• Zalando Unveils New Brand Identity with Star-Studded ‘What Should I Wear?’ Campaign

    Written by Fashion Tales

    Zalando’s latest campaign, “What Should I Wear?”, celebrates the universal experience of choosing what to wear—an everyday dilemma that transcends age, location, and gender. Set against the vibrant backdrop of a bustling subway, the campaign captures the dynamic interplay between diverse lives, backgrounds, and style preferences. It highlights fashion that resonates with everyone, regardless of their journey.

    In an exclusive interview, Sabrina Bahsoon, who gained prominence through her viral Tube dancing videos and her rich multicultural background, shares her unique perspective on fashion. Sabrina’s journey from Malaysia to London has profoundly shaped her fashion sense and daily wardrobe choices. Her insights offer a glimpse into how fashion serves as a tool for confidence and self-expression.

    Sabrina’s story reflects the campaign’s theme perfectly. Through her experiences, she illustrates how Zalando simplifies fashion choices and inspires individuals to discover their own style and confidence. The campaign, like Sabrina’s journey, emphasizes the importance of fashion in expressing one’s identity and ambitions.

    By offering a comprehensive range of styles, inspiring content, and an exceptional shopping experience, Zalando aims to help everyone find their perfect look, no matter where their path may lead.

    What is the most important thing for you when deciding what to wear every day, and does this change when you’re preparing for a special occasion?

    Sabrina: The first thing I consider is my vision for the day. I think about my mood, the weather, and whether I want to be more conservative or show off more of myself. Growing up in Malaysia, I balanced the hot weather with conservative settings. My daily outfits are based on what I want to portray and my mood.

    How does your choice of outfit impact your confidence and mood?

    Sabrina: My confidence is closely tied to what I wear. If I'm feeling confident, I'll dress more flashy. Comfortability plays a huge part because it influences how confident I feel in any situation.

    How did your move from Malaysia to London influence your fashion sense and daily wardrobe choices?

    Sabrina: I first moved to a small town called Hartpury, which was a big change from Malaysia. In Hartpury, I was training as an athlete and didn't care much about fashion. Moving to London during COVID then going to University in Durham exposed me to diverse fashion influences and helped me develop my style.

    That must have been a big adjustment. How did it feel?

    Sabrina: It was challenging, especially in small towns where fashion wasn't a focus. In London, everyone dresses uniquely, making it easier to express my style.

    What inspired you to start dancing on the Tube, and how did fashion play a role in those viral videos?

    Sabrina: I wanted to break out of my law student image and show my love for music and fashion. I started filming myself on the Tube because I spent so much time commuting and listening to music. Fashion played a big role because I dressed up every day to express my style.

    How did you choose your outfits for these videos?

    Sabrina: I would think about the image I wanted to portray and choose outfits that reflected that.
    The way my hair blew in the wind on the Tube was a big factor too.

    How has your life changed since you went viral, and how does this influence your fashion choices and daily wardrobe decisions?

    Sabrina: Going viral changed everything. I started getting recognized, which made me more conscious of my fashion choices. I wanted to ensure that my style remained authentic and true to myself despite the attention.

    Do you still feel pressure when choosing outfits for your videos?

    Sabrina: Definitely. Depending on who I'm filming with or where we are, I always want to wear
    something that represents my style and the vibe of the shoot.

    How do you believe fashion can help build confidence and self-expression, especially in public settings?

    Sabrina: Fashion is an easy way to change how you feel about yourself. Even if you're not confident yet, dressing the part can help you feel more like the person you want to become. It’s a way of foreshadowing your future self and building confidence.

    Can you share an example of how this worked for you?

    Sabrina: When I started focusing on my fashion, I felt more put together and confident, which
    helped me project the image I wanted to the world.

    How has the cultural diversity of London shaped your approach to fashion and the question, “What do I wear?”

    Sabrina: London’s diversity has made it easier to dress how I want without judgment. Growing up in Malaysia influenced my love for colorful, lightweight fabrics, which I still incorporate into my style. London allows me to blend these cultural influences freely.

    What specific elements from Malaysian culture do you incorporate into your fashion?

    Sabrina: The fabric material„ the patterns, and the traditional silhouettes like the Kebaya. These elements are always a part of my wardrobe.

    What challenges do you think people face in expressing their true selves through fashion in different cultural contexts?

    Sabrina: People often worry about societal perceptions. In Malaysia, there’s a strong emphasis on what others think. Overcoming that mindset and realizing that most people don’t care as much as you think can be liberating.

    How did you shift your mindset?

    Sabrina: I started telling myself that people are staring because my outfit is great, not because it’s weird. This positive reinforcement helped me feel more confident.

    How do you balance staying true to your unique style while also engaging with global fashion trends?

    Sabrina: It’s a challenge, especially with having access to so many clothes. I’ve learned to be selective and only choose pieces that truly represent my style and that I can wear long-term. Sustainability is also important to me, so I focus on thrifting and finding unique pieces.

    What strategies do you use to stay true to your style?

    Sabrina: I ask myself if I would wear the piece more than once and if it fits my personal style. If not, I pass on it.

    Can you share a moment when your outfit choice significantly impacted your interaction with others on the Tube?

    Sabrina: One time, I wore a bold, colorful outfit that caught everyone’s attention. People were curious and started conversations with me, which wouldn’t have happened if I had worn something more subdued.

    How did this experience influence your fashion choices?

    Sabrina: I loved the idea that fashion can be a great conversation starter and a way to connect with others.

    How do you think fashion can bridge cultural gaps and foster understanding between different communities?

    Sabrina: Fashion is a universal language. When you wear something from another culture, it can spark curiosity and conversations. It’s a way to share stories and traditions.

    Can you give an example of how fashion helped you connect with someone from a different background?

    Sabrina: When celebrating Eid at home , my friends would wear my traditional Malaysian attire, which led to discussions about our cultures and traditions, creating a deeper understanding and connection.

    What role do you believe fashion plays in creating viral social media moments, like your Tube dancing videos?

    Sabrina: Fashion plays a crucial role. It’s not just about the dance or the music but also about the visual appeal. My outfits helped convey my personality and added to the overall impact of the videos.

    Do you still plan your outfits meticulously for your videos?

    Sabrina: Yes, I always consider what I’m wearing and how it will come across on camera. The right outfit can elevate the entire video.

    Zalando aims to offer a wide range of styles for all. How do you think this inclusivity can help people find their confidence in fashion?

    Sabrina: Having a wide range of styles means that everyone can find something that fits their personality and body type. It’s encouraging for people who might not have found their style yet to explore different options and see what resonates with them.

    How did Zalando’s range help you when you first started exploring fashion?

    Sabrina: It provided me with so many choices that I could experiment with different looks until I found what truly represented me.

    If you were to create a fashion line with Zalando inspired by your Tube videos, what key elements would you include?

    Sabrina: I’d include three main moods: a siren/mermaid energy, a witchy-boho vibe, and a structured, put-together look. These represent the different aspects of my personality and the various roles I play in my life.

    How would you ensure these pieces are versatile?

    Sabrina: I’d design them to be mix-and-matchable, so people can create multiple outfits from a few key pieces.

    How do you think technology and social media have changed the way people make decisions about what to wear daily?

    Sabrina: Social media provides endless inspiration and allows people to see how others style their outfits. It’s easier to experiment and find your style when you can see real people wearing the clothes.

    Do you rely on social media for fashion inspiration?

    Sabrina: Definitely. I follow influencers who inspire me and adapt their looks to fit my style. It’s a great way to discover new ways to wear my clothes.

    www.zalando.se

  • photography Jheyda McGarrell

    STRIKE THE ROOT, In Conversation with Destinee Ross-Sutton x Unapologetic Womxn

    Written by Fashion Tales

    Destinee Ross-Sutton rose to prominence in the Black art scene during the 2020/21 season, thanks to her remarkable curation of three groundbreaking exhibitions. Her first exhibition, ‘Black Voices/Black Microcosm,’ was held in Stockholm in partnership with CFHILL. It was the only physical exhibition that opened during the global Covid pandemic and closed just 13 days before George Floyd’s senseless killing, which sparked the worldwide BLM movement. The second exhibition, titled ‘Black Voices: Friend of My Mind,’ was held in New York, marking her inaugural gallery show in the city. Finally, she curated the ‘Say it Loud’ series at Christie’s New York, which further solidified her position as a leading voice in Black art. All at a pivotal moment when interest in art from the African diaspora truly commenced, these visionary exhibitions not only contributed to but also came to help redefine the artistic canon and inspired othersnto expand the art world’s commitment to artists of colour. Since then, living between New York and Stockholm, Ross-Sutton has continued to curate and advise independently.

    Known to be an artist’s advocate, a tastemaker, someone who discovers new talent and gives particularly young and underrepresented artists of colour and/or female artists a chance by either exhibiting their work for the first time or by giving them their international debuts. She is an activist in the art world who fights for artists’ rights. Since 2021, she has been implementing resale restrictions in her sale agreements. This has become more of a norm as artists have put pressure on their galleries to implement it, particularly when the gallery fails to recognize its importance in providing for an orderly resale market for the artist’s works of art. Ross-Sutton internationally debuted Khari Turner during the 59th Venice Biennale, co-curated the exhi- bition ‘4000+ Years of African Art’ at the Wall House Museum on St. Barths, and is the muse of several heavy hitters in the genre such as Kehinde Wiley, Derrick Adams, Amoako Boafo, and Tim Okamura, who were inspired by Destinee the individual, the woman and her dedication and work in the arts, trying to make a difference.

    Like Wiley, whose artist residency, Black Rock Senegal, welcomes artists to Dakar, Ross-Sutton is planning to develop an artist retreat on her property in South Africa. Hoping to open in 2025, the retreat will continue her mission to “allow artists to truly be themselves so that others may see them more clearly in the work.” It will be an extension of her foundation Black Artist Collective which helps promote and support young and emerging African, LGTBQ+ artists, and female artists. Her latest exhibition ‘Unapologetic WomXn: The Dream is the Truth’ presents thirty-three artists investigating female sexuality through their own eyes. The exhibition, her second to take place concurrently with the Venice Biennale, is hosted by the European Cultural Center and will be on view at Palazzo Bembo from April 20 to November 24, 2024. We caught up with 28-year-old Ross-Sutton during FRIEZE LA. Apart from visiting the fair, she advises several private institutions, international collectors, and organisations on acquisitions of particularly but not exclusively contemporary African and African American art. During our conversation, I under- stood that artists are central to Ross-Sutton, and it is rare to meet someone willing to place the artist first.

    I am pretty much the complete opposite of, I don’t know, 95% of the individuals at these art fairs,” Ross-Sutton says laughingly. She wears colourful braids and describes herself as a young pansexual Black woman. “I was 23 when I closed my first six-figure deal at Art Basel Miami. It was incredible to place a Yinka Shonibare sculpture and a Deborah Roberts collage with a foundation” she tells me about how she started in the art world. Born in 1995 in Harlem, New York like the young Black girl in another one of Roberts’ works, “This American Life”—Ross-Sutton explains that growing up in Harlem in the 90s and 2000s was not easy, and she was marked by the violence on the streets and in the news. In 2016 she quit her journalism studies, disillusioned by the sensationalist media of then and today. Pursuing an art career, she felt, would give her a better chance to impact people’s minds. She was determined to curate exhibitions with a message to better society as it turns out this has sometimes come to centre her own experiences, and finding them mirrored in the artists whose work she exhibits. When we talk about the shoot for Odalisque, she tells me she doesn’t feel comfortable in front of the camera. “The photographer Jheyda McGarrell is a friend and he helped me relax we had a lot of fun with it” she continues. Ross-Sutton is a person with gravitas. She is opinionated, and measured, not over the top and decidedly modest. A web search yields event photos of her looking sharply clad in designer outfits and a feature in Vogue that touted her for bringing a “fresh fashion perspective to the art world” referencing one of her exhibitions where she asked artists to consider fashion. On her relationship with fashion, Ross-Sutton, however, says she is a novice. Fittingly focusing on fashion’s more expressionistic and transformative qualities: “I like exploring life, my sexuality, my femininity through fashion. It is a bit of a costume, or a ‘performance’ in a way. The shoot was like learning how to walk in heels.” For this year’s exhibition in Venice, the thirty-three female artists on view break away from traditionally male-dominated societies that impose an idea of what a woman should be. Instead, they focus on communicating how women navigate the world, on their terms. The idea for the exhibition dates back to 2021 when Ross-Sutton and her husband, a German art consultant, started thinking about the need to curate an exhibition on the female gaze. Amidst it all, life threw some major curveballs at her—her father underwent major surgery to fight cancer, her husband was in a medical facility, and her family lost a close family friend to senseless violence. She became depressed, some days unable to get out of bed. When she was diagnosed with inattentive Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) she was able to identify a source for some of her procrastination and anxiety and saw a way out. Family, a handful of friends, and her faith helped her through, and curating the show on women became more prescient to create a community and space to reflect. “The experience of being a woman is multifaceted; many X-factors determine what one’s experience as a woman will look like. From family and society, economic and socioeconomic factors, racial background, skin tone, zip codes, the beauty standards of one’s culture or the culture of the country you live in, politics, and laws that affect your womxnhood. Rarely imposed by you, but the burden is yours to bear,” she explains.

    Last summer she, together with her husband, moved to Sweden to a quiet house by the water. From their new base in Europe, she returns to New York every other month, for work and to spend time with her family. “Being a Black girl in Harlem or a woman in New York was familiar and still is. Living in Brooklyn with my husband and then moving to Stockholm gave me a different experience of being a woman,” she says, clarifying that the experience of being a woman is ever-changing and often circumstantial. “In the same way, it is a different experience being in the aisles of an art fair like Art Basel as one of the few people of colour during the VIP pre- view. It is slowly changing, but it is still very much an older white male-dominated business in this art world. In my professional life, I am not only a woman, but I am also young and people expect that to count against me.”
    The show’s atmosphere was set by two of Ross-Sutton’s recent acquisitions, including Vanessa Raw’s “Nothing to Lose” which was exhibited at Frieze London. Raw’s work, characterized by liberation and freedom, was displayed at Carl Freedman and impressed many visitors - “it literally stopped my husband in his tracks, he knew I would love them, I can see myself in her work, the lush and soft world she creates.”. Vanessa German’s sculpture “Flight” also caught the attention of the audience. The sculpture pays tribute to Althea Gibson, a trailblazing tennis player who became the first African American woman to win a Grand Slam in 1956. Gibson’s victory at Wimbledon and the US Nationals (predecessor to the US Open) in 1957 and 1958, made her a legend. The sculpture also brings to mind the achievements of 21st-century tennis superstars, Venus and Serena Williams. An incorporated twist of hair represents a legacy of strength, ferocity, and precarity in Black womanhood.

    But also seeing Tracey Emin’s “HOW THE FUCK DO YOU THINK I AM” (at Paris+). All the female artists she approached were enthusiastic about the exhibition, but to her surprise, some galleries, even female-run ones, were not interested in the exhibition. “It is always a toss-up which galleries are open to collaboration and those who pass. ”As written in the press release- “Women are and can be many things, daughters, mothers, sisters, CEOs, entrepreneurs, workers, caregivers, caretakers, providers, innovators, lovers, wives, queer, lesbian, bisexual, Christian, Muslim, atheists, Hindus, Sikhs, Catholics, Jewish, politicians, world leaders, women are loved, objectified, respected, disrespected, stoned, killed, admired, trafficked, worshipped, enslaved, oppressed, abused, used, celebrated, monetized, mourned, can be Caucasian, Black, Asian, Aboriginal, Hispanic, biracial, even multiracial, can be children, teens, adults, young or old, tall, short, skinny, obese, malnourished, healthy or not, refugees, free to travel or not, allowed to get an education or not, choose their partner or not, decide how to dress or not, their lives, gender and sexual expression, bodies and reproductive rights decided for them or not. But are women free to just ‘be’?”

    Spotlighting the theatricality of gender and the development of female identity, former milliner Ryan Wilde created sculptures “Precious Purple Bunny” and “Bunny Boobs” with felt and wooden mould-making, expanding on her craft. Traversing the history of slavery utilising cartoon aesthetics, Brittany Tucker misrepresents the white body to address the relationship between American blackness & whiteness with “Companion.” The painting “Ivy and Friends” by Stella Kapezanou is a lush depiction of Ivy Getty, a contemporary American heiress, against the backdrop of a Toulouse Lautrec painting. Making the work a clever commentary on privilege, some will recognise the wallpaper from the restroom at the exclusive members-club Annabel’s in London. Lydia Nobels’ sculpture “Temperance” addresses the issues and challenges of abortion access in the US, especially after the reversal of “Roe v Wade.” “I had curated a solo exhibition with Lydia in NY in time for the 2022 November elections. Each work represents a chair in the waiting room of an abortion clinic, telling the individual personal story of a woman and her struggles to get legal access to an abortion,“ says Ross-Sutton.

    Artists reflect the times we live in, otherwise, is it not simply decoration? Are women only decorations,objects? Art should make you feel—it can provoke a sense of peace or shake you, asking you to con- your ideas,” Ross-Sutton says, which she succeeds within ‘Unapologetic WomXn: The Dream is the Truth.’”

    Other artists in the show are Stacey Gillian Abe, Isa Andersson, Pyaar Azaadi formerly known as Jaishri Abichandani, Rita Mawuena Benissan, Alison Blickle, Gill Button, Bhasha Chakrabarti, Dorothea Charol, Caitlin Cherry, Renee Cox, Ariel Dannielle, Lunita-July Dorn, Maria Fragoso, Monica Kim Garza, Reihaneh Hosseini, Lyne Lapointe, Amani Lewis, Turiya Magadlela, Emily Manwaring, Kristina Matousch, Rune Mields, Sungi Mlengeya, Zanele Muholi, Paris Reid, Deborah Roberts, Sevina Tzánou, and Nadia K Waheed. “They are aged 25 to 89, emerging to established, from Greece, Germany, Uganda, Ukraine, South Africa, Sweden, India, Iran, USA, etc. Some works were specifically made for this exhibition, others were lent, including from our personal collection.”

    As we move further into the world of ‘me, then you,’ Ross-Sutton holds a quiet intensity and a dedication to curating meaningful exhibitions while supporting both emerging and established artists in reaching the next stage of their careers.

    “Delta-V”, 2022. Caitlin Cherry. Courtesy the artist
    photography Jheyda McGarrell

    “Portrait of Destinee Ross”, 2019

    Kehinde Wiley. Courtesy the artist

    “Fire Fighter (Destinee)”, 2021

    Tim Okamura. Courtesy the artist

    “Alice”, 2024. Gill Button. Courtesy the artist

    .
    “Leda's Hand”, 2023. Stella Kapezanou. Courtesy the artist
    photography Jheyda McGarrell

    .
    “The secrets in our hems”. Sungi Mlengeya. Courtesy the artist
    “Her Sparking Heart”, 2024. Georgia Theologou. Courtesy the artist

    “Othile”, 2020. Zanele Muholi. Courtsy the artist
    “Ivy and friends”, 2022. Stella Kapezanou. Courtesy the artist
    “Nothing to Lose”, 2023. Vanessa Raw. Courtesy the artist
    “Temperance”. Lydia Nobles. Courtesy the artist

    “Josephine Baker”. Dorothea Charol. Courtesy the artist

    OCCHIO, MALOCCHIO, PREZZEMOIO E FINOCCHIO“, 2024.

    Lunita-July Dorn.
    Courtesy the artist and Galerie Judith Andreae

    “Destinee”, 2019. Amoako Boafo. Courtesy the artist.

    Flight”, 2019. Vanessa German. Courtesy the artist

    .

    “Companion”, 2019. Brittany Tucker. Courtesy the artist

    .

    “Precious Purple Bunny”, 2024. Ryan Wilde.

    Courtesy the artist and Galerie Brigitte Mulholland.

  • Image by Mert Alas

    Calvin Klein Launches Fall 2024 Menswear Campaign Starring Alexander Skarsgård

    Written by Ulrika Lindqvist

    Calvin Klein has unveiled its Fall 2024 menswear campaign, featuring award-winning actor Alexander Skarsgård. Directed and photographed by Mert Alas, the campaign showcases Skarsgård wearing pieces from Calvin Klein’s latest collection, including the newly introduced Calvin Klein Studio line.

    The visuals capture Skarsgård’s effortless confidence, with him sporting sleek outerwear, layered looks, and minimalist tailoring. Commenting on the campaign, Skarsgård said, “It was wonderful to reunite with the Calvin Klein team. The shoot felt sophisticated, sleek, yet playful.” The collection emphasizes versatility with transitional layers, slim suiting, and elevated essentials crafted from premium materials. Calvin Klein Studio highlights refined staples with modern, fashion-forward silhouettes. Launching globally on September 4, 2024, the campaign will roll out across Calvin Klein’s social media channels and major outdoor advertising spaces worldwide, bringing the brand’s timeless, minimalist menswear into the spotlight.

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