| Hello, This weekend sees the publication of our women’s style issue. Its theme is Beautiful Chaos (you can find the highlights right now, by clicking here). It’s kinda chic to look a mess this season. Apologies for dredging up one of this year’s most annoying memes. An insidious fad across social media the past few months, the #kindachic obsession began as a way to elevate something that might be considered sloppy: it’s kinda chic to wear flip-flops, or drink matcha lattes, or shop at Lidl. The whole schtick of kinda chic is that 99.9 per cent of the things mentioned are not remotely chic. The meme has since morphed into some kind of “YOLO” millennial mantra in which users have adopted the expression as a way to “own” the messy, unpredictable business of being alive. It’s become a statement of (mostly) female empowerment: it’s kinda chic to read books, to start a business, to leave a bad relationship, or to do yoga. As one sassy lady wearing Victorian pantaloons informs me on TikTok: “It’s kinda chic to do whatever TF you want.” 
© Max Farago Eurgh. Social media is the least chic medium ever, and the meme has long lost any poignancy. With that being said, this season’s look is kinda confusing: key trends include leopard print, mermaid blue, “wow” shoes, shrunken knits and stains. Far from offering a refined palette of subtle luxury, designers have walked a wilder path. Perhaps it’s a continuation of the SS26 collections, which embraced a much bolder approach to silhouette and colour. Or maybe it’s a nod to the Gen Z consumer, a group for whom looking chic seems to be furthest from their mind.  <img width='1' height='1' style='display:none;border-style:none;' alt=' src='https://images.passendo.com/t/2/8448/npnj5xo85s@niepodam.pl/3730586696656631/0/0'><img width='1' height='1' style='display:none;border-style:none;' alt=' src='https://images.passendo.com/extt/2/8448/npnj5xo85s@niepodam.pl/3730586696656631?pid=1'><img width='1' height='1' style='display:none;border-style:none;' alt=' src='https://images.passendo.com/extt/2/8448/npnj5xo85s@niepodam.pl/3730586696656631?pid=2'><img width='1' height='1' style='display:none;border-style:none;' alt=' src='https://images.passendo.com/extt/2/8448/npnj5xo85s@niepodam.pl/3730586696656631?pid=3'><img width='1' height='1' style='display:none;border-style:none;' alt=' src='https://images.passendo.com/extt/2/8448/npnj5xo85s@niepodam.pl/3730586696656631?pid=4'> |  |
“Throw it on and see what happens” might be the edict, whether a molten-gold dress by Demna for Gucci, a granny scarf from Prada or latex lace by Saint Laurent. Max Farago and Isabelle Kountoure travelled to Naples with model Anja Rubik to capture the new, beautifully chaotic mood. How a mucky stain became a fashion statement | | | | 
© David Abrahams Meanwhile, Kate Finnigan examines the vogue for pre-stained clothing, or sweaters that appear to have been pre-shrunk. Is the fashion for new clothes that look pre-loved a reflection of the rise of the secondary market, or is the “dirty” aesthetic a response to the unblemished perfection of AI? Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons: an interview with fashion’s power couple | | | | 
© Bea de Giacomo At Prada, designers Raf Simons and Miuccia Prada presented a collection that featured many of these pre-worn details. They argued that it lent the clothes a greater humanity. Mrs Prada described how seeing vintage clothing helped her imagine a garment’s “story”. Likewise, Simons has long obsessed over the raw hems, vintage band T-shirts and faded denims that informed the club culture of his youth. The designers, now in their sixth year as co-creative directors of Prada, are the subject of this issue’s main interview. I was fascinated to learn more about their evolving relationship, a fairly unusual arrangement in which both have equal power. How does such a dynamic work when two creatives are so complete as independent beings? However, I wasn’t expecting them to be so entertaining; the pair spark off each other creatively and intellectually, and enjoy a bit of back and forth. What came through most clearly was their passion and their optimism. They love fashion, and being around them was illuminating, funny and maddeningly chic.  <img width='1' height='1' style='display:none;border-style:none;' alt=' src='https://images.passendo.com/t/2/8449/npnj5xo85s@niepodam.pl/853636801263231/0/0'><img width='1' height='1' style='display:none;border-style:none;' alt=' src='https://images.passendo.com/extt/2/8449/npnj5xo85s@niepodam.pl/853636801263231?pid=1'><img width='1' height='1' style='display:none;border-style:none;' alt=' src='https://images.passendo.com/extt/2/8449/npnj5xo85s@niepodam.pl/853636801263231?pid=2'><img width='1' height='1' style='display:none;border-style:none;' alt=' src='https://images.passendo.com/extt/2/8449/npnj5xo85s@niepodam.pl/853636801263231?pid=3'><img width='1' height='1' style='display:none;border-style:none;' alt=' src='https://images.passendo.com/extt/2/8449/npnj5xo85s@niepodam.pl/853636801263231?pid=4'> |  |
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