Catherine Malandrino receives a prestigious award, the making of a Met Ball documentary, a new Nike collaboration, and more style news from around the world this week.

• Carine Roitfeld and Uniqlo are teaming up for a 40-piece womenswear collection that will be available this Fall.
• T.J.Maxx is launching a plus-size collection online.
• Diane von Furstenberg and Alexander Wang are included in TIME’s 100 Most Influential People list for 2015.
• According to a Magazine Media Industry report, within the fashion set Vogue has the highest number of followers on every major social media platform.
• For its collaboration with Nike, Liberty is unearthing the Merlin print, “a dazzling configuration of retro geometric shapes and panels that was originally designed for a silk scarf back in 1972.”
• Catherine Malandrino has received the prestigious Chevalier of the French Order of Arts and Letters award for her lifetime achievements as a designer.
• There’s a Met Ball documentary in the works that will chronicle the making of this year’s Costume Institute exhibition and gala.

Fun Fashion Fact

Did you know that at the time when Dior’s New Look was all about nipped-in waists and prominent hips, Cristóbal Balenciaga revolutionised womenswear silhouettes in 1957 with his waist-surrendering baby doll and sack dresses that were copied by many ready-to-wear manufacturers at every price point.

This outfit combination was inspired by three looks from Nordstrom. They combine a T-shirt with a pair of casual bottoms, denim vest and casual shoes. Relaxed, trendy, comfortable and a little tomboy. Good for Mums and gals on the go in very casual settings. 

I’ve kept the outfits neutral with black, white, grey and denim, but by all means add some colour. I also added the option of a cognac bag and footwear to warm up “cool neutrals” if that tickles your fancy. 

Here are the components of the ensemble:

Bottoms: Think black, grey or white jeans (any style) or city chinos (roll the chinos at the hem). Black and white Ponte pants, shorts or culottes will also work. I threw in some harem pants just for fun. Sporty track pants or joggers are another way to go in either a pattern or solid grey jersey, or a casual black fabrication. 

Tops: Think linen and cotton-rich T-shirts in white, grey or black. Wear them fluid or oversized in basic cuts or high-low silhouettes. Partially tuck the front for structure, or leave the tees untucked (the vest will add structure when layered over the top). If tees are not your thing, think casual knitwear, soft cotton blouses, or a lightweight sweatshirt.

Create a column of colour, or create contrast between the top and bottom. Wear a pattern or slogan if solids look too plain. Adding a belt to the partially tucked top is optional.  

Vest: Think classic denim vest in blue denim in a fairly structured fit. Leave the front unbuttoned. You can choose an oversized version because those are still on trend. Or choose a longer silhouette with drawstring waist definition. 

Footwear: Choose any style of casual footwear that works with the outfit, like slides, slipper flats, Birkenstocks, ankle strap flats, cut-out booties, pointy toe flats, slip-on sneakers, wedge sneakers, wedge sandals, sandal booties, mules or gladiators. Black, white and metallic are a slam dunk, but cognac adds an unexpected touch. Animal print or floral flats will work too. 

Accessories: A casual scarf is optional. Choose a casual tote, hobo, bucket bag or backpack in black, grey, metallic, white, cognac or tan. Or throw in a patterned or non-neutral bag. Finish off the look with headgear, eyewear, watch and jewellery as desired. 

You can turn the formula on its head by wearing black jeans with a grey tee and white denim vest. Or a black top with blue jeans and a white vest. Or substitute the denim vest for a white one in the first rendition on the left (patterned track pants).

The Business of Fashion is currently running an interesting series on why the fashion industry is ignoring the plus-size market. Have a look at: Plus-Size Is a Huge Growth Opportunity, Reaping Plus-Size Rewards Online, Serving Women of All Sizes Has Business Benefits.

The Guardian interviews Tess Munster, the largest plus-size model signed with a mainstream agency.

Fab Links from Our Members

Summer is almost here, and Deb found this review of all-mineral sunscreens very helpful.

Diane G loved this little peek into some of the work that goes into making a Dior dress.

Laura (rhubarbgirl) thought “Inside Gap’s Plan to Get Back Into Your Drawers” an interesting read.

This tool for colour blindness has helped Dixie, whose first language is not English, to learn new names for colours. She also came across an article explaining why no one could see the colour blue until modern times.

Angie directs us to this animated short interview with 93-year old fashion icon Iris Apfel.

Marlene feels inspired by Bridgette Raes’ approach to creating a wardrobe capsule.

Vicki would love to go see this exhibition at the Tate Modern in London which celebrates the work of Sonia Delaunay.

The Atlantic’s review of Jo Paoletti’s book Sex and Unisex: Fashion, Feminism, and the Sexual Revolution explains how gender-neutral clothing has mirrored broader social changes throughout the 20th century. Having lived through a couple of those changes herself, Laurinda found the article especially interesting.

More than 8 years ago I suggested the three bag complement for handbag minimalists who don’t like to swap out their bags regularly. One bag for Autumn and Winter outfits, one for your Spring and Summer style, and a dressy clutch for formal events. This simple handbag capsule was inspired by clients who would carry a single large black or dark brown handbag throughout the year. It tended to look seasonally confused with soft, light and lightweight warm weather outfits, and looked even more out of place with their formal attire. 

Over the years I’ve changed my mind about having the dressy clutch as an on-hand option in case you need to go to a formal event. First, because it’s best to purchase the clutch as and when you need it and after you know exactly what you’re going to wear to the event (which includes footwear). That way you’ll ensure the very best choice of clutch to finish off your look. And second, because fewer of my clients are going to formal events these days, which means that a formal handbag option is not an essential stand-by anymore. That’s why a TWO bag complement makes more sense. 

An Autumn and Winter handbag needn’t be dark, but that’s the traditional and practical way of making it seasonally appropriate. A cold weather bag usually has a rich integrity — for example, leopard print or tweed — and tends to be more structured. A Spring and Summer handbag needn’t be bright, pastel, a light neutral or metallic, but again, those traditional options make the bag look more seasonally appropriate. Casual linen, canvas, wicker and beach bags look very Summer-y and are best reserved for warm weather. 

My clients who are handbag minimalists select two bags to wear for the year (excluding formal events). They sport each bag for about six months. This wears out their bags at a much faster rate, especially when they frequently travel for work. They often retire a non-designer bag after one season because it’s worn out, or because they’re ready for a change. They tend to keep designer bags for longer because they’re generally more robust, but they might stop wearing them regularly after one year. They purchase another for the next season. 

I am not a handbag minimalist at all. In fact, I’m a handbag maximalist because I LOVE handbags. I thoroughly enjoy shopping for them, across all price points, and regard them as an important part of my outfit. I have many in rotation in one season. I swap them out daily because I like the way they change up the vibe of my outfit. I will also pair formal handbags with jeans when we go out for supper. My wardrobe pets are dear to me and last a long time because they’re frequently rotated to share the wear. I pass on my bags to dear friends when they’re still in good condition so that they can be enjoyed even longer, and so I know that they went to a good home.

Over to you. When it comes to handbags, are you a minimalist or a maximalist?