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Pack up your plain white and pale blue shirts — there’s a sultry new wave sweeping through men’s wardrobes. Paul Mescal’s Gucci-packed Gladiator II tour outfits set the tone, writes Teo van den Broeke (@teovandenbroeke). ⁠ ⁠ What might once have been dismissed as overly fey now feels like an exciting new direction for men’s eveningwear — an elegant, wearable alternative to the traditional dress-shirt-and-bow-tie combinations that have reigned for decades. Consider Jonathan Bailey’s open-chested silk number at the Emmys or Barry Keoghan looking every bit the boozy Victorian workhouse owner in a droop-necked Dolce & Gabbana pussy bow at the Governors Awards. ⁠ ⁠ The sartorial shift is not limited to men who walk the red carpet. Read more via the link in bio.⁠ ⁠ 📸: FilmMagic; Ben Broomfield; Anadolu Agency via Getty Images; Daniele Oberrauch / Gorunway.com

The world of talent management has opened up to include fashion designers, and the latest to join the fold is Jonathan Anderson, the creative director of Loewe and founder of his namesake label JW Anderson. In December, hot off designing the clothing for Luca Guadagnino’s film Queer, Anderson signed with United Talent Agency (UTA), the starry Beverly Hills-based firm that also represents actors such as Timothée Chalamet.⁠ ⁠ Except that, unlike Chalamet, Anderson is listed under “Fashion”, a division that launched in February 2023 and also includes former Burberry and Givenchy designer Riccardo Tisci. UTA is not alone in seeing the potential of designers beyond their roles in fashion: Los Angeles-based Creative Artists Agency (CAA) represents Tom Ford and Tommy Hilfiger, as well as Schiaparelli’s creative director Daniel Roseberry. Meanwhile, Colm Dillane of KidSuper and Casey Cadwallader of Mugler are both signed to Hollywood talent agency WME. ⁠ ⁠ What's driving these signings? Kati Chitrakorn (@katicy) reports. Click the link in bio to read more.⁠ ⁠ 📸: Jonathan Anderson (Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)

Embroidery has been used for centuries to send messages: from hidden political or religious motifs and subversive memos to the more usual declarations of love. ⁠ ⁠ It’s a rich tradition that has endured. Today, as embroidery enjoys a revival thanks to increased demand for personalised products and a reaction to increasing style homogeny, Jessica Salter (@jes_salter) spotlights the brands making inroads. Tap the link in bio to read more.⁠ ⁠ 📸: An embroidered shirt by Cressida Jamieson; With Nothing Underneath's The Boyfriend shirt with an embroidered detail; an embroidered knit by Herd

The most wonderful time of the year also happens to be one of the most challenging times to dress for. There’s so much to consider: the climatic contrast between outdoors and in, the interplay between outerwear and your outfit, to sequin or not to sequin — and that’s before you get to the ruinous concept of “party heels”. Dressing up for parties, dinners and all the events of the season can feel incompatible with the desire to keep warm. But that doesn't have to be so, writes Emily Cronin (@emilycro). ⁠ ⁠ Tap the link in bio to read the story in full. ⁠ ⁠ 📸: Asceno; Wiggy Kit; Heist; Cos⁠

Bored of your blazer? Enter the little boxy jacket, writes Carola Long ( @carolajlong). This counterpoint to the more masculine, tailored style has been popping up once again at fashion shows, parties and events. For the brands that do them best, such as @sezane and @chanelofficial, to how to search for affordable second hand versions, to the most modern ways to style them.... follow the link in bio.⁠ ⁠ 📸: Influencer Alexandra Lapp in Paris wearing a green Chanel vintage jacket; Celine brand ambassador Danielle of NewJeans; Clémence Poésy at Chloé’s SS25 show; a look from Chanel’s 2024/25 Métiers d’art show (Han Myung-Gu/WireImage; Getty Images⁠)⁠ ⁠

Chanel has named Matthieu Blazy as its next creative director of fashion, the first external appointment to the role for the French luxury house since Karl Lagerfeld was brought in to reinvigorate the brand in 1983. Bruno Pavlovsky confirmed the appointment in an interview with the @financialtimes, saying they had taken time in order to find “the one.” Blazy will be given a wide remit, and all conversations regarding future changes, including menswear, are up for discussion. “Our objective is to have him on board and to work with him on what we have,” said Pavlovsky. He dismissed talk that the new designer would have to be French, or a woman. “It was not the point. We were open to everything,” he said. “It was not about having a man, or having a woman. It was about the capacity to go to the next step and what is best to push the line.” Blazy is currently creative director of Bottega Veneta. His first collection for Chanel is expected to debut in October 2025. See more at link in bio. 📸: Matthieu Blazy © Victor Virgile/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images .⁠ .⁠ .⁠ .⁠ .⁠ .⁠ #Chanel #MatthieuBlazy

From Simone Rocha’s gothic tailoring and Charles Jeffrey’s punkish dress blazers, to Derrick’s sports-inspired minimalism and SS Daley’s subversive takes on classic British school uniforms, a new wave of UK-based brands is shaping a fresh aesthetic by taking the traditions established by their forebears and injecting them with a new sense of romance, creativity and play.⁠ ⁠ "We have seen a rise in curiosity for more playful items that allow them to express their individuality,” Bosse Myhr, director of menswear, womenswear and childrenswear at Selfridges, tells Teo van den Broeke (@teovandenbroeke). Among the standout labels he cites are “Charles Jeffery Loverboy, whose knit patch shirts and unexpected appliqués on blazers “can elevate a look”, and Simone Rocha, whose play on proportion and silhouette allows customers “to experience wardrobe essentials in a new way”.⁠ ⁠ Tap the link in bio to read the story in full. ⁠ ⁠ 📸: Paul Mescal in Simone Rocha at the 29th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in February 2023 (FilmMagic)

Dries Van Noten has promoted Julian Klausner to creative director, leading both womenswear and menswear. A graduate of La Cambre / Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts Visuels in Brussels, Klausner joined the label in 2018, working alongside Van Noten on the women's collection. His appointment follows the news of Van Noten's retirement earlier this year after 38 years at the helm of the label he founded in 1986. ⁠ ⁠ "I have complete confidence in Julian’s creativity and vision. He is not only a talented designer, but also a clear choice to take over after my departure. His deep understanding of the brand and its values will ensure a seamless transition and a bright future,” said Van Noten in a statement. ⁠ ⁠ "The incomparable legacy that Dries is leaving behind is monumental, serving as an endless source of precious inspiration. I look forward to embarking on new ambitious challenges while honouring the heritage we all cherish,” said Klausner.⁠ ⁠ Klausner will present a menswear collection in January in a look book format, while his first runway collection will be revealed on March 5 during Paris Fashion Week. ⁠ ⁠ 📸: Sarah Piantadosi

"I do get excited about buying gifts for my girlfriend, especially clothes. I dress quite masculine, but I love womenswear. We’ve had recent successes with vintage pieces, such as a wraparound skirt by Hussein Chalayan and a Issey Miyake top," says British Japanese clothing designer Sage Toda-Nation (@sagetodanation_). "I was thinking about getting her a tent this year, as I really want to go camping and spend more time outdoors. I like the idea of gifts that can encourage you to do something together. Similarly, I like gifts that are meaningful in some way. My mum [Ruth Toda-Nation] made a book called The Lockdown Garden which is really special. She captured residents in the garden of the old people’s home where my granddad lives and juxtaposed them with images of flowers. I’ll definitely be giving someone a copy of that."⁠ ⁠ Tap the link in bio to read more about Toda-Nation’s holiday gifting. This year's gift guide is out with the paper on Saturday. ⁠ ⁠ 🖋️: As told to Simon Chilvers @schilvers3⁠ 📸: Photographed for the FT by Kemka Ajoku @kemkaajoku⁠

"Jewellery generally is hard to buy as a gift. I’ll keep it classic and low key. And I’ll find out beforehand whether it’s gold or silver that someone likes. On the whole, if someone wears delicate things, they’re not going to want big statements and vice versa," says Susan Caplan (@susancaplan), the renowned curator of vintage jewellery who started her own collection in 2008. "If you want to impress someone who is a fan of vintage costume jewellery then go for Chanel because everyone loves it. For a more under the radar, affordable brand, if someone has classic taste then I recommend Trifari. I am also a sucker for candlesticks, porcelain, pottery. I like to have a little jaunt around Alfies and Grays antiques markets for those."⁠ ⁠ Tap the link in bio to read more about Caplan’s holiday gifting. This year's gift guide is out with the paper today. ⁠ ⁠ 🖋️: As told to Carola Long @carolajlong⁠ 📸: Photographed for the FT by Lily Bertrand-Webb @lilybw⁠

“It was almost like going back to university,” says Jonathan Anderson of creating the costumes for Luca Guadagnino’s film Queer, with Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey. It's the second time Anderson teams up with Guadagnino: his first costume design work was seen earlier this year in tennis-themed film Challengers, starring Zendaya.⁠ ⁠ Fashion designers creating clothing for film is not new. Take Yves Saint Laurent’s costumes for Belle de Jour or Givenchy’s for Breakfast at Tiffany’s through to Prada working on The Great Gatsby and Romeo & Juliet. In most cases, star designers are not responsible for every character’s outfit, though Anderson, in both films, dressed the entire cast. “Luca wanted a 360 vision,” Anderson tells Simon Chilvers (@schilvers3). “I think it is just as important that the prostitute in the background looks as interesting as what is happening in the foreground. With Luca, it is about every type of nuance, and especially in Queer because everything is so painterly, and you’re trying to work out what is real, what is not.” ⁠ ⁠ Tap the link in bio to read the story in full.⁠ ⁠

"At this point in my life, so much of art is really about an experience. So much of living is about an experience. It’s not just about products. I prefer gifting things like a stay at Château Voltaire [in Paris], which is where I actually stay, or Rochelle Canteen [in London], where I actually eat dinner," says London-based multimedia artist Alvaro Barrington (@alvarobarrington). "When I was a kid, I used to collect sneakers. At 19, I had over a hundred pairs. But once I decided to be an artist, I stopped buying anything that I didn’t need and only bought paints and art supplies. The desire to paint and make art always trumped how much money I was willing to spend on anything else."⁠ ⁠ Tap the link in bio to read more about Barrington’s holiday gifting. This year's gift guide is out with the paper on Saturday. ⁠ ⁠ 🖋️: As told to Kati Chitrakorn @katicy⁠ 📸: Photographed for the FT by Kemka Ajoku @kemkaajoku⁠