Harry and Meghan Reminded Us All Not To Trust The Tabloids
In & Out is W's weekly newsletter rundown of what's necessary to know in fashion and culture, and what you can just let pass you on by. To get it in your inbox every Thursday morning, subscribe here (be sure to check the "In & Out Weekly" box when signing up). This week, we ruminate on the just concluded fashion week, the massive fallout from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s interview with Oprah Winfrey, and Lena Dunham’s new teen-centric tv show.
In: The Accessories and Sets of Fashion Week
Out: Millennial Aesthetics
The recently concluded spate of fashion weeks fell during quite a particular time. The clothes being shown will largely show up in shops next fall, a time when (and let’s not jinx this) hopefully, we’ll all have more excuses to dress up outside of the house...even if we still have to match outfits with a mask. Still, the presentations themselves are taking place amid the realities of a largely uncontrolled pandemic. By this point, almost every brand has given up on having actual audiences, but many used that freedom to push forward. Louis Vuitton held their show in an otherwise empty Louvre. Miu Miu filmed theirs atop the Italian Alps. Loewe declared their show “cancelled,” and just sent out photos alongside the first chapter from an upcoming Danielle Steel novel. If anything, this odd period has allowed houses to test the idea of what a fashion show even is or could be, and, yet, at the end of the day it’s still all about the clothes real people are supposed to wear. Though, we were left with the distinct impression that the houses were dialing down on presenting their versions of existing trends and making blockbuster accessories more than ever. Matthew Williams's first official “show” at Givenchy was full of his own distinct takes on moments from fashion history that have current relevance. Versace, meanwhile, introduced a new “La Greca” print to continue the logomania trend. And, yes, to the pleasure of Gen-Zers on TikTok, there were plenty of center parts and wide-legged trousers to be found. See the best looks from the Milan here and the finest from Paris here.
In: Harry and Meghan, Natch
Out: Royal Reporting as Usual
One thing that struck us while watching Oprah’s expert interview of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry is how odd the reporting on the royal family really is. So much of it is presented as some soap-operatic tragedy among family, when, in fact, there’s an entire bureaucracy surrounding the family. “The Firm” isn’t comprised of just the royal family members, but the network of aides, advisors, and staff around them, too. In fact, much of Markle’s discomfort with life within the royal walls seems to lie in the fact that she needed the approval to do simple stuff like get lunch with friends or was told “no” by unnamed staffers when she wanted to seek mental health treatment. It’s truly a bizarre situation, and one we should take into account more when reading royal news. Indeed, just looking at the timeline of Harry splitting his own staff from Prince William may help us understand a lot of the drama better. We’ve all had problems with family, but not all of us have had to worry about a brother or uncle’s press secretary leaking the details to a tabloid.
In: Lena Dunham Goes Gen-Z
Out: Grimy Tom Holland
Lena Dunham may be attached as a producer, but HBO Max’s new series Generation is literally for and by Gen-Z. No, really—actual teenager Zelda Barnz created it alongside her producer father. Starring Justice Smith (of Detective Pikachu fame), the show features a group of teenagers testing out the boundaries of sexuality, gender, and queerness in a conservative suburban setting. Critics are picking on promising signs from the first few episodes, but whether or not it's worth a watch by someone old enough to rent a car is still up for debate (and perhaps a matter of personal preference). Netflix’s new series The One is a sci-fi romance in the most literal sense. It’s about a distant future where matchmakers use DNA tests to find your perfect soulmate. No reviews have been released yet.
Over on Apple TV+, they’ve got Tom Holland reteaming with Avengers: Endgame directors the Russo Brothers in Cherry. Holland, your current favorite clean-cut British boy, plays a beaten-down American veteran who is so addicted to opioids he turns to a life of crime. Reviews, however, are all over the place, with even the critics who liked it admitting it has its flaws. Hulu, meanwhile, has Kid 90, which is actually a documentary made from the old home videos of none other than Soleil Moon Frye when she was at the peak of her teen fame. In other words, here’s a documentary for you if you wished stars of Beverly Hills 90210 and Saved By the Bell had Instagram Stories in their heyday.
Finally, this Sunday night brings the Grammy Awards. Word is, it will be heavy on performance, and much lighter than the Golden Globes’ awkward Zoomed-in acceptance speeches. Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish, Cardi B, Megan The Stallion, and BTS are all set to perform. In fact, it’s a lineup good enough to make you forget how horrible the actual nominations were this year (No, we still have no idea who Black Pumas or Jacob Collier are).
