Irenebrination: Notes on Architecture, Art, Fashion, Fashion Law, Science & Technology

Timeless Snapshots of Conviviality: "Bar Stories on Camera" @ Camera - Centro Italiano per la Fotografia, Turin, Italy

Among the posters currently offered at Sotheby's vintage posters auction there is a 1926 Campari advertisement by Marcello Nizzoli.

Campari can be considered as a product deeply intertwined with art and fashion: Fortunato Depero created adverts for it in the 1920s and, in 1928, the Futurist artist designed the iconic Campari Soda bottle, which entered production in 1932. Since then, Campari's artistic connections have resurfaced at various exhibitions and events.

Campari takes center stage in one section of the "Bar Stories on Camera" exhibition at Turin's Camera - Centro Italiano per la Fotografia (Camera - Italian Center for Photography), running until October 6, 2024.

This exhibition, perfect for the summer, celebrates the world of bars and Campari as a symbol of conviviality since 1860 through a narrative made of images. Created in collaboration with Galleria Campari and Magnum Photos, it features photographs from the 1930s to the early 2000s.

From black and white snapshots of elegant patrons in bustling cafes to vibrant scenes of modern-day revelry, the exhibition offers a nostalgic journey through time, celebrating the role of bars in social life.

Whether watching a game on TV, having a coffee, or meeting friends, lovers, or colleagues, people around the world gather at bars to enjoy a collective space and share their experiences. These places of social interaction can narrate the evolution of contemporary society, of its rituals, and myths.

Divided into three thematic sections – "Sharing Moments", "Bar Campari", and "The Icons" - the exhibition features 50 photographs taken by renowned photographers including Robert Capa, Elliott Erwitt, Martin Parr, and Ferdinando Scianna (the images are sourced from the Galleria Campari Historical Archive and the Magnum Photos agency)

The first section, "Sharing Moments", transports visitors into the nostalgic ambiance of bars around the world. Here, bartenders, musicians, and patrons are captured in a variety of situations, having coffees or evening aperitifs, illuminated by the glow of signs and bottle displays.

These scenes, exquisitely preserved by masters like Inge Morath, Elliott Erwitt, and Martin Parr, evoke a bygone era of leisurely enjoyment.

There's fashion to admire in the colorful hats of some of the ladies gathered around a table, or in the matching dresses and necklaces of two twins sitting at a bar in New York, an image by Elliott Erwitt. 

Visitors are invited to go beyond the images and to wonder what the patrons may be discussing - here a romance may be blossoming, in that corner a business deal is being struck, while at that table a patron sits alone, maybe in painful solitude or simply enjoying a peaceful moment.

Bars also offer spaces for the exchange of artistic and political passions, the dreaming of revolutions, and the celebration of achievements.

A poignant example is Leonard Freed’s 1974 photograph in Milan: taken just after the divorce law was passed it shows streets are littered with flyers and newspapers, marking one of the most significant moments of Italian modern history.

One striking photograph features aerial views of people seated in a bar in Capri in 1984. This snapshot by Fernando Scianna, with the tables and chairs casually forming a 4-leaf clover like configuration, offers a glimpse into a moment of respite during the peak of '80s hedonism.

The scene is filled with the simple pleasures of life - ice creams in glass cups melting under the summer sun, an iced drink or an espresso, the collective joy of taking a break from the heat.

Another image, this time by Herbert List shows the Colosseum in Rome seen from within a bar called "Colosseo". The iconic landmark and the intimate setting are juxtaposed, creating a fascinating contrast, a perspective that highlights the role of the bar as a sanctuary amidst historical marvels.

Even though the Bar Campari section can be considered as more commercial and has an advertorial purpose, the images included here are still engaging.

The section features signs, branded shop windows, and stalls on beaches, reflecting a post-war Italy that is vibrant and eager to embrace life once more. These images also revive the iconic posters and advertising billboards and take visitors on a trip from Italy to Argentina, Germany and Switzerland.

The more classic cafes in Milan and Modena encapsulate a moment in time, offering a frozen yet fascinating glimpse into the past, where the allure of Campari and the culture of the Italian café intersected.

The significance of design is evident in the images showcasing grand stands at fairs dedicated to innovations in the '50s. These stands, often featuring a geometric aesthetic, embody a dynamic energy that reflects the forward-thinking spirit of the era.

Interior design is also celebrated through the Art Nouveau furnishings of the Caffè Camparino in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, immortalized by Bruno Barbey in the mid-1960s.

These images hint at a lifestyle evoked also through the objects on display, such as the menu sketches created for Campari by Futurist artist Fortunato Depero and other preparatory pencil drawings from the 1950s, which were used to design neon signs.

In the final section, The Icons, film stars, artists, and writers make their way into the bar scene: Marilyn Monroe is pictured before the screening of "The Prince and the Showgirl," Ernest Hemingway is portrayed at a bar counter in Idaho, and Maria Callas in Palma de Mallorca, sharing a table with journalist Elsa Maxwell.

"Bar Stories on Camera" therefore not only pays tribute to Campari's heritage, but also offers a profound opportunity to reflect on the enduring delight of communal experiences.

It invites us to rediscover the timeless pleasure of gathering together, celebrating moments of connection that transcend time and trends. These images stand as a visual testament to the enduring joy of shared experiences and social interactions across generations. Last but not least, in the post-Covid era, they remind us of what we temporarily lost during the pandemic and highlight the importance of regained social spaces.

Image credits for this post

1. Marcello Nizzoli for Campari, 1926

2, 3, 4, 8 and 14. Installation views, "Bar Stories on Camera" at Camera - Centro Italiano per la Fotografia, Turin, Italy.

5. New York, USA, 1955. © Elliott Erwitt / Magnum Photos

6. Rome, Italy, 1956. © Herbert List / Magnum Photos

7. Capri, Italy, 1984. © Ferdinando Scianna / Magnum Photos

9. Lausanne, Switzerland, 1930s. Galleria Campari Historical Archive.

10. Italy, 1950s. Galleria Campari Historical Archive.

11. Italy, 1955. Galleria Campari Historical Archive.
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12 and 13. Milan, Italy, 1956. Galleria Campari Historical Archive.

15. Marilyn Monroe and Laurence Olivier at a press conference in 1956, before the screening of "The Prince and the Showgirl", Waldorf-Astoria Ballroom, New York. © Eve Arnold / Magnum Photos

16. Modena, Italy, 1930s. Galleria Campari.

The Art of Escape Via Vintage Travel Posters

Paper is a versatile material that can inspire designers in countless ways. In a previous post, we explored a complex form of paper art, but inspiration doesn't always have to be intricate.

Vintage posters, for instance, remain a fantastic source of inspiration. Sotheby's often features a great selection, including art, advertising, music, and movie posters.

The current auction of vintage posters includes highlights such as a vibrant Joseph Perrier champagne advertisement by Joseph Stall (1930) and a psychedelic Polish poster for the French film Zazie Dans Le Métro by Jolanta Karczewska (1968), which features the main character amid dreamlike pastel floral imagery.

Some designs are graphically mesmerizing, like the Swedish poster for Words and Music (Sang dans Musik) by Eric Rohman (1929).

Others have a subtle architectural twist, such as the poster for the 1920 romance film Sumurun, directed by Ernst Lubitsch and designed by Bernd Steiner, which shows the protagonist wearing a turban with an entire city illustrated on it (could this be an idea for a headdress, a wig or a showpiece at a runway show?).

For a touch of Orientalist Art Deco exoticism, there's the Italian poster for Mata Hari (1931), the MGM film starring Greta Garbo in which the actress appeared in a long sequinned gown and jeweled headdress designed by Adrian.

Since it is summer one of the most relevant section of this vintage posters auction for those ones currently unable to go  on holiday for different reasons, is the travel poster section that offers a wide range of pieces, including an Art Deco travel advertisement for Bandol (1930), a health resort for the upper class at the end of the 18th century turned into a popular vacation spot in the mid-19th century, by André Bermond (1903-1983).

Maps and scenic views combine in the travel poster from the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique advertising a route to Corsica, by Edouard Collin (circa 1950).

For a touch of kitsch, check out Stan Galli's poster for United Airlines promoting Hawaii. Galli was a prolific illustrator whose work spanned various genres, including magazine illustration, postage stamp design, and travel and advertising posters.

Vivid summer colors characterize the French Railway poster advertising the Côte d'Azur by Bernard Villemot, depicting a figure with water and palm trees.

Villemot was a French graphic artist renowned for his iconic advertising images for brands such as Orangina, Bally, Perrier, and Air France. His work is known for its sharp artistic vision influenced by photography, along with simple, elegant lines and bold colors that distilled advertising messages into memorable images.

Another standout in the auction is a travel advertising poster for Brides-les-Bains, a spa and ski resort in the Savoie region of southeastern France (1929), created by Léon Benigni (1892-1948). Made for the French railway P.L.M. (Paris, Lyon, Méditerranée), the poster advertised Brides-les-Bains as the destination for the elegant woman, showcasing Benigni's stylish drawings.

Benigni was a prominent French fashion illustrator, draughtsman, and lithographer. He collaborated with renowned designers and couturiers like Jeanne Lanvin, Marcel Rochas, Elsa Schiaparelli, Lucien Lelong, Jacques Fath, Jean Patou, Nina Ricci, and Cristóbal Balenciaga. His work appeared in prestigious magazines such as Harper's Bazaar, Femina, La Donna, Art Goût Beauté, The Bystander, and Modes et Travaux.

In the 1920s and 1930s, Benigni also designed travel posters like this one, as well as advertisements for Cadillac and LaSalle cars. His style combined delicacy and charm with a light element of caricature, and he became known for his simplicity and effectiveness in publicity.

Yes, these posters can cost thousands of dollars, and being on holiday isn't the same as browsing through vintage travel posters and travelling with your imagination. Yet the vibrant colors, elegant lines, and timeless charm of these pieces can inspire wonderful creative projects, or maybe just fuel dreams of stylish travels.

Queer Eroticism in Xiyadie's Paper Cuttings @ The 60th International Art Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia

Traditional craft techniques can evolve from hobbies and passions into art forms. Take Chinese paper cutting, for instance. This art, inscribed in 2009 on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, has a long history in China. It began in the 2nd century CE after paper was invented by Cai Lun, a court official of the Eastern Han dynasty. Before paper, people carved patterns on materials such as leaves, tree bark, gold and silver foil, silk, and hide.

During the Tang dynasty, paper cutting matured as an art form, with ideas and concepts expressed through intricate patterns. It advanced further during the Song dynasty, with artisans creating more complex works. The Ming and Qing dynasties saw the peak of paper-cutting development, spreading widely.

The art flourished in rural areas, where it was a popular leisure activity, especially among women. Various techniques are used in paper cutting, such as cutting with scissors or art knives and engraving with chisels. Motifs and styles differ by region: the northern style features exaggerated shapes and vivid patterns, while the southern style is known for exquisite carvings and intricate designs.

Common themes include Chinese opera stories, domestic animals and plants, mythical creatures from Chinese legends like qilins and jade rabbits, and symbols of good fortune and happiness.

Traditionally, paper cuttings served decorative purposes, adorning doors and windows to let light shine through the negative space of the cutout. Beyond aesthetics, the themes are often associated with festivities in Chinese culture (New Year, weddings and childbirth…) as cut-paper artwork is considered to symbolize luck and happiness. Besides, they also express moral principles, philosophies, and hopes, and they play an educational role in teaching children about traditional Chinese art and culture.

While retaining the traditional technique, the values, symbolism, and emotions in Xiyadie's paper cuttings are entirely subverted. Currently on display at the 60th International Art Exhibition in Venice, Xiyadie’s works depict scenes from his life rather than traditional Chinese motifs.

Born in Shaanxi Province in 1963, Xiyadie uses his art to express his personal pain and helplessness regarding his sexuality, offering him a way to relieve the pressures of conventional society.

Xiyadie, whose nickname means "Siberian Butterfly," learned this craft from his mother and has been developing his paper cuttings for over 20 years. Despite being a skilled artist, he prefers to be considered a farmer, as he never intended to make art but rather to document his life, desires for love and freedom, and the evolution of queer life in China since the '80s. His paper cuttings were originally made in secret at home as Xiyadie feared punishment if they were discovered, and were conceived as a private escape from his worries and sorrows.

Xiyadie's big break came after moving to Beijing in 2005 to work as a migrant laborer to support his struggling family. In Beijing, Xiyadie found a welcoming queer community and became part of the gay subculture. His first exhibition was held in 2010 at the local LGBT Center, eventually leading to international recognition and exhibitions outside China.

Xiyadie's paper cuttings are crafted on Xuan paper and delicately colored with pink, turquoise, and pale yellow using water-based dyes and Chinese pigments - materials also used to decorate festive buns in China.

His works subvert the traditional principles of this art as they feature intricate and densely composed queer scenes situated in cruising sites he discovered in Beijing, blending both paper cutting northern and southern styles.

In "Sewn" (1999), Xiyadie explores his struggle with accepting his sexuality while trapped in a heterosexual marriage. The piece features him with yellow trunks hanging from one leg as he sews his penis with a large needle and thread made of semen and blood. He is depicted in a small interior dominated by a traditional Chinese door and roof.

These elements - doors, walls, and caves - recurringly symbolize his concealed identity and the pressure of being trapped in the closet. In this piece Xiyadie gazes at a photo of his first boyfriend, a train attendant named Minghui. The sharp sword on which he sits signifies pain and helplessness, while a snake slithering inside him represents desire. The needle, perforating the roof, suggests his progress towards breaking free from traditional and familial pressures.

In "Don't Worry, Mom is Spinning Thread in the Next Room (A Love Scene When High School Student is at Home Writing Homework)," (2019) a figure performs oral sex on a man while a woman spins thread in another room, emphasizing the hidden nature of Xiyadie's desires.

"Wall" (2001) depicts a figure placing his erect penis against a brick wall, separated from another kneeling figure on the other side. Though they can't see or touch each other, both figures erupt into flowers that rise above them, becoming a home for perching birds, symbolizing connection and beauty despite physical barriers.

In these cuttings celebrating queer eroticism, Xiyadie also incorporates flora and fauna, reflecting his connection to the land as a farmer, but also using them in a symbolic way.

Nature in Xiyadie's works often embraces his subjects, with flowers blooming from the bodies of his protagonists or surrounding them. In his works, tigers symbolize instead the pressure of traditional society, while butterflies allude to his name and to his son, whom he has outlived.

The largest work on display at the Venice Biennale is "Kaiyang" (2021) which features multiple male figures in a Beijing bathhouse, taking showers, lounging naked, and engaging in sexual acts. This piece captures the communal and intimate aspects of queer life in Beijing.

There's much more to discover in Xiyadie’s body of work. Though not included in the Venice Biennale, he has also created pieces inspired by the inequalities and injustices in contemporary Chinese society and class struggles. These works have yet to receive the same attention as his queer-themed paper cuttings, but it’s likely we will hear more about Xiyadie in the future.

For now, you can view his works in the queer section of the Arsenale at the 60th International Art Exhibition (until 24th November), where his paper cuttings are displayed alongside the works of La Chola Poblete and Bárbara Sánchez Kane.

Private Passions in a Public Exhibition: "Come As You Really Are" @ The Hobby Cave, Grants, Croydon, UK

London-based artist and filmmaker Hetain Patel has a peculiar hobby: creating Spider-Man costumes. One of them, "The Other Suit" (2015), was meticulously crafted at his kitchen table over several months, using YouTube tutorials as his guide. Before that, Patel turned his first car, an old Fiesta, into a Transformer-like sculpture with his father's help in their family garage in Bolton, this time without following any tutorials, but through a trial and error process.

While some might see this as sheer madness, those ones among us blessed with a creative fire understand that it's a mix of obsession and passion that fuels such projects. Often, the results of our creative endeavors transcend mere hobby work, reaching a level of craftsmanship that qualifies them as genuine artworks.

Inspired by these principles and by his own hobbies, Patel launched a UK-wide call-out in February 2024, inviting the public to share their favorite pastimes. Over the months, he collected works from mosaicists, ceramicists, doll modifiers, scrapbookers, and yarn bombers, as well as collectors of the most disparate items, from postcards to cigarette packets and carrier bags.

The culmination of this exploration is a recently opened exhibition, "Come As You Really Are," running until October 20 at the pop-up Hobby Cave in Grants, Croydon. This venue, formerly a Wetherspoons, once occupied two floors of Grant's department store.

Curated by Hetain Patel and commissioned and produced by Artangel, the exhibition is a joyous assortment of objects created, modified, or collected by hobbyists across the UK, displayed alongside new and existing works by Patel. Among the highlights is Patel's Spider-Man suit and the remarkable "Somerset Road" (2024), a Ford Escort tufted by the artist in the pattern of his grandmother's living room carpet. Through them, Patel also highlights the manual labor often carried out by migrant communities like his family.

The event features an eclectic mix, including cosplayer costumes, quilts, shelves filled with mini-ponies, lead soldiers, Star Wars fighters, Polly Pocket toys, bottles of fruit-infused gin, dolls, origami, weavings, embroideries, K-pop merchandise, and mineral samples. Patel has also created a film celebrating hobbies that includes dancers, drone flyers, and custom car owners.

While not the first of its kind - consider Grayson Perry's TV show "Grayson’s Art Club," a program that invited UK makers to share their creations - Patel's approach is on a larger and broader scale.

Art purists might see this as chaotic, with accumulation being a key criterion in displaying some items and collections, and might argue that some pieces do not qualify as artwork. However, the 14,000 loaned items from dedicated hobbyists are an expression of creativity, affirming our existence as humans and celebrating those who dedicate their time to their passions.

Yet there is another reason behind it all: on social media, crafts and hobbies are often presented as ways to make money. This can become a source of stress and anxiety for those crafters who then use their creations as content for their social media pages. By focusing on likes, followers, and monetization, hobbies lose their essence as personal and creative outlets. Instead, they become another form of digital performance, subject to the pressures and expectations of the online world.

This event shifts instead the focus back to the joy of the hobby itself. It celebrates those who keep their hobbies - symbols of freedom of expression and ingenuity - to themselves. These hobbies are labors of love, offering an alternative to a world dominated by technological screens and conformist trends dictating what we must wear, drink, eat, and do in our spare time. In this way, Patel reaffirms the power of hobbies as something that offer an opportunity for escapism, a space to share passions, or even to perform an entirely different identity or as an invitation to explore novel ways of connecting with one another.

In an age where social media can make us passive consumers of content, constantly scrolling and comparing our lives to others, "Come As You Really Are" is a reminder of the active, hands-on pleasure that hobbies provide. The exhibition encourages people to engage in activities that bring genuine satisfaction and fulfillment, free from the pressures of external validation (even though here they do receive external validation actually...). By showcasing these private passions in a public space, the exhibition invites us to reconnect with our own creativity and the simple joy of making something for the love of it.

Last but not least, "Come As You Really Are" also emphasizes one principle: there's safety in numbers. Presenting all these works collectively and without labels counters detractors who might dismiss some items as mere crafts or hobbies. Instead, the event is a joyful celebration of the unstoppable nature of self-expression and a critique of the elitist art world. Museums looking for new visitors and demographics should indeed also seek pieces that engage people in different ways, like Patel did.

"Come As You Really Are" is accompanied by a program of workshops offering natural henna tattoo sessions, miniature pottery making, quilling workshops, superhero mask crafting, and puppet making. Can't visit the event and don't have a hobby? Find an activity you love to fill your spare time - the first results may not be exhibition-worthy, but the sheer joy of making something will make you feel like an artist.

Can Museums Create Positive Experiences for People with Neurodegenerative Diseases?

Museum institutions worldwide are continually seeking innovative ways to attract more visitors. However, the focus isn't solely on the younger generation; with low birth rates and aging populations, many museums have started to redesign their spaces and organize workshops and events tailored to elderly individuals, especially those living with neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's or Alzheimer's, conditions often surrounded by shame and stigma.

For instance, project Dance Well organizes workshops specifically for people living with Parkinson's. This initiative promotes the practice of contemporary dance in various cultural institutions, including museum spaces and art settings. Last year, they held workshops at Milan’s Triennale.

One particularly enduring and inspirational project was launched in 2006 by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. At the time the museum introduced an educational program called Meet Me at MoMA, specifically designed for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. The monthly program mainly focused on interactive tours of the museum’s renowned collection of modern art and special exhibitions, catering to individuals in the early and middle stages of the disease, along with their family members and caregivers.

Research has shown that looking at and discussing art can positively impact people with neurodegenerative diseases, boosting their self-confidence. Besides, the change in environment, from a care home or from their house where they are often confined with their caregivers, and the presence of art, encourage new, positive experiences and conversations.

Building on this, MoMA expanded its efforts through the MoMA Alzheimer’s Project (2007-2014). This educational initiative aimed to train other museums, associations, organizations, and individuals in creating programs tailored for those with Alzheimer's disease. A handy PDF guide introduced the project and provided information about dementia and Alzheimer's. Inspired by the MoMA program (the Meet Me at MoMa events are still going), ten Dutch museums now offer a similar program called Unforgettable.

One of the latest institutions inspired by the Museum of Modern Art's Alzheimer's Project is the Kunstmuseum Den Haag in The Hague, The Netherlands. At the end of June this year, the gallery launched the "Art Connection" tour, dedicated to people with dementia and their caregivers. These monthly tours, running until December 27, 2024, explore different topics. So far, they have covered colors, examining works like Paul Signac's pointillist "Cassis, Cap Lombard, Opus 196" and Alexej von Jawlensky’s expressionist "Head of a Woman," as well as nature. Upcoming themes include housing, children, and clothing.

The central element of this new program is the emotional response to artworks and the connecting power of art through sensory stimulation. Visitors are invited to see palettes of color, engage with coloring-in sheets, smell displays (olfactive installations are trending in museums), discuss art, and share stories and memories. The focus is on having fun and interacting with each other, setting aside the caregiving relationship momentarily.

The tours are scheduled for the last Friday afternoon of every month, accommodating 14 people (7 with dementia and 7 caregivers). Participation is free of charge for this year.

Art has the power to uplift our hearts, bringing joy and alleviating anxiety and pain. But in this case, it does even more: for people with neurogenerative diseases, this program offers a chance to enjoy a social space, view artworks, and participate in stimulating activities. While these activities might seem minor to some, they significantly enhance cognitive functioning in many people with dementia.

As populations age, the number of people with Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases will increase. Developing tailored programs for the elderly in museums can help slow down these diseases, combat the associated shame and stigma, and restore dignity to patients, reintegrating them in a society that too often treats them as invisible entities.

Additionally, these programs serve as a reminder for all of us to monitor our health, recognize early signs of neurological illness, and prevent rapid degeneration.

In November, the gallery will hold a session dedicated to art and clothing. Maybe some institutions that organize fashion related exhibitions might consider an exhibition focused on fashion that reawakens the senses of people with neurodegenerative diseases through touch or smell.

After all, it is not uncommon for people with Alzheimer's to see personal belongings such as garments or accessories and remember a story linked to the time they wore them, a process that puts memories in motion. MoMA's notes can still be a great starting point, providing inspiration and structure for the background research for such a project.

From Ulaanbaatar to Paris: MichelAmazonka's Olympic Victory With the Mongolia Team Uniforms

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games kicked off today with a grand opening ceremony that saw the athletes greeting the crowds from boats along the Seine. Yet, while the competitions haven't started yet, an unlikely winner emerged on the Internet weeks before the Olympics - MichelAmazonka.

This Ulaanbaatar-based label, known for its couture and ready-to-wear garments that merge Mongolian tradition and culture with a contemporary twist, designed the opening and closing ceremony outfits for the Mongolian team at the Olympics and Paralympic Games.

The kits quickly caught the attention of fashion and sports fans, especially on TikTok, for their stylish couture designs rooted in tradition.

MichelAmazonka created two main designs for the male and female flag bearers and marching athletes. Mongolian athletes, who will compete in nine different sports including cycling, shooting, and wrestling, were outfitted in these uniforms. The garments were meticulously created by 42 Mongolian workers over several months in the label’s studio. Each complete set took an average of 20 hours and went through six stages of production, resulting in beautifully crafted pieces.

These uniforms truly stand out for their design, craftsmanship, heritage, and attention to detail - qualities that are often missing in Olympic kits by more famous designers.

The designs incorporate the national colors of blue, red, and white, as well as various embroidered traditional patterns and motifs on the vests worn over the pleated robes - an updated version of the traditional deel, a robe-like garment still worn by Mongolians.

These include the "Soyombo" symbol from the national flag, natural elements such as flowers, mountains, birds, and the sky, symbolizing Mongolia’s vast landscapes and natural beauty, and the Nine White Banners, referencing the banners entering the stadium during Naadam, a Mongolian festival held every July, celebrating horseracing, wrestling, and archery. Motifs associated with Paris and the Games, like the Eiffel Tower and the Olympic flame, also feature prominently. Gold and silver threads used in the embroidery hint at both medals and elegance. Female athletes' outfits are accessorized with ceremonial earrings and embroidered bags, while male flag-bearers donned traditional pointed archery hats (buryats). Another nod to archery is in the flag bearers' sleeves (called Mongolian archers' sleeves), which help the archer shoot efficiently and further. Additionally, male athletes wore a belt and traditional Mongolian boots (gutals).

The accompanying video and photoshoot were more reminiscent of a fashion magazine than a sports event, perhaps contributing to the growing number of fans.

Interestingly, the MichelAmazonka fashion house wasn't originally selected to design the uniforms. They were focused on creating collections for the traditional Naadam.

However, when the initially selected company withdrew, the Mongolian National Olympic Committee chose MichelAmazonka to be the official outfitter for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Seizing this opportunity, the label quickly designed and completed the uniforms in just three months, starting in April of this year.

MichelAmazonka was established in 2015 in Ulaanbaatar by sisters Michel and Amazonka Choigaalaa, and is headed by their sibling, CEO Munkhjargal Choigaalaa. Since its inception, the brand has strived to bridge the gap between global and local designers by merging their passion for underground ethnic hand-sewn embroideries and embellishments with European styles.

The two sisters are equally talented: Michel excels in crafting silhouettes, while Amazonka specializes in the details, including calligraphy and monograms. Their creativity is inspired by their own family; their mother, an avid embroiderer, influenced their decorative aesthetic, and their maternal grandfather, a monk, wore intricate designs.

While the sisters hope to expand, they currently focus on producing smaller collections due to limited production capacity. Despite this, their ambition and creativity are evident, as shown by their impressive output of 12 collections (one for each month) in 2018 alone.

MichelAmazonka is not new to designing outfits for athletes. They previously created the Mongolian team's outfits for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics.

There are valuable lessons for young fashion designers and fashion design students here: never forget where you come from, revisit your past to envision the future, and always read the brief carefully.

In this case, the designers had to thoughtfully consider color, national pride, and identity while ensuring adaptability to the Paris climate, especially considering the heatwaves often hitting European cities in the summer (though it rained during the opening ceremony in Paris). Therefore, the uniforms were made from lighter materials.

Mongolia is renowned for its cashmere production, but MichelAmazonka has demonstrated that there is more to the local fashion scene than just cashmere. Their designs for the Mongolian team stood out for their thoughtful integration of traditional elements and modern aesthetics.

Yet there are further connections with these Olympic Games and fashion that also saw other independent or younger designers emerging, including Haitian-Italian designer Stella Jean who included Philippe Dodard's artwork in her uniforms for Team Haiti or Justin Chou of Just in XX who designed suits for Taiwan's (competing as Chinese Taipei) athletes.

Chou's uniforms feature details from contemporary artist Paul Chiang, national treasure indigenous artisan Aing Banday, and twined flower craftsman Peggy Lin, and were made using fabrics from the major Taiwanese textile manufacturers New Wide Group and Junmay Label & Textile who have demonstrated exceptional technology on the sustainability front.

Countries with large delegations played more safely turning to big brands (it would have been impossible to adopt the level of handmade details provided by MichelAmazonka for designs destined to teams with a large number of athletes), so Ben Sherman and Ralph Lauren supplied uniforms for Team Great Britain and Team USA, respectively.

France’s team went all out with contributions from Pigalle's Stéphane Ashpool (who designed with Le Coq Sportif training uniforms and competition outfits, as well as ensembles for medal ceremonies, media interviews and official events), Dior, Kenzo, and Berluti (these are all owned by the LVMH conglomerate and it is worth remembering that Louis Vuitton has a partnership with the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and LVMH is also sponsoring several French athletes who have been signed as Vuitton brand ambassadors).

Kenzo designed suits for the judo team, while Berluti, in collaboration with style advisor Carine Roitfeld, provided opening and closing ceremony uniforms (though they had a luxury hotel reception vibe, and the women's sleeveless blazers didn't look as elegant as the men's View this photo; was that an attempt at making the blazers more sexy? or were they saving money?). Giorgio Armani’s Emporio Armani continued to dress the Italian athletes in a classic, albeit uninspired, manner; Yohji Yamamoto, under the Y-3 label, created instead the kit for Japan's national football team with Adidas.

MichelAmazonka gained significant exposure in Europe through their uniforms for the Mongolian team. Hopefully, we will learn more about the duo in the future, perhaps through a small exhibition in Venice dedicated to their collections.

This would be an ideal way to forge a new connection between Mongolia and Venice, considering how the Venetian explorer Marco Polo spent a significant amount of time at the court of Kublai Khan, the Mongol ruler, in what is now China.

Deepfake Chic: What an AI-powered Runway Show Tells Us About Fashion & Politics

The connection between fashion and politics has always been present, but in recent years, it has grown stronger, more persistent, and more pervasive. In the past, the media would analyze a politician's style to uncover symbolisms and messages behind their color choices or accessories, making fashion serve politics. Nowadays, a common thread unites fashion and politics - speed.

Consider this: trends in fashion emerge rapidly. Sometimes, it takes only a few weeks (or even a few days) for a new trend to surface and spread or for entirely new collections to be released, especially by ultra-fast fashion retailers. Politics mirrors this pace. Since the G7 summit in Italy this June, significant changes have occurred among the participating leaders: US President Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential race, France saw a victory for the left-wing New Popular Front (NPF), and, in the UK, Tories were toppled.

Another fast-changing arena is Artificial Intelligence (AI). Just last year, text-to-image applications struggled to generate accurate images, often producing people with too many hands and fingers. Now, it's becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish real images from those generated by AI.

A recent post by Elon Musk on X, formerly known as Twitter, highlighted the intersection of fashion, politics, and AI. On July 22, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, and Trump campaign supporter, shared a video of a fake fashion show with the caption, "High time for an AI fashion show."

Entitled "Runway of Power" and made by YouTube channel "Interdimensional TV" using platforms like Midjourney and Luma Labs, this two-minute imaginary (and somewhat cringing and nightmarish) runway featured AI-generated versions of political leaders and tech tycoons.

Pope Francis opened the show in a white Balenciaga-like puffer coat, reminiscent of the image created using Midjourney that went viral last year. Following him was Russian President Vladimir Putin in a rainbow-colored, strapless Louis Vuitton gown.

The brand also made an appearance in the deepfake of Joe Biden, who was shown in a wheelchair wearing a camouflage pixelated suit, reminiscent of Pharrell Williams's first men's collection for Louis Vuitton (S/S 24).

The LV logo also turned up in the outfits donned by Narendra Modi and Donald Trump. The latter appeared in an orange pinstripe prison-like jumpsuit adorned with "LV" logos on the chest, accessorized with dangling handcuffs.

Kamala Harris also makes an appearance towards the end in a coconut bikini top - a nod to the viral coconut meme - and a skirt announcing "Harris 2024." Along the runway, you'll also spot a character inspired by Hillary Clinton, clad in a red pantsuit covered with "Supreme" logos (though spelled "Suprem"), Nancy Pelosi, and Bernie Sanders, who walks down the runway in a knitted suit with iconic mittens reminiscent of his attire from Inauguration Day 2021.

Other notable appearances include Justin Trudeau in a mini dress inspired by the Canadian flag, Xi Jinping in an ensemble printed with teddy bears (a reference to the fact that he gets compared to Winnie the Pooh in Internet memes), and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un in a gold chain and hooded coat covered with his own images.

All the virtual models in the show sport just one look, but the character representing former US President Barack Obama boasts several ensembles, ranging from Pokémon and Super Mario-inspired suits to gladiator outfits emblazoned with one word, "Hope."

Among the tech tycoons, Musk himself features prominently - first bare-chested in a swimsuit, then in a spacesuit. Amazon's Jeff Bezos wears an outfit printed with dollar bills and a "B" that looks like a dollar sign.

Tim Cook appears with a MacBook Pro worn on his chest like a sort of bag (when in a text-to-image prompt you ask Artificial Intelligence to generate a bag, it often tends to attach it to the front of the model) and an "Apple" logo belt. A character inspired by Mark Zuckerberg starts in a Speedo bathing suit with an "FB" logo and gradually transforms into a green-skinned monster or superhero.

The video concludes with a blue screen of death stating, "Your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart," hinting at both the fantastical and nightmarish possibilities technology can bring. 

While entertaining for many, the video has a rather tame approach and lacks the incisiveness to make a meaningful statement.

Rather than delivering a sharp commentary, it portrayed some controversial figures in an almost sympathetic light. For instance, dressing Putin in a rainbow colored ensemble did more to humanize him than to criticize his anti-LGBTQ+ stance. 

Considering how luxury brands are rather strict towards unauthorized use of their trademark, the creators of the video were lucky they weren't sued by Louis Vuitton for using the brand's logo in their designs.  

Despite its shortcomings, aside from the fact that the video shows how fashion could be used to make fun of power figures, it actually highlight AI's advancements in creating almost flawless deepfakes and the consequences of the potential misuse of AI technology

Yet, let's hope that, in future, AI will be used for more insightful purposes or will be combined with fashion for a more incisive satire about politics.

Kamala Is Brat: How a Music Trend Shaped Political Discourse

Trends spread rapidly and widely due to factors such as globalization, social media, consumer behavior, and cultural exchanges. Sometimes a trend can take days or weeks to catch on, but often it only takes a few hours to have a global impact in surprising ways. Successful trends often cross into different fields: a fashion trend might inspire a food trend (like last year's "tomato girl summer"), and a music trend might influence fashion or even politics, as it happened recently.

British pop singer Charli XCX recently released her sixth album, "Brat" that soared to the top three on both the UK album chart and the US Billboard chart, reaching No. 1 on Billboard's Top Dance/Electronic Albums.

The album cover is strikingly simple, featuring a neon chartreuse or slime green canvas (a trendy color actually, if you think about the opening look in Chanel's Resort 2025 collection View this photo) with the album title in a basic pixelated typeface. So basic that it looked bad, and so bad that ended up looking good, this minimalist approach proved a winner in a world obsessed with over-polished visuals.

However, the album's essence isn't defined by its cover. Charli XCX stated on TikTok that a "brat" to her is someone who has "a pack of cigs, a Bic lighter, and a strappy white top with no bra."

"You're just like that girl who is a little messy and likes to party and maybe says some dumb things sometimes, who feels like herself but maybe also has a breakdown," the singer explained. "But kind of like parties through it, is very honest, very blunt. A little bit volatile. Like, does dumb things. But it's brat. You're brat. That's brat."

The brat isn't defined by specific fashion labels: a brat doesn't buy YSL's pre-distressed tights, but rather ends up ripping hers from wearing them too much (or too recklessly...). There's a raw hedonism and a burning desire to party in this brat figure, even though the world doesn’t really offer many reasons to actually celebrate.

Critics and commentators have already penned lengthy essays contrasting the brat with antithetical figures like the highly-groomed "clean girl." The latter loves keeping everything neat, practices mindfulness and yoga, and buys reusable cups in different colors to match her outfits (ending up causing more pollution trough her overconsumption). 

The brat is not feminine, doesn't follow any self-care routine, and leans more towards a Tank Girl or Harley Quinn (as seen in "Birds of Prey") vibe. The brat doesn't shower, doesn't change clothes, and might even exercise without caring about it - like Charli XCX in her "360" music video, where she drinks red wine on a treadmill, clearly not using it for its intended purpose (the video also features cameo roles from some "brats", including actor and model Julia Fox, American actress, model, and fashion designer Chloë Sevigny, and YouTuber Emma Chamberlain).

Being a brat is also about insecurity (in her song "Rewind," Charli XCX mentions being constantly worried about her weight, a common concern for women of all ages), something that leads women to construct a brusque persona as a form of armor to survive societal and patriarchal rules that expect women to be neat and look feminine (but this isn't just a brat trait, as it is a common defense mechanism for many women on a daily basis).

We've seen brats on runways in previous collections and designs that call to mind the current idea of the "brat", at times combined with notes of punk, think about Helen Storey's binliner ballskirt or her "Rage" collection (S/S 90).

Storey's collection featured corsets covered with bullets and bras adorned with medals, designed during the Gulf War era. This collection provoked both outrage and empathy, expressing anxiety and personal rage stemming from the pressures of being a mother, artist, fashion designer, and woman (contrasting sentiments that Charli XCX expresses in her album; in "I Think About It All the Time," the singer reflects on these pressures, wondering, "Should I stop my birth control? / 'Cos my career feels so small in the existential scheme of it all").

The brat trend reached the political sphere when a couple of days ago Charli XCX posted on X (formerly Twitter) three words - "kamala IS brat." The reference hinted at Kamala Harris, the U.S. Vice President, who recently announced her bid for the presidency in the 2024 elections after President Joe Biden, aged 81, ended his re-election campaign due to concerns about his age and ability to lead.

Rather than questioning the meaning of the post, the official Kamala Harris HQ account on X embraced the reference. They quickly updated their banner to a lime green background, using the same font featured on Charli XCX's album. The trend of the summer suddenly exploded.

There are things that make the first Black and Asian American woman to serve as vice-president in American history, a brat: in 2020, on the campaign trail, Harris opted for a casual style and dynamic shoes such as sneakers and she was often spotted wearing the same clothes on different occasions (no, we're not implying that like "the brat" she doesn't wash….).

While an endorsement from Harris herself might have seemed forced or insincere, Charli XCX's support added authenticity and credibility, contrasting with Hillary Clinton's 2016 "Pokémon Go to the polls" invitation, which was widely perceived as contrived. Harris' campaign's prompt and positive reaction also signaled an effort to engage with younger voters, a demographic that many politicians, including candidates at the recent European elections, have often overlooked. Yet these are the voters that may make the real difference to the outcome of the 2024 election.

Since Joe Biden's exit from the race, Kamala Harris' presidential campaign has received over $100 million from Democratic Party donors, something that has deeply upset Republican candidate and former US president Donald Trump. His campaign filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission, accusing Harris' 2024 campaign of violating federal campaign finance laws by appropriating Biden's campaign funds.

Harris, who also received an endorsement from Vogue US (the magazine previously supported her when she became Vice President), has in the meantime gone viral thanks to the Charli xcx story and to people who turned into a meme a sentence ("You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?")  from a 2023 speech in which she shared her late mother's words - "I don't know what's wrong with you young people. You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?"

Will we see Harris wearing lime green clothes or even just shoes to add a "brat" accent to her outfits? Will Harris make it and become the first female president of the United States? And, in case, will we actually see Harris act like a brat in political matters and maybe take decisions like protecting abortion?

Time will tell. What we do know for sure at the moment is that Charli XCX's tweet livened the presidential race up, paving the way to a neon chartreuse summer. For those who want to join the trend, Charli's "brat" merchandise will be available from August, while unofficial "Kamala is brat" merchandise is already available on Etsy and you can bet it will be more popular than the usual political merchandise.

Will Women's Sports Ever Achieve Equal Media Coverage?

The Paris Olympic Games are just around the corner, and we're finally gearing up to see some exciting new disciplines (who's looking forward to breakdancing? I am!) But there's a question that's been haunting me: will female athletes receive the same level of recognition and importance as their male counterparts and equal media coverage as well?

These questions stem from a personal observation: often, we know the names of male athletes even if we don't follow their sports closely. Unfortunately, the same isn't always true for female athletes.

For instance, how many of us know that Tadej Pogačar recently won the Tour de France for the third time, even if we don't follow cycling? Many of us are certainly aware of his name. But how many people know who won the Giro d'Italia Women 2024, which ran from July 7th to 14th? It's likely that few are aware that Elisa Longo Borghini clinched the title for the first time, finishing ahead of Belgian Lotte Kopecky and Australian Neve Bradbury.

Although the Giro d'Italia Women has been held, under various names, since 1988, it still doesn't receive the same attention as the men's Giro. The latter, along with the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España, is one of the three major European professional cycling stage races. Held between May and June, this multi-stage race primarily takes place across Italy but sometimes starts or passes through other countries. It's a grand sports event that paints the streets and roads in pink, honoring the maglia rosa, the pink jersey awarded to the race leader.

In the areas where the cyclists pass, local authorities decorate the streets with pink flags and balloons, school children get a day off so that their parents can avoid major traffic disruptions, and locals set up impromptu installations and banners encouraging their heroes along the route to celebrate the passage of the carovana rosa (pink caravan).

The Giro d'Italia Women is instead usually shorter compared to the men's version and typically takes place in July, alongside the men's Tour de France. Usually it also receives minimal media coverage.

The final stage of the women's Giro on July 14, 2024, stretched from Pescara to L'Aquila. The day before, Neve Bradbury won the seventh stage, a challenging 120 km route from Lanciano to Blockhaus, a mountain peak in the Maiella massif.

This stage, which reached the highest point of the race at over 3,700 meters of elevation, finished at the Cima Alfonsina Strada (known as Cima Coppi in the men's Giro), named in honor of the pioneering female cyclist who competed in men's races like the Giro di Lombardia and the Giro d'Italia.

The Pescara-L'Aquila stage also featured Via del Circuito, which was once the route for the Pescara Grand Prix, a notable car race recognized for being one of the longest and most challenging circuits in motor racing history (the last Pescara Grand Prix, held in 1961, was among the final major car races conducted on city streets, similar to the Monaco Grand Prix).

Three days before the Giro d'Italia Women passed through this street, termporary signs warned the drivers that this was going to be a "no parking" area in the morning of 14th July as there was a "cycling race" passing by. There was no mention of the Giro d'Italia Women and the event was treated as if it were an amateur competition causing a temporary yet minor disruption in the area.

The streets were devoid of pink ribbons or flags; instead, an anonymous black arrow on a pink background marked the route for the cyclists, who faced sweltering temperatures ranging between 40°C and 46°C (the men's Giro usually occurs in May when temperatures are slightly cooler).

The lack of celebrations was a missed opportunity as this year marks the 100th anniversary of Alfonsina Strada's participation in the men's Giro d'Italia, a milestone that would have been nearly forgotten if not for the dedication of a peak in her honor.

Alfonsa Rosa Maria Morini, known by her married name Alfonsina Strada, was born in 1891 into a modest family. She learned to cycle when her father bought an old bicycle from the village doctor. Cycling quickly became Alfonsina's passion, though it was met with societal disapproval. Cycling was indeed deemed inappropriate for women, and those who pursued it were often seen as circus attractions or accused of immorality for enjoying the vibrations of their saddles.

Even other women disapproved of her tomboyish behavior, and Alfonsina earned the nickname "the devil in a dress" (though for professional competitions, she wore shorts and a black jersey). She often participated in races in secret, telling her mother she was going to Sunday Mass.

Alfonsina defied the norms and defeated male competitors, challenging a system that only saw women as mothers and housewives. When she married, her husband Luigi Strada, a mechanic who became her first supporter and manager, supported her passion. As a wedding gift, he gave her a racing bicycle and trained her on the streets of Milan.

In 1909, Alfonsina was invited to compete in the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in Russia and took part in the Giro di Lombardia in 1917 and 1918. By then, she had already broken the women’s speed record previously set by Louise Roger six years earlier.

In 1924, Alfonsina Strada participated in the Giro d'Italia (3,613 km) as a non-competitive entrant, supported by Emilio Colombo, the editor of La Gazzetta dello Sport, the daily sponsoring the race. Colombo saw her more as a media opportunity than a serious competitor. Alfonsina finished outside the time limit in the Perugia stage, after a particularly grueling segment in Abruzzo, and eventually she was denied further participation in the Giro. However, she remained a significant figure in various other races until 1938 when she set the women's hour record (35.28 km) in Longchamp.

I hear your, I know what you're saying, the Olympic Games are something else. They are indeed a major event, and one might hope for less gender bias in coverage. But let's not forget the past criticisms faced by female athletes - from skateboarding girls who were considered as inexperienced to Simone Biles being criticized for prioritizing her mental and physical health over competition at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. At the Paris Olympic Games there will be many standout athletes to watch, including American Sha'Carri Richardson, the fastest woman in the world (currently celebrated on Vogue US's digital cover), and British weightlifter Emily Campbell, one of the strongest women in the world.

While enjoying their performances, it's important to remember the ongoing disparities between male and female athletes. Many women in elite sports still need to hold ordinary jobs to support themselves (Emily Campbell self-funded her career by working as a receptionist), unlike their male counterparts who can often dedicate themselves fully to their sport.

Elite women athletes (from all sorts of sports, from Australia rugby to soccer, tennis, golf, track and field and many more) face indeed significant disparities compared to the multimillion-dollar men's sports. Despite her achievements, Alfonsina Strada was never truly recognized as a professional athlete in her time. Today, while these women are acknowledged as real athletes, they often still don't receive the same level of support and recognition as men.

Any further examples? The disparity between the men's and women's Giro d'Italia is even clearer when we look at numbers. In 2024, the men's Giro covered 3,317.5 km across 21 stages, while the women's Giro spanned 876.7 km over 8 stages, with a route from Brescia to L'Aquila that finished in central Italy without reaching the south. This difference in distance highlights the reduced scale of the women's event compared to the men's.

Historically, Alfonsina Strada competed in a much more demanding Giro, riding a single-speed bike over unpaved roads in post-war Italy (and once she also had to repair her broken handlebars with a broom handle).

Prize money further underscores the inequality. In 2024, the Giro d'Italia men's race awarded the overall winner 265,888 euros, distributed among all team members. At each stage of the competition, the winner received 11,000 euros, with a total stage prize pool of 578,340 euros (the awards for the first ten winners are not included in this amount).

In contrast, the Giro d'Italia Women's prize structure has been significantly lower. For instance, in 2021, the overall winner received 8,000 euros. Complaints led to increased prizes, and in 2023, the total prize pool was approximately 250,000 euros, with the overall winner receiving around 25,000 euros. Elisa Longo Borghini, the 2024 winner, earned 250,000 euros for her team, which, although an improvement, remains less than the prize money awarded in the men's Giro (I couldn't find on the Internet any other information about the other prizes at Giro Women).

While women's sports still struggle with limited sponsorship and exposure, it is also frustrating to see how male journalists cover women's sports, sometimes making inappropriate remarks about the athletes, while there are very few women reporting on men's sports. The Giro d’Italia Women’s coverage has been particularly disappointing, and improvements are needed.

Improvements are needed also for what regards sponsors. Could Mattel maybe play a role as well? Why Mattel? Well, Barbie has evolved significantly, with the brand recently introducing inclusive dolls such as a blind Barbie and a Black Barbie with Down's syndrome (after releasing in 2023 a white Barbie with Down's syndrome). Besides, in 2019, Kristina Vogel, the track cyclist paralyzed in a crash during a training ride, got her own Barbie doll as part of Mattel's Shero program. The Shero series, dedicated to role models and women breaking boundaries also includes other athletes, namely British boxer Nicola Adams, and American fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad (in 2019 rapper Rapsody dedicated to the Olympic medalist, who made history as the first Muslim-American woman to wear a hijab during the competition, her track "Ibtihaj"), so it may be expanded to feature further athletes and may tie in with a major event like the Giro d'Italia Women, something that would elevate its profile and attract more attention.

Food for thought for them. For what regards us, well, let's stay vigilant on the coverage of women's sports as we follow the Olympic Games, maybe moving also from the plate dedicated to Alfonsina Strada on the Blockhaus, reading "Your courage still inspires us". Life is indeed about having the courage to forge your own path and represent yourself fearlessly, like Alfonsina did, regardless of what others think.

From Intuition to Innovation: The Revolutionary Spray-On Shoes by On arrive at the Olympic Games in Paris

References to sports and the upcoming Olympic Games have appeared in various collections in the past few weeks. Dior wasn't the only fashion house to hint at Olympian excellence: Thom Browne's Haute Couture A/W 24 collection included a dress revealing muscles, hinting at the toned bodies of athletes, and three sequined and embroidered blazers in bronze, silver, and gold (all matched with boots featuring soles sprouting running cleats), recreating the Olympic medal podium. Browne's collection also closed with a model framed by an oversized Olympic laurel.

Yet, as the games kick off later this week, our focus shouldn't just be on medals, podiums, and collections paying tribute to the games, but on the actual performances. Some of these performances will indeed be accompanied by new technical developments worth noting.

While most of us may have thought the spray-on shoes in the animated film Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs were pure fantasy (at least until we saw also a spray-on dress on the runways...) with some serious nightmarish side effects (in the film they can't come off once you've sprayed them on...), the Swiss brand On, founded in Zurich by Olivier Bernhard, David Allemann, and Caspar Coppetti in 2010, has made them a reality and the best part is that On has even overcome the initial problem Flint Lockwood had in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.

The inspiration for the shoes actually came from a Halloween decoration, not the animated film. A member of the On Innovation Team saw a video of a hot glue gun making spider webs and thought the technology could be used for shoes. They created a prototype with a modified hot glue gun and then developed a unit that produces a continuous filament.

The results of more trials and errors led the research teams to the final model: the Cloudboom Strike LS trainer features a foam-rubber and carbon fiber sole topped by a lightweight, low-carbon upper. This upper is created in just one production step by spraying a single 1.5-kilometer-long thermoplastic filament onto a mold using a robotic arm. The upper is attached to the midsole, which contains 40 percent castor oil, using thermal fusing technology.

Remarkably, this shoe sets a record, as the upper can be sprayed in just three minutes. It weighs only 30 grams, with the entire men's trainer weighing just 170 grams and the women's trainer only 158 grams - hence the sprayable technology is called LightSpray™.

This manufacturing process eliminates the need for multiple materials: while some modern uppers may be knitted or woven, most are made from leather or PVC and glued to the rest of the shoe. Recycling materials and components from ordinary trainers is practically impossible due to the lengthy and expensive disassembly process, making traditional sneakers highly polluting.

The Cloudboom Strike LS trainer is made using just seven components, eliminating the need for laces and making the shoes easier to recycle. The shoes can indeed be melted down and remade, contributing to their sustainability. Additionally, the manufacturing process, being shorter, produces lower carbon emissions compared to other trainers, including On’s other racing shoes.

These shoes offer both comfort and performance, making them ideal for athletes. The ability to rapidly prototype the footwear means that athletes can quickly receive shoes tailored to their fit and preferences.

At the Paris Olympic Games, several athletes, including Kenyan long-distance runner Hellen Obiri, will wear the Cloudboom Strike LS. Initially skeptical, Obiri changed her mind after winning the Boston Marathon earlier this year in a Cloudboom Strike LS prototype.

Though the shoes are currently made at On's headquarters in Zurich, the brand will showcase the technology to the public at a pop-up in Paris during the Olympics. The pop-up will be located at 27 Bd Jules Ferry, 75011, Paris, from July 27th to August 10th and from August 28th to September 8th. Then the Cloudboom Strike LS will be available again in Autumn/Winter 2024 (interested consumers can sign up at on.com/lightspray to be notified of its availability in different markets).

Will the technology be developed further and applied to other fields? Time will tell, but it would be interesting to see if this technology could be adapted for other types of shoes and disciplines. While ballet purists might object to replacing traditional hand-made en pointe shoes with something more futuristic, it would be intriguing to explore solutions for ballet dancers, who typically go through many shoes in their lifetime. Spray-on en pointe shoes might not provide sufficient support for a dancer's calves, but On's first patented CloudTec technology, which cushions the foot and allows a softer landing and better push-off during runs, could potentially be reimagined for footwear specifically designed to help dancers during breaks.

Another promising application could be in the field of medical shoes for patients with specific conditions, such as those with diabetes.

It's surprising that a smaller company like On, developed such innovative technology, outpacing sportswear megabrands like Adidas and Nike, who often tout their high-performance shoes and extensive research units. Perhaps these larger brands have been more focused on investing on analytics and consumer data, causing them to lag in innovation.

On, meanwhile, went from strength to strength, thanks to great intuitions, research and innovative technologies. Their Cloudmonster sneakers became rather popular in the last few years, attracting a fast-growing global fan base. The brand has also launched collaborations, designing a shoe with Swiss tennis champion Roger Federer and releasing collections with luxury brand Loewe (View this photo) and singer FKA twigs. At the Paris Olympics, On will also provide uniforms for the Swiss team. The games haven't started yet, but it looks like some sportswear winners are already emerging.