Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1517953
WIDE OPEN M atthieu Blazy of Bottega Veneta always surprises. This season, we see him transporting the audience to a different place, one of desolation and stark beauty. Inspired by the rugged and beautiful Calabrian landscape, he finds a metaphor for hope in the form of the prickly pear cactus, whose flowers dot the landscape and whose presence suggests the resilience of life in an environment that others find inhospitable. Completing the experience, Blazy has once again collaborated with Cassina to create a special version of Le Corbusier's LC14 Cabanon stool. A special scorched-wood finish, inspired by traditional Japanese woodworking, protects the surface and shows the individual beauty of each piece. Following the show, a selection of stools will be shown in an installation at Milan Design Week as part of a tribute to Le Corbusier's timeless design. Pharrell Williams continues to take Louis Vuitton in new directions creatively through his storytelling. Weaving emblems of the iconic cowboy and American southwest into the fabric of the Fall/Winter 2024 Collection, he imbues French couture with a sense of Americana in a collection that features embroidered lace shirts, denim jackets, and leather chaps embroidered with saddle patterns. The highlight of the collection is his salute to the Lone Star State. Developed in collaboration with El Paso-based Stallion Boot Company, the limited- edition LV Texan Boot debuted at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. It's available in three versions, but we prefer the one embellished in colorful Texan-centric embroideries including cactus, scorpions, and bluebonnets, with Texas hand-painted on the shaft. The LV Texan Boot $8,000, pre-order only at the Louis Vuitton boutique at The Galleria. The Autumn/Winter 2024 show marked Seán McGirr's debut for Alexander McQueen. The catwalk brought back the spirit of the late Lee Alexander McQueen's time at his namesake brand. From the music to the walk of the models, you can feel '90s-era McQueen pulsing through the veins of the British fashion house. Larger-than- life silhouettes, an imaginative hoof boot, and a newfound energy helped make McGirr's debut one that has us eagerly anticipating his next move. TAKING STOCK OF BOTTEGA, VUITTON, AND McQUEEN By Steven Hempel and Michelle Aviña Alexander McQueen Fall Winter 2024 Louis Vuitton LV Texan Boot, here and left Alexander McQueen Fall Winter 2024 Alexander McQueen Fall Winter 2024 Hoof boot Le Corbusier's LC14 Cabanon stool at Bottega Veneta show Murano glass cactus at Bottega Veneta show 36