Articles by AFP
Muted London fashion week wraps up with Burberry show
London Fashion Week wraps up with Burberry sending its Autumn/Winter collection down the catwalk on Monday, capping off a relatively muted event in the rainy British capital. Brands are grappling with a reduced appetite for luxury products worldwide, while a slimmed-down schedule with several absentees have raised concerns about London Fashion...
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AI opens 'endless' doors for fashion models, closes others
London-based model Alexsandrah Gondora understands the power of being in "two places at the same time" thanks to an AI replica of herself: "She's doing the hard work so I don't have to!" Fashion designers and retailers can book her digital double for photo shoots without her having to travel or physically be there, Gondora told AFP. It is a...
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London Fashion Week: master milliner Stephen Jones wears many hats
In a millinery in central London, fascinated guests Friday tried on hats of different shapes and sizes, leaning in to smell one made of chocolate, and another with an aroma of autumn. Legendary British hat-maker Stephen Jones explored the senses for his Autumn-Winter 2025 presentation at London Fashion Week, with hats of satin, tartan, crepe and...
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Kyrgyzstan urges respect for heritage amid row over Russian 'appropriation'
Kyrgyzstan has called for respect for its "historical and cultural heritage" after a Russian clothing brand used traditional Kyrgyz designs and claimed copyright over them, prompting accusations of "cultural appropriation". The Central Asian country is closely allied with Moscow, but has taken steps to reinforce its national identity in recent...
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London Fashion Week launches with ode to gender-fluid designs
London Fashion Week (LFW) opens on Thursday with designer Harris Reed's striking silhouettes celebrating gender-fluid fashion, kicking off a slimmed-down schedule with several absentees. The LGBTQ British-American designer and creative director at Nina Ricci will showcase designs from his eponymous label, which he describes as "Romanticism Gone...
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Gucci ousts chief designer De Sarno, exit creates new 'uncertainty'
Luxury giant Gucci announced Thursday it was parting ways with its chief designer Sabato De Sarno following a sales slump, in the latest shakeup at a major European label. De Sarno was appointed to the job in January 2023, bringing in a more minimalist style to the flashy Florence-based brand after he replaced Alessandro Michele. "Gucci today...
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Naomi Campbell says she will appeal charity watchdog's ban
Former supermodel Naomi Campbell said Wednesday she will appeal against a UK watchdog ban on being a charity trustee, suggesting "fake identities" had wrongly implicated her in a funding scandal. The Charity Commission last year banned the 54-year-old from running any charity for five years after identifying "multiple instances of misconduct" in...
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Anna Wintour vows to keep working as receives latest UK honour
Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour revealed Tuesday she has no intention of retiring, as the fashion legend accepted her latest prestigious UK honour from King Charles III at Buckingham Palace. Wintour, 75 -- already made a dame in 2017 -- was this time made a companion of honour, joining a select group never numbering more than 65 recognised...
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US Postal Service says suspending parcels from China
The US Postal Service (USPS) has said it is temporarily suspending inbound parcels from China and Hong Kong, evoking an angry accusation of "unreasonable suppression" from Beijing on Wednesday. The order follows US President Donald Trump's imposition of additional 10 percent tariffs on Chinese imports starting Tuesday. Minutes after they took...
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No new clothes: S. Korean climate activist targets hyperconsumption
Recovering South Korean shopaholic-turned-climate activist Lee So-yeon used to buy new clothes almost daily -- until a $1.50 winter coat triggered an awakening that stopped her shopping entirely. While looking at the ultra-cheap padded jacket at an H&M shop in the United States, where she was working at the time, Lee asked herself how any item...
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