Decadence & Decay

Roadster Jacket, Hedland Notch Sb Jacket, Dartford Vest, Sassafras Polo, Helmond Trousers, Wish 2/60 Socks, Sergio Walk Loafers, Loro Piana

Giona Beanie, Hatton Field Jacket, Lutz Coat, Fuji Trousers, Tartana Turtleneck Sweater, Cotswolds Walk Boot Suede, Loro Piana

Decadence & Decay

Creative Direction: Kevin Breen
Photography: Vladimir Martí
Styling: Barnabé White
Executive Producer: Drew Brown
Casting Director: Elodi Yelmani
Grooming: Claire Gil
Model: Wissam Ben Fraj
Photo Assistant: Gael Marherie
Styling Assistant: Louis-gui Pradere

Decadence and decay have always existed in proximity. From ancient Babylon and Rome to the Romanov court to the gilded excess of the Gatsby era and the opulence of the Shah of Iran, periods of extraordinary wealth and display seem inevitably followed, or haunted, by their own undoing. Fashion, architecture and ornament, and societal structure become records of this tension: a fresco fading across the walls of an Italian villa, a plantation in Jamaica slowly surrendering to the landscape, a grand government office in Egypt amplifying the whispers of another age. These places retain traces of their former splendour, even as time makes its presence impossible to ignore. We move through them looking for ghosts, drawn to the beauty of what remains and the stories embedded within their ruins.

Chocolate Brown Light Flock DB Raglan Trench with Alligator Collar, Black Cold Dyed Cotton SS Crew Neck, Black and Brown Overdyed Selvidge Denim, Tom Ford. Leather Cowboy Boot, Maison Margiela

Sweater, Pants and Shoes, Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

Martini Fit Prince of Wales Quadri Tartan Jacket, Martini Fit Creppe de Chine Shirt, Quadri Check Tartan Gillet, Flat Front Ribbed Cotton Corduroy Pant, Silk Abstract Tie, Ariosto Alligator Shoe, Dolce&Gabbana

Dave Hat, Spagna Sb Jacket, Sourwood Cardigan Sweater, Matt Shirt, Fuji Trousers, Kent Walk Boots, Loro Piana

Diagonal Wool Jacket, Silk Shirt, Pinstripe Wool Pant, Valentino

Bijou Embroidery Plaid Flannel Blouson, Poplin Shirt, Plaid Flannel Pant, Sacai

White Shirt, Knitted Sweater with Button Detailing, Ferragamo

Black Overcoat, Scarf, Black Pant, White Jazz Shoe, Celine

Page Chocolate Brown Light Flock DB Raglan Trench with Alligator Collar, Tom Ford

Beaumont Shawl DB Suit, Winifred Shirt, Sergio Shoe, Loro Piana

Technical Cotton Zipper Blouson Jacket, Cotton Shirt, Wool Pants, Prada

Prince-of-Wales Waistcoat Shirt, Brown Destroyed Vintage Gowns Trouser, Black Leather Heel-less Boots, Nude Jersey Second Skin Mask, Maison Margiela

Black Overcoat, Scarf, Black Pant, White Jazz Shoe, Celine

Damiano Hat, Zermatt Light Parka Jacket, Kelvin Vest, Parksville Halfneck Sweater, Hendricktrousers, Montgenevre Socks, Kent Walk Boots, Loro Piana

White Shirt, Knitted Sweater with Button Detailing, Blue Trousers, Loafers, Ferragamo

Oxford Shirt, Constructed Degrade Crew Top with Satin Stitch and Chalk Stripe, Low Rise Ankle Length Column Skirt with Satin Stitch in Chalk Stripe, Twill Classic Tie, Thom Browne

Beaumont Shawl DB Suit, Winifred Shirt, Loro Piana

There is something particularly striking about placing luxury within such a setting. Against the worn stone and faded grandeur of an old French château, the richness of clothing and the precision of its construction take on another dimension. It is a reminder that beauty, like everything material, is temporary. The rooms we inhabit, the objects we collect, the clothing we dress in, and the worlds we construct around ourselves may one day become traces of a vanished era, their own decadence preserved within decay. Perhaps that is why these spaces continue to fascinate us. We recognise something of ourselves in their remnants, and wonder whether the rooms we occupy today might someday echo with the ghosts of our own past.

“Decadence & decay” IS FEATURED IN THE 11th EDITION OF ICON MENA PRINT MAGAZINE themed “pageant”. get your copy now.

Red Tricotine Wool Carcoat, Dark Tuquoise Zip Up Knitted Cadigan, Black Wool Twill Relaxed Curve Trouser, Balenciaga