Medea, the Milan-based label created by artists, models and twin sisters Giulia and Camilla Venturini, has gained a cult following for its effortlessly cool, structured shopping bags. The no-frills style creates a blank canvas for creative experimentation – and the first in a series of artist collaborations has just launched at Selfridges, featuring the work of American photographer Nan Goldin.
Goldin’s vivid portrayal of New York life in the 70s and 80s explores the city’s fascinating subcultures. Her unflinchingly honest portraits capture moments of intimacy and human fragility, often documenting hedonistic parties, drag queens, heroin addiction and domestic abuse. The limited-edition bags feature two of Goldin’s iconic photographs. “The figures in these images face front on, a direct communication that matches the strength and sensual provocation specific to Medea,” explain the brand’s founders. That’s what we call a fashion statement.