"Weekend Reading" is a weekly rundown of our favorite stories from around the web.
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Can Fashion Ever Be an Ethical Business? A Notorious Industry Gets Its #MeToo Moment
"Last fall’s allegations against Harvey Weinstein — the realization that women! Everywhere! Are being preyed upon by men! — triggered a tsunami of indignation that has swept across many industries, leaving tech, media, music, politics, even public radio exposed and wriggling. Meanwhile, fashion sat smoking in the corner, bored. Even when directly addressed — by Sara Ziff’s resurgent Model Alliance, which pushed for new protective legislation, and model Cameron Russell’s hashtag campaign, #MyJobShouldNotIncludeAbuse — its figureheads remained silent, appearing largely unmoved, as though objections to predatory photographers — the kind who groan “You make me want to go to jail” while oiling the legs of their underage subjects, as Russell’s campaign documented, or shove “fingers deep down in my V” to “make pics look more sensual” while their parents wait in adjacent rooms — were merely a passing trend to be weathered, like platform sneakers or the cold-shoulder top."

via: The Cut.

Was Raf’s ‘Drugs’ Collection Irresponsible? Two Writers Respond
"According to the press release, the designer “(sought) to neither glorify nor condone the culture(s) of drugs”. Instead, Simons’ intended “to consider the persistent, almost ubiquitous presence of narcotics (prescribed or otherwise) within our society and acknowledge our often conflicted relationships with them.” But does the collection – part of the proceeds from which will go to organisations that support addiction recovery – risk glamorising what it seeks to warn against? Two writers weigh in. "

via: Dazed.

Would You Pay $1,750 For This T-Shirt? The Stunning Story Of This Veblen Brand
"Thorstein Veblen coined the phrase “conspicuous consumption” in 1899 when commenting on the human desire to publicly display wealth through the acquisition of consumer goods. A Veblen good does not adhere to the traditional laws of price and demand. Below a certain price, the price/demand dynamics are consistent with conventional products – higher prices result in a lower demand. However, above a certain price, this relationship reverses, and demand rises along with price increases."

via: Forbes.

Record-Low Number of Shows Leaves Fashion Week at a Crossroads
"A groundswell of designers, spearheaded by Alexander Wang, wants to leave the traditional calendar altogether and move their shows to the summer and winter months when, according to Susan Scafidi, director of the Fashion Law Institute at Fordham Law School, buyers spend 80 percent of their budgets."

via: New York Post.

Lanvin in Talks With Buyers as Elbaz Wins 10 Million Euro-Plus Settlement
"Just before Christmas, Elbaz won his claim against Lanvin’s parent company, Jeanne Lanvin SA for having ousted him before his contract was due to end. Following a settlement through arbitration (in an out-of-court procedure), Elbaz was awarded more than 10 million euros in compensation, several sources have said, which will put added pressure on Lanvin’s finances. However, Elbaz did not win a claim that he suffered a prejudice from having lost out on an opportunity to sell his stake to Mayhoola before he was ousted when he said that an indicative offer of more than 400 million-euro-offer was on the table."

via: Fashion Network.

Lil Pump Loves Gucci, and His Teen Fans Are Buying In
"While other rappers shout out brands in songs, Pump has gone a step further, making his love of designer brands the core of his identity as an artist. He’s tattooed Gucci symbols on his body and floods his Instagram with pictures of himself in the brand. And “Gucci Gang” isn’t his only track about high fashion. There’s also “Designer,” and his new single, “i Shyne,” is about the bling on his neck. Although Pump’s fashion worship has undoubtedly earned him cred with teens, pop culture experts warn that it makes kids crave an unattainable lifestyle and that the rapper is doing himself a disservice by fanning out for a brand that has yet to return the favor."

via: Racked.

Michèle Lamy, The Style Queen Who Packs a Punch
"Lamy, 73, who lists her job as producer, designer and creative – though she’s also a musician – is here to curate the Corner Shop. This nice little spot on the ground floor of Selfridges will be turned over to different creative types to explore the idea of modern luxury over the next five months. Lamy has created a space that focuses on her twin loves of boxing and art. Punch-bags decorated by the designers Gareth Pugh and Craig Green and the artist Korakrit Arunanondchai sway gently in the store windows. There are two painted like sides of meat by Scarlett Rouge, Lamy’s daughter with the artist Richard Newton. Versace and Off-White created exclusive boxing kit which hangs next to gear by Everlast and the Overthrow, Lamy’s favourite New York gym."

via: The Guardian.

Justin Timberlake’s “Man of the Woods” Pop-up and the Rise of Merch
"Last week, Justin Timberlake extended to his fans in New York City an invitation to a pop-up storefront. According to Timberlake’s Instagram account, there would be a “custom, collaborative product for every song on the album”—the critically panned “Man of the Woods,” released earlier this month. Pop-ups have settled into a rite of passage for celebrities in recent years. In 2016, I didn’t bother trying to make it to any of the twenty-one pop-ups that sold the merchandise designed for Kanye West’s tour for his seventh solo album, “The Life of Pablo.” The same month, when Frank Ocean, having emerged from a long dormancy with two bodies of music and a zine enticingly titled “Boys Don’t Cry,” announced a pop-up, a crowd seemed to materialize at Mulberry Iconic Magazines as soon as the address was disseminated. Last winter, I walked by Kylie Jenner’s Kylie Cosmetics less compelled by the Lip Kit Wall than by the chance to experience the force of the Internet in the wild. I am historically a fan of Timberlake, and so, late on Friday afternoon, I went."

via: The New Yorker.

A Full History of the Japanese Sport Label That’s Coming for the Sneaker Game
"Until now, Mizuno’s presence within the sneaker and lifestyle scenes has been minimal, yet both markets are screaming out for the authenticity and value-oriented products Mizuno brings to the table. Fortunately, Mizuno is evolving and, after more than 110 years, the time has come for the brand to explore new possibilities and take things to the next level. It’s doing so with its two forthcoming projects: Sportstyle and Kazoku."

via: Highsnobiety.

How Do You Solve a Problem Like Duckie Brown?
"For the small but devoted band of Duckie Brown fans (I count myself among them), the last few years have been fallow ones. It has been mostly out of stores, even those, like Barneys New York, that had been its staunchest supporters. Steven Cox and Daniel Silver, the Duckies of Duckie, have not staged a runway show since 2016. These are challenging times for the fashion business in general, and especially for those fashion businesses that are small and independent, not flush with investment capital or the leverage of a luxury group. And Mr. Cox and Mr. Silver’s designs have never been accused of playing it safe."

via: The New York Times.

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