Burberry announces a partnership with the V&A Museum in London, Skims opens a flagship store on the Sunset Strip, Regen Projects presents Rachel Jones’ first L.A. solo exhibition and Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester comes to Hotel Bel-Air.
Burberry partners with the Victoria and Albert Museum in London to redevelop its iconic Fashion Gallery
Burberry, the British luxury brand known for its iconic trench coat and signature check design, announced Monday it will be supporting the transformation of the Fashion Gallery at the Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington as part of a multi-year partnership with the London-based arts and culture institution.
The museum’s fashion collection spans five centuries and is the world’s largest most comprehensive collection of dress. Key items in the collection include rare 17th century gowns, 18th century “mantua” dresses, 1930s eveningwear, 1960s daywear and post-war couture.
Uniting two icons of British culture with a shared legacy of heritage, innovation and creativity, the partnership will see the gallery redeveloped and exclusively renamed The Burberry Gallery upon reopening in spring 2027.
Following its closure this May, the V&A South Kensington’s Fashion Gallery will be renovated into a spectacular and participatory space that will inspire visitors and enable them to experience the V&A’s fashion collection in innovative and exciting ways.
The opening of The Burberry Gallery will also be complemented by a wide-ranging activity program onsite, offline and online, offering a world-class learning experience and greater access to fashion education for all.
“Burberry’s partnership with the V&A marks a milestone moment for British arts and culture. It unites two centuries-old cultural icons with a shared legacy of heritage and innovation and a commitment to championing creativity,” Burberry CEO Joshua Schulman said. “We are so thrilled to come together with the V&A team to celebrate the rich history of fashion and to develop an immersive space that will inspire creative minds for generations to come.”
The V&A Fashion Gallery was last structurally redeveloped in 1962 and remains one of the museum’s most visited and largest dedicated permanent gallery spaces. The V&A has displayed Burberry items previously as part of several exhibitions, including “Fashioned From Nature,” “Fashioning Masculinities: The Art of Menswear” and more recently “NAOMI: In Fashion.”
On reopening, The Burberry Gallery will continue to display a world-class fashion collection spanning five centuries and designs from a multitude of both brands and individuals.
Burberry has a longstanding legacy of supporting arts and culture at home and abroad, previously partnering with the British Pavilion for La Biennale di Venezia and the Royal Academy for the Thomas Burberry Prize. The brand also presented its latest Winter 2025 runway collection at Tate Britain and its Summer 2025 runway collection at the National Theatre, both in London.
“Founded in the same decade, for over 150 years the V&A and Burberry have been pillars of British fashion. Global in our reach, whilst champions of U.K. art and design, we share a commitment to ensuring our proud heritage inspires the next generation of creatives,” Tristram Hunt, director of the V&A, said. “This partnership allows us to share the V&A’s incredible collections in new and accessible ways and, with Burberry, support education and craftsmanship across the country. The V&A is hugely honored to display the Burberry name above one of the very greatest fashion galleries in the world.”
The V&A’s Fashion Gallery will close on May 4 to begin a period of redevelopment and reopen in 2027. Access to the V&A’s world-class fashion collection will continue to be available at V&A East Storehouse, opening May 31, and online at vam.ac.uk.
Kim Kardashian’s Skims opens a flagship store on the Sunset Strip
Last Monday, Kim Kardashian’s shapewear brand Skims opened its first Los Angeles flagship store on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood.
Designed by world-renowned design studio Rafael de Cárdenas, Ltd., the new 4,546-square-foot flagship store is an architectural statement that blends monumental design with the intimate, body-focused aesthetic that defines Skims. The design incorporates signature rounded-edge fixtures, custom tonal mannequins, a 12-foot Vanessa Beecroft sculpture and a tightly tuned palette of materials and tones with sweeping monochrome curves and coursing channels of light, accented by Corian and ultrasuede.
The L.A. flagship will offer an extensive range of products across categories, including loungewear, underwear and shapewear for both women and men and best-selling collections including Fits Everybody, Cotton and Ultimate Bras, as well as new releases and exclusive drops each month.
“Opening a Skims store in Los Angeles is a full-circle moment,” Kardashian, Skims co-founder and CCO, said. “This city has been a huge part of my life, and having a space here where people can experience the brand in person makes it even more special.”
To celebrate the launch, Skims teamed up neighboring landmark, Mel’s Drive-In. The historic diner transformed into Skims Drive-In and was open to the public April 2–April 6. Customers shopping at the flagship received priority access to the pop-up, which featured a custom photo booth, an exclusive curated menu and signature Skims details woven into Mel’s iconic vintage aesthetic.
Co-founded in 2019 by Kardashian and Jens Grede, Skims is creating the next generation of women’s underwear, loungewear and shapewear and setting new standards by providing solutions for every body. From technically constructed shapewear that enhances curves to underwear that stretches to twice its size, the brand’s goal is to consistently innovate on the past and advance the industry forward.
Skims Mens launched in 2023 with underwear and foundations engineered for maximum support, performance and recovery. In the same year, Skims and the National Basketball Association (NBA) announced a multi-year partnership, making the brand the official underwear partner of the NBA, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and USA Basketball.
Skims is open now at 8569 W Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, 90069.
Regen Projects presents artist Rachel Jones’ first L.A. solo exhibition
Regen Projects has announced the opening of “Dark-Pivot,” London-based artist Rachel Jones’ first solo exhibition in Los Angeles.
The exhibition’s new paintings pose fundamental questions about how the body – and traces of its movement – is comprehended differently when pushed beyond its figurative or abstract limits. Powerfully wielding negative space alongside color palettes and motifs drawn from cartoons, Jones recalibrates the psychic motor that drives our perception of bodily forms and traditional landscape painting, carving out new terrains between the real and the imaginary.
Jones received a B.A. in Fine Art from the Glasgow School of Art and an M.A. in Fine Art from the Royal Academy Schools. Recent solo exhibitions include the Museum of African Diaspora, San Francisco (2024); Long Museum, Shanghai, China (2023); and Chisenhale Gallery, London (2022).
She was an artist in residence at The Chinati Foundation, Marfa in 2019 and the Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art in 2016. Alongside her performance practice, which most recently took form as an operatic-based work titled “Hey, Maudie” (2023), Jones also designed the BRIT Awards 2024 trophy, which was presented to all winners.
Her work is included in the permanent collections of the Baltimore Museum of Art; Long Museum, Shanghai; Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; Hammer Museum, Los Angeles; The Hepworth Wakefield; Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian, Washington, DC; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York; Tate, London; and others.
“Dark-Pivot” is on view through May 10 at Regen Projects, 6750 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, 90038.
Barbour and Crocs unveil a new collaboration
British heritage and lifestyle brand Barbour and global footwear company Crocs have collaborated for the first time on a limited-edition collection. The range features outerwear, a clog, a wellington boot and nine jibbitz charms.
Originally designed by Dame Margaret Barbour in 1980, the Bedale Waxed Jacket has been reimagined for Crocs in an oversized and boxy fit. The jacket comes in Barbour’s famous 6oz Safe wax, with contrasting brushed silver hardware, eye-catching tartan pockets and a packable waterproof hood. The design also features a classic Barbour corduroy collar, dual-branded logo on the back and additional chest pockets with space to attach the jibbitz charms.
The iconic Crocs clog, meanwhile, has been treated to a waxy Barbour makeover. Featuring Barbour’s famous wax coated cotton trim with the same belt details as Barbour jackets and the tartan graphic print, the new design can be personalized with a choice of jibbitz charms. The Barbour x Crocs Wellington Boot also features the classic Barbour’s tartan, a PVC logo patch and a mix of the personalized jibbitz charms.
Inspired by patches and pins from the Barbour archive, as well as the custom dual branded logo, a mix of nine metal and PVC jibbitz have been created to complete the collaboration.
“This collaboration effortlessly blends two iconic brands, marrying our passion for self-expression with Barbour’s rich heritage,” Matias Infante, VP of Global Marketing at Crocs, said. “By remaining the timeless classics both brands are known for, we’ve created something entirely new that can be fully personalized.”
The Barbour x Crocs collaboration is available in store and online now.
Reformation taps Devon Lee Carlson for its new It Girl collection
Los Angeles-based sustainable women’s clothing brand Reformation has released a new collection in collaboration with influencer Devon Lee Carlson.
The capsule collection is the latest in the brand’s “It Girl” series, following past collaborations with Camille Rowe and Laura Harrier. It was “made for feeling like you’re getting ready to go out with the girls,” according to the brand.
The 20-piece collection is designed to bring Devon’s personal closet to her fans around the world, reimagining her favorite vintage pieces with a feminine, rom-com sensibility. The collaboration spans flirty dresses, two-piece sets, low-cut denim, graphic tees, evening bags and more.
To celebrate the launch, Carlson hosted a dinner at La Dolce Vita in Beverly Hills last Friday. Guests included Rowe, Dixie D’Amelio, Charlotte Lawrence, Fai Khadra, Kim Petras, Finneas O’Connell, Sydney Lee Carlson, Reign Judge, Benito Skinner and Adwoa Aboah.
Reformation x Devon Lee Carlson in available now online and in all Reformation stores.
Knoll and Willo Perron celebrate the launch of the Perron Pillo Sofa
Last month, global furniture and interiors brand Knoll and designer Willo Perron hosted a dinner at the Frank Gehry-designed John Baldessari Gallery Residence in Venice to celebrate the launch of the Perron Pillo Sofa.
Perron and Knoll’s SVP of Design Jonathan Olivares were joined by guests including Margaret Zhang, Sterling Ruby and Sophie Buhai to experience a dynamic residential installation of the sculptural sofa and a sneak peek at Perron’s next product collaboration with Knoll, which will be revealed this week at Salone del Mobile.
Knoll and Perron transformed the residence for the event with intimate vignettes highlighting the adaptability of the Perron Pillo Sofa alongside other Knoll pieces, art and objects. Vignettes featured three distinct typologies ranging from a contemporary residential setup to an unconventional installation, “somewhere between a couch, a bed and a conversation pit,” as Perron described it.
Born in Montreal, Perron is a California-based creative director and designer who has launched shows and world tours for the likes of Rihanna, Jay- Z and Drake, all while simultaneously creative directing fashion shows for Alexander Wang and Yeezy and designing Grammy-winning record packaging for St. Vincent’s “Masseduction.”
In recent years, through his studio, his repertoire of projects have spanned nearly every facet of design from exhibitions for Cartier to runway shows for Chanel to retail spaces for Stussy and Skims. While he still dedicates a large part of his time to live shows – including his work on Rihanna’s recent 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show and groundbreaking Savage x Fenty show that garnered him an Emmy nomination in 2022 – he has focused his efforts on expanding his studio’s collaborations to include larger interior design, identity and custom furniture projects.
The Perron Pillo Sofa can be purchased online and in Knoll and MillerKnoll stores now.
Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester comes to Hotel Bel-Air
On April 16 – for one night only – Hotel Bel-Air will join forces with sister hotel The Dorchester London for a special collaboration dinner co-curated by Hotel Bel-Air’s Culinary Director Joe Garcia and Chef Jean-Philippe Blondet from the three Michelin-starred restaurant, Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester.
Set amidst the picturesque backdrop of Swan Lake, the menu will feature a mix of Garcia’s signature coastal California cuisine and Blondet’s refined French-inspired cooking with signature Alain Ducasse techniques using the finest seasonal ingredients.
Garcia previously served as executive chef at Bicyclette Bistro and Manzke Restaurant, where he was awarded a Michelin star in 2022 and 2023. He also served as a Sous Chef at The French Laundry, a three-star Michelin restaurant in Northern California, working alongside luminary culinary figure Thomas Keller. His extensive experience spans celebrated restaurants such as Bouchon in Beverly Hills, Boca Restaurant, The Cincinnatian Hotel in Cincinnati, Ohio, Le Bec Fin in Dole, France, Maison Lameloise in Burgundy, France and El Encanto in Santa Barbara, California.
Born in Nice on the French Riviera, Blondet has been working closely with Chef Alain Ducasse for over a decade. His first role with Ducasse was at Spoon at Sanderson in London before joining the three-Michelin starred Le Louis XV-Alain Ducasse at l’Hôtel de Paris in Monaco, Ducasse’s iconic restaurant. Blondet interprets Ducasse’s cuisine in London in a contemporary and refined way while always keeping with Ducasse’s philosophy: the ingredients are the key elements. To this end, he only uses the freshest and most seasonal produce, strictly sourced for their quality and provenance.
The exclusive dinner will take place April 16 at 6:30 p.m. and is available for booking now via Seven Rooms at $495 per person.
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