fashion

Read Cult of Mac’s latest posts on fashion:

The New Look Apple TV+ trailer shows fashion, like war, is hell

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The New Look drama series on Apple TV+
Don't expect Christian Dior and Coco Chanel to actually fight the Nazis, but there will be drama. And Dior's sister was in the French Resistance.
Photo: Apple TV+

Competing designers in World War II Nazi-occupied Paris — Christian Dior, Coco Chanel and others — launched modern fashion and helped bring the war-torn world back to life, the trailer for upcoming The New Look drama series on Apple TV+ implies.

Who knew? And with a cast including Ben Mendelsohn (Dior), Juliette Binoche (Chanel), John Malkovich, Maisie Williams and other familiar faces, who cares if it’s letter-perfect history? It looks like a good time.

The 10-part series The New Look premieres on Apple TV+ on Valentine’s Day, February 14.

You know you want to watch this trailer for The Super Models

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From left, Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington became icons of fashion and culture in the 1980s.
From left, Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington became icons of fashion and culture in the 1980s.
Photo: Apple

The four women who sparked the term “supermodel” in the 1980s — Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington — were a close-knit sisterhood and “the original influencers,” according to the new trailer Apple TV+ dropped Wednesday for the upcoming documentary series The Super Models.

The four-part series, which promises never-before-seen commentary from fashion and pop culture luminaries, walks the runway September 20.

Quarantined photographer executes fantastic FaceTime fashion shoot

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Alessio Albi FaceTime model shoot
Alessio Albi makes screenshot magic on FaceTime.
Screenshot: Alessio Albi/Instagram

Quarantined photographers across the internet have used the lockdown to come up with personal projects they could shoot within the same confines of their home.

Condé Nast shooter Alessio Albi has one of the more interesting bodies of work to emerge from staying at home. He is using FaceTime for remote fashion shoots.

Designer AirPods cases look just like tiny purses

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purse-like AirPods case
The Bottega Veneta case retails for $560.
Photo: Bottega Veneta

Some of the world’s top handbag designers feel strongly that your AirPods case could use a little help.

Purses for AirPods appear to be a growing sector of the fashion accessories market and all the big names are in it, like Gucci, Dior, Bottega and Louis Vuitton to name a few.

Angela Ahrendts reveals surprising post-Apple plans

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Angela Ahrendts.
Don't expect Angela Ahrendts to work for another tech company.
Photo: Apple

Apple retail boss Angela Ahrendts is wasting no time making plans for what to do once she leaves Apple.

News that the former Burberry CEO plans to leave her post at Apple just surfaced this week. Ahrendts is set to hang around Apple Park until April, but once her time to leave is here, you won’t catch her hanging out around Silicon Valley.

This foot-based iPhone holder makes the selfie stick look sane

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Foot Shoe
Or you could just wear something with pockets.
Photo: ErrorDigital/Instagram

Remember the bemused reaction you had to the selfie stick the first time you saw one? Remember how that feeling gradually changed to begrudging acceptance as they became standard issue over the months that followed?

Get ready for the next creation in that line of “are they kidding?” thinking: the iPhone foot mount for the person who doesn’t want pockets in their clothing. They’ll be everywhere in 2019. Maybe.

Coach introduces new Apple Watch bands for summer

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coach apple watch bands
Upgrade your band in time for summer.
Photo: Coach

Luxury design company Coach is ready to supply Apple Watch wearers with a fresh lineup of new bands this summer.

The company unveiled its latest lineup of fashionable bands that include a couple new colors and fabrics for those who are looking to add a little extra style to their wrists.

The Claridge’s Christmas trees Jony Ive had to follow

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Christmas1
Baubles are only available as an added accessory for the Christmas Tree Pro.
Photo: Claridge's

Jony Ive’s vision for Apple stores includes plenty of live trees, so who can be surprised that the “Christmas tree” he and BFF Marc Newson designed for a swank British hotel turned out to be a minimalist fir with not a bauble in sight?

Unusual as it is, Ive and Newson’s creation is far from the most offbeat reimagining of festive firs in Claridge’s history. Check out previous Claridge’s Christmas trees, which range from truly ostentatious to totally bizarre.

Apple film shows how Rapha designs cycling gear with iPad Pro

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Rapha designer Alex Valdman uses iPad Pro for everything.
Rapha designer Alex Valdman uses iPad Pro for everything.
Photo: Apple

The iPad Pro and Apple Pencil have completely changed how the cycling clothing company Rapha designs its fashionable road gear.

In a new short film, Apple goes behind-the-scenes with Rapha’s head of design, Alex Valdman, discussing everything from his approach to design, creative process, and how he uses the iPad Pro to get work done.

Apple Watch Series 2 review: A tick closer to perfection

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apple watch series 2
Trade-in that old Apple Watch for money off at the Apple Store.
Photo: Ste Smith/CultofMac

I finally have a reason to stop cheating on my Apple Watch.

For the past 16 months, Apple’s wearable and I have had an on-again, off-again relationship. The Apple Watch looks great. It helps me stay fit. It tells the time really well. But it hasn’t been the complete wrist solution I need.

With the Apple Watch Series 2, a lot of the compromises of Apple’s first-gen smartwatch have finally been fixed. You can get GPS without carrying your iPhone. The new Apple Watch is water-friendly. And it’s built for speed. But with the new, less-expensive Apple Watch Series 1 getting some of the same features, is the Series 2 seriously worth the upgrade?

While working on this Apple Watch Series 2 review, I’ve been wearing the new device everywhere I go ever since it came out Friday. The short answer is, “hell yes.”

14 weird and wonderful gowns from Apple’s fashion exhibit

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This 3D printed dress will be part of Apple's Manus x Machina exhibition.
This 3D printed dress will be part of Apple's Manus x Machina exhibition.
Photo: Nicholas Alan Cope/The Met

Apple’s upcoming fashion exhibition at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art is set to open in May, but if you can’t make it to the Big Apple to see which designer pieces Jony Ive and Co. hand-picked as examples for how technological advancements have altered fashion, the museum has given a sneak peek at some of the weird and wonderful gowns that will be on display.

The exhibit will feature over 100 pieces made from the 1880’s up to 2015, including gowns from icons like Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld, Christian Dior, Miuccia Prada, Yves Saint Laurent, and more.

Take a look at some of the pieces coming to the Manus x Machina exhibit:

Tidal hosts a Kanye hypefest and Apple Music isn’t invited

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New Kanye West joint  set for Tidal, not Apple.
New Kanye West joint set for Tidal, not Apple.
Photo: Tidal

Kanye West takes to streaming service Tidal tomorrow to unveil the latest Yeezy hype: a third line of clothing (Yeezy, Season 3) and a new album, so far titled T.L.O.P.

He’ll put on a show at Madison Square Garden, and even if you’re not a Tidal subscriber, you can check out the new threads and listen to the new tracks starting Thursday February 11 at 4:00 pm Eastern right on Tidal’s home page.

Originally, West was set to show his stuff in various theaters around the world (huh?), but this makes a bit more sense.

How knockoff Apple Watch bands are nearly as good as the real thing

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Spot the difference. On the left is Apple's $450 Link Bracelet for Apple Watch. On the right, a $90 knockoff that gets 4.5 stars on Amazon.
Spot the difference. On the left is Apple's $450 Link Bracelet for Apple Watch. On the right, a $90 knockoff that gets 4.5 stars on Amazon.
Photo: Apple

The internet is awash with knockoff bands for the Apple Watch that are almost as good as the genuine articles.

Knockoff products are traditionally cheap and nasty, but tons of these replica Apple Watch bands are so good, they rival Apple’s own products — at a fraction of the price.

We’ve taken a tour of knockoff band land, and found that there are lots of cheap, inexpensive bands on eBay and Amazon that are high in quality and are getting glowing reviews from customers.

“My black Apple Sport band has started flaking off, while the third-party knock-offs still look brand new,” said Neven Mrgan, a designer for Panic software in Portland, Oregon who bought a less-than-half-price band on Amazon.

Toasty touchscreen gloves keep you warm and fully connected

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Baby it's cold outside; use these gloves.
Baby it's cold outside; use these gloves.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

Best List: Double Layered Knit Touchscreen Gloves by Mujjo

It’s almost winter, and if you reside in an area with a climate like mine, you know you’ll be carrying gloves with you no matter where you go. When you live someplace like Anchorage, Alaska, even a quick trip outside to the trash bin requires that you cover up.

And yet, we live in a touchscreen world. I have my iPhone with me all the time, and I use it to stay connected to my kids and family members as I move around the winter wonderland. Pulling off a glove every time I want to play a song or answer a text is time-consuming and sometimes dangerous.

If that’s something you worry about, Mujjo’s got you covered, quite literally, with these new double-layered touchscreen gloves.

Anti-hipster Jony Ive stands up for the beauty of machine-made products

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Jony Ive
Jony Ive sure loves fashion.
Photo: Apple

Apple plans to make a big splash in the fashion world next year by sponsoring the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s big Costume Institute exhibit. Few details about the project are known, but Apple design guru Jony Ive teased what visitors might be able to expect in a new interview about the intersection of technology and fashion.

Jony Ive denies that Apple is turning into a luxury company

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Hermes Apple Watch bands are now available on their own.
Apple couldn't wait to hop into bed with French luxury house Hermès.
Photo: Apple

Jony Ive sure loves his designer goods, but don’t suggest to him that products like the new high-end Apple Watch Hermès are turning Apple into a luxury company.

“We don’t think in those terms,” Ive says in a new interview. “I’m not comfortable with words like exclusive.”

This from the guy who made a $17,000 smartwatch!

These designer jeans keep your iPhone charged on the go

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Joe's #Hello jeans boast a discreet iPhone charger.
Joe's #Hello jeans boast a discreet iPhone charger.
Photo: Joe's Jeans

Keeping your iPhone charged on the go can be a hassle. You have to bring an extra Lightning cable and a big bulk battery just to keep yourself plugged into your texts, phone calls and all the happenings on social media. But one creative clothing manufacturer has come up with a clever solution that puts a charger in your pants.

See Jony Ive and Marc Newson talk Apple Watch design

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Jony Ive gets animated as he talks about Apple Watch. Photo: Vogue
Jony Ive gets animated as he talks about Apple Watch. Photo: Vogue

Jony Ive and his BFF Marc Newson launched Apple into the luxury market this week with the Apple Watch, which expertly straddles the line between gadget and fashion accessory.

Apple’s dynamic designing duo sat down with Vogue’s Suzy Meeks this week to talk about their first foray into the fashion world — as well as what inspired them to create the Apple Watch. We rounded up the top 8 revelations from the pair’s appearance earlier this week, but Vogue just made the full interview available online, and it’s full of juicy insights into Jony and Marc’s thought processes.

Watch the full interview below:

Apple Watch is ready for its closeup in fashion bible Vogue

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apple-watch-vogue
Apple Watch has a multipage spread in Vogue. Photo: Julio Calderon/Twitter

Apple Watch still isn’t available for the masses, but Apple is ramping up its marketing efforts among fashionistas with a multipage spread in the March issue of Vogue.

Multiple versions of the Apple Watch are shown across the seven-page ad, which includes closeups of the watch bands as well as full-size pictures of the entire device to give readers a better idea about whether Jony Ive’s timepiece will fit in with their wardrobes.

Take a look at some of the other ads below:

Secret Apple Watch boutique is under construction at Paris’ fanciest store

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Photo: Kaysgeog/Flickr CC
The Galeries Lafayette is getting a special visitor. Photo: Kaysgeog/Flickr CC

Apple Watch isn’t just a techie gadget. It’s a fashion item.

To drill that point into everyone’s heads during launch, it looks like Apple is setting up a special booth at one of the fanciest high-end department stores in Paris: Galeries Lafayette Haussmann.

Construction on a special booth at Galeries Lafayette began a few weeks ago, according to Mac4Ever. There’s no official word that the structure is for the Apple Watch, but the timing, location and large white walls all point to Apple.

Take a look at the site:

Flashback clothes are carefully crafted nuclear photobombs

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Flashback, menswear by Betabrand, uses a higly reflective material sure to make an impression in flash photos. Photo: Betabrand
Flashback menswear uses a highly reflective material that's sure to make an impression in flash photos. Photo: Betabrand

Most clothing designers like to see their clothes well photographed. Betabrand’s Steven B. Wheeler has menswear that just might ruin a photo — and that’s part of the cool factor.

Wheeler and DJ Chris Holmes teamed up to design five pieces called Flashback, clothing made of a highly reflective fabric that will bounce any iPhone flash right back through the lens.

In most cases, the result produces a nuclear look, with the silhouette of the clothes distractingly white hot. Surrounding details either get lost in the shadows or simply go unnoticed because the eyes zero in on the aura of the Flashback clothing.

Apple Watch wins the wrist war before it starts

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Apple Watch did some monster pre-orders in its first day on sale. Photo: Leander Kahney
The closer we get to Apple Watch, the more advanced it looks in comparison to its competition. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Ever since Tim Cook unveiled the Apple Watch last September, it’s been one disappointment after another as far as I’m concerned. Apple’s first wearable won’t come in the minimalist form factor of the fitness bracelets I love. Worse yet, the launch version of the fashion-forward device will lack GPS, suffer from underwhelming battery life and fail to offer truly native third-party apps.

For the first time, I realized I would not be buying an Apple product when it first hit the market. “It’s not worth lining up for,” I told my dad when he asked what I thought after the Apple Watch’s big reveal.

But a funny thing happened on the way to Apple Watch’s launch day, which is coming sometime this spring. And I’m not talking about the previously unthinkable — an Apple fan calling the Microsoft Band the best smartwatch on the planet. No, I’m talking about wading through an ungodly sea of really bad smartwatches at International CES earlier this month and seeing indisputable proof of just how innovative and disruptive Apple Watch actually will be.