ROYAL APPROVED
Event season is upon us, so it’s the perfect opportunity to branch out with hidden gems, and unearth little-known labels. All to prevent same-dress guest syndrome, of course. Favoured by royals and race-goers alike, Cherubina is the latest under-the-radar brand to know.
With an overt femininity and ageless appeal, Queen of Letizia of Spain is already a fan, having donned a monochromatic dress design from the independent Spanish label on her visit to the UK.
The brand wields a selection of zingy colours, statement patterns and razor-sharp cut dresses. But you don't need a majestic budget with prices starting from €270 up to €450. Shop it on cherubina.com
FAN CLUB
Never mind the IT bag, sending the style set into aflutter, folded fans are the latest accoutrement to get a fashion revival. The accessory, normally reserved for Austen heroines or courtly intrigue, has been spotted in the front rows of fashion weeks with London-based label Fern fuelling the trend.
Constructed and hand-painted in Spain, Fern was launched in 2017 by PR Daisy Hoppen and Danish textile designer Amanda Borberg. And now they are bringing their functional but beautiful ceremonial accessory to the high street with a collaboration with & Other Stories.
Five designs crafted in birchwood and cotton will be available. All produced in a family-run factory in Valencia, and in keeping with the high street store's summer palettes and Fern's premium quality and aesthetic. Fans are priced €55-€85 and come packaged with a secret contemporary fan language – three different subtle gestures that fan-bearers can communicate without saying a word, only using the easy élan of the fan. Shop them on stories.com
SARONGS IN THE CITY
It’s been over 20 years but David Beckham still hasn’t lived down one of his infamous style moments – the sarong. The former football star attracted worldwide scrutiny when he styled up the beach-ready accessory over jeans during the World Cup in France in 1998.
Fading into the fashion abyss, the sarong came the unforgotten hero of warm weather dressing. Now for summer 2019 the carefree beach wrap you packed for extra coverage has got a city chic update. Rebooted and restyled into a more sophisticated skirt shape, Demna Gvasalia at Balenciaga, Jonathan Anderson at Loewe and Julien Dossena at Paco Rabanne, all showed new iterations that elevated the beach staple to office-appropriate, especially styled with boxy shirts, T-shirts, heels or sandals.
The high street has also taken note, and stocked up on the easy-to-wear, adjustable silhouette. From Whistles to H&M, they all producing silky incarnations in midi-lengths that are meant to be lived in all day and evening, and for the office too.
