With a couture archive as expansive as Dior ’s, it was only a matter of time before the clothes started escaping the wardrobe. For her latest Haute Couture collection , artistic director Cordelia de Castellane has literalised that sentiment, lifting the folds, cinched waists and structures of Christian Dior’s most celebrated mid-century runway looks and turning them into fine white porcelain.

Comprising two architectural vases and a sculptural carafe, the trio shifts the visual language of the haute couture atelier straight onto the dining table.

Each piece is modelled after a specific historical blueprint: the elegantly draped Théâtre de verdure, the curved petals of the Tulipe, and the crisp, geometric pleats of the Plissé. To capture the movement of the original fabric, artisans construct bespoke moulds that mimic every curve and fabric roll. Liquid porcelain is then poured into the structures, allowed to set and later carefully freed by hand before beginning a demanding manual finishing process.

Once the raw porcelain is carefully sanded down to a soft finish, tiny raised dragonflies are individually sculpted and applied to the surface of the Théâtre de verdure carafe — a nod to the house’s long-standing fixation with botanical gardens. The references are easy to spot across the selection.

Tulipe takes cues from the rounded, flower-like form of its namesake, while Plissé translates the folds of fabric into a permanent three-dimensional structure. A final plunge into an enamel bath followed by high-temperature firing coaxes out the shifting shadows and milky iridescence of the ceramic.

The wider Haute Couture Maison collection extends the same approach beyond porcelain, with silver-finish metal pieces, a navy calfskin round box, the Dior Macaron trinket tray and a wood-effect rectangular vase joining the line.

The new Dior Maison haute couture porcelain pieces are available now in flagships and online. Discover more here .

photography. courtesy of Sophie Tajan for Dior words. Gennaro Costanzo

During this year’s edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, W Hotels brought its signature storytelling series ‘ Hotel Tales ‘ to Toronto with actress Avantika Vandanapu at the centre of an intimate evening celebrating creativity, culture and connection. For this instalment in the series, which has been celebrated by the likes of Chloë Sevigny, Ziwe and Orville Peck , W Toronto became the setting, spotlighting Vandanapu and her experience discovering the city through the distinctive lens of W Hotels.

Her instalment celebrates the welcoming spirit of W Hotels and how a simple recommendation can easily turn into a spontaneous night with the tagline: “You had to be there. Next time, be there.”

To mark the occasion, W Hotels hosted an intimate Connector’s Dinner at TONO by Akira Back , the signature dining destination within the newly reimagined W Toronto. Held on Thursday, September 10, the evening brought together a curated group of media, creatives and cultural tastemakers from across Toronto.

Located in the heart of Yorkville, a pocket of the city where fashion, culture, design and nightlife intersect, W Toronto has recently unveiled a significant transformation that reimagines the hotel as a dynamic cultural destination.

Designed by acclaimed studio Chapi Chapo Design, the refreshed interiors pay homage to Yorkville’s bohemian roots through vibrant spaces and jewel-toned guestrooms, complemented by a curated collection of local artwork celebrating the city’s diversity and creative spirit. Over dinner and drinks, guests gathered to celebrate Vandanapu’s latest chapter in Hotel Tales while embracing the spirit at the heart of the series: unexpected encounters, new perspectives and the people shaping contemporary culture.

The evening reflected W Hotels’ continued focus on connecting guests with the people, places and experiences defining the cultural landscape. Against the backdrop of TIFF, Toronto provided a fitting setting for a night centred on storytelling and discovery.

Learn more about W Toronto at marriott.com .

Natasha Poly, Daiane Sodré, Candice Swanepoel, Amelia Gray and Ming Xi by Steven Meisel.

There was a time when the gym bag was something you tried to hide before heading anywhere else; ALO would now like us to consider the possibility that it might be the best-looking thing we carry all day. For Autumn/Winter 2026 , the Los Angeles wellness label returns with the second chapter of its handbag collection, bringing new silhouettes, Italian-made leather, a clever new take on mesh and, for the first time, a full range of small leather goods.

Following the previous collaborations with Bella Hadid and Kylie Jenner , the latest collection is taken over by fashion photographer Steven Meisel, who returns with a high-energy campaign featuring supermodels Amelia Gray , Candice Swanepoel and Daiane Sodré alongside newcomers Ming Xi and Natasha Poly .

“Building on the iconic visual language of our first bag campaign, we wanted to evolve the story through new faces, unexpected propping, and a greater sense of movement,” says Summer Nacewicz , ALO’s Executive Vice President of Marketing & Creative. “Steven brought an energy to the imagery that feels both sexy and inherently sporty – capturing the confidence, magnetism, and momentum that define the women who carry these bags.”

Natasha Poly and Ming Xi by Steven Meisel.

At the centre of the collection is the new Unwind Cinch, a softly structured silhouette arriving in medium and mini sizes, with the proportions designed to accommodate the realities of daily life without looking remotely like standard gym equipment. The bag comes in black, espresso and warm gravel, with each paired with one of ALO’s Intention Crystals: Smoky Quartz, associated with grounding and protection, or Yellow Tiger’s Eye, which the brand links to confidence, courage and personal strength.

Leather Mesh brings another twist to the collection, taking one of ALO’s most recognisable sporty materials and translating it into Italian leather. The laser-cut pattern creates an airy, perforated surface before each piece is finished by hand in Florence, and the fabrication appears across the Mini Unwind Bag, Shoulder Voyage and Tranquility Tote.

“We were inspired by one of the most prominent fabrications in our line, mesh; and wanted to interpret it in leather to create something entirely new,” says Abby Gordon, ALO’s Chief Design & Merchandising Officer.

The Shoulder Voyage gives ALO’s familiar Voyage silhouette a more compact shape suited to everyday wear, while the Leather Mesh Tranquility Tote takes the same perforated treatment into a larger carryall. Elsewhere, the collection continues with more traditional leather versions, all made in Florence from responsibly sourced Italian leather and finished with hand-painted edges and custom-forged hardware.

Amelia Gray and Candice Swanepoel by Steven Meisel.

For the first time, ALO is also moving beyond bags with a small leather goods collection comprising a card holder, zip card holder, zip around wallet, passport cover and small crescent pouch. The pieces are made using the same Italian leather and construction as the handbags.

The ALO Autumn/Winter 2026 Accessories Collection is now available to preorder at ALO Sanctuaries worldwide and online. Purchases will start from 16 September. Discover more here .

photography. courtesy of Steven Meisel for ALO words. Gennaro Costanzo

Jil Sander values a table: not as an object, not just as an object, not just as a surface, but as a reason to communicate. “I love to invite people to sit down with me, especially if things need to be debated,” she tells Schön! alive.

“Once you speak eye to eye, candour and trust are almost a given. You can talk on the phone or in a video conference, but a table provides a shared centre, which makes the communication special and more meaningful.”

For someone whose career has been defined by an almost architectural solitude of vision, the admission is almost disarming, and it says something essential about what JS . THONET – her first official foray into furniture design – is really about. The collection, created in collaboration with one of Germany’s oldest and most revered furniture houses, is built around objects that bring people together, the table chief among them.

See the full feature now only in Schön! alive .

JS . THONET | armchair S 64. design. edited personally by Jil Sander

Get your print copy of Schön! alive at our Schön! store and at Amazon . Download your eBook .

words. Gennaro Costanzo images. Courtesy of THONET GmbH @ thonet.de