Editor's Log 017
Fashion Week chaos, cultural whiplash, and London refusing to be normal.
Hi all,
Welcome back to the Editor’s Log after a very long, very overdue hiatus (sorry guys, I’ve been swamped). This past week was probably the most hectic of my life so far, but in the best possible way. A lot to catch up on, a lot to process, and a lot of running around the city.
Monday
Not the nicest way to start the week: the British Museum has reportedly removed every mention of the word “Palestine” from displays. As if we didn’t already have enough reasons to be uneasy about that place…
A David Bowie exhibition is opening at Lightroom in April. I’m not the biggest Bowie fan in the world, but it still feels like something worth seeing, if only because of how influential he was.
Labi Siffre is back, with a new album coming after 28 years. I first discovered him through a Nourished By Time interview and gradually became a real admirer of his work, so this feels pretty special. Very curious to hear what a new project will sound like.
Tuesday
Zendaya and Robert Pattinson on the cover of Interview - LOVE. Nadia Lee Cohen can be quite polarising for me, but this shoot really works.
PinkPantheress became the BRIT Awards’ first Female Producer of the Year. I’m happy for her, it’s well deserved, although part of me does think there are other producers who could have been recognised too (SHERELLE, maybe). Still, a positive step.
Adam Baidawi is now GQ’s Global Editorial Director. His editor’s letters were honestly the main reason I ever picked up the magazine in the first place, so this appointment feels exciting. He has a very clear vision.
Wednesday
Corbin Shaw interviewed Wayne McGregor for The Face. It’s always interesting when artists from different disciplines meet on equal footing, you can tell there’s a shared seriousness about what they do. I’d love to see Corbin do more interviews like this.
Suella Braverman saying she wants to scrap the Equality Act…prick. not much to say that hasn’t already been said.
Thursday
Simone Rocha and Martine Rose interviewed together for i-D, a really nice pairing. Two very distinct designers who have both shaped British fashion in their own way.
I went to the Paul Costelloe show at The Waldorf. The venue was beautiful, very grand, but the clothes didn’t really resonate with me, it all felt quite repetitive. The front row also felt very homogeneous, which didn’t help.
After that, I went to my friend Patrick’s birthday at The Fox & Firkin. Completely different energy - loud, chaotic, fun. Saw some favourites like Ceebo and N4T perform and finally met a few people I’d only known online. Always nice when those moments happen.
Friday
Jamie Demetriou interviewed by The Face. I have such a soft spot for him, he’s one of those people who is effortlessly funny without feeling forced. I’d love to see more Stath, but I’ll take anything he makes.
It was also the anniversary of Jamal Edwards’ passing. A real loss. He opened doors for so many people and changed the trajectory of British music culture in a very tangible way. It’s hard to overstate his impact.
I went to the Clara Chu presentation - thoughtfully made, but it didn’t quite connect with me. It leaned heavily into that very polished sustainability aesthetic that sometimes feels more corporate than radical.
Phoebe English’s presentation, though, was incredible. There was something deeply atmospheric about it - slightly eerie, very English, very tactile. Even if some ideas echoed her earlier work, I didn’t mind at all. It felt sincere. And Luke Leitch wrote wonderfully about it for Vogue.
My friend Nav painted the END store and launched a product line, which was amazing to see. I’m genuinely proud of him. Also properly met Ledbyher for the first time, she’s exactly as kind and warm as people say.
Later, I managed to sneak into the Fashion East show (thank you to whoever made that possible, not ratting anyone out). Jacek Gleba was solid, Mayhew showed real growth, and Traiceline Pratt’s debut was a standout. You could feel the energy in the room shift.
Saturday
Fynn Studio’s rave film series is going live on Resident Advisor. I saw these at Tate last year and they stayed with me - very immersive, very sincere documents of club culture.
Yaku presented what is easily his strongest work so far. It felt emotional in a way I wasn’t expecting - the choreography, the music, the pacing, everything worked together. I’ve also recently fallen into a bit of a tech-fleece phase, so seeing one appear on the runway felt oddly affirming.
Sunday
Corteiz collaborating with Lake Elsinore… which probably means a lot more people will end up with my beloved hat. Nothing stays underground forever, I guess.
Lucila Safdie’s show at the Argentinian ambassador’s residence didn’t really land for me. The setting was beautiful, but the work itself felt very familiar, almost like variations on the same idea.
Randomly ran into Ayọ̀ Òjó (Fashion Roadman) and his manager Micah, who kindly let me tag along to Steve O Smith’s very intimate showing at the Mandarin Oriental. Hearing Steve talk through his process in that setting was genuinely special. Ayọ̀, as always, was incredibly generous, he really is the blueprint for a lot of people in this space.
The day ended with Charlie Constantinou’s latest presentation, which was fantastic. The uniform theme came through clearly without feeling literal, and the details were excellent. I’m still thinking about that Chilly’s collaboration bottle.
Monday (Fashion Week finale)
I know I don’t usually include Mondays, but this felt like a natural closing chapter.
Petra Fagerstrom’s presentation was interesting - I admire her ideas, though I’m still trying to understand exactly who the work is for. It feels like a vision that’s still crystallising. Defo a massive fan though, and am so excited to see where she goes.
Kazna Asker’s show was a real highlight. She organised a full iftar (hold tight my Muslim readers), served food, created a welcoming atmosphere, and delivered strong looks alongside it. It felt communal rather than purely performative. Watching someone you care about succeed like that is a very particular kind of joy.
Until next week,
Sik
P.S. London really showed up this season. I’m exhausted but very proud of the city, and sorry again for publishing this on a Wednesday. Back to the normal schedule from now on.