At times when insects need a protective shell, some of them spin silky fibres around themselves to form soft, armour-like habitats. When humans feel a need for protection, something similar sometimes occurs. We instinctively retreat into our living spaces, where we can feel shielded from the perceived dangers outside. By Bradley Quinn

Ironic fashion and a growing interest in the materiality of clothes are intertwined in the sub-trend for women with full-length dresses, floral prints, puff sleeves, prairie styles, and high collars. We take a closer look at clothes that blur the lines between fiction and reality. Essay by Antonia Nessen

With a career in PR built on the success of young and independent brands, Robin Meason understands the complex nature of today’s industry. The Texas native, who moved to Paris in the early 1990s, largely contributed to the global rise and fame of Glenn Martens and Demna Gvasalia, two designers who have – in their own respective ways – defined the Zeitgeist. Meason is a great communicator and a woman who loves storytelling, but she’s more instinctive than calculating. She also values craft and authenticity, two key notions that may influence her choice when it comes to collaborating with new brands. By Philippe Pourhashemi

Every once in a while, an interdisciplinary talent shakes the industry with visionary flair and a unique insight into the future of luxury and how it’s consumed. Enter Ben Gorham, who despite being Swedish and Stockholm-based, fully qualifies as “citizen of the world”. Ever since launching Byredo in 2006 – an innovative and now iconic perfume line – Gorham has managed to make us rethink what a luxury product is, challenging the corporations and their monopolies as well as preconceived ideas around the use of perfume. He also loves collaborating and involving other creative types in his projects, such as his friend Virgil Abloh who recently created a fragrance and line of accessories with the brand. Interview by Philippe Pourhashemi. Photography by Magnus Magnusson

The spectacle of fashion masses in and around our clothing, constituting a unique space in itself. Fashion space can be found in urban cityscapes and built environments, but also on digital platforms and in virtual worlds. As the spaces of fashion extend beyond their physical confines, they take shape at precisely the point where traditional definitions of public space – as urban sites, democratic arenas and open-access areas – break down. By Bradley Quinn

Katherine Waterston has become a reliable source for a variety of directors looking to infuse their characters with a visceral complexity, a nuanced humanity, that’s difficult to find elsewhere. It’s the reason why an astounding list of filmmakers have chosen her for their projects — cinematic powerhouses like Ridley Scott, Paul Thomas Anderson, Steven Soderbergh, and Danny Boyle. Interview by Max Berlinger, photography by Magnus Magnusson and styling by Martina Nilsson.

Visionaries know that the cutting-edge in architecture is not sharp, but sensuous and soft. At a time when architects are pioneering tactile surfaces, fluid façades and mobile structures, fashion is revealing new potentials for building design. By Bradley Quinn

Seen from the outside, fashion isn’t exactly a warm and welcoming place. Riddled with preconceptions, snobbery and nepotism, it’s a field of intense power and competition, where egos rule and democratic thinking fades. Strangely enough, that is not the story of French designer Christelle Kocher, whose Paris-based brand KOCHÉ has challenged the status quo since its launch in 2014. Interview with Head Designer of Koché, Christelle Kocher by Philippe Pourhashemi. Photography by Magnus Magnusson

Maternity and nursing clothes are an overlooked chapter in fashion history, but in the 1930s the symbolic value of clothing was considered to have a deep connection to motherhood. One of the reasons for our obsession with fashion is our unconscious desire to return to the womb. This is one of the conclusions in J. C. Flügel’s famous book “The Psychology of Clothes” from 1930. Essay by Antonia Nessen

If Italy is globally famous for its intricate manufacturing of luxury goods, leather holds an important place within the country’s heart, renowned for its eye-catching bags and striking footwear. Several major fashion players have built their fortune on accessories as opposed to clothing. This is rather different with DROMe, the label headed by Italian designer Marianna Rosati who lives and works in Tuscany. Interview with Marianna Rosati by Philippe Pourhashemi. Photography by Magnus Magnusson