newsletter issue 226

This past weekend, the only reels my Instagram algorithm served me were from a larger-than-life billionaire wedding in Udaipur. I met a friend for coffee in the afternoon, and another group of friends for dinner—nobody seemed to know whose wedding it actually was, but it was on everyone’s feeds. The sets were massive; the sangeet had celebrity performance after celebrity performance. It makes one wonder: Who are weddings for? The bride and groom? The guests? Or simply social media virality?

In some better use of my weekend, I watched After the Hunt, Luca Guadagnino’s psychological drama starring Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri, and Andrew Garfield, now streaming on Prime Video. I won’t spoil the story, but the fashion—very simple yet elegant—is very, very good. Think an all-white Totême suit, a cosy Celine sweater, and some gorgeous gold jewellery on Julia Roberts’s character courtesy Ilaria Icardi (who also serves as design director of womenswear at Prada). There’s nary a logo in sight, of course; costume designer Giulia Piersanti said she “was indeed trying to be quite invisible about the brands”. Inconspicuous staples like shirts, blazers, and jeans came from brands like The Row and Lemaire. The only recognisable piece was perhaps Roberts’s L.L.Bean tote that she carries (not schleps! Big difference) around the Yale campus. Discerning fashion lovers are in for a treat.

If you’re planning on travelling to Paris between now and next May, there’s a major Alaïa-Dior double exhibition worth adding to your itinerary. The French-Tunisian couturier’s personal Dior collection is already on view at La Galerie Dior, and the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation is debuting Azzedine Alaïa and Christian Dior, Two Masters of Couture on December 15.