What’s the purpose of art when freedom feels fragile? Is it an act of defiance? A testament to resilience? Is it enough to make you lose your inhibitions — to make you laugh or dance on your own? As I started thinking about our “Spring Fashion” issue, I found myself looking through The Cut stories that had stayed with me this past year, which included work by an artist who now commands the title of First Lady of New York City. In September, we published Rama Duwaji’s illustrations of the few treasured pieces of home that Palestinian women escaped with when fleeing a devastated Gaza. To these refugee women, a gold ring or a scarf wasn’t just a fashion statement; it was imbued with memories of their mother or simply their life before. The hand-drawn portraits of “stuff” are a reminder that art and fashion can be a powerful tool of resistance when everything else feels uncertain.
When our cover of Duwaji went live online in December, your emotional and emphatic responses made it clear that you know it too. Reading the comments and listening to you, our readers, is my job as The Cut’s editor-in-chief, and when so many of you asked to see Duwaji in print, the decision felt inevitable in the best way.
Joy can be an act of defiance. In times like these, choosing not to sink into despair matters. That instinct shaped the rest of this issue and led me to find artists, musicians, designers, and performers who follow their own curiosity and make the things they actually want to see in the world.
We follow Katseye, the global girl-band phenomenon, during a rare pause in their relentless schedule — watching how they move as a group, how they assert themselves individually, and how ambition looks when it’s shared. We welcome the return of Robyn, whose music has soundtracked our collective highs and heartbreaks. After giving us some of the most indelible dance-floor moments of the past two decades, she’s thinking aloud about motherhood and reinvention. Who better to ask her all about it than a chorus of her peers who also happen to be superfans? And in the midst of writing his next masterpiece, Steve Lacy continues to push against being pigeonholed into one genre, creating new music that expands on the world he created with his Grammy-winning album, Gemini Rights.
That same spirit of curiosity carries through the rest of the stories before you. We go deep on the brands and ideas animating fashion right now: Robin Givhan in conversation with Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons, Chantal Fernandez on the growing boredom with athleisure (our condolences to your soft pants), and Cathy Horyn on an inspiring road trip with Loewe designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez. And, of course, it wouldn’t be The Cut without stories that unpack love and relationships — from the debut of our matchmaking column “Both Sides of a First Date” to reflections on gentle-parenting regrets and our endless fascination with celebrity wigs.
This issue is about artists asking questions and making work that insists on being felt. I hope you take your time with these stories, and if you can, pick up a copy in print — flipping through its pages, lingering on the images, folding a corner to come back to later. There’s something grounding about holding a magazine in your hands, and this one was built to be lived with.
On Katseye: On Yoonchae: Gucci Jacket, Dress, Tights, Earrings, Ring, and Shoes, at gucci.com. On Daniela: GUCCI Dress, Necklace, and Shoes, at gucci.com. On Sophia: GUCCI Top, Skirt, and Earrings, at gucci.com. GIANVITO ROSSI Shoes, at gianvitorossi.com. On Lara: GUCCI Bodysuit, Shorts, and Tights, at gucci.com. TOM FORD Shoes, at tomford.com. On Megan: GUCCI Top, Leggings, Ring, and Shoes, at gucci.com. PANDORA Earrings, at pandora.net. On Manon: GUCCI Shirt, Bra, and Pants, at gucci.com. CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN Shoes, at christianlouboutin.com.
On Steve Lacy: VERSACE Jacket, Shirt, Pants, Tie, Tie Clip, Belt, and Ring, at versace.com. From left: Photo: Zoey GrossmanPhoto: Noua Unu Studio
On Katseye: On Yoonchae: Gucci Jacket, Dress, Tights, Earrings, Ring, and Shoes, at gucci.com. On Daniela: GUCCI Dress, Necklace, and Shoes, at gucci….
On Katseye: On Yoonchae: Gucci Jacket, Dress, Tights, Earrings, Ring, and Shoes, at gucci.com. On Daniela: GUCCI Dress, Necklace, and Shoes, at gucci.com. On Sophia: GUCCI Top, Skirt, and Earrings, at gucci.com. GIANVITO ROSSI Shoes, at gianvitorossi.com. On Lara: GUCCI Bodysuit, Shorts, and Tights, at gucci.com. TOM FORD Shoes, at tomford.com. On Megan: GUCCI Top, Leggings, Ring, and Shoes, at gucci.com. PANDORA Earrings, at pandora.net. On Manon: GUCCI Shirt, Bra, and Pants, at gucci.com. CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN Shoes, at christianlouboutin.com.
On Steve Lacy: VERSACE Jacket, Shirt, Pants, Tie, Tie Clip, Belt, and Ring, at versace.com. From top: Photo: Zoey GrossmanPhoto: Noua Unu Studio
On Rama Duwaji: JACQUEMUS Jacket and Skirt (on loan).
On Robyn: PRADA Top, Sweater, and Dress, at prada.com. From left: Photo: Szilveszter MakóPhoto: Chloe Chippendale
On Rama Duwaji: JACQUEMUS Jacket and Skirt (on loan).
On Robyn: PRADA Top, Sweater, and Dress, at prada.com. From top: Photo: Szilveszter MakóPhoto: Ch…
On Rama Duwaji: JACQUEMUS Jacket and Skirt (on loan).
On Robyn: PRADA Top, Sweater, and Dress, at prada.com. From top: Photo: Szilveszter MakóPhoto: Chloe Chippendale