tween queens

The CFDA-crowned Olsen twins bring Russia to your closet this holiday seasonwith Olsenboye

Ashley and Mary Kate Olsen

It's kind of flabbergasting to think about how Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen managed to delicately transition from being The Olsen Twins to the Vogue Best Dressed designers behind high-fashion The Row and contemporary Elizabeth & James.

They went from excruciating (but lucrative) made-for-video movies to being legitimate (and lucrative) forces to reckon with who were inducted into the CFDA — the ultimate mark of respect in the fashion industry — at age 23.

In effort, perhaps, to bridge the gap between those disparate identities is the twins' "juniors" line, Olsenboye.

(I put juniors in quotation marks because, while the overall look of the line tends towards middle-school-hallway, there are pieces — particularly shoes — peppered in that look like they belong in my closet. And let's talk about the models. Those aren't juniors' bodies on that website. Read: Jugs.)

Olsenboye (the family's Norwegian ancestors' last name) has been around since 2009, slowly rolling out to J.C. Penneys around the country. The premise is cute: Each collection is inspired by a different city around the world and a corresponding video is produced to promote each one. It's easily the kind of thing a daydreaming young girl could get sucked into for hours, wishing it were her that were ice skating in New York, having a bonfire on the beach in L.A. or running around the Royal Parks of London.

This holiday season, Olsenboye drew its inspiration from Russia. You'll see colorful prints, mish-mashed layers (how very Mary Kate) and rich textures.

The video this time around is pointedly younger, superimposed on watercolor illustrations and animation. But to that end, the business-minded Olsens folded in another point of entry for consumers in the form of correspondingly vivid, illustrated holiday cards straight from Russia, courtesy of a partnership with Paperless Post.

Check out the goods, and see if you can dig up anything playful for your grown-up closet. I'm going for the faux leather leggings. At a $20-$50 price point, it's worth a try.

unspecified

HAWT COUTURE

Central Texas designers dazzle in avant-garde sustainable fashion show

Photo by Ima Shoots

Alive by Benjamin Medina's "Placebo" collection.

The members of the design collective Bloodbath Studios have a knack for showcasing visionary fashion in unconventional settings. In 2022, they combined queer representation and Americana at Willie Nelson's Luck Ranch. This December, it sent models down the aisles of Austin's Central Presbyterian Church.

The spectacle was part of Metanoia, an avant-garde fashion show documented by local film director and producer Hannah Varnell. As usual, she teamed up with Bloodbath's resident designers, Danielle Shephard, Benjamin Medina, and Navarr Gonzale s, who are creative directors of all the collaborative's shows.

The presentation broadly explored rebirth through the lens of sustainable fashion. Shepard tells CultureMap that her collection used 100 percent natural materials like wool, linen, metals, and leather for the first time.

Contrasting with the harder-edged pieces shown in 2023's Veneration show, Metanoia introduced ethereal elements like feathers, blurred animal prints, and soft draping. Even the more armored pieces featured a new lightness. A chained dress from Medina wrapped the model's body like gossamer, and a fierce metal bandeau from Shepard was paired with a wispy skirt.

In addition to showcasing work from Bloodbath's members, Metanoia made room for other underground creators. Conceptual artist Melanie Alva and ecologically minded brands Prior Waste and Sommestella presented mini collections.

The core designers led CultureMap through the inspirations of this season's designs.

Flamer by Navarr Gonzales

"FLAMER is inspired by all the different forms and curves of each body the brand dresses," writes Gonzales. "Pulling back all the layers and reforming them to emphasize the true form of the wearer. Leather is the core material used and a foundation of all my inspirations. I pull from subcultures within the queer community. The hidden corners of our experiences that are enticing and sensual."

Flamer by Navarr Gonzales A dramatic feathered piece in the Flamer collection.Photo by Ima Shoots

Flamer by Navarr Gonzales A ghostly vision in the Flamer collection.Photo by Ima Shoots

Alive by Benjamin Medina, "Placebo"

"Placebo embodies the quiet, powerful shift that occurs when belief is the only thing standing between stagnation and transformation," writes Medina. "Placebo is not just about change—it's about strength in the face of it. It's the unspoken force that drives you to rebuild, even when you can't see the path ahead."

Alive by Benjamin Medina Draped chains create the illusion of fabric in the Placebo collection.Photo by Willie Wang

Dashe by Danielle Shepard

"Personal style can also be a type of armor," writes Shepard. "This collection drove that home while also putting superior materials and couture techniques on the front lines. My aim is to create personalized heirloom pieces to combat the abysmally expensive cost-per-wear of cheap, poorly made fast fashion garments."

Dashe by Danielle Shepard Shepard says she considers individual clients' styles when creating designs.Photo by Ima Shoots

Dashe by Danielle Shepard The work in the Dashe collection is meant to lastPhoto by Willie Wang

beauty style fashion