimistic Qatar flight bookings, let’s take a look at what we can expect from the rest of the tournament…

With victor France now topping the favourites leaderboard alongside Argentina, things are heating up. The next semi final game will see French speaking nations Morocco and France head to head for what will be a shock pairing for most fans. And whilst England boss Gareth Southgate recently admitted that watching the rest of the World Cup may be ‘too painful’, the rest of us will be waiting with baited breath on Wednesday.

RATTED OUT: BANKSY TO SELL RARE PRINTS FOR UKRAINE FUNDRAISER

Banksy has announced that they will be releasing some 50 signed and numbered prints in partnership with nonprofit Legacy of War. Taking to Instagram to confirm the news, it is understood that any potential customers must first register their interest and be prepared for the $6,131 price tag. The hopeful collectors can expect to own a print with one of Bankys’s iconic themes – a rat – sliding down a cardboard box emblazoned with the word ‘FRAGILE’.

Proceeds will go to various causes around Ukrainian communities such as purchasing new ambulances and supporting women and LGBTQA shelters. According to Banksy, the nonprofit had previously lent them an ambulance to work from after an ‘angry babushka’ discovered them painting on her building and notified the police. Charity truly goes both ways.

AIMÉ LEON DORE X WOOLRICH CHAMPION NOSTALGIA

Back in town for their hotly anticipated 6th collaboration, Aimé Leon Dore and Woolrich have returned for Fall/Winter 2022 – this time drawing inspiration from the archives. With their beloved mixture of classic and neo-prep, expect to find a plethora of nostalgic silhouettes and styles: think Nineties fleeces with a modern twist, iconic camo printed pieces reminiscent of the Eighties and tech-conscious fabrics to please even the most functional of fashion lovers. Available now to fulfil all of your throwback dreams.

VANS X TIMBERLAND MEET IN THE MIDDLE

JUST ANNOUNCED: Vans Skateboarding and Timberland unveil their first ever collaboration with the drop of their brand new silhouette, the Vans Skateboarding x Timberland Half Cab Hiker. Models, skaters, hikers and fashion lovers unite! Drawing equal inspiration from the Half Cab and Timberland’s Euro Hiker, this half skate shoe and half hiking boot hybrid is sure to become a winter footwear staple – and with a ReBOTL^™ lining that’s made from at least 50% recycled plastic, you can be sure that sustainability is at the core of this collaboration

But that’s not all. Teasing us with an icy campaign straight from the tundras of rural Nebraska, we can also expect a modern take on Timberlands iconic 1973 6-Inch Waterproof Boot, reworked by the Vans team with an effortless skate aesthetic. Set to touch down on the 20th of December, keep your eyes on the prize for the earth-inspired collab of the winter.

AMAZON-CORE VENTURES INTO TIKTOK TERRITORY

As yet another corporation attempts to mirror the success of the hugely popular platform, Amazon has announced a Tiktok-ified service allowing consumers to shop pieces from a curated stream of photos and videos. As social media shopping hits an all time high, the e-commerce giant is clearly ready to take a slice of the pie as the service rolls out for select customers in the US over the next few months. With large scale companies such as META already beginning to understand the power of short form media (and hoping to capitalise on it) Amazon’s new platform is said to be part shopping, part social media. Watch this space…

PRAISE THE LORD: ASAP ROCKY’S NEW ALBUM IS COMING

It’s been four long years since Rocky’s Testing album – and whilst we’ve been teased with collaborations along the way, it’s safe to say that this album is hotly anticipated. In what can only be described as a Christmas miracle,  during his Amazon Music Live Concert on December 8th, Rocky blessed his fans with the announcement that his latest album, Don’t Be Dumb, is finished. And whilst the music mogul has been keeping his cards close to his chest in regards to release dates, rumour has it we should be expecting Metro Boomin involvement – and a LOT of it. In the words of ASAP Rocky himself, “let’s go.”

A HOLLYWOOD CHRISTMAS WITH CK1 PALACE

Following Calvin Klein and Palace’s surprising yet delicious collaboration earlier this year consisting of underwear, hoodies, sweats and a fragrance, co-branded collab is back again in time for Christmas. In celebration of the original sellout collab, Palace has teamed up with Hollywood director royalty Lev Tanju and Stuart Hammond to delight us with dreamlike visuals in short featuring none other than acting OG Uma Thurman, rapper Roddy Ricch and Sopranos legend Michael Imperioli. Expect a restock of both men’s and women’s underwear plus a re-release of the coveted CK1 Palace fragrance. Watch the full film below:

SOS, SZA IS COMING

Goodbye hot girl summer, hello moody girl winter – Sza’s highly anticipated new album SOS is already expected to debut at Number 1 on next week’s Billboard 200. With legions of die-hard fans streaming the new album on repeat (over 100 million in the United States on the first day alone), rumour has it that we may be looking at Sza’s first number 1 spot pretty soon. The 23-track release is her first full length album in over five years, and if projections are correct, this long-awaited follow up to her groundbreaking debut is sure to help the SZA revolution reach new heights.

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