“First taste of spring” reads our coverline, and my goodness, I’m hungry for it now. Bundling up in woollens for the past months has been a bloody misery; I’m done with the biting winds and skies of a perpetual shade of grey. This issue arrives at a point of transformation: the sun is now tiptoeing into the early evening and the bulbs are finally starting to flower. Our cover story was shot in Athens by stylist Tony Irvine and photographer Olivier Kervern, and helps to further set the season’s mood. My favourite fashion shoots are those I find transporting, weaving a story around the clothes. This one evokes a flavour of Éric Rohmer and Paul Bowles in its elegant melancholy. Let’s meet at the Acropolis, and dream of warmer days to come.
Mexican-American designer Willy Chavarria has worked in the fashion industry for decades, but only established his namesake label in 2015. In the years since, his reimagined zoot suits, wry takes on streetwear and expansive credo have made him an explosive presence on the fashion scene. His January show, “Tarantula”, sent a strong message about inclusivity at a time when diversity, trans rights and immigration have become a blue touchpaper for the US ruling elite. Rather than be cowed by the changing political climate in America, however, the New York-based Chavarria is becoming more vocal. Fashion and politics never make for the easiest bedfellows but he argues that today’s luxury customers are more likely to remain loyal to those brands with which they feel most socially and ethically aligned. Plus, who could resist his giant velvet suits, floral corsages and dagger collars? Chavarria brings fun to the fashion landscape following a long period of “quiet luxury”, which makes for a refreshing change.
For those who prefer their clothes without controversy, please enjoy HTSI’s shirtmakers’ directory, for which Sara Semic asked our esteemed menswear specialists to nominate their favourite makers in the world. From 100hands, the Amsterdam atelier named for the 50 people it takes to produce one garment, to Rubinacci, the third-generation tailors often credited with being the birthplace of the Neapolitan look, we offer you the definitive index of all things collared and buttonholed.
Equally gripping is Mark Ellwood’s investigation into the machinations of the US fertility industry and its current obsession with super-premium sperm. American sperm has become one of the country’s priciest resources, writes Mark: “by weight, super-premium semen fetches $4,000 or more for a gram”. But what’s driving the market upwards, and who’s prepared to pay? Mark’s report is a fascinating insight into the workings of the global sperm-bank market that was valued, in 2023, at $5.1bn.
Lastly, meet an HTSI style icon, the stylist Mel Ottenberg who has been editor-in-chief of Interview magazine since 2021. A natural successor to that title’s founder Andy Warhol, Mel is instantly recognisable on the fashion circuit for a comparable take on the OG pop artist’s uniform: double denim, Frye boots and a shock of snow-white hair. I love a man who knows what works for him, and Mel’s style is a risqué take on the all-American guy. He’s also very funny. So, naturally, he had to be this week’s Aesthete.
@jellison22
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