BUTTERFLY EFFECT | ISSUE 04
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A quiet power shift at FWRD, a stabilizing signal from Vogue, and a stiletto-era icon thawing back into relevance—this week’s fashion ripples point less to novelty, more to intention.
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Moving FWRD
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This week, FWRD—the slightly older-sister, chicer branch of Revolve—named Rosie Huntington-Whiteley its new Fashion Director. Rosie stepped out with characteristic fanfare—did you expect anything less?—debuting the role with a luxe site takeover and a tightly curated 267-piece edit of her FWRD favorites.
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Making the list? Plush shearling from Toteme, rich-hued leather from Saint Laurent and Khaite, sculptural cuts from Wardrobe.NYC—all in Rosie’s signature neutral palette: warm, buttery browns and crisp whites anchored with a touch of black. And at CbC? I can’t say we’re mad about that—we wholeheartedly approve.
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So why does this make any ripples at all? Isn’t this the same old song—only the names change? First Kendall, now Rosie.
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But that reading misses the shift. This isn’t another track on repeat; it’s closer to the jump from record player to Spotify. Huntington-Whiteley joins FWRD in a business-facing role—not merely as a curator (no shade, eyebrow raised), but as someone positioned closer to the commercial engine. She’s not just in the band. She’s holding the mic.
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Chairwomen of the Board
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And now making their way to the head of the class: the 2026 Met Gala Chairs. This week, Vogue announced what may be its most stacked lineup yet—Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, and Venus Williams. A power trifecta if ever there was one.
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Each a fashion figure in her own right, more importantly, they embody power, cultural gravity, legacy, longevity, discipline, dominance, and American excellence—say that three times fast. At a moment when fashion (and, frankly, the world at large) has been rocked by disruption and uncertainty, this feels like Vogue’s quiet call back to stability: a return to bedrock, where fashion can recalibrate and flourish. Less trend chase, more institutional confidence—perhaps the righting of an industry searching for its stiletto-clad footing.

Rockstud Revival
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Just a thought: is it just us, or is fashion quietly slipping into 2010s nostalgia? Because speaking of stilettos, the Rockstud has walked its way back into the conversation.

With The Devil Wears Prada trailer flashing this Valentino throwback—reportedly a pay-to-play product placement—and Alessandro Michele giving the silhouette a thoughtful glow-up, the timing feels deliberate. Less revival for revival’s sake, more a strategic return to a shoe that once defined an era.
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While naysayers clutch their pearls in distress, we’re unapologetically fan-girling her imminent return. Mine? On ice, tucked away in their ubiquitous red box, patiently waiting for their own thaw. Break out the blowtorch.