Fun is Back: Holiday ‘25 Digital Cover is all about Play
earrings LARUICCI
Photography: Pierre Brusco
Styling: Rebecca Perrier
Hair: Thess
Makeup : Iilona Guihou Dhumez
Light assistant: Ania Zawadka
Set Design: Riccardo Salomoni
Model: Anna Mehrhardt with Next Paris
Words by Molly Apple
‘Luxury’ and ‘Heritage’ are buzz words for boomers; it’s time we open these atelier doors for some fresh air and let go of stuffy traditions, rigid rules, and the idea that elegance can’t be fun. As Socrates wrote, “Contentment is natural wealth. Luxury is artificial poverty,” and what brings contentment in an industry that never stops building and creating is living in harmony with yourself and your fellow creatives, appreciating what you have, and valuing experiences and relationships over possessions.
In Dana Thomas’s “Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster,” she examines how the luxury industry shifted from craftsmanship and exclusivity to mass marketing, celebrity endorsements, and relentless commercialization, often prioritizing profit over artistry and heritage. This is why MERDE’s Holiday Digital cover embraces pure play, deliberately free from celebrity influence or preconceived purpose. We build a space to celebrate curiosity and the joy of making without the weight of marketing or expectation.
full look LA FETICHE, tight FALKE
heels AQUAZURRA
In a review on Bottega Veneta’s $7K Jenga Set, social media cultural commentator Emma Apple Chozick notes that “for brands whose whole identity already lives in craftsmanship, there’s nowhere left to retreat.” MERDE asks the same of influencer culture: when every post, every outfit, and every moment is curated for engagement, where is the space left for genuine experimentation or surprise when a $100k brand deal is on the line? Safe words like “on brand” and “perfect fit” start to replace instinct. Carine Roitfeld describes our industry of dreams perfectly: “Fashion is not about clothes, it is about a look,” and if her instincts to leave Vogue and start her own publication aren’t a reminder that intuition and risk are the true drivers of innovation, we don’t know what is.
“We see high-end brands leaning into play today,” Chozick notes, fitting into a broader moment of whimsy and surrealism, and we can only hope it’s not a trend but a lasting shift toward the joy of unrestrained expression, even amidst a volatile world.
dress CLÉMENTINE OLLIVIER, heels GIANVITO ROSSI, earrings SISTER MORPHINE
MERDE has always aimed to surprise and embolden its readers. For the stylists told they’re “overqualified,” the publications or brands wanting to hire based on their ability to exploit; for the makeup artist limited to certain commercial color palettes; for the model whose algorithm bombards them with face or body augmentation procedures—we want you to feel the freedom to experiment, to rebel, and to express yourself fully, reclaiming joy and creativity in a world that so often tries to contain it.
We’re excited to see the walls between luxury houses and niche publications collapsing, opening spaces for imagination and fresh perspectives. But we also implore this industry’s readers, consumers, and buyers to consider carefully the kinds of imagery and content they embrace and to seek out the work that truly puts a spark in your eye and a smile on your face, rather than settling for what feels safe or expected.
shirt SOLÈNE LESCOUËT jacket NORMANDO
shirt FETICO, jacket & trousers CACHI, pumps EMPTY BEHAVIOR
shoes CAMPER
full look LA FETICHE