Early 1990s queer ball culture in New York City was legendary, and continues to be relevant — so much so that one Copenhagen-based brand designed an entire collection around it. And with its puff sleeves, patterned tights, and clashing prints, the line acts as a reminder of why we fell in love with fashion in the first place.

This week, Stine Goya launched its Spring Summer 2020 collection, which was inspired by films like Kiki and Paris Is Burning — both of which portray New York’s ballroom culture, an iconic institution for the LGBTQ community. Kiki is the story of a group of young, Black, queer New Yorkers who, in the early ‘90s, gathered at the Christopher Street Pier in Greenwich Village to practice ballroom (the performance art form that Madonna famously appropriated in her music video “Vogue”). Jennie Livingston’s Paris Is Burning is a 1991 documentary surrounding the stylish and competitive ballroom competitions that took place in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

To recreate the expressive quality of these films, Stine Goya combined bold, extravagant patterns, vibrant colors, and over-the-top silhouettes. “Our new styles — the Fina & the Leor — are tighter. Shoes — the Indyas — are taller,” the press release reads. Everything was taken to new levels, just as ballroom called for.

Goya went on to create a new hand-painted design that can be seen throughout the entirety of the collection. She calls it the Dancers. 

This isn’t the first time that the brand has been inspired by dance. For her Fall Winter 2019 collection, inspired by Truman Capote’s famous Black and White Ball, Goya had 10 models, all dressed in sustainable garb, perform a contemporary dance choreographed by Puerto Rican artist Kianí Del Valle. The performance was meant to portray that sustainability doesn’t have to be so serious or limiting, but rather it can be, like the dance, a chance to let loose and have fun. 

But dance isn’t the only common factor between the two collections. Just as in her FW19 collection, SS20 contains a sustainable message. “The vibrant Polka Dot and Hearts stories across the Mainline are created entirely from recycled polyester,” the brand explains. “The Ina Dress, featuring hand-sewn applique fabric flowers, combines GOTS Certified Silk Organza, Tencel Lyocell and Lenzing Ecovero Viscose with intricate embroidering techniques.”

See how Stine Goya brought both films to life by shopping the entire SS20 collection, available now on StineGoya.com.

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It was only a few days ago that legendary fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier announced his retirement from Paris couture fashion week, noting that his spring 2020 show would be his final one. On Twitter he shared a video in which he casually told someone the news over the phone in French, writing in the post, “This show celebrating 50 years of my career will also be my last.” 

The 67-year-old gained recognition for dressing Madonna in reinvented corsets and continued to become famous for his designs that subverted traditional style and gender codes, including skirts for men. In addition to his riotous designs, he is known for his uncharacteristic casting, often employing street casting and showcasing diverse models long before inclusion was an industry buzzword. He also created a television series called “Eurotrash,” did a stint as the creative director of Hermès from 2003 to 2010, and collaborated with cool kid brand Supreme on a ready-to-wear collection in 2019. Needless to say, the designer has achieved a lot in the past 50 years, and is well-deserving of a new chapter.

This show celebrating 50 years of my career will also be my last. But rest assured Haute Couture will continue with a new concept. pic.twitter.com/PJCC53K4tm

— Jean Paul Gaultier (@JPGaultier) January 17, 2020

On Twitter, many people called him a fashion icon and thanked him for his contributions, while others called it the “end of an era.” And though the news is definitely emotional for fashion fans and culture at large, in the same post, JPG also shared that his “Haute Couture will continue with a new concept.” While we’re anxiously awaiting more details on what that might look like, yesterday the designer presented his big celebratory show. And in true Jean-Paul Gaultier form it was one we will never forget.

Showcasing over 200 looks featuring upcycled garments from his archive, the theatrical show included a mix of supermodels, fresh-faced models, dancers, movie stars, and pop culture icons. Among the iconic group was Gigi and Bella Hadid, Karlie Kloss, Winnie Harlow, Irina Shayk, Coco Rocha, Paris Jackson, Yasmin Le Bon, Farida Khelfa, Erin O’Connor, Rossy de Palma, Amanda Lear, and Estelle Lefébure. There were even performances by Catherine Ringer of Les Rita Mitsouko and Boy George.

“We have a lot of models that I love who came especially to make my show, so I am very happy,” the designer told British Vogue backstage at the Theatre du Châtelet where the show took place. The audience was just as buzzworthy as the models that walked his show. According to Vogue, the crowd included Isabel Marant, Dries Van Noten, Christian Louboutin, Mary Katrantzou, Christian Lacroix, Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren, Paco Rabanne’s Julien Dossena, and Gaultier’s former intern Nicolas Ghesquière. We can’t wait to see what JPG will do next.

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Blake Lively may be a pro at transforming herself into different roles, but her character in The Rhythm Section, Stephanie, is not. At least, not enough to convince Sterling K. Brown in this exclusive clip from the upcoming thriller. When Stephanie’s family dies in a plane crash, it sends her life into disarray. It’s only when she’s informed that the explosion that killed her family wasn’t an accident that her real story begins. She’s hellbent on revenge and gets in over her head, wearing many disguises while she does it. However, she’s not some heavily-trained CIA operative. She’s just a woman, and in the new clip, she finds herself totally caught in a lie.

Lively’s character is British, but when meeting up with Sterling K. Brown’s character (who, as of now, is still a mystery) for a drink, it’s her accent that gets her into a spot of trouble.

“Where exactly have you been these past few years?” Brown asks, but Stephanie is evasive. He remarks that she’s much more human than he thought she’d be, prompting her to cheekily reply that it must be “a good disguise.”

He’s not there to play games, though. When asked about where she was born, in Munich — no, Berlin — he catches her up.

“It’s just that you don’t speak with a trace of a German accent,” he remarks as tense music swells.

Right now, we don’t know if Brown plays a “good guy” or a “bad guy,” but the clip certainly leaves you feeling like a fight is about to break out between the two characters, or at the very least Stephanie (or whatever person she’s pretending to be) should watch her back.

The Rhythm Section is in theaters January 31.

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With Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepping away from the family, it’s been no tea party over at the royal palace lately. As news reports continue to speculate the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s next move, Buckingham palace also announced that the pair would no longer use their royal titles (His/Her Royal Highnesses) in a massive break from traditional royal duties. But, they’re certainly not the first royals to step down and away from the British royal family. Perhaps one of the most notable trailblazers was Princess Diana: Harry’s late mother.

Like Harry, his mother also stepped down from royalty at the height of her recognition. During her time, she was known for being a humanitarian and wildly reshaping the monarchy in a positive way, forcing the royals to break from tradition. She was also the subject of constant monitoring — a beloved international icon, Princess Diana had all eyes on her, all the time. And, in so many ways, it seems that what is happening to both Harry and Meghan now truly mirrors Princess Diana’s experiences (and maybe even her legacy).

On Sunday, Harry spoke out publicly for the first time since he and Meghan announced their decision to retract from the spotlight as working members of the royal family. In a speech at a London fundraiser, Harry said, “The decision that I have made for my wife and I to step back is not one I made lightly. It was so many months of talks after so many years of challenges.” Harry’s recent statements about this tough decision certainly mirrors Diana’s desire to have a relatively normal life. He’s said he’s felt he had “no other option” than to step away. This decision also came after months of speculation that the couple continued to break royal traditions.

But, Prince Harry was royal by blood, unlike his wife or his mother, who married into the royal family. In that sense, Meghan’s experience warding off intrusive paparazzi has turned into on of the couple’s greatest battles, and perhaps what drove them out of royal life most. Meghan might have only spent two years in the royal family compared to Diana’s decade prior to relinquishing her title, but their experiences in the public eye are quite similar. Meghan is subjected to a ton of harassment, so much so that she and Harry are currently suing two publications. And, let’s not forget that the harassment Diana received back then was incomparable at the time, too — she quite literally died trying to escape paparazzi.

Diana was also under intense and constant scrutiny for breaking tradition and straying from royal expectations, much like Meghan and Harry have been the last several years. Inspired by Diana who chose to omit the promise to “obey” her husband during her wedding vows, Meghan did the same. Diana also always put her family, and herself, before her royal duties, and that seems to be emulated in her son more than ever.

There are, of course, key differences between Princess Diana and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s experiences in and out of the royal family. The major difference between the Sussex duo and Diana stepping back is that Diana was stripped of her title after divorcing her husband, Prince Charles. Harry and Meghan have made it clear this is their choice.

After stepping down, Diana kept her title of Princess of Wales and continued her humanitarian and philanthropy, working on issues surrounding homelessness as well as HIV and AIDs. According to Harry’s speech, it sounds like he wishes to continue his work for his country the same way his mother did–he and Meghan simply wish to do it on their own terms. Harry and Meghan hope stepping away will result in a “more peaceful life,” which is exactly the peace of mind that Diana, too, was trying to find when she stepped away from the spotlight.

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