If luxury fashion is your thing (it’s ours), then Holt Renfrew fashion director Joseph Tang is your go-to (he’s ours). Multi-tasked with developing the overall fashion direction for the legendary retailer while ensuring alignment with brand vision and strategy, the talented fashion insider is definitely the critical source for summer and fall trends. We had a few extra questions for him, too. Of course, we did.
“I would define style as an extension of your personality, and when I see someone really confident and authentic to their true selves in what they’re wearing, it really catches my attention. Empowering self-expression is really important, and channeling a style that can show the world who you truly are is so special.”
Joseph, as you know, parties are our fuel at DSG. What are your go-to statement pieces for summer parties and the fall gala season? Having just returned from Paris, I am so inspired by how people dress from day to night. If there was one takeaway from my recent travels, it’s that there are no longer traditional rules for what “cocktail” or “event” dressing means. I love when I see people on the streets in gowns over jeans or wearing men’s tuxedo jackets with miniskirts. There is just something refreshing about the way people interpret fashion in their own way, informed by their own individual love for self-expression.
As for some simple style trends to get you through the summer party season:
Coastal Cool: The effervescent style and bohemian coolness of California were huge trends on the runways. We saw so many beautiful pastel colours done in flowy silhouettes and styled in an effortless way. It is in this space that you can play with light layers and lean into the non-chalant attitude of the quintessential California cool girl.
Keep it Casual: Embrace rule-breaking codes of dressing and infuse a more casual feel into getting dressed up. I love the idea of taking an everyday piece from your wardrobe, like a pair of jeans, and styling it with a statement shoe. Alternatively, there’s the option of taking a more elevated or traditionally “cocktail”-inspired top or dress and dressing it down with a simple ballet flat and socks. The trick is to pick one item in your outfit to show off and keep the rest simple.
Drip in Jewels: Continuing on the more pared back dress attire, costume jewellery is making a huge comeback—big, bold jewellery from chunky bibs, bangles, and big cocktail rings. Alexis Bittar and John Hardy are really fueling this trend and have some amazing pieces that I think work best with a simple black dress. Brooches have been seen on the red carpet for men and women too, and I love them styled with more simple outfits. A little goes a long way!
Speaking of parties, which have left you gobsmacked, and why? Every week, I pick one night of the month to go to an event and experience the best that the city I’m in has to offer. I recently attended a Sacai x Carhartt WIP event in Paris at one of my favourite hotels, Chateau Voltaire. I love the sense of community that you get when you go to a brand’s dedicated event. When you travel for so long, you also really find your crew of fashion friends, and you tend to stick together. While big fashion week parties can be fun, I’m partial to more intimate get-togethers over dinner that can lead into a fun evening, either dancing the night away at Chiltern Firehouse in London or in the comfort of friends’ homes.
The word style gets tossed about. How do you define it? What is true style to you? In such a fast-paced world where trends come and go and brands are hot one minute and not the next, it’s more important now than ever to really hone in on a specific styling attitude that remains true to the individual. I would define style as an extension of your personality, and when I see someone really confident and authentic to their true selves in what they’re wearing, it really catches my attention. Empowering self-expression is really important, and channeling a style that can show the world who you truly are is so special.
Finally, Joseph, in light of this edition’s connectivity theme, how do you maintain connections with the important ones in your orbit? With the amount of travel I’ve done over the past couple of years, I’ve learned that it’s very important to stay grounded and maintain a close connection with the people and routines that are important to your everyday life. When you are able to prioritize and make the effort to keep in touch with those in your orbit, it keeps you level-headed and rooted in what you can also look forward to coming home to.
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