Lucy Rae McFadin’s hat obsession goes back to age 6, when a pink-and-black-striped Claire’s cap became a wardrobe staple. The fascination stuck, and years later, after building a career as a model, stylist, and D.J., Lucy still found herself searching in vain for headwear as considered as the rest of her closet. Confident she could fill the gap, the self-proclaimed hat queen set out to create Ditsy in 2025, dreaming up playful, off-kilter hats for fashion lovers who don’t take themselves—or getting dressed—too seriously. Ahead of her brand’s launch, McFadin brings us along as she shops for fabric in New York’s garment district, shoots the first campaign, and puts the finishing touches on the hats she hopes will soon be in your closet.

The finished Layered Beanie being modeled in the campaign :’) It was an exhilarating process to turn my ideas into a brand.

July 2025. One of my first visits to the garment district. I probably spent four hours in this office space alone, touching different swatches and trying to learn how each material moves.

Our first collection is made entirely from jersey material. Soft, breathable, and designed so it can be worn throughout every season.

Care-label process.

Major shoutout to my boyfriend, who quickly became our graphic designer, P.A., finance team, and problem-solver overnight. I genuinely couldn’t have done this without him <3

Signs from my TikTok comments that I was on the right track. Self-proclaiming myself as the hat queen from now on, pls and thank u.

March 2026. Wear-testing our Convertible Scarf in the wild!

One of my favorite things about the garment district is how much still happens the old-fashioned way. I walk in, explain what I needed, and come back four weeks later to finished labels. A refreshingly trusting process with 0 confirmation emails.

Receiving our first finished products in May was a surreal moment. Most of my career has existed online, so finally holding something I’d brought from an idea to a physical product felt incredibly rewarding.

Moving onto the fun stuff…we shot ecom in June on the beautiful @kingsephi!

And the stunning @heyeloisa! The epitome of the Ditsy girl and forever my original muses.

One of my best friends @jardnassac styled both of our shoots! I am so grateful to be surrounded by such talented and creative individuals <3

Announced the launch date the only way that seemed fit…a 5-foot-long custom bussdown wig made by @mari4l3jandra.

Campaign fitting photos…I told Cassie the vibes were “cool girl goes to summer camp.” Fittings are always one of my favorite parts. I love playing dress up.

ROAD TRIP TIMEEE! Whoever allowed me to rent a 14-passenger van should probably be fired lol.

Making it work with D.I.Y. clothing racks in the cabin.

The campaign was shot by my dear friend @tanyar. Tanya is literally a jack of all trades and somehow a master of them all too. It’s incredible to watch.

The simple life.

A true passion project at play.

Now we prep for launch day. August 20th at 12 P.M. E.D.T. on www.ditsyheadwear.com. See you there!!!

Granny clothes, childhood photographs, old magazines, dog-eye views: Central Saint Martins’ latest undergraduate class found inspiration everywhere except the obvious places. Last month, their showcase in London resembled a memory box cracked open and emptied onto the runway, full of private references that somehow felt instantly familiar. Chi Wei transformed the patterns of her grandmother’s clothes into designs adorned with colorful beading and childlike bows. Polina Kadilnikova created industrial looks from photographs of her Ukrainian childhood interrupted by war.

Other standouts wove stories of their own, from Dalston market stalls to Arab interiors to family snapshots, into garments made of all kinds of materials, from silk chiffon to ceramic and steel. One month out, and just getting a hold of their summer schedules, six of the recent graduates take us behind the scenes and give us a peek of what’s to come.

Polina Kadilnikova, 21

What was the starting point for your graduate collection?

I wanted to extend a memory of a place that no longer exists by talking about the war in Ukraine and what it means to lose your home to war and occupation. My starting point was the question: If you had to relocate and leave everything behind, would your personality survive?

Which piece is the heart of the collection?

The swan metal dress. It is something I planned to do from the very beginning, but it only came to life within the last week of the year. I used steel to allude to war through materiality, but I’ve also always felt a deep connection to metal work. The process of making it feels very meditative. Some work has a better chance to live if you give it time.

How have you been spending your summer since graduating?

I’ve been walking around a lot. Summer is the perfect occasion for walks with no destinations or plans.

Describe the fashion scene in London right now.

Young and free.

One thing every aspiring fashion student should know?

It’s nice to feel lost. When you achieve all of your goals, there’s always something after that you won’t be prepared for. It’s a privilege to be able to experiment with your work and figure out who you are while you’re still a student.

Prakarti Agarwal, 23

What was the starting point for your graduate collection?

While I was doing an internship in India I took photographs of everyday scenes. It was the first time I had spent an extended period there. Rather than capturing surface-level observations, I found myself documenting quieter, more meaningful interactions. When reflecting on the trip afterwards, I realized I had created a collection of photographs that felt connected. Together, they told a story that I wanted to bring to life through this project.

Which piece is the heart of the collection?

Look two: It features a series of ceramic belt-buckle pieces that I hand-sculpted and incorporated into the garment. I wanted to engineer it so that the ceramic pieces became an integral part of the garment. They are woven directly into the dress, allowing the ceramics and textile to work together as one piece. It was inspired by photographs I took of beautiful buildings in India, and it pushed me to explore how I could translate something abstract and architectural into a wearable garment.

Do you have any overarching influences that surface again and again?

I have a large archive of film photographs from when my mum was around my age. They carry a sense of femininity defined by freedom, carelessness, and an effortless energy—qualities I wanted to capture in the person I imagine wearing my clothes. I reinterpreted these influences through my own perspective and design language so the garments feel lived-in, contemporary, and personal, rather than simply nostalgic.

Do you have a favorite designer brand?

Chloé—probably Spring/Summer 2000 or 2002, and also Fall/Winter 2026.

One thing every aspiring fashion student should know?

Trust your own perspective. The more personal your work is, the more authentic it becomes.

Harley Angrabeit, 24

What was the starting point for your graduate collection?

Simply stepping outside my front door. Everyday moments that make up life in Dalston: walking to Ridley Road Market, listening to music, eating Caribbean food, shopping for clothes, makeup, hair products, and bags. I photographed colors, textures, market stalls, and conversations that I found interesting, which inspired my silhouettes, material choices, and styling.

Do you have any overarching influences that surface again and again?

I’ve traveled to Jamaica to visit my family, and the colors, energy, and confidence there have shaped the way I see fashion. There’s a cultural pull that I always come back to. Jamaica has taught me to embrace boldness, to be audacious, raw, and unapologetic. That spirit runs through everything I create, whether it’s the silhouettes, styling, or attitude. Even when a collection isn’t directly inspired by Jamaica, those memories and that mindset are always there in the background. It’s less about recreating what I saw and more about capturing the confidence, resilience, and vibrancy that I’ve experienced throughout my life.

What is your memory of when you first got into fashion?

My first real expression through fashion came after I was expelled from high school. I was a depressed teenager, isolated in my bedroom with very little connection to the outside world. My phone became my window into different worlds, where I discovered new music, fashion, and creative communities that made me feel understood. I began cutting up my clothes, styling outfits, and teaching myself how to design. With nowhere to go and nothing to do, I poured everything into creating an imaginary version of the life I wanted to live and the person I wanted to become.

What made you want to pursue fashion as a career?

Fashion became an escape, a form of self-expression, and a way to imagine a future that felt bigger than the room I was confined to. What began as a way of coping with loneliness eventually became my purpose. Through making clothes and music, I realized I could build a world of my own, and that world is what ultimately led me to pursue fashion as a career.

How have you been spending your summer since graduating?

I’ve been back in the music studio, shooting once a week, and lending my graduate collection for last-minute style pulls, seeing the pieces go beyond the runway and become part of other people’s creative visions. I’m also working on the next steps for my brand, ParisN’London. A typical day is honestly a mix of designing, creating, meetings, shoots, studio sessions, and problem-solving, and of course a glass of wine at the end of it all. It’s busy, but I love that every day looks different and that I’m constantly building something across fashion and music.

Qinnan Li, 26

What was the starting point for your graduate collection?

I had already been exploring non-human-centered perspectives, but always through philosophy, metaphysics, and abstract art. Then when I got my dog, my everyday life was turned upside down. I wanted to express non-human-centered perspectives in a more lived, intimate way. So all of my designs are inspired by a dog’s upward glance at the world.

What is your creative process like? Are there any creative rituals you do?

It’s almost like solving a crime scene where you have few clues to begin with, and you just collect every possible piece of evidence. Finally you put all of the evidence together. I like open-ended stories.

Do you have any overarching influences?

The idea of peripheral vision—not just visually but conceptually. I’m interested in the things that exist at the edges of our attention: animals, children, the objects we overlook, the perspectives we’re not trained to take seriously. There’s something humbling about stepping outside the human center, realizing we’re not the only ones looking, feeling, and leaving marks on the world. It’s never comfortable to unlearn the way you’ve been taught to see. But that discomfort feels honest. And every time I revisit it, whether through [John] Berger’s writing, or simply watching my dog move through a room, I find something I missed before.

What is your memory of when you first got into fashion?

My mom. She’s a knitter, so all of my childhood outfits were handmade and styled by her. But I had zero knowledge of pattern-making and sewing. I learned how to make my first denim jacket from YouTube.

Do you have a favorite designer or runway show?

Maison Margiela Spring/Summer 2024 Artisanal by [John] Galliano.

Zahra Al-Najjar, 27

What was the starting point for your graduate collection?

I explored objects from Arab living spaces that evoked a sense of nostalgia, translating those familiar textures and feelings of belonging from my upbringing into the collection. I was looking through magazines for inspiration when I began thinking about making these reference materials visible within the garments themselves. From there, the focus shifted towards celebrating the influential Arab women who shaped both my life and Iraqi society. I reached out to the Iraqi Print Archive for support, and using the materials they shared, I developed a series of prints that became central to the collection.

Which piece is the heart of the collection?

The calligraphy dress. It was created in collaboration with the incredible artist Nayab Ahmed, who traveled to Egypt to further refine her practice and produce the calligraphy using traditional materials and techniques. It was then printed onto crystal-pleated silk chiffon, which I draped directly on the mannequin to create the final silhouette.

Do you have any overarching influences that surface again and again?

My childhood growing up in an Iraqi household in the West. Even when I begin a project that isn’t intentionally about my culture, I often find myself naturally returning to my upbringing and things that evoke nostalgia. Those memories feel authentic to my experience and continue to shape the stories I want to tell through my work.

Describe the fashion scene in London right now. Are you planning on staying in the city?

I grew up in the U.K., so London really feels like home to me. Whenever I travel, I always look forward to coming back. The fashion scene is a little quiet at the moment, but there’s still a strong creative energy here that keeps it very much alive.

What’s inspiring you outside of fashion right now?

Arab orchestras. There’s something really special about the atmosphere, as well as the way people dress—it’s an exciting expressive scene within the city.

Chi Wei, 23

What was the starting point for your graduate collection?

I started with childhood memories and objects that I grew up with at home—jewelry boxes, stationery, stickers, glass ornaments, fridge covers, plastic accessories, and the prints from my grandmother’s clothes. They may not look like fashion at first, but they help me build a visual world in my mind. I wanted to translate these memories into garments through materials, textures, color, and silhouette, almost as if I was reconstructing a memory box through clothing. While it’s personal, many people can recognize that feeling of nostalgia.

Which piece is the heart of the collection?

My final look: a fully beaded coat inspired by my granny’s garment print. The beads are very heavy, and the slow process of making it felt like meditating.

What was the moment that you first got into fashion?

Since I was young, I was always interested in the way people dressed, especially my family members. I remember looking closely at my granny’s clothes: the prints, colors, buttons, and small decorative details. I didn’t understand fashion as a profession, but I was already attracted to clothing as something emotional and personal. Later, I realised that garments can hold memory.

Do you have a favorite designer?

Miuccia Prada. I love the simplicity of her silhouettes and her idea of ugly chic. She uses things that people might consider outdated or unfashionable, but through her combinations they become beautiful and desirable. That way of thinking has influenced this project. Nothing is truly ugly; it just needs to find the right place to exist.

One thing every aspiring fashion student should know?

Sometimes an idea only becomes strong after you struggle with it for a long time. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes, because many good ideas come from the process of trying, failing, and fixing.

Avery Norman’s photographs are full of city girls, wide-open skies, old cars, empty roads, and places that look like they’ve been lost to time. In one self-portrait, the Houston-born photographer kneels on her grandparents’ bed, a row of family rifles laid out behind her. Elsewhere, a girl in a teal triangle bikini leans against a purple Mustang in Queens, New York, where Norman is now based. Still, she can’t stay away from Texas for long, returning often to the places that shaped her, from the Gulf Coast to creeks, pastures, highways, and small towns around the country.

When did you first fall in love with photography?

My high school required a certain number of art credits to graduate, and I ended up in a Photo 1 course. I always liked photography fine, but it wasn’t until my teacher, Mrs. Garrison, started showing us work of fine art photographers that I really became hooked. It was so long ago, but I remember seeing that Gregory Crewdson photo of a woman floating in a living room full of dark water. At that point, I hadn’t really seen anything like that before.

Why film?

Film feels more to the point. There are so many options on a digital camera that I get a bit overwhelmed. I do shoot digital on occasion for practical reasons, but I always find my film photos to be a lot more intentional. I guess because you have to pay for it. I also think the colors are better, and it’s nice to have the option to darkroom print. I love that you can’t see the pictures immediately. It gives you something to look forward to.

What makes you stop and pull out your camera?

I just know it when I see it. I think I use photography as an excuse to be places I would otherwise have no reason to be. I love places that feel a bit forgotten or frozen in time.

Do you have any rituals before a shoot?

I’m not sure if I have any rituals, but I do like to spend a lot of time with people if I’m able to. My favorite way of shooting is hanging out with someone for a few days and waiting for the right moment to present itself.

Do you ever know you’ve got the shot in the moment, or does it happen later when you’re developing the film?

I usually know in the moment, but the best feeling is being surprised by a frame you forgot about.

Who are some photographers that have shaped your eye?

Off the top of my head: Katy Grannan, Curran Hatleberg, Deana Lawson, Bryan Schutmaat, Justine Kurland, Alec Soth, Lisa Elmaleh, Siân Davey, Michael Northrup, Andrea Modica, Sally Mann, Judith Joy Ross, Nan Goldin.

Is there a photograph you’ve taken that feels especially personal?

The self-portrait I did with the guns on the bed was taken in my grandparents’ house where my mom grew up. The guns are all my grandfather’s and cousins’ that they got out for me for the photo. After I set up the frame on a tripod, my mom took iPhone photos so I could figure out my pose. She also pressed the shutter for me because I don’t have a release cable.

What’s the last book, film, or album that stuck with you?

I’m reading a book about the Carter family called Will You Miss Me When I’m Gone? I’m really interested in the history of country music, and they played a pretty significant role. They recorded a ton of folk songs that were previously just oral tradition and brought them to the mainstream via radio.

What’s the last book, film, or album that stuck with you?

I’m reading a book about the Carter family called Will You Miss Me When I’m gone? I’m really interested in the history of country music and they played a pretty significant role. They recorded a ton of folk songs that were previously just oral tradition and brought them to the mainstream via radio.

Best roadside stop in Texas?

There’s an antique shop in Alpine called the Cheshire Cat that I really love. They have taxidermy, turquoise, a ton of old cowboy stuff, boots, knives, art, and just a wide variety of trinkets. The owner is super nice and will talk with you about the history of everything.

Dream person to photograph?

This is really hard. Maybe Townes Van Zandt if he was alive. Is that cheating?

One thing you never leave home without?

My small digital camera. I don’t usually end up using it, but you never know.

What makes you homesick?

I miss my family and the food in Texas. A lot of the musicians I want to see don’t really come up north as much. I also love the heat.

Sunrise or golden hour?

I’m not really a morning person so my honest answer would be golden hour, but I do really enjoy how sunrise feels more intimate.

Daisy Pyo is either somewhere without service or looking for an excuse to lose it. The Korean-American jewelry designer behind the label Lobeta spends her days journaling, hiking, calling home, and dreaming up new pieces far from her screen. This summer, Pyo’s wandering spirit has taken her from her home in Brooklyn to the grassy trails of the French Alps and Barcelona’s colorful, crowded streets, usually by way of an airplane window seat. Her feed is a travel diary told through mountain paths and winding cobblestone streets, the kind that makes you reconsider your own vacation photos. But the places she visits leave their clearest trace in her designs.

What’s the best thing you’ve eaten while traveling?

Too many! There’s this rotisserie chicken joint in Seoul that I will always keep going back to. Sounds basic and boring, but rotisserie in Korea is different. There’s literally a man outside the restaurant, slow-cooking the chicken in a woodfire, which makes it super juicy and tender. It’s stuffed with sticky rice and sometimes chestnuts and jujube dates. I’m salivating just thinking about it.

Do you talk to strangers?

I’m a yapper, so yes.

Your go-to souvenir?

Kinda corny, but I’ve always loved collecting magnets for my fridge and postcards for my junk journal. My partner and I have also started a spoon collection. Also foods, snacks, and sauces that are special to the place that I’m visiting.

How did you get into making jewelry?

In 2022, I started taking jewelry making classes and really enjoyed it. It felt so good to wear jewelry that I made myself. Seeing it patina and build character over time felt truly unique to me. I’ve always been a bit of a serial hobbyist, but this was the first thing that made me feel like it could lead to something. At the same time, I started to visit Korea more often and got really interested in the fashion scene there.

Where did the idea to start Lobeta come from?

It came about so organically while my partner, Nick, and I were in Seoul, finding jewelry we loved with tasteful designs and quality silver. We got engaged earlier that year and instead of planning a wedding, we started building Lobeta together. Long story short, it was built to create intentionally designed pieces, highlight Korean craftsmanship, and bridge the gap between my two worlds: Seoul and New York.

What does the name mean?

It’s derived from “low beta,” a meditative state where one finds inner stillness and coherence between the internal and external. My hope is that our jewelry can help you build confidence to show up shamelessly as yourself, but also be a reminder that this starts with getting attuned to your inner world.

Which piece that you’ve designed feels the most “you”?

Definitely the Vinea earring. It’s a spiral earring inspired by the notion of transformation, non-linear growth, impermanence, and the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth. It’s a quiet reminder of something I strongly believe in: continual change and how our inner work is truly our life’s work!

What’s the first piece of jewelry you remember loving?

My mom had this gold pendant necklace that I remember her always wearing when I was a child. She passed it down to me when I was a teenager, and I never took it off. Sadly, I lost it 7 years ago, but I still think about it often.

If you could borrow one person’s jewelry box, whose would it be?

Phoebe Buffay from Friends. She always had the coolest ring stack and earrings.

Where do your best ideas find you?

Outside, away from my phone.

What’s on your jewelry moodboard forever?

Elements of nature: the textures of trees, forests, mountains, flowers, plants, water, light. There’s so much that she (nature) can teach us, show us, and remind us.

What’s the most-worn thing in your closet?

Probably my camo Croc flats that I got secondhand. I can’t stop wearing them!

Current obsession?

The answer to this will always be Danchoo, my son (cat).

What’s a material you’re dying to work with?

I’ve just started to work more with stones and gems, which feels like a very exciting step for Lobeta. This isn’t jewelry related, but I’ve been eager to work with wood next.

Last photo on your camera roll?

What’s your go-to dinner order?

Thai, pad kee mao and it must be the super thick noodles!

How do you ground yourself?

My daily morning routine: reading nonfiction (currently it’s Becoming Supernatural by Joe Dispenza, whose books changed my life), journaling, and moving my body. On top of that I do weekly somatic therapy, take lots of walks outside, stay off my phone (I love my Brick), and call my mom and sister. As much as I love living in New York, I’m grateful we have a car to go upstate whenever we can. Spending time outside fills my cup and gives me time and space to tend to my inner world.

What’s something nobody knows about you?

I was in a chess club in elementary school, won a tournament, and was crowned chess queen.

Horoscopes by ILANA KOZLOV

It’s August—and Leo season—so consider this your cue. Jupiter’s been camped in the sign of the lion since June 30, and for over a month now, our appetites, our confidence, and our need to feel chosen have been swelling right along with it. But as much as Leo rules performance and pleasure, it also rules the heart—the tender thing underneath all that showing off. Everyone wants to be wanted back, and when Venus enters Libra on August 6, we become even more attuned to whose eyes are on us and whether the feeling is mutual. Three days later, Mercury lands in Leo, and suddenly every passing thought has a microphone. Say the thing. Wear the outfit. Kiss the person. But be careful: the desire to be seen could have you performing for an audience you’re not even sure you like.

On August 12, a total solar eclipse in Leo cuts the power mid-scene. When the lights come back on, the lines you knew by heart may no longer belong to you. Which role have you outgrown? Which relationship has passed its expiration date? Which story about yourself keeps getting renewed because you’ve played the part so well? A new romance, creative life, or sense of self may be waiting in the wings, but the stage is only so big. Around August 17, when Mars squares Neptune, everything arrives shrouded in myth. Let the feelings that surface move through you before you build a life around them. Five days later, Virgo season brings the blurry picture into focus, asking you to make note of what still makes sense once the fantasy wears off. The answer may arrive with the lunar eclipse in Pisces on August 28, which loosens whatever we’ve kept alive through habit, hope, or denial. By month’s end, Jupiter trines Saturn—and what remains after the spell breaks finally has a chance to become real.

Aries Rising

This is the part of the movie where our stars finally kiss! Yes, love is on the horizon…and you’re not in the most practical mindset. Parties and gambling are far more appealing. You might wake up with missing shoes, empty pockets, and an important number written on your wrist. It’s a good idea to chat and share your creative ideas. But by the end of the month, you’re going to need to exile yourself from society.

Taurus Rising

You are playing the middleman in a lot of your relationships, and the workload might be getting to you. Everyone wants different things, and you can’t bow out yet. Tact is an exhausting performance, but keeping the peace while getting things done might also reveal how much you like yourself.So spend a little more time with yourself this month. Not to hide out, but to tap in. Build an altar. If you already have one, bring in some fresh flowers. Imagine your home as your heart; what’s the best way to treat it? At the end of the month, your arms will become elastic with reach. Friends and fans delight in your contributions.

Gemini Rising

You know how dating show contestants do sexy little activities like a breath-work-and-body-painting class? Yeah, you’re doing that. Joy is yours, and ideas overflow! You’re discovering a drawer of magic potions, and they help the heart grow. Sometimes it’s just about doing something over and over again, and not really thinking about the results. Suddenly, you know how to play piano. Don’t overthink it, just do it.

Cancer Rising

Big emotions are not uncommon for you, but there is an especially powerful catharsis into the second week of August. You value peace in your home and hope for private affairs to go smoothly. Passion seems to erupt out of your stomach, where you store all the deep things. It’s hard to keep your cool. But you’re not a total squish ball, as you come into authority with finances. The end of the month will take you across an ocean, and that’s where you may realize you’ve been praying to a false god.

Leo Rising

Finally! The alignment you’ve been looking for is here. It may arise out of a fated circumstance, but the feeling it strikes your heart with transcends the space-time continuum. It’s something like feeling your soul for the first time, or at least being reminded of it. Good times with your community help lay those bricks down. So do ventures outside your comfort zone. The end of the month places an uncomfortable spotlight on other people’s problems. Can they hold space for your light as they sort out their cobwebs?

Virgo Rising

I’m thinking of an actor who did their best self-tape when they forgot to press record. There is a spiritual opportunity here to look deeply at your relationship to talent, heart, and power when no one is watching. It’s just you and the walls that surround you. Are you a good audience for yourself? What kind of self-talk rings in that room? Your relationship to self deepens, which is often accompanied by more mystery and confusion. You are in the finale of a dramatic cord-cutting ritual, where you’re not just saying goodbye to an outworn ego, but to all the static of the past. This opens doors for new relationships and emotional futures.

Libra Rising

You’re the centerfold, but being an inspo is a lot of pressure. What are you gonna do with all these eyes on you? Angels have revoked your right to daydream, so you’re finally making things happen. It’s not exactly how you thought it would go. It’s going all right, but you’re the only one who knows about the kink in your neck. The audience is growing because you’re growing, and that’s accompanied by some spiritual joint pain.

Scorpio Rising

You may be tempted to escape and eat forbidden fruit. Survey your circumstances; much depends on how much you’re willing to ignore. Your actions are on a billboard! Good news and career opportunities will come in the middle of the month. You don’t need applause from everyone, but the right people will snap their fingers from the back of the room. That will surely feel good. The end of the month might disillusion you, like the power going out in the middle of your favorite movie.

Sagittarius Rising

Follow your dreams. Literally chase their tails like a hyper puppy. There is no room for skepticism, negativity, or “being realistic.” The way sound moves in a temple is far more appealing. What is it doing to your heart? That feeling must be protected and trusted. You’re pressed up against the mouth of a great oracle and receiving valuable wisdom. You didn’t need to ask for approval or permission to go on this pilgrimage, and while this autonomy is great, being entirely self-directed has its limitations. Your private life is under review.

Capricorn Rising

A situation arises where serving justice is important. You are inspired to handle big decisions fairly. Sometimes the fair thing isn’t exciting or instantaneously rewarding. In fact, you’re being pushed toward an ending of some kind. Perhaps the thing you’ve wanted from someone else is something you’ve been able to give yourself all along. No need for a blowout when the facts take up so much space as it is. Your perspective is getting clearer, and it’s easier now to imagine a less burdened future.

Aquarius Rising

Power dynamics are likely coming to a head, and you are on the precipice of doing relationships in an entirely new way. There are surprising opportunities in endings—just think of Nicole Kidman in her post-divorce photos. I’m sure she paid a lot for those lawyers, but the cost of staying would have been greater. While the material world of relations and resources meets some cosmic expiration dates, the invisible reward of this time is your fresh, spiritual lease on life.

Pisces Rising

It’s distracting to think about results when you are in the thick of building. One foot in front of the other. Some big work pushes are coming up for you, and slowly but surely, you’re reaching a stage where it’s possible to imagine the final outcome. It’s an exciting and nerve-wracking moment when every tiny detail matters, but pressure and time have made your hands unsteady. You will feel something return to you as you add the finishing touch…is it the self? What is the self? Take away incentive, obligation, and distraction, And there is only this amorphous you.

There was a time when getting dumped meant blasting Lorde’s Melodrama alone in your bedroom. Now it means cutting yourself fringe bangs at 2 a.m., posting about it on TikTok, and waking up to thousands of strangers telling you he did you a favor. “We’re better off without him” is the sentiment. Chalk it up to the attention economy, where every experience is source material, or the fact that misogyny is on the rise, everywhere from politics to reels, but one thing is clear: the need to decenter men is catching on.

At least, that’s the idea behind Dumped Girl Summer, which 28-year-old actress and producer Francesca Keller coined on her Substack after getting broken up with for the first time in her life. In the viral essay that launched the phrase, and the advice series that followed, Keller argues that heartbreak isn’t something to hide from, but something to capitalize on. Her post-breakup catharsis, she writes, became the catalyst for becoming her hottest self, spiritually and physically.

“Tell everyone. Buy a shirt that says you just got dumped,” she advises. Her other tips: dress up, get a little weird, and say yes to absolutely everything. “I don’t think I’ve ever been reached out to by that many women in my life,” she recalls of the countless D.M.s she’s received in response. Though predictably, the opposite sex hasn’t been as supportive of her take. “The men got defensive and obnoxious,” Keller says. “It just goes to show that men can’t handle women taking power over something they’re supposed to be ashamed of.”

Keller’s breakup philosophy resonated for good reason. It arrives at a shift when many are rethinking relationships. Last year, in British Vogue writer Chanté Joseph argued that having a boyfriend is embarrassing, and women of all ages flooded the comments in agreement. “Yes, it is. Especially if you are young (19–60 years old),” reads a comment with more than 20,000 likes. Then came the #youngho—a trend that encourages taking life less seriously by going straight from the club to the airport, starting the day at 2 p.m., and cooking everything on high heat. What once might have been seen as a personal failure to settle down into domestic life is now an excuse to chase pleasure and self-discovery.

Enter Kate Bodnya: The Moscow-based influencer and dancer has documented over a hundred days of her breakup on Instagram. Her argument? Women should deprioritize men. “I think that we tend to disappear into a relationship like sugar in hot tea,” she says. This became clear to Bodnya this spring after she separated from her partner after seven years together. As she tells it, the two months that followed were a blessing in disguise: She posted through the pain, gained thousands of followers, monetized her videos, and funneled all her energy into her creative work. “It’s important to use breakups as breakthroughs,” she says. That breakthrough doesn’t always look like a career pivot. Writer Caroline Calloway has been publicly embracing a more whimsical version of herself that her ex never quite understood. In one video, the writer styles her hair in a way that she explains he would’ve absolutely hated, snapping small, white blossoms off of nearby branches, perching them atop her head, and weaving blue ribbons into her braids. “He liked me best when I was quiet,” reads one caption.

Beneath the post, a commenter replies, “Ok but how wonderful is it when the trash actually takes itself out… The streets can have their whimsiless little man back.” In the comments section of another video, Calloway reveals that her ex weighed 350 pounds, that their sex life was amazing, and that she definitely wasn’t with him for his looks. It’s the kind of unflinching (albeit backhanded) candidness that comes naturally to a generation that grew up processing life online.

While many like Keller, Bodnya, and Calloway share vivid details from their breakups, others like New York-based Angela Li take a more analytical approach. Li’s intimate TikTok conversations about life, love, and heartbreak are like FaceTimes from a friend. “Why are we upset that the person who cannot love you properly is walking away? Let them walk away from you,” she says in a video with more than one million views. Look up “Getting Over Your Ex Boyfriend” on TikTok, and thousands of videos similar to Li’s pop up, often giving practical tips, like block your ex on social media or throw away their hoodie.

@sincerelyangelaliday 108.5 #healing #selflove #Relationship #breakup #love

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It’s not that getting over an ex is new. It’s that social media is changing how we share and process it. For decades, women have made songs, books and T.V. shows dedicated to the anger, confusion and sadness that follows a bad breakup. But Dumped Girl Summer doesn’t just give us something to relate to, instead it asks what’s in it for you? Today, breakups aren’t just plot devices or something we share in private—they’re stories we broadcast shamelessly to the world, reclaimed with every video, caption, or personal essay. And let’s face it, you can’t help but feel less lonely when thousands of comments tell you that getting dumped is the best thing that ever happened. Why wallow alone when you can enjoy your freedom, fuel the child in your heart, and let loose together?

Plus, realistically, no one stays in Dumped Girl Summer forever. Heartbreak comes in waves, and eventually someone new will come along. Perhaps when temperatures drop, bundling up with another will regain its charm. But we’re never going back to crying over a man in private. As Bodnya puts it: “We should give this energy to ourselves, because he really isn’t that important.”

Raised by restaurateur parents whose regulars ranged from aesthetes to anarchists, Laura Andraschko has been sneaking into places she shouldn’t since she was a teen. The London-based designer cut her teeth between Berlin’s art scene and its dance floors. The leap into fashion felt natural. Since graduating from Central Saint Martins in 2021, Laura has become shorthand for a specific kind of maximalist fantasy. Most recently, her Spring/Summer 2026 collection, staged inside Paris’s Raspoutine Club under crimson light, sent 42 looks down the runway as a love letter to Monte Carlo’s high-society gambling culture. Today, the bonafide club rat approaches every design with a single question: Would I want it?

What’s the first thing you do when you get to the studio?

Coffee!

What are your three favorite objects in your studio?

My poodle statue, my books, and my day bed.

If you were an animal, what would you be?

Hmm, I really don’t want to be an animal.

What’s inspiring you currently?

It’s so random, and it’s different every day. It can be anything really; sometimes it’s a color or a particularly good outfit (accidental or curated). Subcultures are always the most interesting to me, though.

What’s on repeat?

Swans and Death in Vegas are my two all time favorite bands, so I always listen to them, and at the moment I’m reading Caliban and the Witch by Silvia Federici.

What would be your “ghost outfit”?

I guess a bedsheet with two cut out holes.

Describe your last supper.

I love food, so it’s difficult. Maybe aguachile with tiger prawns then bistecca alla fiorentina, and venetian liver from Harry’s in London. I would probably have it with my whole family.

What are you currently working on?

A new collection. As always.

What’s the first question you ask yourself when starting a new piece?

This changed a lot over time. Now it’s, Would I want it? And then I try to only adapt it to the storyline of each collection.

What’s a material you keep coming back to?

Tweed!

Paloma Sandoval has never been one to gatekeep her music taste—not even her love for One Direction. Almost anything can become source material for one of her perfectly curated playlists, whether its a walk through her Vancouver neighborhood, a bad date, or an afternoon at the aquarium. It’s the same instinct that shapes everything she shares, from road trip photodumps to TikToks with her bestie Sabrina Carpenter to Palomarad.io, her Internet radio series documenting her 20s one mix at a time. For this month's PRESS PLAY, Sandoval plugs us into the songs soundtracking her walks, whims, and everything in between.

What’s the first playlist you ever made?

Oh god, I used to make playlists on 8Tracks, if anyone remembers what that is. It was the first social media account I ever had in middle school—my friends and I used to send playlists to each other on there, and it was always secretly a competition to see who had the most indie music taste. I remember making one called “Knee socks,” with all the usual Tumblr suspects on it. I secretly still love One Direction more than Arctic Monkeys.

What made you want to start Palomaradi.o?

Well, it’s been a while since I made one, which totally opposes why I made it, but I wanted to document my voice, my taste, my life in my 20s in a more “Paloma way.” I’ve been making playlists for specific moods or places since I was probably 10, so a radio situation felt like the natural successor to that. I haven’t documented much, admittedly, as I got pretty lazy about it soon after I started, but maybe I’ll bring it back after this.

Do you have friends you send songs back-and-forth with? If so, what’s an example?

Honestly, I mostly just put songs I like on my Instagram. I’m the opposite of a gatekeeper in that sense. If a song really reminds me of someone, I’ll share it with them, but you gotta be careful with that because if the song is shit, it’s pretty offensive on the receiving end. That’s happened to me a few times where someone will send a song to me like “this is so you” and the song is about wanting to off yourself or about feeling super ugly and it’s like…what does that say about me?

You were born in Vancouver, British Columbia. Describe its sound.

Vancouver sounds like water crashing, crunching leaves beneath a Birkenstock, Arc’teryx jackets rubbing against each other.

What’s your earliest memory of music?

Being obsessed with K-OS’s song “Crabbuckit.” A bit of a Canadian deep cut, but I used to cry until I heard it.

What artist changed how you hear everything? How so?

Probably Cake. “Short Skirt, Long Jacket” was one of the songs of my childhood that I remember thinking was so cool and different. I became obsessed with doing it on Rockband on my Wii so that was, albeit accidentally, the first song I ever dissected. From then on, I started to hear songs in a new way. I guess that was more due to Rockband than Cake, but their album Comfort Eagle opened my eyes to the different ways music could be constructed.

What song feels like it was written about you, but wasn’t?

“I Love You Too Much.” I just want Stevie Wonder to love me that much.

A lyric that lives rent-free in your head?

“There’s me looking for someone to blame, only to find that we’re all the same” in the song “Cherry Cola.” Andy Bell is all knowing to me. He has a lot of the answers.

What’s your hidden talent?

Breaking the silence.

Favorite place to listen to music?

In my neighborhood in Vancouver. I’m walking around without anything in my hands, no coffee, no purse. The sun is out but I’m walking on shaded streets and the breeze is running through my hair (which I just washed).

Headphones or speakers?

Headphones.

Best concert you went to this year?

Sabrina at Coachella. That show completely blew my mind.

What’s one thing you’ll wear all summer long?

DEODORANT.

What’s your favorite way to spend a day off?

I love getting my nails done. That’s another place I love listening to music cause you can’t really use your phone. Often I find myself listening to a song I would usually skip because I can’t physically skip it, and it breathes new life into the song.

What’s a hill you’ll die on?

Finding music on TikTok is okay. As long as you actually like it.

There was a time when it felt like every good night in New York ended up in front of Tyrell Hampton’s camera. After arriving in the city at 17, the dancer-turned-photographer soon found himself at the center of a downtown scene that revolved around places like China Chalet, Odessa Diner, and apartments where the night began after the club closed. With a point-and-shoot in hand and an invitation to seemingly every party in town, he began documenting the city’s after-hours cast. Collected in his debut photo book, Last Call Vol. 1, the images capture New York nightlife between 2016 and 2018, just before social media turned every night out into content. Featuring countless friends and regulars, including future stars like Paloma Elsesser and Gabbriette, the book reads like a yearbook for a generation on the cusp of stardom. Now, a decade later, as Hampton prepares to leave that chapter behind, he looks back on New York then and now.

What made now the right time to put these photos in a book?

The goal is always to make something tangible, and right now I’m kind of hanging up the party hat, not going out as much, so I thought, Why not now? I also just wanted to let these photos have a life of their own instead of living on the Internet so I could really focus on my next adventures.

Do you remember the first photo you took?

The first image in it is of my friend Coco. It’s this greenish black-and-white photo taken at a party at her house.

When you look back at those years, what feels most different to you?

Back then we were just going out to have a good time. At least personally, I was trying to find my community. I feel like now people aren’t really interested in growing connections in the same way. It’s nostalgic to think about how we snuck into parties, fashion shows—I just wanted to experience everything New York had to offer. I’m also obsessed with the ’70s and Studio 54. That era of freedom and joy really resonates with me, so when selecting images for the book, I tried to pick photos that captured that same feeling.

Are there places in the book that don’t exist anymore that you miss?

Oh my gosh. China Chalet, number one. Better Days, number two. Mehanata is still around, but it’s not what it used to be for the community. There was also Paul’s Baby Grand, but I don’t know if it’s still really a thing. Soho Grand used to be a thing too.

Was there anything that shocked you when looking through your archive?

How few photos I actually took. I feel like I take more now. Back then I was much pickier about moments. Looking back, it was actually very easy to make selections because I’d only have four, five, maybe seven images from a night. Most of the images in the book were one-offs where I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

Has anyone been surprised seeing themself in the book?

Yeah, mostly everyone. A lot of people have been reminiscing about Odessa Diner, which appears throughout the book. It’s a vegan burger place now. It’s been really nice hearing people say, “Oh my God, I was at that party,” and then look closer and realize they’re in the background. There’s also a Pat McGrath party at China Chalet with Vogue that people bring up a lot.

Do you feel as inspired today as you did back then?

New York doesn’t inspire me that much anymore. I actually feel more inspired in Los Angeles. That’s another reason I felt it was time to let the book and those images have their own life. New York feels a little redundant now. We know how things are going to play out. Even in the gay scene, there are only so many bars and places, and you know what to expect. I love coming to LA because it feels like a different world. Instead of going to the club, you’re at someone’s house. Instead of going to play pool, you’re actually swimming in a pool. It’s a nice change and gives me a fresh set of eyes.

How did you build trust with people when photographing them, especially in the moment?

I don’t know. Maybe because I have kind eyes—that’s what people tell me. Or maybe it’s my smile. I’ve been told I have a welcoming spirit and that I don’t give off vulture vibes. It’s always been nice to just roam through a party. I was shorter back in college than I am now, so it was easy to disappear into a crowd, take a photo, and vanish again. Being a little weasel-y was definitely part of it.

Is there one image in the book that means the most to you personally?

The self-portraits, because they remind me that I was actually there. I know I was, obviously, but being in the image as a subject is special. Though I will say, most of those self-portraits exist because I forced whatever friend I was with to take the photo. I’d be like, “Okay, now it’s my turn.”

If you could go back to the version of yourself who took these photos, what would you tell him?

Stop using your fake I.D., and maybe stop eating so much sugar. Also, honestly, I’d probably tell him to get braces sooner. I got braces right before Covid. If I’d done it earlier, maybe things would have been a little different.

Has your relationship to these images changed over time?

I definitely romanticize them more now than I did in the moment. At the time I just thought, Cute, fun. I wasn’t really thinking about what they might become. I also never imagined that many of the people in the photos would become who they are today. Looking back, it feels like a yearbook. And I can’t wait for the next one, which comes out next year.

“Tyrell Hampton: Last Call Vol. 1” will launch with a signing at Climax Books London, 8a Herbal Hill, EC1R 5EJ, on July 10 from 6-8 PM.

Ottilie, 20, London, U.K.

Describe your summer style.

Finally, I don’t have to put a huge jacket over my cute outfit. But still pack a light jacket, it’s never that hot in London.

What’s your summer essential?

My sparkly blue bikini!

What’s on your summer wishlist?

Gladiator sandals and a pair of beaded shorts.

Where do you shop?

Portobello Road.

Bella, 25, New York, New York

Describe your summer style.

I lose the need for my great coats and everything gets a bit skimpier. It’s my excuse to wear all white, and wear pieces that only compliment me when I have a tan. I also wear sunglasses for most of the day.

What’s your summer essential?

Flip flops are very frowned upon here, but they are my go-to. I suppose I’m un-influencible, or just incredibly stubborn. Also hand sanitizer. For some reason I don’t ever carry that with me in the winter.

What’s on your wishlist?

Alexander McQueen bumster pants and a Gucci waist bag! I dream of a hands-free, crack-out summer.

Where do you shop?

My friends’ closets.

Penny, 21, Paris, France

Describe your summer style.

Mini skirts, mini heels, mini dresses, mini purses! I try to wear less black during the summer, but in Paris, I feel most like myself when I’m wearing all black.

What’s on your summer wishlist?

More mules and the perfect pair of black sunglasses.

What’s always in your bag?

Water! Water! Water!

Where do you shop?

Pompom, Depot Sauvage, 29 rue Charlot, and Chinemachine.

Dasha, 26, Minsk, Belarus

Describe your summer style.

I’ll be wearing jeans and flip-flops and sweet perfume. In Belarus, I don’t always feel comfortable being naked, especially if I’m alone, but if I’m abroad and with my girls, I wear less clothes.

What’s your summer essential?

A top with a low neckline.

What’s on your wishlist?

An accent bag in mint or pink and Jaded London pink sport pants—I need them so badly.

Gabriella, 27, Toronto, Canada

Describe your summer style.

Living in Toronto means dealing with real humidity, so I go for practicality and comfort, nothing more and nothing less. By peak summer, I’m not thinking too hard. I’m just reaching for whatever feels light and effortless.

What’s your summer essential?

A white tank top, but in every variation possible.

What’s on your wishlist?

The Courrèges black interlock tracksuit minidress. The sporty vibe has been my thing lately. And any shape of vintage Gucci sunglasses calls my name.

Where do you shop?

Smoking Vintage, Value Village, and Shop Boketto.

Polly, 20, Sydney, Australia

Describe your summer style.

A balance between comfort and cute. Pops of color for every occasion. Living on the beach means that you can wear bikinis anywhere and everywhere. Since it’s super hot, no one cares.

What’s your summer essential?

A denim short goes a long way with a little baby tee and flats.

What’s always in your bag?

I never leave the house without my lip combo. More recently, I’ve been bringing white sage roll-on perfume oil everywhere. It’s such a clean summery scent and lasts ages even in the heat.

Sacha, 22, Lille, France

Describe your summer style.

Silky sheer materials, thin layers. I don’t really know if it’s Paris or more the people around me that influence my style, but I’m really trying to build a timeless closet with good materials and fun pieces that I know I’ll wear for years.

What’s on your summer wishlist?

Some ballet flats like the ones Amy Winehouse had. I’ll wear them until they’re so beat up that they don’t even look like shoes. Also anything from Paloma Wool.

Where do you shop?

I don’t really shop in Paris, I prefer spending hours on Vinted to find the perfect piece of clothing I’m looking for. The only bad surprise is when it doesn’t fit you.

Lily, 21, Los Angeles, California

Describe your summer style.

Simple; it’s the girl that makes the outfit cool. In Paris they call me basic, but they just don’t get it. I dress for the heat, always.

What’s your summer essential?

A tank top and anything sheer.

What’s always in your bag?

Iron capsules because heat makes me dizzy. Jolly ranchers because of low blood sugar.

Where do you shop?

I love Kitson in Malibu. Go in there, and you’ll see just what I mean.

July opens with static in the air. Mars and Uranus collide early in the month, throwing off sparks that make you act before you’ve thought it through. Mercury is still in retrograde, too, so anything you say before the 23rd might need saying twice. It’s less about getting it right on the first try and more about circling back to what you mean if it doesn’t exactly land. Once the new moon on the 14th plants itself in the part of the sky that governs home, you might be called to return to something you set down without finishing. Is there a project you’ve been putting off? A conversation that needs to be had? This is the time to do it.

Mercury goes direct just as Leo season officially starts, so no more overthinking every text before you send it. Lean into the bright, bold energy of the zodiac’s reigning royalty. Jupiter is spending its first stretch in the lion’s sign in over a decade, and the spotlight it’s offering isn’t subtle. Some of you will step into it easily. Others will find that Saturn, retrograding at the same time, has other plans. If you’ve been avoiding a hard truth about who you’re becoming—this is the month it catches up to you. But worry not, by the time the Aquarius full moon hits on the 29th, you’ll be surrounded by the right people cheering you on. And honestly? That’s the point of shining anyway, right? Having someone there to see it.

Aries Rising

The intrusive thoughts are telling you to put your routines in a paper shredder. Life shouldn’t have to be the same 10-minute movie on replay. Try new things. Go to new places. Even your home can be a site for changes that foster greater emotional security. The sun entering the fifth house helps you command creative ventures, so expect an enterprising period. Though, when Saturn retrogrades through your first house of the self toward the end of the month, you might have an identity crisis. Starting something is one thing, but can you finish it?

Taurus Rising

You are getting a little more picky, Taurus! Or maybe, you’re just playing with the idea, when, in the background, your values and desires clash a bit. Everyone has creative energy. Ask yourself where most of yours goes and if it helps you build esteem. You might feel tempted to leave the temple gates for some deliciously scented thing over yonder. But, no! No! You’ll fold your arms and stay put, pretending the fantasy isn’t playing in your head. The temple is full of love to give, so pay attention to those sitting on its steps instead to those hovering in the distance. The end of the month puts you before a boardroom. What are you presenting?

Gemini Rising

This month, Mars and Uranus meet in your first house, which makes me think of that moment in anime where a protagonist runs into an unhinged, eccentrically-dressed stranger at an empty restaurant—we’re hanging on the edge of our seats! You have a lot of energy and you’re going fast, so if things fall through or change, you’re likely to shrug them off. But in the midst of the chaos, you may find random surprises on the side of the road. The way you use your resources is an initiation. There’s a difference between building a shelter and building a boat. Either way, it’s a sentimental process. Where will the family photos hang? Enjoy your space, because the end of the month stirs up more adventures!

Cancer Rising

You’re far away, but is it spiritually, physically—or both? You may prefer buoyancy to gravity. Positive interactions are likely, as is travel and motion in general. You are steered by the feel-good nectar of life. I’m talking late-night snacks, secrets traded with strangers, and small acts of care, like putting band-aids on a child’s feet. Toward the end of the month, the laws of physics will put you into what seems like a claw machine unpredictably snagging you. Your sweetness toward others may expire, as those once-good gestures become undue expectations. It’s a very The Agony and the Ecstasy kind of July.

Leo Rising

The first half of the month may leave your aim a little foggy, but toward the end of July, the sun will enter your first house. The weather will clear up—in fact, the month is like sunshine leaving burns on your nose as you sidestep puddles from last night’s rain. Escapism and gloom are the appetizers to a season of heightened expression! You may be inspired to paint, but the acrylics have dried up, so resources will need replenishing. Perhaps this exciting investment in yourself might stir up some relationship issues. Can your closest people handle your new normal?

Virgo Rising

You may have a reason to put on your best suit, Virgo. Refining your image can attract opportunities, but looking good doesn’t mean you have it all figured out. Parts of your life have been placed in vacuum-sealed containers. Ignorance may be bliss for a little while, but the end of the month demands effort in a challenging area. Friendships and alliances are shifting. You may rub shoulders with old friends, and nostalgia will bite softly, like a little dog. Your creativity may run high, but so may pettiness. It’s a good month for truces and passionate pursuits.

Libra Rising

Elevation rarely accompanies stability, but it’s worth it to get a view of the ocean from the top of the mountain. The endurance isn’t just physical, it’s emotional. It took a lot of work to be ready to see life through fresh eyes. This month isn’t about the applause (even if you’re getting it). It’s about fulfillment, learning that what you were always looking for was already within you. Close relationships may pull your gaze back from the blue view. There are tents to be raised on those sun-slicked rocks. Your efforts alongside a companion may lead to a creative breakthrough.

Scorpio Rising

You may have walked on the gum stuck to your shoe for too long, and now you have to clean out that hardened gunk. You’ll likely put your energy towards some sticky financial or emotional debt at the top of the month. And fortunately, or unfortunately, you’ll have to hide that behind a bold lip at an important meeting. Impressions have a lasting effect now, and you’re motivated to succeed. What happens on either side of the door is very different. You are pulled towards the shiny frontier while old problems carve the ground beneath you.

Sagittarius Rising

A tornado may rearrange a relationship. Some parts will fly away to some unrecoverable place, which makes the parts strewn nearby take on a new, precious shape. Gratitude blossoms up against the coarse walls of loss. Humility is not an easy lesson yet it never puts dirt on the soul. Once your debts get settled, you roam more freely with nothing on your back. You’re moving from gridlocked land to open coasts. The sky and sea are your friends—they take you to new places and crown you with spiritual jewels. It’s not a grounding time, but what lies ahead leaves little room for rest.

Capricorn Rising

A demanding conflict may take up space at the top of the month, but new insights will change the way you solve your problems. If your head had a lid, it’s opening! The only thing you can control is your approach, and relationships may benefit from introspection. How do you meet your agreements, and what kind of agreements have you made? Relationship shake-ups may frame the month until the 23rd, but the new moon will help turn a new leaf. Resources and spunk may stay in their jars, but when you’re ready, you’ll open them again.

Aquarius Rising

In the beginning of the month, you’re like a mad-scientist mixing potions that put you in an Alice in Wonderland-esque world. You are in for a creative experiment…is there risk involved? Probably. But you’re not alone—a partner by your side is teaching you a thing or two. So be open to what others have to show you. There’s a lot of work ahead, and you’re stuck in the lab for long hours. Possibly surviving on protein bars. The last days of July will put an uncomfortable spotlight on this relationship. What is the noise distracting you from?

Pisces Rising

Your month feels like the lyrics to that one Rihanna song: “work, work, work, work, work.” As I was imagining your ruling planet, Jupiter, sitting in the bedazzled, super-star sign of Leo, inside the least glamorous sixth house of duties and work, I saw a diva-in-the-making doing the most mind-numbing paperwork. Eyelash glue next to the hole puncher. The month does, however, put a corsage on your wrist and whisk you into romance. So there’s that to look forward to. The last few days of July might be a little less fun…sometimes when you fan the dust, it settles in another corner.

Raised on a steady diet of the Doors’ moody psychedelic rock and Lex Luger’s 808-heavy trap productions, Canadian D.J. and songwriter Brat Star has always gravitated toward contradictions. Her latest single, “White Claw Addict,” from her forthcoming debut album Southern Ontario Gothic, is no exception. Inspired by a faint memory of a hazy golden-hour on a dock where she had her first White Claw in 2022, the song captures what Brat Star describes as “a product that is both crystal clear and impossible to pin down.” Much like her own sound. Below, she reviews her favorite flavors, rating each on aura, relatability, and existential wisdom.

Black Cherry

Many will call Black Cherry an entry-level flavor, but don't be fooled. So much craft goes into making seemingly simple things. My favorite works of art are immediately felt, and endlessly unpacked.

Raspberry

Rasp-berry. I feel that. I’m a card-carrying member of the raspy voice club. The raspy voice card never declines.

Natural Lime

A real one. It may not be the one people reach for first in the cooler, but it’s the one that’s there when you need it most. It’s the crux of the natural cycle, accepting a slow fade into something essential. Like, I let every drop of youth leave my body over time, because I know the beauty is in me. The beauty will live forever through what I create. That’s Natural Lime wisdom.

Strawberry

Strawberry fields forever.

Blackberry

A dope flavor with a bit of a dark undertone. Relatable. I make music because I love to, but also because I have to. Life is hard. The stories I write are there to convince myself to keep going. A blackberry White Claw really gets me like that.

Big Surf: Tropical Punch

Very rare high aura vibes. Makes you feel mad different…both a blessing and a curse, obviously. Hits like a wave. Gotta ride it.

Tati Bruening first went viral as Illumitati, the Internet-native behind some of the most addictive visuals online—from personal video art to campaigns for A24 and Snapchat. Think a fem-bot-meets-statue-of-liberty adorned in nothing but pale green bodypaint and an outfit fashioned from Arizona Iced Tea. Or a young woman in office-wear swinging a baseball bat at a ChatGPT logo piñata. Old desktops sit in riverbeds, and fidget spinners are repurposed as a barely there bikini. There’s something refreshing and inspired about her analog response. It’s an instinct for world-building that carries over into Contact Sports, her electronic music project. Below, ahead of releasing her single “Me & My Machine,” she talks digital origin stories, machine romance, and why the internet still feels like home.

How has your relationship with the Internet changed over the years?

Absolutely. The Internet is a lot like my hometown [Newport Beach], in the sense that a lot of the culture in my surroundings—in both virtual and physical space—has had an undeniable influence on me as a person, and as a result, my art as well.

Are there Internet rabbit holes that stuck with you?

I grew up on YouTube almost entirely! I didn’t watch T.V., movies, or play many video games aside from Minecraft. If it wasn’t Internet culture that I was consuming, it was nature. I grew up pretty granola and used nature as an escape.

What excites you most about electronic music right now?

I am super excited about seeing the merge of underground rap and E.D.M. It reminds me of when A$AP Rocky collaborated with Mura Masa and the whole era of music I loved when I was in middle school. I hope to see more cross-genre collabs and unexpected features like that in the future.

What made you want to release your own music?

I actually started my career in the underground electronic music scene in high school, as a rave photographer. It’s been a lifelong dream of mine to pursue music and D.J.ing, but I never had the confidence. After producing some of the music that was in the background of my video works, it just kind of took on a life of its own.

Why the name Contact Sports?

My parents met playing professional basketball, so naturally, I grew up playing lots of contact sports. The phrase was always something I heard and thought to myself: What an odd and sterile way to describe touch. Ironically, I never really enjoyed sports, although I was very good.

Does your brain work differently when you make music versus visuals, or do the two feed each other?

I think my process is generally the same for both. Which is uh…whatever it feels like that day. There is not much of a method to my madness other than actioning whatever comes to mind as quickly as possible before I get bored of it.

“Me & My Machine” feels so current. What was your inspiration for the song?

It’s about this ideal world where there is symbiosis between nature, technology, and the self. The idea came to me when I was probably experiencing mild psychosis after spending several days in a forest by myself with no cell service. The only company I had alongside me was my car, which is my muse, “the machine” in the track.

Was there a moment while making the single’s music video that just clicked?

It was a world that I’ve been creating for a long time, but didn’t really have the resources to execute, so this was a super easy and clear-cut process, to be honest. I was able to work with [Creative Director] Kurt Johnson who helped me to really build my ideas into something bigger than the video projects that I’ve been creating for social media, which was such a dream.

You’re scrolling and come across what looks like any other girl pulling pieces from her closet and putting together an outfit in front of her mirror. Then she turns around, and where her face should be is the enormous, heart-shaped visage of a barn owl. No, you’re not hallucinating—you’ve just stumbled into the world of Tyto Aeryn, the furry persona of New York-based artist C.C., whose get-ready-with-me videos have been doing the rounds online. Less than a year old, the alter ego’s become a way for the 24-year-old to wear the archival designer pieces she doesn’t usually reach for in her everyday life. And she’s been a long time coming, shaped as much by C.C. ‘s lifelong love of fashion as by her childhood fascination with these nocturnal birds. Below, we talk fashion, furry culture, and the case for putting a giant owl in the front row.

Who is Tyto Aeryn?

Tyto Aeryn is essentially a barn owl who got bored of the forest and moved to New York City. She’s chic, has expensive taste, and a deep appreciation for couture. We’re basically twins, except she wears everything in my closet, and I wear the same black outfit every day.

When and why did you create her?

I created her in January 2026, but honestly, she was a long time coming. Barn owls have been my favorite animals since I was 9 and watched Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole. That movie literally changed my life. At a certain point, becoming an owl felt inevitable, and creating Tyto Aeryn was the natural conclusion to that obsession.

Where did you source your costume?

Tyto Aeryn was commissioned. I worked with a fursuit-maker to create her head.

What’s it like being an owl on the Internet?

One of my favorite things is that it allows me to separate the art from the artist. People engage with Tyto Aeryn as a character and a creative project rather than focusing on me as a person. It gives me the freedom to experiment, create, and share my work without feeling like every part of my life needs to be public. I think that balance is really special.

Have you made any friends?

Definitely. Everyone I’ve met has been so kind, and the amount of talent in the furry community is amazing. Being surrounded by that much creativity is incredibly inspiring.

What are some common misconceptions people have about furries?

I don’t know if I’d call them misconceptions, but people tend to fill in the blanks when it comes to Tyto Aeryn. Everyone seems to have their own explanation for why I’m doing this or what it all means. I think that’s part of the fun. If people want to read deeper into it, they’re more that welcome to. I like leaving some room for interpretation.

Why do you think it’s important to push it into the mainstream fashion world?

Furries often get reduced to stereotypes, but the reality is that the community is full of creative artists, designers, and performers. Fashion is one of the most accessible art forms in the world, so it’s a great bridge between niche communities and mainstream culture. By blending fashion with furries, people can engage with it through something they’re already familiar with. It gives them a chance to look past the stereotypes and appreciate the artistry and self-expression that have always been there.

Do you consider it performance art?

Yes, I’d say so, but also on a more practical note, she’s also an excuse to wear the absurd amount of clothing I own. At some point I realized that if I was going to keep collecting interesting pieces, I needed a giant owl to model them or else it would’ve just become a hoarding problem.

Do you make other kinds of art?

Yes. I’m primarily a painter and sculptor. My background is in fine arts, and Tyto Aeryn is just another extension of that creative practice.

When did you get into fashion yourself?

My mom is one of the most fashionable people I know, so I was exposed to fashion from the moment I was sentient. It’s something I’ve loved for as long as I can remember, and it’s influenced almost every creative project I’ve ever made. Fashion is my absolute favorite thing in the world. I honestly can’t imagine my life without it.

How would you compare your personal style to Tyto Aeryn’s?

They’re complete opposites. In my day-to-day life, I dress almost exclusively in black and gravitate toward a very minimal, sleek wardrobe. Tyto Aeryn, on the other hand, is a maximalist. With the philosophy that more is more, her style is heavily inspired by John Galliano and Alexander McQueen in the 2000s with the dramatic silhouettes and theatrical details. It’s much more theatrical than my own.

What is your dream job?

I’m already pursuing it. I get to make weird things, wear beautiful clothes, and share them with people. My goal is to keep building Tyto Aeryn and see how far I can take her. Hopefully, one day she’ll become a recognizable name in fashion.

Twenty-year-old London-based twins Evelina and Lola Tajie have turned the double-take into an art form with a delightfully absurd series of videos in which the models evoke the eerie, unsettling symmetry of the Grady sisters in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining (1980). On the final day of Gemini season (and their birthday!) we caught up with the pair to talk matching outfits, twin telepathy, and why spending seven hours apart can feel like losing a limb.

When did you start posting online, and what made you want to

Evelina Tajie: We started posting videos when we were 16. Initially, we enjoyed dressing up in interesting outfits, putting on makeup, and making videos for ourselves, but later we started going viral. This motivated us to take filming more seriously.

@_evaat__ @_evaat__ ♬ оригинальный звук - PIVNEVA🪩🏹

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Where are you based?

Lola Tajie: We live in London. It really inspires us. We love walking in parks and enjoying nature.

How do you relate to being Geminis?

Evelina: I think we’re a perfect representation: It’s like we have two personalities within each of us.

What’s something only the two of you would understand?

Lola: Life as the center of attention.

Describe each other in three words.

Evelina: Confident, eccentric, fun.

Lola: Perfectionist, caring, stylish.

What was your first shared obsession growing up?

Evelina: We crocheted toys and clothes together.

What’s your favorite movie?

Evelina: Crash (1996).

Lola: Dreamers (2002).

What’s the best part of having a twin?

Lola: The unconditional love. Your twin is the closest person you have: They will support you in everything, take care of you, and love you with the purest love forever.

@_evaat__ @_evaat__ ♬ оригинальный звук - PIVNEVA🪩🏹

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Who would survive longer on a reality show?

Evelina: Lola because she loves being social and interacting with people.

Lola: Yeah, I’m better at getting along with people and smoothing over conflicts.

What’s the last thing you influenced each other to buy?

Evelina: I pushed Lola to buy some colored jeans. She didn’t want to buy them because she thought they were useless, but I thought the idea was really funny. She ended up buying them but never wore them.

Lola: Just yesterday, I pushed Evelina to buy some pastries. She’s usually very careful about her figure and doesn’t like junk food, but I insisted and she enjoyed them.

How many hours do you spend together a day?

Evelina: We spend all our free time together and are rarely apart. We love shopping and coming up with new outfits for our videos. We also play sports together and hang out with friends.

What’s the longest amount of time you’ve ever spent apart?

Lola: Probably 7 hours, but whenever we’re away from each other we immediately start to feel like we’re missing some part of ourselves.

Who’s more likely to answer a text immediately?

Evelina: Lola is more likely to answer. She’s responsible for all our communication.

A whisper of fabric hugs the foot so delicately it looks less like a shoe and more like a second skin in Evelina Kryvopust’s designs. Ever since she began sharing snippets from her latest collection online, the 22-year-old has been ricocheting across explore pages and moodboards. Created as part of the Ukrainian designer’s thesis show for the Florence fashion university Polimoda, the idea began with a photograph of Susan Sontag at work, her feet in thin, almost invisible flats. We caught up with Kryvopust, who graduated earlier this week, to talk early obsessions, studio life, and what comes next.

Where did you grow up, and what was your world like there?

I grew up in Kyiv, Ukraine in a fairly large family that started to grow during my teenage years because I was the first child. Despite this, I was almost always quite detached from family matters and children, although I love them very much. Mostly I was in my room, in my own world full of films and books. I’ve always listened to a huge amount of music, and I used to make my own videos on YouTube. I made playlists for specific moods, kept enormous lists of reviews of the books I read, and wrote my own poems.

When did you first become interested in fashion, and when did you realize you wanted to become a designer?

I had a very academic education, and the school where I studied made us think that only serious work could be considered respectable. Because of this, I retreated from the idea of engaging in a creative profession. Although I painted all my life, danced professionally, sang, and played instruments, the main thing that always brought me back to creativity was the fact that I did not have a large circle of friends. I spent a lot of time in my head and in communication with myself. I was always as honest with myself as possible, and I understood that fashion is what I would like to do, but it took me a long time to return to this thought. I even studied journalism for 3 years at a university in Ukraine before the full-scale invasion began and I moved to Italy to study. Although I think about it now, I remember when in elementary school we were asked what our dream job was, and my answer was a fashion designer.

What’s your earliest memory of making something?

My vivid memory is of making collages between the ages of 5 and 12. At that time I lived in an apartment with my parents and grandparents. My grandmother always collected all the magazines from the mailboxes, knowing that in the evening I would cut them out and make collages. They are still preserved in her folders.

Do you usually start from films, images, or personal feelings when you design?

I start by trying things on myself. I try to move away from that to some extent and teach people how to make things without my physical presence in them, but I always have to see all my pieces on myself, from the first draping to the final pieces.

Are there any designers or artists you’re really inspired by right now?

Oh yes, I’m absolutely obsessed with Colin Benders and dream about hearing him live. For me, his music is a pure, mastered art. And then Florentina Holzinger, for me she’s an artist of the year.

What was the process of developing your shoe prototype?

The idea of creating this particular shoe was inspired by a photo of Susan Sontag, where she talks to her son in her office. I noticed the shoes she was wearing in that photo, and they were very thin ballerina flats that literally followed the shape of her foot. I started doing more research on different women who worked in the intellectual field, journalists and writers, and I noticed that a lot of them wore shoes that were very close to anatomical ones. From that moment on, I started collecting various vintage and small socks that I just tried on myself, saw how they looked and how they fit. The person who was involved in actually creating the shoes and putting all the pieces together is this man named Nicolo in Naples. In 2 weeks he managed to make six pairs of shoes, which required very painstaking work because they are all made of quite thin materials like lace, nylon pantyhose, and socks. He did an almost unreal job. I took a photo with a silicone variation of the sock where I simply attached the heel with glue, and posted the photo to Instagram. In a day I had 100,000 views.

How would you describe your studio life while working on this collection—what does a typical day actually look like?

Usually, I’m a person who finds it quite difficult to get up very early, so I would go in around 10 a.m., have breakfast, and start working on my things. It’s very different every day. Maybe I’m working on the sketch, maybe I’m working on pattern-making. Usually, I spend most of my time on pattern-making and fitting sessions. I was always at the university’s studio until it closes at 8 p.m.

What was the most intense or stressful moment during your graduation collection development?

I worked in Italy where I had to constantly stay in contact with different suppliers and companies that were involved. Every day, I had to call everyone to ask how they were doing, then find out if someone had forgotten something, lost something, didn’t have time to finish it, and all the deadlines were constantly being pushed. I’m used to the fact that in Ukraine it’s possible to solve any problem as quickly and easily as possible, while in Italy somehow any small problem turned into a gigantic one.

Now that you’re graduating, what comes next for you—what are you hoping to do after Polimoda?

I’m looking for an internship. I am open to different offers and open to moving, so I am currently applying to different companies.

Interview by KIRSTEN CHEN
Photos by ELSA HAMMARÉN

Kirsten Chen: Hi, Sotce. Where in the world are you?

Sotce: Thailand. It’s 10:30 p.m. here. Sorry, I look kind of scary. I got micro-needling done, and now I have a black eye.

Kirsten: What are you doing in Thailand?

Sotce: I’m working on my novel and preparing a retreat in Estonia for July.

Kirsten: What is your novel about?

Sotce: How to love. It takes place in a secluded monastery. The protagonist falls in love with the guru and with a fellow disciple.

Kirsten: Is there a type of novelist that you aspire to be?

Sotce: I don’t know, but novelist is just such a fun word, like it’s so elitist and niche. Calling myself one, I feel like I’m a little girl wearing her mom’s high heels. But I guess I like when I read something that’s so precisely related to an experience of mine that I could never articulate myself. I do feel so overwhelmed by the amount of books there are in the world. I try not to think about it.

Kirsten: People want to talk about how many clothing brands there are, but nobody’s talking about how many books there are, and books are the oldest thing.

Sotce: Yeah, exactly. But in general, there’s probably too much of everything—or maybe not enough.

Kirsten: How many hours a day do you spend writing?

Sotce: Not many.

Kirsten: What about drawing?

Sotce: I guess it varies, but most of the time I think I just do the same shit as everyone else.

Kirsten: Who is Sotce?

Sotce: An image that perfectly fills a role, and is watched and listened to.

Kirsten: How do you pronounce it?

Sotce: Sot-see.

Kirsten: Where did she come from?

Sotce: I needed someone to be braver than I was. For a long time it was a specific storyline and professing the questions related to that. Now, I think I will always work under this name. It’s nice to have some privacy.

Kirsten: How much of yourself as Amelia goes into Sotce? How do you draw the line?

Sotce: It is all me just without the heavier bits, and I try to make everything fresh-seeming and universal.

Kirsten: Do you ever want to stop being Sotce?

Sotce: It can be a bit lonely, to keep something going that makes no sense. And the entertainment industry can be quite risky and harmful. But I like her. I will keep being her.

Kirsten: Did you spend time online when you were young?

Sotce: I was in fairy forums with other little girls.

Kirsten: Where did you grow up?

Sotce: I grew up on both coasts of America and moved four times by the time I was 9.

Kirsten: What did you want to be when you grew up?

Sotce: A pilot.

Kirsten: What is it about flying that you like the most?

Sotce: The feeling of being nowhere.

Kirsten: Have you ever worked a more conventional job?

Sotce: Not really. I’ve been kind of exempt from that, but I wish I knew what it was like. I guess I worked at [redacted] at 18, but let’s not include the name... I feel like it’s a little too earthly to keep in.

Kirsten: Is there a mantra you currently live by?

Sotce: Improve or dismiss. No fear. Focus on safety. Courage and decency. Every day is an opportunity.

Kirsten: What kind of protection do you maintain for your spirituality?

Sotce: I’m very, very private about that stuff, especially as I go further into my public domain.

Kirsten: Privacy is a great form of security across all aspects of someone.

Sotce: Do you think privacy is lying?

Kirsten: No, for me, it’s when I get to be the most truthful. Do you have any spiritual advice on masturbation?

Sotce: Keep calm and carry on.

Kirsten: What are some words that you do not let enter your daily life or vocabulary?

Sotce: I never curse.

Kirsten: Is spiraling good, bad, neutral?

Sotce: I think the body shows you where it needs more support. A lot of the time, we can step back from our emotional currents and understand them as a reaction, whether that means a need for safety or quiet or exercise.

Kirsten: If a person doesn’t have the vocabulary for something, are they safe from feeling it?

Sotce: This is kind of Lacanian, like how when we call something by a name it ceases to be what it actually is because the truth of it is indefinite. The names assigned to things flatten them. There’s more purity to the undefined experience, like, how when a baby cries, you feel it in your heart because it’s so true—just this pure emanation of suffering.

Kirsten: How do you know when an image is right for a meme?

Sotce: To be honest, I use everything I have. If I take something, it’ll go somewhere. I do like things that have a kind of creepy feel.

Kirsten: Are memes a lazy form of communication?

Sotce: No. I think we’re all just trying our best. Do you make memes?

Kirsten: No, I want to be nostalgic, like, write me an email.

Sotce: Do you get good emails?

Kirsten: I’m writing paragraphs to some deep-sea fisherman in rural Alaska right now.

Sotce: Is he hot?

Kirsten: Eh, I think he’s bored. What are your thoughts on yearning?

Sotce: You’re probably the fifth person to ask me this. I like when someone else wants something, but I don’t like when I want something.

Kirsten: What do you think people want from you?

Sotce: Freedom.

Grace Ives is deep in her Girlfriend era, still riding the bright, slightly disorienting afterglow of her third studio album, released earlier this spring. This summer she's been touring her new music across America and Europe, where songs that once lived in the privacy of her bedroom now bloom across rooms full of strangers. Below, we catch up with her on a day off in Paris—where she takes us along on a trek through the city, from an encounter with the most perfect strawberries to a rum-soaked dessert that nearly broke her three years of sobriety. A perfect day, almost.

Tuesday. Off day in Paris. Played a show last night. It was really good/great. The sheer nightgown I played in is hanging, still damp, in the bathroom, which is two feet to my left (smallest room in the world, classic Paris, I think). The floor is completely covered in different dopp kits, trinkets, and dirty clothes. A pile of dirty cotton pads stacked on my nightstand. I didn’t charge my phone last night.

12:31 p.m. My eyes open. I feel both bloated and empty. Hungry. I pull back the window’s curtain and let in air and light. Sam and I both groan and smack our lips to say “so thirsty, so hungry.”

1:05 p.m. John texts me. We are more awake now, having drank some water, taken meds, peed, etcetera. We start planning the day. I say I want to go to the graveyard.

1:20 p.m. John, Sam, and I walk to the Cimetière de Montemartre.

1:30 p.m. We pass by a fruit stand and see some perfect looking strawberries. I buy them for 5 euros. Maybe less, I can’t remember. They are perfect. We eat most of them as we walk to a café we were told to go to. I quickly make peace with the thought of carrying a bag of strawberries with me all day. I eat a million, and leave a trail of the little green tops as we walk.

1:40 p. m. At the café, I use my remedial French to order us une quiche aux champignon et deux cappuccino. The person I order from heats up the quiche, but only the sides get warm, and it is not mushroom, it’s mixed vegetables, which is fine. We eat outside. It’s delicious. I take a polaroid of the strawberries, but I’m too close to them, and the flash is too bright. We all think it’s a cute picture anyways.

2:00 p.m. We start walking towards the cemetery. We went the wrong way for about 2 minutes. I’m really glad I wore my hokas instead of my little white flats.

2:35 p.m. We get to the cemetery. The map says that Dégas is buried in the left back corner of the site, so we head in that direction. It’s beautiful. The air is green and sweet, and we take off our sweaters. It’s feeling like a perfect day.

3:00 p.m. We can’t find Dégas’ grave. We agree that everyone buried here is just as important as Dégas, and decide to head to Sacré-Cœur.

3:25 p.m. We’re deep in a tourist area. We have to climb multiple steep flights of stairs. We’re basically hiking. I’m sweaty. John and I are permanently tired from being on tour. Sam seems happy to be hiking. I’m trying not to complain or fall behind. I have chubby girl fear of being seen as slow and out of shape, so I’m steadily ascending, but it kind of sucks.

3:35 p.m. We reach the top of the world. The city looks cramped and romantic. The Sacré-Coeur is behind us. I don’t take a picture for some reason. I feel like I’ve been here before, but I couldn't say when. It’s massive, and so is its line to get in. We decide not to wait in line. We say it doesn’t feel worth it, but really I think we all just want to lie down.

3:40 p.m. We stand around saying “well…” and “uhhhh, what now?” We decide to head towards the Seine. I think we all secretly want to go back to the hotel, but we’re trying to be brave.

4:10 p.m. We’re waiting for the train. I take a picture of myself, and a polaroid of Sam and John.

4:30 p.m. We get off the train, and immediately enter a palatial scene. It feels like we time traveled. I don’t know where we are, or the significance of any of the buildings. We walk through a park of wide paths paved with dusty gravel and lined with short bushy trees. We sit down. It feels amazing. I decide to throw away the strawberries because I’m basically just carrying around warm jam. We’re hungry. John says we can walk to Café le Flore. I say, “but John, it only has 3 stars,” which comes out bratty so I play it off as a joke. We cross the Seine and I ask how boats float.

5:15 p.m. We’re at the restaurant. We order a charcuterie plate, a Mediterranean salad, and a crème brûlée. It’s all fine. Very expensive. There’s a popular (touristy) pharmacy nearby I want to check out. We’re killing time before we meet our friend/drummer, Mikee, for dinner at a spot her friend told her to go to. She wants to try candied pork. It starts to pour. Big blobs smacking our heads like water balloons. They feel almost viscous. We aren’t saying it, but we’re miserable.

6:15 p.m. City Pharmacy feels as crowded as Primavera. We are in and out in under a minute. We stand under an awning waiting for the rain to stop.

6:20 p.m. We’re on a train to “Bouillon Julien,” where Mikee has been told to go. I’m still of the belief we’re getting candied pork.

6:45 p.m. We get off the train near a bunch of beauty supply stores. I look for pink hair dye. I find really shitty pink Wella hair masks that I buy for some reason. I also buy a little bag of bright pink mini hairbands.

7:00 p.m. We’re in line waiting for a table. I peel off most of my nail polish. It’s still kind of raining. I only brought one sweater on this trip and it’s soaking wet. I really need to do laundry.

8:00 p.m. We get a table. The restaurant is a huge pale green banquet hall with a stained glass ceiling. There are art nouveau murals on the walls. It’s crowded, and I hear a lot of people speaking English, which I take as a bad sign. There is no candied pork here. We’ve been led astray. The waiter hates us. I forget how to say “share” in French. I feel slow and cold. Sam and I share a steak. It’s not good. I’m bummed because I had all these restaurants saved that people had told me to go to, but I followed the group plan of candied pork, and now I am cutting cold steak with a butter knife, thinking it’s not even as good as Smokehouse in LA. I’m grateful to be alive, with friends, and that I have a body that can climb stairs.

8:50 p.m. We decide to go big on dessert after our entrée disappointment. We order chocolate mousse, french toast, rum baba, and something called a Julien that the recipe claims as a specialty. They are all freezing cold. They all taste the same, except for the Rum Baba. I try a bite of the rum baba, it is soaked in uncooked rum. It stings my mouth and instantly I feel a sober panic. I am brought back to taking shots, to having no chaser. I spit it out instantly and try not to lose my shit. I am a week away from 3 years sober. I feel like crying and sticking my fingers down my throat. I want to go home. I check how many steps I took today and it says 19,159.

9:20 p.m. After waiting a little too long to pay the check, I call us an uber back to the hotel. The driver is listening to a reggaeton mix. I press my cheek to the cold glass. I can still smell the rum.

9:45 p.m. We’re back in the hotel room. I take the hottest shower my skin allows and stand with my head bowed under the water. I crouch to the shower floor and tuck my knees to my chest.

10:05 p.m. I’m in bed and I decide to start watching Big Love. I’ve never seen it. It’s good enough for me right now. Sam reads, which I’m jealous of. I have a book, but no book light. Huge packing error.

12:00 a.m. I try to sleep. Try not to think about how in Brooklyn it’s 6pm. My cats are eating dinner. I inhale to my diaphragm, hold, inhale to my ribs, hold, and inhale into my heart. Hold. Count to three, then exhale counting to eight. I roll my eyes around in my skull because I once read that this releases melatonin in your body. I think about packing up tomorrow morning at 9 and driving to Brussels. I wonder if it’s still raining.

1:30 a.m. I’m asleep.

Acrid yellows, electric greens, bruised purples, hot pinks: Debby Fasingha has an eye for color that will make you stop scrolling. Despite her digital fluency, the 24-year-old designer’s style feels like a refreshing break from the Internet’s endless flurry of trends. Based in Lagos, Fasingha finds inspiration everywhere throughout the day. But ask her where she’d rather be, and she’ll tell you her closet. Whether she’s styling her friend and fellow fashion-obsessive Rachel Ojuromi, breaking down runway archives for her “Behind the Look” series online, or working on the next idea for her namesake label, Fasingha pours life into everything she makes.

Age: 24

Occupation: Designer and stylist.

Where are you from and where are you based?

I’m from Bayelsa State, Nigeria. I moved to Lagos 3 years ago, and am based here at the moment.

If a friend visits, where is the first place you take them?

My closet! Some of my grails are my Nike Acg jacket in grey and yellow, red and leopard print Obey hat, Sergio Rossi chainmail heels, and Ed Hardy yellow high-top sneakers. I’m very proud of it. I really love my space. I’m either home or hanging out with my friends. But don’t side eye me if you see me out in the club. I still love a good time.

How does living in Lagos influence your personal style?

It provides me with the freedom to try new things. A lot of people here lean into their personal styles, so I know there’s no judgement.

What’s always on your moodboard?

Right now, I’m just so obsessed with color. Whatever I’m looking at, just know I’m looking at whether the colors work well together.

What is your favorite thing about your creative community?

We littttt. The kids are so lit. Everyone is super talented in their own field. Odey Ikpa on photography, Enoch Itua with art, and so many others. There’s so much coming out of Africa. It’s really exciting.

Do you remember the first time you got dressed and felt like you were really creating a whole look? What was the outfit?

I’ve been dressing up since I was very little, courtesy of my mom. But I really started to get into it when I was in high school and had to dress myself up for church. I still remember this black dress with tulle I loved to wear with some black tights. I paired it with these blue heels my aunt sent to me.

Sum up your style in three words.

Fun, playful, daring.

Who are your fashion role models?

Rihanna.

Favorite designer and specific season, and why?

Martin Margiela, Spring/Summer 1990. He was my introduction to high fashion, although at the time, he wouldn’t even be considered that. I guess I’ll say fashion with meaning. It was a really beautiful show, raw and unapologetic. Deciding to do the show at a kids’ playground and allowing them to walk alongside the models felt like such a beautiful experience. I cried the first time I watched a breakdown of it. I wish I could’ve witnessed it in person. Even the clothes… Margiela’s idea of layering and deconstructing was something incredibly special.

Favorite contemporary designers?

Right now, August Barron, Dauan Jacari, and Ben Doctor.

What’s the inspiration behind your clothing brand?

The brand is Debby Fasingha, and “Hope” is the name of my debut collection. The inspiration behind it was this idea of endless possibilities. I wanted to push past where I was at that moment as I knew there was so much more to reach for. I was hungry for story, for fantasy, and I took all of that feeling and poured it into the clothes. It’s incredible to see how much has happened since the genesis. Everything happening right now is “Hope.”

In your “Behind the Look” series, you educate your followers about fashion design. Why do you think it’s important to make fashion theory and history accessible?

Because there’s more kids like me who need resources. Big love to creators like Fashionroadman, Rian Phin, Ashantéa Austin, and Chani Ra. I love them to death for providing me with knowledge I couldn’t have gotten anywhere else.

What isn’t a trend yet but should (or will) be?

Me.

What song would be the soundtrack to your life?

This is really hard. I’ll say “Gratitude” by Asake.

What’s something you saw recently that inspired you?

I saw my friend, Semzi, record music. I don’t really know how to explain it, but it was incredible to witness.

You’re going out in the morning and won’t be back home all day: What are you wearing and what are you bringing in your bag?

Whatever I’m wearing depends on my mood for the day. These days I’ve been gravitating towards sweats and a tank top. I’m prioritizing comfort. What’s in my bag? EVERYTHING. I always have my iPad with me. My chargers, perfume, earphones, sunglasses, sanitizer, tampons. I take my jewelry bag with me as well. An extra tank top and some shorts just in case I want to change up my outfit.

You have followers from around the world, what’s one thing people should know about Lagos?

It’s chaotic asf.

What’s one thing people should know about you?

I’m really funny! I made a group chat on Instagram. I think everyone on there can testify (I hope). I love everyone who’s joined so far.

Hi Bunnies,

This week I am posting the J’adore Last Week in collaboration with, and in celebration of, Takeaway’s new Substack.

If you are new to The Bunny Diaries, I’m Sakura (@sakurasmith), a baker and writer who has spent the last decade in New York, making and selling wild-yeast bagels—among other things under the handle @bagel.bunny. I moved to Tokyo in January with my fiancé (OMG, first time typing that), and have been having an adventure ever since. I’ve started consulting on hospitality for some brands and individuals, picked my ceramics practice back up, all the while still cooking and working on my friend’s bar. I started this series in 2024 as a challenge to write weekly, but also to capture the moments I loved throughout the week. Glad to have you here.

So, as I do, here is everything J’adored Last Week:

My Jiji (じじ) is in the hospital, and it is so out-of-body sometimes to watch people age. What is that about?

I have spoken a lot about grief lately on the newsletter, and this week, I wondered a lot about the ways the body changes, the way energy shifts—where is someone energetically? Where are they going? Like I’ve said before, we are always attached to what we know.

While I don’t actually adore anything about this, I do adore that I can be with my mom and grandma, and cook for them. Drew is currently making us a big salad, and I am snacking on fresh mochi covered with soy sauce and butter from the farm stand in the area. To start the week, my friend Olivia reminded me how hydrating hibiscus tea is. I mix it with raspberry leaves to support my menstrual cycle. I’ve been drinking it every day, and it makes me feel as though I’m having an all-day cocktail.

Not to be that girl, but I got engaged last week. Drew proposed in Kamakura, where my mom grew up. It was private and sweet and something I just loved. Luckily, I didn’t have in-person work the next two days, as he also planned two nights away so we could have writing sessions about what our future might look like. While we are super excited and being very low-key about it all, I feel grateful to have chosen someone like this—someone who cares.

First, we had my favorite meal at this Korean restaurant focused on themes of mother and daughter, health and care. They had a Hay Bonbon lamp hanging in the center of the room, and the space was dressed perfectly in light-colored geometric shapes. The menu was tight with everything centered around health.

I ordered the omija-cha, which is schisandra tea, meant to help balance your body. Damn, it was sooo gooooooood. They sprinkled it with pine nuts, which I do not normally love, but something about the soft bite and nuttiness was so lovely. The flavor you taste tells you about a certain quality of health your body might be lacking. I like this sort of game with food. I wish there was a version of this for every bite. I also ordered soondubu with clams in their typically vegetarian broth. You could tell, but not in a bad way. Drew had cold soba noodles that were still perfectly firm.

We spent the rest of the day on the beach, which led to yogurt soft serve, and finally, to the moment he asked me as the sun set. This usually unshakeable man was awkwardly silent. I laughed in the moment, wondering where his strangeness stemmed from.

We overate at dinner, and I felt like I was going to inflate and float into the sky. In the morning we woke early, went to the sauna and jumped in the ocean.

For breakfast, we ate at a place I love, but only go to at 7 a.m. before tourists arrive. We sat next to and talked with a visitor from the U.K. I bought four pieces of their dried and frozen fish to take home with me.

From there we drove to Izu, passing through the town of Shuzenji along the river, where we looked at the shops and antiques, almost walking away with a tea set. We bought shrimp rice crackers and stopped outside town at まめや, a restaurant in a woman’s home, for lunch.

You could have curry or the lunch set. I had one, Drew had the other. There was a cat, and we played with it, so it felt like an accidental cat café. The cat was funny but wise, knowing how to open the sliding door to greet and say goodbye to customers. It was a great place.

We stayed at the ryokan, Ochiairo, which I had been wanting to visit for a long time. Built in 1874, it seemed like the kind of place people go to celebrate. We pulled up with our sandy feet and a car full of water bottles. We bathed all day and spoke, wrote, and robed up for dinner. Then we slept deeply in fluffy beds.

The food there was the best ryokan food I’ve had by far. Everything was flavorful, but also cooked to perfection. I find that traditional Japanese food, while “good,” isn’t always done well. Sometimes it goes: boil that thing, throw a soy sauce-mirin combo on top, and call it a day. Not truly flavored. You can tell a lot about a cook from their clear soup.

This crane bowl became my obsession of the week. The Spanish mackerel inside ended up being my favorite dish of the night.

Okay, tea drinks have always been in my lane. After deciding I didn’t want anymore sake, I switched to a sparkling black tea. If I ever open anything, this will be on the menu. In ceremony, it feels like a beer or a cocktail.

In the morning, I drank this local milk, and if you haven’t been to Japan and had milk fresh from a farm, I just don’t know what to say to you. Imagine the milkiest milk milk could ever be.

In the lobby, Drew found these cheese snacks called Cheese in Snack, and they are addictive, to say the least. Each package contains a crisp cheese cracker with a softer, slightly sweet cheese tucked inside. It was good and weird, some sort of genius.

The next day, Drew had his wasabi ice cream because this prefecture is known for wasabi. Next week he will be posting his Tokyo/Japan Ice Cream Report on the newsletter. He has been researching this for a long time and I am excited to see what qualifies.

When we got home to Tokyo, I made a soup inspired by avgolemono, but instead of orzo I made it with couscous ’cause that’s what I had. And I want you to know that I was going to write the word “because,” but “’cause” was the right way to go after couscous.

Having friends who also happen to be your new neighbors has been so special. That’s what I want to do every day: meet up with friends at the coffee shop while I’m groggy-eyed and unsure of what’s ahead.

I see so many flower arrangements that I love, but I never arrange them because, truly, I get lazy about it. Finding the right vase and trimming the flowers has always overwhelmed me. But nowadays I really want to let it feel like a creative endeavor. Here is my first one.

Then I saw this bra that I didn’t buy, but I wish I had.

Attempted to do an easy jerk chicken night. The chicken was cooked in our fish grill, and we found jerk seasoning at Dean & Deluca. Thank god. We had some snap peas, so we blanched them and cooked them with garlic. I made some beans with onions and whatever else was around.

For mornings, I have been craving turmeric salmon and edamame. This can be speedy if you plan right. I bought some miso a few weeks ago in Kanazawa from a 400-year old miso shop.

More sourdough from 365 Bakery—look at the wrapping on this bread. She’s perfect. I was inspired, so we picnicked in the park at dusk.

We bought mid cheese from & CHEESE STAND. They did sell mini honey sticks, which I thought was genius, but otherwise the cheeses we chose were primarily just sour, so I look forward to trying again.

I feel lucky living the life I live.

To close out, here is a photo of Yuzu, my sister’s dog, who has brought me joy daily.

Enjoy yourself,
Sakura