Today, fashion is primarily consumed digitally. Not only is the online consumption of goods constantly increasing, but also the dissemination of fashion shows, reportages and documentaries are daily doors into the industry for both professionals and fashionistas. Online platforms like Vogue.com are therefore unique gateways and places where we live fashion. However, what appears to us as immediate and free content, is actually the result of hidden labour, economic transactions and technological innovation. We interviewed Fabio Donghi, founder of INDIGITAL.TV, one of the major online platforms and digital content production providers for fashion. He leads us inside his unique path and story, explaining what is behind our daily free consumption of fashion online. By Marco Pecorari.

With a focus on upcycling and an eco-responsible approach to design, Alphonse Maitrepierre has been shaping a narrative that mixes the traditions of haute couture with the innovations of technology. The founder of Maitrepierre shares his creative process, the issues facing a young designer in today’s industry, and his biggest source for inspirations. Interview by Lucas Dias.

Central Saint Martins’ graduate Arturo Obegero is one of the emerging names shaking up Paris Fashion Week. The designer founded his namesake brand during the pandemic. In this interview he shares a glimpse of the melancholic and dramatic world that inspires him. Interview by Lucas Dias

A woman of passion and conviction, Christine Nagel joined Hermès Parfums in March 2014. She was appointed Director of Creation and Olfactory Heritage in January 2016 and has researched, developed and signed every Hermès fragrance since then. That is a huge task, and an incredible privilege, which Nagel – who was born in Geneva but lives and works in Paris – has cherished since day one.

Fashion archives are living in a new era. Not only are luxury fashion brands investing in rebuilding their own past, but a new definition and consumption of vintage clothing is emerging. The revival of the past has become more than an expression of nostalgia. Rather, it is an answer to today’s mass production and consumption. We asked Gill Linton, co-founder of Byronesque – the online editorial-based shop for contemporary vintage fashion – to lead us through the intricate world of ‘future vintage’. Together we reflect on the practice of commercialising the past and its potential for reaffirming values that the fashion industry has forgotten, but that may come back. Interview by Marco Pecorari and photography by Maxime Ballesteros.

What does it take for a designer to become a legend? A distinctive personal style, incredible talent and a strong visionary streak may help, but there’s something about certain names that escapes logic or rationality. In his lifetime and stellar career, Paris-based Tunisian couturier Azzedine Alaïa became the equivalent of a fashion god. Annflor Sangan, who works as a fashion consultant in Paris and launched her creative studio six years ago, was Alaïa’s first assistant for several years. Interview by Philippe Pourhashemi.

Pedro Lourenço is no stranger to the fashion industry. He showcased his first collection at the age of twelve, working for his mother’s brand in São Paulo. At nineteen he launched his own critically acclaimed brand in Paris. Today, Pedro Lourenço has developed a sustainable approach to fashion design with his brand ZILVER. The brand philosophy at ZILVER is the idea of future-proof habits. How can you use resources in a clever way? How do you make things last? What kind of new solutions can you find to construct and manufacture materials? Interview by Lucas Dias and photography by Balint Barna.

Although African designer Lamine Kouyaté is currently being discovered by a new generation of fashion-conscious boys and girls, the talented founder of XULY.Bët has, in fact, been showing his work since the early 1990s, a decade that retains special appeal for fashion connoisseurs. Kouyaté returned to the Paris calendar last year – right before the pandemic started disrupting our world – and I was lucky enough to attend his comeback show, featuring the likes of Michelle Elie, Rossy de Palma and many other friends and models that he has cherished for years. Interview by Philippe Pourhashemi.

Tom Van Der Borght works in relative isolation, spending weeks putting together the most impressive and exquisitely handmade items, which feel closer to the realm of performance art and haute couture than mere commercial fashion. Escaping categories is something Van Der Borght does better than most, and his efforts finally paid off during the 35th edition of the Hyères Festival last year when he won the much-coveted Grand Jury and Public Prizes. His beautiful and poignant show there managed to move a masked and distanced audience, delivering a message of hope and pure poetry in a pandemic-ridden world. Turns out the designer’s positive outlook is as engaging as his clothes are, and we got the chance to catch up with the talented Belgian to discuss his vision of fashion, working with Spanish artist Blanca Li, and why he loved being the opening act of Berlin Fashion Week. Interview by Philippe Pourhashemi.

The history of fashion is more than a history of garments. Printed matter plays a crucial role in the ways fashion has been disseminated and therefore constructed. However, the myriad forms of documentation are often overlooked and dispersed due to their ephemeral nature and circulation. We discussed these matters of dispersion with Diktats, an online bookstore specialising in rare antiquarian fashion books and prints. Diktats, created by Antoine Bucher and Nicolas Montagne, represents a reference in the field of collecting fashion ephemera through its collaborations with major international museums like the Costume Institute, Centre Pompidou and MAD Paris. Interview by Marco Pecorari.