Yohji Yamamoto getting his flowers is the kind of fashion news we can get behind. Nicki Minaj wearing Gucci to champion Donald Trump? Rather less so. This week, we’re celebrating a designer’s enduring influence, questioning what a monogram suit means in the political spotlight, and waiting to see what Pieter Mulier brings to Atelier Versace. We’re also looking beyond the clothes to an Instagram account devoted to the work behind fashion’s most memorable runway sets.
What we’re loving:
Yohji Yamamoto to be recognised with the Outstanding Achievement Award at the Fashion Awards 2026
Few people in fashion are more beloved than our dear Yohji Yamamoto, and as anything coming from him is well received, every award, recognition or honour he receives is well deserved. One of the most prestigious events celebrating the industry and the talent that makes it what it is, the Fashion Awards, hosted by the British Fashion Council, has announced its decision to celebrate the Japanese designer’s enduring legacy in fashion, art and culture. With the Outstanding Achievement Award, the breadth of his career and creative world is highlighted, from his breakthrough on the Parisian fashion scene in 1981, with his black, oversized and deconstructed silhouettes that completely disrupted what was happening in the industry at the time, to his impeccable balance between tradition and innovation and the unique visual and narrative language he has continued to develop and deepen with every collection.
“Few designers have changed the way we think about clothes as profoundly as Mr. Yamamoto. (...) For generations of people around the world, he has shown that fashion can be simultaneously intellectual, emotional and deeply human,” says Laura Weir, Chief Executive of the BFC. The ceremony will take place on Monday 30 November 2026 at the Royal Albert Hall in London, and we couldn’t be happier that such an influential figure is receiving his flowers while he is still active. In fashion, as in life, recognition matters, especially when people are around to see the fruits of their labour.
What we’re hating:
Nicki Minaj in Gucci, and whatever is going on with her
Whether you are chronically online or usually disconnected and only keep up with the most important news, you must be aware of who Donald Trump’s newest and most loyal follower is. Nicki Minaj, once one of the best-known and most beloved rappers, has now transformed into a sort of radical, extremist persona whose whole current raison d’être is to champion and preach the harmful rhetoric of one of the most dangerous men alive. The woman once recognised for her bubblegum-pink hair, her crazy, fun and extravagant outfits, and her countless iconic moments that became part of the pop culture universe now seems to have lost her spark, her situational awareness and her glam team. That, however, has not stopped her from wearing out-there looks for her political outings with the President of the United States. Most recently, she wore a Gucci monogram suit from Primavera, the collection presented at Demna’s first runway show for Gucci.
As you might expect from a monogram suit, the logo is everywhere, and the repercussions of this unwanted (or wanted?) attention for the brand are yet to be determined. We’ve come to know Demna as a designer who uses irony and humour in his collections as a language to portray the sometimes bizarre, yet very real, state of the world. On the other hand, he is someone we’ve seen draw the line when things go too far. In 2023, Russian pop singer Philipp Kirkorov claimed that Balenciaga had barred him from buying its products because of his support for Putin, a decision he attributed to Demna. How similar or different these two situations are is up to you to decide. We’ll have to wait and see whether the brand considers this detrimental to its image and commercial positioning, or whether it sees it as the ultimate ironic move, one that could be interpreted in a less politically charged way. We’ll see.
What we are looking forward to:
The return of Atelier Versace with Pieter Mulier
The appointment of the Belgian fashion designer as creative director of the Italian house was an intelligent move by the brand, allowing it to keep its history and legacy alive while entrusting its future to someone who knows how to create great fashion in a unique way. This trust, which we are yet to see materialise, has grown with the announcement of the return of the brand’s couture line, Atelier Versace, whose last runway show took place in July 2016 under Donatella Versace.
We’ve already had a sneak peek into Mulier’s couture universe with Nicole Kidman’s asymmetrical black lace look for the premiere of Practical Magic 2 around two months ago. Coming off a successful and, frankly, beautiful run at Alaïa, where a dedicated couture collection doesn’t exist but where the craftsmanship and exceptional construction of the silhouettes could easily be considered couture, we can’t wait to see what his creative mind, combined with Versace’s rich legacy, can produce in the highest form of fashion creation.
A recommendation:
Architects of Fashion Shows on Instagram
Fashion is not just about designers, models and stylists. Behind every aspect of it, from the initial design to the craftsmanship and presentation of the final result, hundreds of experts are involved, each with different responsibilities, backgrounds and highly specialised roles, ranging from the most creative to the purely technical. When it comes to the runway, one element is just as important as the collections being presented: the set itself. It’s an aspect we sometimes overlook or give only a few minutes of our attention to.
This Instagram account is dedicated to shining a spotlight on the immense amount of work that goes into designing, producing and bringing runway sets to life. It also analyses the work behind them and revisits some of the most memorable set designs in fashion history. An instant follow that opens the door to the lesser-known wonders and stories behind this world.
