Holly Hay
- Image Director, ANNIKA
Junior Editor / Online Editor, GARAGE magazine
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Articles by Holly Hay
Chef Alex Jackson: Purveyor of Provençal Granny Cooking
Roast quail with warm olive sauce In an industry renowned for machismo, Alex Jackson, former head chef at Rotorino and Dock Kitchen, sought the home-cooking wisdom of French grannies for guidance when designing the menu for his new restaurant July 15, 2016 TextRebecca May JohnsonPhotographic EditorHolly HayPhotographyJack Wilson Lead ImageRoast quail with warm olive sauce “Provence is a country to which I am always returning, next week, next year, any day now, as soon as I can get on to a train.
Examining the Cultural Significance of Purple
Illustration by Chrissie Abbott From Prince’s enduring fascination with the hue, to a group of radical activists named The Lavender Menace, Ana Kinsella considers the cultural overtones of one of the spectrum's most conflicting shades September 09, 2016 TextAna KinsellaPhotographic EditorHolly HayIllustrationChrissie Abbott If ever there was an argument against innate ideas, purple might be it.
Colour in Context: Pink
Artwork by Vesna Vrdoljak We analyse the cultural significance of the contentious colour through fashion, architecture, art and film April 19, 2016 TextAna KinsellaPhotographic EditorHolly Hay From the colour-coded baby blankets of the maternity wing to a girl’s first dabblings with lipstick and nail polish, pink is a colour that carries emotional baggage.
Getting Ready For the Met Ball with Michèle Lamy
We enter the hotel room of one of Comme des Garçons’ most enthusiastic advocates, as she prepares for the event held in Rei Kawakubo's honour May 02, 2017 TextOlivia SingerPhotographyChadwick TylerPhotographic EditorHolly Hay Last night saw one of the most remarkable occasions in fashion’s recent history: the alignment of two seemingly disparate spheres, of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Comme des Garçons, in celebration of the Costume Institute’s exhibition of Rei Kawakubo’s work.
Exploring The Arc, One of Fashion's Greatest Archives
Walking into The Arc is like stumbling upon Aladdin’s Cave – albeit one that is tucked away behind a takeaway on Hackney’s Mare Street. This is the rare collection of sartorial wonders personally amassed by Jennefer Osterhoudt, the San Franciscan designer who was at the side of John Galliano and Alexander McQueen during the 90s and early 00s in both of their eponymous studios, as well as during their respective fabled tenures in the couture ateliers of Givenchy.
Charles Jeffrey: Reviving London’s Subcultural Style Scene
Charles Jeffrey is not a fashion designer; Charles Jeffrey is a self-appointed “creative director, darling”. As a member of Fashion East’s MAN line-up and a recent graduate from Central Saint Martins’ prestigious MA Fashion course, it takes guts and a heavy dose of self-awareness to wear that title with the confidence and ease that Jeffrey does. Most designers of his age are keen to express an image of humble, monastic servitude to their craft. Jeffrey, however, is far too fabulous for that.
Judy Blame's Guided Tour of 1980s Counterculture
"I think I’ll still be fiddling with everything two minutes before the punters come in," says Judy Blame, adjusting the left bottom-hand corner of a boldly lettered zine two degrees to the right.
Eckhaus Latta and the Fertility of Artifice
Speaking with Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta the week before their show is a slightly bizarre exercise; when I ask them to discuss their inspirations, or the themes that have informed their A/W16 collection, they explain that they don’t really have any.
Grace Wales Bonner: Fashion's Modern Afrofuturist
Over the past season, it has been impossible to have a conversation about fashion without a broader topic cropping up: the fate of the ever-accelerating industry itself. Prada’s story of womanhood? Let’s discuss the A/W16 bags available to buy in March. Rick Owens’ post-apocalyptic futurism? Well, it was hand-draped, a statement of intent against the frenzy.
Strength in Numbers: Collective Creativity at Dior Cruise
Fashion is often seen as a solitary pursuit. Our perception is of the designer as auteur, in the mould of Charles Frederick Worth, the first couturier who declared he had Delacroix’s sense of colour and composed a toilette as the former would a painting. Kind of Trilby and Svengali stuff, only Worth – or any one of the many other couturiers, both then and now – is the Svengali to legions of Trilbies. Nevertheless, it’s something of a fallacy.
Valeria Napoleone: Foremost Collector of Modern Female Art
Valeria Napoleone does not live in a house like yours – or mine, for that matter. Behind the classical walls of the Italian-born art collector’s leafy Kensington abode, lays an expansive collection of contemporary masterpieces.
How to Easily Create an Avant-Garde Up-Do
Session Kit is the home of fashion-led hairstyling essentials. Founded by Anna Chapman, a London-based session stylist and assistant in Guido Palau’s core team, the online store was born from the frustration of being unable to easily get hold of the best products used backstage for shows and photoshoots. AnOther has enlisted Chapman to produce a series of tutorials, demonstrating how to recreate editorial-worthy hair at home.
The Florentine Pharmacy Serving the Medici and the Olsens
Founded in 1221 by Dominican monks in Italy, the Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella remains one of the best kept secrets of the Renaissance city. It is tucked away behind one of the grandest frescoed monasteries in Florence, where its unassuming façade conceals one of the most ornate and ancient perfumeries in the world, with roots in the age of Pisano, Giotto and Dante.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Styling a Sleek Low Bun
Session Kit is the home of fashion-led hairstyling essentials. Founded by Anna Chapman, a London-based session stylist and assistant in Guido Palau’s core team, the online store was born from the frustration of being unable to easily get hold of the best products used backstage for shows and photoshoots. AnOther has enlisted Chapman to produce a series of tutorials, demonstrating how to recreate editorial-worthy hair at home.
How to Create Editorial-Worthy Waves at Home
Session Kit is the home of fashion-led hairstyling essentials. Founded by Anna Chapman, a London-based session stylist and first assistant to Guido Palau, the online store was born from the frustration of being unable to easily get hold of the best products used backstage for shows and photoshoots. AnOther has enlisted Chapman to produce a series of tutorials, demonstrating how to recreate editorial-worthy hair at home.
The Best Vintage Glasses Shop, Ever
“Putting on a pair of glasses is faster than make-up and easier than plastic surgery, yet the effect can be just as dramatic,” once said eyewear designer Alain Mikli, who rose to prominence in the 1980s designing spectacles for the likes of Elton John, Jil Sander and Issey Miyake. It’s this maxim that the manager of General Eyewear, Fabio Ribeiro lives by, he tells me, flitting around the glasses store contained in a 30,000-foot concrete arch in the heart of Camden Market Stables.
The Emerging Designer Inspired by 90s Prada and Love Island
Upon stepping into Charlotte Knowles’ airy south London studio, I am immediately greeted by the dulcet tones of the Cocteau Twins, and a similarly dreamy moodboard. Amongst the print-outs pinned to it is a look from Romeo Gigli’s S/S96 show: a tailored suit the colour of fresh blood, artfully cut to reveal collarbones, and the erotic slope of a shoulder.
This Face Mask Will Change Your Life
The skin is the largest organ of the body, so it’s no surprise that it reflects more about our lifestyle than we would care to admit. Complexion looking a little pallid of late? The culprit is most likely the extra couple of cigarettes you’ve been smoking to combat stressful days in the office. Blotchy and dry? A telltale sign of too many late nights drinking espresso martinis, rather than ample amounts of rest and rehydration.
The Most Luxurious Tracksuit You Will Ever Lounge In
The origins of the tracksuit are in vigorous aerobic activity, conjuring images of Jane Fonda and her muscular assistants glistening with perspiration in 1980s workout videos, and Melanie C. – A.K.A. Sporty Spice – wowing the 1990s with her high kick, all in the name of girl power.
Artful Amalgamation at Molly Goddard’s Fashion in Motion
It’s testament to Molly Goddard’s ability to translate girlish codes into clothes coveted by women that when I speak to the designer over the phone ahead of her Fashion in Motion show at the V&A, she has just finished fitting Hollywood publicist Peggy Siegal in a pair of giant frocks from her A/W17 collection.
The Silk Prada Skirt to Wear with Lacy Black Knickers
There are plenty of fashion influencers who have pulled off transparent clothing with aplomb throughout recent history. Think Kate Moss in her now-famous sheer silver slip dress, or Rose McGowan in her fishnet number on the red carpet at the 1998 VMA awards, artfully accessorised with Marilyn Manson on her arm. If you don’t want to take flashing flesh to the extreme, there are ways to make transparent ensembles work for you too.
The Balenciaga Tights that Double Up as a Life Coach
A “glass half full” mentality is rather difficult to embrace once you've committed to seeing the world through a lens of doom and gloom. And no matter how good the intentions of chirpy friends offering shoulders to cry on about the various pitfalls of human existence, nothing can beat seeking help in the form of a therapist or a life coach. Both possess the power to coax out your inner optimist, albeit for a short while.
The Loewe Alternative to Mary Poppins' Carpet Bag
Ever since Mary Poppins first pulled a freestanding hat stand, a decorative plant and a jangling lampshade from her carpet bag, the idea of an ever-expanding accessory has been front-of-mind for those of us who can't fathom concise daily packing.
A Definitive List of the Best Sunglasses for Summer
At long last, summer is finally upon us. Not only does such a season present a re-up of Vitamin D, opportunities for M&S-catered picnics and trips to Hampstead’s Sapphic fantasia the ladies’ pond, but it also offers the opportunity to refresh one’s accessories – and purchasing a new pair of sunglasses is, in many ways, an experience of unparalleled joy.
These Crystal-Fringed Shoes Will Help Perfect Your Balance
Some of us find walking in heels to be a very simple task. For others, the mere thought of slipping on a pair of stilettos is akin to torture, with the threat of tripping over and falling flat on your face at any given moment a real and present danger. Then there are those who take to wearing precarious forms of footwear as part of their profession; be they ballerinas or drag queens, their proficiency on an elevated sole is a source of envy for us ordinary types the world over.
Grace Wales Bonner's Collaborative Approach to Streetwear
“Wales Bonner is about more than an individual perspective, it’s about multiple perspectives,” says London designer Grace Wales Bonner who, since graduating from Central Saint Martins’ BA Fashion course little over three years ago, has captured the industry’s attention with her exquisite take on men’s apparel, narrative-filled collections and delicate exploration of black culture.
The Bright Red Two-Piece You Can Work Out In
Finding the motivation to exercise can be a struggle of epic proportions, especially for those of a glamorous persuasion who would rather been seen dead than in Spandex leggings. Then, if these sartorial dilemmas weren’t gruelling enough, there is the small matter of actually making it down to the gym when all that seems feasible is crawling back home and inhaling a large glass of red after a stressful day at work.
The Missoni Bathrobe That Will Cure Your Hangover
Photography, concept and set design by Mirka Laura Severa The Italian house's super soft zigzag cotton robe is the ultimate remedy for the morning after May 30, 2017 TextHannah TindlePhotographyMirka Laura SeveraPhotographic EditorHolly Hay Towelling Robe, Missoni 100% cotton There are numerous procedures one can undertake to recover after a big night out, and some are more orthodox than others.
A Modern Perfume Powder Inspired by 17th-Century Kyoto
Already an edifying process, the art of perfume application is exalted more highly still in the hands of Byredo’s founder Ben Gorham. Pooling inspiration from the stylised make-up of classical Japanese Kabuki theatre, now a new range of perfumed powders are delivered via striking black lacquered brushes.
A Study of Style Details at Dover Street Market
Alexander Coggin has a eye for the finer details, from the glint of a gold chain nestled in a tangle of chest hair in the deep V of an unbuttoned shirt, to the bejewelled eye in a string of pearls, peeking out unblinking from beneath a gingham blazer.
Simon Porte Jacquemus on Marseille and a Mother’s Love
France is a fractured nation. Much like the election of Donald Trump in America and Britain’s decision to leave the European Union, the rise of Marine Le Pen and the sympathy towards her far-right rhetoric among the French electorate has revealed a deep chasm in the country’s society. It’s a nation torn between patriotism and globalisation; one that’s suffered terrorist attacks and that’s struggling to deal with migration; one with a bloody colonial past behind it and a challenging future ahead.
Joseph's Creative Director on the Beauty of Looking Undone
Joseph creative director Louise Trotter’s fashion career started early. Beginning with “changing how my dolls used to dress,” Trotter tells AnOther. “My grandmother was a seamstress and she really fostered my curiosity, letting me do things.” From her dolls’ clothes the designer progressed to slicing and dicing her school uniform: “I used to cut up my skirt and make it into a rara skirt, and take the collars off my shirt.
Ten Places to Visit While You're in Venice for the Biennale
Venice is always jam-packed, either with stereotypical tourists, or with creative connoisseurs nesting around the Grand Canal for the Biennale, which alternates between a focus on art and architecture each year. While countless displays in international pavilions around the Giardini, Arsenale and further afield comprise more than enough activity to fill a few days, you are, after all, in Italy, and in one of the world’s most beautiful locations.
Raf Simons’ Wearable Works of Art
In 1985, Robert Mapplethorpe took a photograph of Talking Heads frontman David Byrne. In it, Byrne wears a white granddad-collar shirt and a black suit, and poses at a 45-degree angle with his dark brown eyes fixed on the lens of the camera. It’s striking and quietly beautiful. 31 years later this image, among others by Mapplethorpe, was transposed onto a T-shirt featured in Raf Simons’ S/S17 collection.
Getting Ready For the Met Ball with Michèle Lamy
Last night saw one of the most remarkable occasions in fashion’s recent history: the alignment of two seemingly disparate spheres, of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Comme des Garçons, in celebration of the Costume Institute’s exhibition of Rei Kawakubo’s work.
A Sparkly Silver Bodysuit Made for the Disco Era
The story goes that one New Years Eve at Studio 54, the New York nightclub synonymous with the height of disco, a four-inch layer of glitter was strewn on the floor for platform-clad guests to dance upon. The owner of the club described it as “standing on stardust,� and months later, partygoers were still finding flecks of sparkle in their clothing and their homes.
The Community Voice:
Two members of the Sonoma State University (SSU) equestrian team will be going to the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association’s (IHSA) National Championships at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky on May 4. Taylor Lesser and Nicole Luters will be showing in Novice Flat and Advanced Walk Trot Canter respectively. There are 416 teams in the United States that have a chance every year to compete for Nationals, totaling 6,649 Hunt Seat riders.
Ten Long Lost Comme des Garçons Scents Return to Shelves
With a total of 75 perfumes created under the brand’s name since 1994, Comme des Garçons’ creative director of parfums, Christian Astuguevieille, is able to boast an extraordinary body of work. When not designing furniture, jewellery or consulting on architectural projects (Astuguevieille was involved in the construction of the Centre Pompidou), the artist is eschewing atypical approaches to luxury perfume.
The Members-Only Club Making Chess Cool
The adjective ‘cool’ is not one used often to describe a Mayfair members-only club – particularly one which has made chess its unique selling point. That is, unless, you are referring to Chess Club, a newly opened space in one of London’s most distinguished locales.
The J.W. Anderson Shoe Influenced by Modernist Sculpture
After the breakdown of their respective first marriages, Barbara Hepworth took up residence with painter Ben Nicholson in 1932. For a brief period of time afterwards, prior to their own nuptials, the two artists made work in the same studio, developing a collaborative way of practising. The pair also spent periods of time travelling throughout Europe, where they visited the studios of Picasso, Constantin Brancusi and Jean Arp.
The Young London Designer Harnessing 90s Dishevelment
When I arrive at A Sai Ta’s home in Seven Sisters, it has been over a month since he staged his London Fashion Week debut (as Asai) under the Fashion East banner, but assorted samples are still strewn about his spare bedroom. Tie-dyed tights and bleached silk skirts spill out of plastic bags; perfectly formed little 90s jackets and dresses made from chains of shredded overlocking all mixed up together.
Inside the N.Y. Vintage Store Selling Rare Comme des Garçons
Rei Kawakubo throws a grenade at fashion’s conventional narrative. She’s the conceptual artist who sits atop a multi-million dollar commercial empire. She’s the provocateur, the high priestess of radical, whose designs can be worn by just about anybody who’s willing. She’s the 74-year-old designer with 40 years experience of making clothes that feel consistently new and challenging.
Breaking Fashion Rules with Bally's Statement Earrings
The unofficial fashion rulebook is filled to the brim with regulations which have been instilled in our sartorial psyche. To break one of these sacrosanct instructions would be enough to ensure that we are banished to the furthest corner of society, lest we should cause aesthetic offence through, say, combining navy and black, wearing socks with sandals, doubling up on denim or mixing silver jewellery with gold.
How One Artist Made a Room Full of Strangers Dance Together
Performance artist and DJ Isabel Lewis was born in the Dominican Republic and raised between Florida and New York. She now calls Berlin home, with her on-going practice focusing on ‘Occasions’; events where the artist entertains audiences with music, food and dance. For Tate Modern’s recent performance programme Ten Days, Six Nights, Lewis hosted one of signature Occasions over the course of the live art exhibit.
Five Talking Points From Milan’s Annual Furniture Fair
Wisteria climbs and collapses over Milan’s streets in spring, and with the bustle of Salone del Mobile, its terrazzo floors and imposing concrete arches are set aflutter with throngs of design devotees and cherry-red Campari. Built up around land which had largely been occupied by private gardens and allotments, the city’s palazzos can be quite unassuming from the street – at least in comparison to their opulent interiors and lush gardens which, during Salone, are opened up for exhibition.
Chanel’s New Handbag, Crafted in Honour of Coco Herself
There are few objects created throughout fashion’s capricious history which have earned the iconic status of the Chanel handbag. The distinctive quilted leather; the chain handle; the signature interlocking C’s: practical and elegant, every attribute speaks to the house’s storied heritage. Indeed, the bag’s namesake, Gabrielle Chanel, possessed these qualities in abundance.
Behind the Scenes at the Hotel Mermaid Club
On the face of it they are ordinary and unremarkable, but through Chris Rhodes’ lens everyday objects and places come alive, and dazzle, demanding a second look. From a coatstand to a carton of orange juice, a plant leaf to a plughole, the subjects of his photographs, when framed in the way Rhodes frames them – often up close and tightly cropped – suddenly look very interesting indeed.
Dries Van Noten’s Geisha-Like Brocade Sandals
Within Geisha society, women are in charge of their own destiny. In the Hanamachi districts of Japan, the structure of life is almost entirely matriarchal; audiences are present merely to be beguiled by the spectral illusion created by female artists of the floating world. Traditionally, Geisha in training – called Maiko – wear Okobo platform sandals carved from willow wood, which are held to the feet by fabric thongs coloured to indicate their status.
Comme des Garçons: The Best Showroom in the World
The first time I visited the Comme des Garçons showroom was in March 1996, immediately following the staging of the Body Meets Dress, Dress Meets Body collection. Last week, at the preview for the imminent Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute’s exhibition celebrating Rei Kawakubo’s work – the show opens in May – its curator, Andrew Bolton, revisited an anecdote that he generously described as belonging to fashion folklore written by me and which related to that experience.
The Significance of Using Yellow in Contemporary Culture
The colour yellow calls to mind the simplicity of the nursery: a time when everything was painted in pastels, or sunny and shining. Think of Easter baskets and a day at the beach, or else think of the fact that so many yellow shades are named after the things we like to eat: lemon, mustard, honey or butter. A yellow day is a state of mind – it is hazy afternoons in long grass, eyes closed to the sunshine above.
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