Capsule #51 ft. Belle Perez

Hello hello,

It’s June tomorrow!!! If you’ve been feeling low this week, I hope that entering one of the nicer months will lift you a bit. 🌼

In today’s issue, we’re looking at how artist merch has levelled up recently, and why that feels hopeful. Plus, a look at some key trends from the Resort collections, and the incredible looks we’ve seen from Lewis Hamilton recently.

Have a great weekend!

Holly x

Something has shifted…

With artist merch. Nothing beats an oversized graphic tee of a band you like, but I’ve noticed recently that artist merch (for bigger celebs, admittedly) has levelled up a notch. We still see the classic t-shirts and totes, but now there’s more, both in terms available products and the level of detail and design. Let me show you a few.

1. Dua Lipa

I found myself on Ms Lipa’s website recently looking at the merch and realised some of it felt closer to limited edition drops with streetwear brands than your classic print on a Fruit of the Loom blank.

Like this rugby top — it’s a trend piece. It’s Princess Diana, it’s Chloë Sevigny, it’s Hailey Bieber, it’s Miu Miu, it feels like it should be for sale at END. Clothing.

2. Lana Del Rey

Lana’s current merch offering is vast yet on-brand: some Brandy Melville-esque cotton separates, including a cropped cami, a mini skirt, and a bolero, baby tees with bow prints à la Sandy Liang, an oversized hair bow in the same vein, a racing jacket complete with badges, a brass lighter, and the most-talked about item, an engraved pill box. It’s the type of stuff we see on Lana herself, and taps into the most pervasive trends of our time that align with LDR-fandom: coquettish girlhood, vintage jackets, being “unwell.”

3. Chappell Roan

Chappell Roan leans into her Midwest aesthetic (the album is called The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess) with bumper stickers, trucker hats, and bandanas.

Of course the primary aim with all of this is to make money from fandom, as we increasingly see musicians build media empires and e-commerce to rival a cult brand. But there’s more joy in this new wave of merch than other celebrity product endeavours. Compared to soulless celeb beauty brands, which are struggling anyway, the extra layer of thought - that “if you know you know” wink - in these product lines helps to push fandom back into subculture territory. It means something to spot a driver out with a Midwest Princess bumper sticker, just as it does to know that the girl’s baby tee you spot from across the bar isn’t just from Monki but a Lana special run. In a time dominated by algorithm-driven microtrends, it somehow feels more real, or at least earnest, to use fashion to signal the stuff that lights you up both on and offline.

Next up…

The new Resort collections have arrived from a range of designers this week. Resort collections (also known as cruise, also also known as pre-spring) take this name because the timing of deliveries matches that of pre-spring collections (which arrive at stores in October and November). There’s no big fashion week, though some of the bigger brands hold their own shows.

Here I’ve picked out some common threads of trends that are timeless, really wearable for normal people, and probably already in your wardrobe in some form.

1. Cute cardigans

Seen at Diesel, Ganni, and Rag & Bone. Wear them as a top, embrace the softness on your skin. If self care was a piece of clothing it would be a cardigan. Never not in!

2. Soft 90s

If anyone else is done with the garish side of y2k fashion I'm pleased to bring you some some 90s/00s minimalism from Diesel and All is a Gentle Spring, a lesser-known Australian brand founded in 2018. It’s a skill to do grey without feeling drab, but I think the colour unfairly has a bad reputation - with good silhouettes it’s excellent. The Digital Fairy did a great walkthrough of the Gen X Soft Club aesthetic which encapsulates lots of this: futuristic 90s references, cool tones, tech optimism.

3. Long skirts

Women want one thing and it’s a long skirt with pockets. Ultimate comfort yet undeniably chic. Resort 2025 examples here from Dsquared2, Margiela, and Ganni.

4. Everyday coats

There were so many great coats in these collections it was hard to choose a few, but looking through them all reinforced the importance of having that go-to jacket that you love, feel yourself in, and can wear with 95% of your wardrobe. Great and versatile examples here from Rag & Bone, Burberry, and Baum & Pferdgarten.

We also need to talk about…

Lewis Hamilton’s looks of late. I’ll be honest I’ve never really paid much attention to this man, until the Met Gala, when I was touched by the poem he had stitched into his Burberry jacket. He’s been in my algorithm ever since, and I’ve been so excited by his looks. I love when sportspeople dress like rockstars. Exactly as it should be! The jewellery and the glamour and his physique, proving to everyone that F1 is just as tolling on the body as any other sport, actually. Here are a few highlights from the Monaco Grand Prix this week. Hats off to Eric Mcneal, Hamilton’s brilliant stylist.

No notes!

And finally…

Other newsy bits from the Capsule extended universe this week:

• Alexander Wang, a brand very much working on its public image, has recruited lookalikes of Beyoncé, Ariana Grande, Kylie Jenner, and Taylor Swift for its latest campaign. It’s weird!

• Geri Halliwell made one of those awkward personal assistant mistakes

• People thought Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones were about to announce another series of Normal People. Instead they announced a marathon viewing session of the original season to raise money for Pieta and Unicef

• Loewe tapped our wholesome faves for a very good fit check 🥺

@loewe

The only fit check we need. @akiandkoichi #LOEWE

• A TikTok street interviewer interviewed Baz Luhrmann, but had no idea it was him

• In interviews where everyone is in the loop: Tate McRae was interviewed by Britney Spears for V magazine

• Dakota Johnson reminded us what autumn/fall is like after being photographed on set of her new film

• And Paris Hilton has announced her second album, almost 20 after her debut. It’s called Infinite Icon, of course. Here’s ‘Stars Are Blind’ if you have the urge

This week, Belle Perez popped into Capsule to share what’s 🔥hot🔥 and what’s not 🙅‍♀️ …

Belle is an Aussie content creator who traded a regional town not far from Melbourne for London two years ago. With her camera in hand, Belle captures the everyday moments, romanticising her London life along the way. From the streets of London to her global escapades, she’s always on a journey filled with laughter, exploration, and a touch of Aussie charm 🦘

📺 Watching: Charli XCX on Recess Therapy — full episode here, short clip below to pull you in. And Guy Friends, a new film on Apple TV.

📖 Reading: I’m constantly saying that arena shows are bad, lamenting the intimacy of the smaller gigs before an artist gets too big. But a recent issue of Swift Notes, the Guardian’s Taylor Swift newsletter made me see huge shows in a different light. As Laura Snapes argues, when else do this many thousands of people come together at an event without competition or doctrine at its core?

Just realised there’s no link online to read the issue - reply to me if you’d like it and I’ll forward!

🎧 Listening to: ‘Next 2 U,’ the new Kehlani single. All proceeds from the song support Palestinian, Sudanese, and Congolese families through Operation Olive Branch. Plus ‘Calling You Out,’ the new Charly Bliss single, Two Star & The Dream Police, a great album from Mk.gee, and The Review of Mess, the new podcast from Substackers Jessica DeFino (The Review of Beauty, formerly the Unpublishable) and Emily Kirkpatrick (I <3 Mess).

Leo has an announcement: It’s officially gingham season. And it looks like we all agree: Google search interest in “gingham” is at an all time high, with top searches for two-piece sets, swimwear, and tablecloths (chic). From brunch to the beach, this print will see you through this summer and more for years to come.

If you’d like to adopt Leo or one of his friends, click here to learn more.

Thanks for reading! I’d love to hear how you’re finding Capsule - let me know here. And if you have a friend who might like it, please forward on 🥺

See you next week 💋