An object that passes for a tailored gold belt from the 1930s is a far more amusing way to track the passing hours than any digital screen. Van Cleef & Arpels has expanded its Ludo Secret Watches collection , reviving a mischievous Parisian design that transforms a serious timepiece into an elaborate game of hide-and-seek.
First imagined in 1934, the Ludo silhouette’s cheeky name comes from Louis Arpels’ nickname, referencing the buckled waistlines of high-end French couture. Its flexible gold links wrap around the wrist like woven fabric, concealing a miniature timepiece beneath an elaborate clasp.
The latest addition to the family looks back to an archival iteration from 1949, matching an 18-karat yellow gold chassis with rows of mirror-polished, brick-shaped briquette links. Each element is carefully adjusted and assembled by hand, allowing the bracelet to curve fluidly around the wrist.
The visual drama comes from the contrast between the warm gold and a rich arrangement of blue sapphires, set into generous half-moon motifs that echo the shape of the buckle.
The Ludo Secret watch, Van Cleef & Arpels.
Van Cleef & Arpels’ gemmologists selected the sapphires according to the Maison’s exacting standards, prioritising an intense, clear and even blue, alongside their purity and quality of cut. The stones’ graduated sizes heighten the interplay of colour against the polished gold. To reveal the time, the wearer presses both sides of the sapphire-set clasp simultaneously, opening the cover to unveil a white guilloché mother-of-pearl dial, complete with a baguette-cut sapphire at twelve o’clock.
The wider collection continues to explore the Maison’s fascination with traditional decorative techniques. A yellow-gold version, introduced in 2024, features guilloché engraving, a practice used by Van Cleef & Arpels since the 1910s. Fine parallel lines radiate across the metal like sunbeams, catching the light as the wrist moves. Two rose-gold interpretations offer a different kind of sparkle, with either diamonds or pink sapphires arranged around the dial in graduated, radiating patterns.
The new Van Cleef & Arpels Ludo Secret Watches are available to view by appointment across select international boutiques. Discover more here .
photography. courtesy of Arnaud Lajeunie for Van Cleef & Arpels words. Gennaro Costanzo
It’s finally time to start layering and picking out our favourite autumn essentials for the most orange month of the year — and Octobre Éditions has arrived with the perfect lookbook. The Parisian label’s latest collection delivers a sharp curation of cold-weather layers built to move effortlessly through the seasonal chill, focusing on rich textures, substantial fabric weights and timeless silhouettes.
The outerwear focuses primarily on clean lines and protective, weather-ready fabrics, like the Hugh coat, a structured wool design that sets a classic tone for the city commute. For a sportier alternative, the Tarlon Blouson and the Weldon coat introduce casual, utility-focused proportions that layer comfortably over heavy winter knits.
Coordinate options are plentiful, thanks to an expansive knitwear lineup, featuring the thick-ribbed Salisbury sweater, the textured Grisons sweater and the Loran cardigan, which can be styled open over a button-down shirt for a relaxed appearance.
The lower half of the body receives a more practical approach through tailored but comfortable trousers. The Aubrey and Prescott casual trousers offer a clean alternative to traditional tailoring, pairing naturally with casual pieces like the lightweight, buttoned talon polo or the classic Cassius tunic.
For denim devotees, the straight-cut Crispin jeans and Warlin jeans match the heavy knits with an everyday type of durability. Accessories complete the seasonal mood, adding subtle texture hits through the patterned Stratford square scarf and the Haden cap.
The collection’s colour palette leans into a deeply atmospheric, autumnal array of tones. Rich forest greens, warm camel browns, charcoal greys and cream white shades run alongside classic navy and textured checked flannels, reflecting the natural shifts of the changing season.
This rich spectrum comes alive across the accessories and new leather goods. For daily transit or short getaways, the collection introduces the spacious Kley Tote Bag in hand-finished canvas and leather, running parallel to the Larkins Weekend Bag built for travel.
Discover the Octobre Éditions Autumn selection here .
photography. courtesy of Octobre Éditions words. Gennaro Costanzo
What will this winter bring? A cosy chalet in the mountains, or perhaps a stylish ski adventure across snow-covered slopes? Louis Vuitton has thought of all the possibilities. The new LV Ski 2026 collection features just about everything, from sumptuous textures and oversized 1990s silhouettes to a welcome dose of humour, with statement bags, futuristic ski goggles and even matching outerwear for your four-legged companion.
For women, brushed-silk hooded jackets, cashmere piqué knits and Sherpa denim soften the technical side of winter dressing, while the men’s selection ranges from Monogram Macassar puffers with matching snow trousers to a water-repellent snowboarding hoodie with integrated, ventilated face protection. Checked patterns, loose-fitting 1990s silhouettes and fleece layers carry the look into après-ski territory, where the most strenuous activity might be securing a table by the fire.
The Cortina boots, meanwhile, arrive with chunky lug soles and generous shearling linings.
Obviously, the bags are where the collection has the most fun. Classics like the Alma BB or the Speedy Bandoulière arrive in Monogram Pearly, with its frosted, pearlescent finish, alongside Monogram Empreinte Frozen and the silver Monogram Miroir, which updates the brand’s historic 1891 metal trunks with a retro-futuristic holographic rainbow sheen.
For a fairytale take on Alpine life, the LV Lodge evokes a miniature mountain chalet, complete with a pitched roof and Monogram details, while the Ice Breaker bag adds a playful, characterful touch with its shearling finish and new strass chain charms. Even the Capucines gets in on the cosy act, with cashmere and shearling giving the house favourite an après-ski makeover.
Menswear takes a more ‘reflective’ route, with the new Monogram Reflective canvas catching the light across the Keepall 25, Trio Messenger, Discovery Backpack and Rush Bumbag. Gold shearling gives other travel favourites, including the Christopher Backpack and Keepall, a particularly wintry makeover, while the Speedy P9 30 plays a visual trick with velvety calfskin that mimics denim, finished with white shearling details.
For visibility on the slopes, the new LV 360 ski goggles pair a sculptural, wraparound silhouette with an interchangeable lens system designed to adapt to changing light and weather conditions. The LV Lock mask also returns in new colourways, with interchangeable lenses available with or without the Monogram motif.
These futuristic designs sit alongside a two-tone Damier wooden snowboard, because even the equipment deserves to coordinate. Elsewhere, Monogram Snowflake and Argyle motifs bring a graphic twist to sweaters, sweatshirts, beanies and scarves, while the LV Skier logo adds a playful tribute to winter-sport nostalgia.
And just when you thought the family wardrobe was complete, Louis Vuitton introduces outerwear for the smallest companions. The LV Ski pet range includes a black Dog Puffer Jacket with a denim-effect finish and contrasting Monogram signature, designed to match the women’s puffer, alongside camel-coloured fleece jackets that echo the collection’s human-sized designs. Now, the only question is whether your four-legged companion will let you borrow its coat.
The new Louis Vuitton LV Ski 2026 collection launches in selected boutiques worldwide on 22 October. Find out more here .
photography. courtesy of Louis Vuitton words. Gennaro Costanzo
Wedding cakes, red lighting and elaborate embellishment tell you everything about how H&M and Elie Saab like to celebrate a collaboration. Earlier this week, the two brands gathered at Berlin’s historic Orangery Charlottenburg to mark their upcoming collection, offering guests a first look at the glamour set to arrive in stores later this month.
The evening began on the red carpet, where Emilia Schüle , Caro Daur , Nic Kaufmann , Lera Abova , Stefanie Giesinger , Justus Riesner and more arrived to celebrate the partnership. Inside, a long dining table and red-lit surroundings set the tone, drawing on the collection’s sense of opulence and occasionwear.
French musician Braths , the stage name of Thomas Horeczko, supplied the evening’s live soundtrack, while cake artist Sophia Stolz unveiled a rather fitting centrepiece: a wedding cake inspired by the collection’s bridal gown. The creation nodded to Saab’s longstanding association with bridalwear, before cocktails and DJ sets by Kean Farrar carried the celebration into the night.
The collection brings the Lebanese designer’s couture sensibility into H&M’s world, spanning womenswear, menswear, shoes and accessories. Expect embellished evening gowns, shimmering separates and sharply cut suits, alongside fine lace, gradient sequins and the house’s signature monograms. Knitwear and tailored separates also feature, extending the collection beyond formal dressing and into the everyday wardrobe.
“I am very happy with this collaboration and with the way we worked together with the H&M team to bring the collection to life. It has been a truly collaborative and inspiring process,” Saab said following the announcement in early September. H&M’s Creative Advisor and Head of Design Womenswear, Ann-Sofie Johansson, described the range as “a magical, ornate and glamorous collection.”
Berlin follows a Paris celebration at the Palais Brongniart last month, where Amelia Gray, Gabbriette, Iris Law and Anok Yai were among the guests at another preview, accompanied by a performance from Robin S.
The Elie Saab x H&M collection launches on 22 October in selected stores and online, bringing a touch of couture fantasy to the everyday wardrobe. Discover more here .
photography. courtesy of Teun Sand for H&M words. Gennaro Costanzo