c.r.e.o.l.e ss26 | cultural resilience

Set against the sculpted rocks of Baja Sardinia and the crystalline blue of the Mediterranean, Herno returns to Phi Beach for the second chapter of its sun-drenched collaboration. From mid-June to early September, the lakeside-rooted brand brings its refined aesthetic to one of Europe’s most iconic beach clubs in an encounter between landscape, design, and understated elegance.

Cabanas and deckchairs are once again dressed in Herno’s signature tones of sand and dark brown, their palette chosen to sit effortlessly within the natural surroundings. But this season, the experience goes further. Alongside the open-air accessories collection, including beach towels, canvas totes, wide-brimmed hats and thermal bottles, comes something new: the Herno Suite, the brand’s first ever restaurant concept.

Suspended above the sea and framed by granite cliffs and Napoleonic ruins, the space was imagined entirely by Herno — from the teak tables with rope-inspired legs to the reeded walls that echo its signature design codes. “Nowhere else in Europe, where they also work during the nighttime slot, have I found such meticulous attention to detail and care for the landscape as Luciano Guidi has been doing for years for his Phi Beach,” says Claudio Marenzi, President of Herno Spa, praising the visionary behind the venue.

The restaurant offers more than a view. Nestled in a cosy setting with just 20 tables and around 100 seats, this intimate oasis is a harmonious blend of design and provenance. Cork bill holders and menus pay homage to Sardinia’s land, while salt sets and glacettes mirror the stones of the Erno river, a tribute to the brand’s roots.

In the kitchen, Michelin-starred chef Giancarlo Morelli delivers a contemporary menu steeped in Italian excellence. “Transposing an aesthetic figure into a menu to be tasted,” Marenzi adds, “can make it easier to understand and appreciate also the codes of a fashion brand.”

This summer chapter at Phi Beach doesn’t just toast a successful year of fresh collections and milestones for Herno, but also marks the debut of the brand’s first-ever seasonal swimwear capsule, launched as part of the Resort AW24 collection. A landmark moment in Herno’s 76-year history, the takeover seals its spot at the heart of the 2024 jet set summer. And really, what better place to enjoy an aperitif and make a splash?

Find out more here.

photography. Courtesy of Herno
words. Gennaro Costanzo

If Oakley’s recent Artifacts From the Future campaign had you dreaming of 2075, Berlin Fashion Week brought that vision to life. For five days, Voo Space in Kreuzberg transformed into a portal, somewhere between post-human VR fantasy and high-speed subcultural reality.

Inside the brutalist concrete gallery, Oakley’s imagined future took shape. Iconic silhouettes like the Eye Jacket, Medusa, Moonveil, and MUZM Straight Jacket floated between relic and prototype, while Morphware became apparel, and goggles became high-tech artefacts. Fundamentally, it was a new vision of sport, subculture, and the future.

Campaign stars Jaylen Brown, Trinity Rodman, and Kylian Mbappé grounded the experience in the present. Brown appeared wearing the Reserve jacket from the campaign — technical, streamlined, and impossible to miss — while Mbappé and Rodman surfaced in digital and print across the space.

The eyewear line took a prominent spotlight too. The Plantaris, featuring silicone stems inspired by frog-jump mechanics, was shown alongside the heritage-reflecting Lateralis and the stripped-back Masseter.

Oakley also hinted at what’s coming next: upcoming signature capsules tied to Mbappé, Alexia Putellas, and a soon-to-launch collaboration with Shubman Gill in Singapore. This is part of a larger shift that doesn’t just revisit the archive but uses it to shape the next 50 years of the brand.

And if the collection campaign looked good on screen, it practically glowed in the Berlin light. It was bold, unmistakable, unapologetically forward-thinking — and yes, it left us wondering what comes after 2075.

Discover more here.

photography. Oakley, Shirin Esione
words. Gennaro Costanzo

You don’t usually expect to find rhinestone-studded butterflies, collar pins, and moiré grosgrain loafers all under one roof — but then again, Christian Louboutin isn’t known for playing it safe. For Paris Men’s Fashion Week, the Maison unveiled its Sartorial line with a multi-room takeover of the Hôtel de Crillon, turning the storied palace into something between a cabinet of curiosities and a couture laboratory.

In the Salon des Batailles, the showcase kicked off with live demonstrations from Louboutin’s master artisans. There was la patine and le glaçage — the luxe polishing rituals that give the Chambeliss line its burnished glow — and the pièce de résistance: butterflies. Not just any butterflies, but four-layer organza creations embroidered by Maison Lesage using sequins, glass beads, and rhinestones. Found on the limited-edition Farfajour and Farfanuit models, they’re wearable art with serious lift.

Next door, in the Salon des Aigles, the tempo picked up. Four performers moved through a day in the life of a Louboutin-wearing dandy, from polished Lord Chamb boots in the morning to the full theatrical flourish of the Circus Booty Perla by night. Think 10,000 rhinestones, pearls, and enough panache to upstage the chandeliers. Framing the scene were two Vitrines l’Éclaté, breaking down the craftsmanship behind Farfaman and Farfarock shoes like they were luxury schematics.

Finally, in the Salon Marie-Antoinette (where rumour has it the queen took piano lessons), the Chambeliss line took its final bow. Spread out on a billiard-inspired table, styles like the Chambelimonk and Chambelimoc Night Strass came paired with shirt collars and coordinating metal pins, some sparkling with 200 rhinestones, naturally.

It was elegant, sure. But it also had wit, drama, and a little theatrical glint in the eye — exactly what you’d expect from a house that knows how to turn a shoe into a story.

Discover more here.

photography. Courtesy of Christian Louboutin
words. Gennaro Costanzo