For a lot of us, summer is all about doing nothing (except maybe a bit of sunning, swimming and sipping) but it’s also the season for a LOT of sport. As the Euros, Wimbledon and the Tour de France draw to a close we are readying ourselves for the biggie – the Paris Olympics – which starts now. To be honest, we are not big sports fans here but it’s interesting to see the drip-drip effect that both sports stars and sports clothing has on fashion and lifestyle. This week alone we witness a Formula One tie-up with Dior (some kind of first surely?) and some nasty eyewear that purports to be inspired by athletics. Relax though: for the lazier readers, there are some old-school puzzles and a rather depressing return to smoking…
Dior x Lewis Hamilton
Gone are the days when a sportsman’s involvement in clothing was merely selling a replica of their football/tennis/rugby shirt and raking in the royalties – these days they want to go full-on FASHION! Take for example Lewis Hamilton who has found time between record numbers of Formula One wins to design a collection with Dior. To be honest, we think Kim Jones did most of the actual design work as a lot of it is pretty good, bringing together elements of sportswear, Parisian chic and, somewhat randomly, the textile craft of Burkino Faso but it’s good to see something that relies on good style rather than just a celebrity name.
Nike Eyewear ‘Electric Pack’
It seems that, as the ugly shoe trend finally shows signs of abating, the focus has moved north with a few recent examples of very weird sunglasses. Nike however have hit peak hideousness with these horrors, just launched as part of their eyewear range inspired (apparently) by the Olympics. First up we have the lopsided Athena style which gives the wearer the appearance of a goldfish with one raised eyebrow. Following that is the Zeus that also has a deep sea vibe with superfluous under-eye sections (no one wants built-in eye bags…) and a frankly scary nose piece. Let’s see if this sparks a craze of overpriced click-bait sunnies. We hope not.
Levi’s x Rubik’s Cube
It’s hard to imagine now but a few decades ago gaming consisted of stuff like jigsaws, Monopoly and the Rubik’s Cube. For Gen Z-ers out there, the latter was a multicoloured 3-D puzzle launched in 1980 that frustrated everyone who could never do it and had to stand by and watch nerdy savants who could solve it in about 20 seconds. If you missed out on the original, you now have a chance to get a more touchy/feely version made in collaboration with Levi’s who are offering a special edition where the garish primary coloured sides have been replaced with denim and dead stock cotton drill. Sold for $50.01 (like 501s, geddit?), they will be on sale soon, ready to annoy a whole new generation.
Kith for Seth Rogen’s Houseplant
Quick to turn the relaxed US legal status of cannabis into a business, Canadian-American comedy actor Seth Rogen set up his Houseplant company to sell high-end smoking accessories. Despite the fact that promoting smoking of any sort seems a really backward and depressing thing to do, the company has gained traction and has now joined up with lifestyle brand Kith to introduce a small collection in fashion colours. Consisting of an ashtray set, a rolling set and a grinder, you can try to be chic as you roll your joints but if you want to avoid your place smelling like a student flat, then their Gloop candle can mask the nasty aroma with its top notes of cardamon and bergamot.
Diptyque’s Fragrance Diffuser
Regular readers will know that we are big fans of scented candles here at The Editors and we would much rather go for one of those rather than a home fragrance diffuser that generally reminds us a bit of restrooms in corporate offices. But Diptyque have come up with a rather stylish version that might just pass muster and find its way into our bathroom. Carved from beech wood, the base is a rather pleasing ergonomic shape that holds a ceramic pre-perfumed stick that releases the Baies fragrance as it rocks to and fro. Not sure if it beats the cosiness of a candle though.
