Virgil Abloh Scholarship Expanded and London Introduced New Men’s Fashion Week Concept in This Week’s Top Fashion News

This week, fashion’s biggest headlines covered fashion weeks, funds, collaborations and campaigns.

Among them, Shannon Abloh and the Fashion Scholarship Fund revealed plans to double the Virgil Abloh “Post-Modern” Scholarship’s class of participants from 30 to 60 students; the British Fashion Council unveiled an entirely new concept for its men’s showcase in June, and Bode Rec. and Nike put forth a collaborative collection heralding American sportswear history.

Above all, though, the fashion industry was hit with the sad news of Roberto Cavalli’s passing on Friday afternoon. The designer, who passed at age 87, was best known for his flamboyant designs and glamorous animal prints.

Below, Hypebeast has rounded up the top fashion stories of the week so you can stay up to date on trends in the industry.

Italian Designer Roberto Cavalli Dead at 83

Prolific Italian designer Roberto Cavalli died at the age of 83 in Florence on Friday, leaving behind a much-adored legacy of glamorous and flamboyant fashion.

“It is with great sadness that today we say our final goodbyes to our founder Roberto Cavalli,” the designer’s label wrote on Instagram. “From humble beginnings in Florence, Roberto succeeded in becoming a globally recognized name loved and respected by all.”

“Naturally talented and creative, Roberto believed that everyone can discover and nurture the artist within themselves,” the message continued. “Roberto Cavalli’s legacy will live on via his creativity, his love of nature and via his family who he cherished.”

Revisit the designer’s life achievements here.

Shannon Abloh and FSF Expanded the Virgil Abloh “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

The Virgil Abloh “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund is looking to expand its offerings over the next year, with plans to double its class of participants from 30 to 60 students. The scholarship, housed under the Fashion Scholarship Fund (FSF), offers students financial grants to pursue professional opportunities in the fashion industry.

Additionally, the scholarship will also offer a “bridge fund,” which will cover costs outside of just tuition. Shannon Abloh told The New York Times that she was galvanized to create the fund, after some students were unable to accept the scholarship due to external financial hardships that kept them from relocating for school. Abloh’s creative circle will also offer recipients mentorships that will extend longer htan the previous one year.

“Virgil was impatient,” Shannon Abloh told NYT. “He liked to move fast, so he would have been ready for this to happen. It was always like, How can we affect the most students in the biggest way possible?”

London’s New June Fashion Week Concept Looks to “Ignite a Cultural Moment”

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The British Fashion Council (BFC) has detailed an all-new concept for June’s London Fashion Week that, according to a press release, looks to “ignite a cultural moment.” Scheduled to take place from June 7 to 9, the multidisciplinary calendar will include runway shows, fashion exhibitions, cultural programming, panel discussions and more activations with a menswear lens.

Celebrating London Fashion Week’s 40th anniversary, the three-day event will include a “40 for 40” schedule that will feature catwalks, presentations and events from 40 British fashion labels. The BFC has yet to reveal the contents of said schedule.

The summertime event will commence with an event at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, where the BFC will invite three guest curators to highlight work from “Black culture centered around self-love; South Asian culture with focus on pattern, textile and craftsmanship; and queer culture, with a spotlight on young creative voices from the trans community. The three-day fashion extravaganza will conclude with an event at Groucho Club, where designers will be given space to produce various activations.

Bode Rec. and Nike Heralded American Sportswear History in First Collaboration

Bode

Two-time CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year winner Emily Adams Bode Aujla revealed her first collaboration with Nike in her Fall 2024 lookbook earlier this year. The team-up — a bucket-list accomplishment for the vintage-inspired designer — aligned with the announcement of Bode Rec., the fashioner’s new division of activewear that looks to highlight sport’s influence in America.

The partnership began to materialize almost two and a half years ago when Bode visited the Nike DNA archives at the brand’s Oregon headquarters. There, she witnessed the sportswear giant’s late co-founder Bill Bowerman’s path-forging portfolio in product development, which galvanized the creation of the Bode Rec. x Nike Astrograbber. The sneaker — arriving in both a “Black” colorway with athletics-inspired bronze charms and a “Natural” tone with campier plastic decorations — riffs on the 1970s model of the same name, which was crafted with a waffle outsole for better play on astroturf.

Much of the collaboration’s historical touchstones are dated between the 18th and 20th centuries. “We started with the 1770s, actually earlier in 1756 with the Manhattan and Cape Cod boat race, then went up to the 1970s, which was a hugely influential time when television and full-time athletes shaped sports as we know it today,” she told WWD.

The Bode Rec. x Nike collection will launch on April 18 via Bode’s webstore. Take a look at the line here.

Coach Sued Gap, Inc. Over T-Shirts Printed With the Word “Coach”

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Coach’s parent company Tapestry has sued Gap, Inc. over T-shirts printed with “COACH” lettering from its Old Navy brand. Per the complaint, filed with the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Tapestry claims that Gap, Inc. is engaging in trademark infringement, false advertising and unfair competition.

“Defendants without authorization from Coach, have used and continue to use in commerce counterfeit imitations of the federally registered Coach Trademarks in connection with the sale, offering for sale, distribution and/or advertising of infringing goods,” the suit alleges. Tapestry claims that Gap, Inc’s activities are “likely to create a false impression and deceive consumers, the public and the trade into believing that there is a connection or association between the Defendants, the Accused Products, and Coach.”

See the full court filing here.

Robert Pattinson Fronted Spring 2024 Dior Icons Campaign

Alasdair Mclellan

This week, Robert Pattinson fronted Dior’s newest Icons campaign for Spring 2024.

Shot by British photographer and director Aladair McLellan, the campaign sees the Batman actor wear Kim Jones’ latest cuts for the French luxury house. Among them, Pattinson sports trench coats, cardigans, silk shirting, white T-shirts, wide-leg trousers, and an Oblique-clad weekender bag.

The capsule collection previously debuted in September, with another set of campaign images starring Pattinson, who has been the face of Dior Homme fragrances since 2013. The Spring 2024 Dior Icons capsule will drop on May 2 in stores and online.