Black Book: Latest from Burberry, Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, Tom Ford, Bottega Veneta and Sun Suns

Every season brings its share of debuts, but some pieces cut through the noise to become instant markers of taste and craft. This month, that spectrum stretches from the Middle East to Europe: Bahraini eyewear label Sun Suns puts a vintage spin on sunglasses, while Burberry casts British-Moroccan model Nora Attal in a campaign that celebrates London’s spirit.

Van Cleef & Arpels continues its lyrical storytelling with the Flowerlace collection, and Haider Ackermann makes his long-awaited debut at Tom Ford, marrying precision tailoring with a more languid elegance.

Meanwhile, Bottega Veneta expands its fragrance universe with Mezzanotte, and Cartier distils its jewellery savoir-faire into a new line of Panthere bags.

Sun Suns

Vintage aviator-inspired Forte sunglasses. Photo: Sun Suns

The Bahraini brand creates vintage-inspired sunglasses for the Middle Eastern market. Crafted in Italy, the frames use flexible cellulose acetate, while CR39 lenses deliver rich colour. Each pair is coated for 100 per cent UV protection. Styles range from women’s frames such as Diva to men’s designs including Dexter, with many genderless options, including Forte and Lea.

Burberry

Burberry's Back to the city campaign stars Nora Attal and Bemi Orojuogun. Photo: Burberry

Burberry has tapped British-Moroccan model Nora Attal for its Back to the City campaign. Shot on a London double-decker bus, it features Attal in a dark red leather trench alongside Bemi Orojuogun, better known as Bus Aunty, the Nigerian TikTok star famed for her silent bus posts. “It’s the personality of its people that makes London feel so unique,” explains Daniel Lee, Burberry’s chief creative officer. “Something you’ll find woven into the very fabric of Burberry.”

Van Cleef & Arpels

Flowerlace pendant. Photo: Van Cleef & Arpels

The poetic language of French jewellery house Van Cleef & Arpels expands with the Flowerlace collection. Featuring openwork floral designs that nod to the house’s couture heritage, the line includes rings, earrings, a pendant and a transformable clip pendant, all crafted using lost-wax casting to showcase the maison’s mastery of warm, radiant gold.

Haider Ackermann at Tom Ford

Ecru suit with sequins woven into the fabric for Haider Ackermann's debut collection at Tom Ford. Getty

Ackermann’s highly anticipated debut collection for Tom Ford has arrived in stores. Hand-picked to lead the brand famed for its sleek, charged silhouette, the French designer introduces his own slower-burn aesthetic. Fans of Ford need not worry, though – sharp tailoring remains, from a men’s ecru suit with sequins woven into boucle cloth, to a women’s high-neck column dress in green satin.

Bottega Veneta

Almost Dawn fragrance, part of the new Mezzanotte trio. Photo: Bottega Veneta.

Following the success of its 2024 perfume debut, Bottega Veneta unveils Mezzanotte – a trio of new fragrances named after the Italian word for midnight. Hinoki combines fir balsam, hinoki wood and patchouli; Goodmorning Midnight blends wild strawberry, Thai oud and rose; while Almost Dawn layers vanilla, truffle and chestnut. Each fragrance comes in a uniquely shaped glass bottle set on a marble disc.

Cartier

Latest iteration of the Panthere de Cartier bag. Photo: Cartier

Drawing on Cartier’s jewellery heritage, leather goods creative director Marlin Yuson has created a new line of Panthere de Cartier bags that unite the house’s jewellery expertise with fine leather savoir-faire. The clasp reimagines the iconic feline head with leather inserts, while Art Deco codes appear in the gold-and-black chain and leather strap. Geometric lines are echoed in the quilting of the soft-sided flap bag.