Preparations for our trips to Milan and Paris men’s fashion weeks are in full swing, including for a party we’re co-hosting with MCM on Friday 19 June, in Milan. ■ On stage, the fabulous CURSES, the stage name of LUCA VENEZIA, a New York native, living in Berlin whose name sounds as Italo as his music. Let’s dance! ■ Send us a reply ASAP if you’re in town for the shows…

Exactly 10 years ago this week I sneaked out of Milan Fashion Week for a day, for a trip to a villa in the countryside where LUCA GUADAGNINO was filming what would become his sensational ‘Call Me By Your Name’. ■ That day they were filming the famous scene of TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET picking a ripe peach from the tree next to the house. (The peaches came from the local grocer, FYI.) I was too discreet to flaunt my photo camera during the filming, so you have to trust me. ■ But a report of the magical day on set appeared in Fantastic Man No. 24, and, if you like, on our website too.

Thanks to all the readers who sent in their best MARTIN MARGIELA story (as per our previous newsletter, announcing the auction of part of Mr. MARGIELA’s private archive). ■ A precious copy of Fantastic Man No. 32 (from 2020) with an amazing visual essay in it by MARTIN himself will be on its way to CHIH-HAN who writes: “I heard the craziest story about Martin Margiela that perfectly sums up his whole vibe. Back in 2017, he apparently snuck into his own retrospective at MoMu in Antwerp (above) disguised as a security guard! He just stood there for hours watching people look at his work, totally unrecognized. When a curator finally caught him and asked why, he just said, ‘I wanted to see the exhibition through their eyes.’ To me, that’s the ultimate Margiela moment: the clothes speak for themselves, and the designer stays in the shadows.” ■ But is it true???

Fab portrait of LOUIS GABRIEL NOUCHI from our latest issue (by OSMA HARVILAHTI, with styling by PAUL MAXIMILIAN). The designer will show on Friday night, 26 June, in Paris.

Are you already enjoying the 24-hour ambient playlist that BILL KOULIGAS compiled for us? It’s total bliss. ■ Also interesting that when we posted about it on Instagram, the Spotify hate comments came flooding in. Fair enough – it’s a highly suspect platform, as are Instagram and Facebook. ■ (Since we’re struggling with our office internet connection these days, my colleague mentioned that switching to Starlink is an option. No!!! Not another Musky enterprise, please!) ■ Anyway, all this to say that this playlist is GREAT, but sadly doesn’t include The KLF’s seminal album ‘Chill Out’ because it’s full of the most amazing samples that make the album impossible to clear all the rights for, but if you want, find it on YouTube. ■ (That’s the original cover art, above.)