Lately, with fibre craft on the rise, knitting and crocheting have been the new trend. The laborious craft requires huge dedication and commitment from craft artists. But the final results are testaments to the artists' passion and creativity.
Prominent local crochet artist, Kelly Limerick, is celebrated for her alternative take on the ancient craft of crochet. She was chosen to collaborate with LOUIS XIII to create an artwork called "100", which took four months to complete. Limerick journeyed to the LOUIS XIII Domaine du Grollet Estate in Cognac, France for inspiration for her art. There, she delved into the heritage of LOUIS XIII Cognac, allowing her to comprehend the values that the House holds. She became enthralled by the House’s timeless heritage.
“The sense of history in the old town was unmistakable, and... I grasped why LOUIS XIII is steadfast about its origin and identity,” Limerick noted. “There's an evident pride in the meticulous approach, a serene and unwavering dedication to savoir-faire passed down from one cellar master to the next. Ageing the eaux-de-vie holds an element of unpredictability... It falls upon the cellar master to trust their palate, sampling the diverse eaux-de-vie to craft the familiar blend of LOUIS XIII that we recognise. These two elements—trust in the unknown and confidence in personal skill—resonate with me and have inspired me greatly.”
"100" was unravelled and reworked 100 times to illustrate the progress in time. With its tedious craft-making process, "100" is meant to emphasise the similarity to the laborious production of LOUIS XIII. Limerick confessed that "it involved four months of daily dedication; more time and effort required than if I did 100 individual pieces."
The final sculpture resembles a vessel with a double-walled bowl within. Crafted as a single piece without joins or internal structures, like a fountain, the sculpture remains hollow. By holding soil from Cognac, it encapsulates the flavourful layers of LOUIS XIII as it ages. This is a cognac that could only be tasted decades later.
Anne-Laure Pressat, Executive Director of LOUIS XIII Cognac shares that “We are honoured to collaborate with Kelly Limerick, having her join us in exploring intertwined concepts of time and preserving artistic heritage for future generations..."
"100" represents THE DROP, the latest product by LOUIS XIII. An embodiment of a new generation that reinvents luxury codes through ownership, THE DROP fosters a unique 'art-de-vivre' akin to Limerick's approach toward art. Coming in a 1cl bottle, THE DROP retails at Tatler Bar at SG$288 and SG$1,440 for a pack of five 1cl bottles. The add-on lanyard accessory with a leather bottle case is priced at SG$168.
At the recently concluded Louis Vuitton Autumn/Winter 2024 menswear runway show during Paris Fashion Week Men's, BamBam was one of many celebrity attendees. The Thai-born singer and rapper of K-pop group GOT7 easily stood out with his red hair and Pharrell Williams-designed fit. Wearing look 9 from the Maison's Spring/Summer 2024 menswear collection, BamBam (like the style savant that he is) put his own spin by opting for black trousers instead of shorts, heavy-duty boots, and finished it off with pearl accessories.
His presence at the show was quite a social media hit. The hashtag #BamBamXLVFW24—an unofficial, fanbase-initiated hashtag—amassed over 2.1 million posts on various platforms. It's little wonder that weeks after the show, BamBam was officially announced as Louis Vuitton's newest house ambassador. "I am super happy to join Louis Vuitton as a house ambassador this time," BamBam says in an announcement video. "What Pharrell is doing here is amazing. I'm super honoured to be part of it."
The appointment is made sweeter as not only is BamBam now part of Louis Vuitton's illustrious list of ambassadors, he also joins fellow bandmate, Jackson Wang, who has been part of the fold since 2023. Wang was even one of the faces of the Maison's "Horizons Never End" campaign that centred on its spirit of travel. It may be too soon to say for sure if BamBam will be featured in an upcoming campaign, but given his pull and reach, we'd say the chances of one is quite likely. In an official press release, Louis Vuitton has already hinted on "an exciting collaborative journey".
This road to an house ambassadorship with Louis Vuitton, however, was a longtime coming. BamBam had already been wearing Louis Vuitton on a number of occasions years before. And while it's common for those in the K-pop sphere to wear the newest threads from the big fashion houses, Louis Vuitton seemed to be quite a prominent fixture in BamBam's roster of brands.
In 2021, he wore a Louis Vuitton suit featuring a watercolour version of its famed Monogram for the music video of "riBBon" that's part of his first mini-album. The musician even wore a Nicholas Ghesquière-designed Spring/Summer 2022 womenswear look the very same year, proving that the man can rock just about anything from the Maison's universe. Throughout the year and years since, BamBam frequently repped Louis Vuitton—from jewellery to bags to ready-to-wear—in a number of magazine editorials, appearances as well as performances.
He made his first Louis Vuitton runway appearance at Williams' debut show, where he was visibly overjoyed to be reunited with Wang. And simply put, that moment became the turning point in his relationship with the Maison. Not only was he deserving of a spot on the front row of one of fashion's biggest moment that season, it was an official recognition of BamBam as a worthy ambassador of the Maison's new chapter.
And to have it happen after celebrating 10 years of with GOT7, we reckon BamBam as a style icon is about to get more traction.
Edited by Asri Jasman
Remember the highs at a concert? The exhilarating anticipation when the lights dim at a live music show? Especially after the lockdown, the yen for live entertainment exploded since the start of the year. Are ticket prices too high? Yeah. But we're making up for pandemic time. Our shores look like it will be graced with some choice acts. Here's a list of some of the upcoming acts that we've compiled.
The 1975 will finally be performing in Singapore after four years. Despite recent controversy surrounding the lead singer’s problematic comments on a podcast, the concert announcement has been received well. They will be performing their latest record Being Funny in a Foreign Language as well as their hit songs like “Robbers” and many more.
The 1975 At Their Very Best Tour will be happening at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre on 18th July.
The Japanese-American Singer-songwriter will be making a stop by Singapore for their Asia tour for the first time. Their name quickly rose to fame in 2018 with their song "Remember Me" quickly making an impact in the R&B genre. Performing their debut album Forest in the City, they explore themes of self-discovery and relationship dynamics. All while experimenting with unique instrumentations that differentiate it from their previous work. Catch Umi at the Capitol Theatre on 26th August.
If you're not familiar with Peach Tree Rascals, think of that TikTok dance to the popular song "Mariposa", Yep, that's them. Beyond their viral hit, The Peach Tree Rascals are also known for making music described as car-worthy tunes to listen to while the windows are down. Look forward to hearing their debut album Camp Nowhere where they blend different genres while singing about love and vulnerability live at the Hard Rock Singapore on 19th July.
The Grammy-winning quintet is set to showcase their new sound from their 2020 release, The New Abnormal which ventures away from their renowned rock style. With glitchy electronic synthesisers and expansive guitar riffs, the band will surely make an impactful first performance in Singapore. Don't miss the chance to rock out and headbang to their songs at the Capitol Theatre on 2nd August.
Following the recent release of his latest album Never Enough, the self-made musician announced the Superpowers tour. Having recorded the album predominantly during the pandemic, it allowed him to take bold creative leaps with this new release, diverging from his usual R&B style. With auto-tuned pitched-down vocals that complement his heartfelt love songs, and heart-wrenching ballads that transport you back to past heartbreaks. Catch him live at the Star Theatre on July 17th.
The songsmith well-known for making soul-soothing ballads like "Nothing" and "Easily" will be making his return to Singapore. Originally a Jazz musician, Major started a name for himself after his debut album A Song for Every Moon heavily focusing on the R&B genre. He will be performing his classic hits along with his 2023 releases, "We Were Never Really Friends" and "Tell Her". Don't miss the chance to sway along to his melodic voice at the Capitol Theatre on 17th August.
As part of their Asia tour, Kodaline will be stopping by Singapore to showcase their latest release Our Roots Run Deep. The live stripped-down album highlights that raw bond between their music and the listeners, a testament to their community. Alongside showcasing their new release, the Irish rock band will also be performing beloved classics from their discography. Experience their intimate and raw performance at the Star Theatre on 3rd September.
Rex Orange County, also known as Alex O'Connor will be returning on the road again marking his comeback after a period of controversy surrounding an alleged sexual assault case. Known for his viral hit "Television/So Far So Good" , the singer will be performing his latest release Who Cares filled with captivating hooks and guitar instrumentations. Despite the challenges faced due to the aforementioned allegations the singer is now making his first strides forward, embracing this opportunity to reconnect with his fans. He will be performing at the Star Theatre on 17th October.
