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Showing posts from August, 2019

Miu Miu’s Latest Women’s Tales Film to Focus on Brigitte Lacombe

BRIGITTE ON CAMERA: Miu Miu will present its 18th short film as part of the Women’s Tales series in Venice on Sept. 1 during the city’s International Film Festival. Dubbed “Brigitte,” the latest installment of the series focuses on photographer and longtime Miu Miu and Prada collaborator Brigitte Lacombe, offering insight into her creative process at work. Set in a hydraulic factory in London, the short film is directed by Scottish filmmaker Lynne Ramsay, whose most recent feature “You Were Never Really Here” starring Joaquin Phoenix won the Best Screenplay and Best Actor awards at the Cannes Film Festival in 2017. In the short film, which is shot in a deep monochrome mood, Lacombe discusses her life and ideas with Ramsay, while people close to the photographer make an appearance, including her sister Marian. Approached by Ramsay with the idea of a documentary, Lacombe said she “absolutely wanted to be a part of it. And I always saw this as a collaboration.…I knew I wanted at the end t
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Levi Strauss Exhibition Coming to San Francisco Museum in 2020

Storied American jeans maker Levi’s will be the subject of an exhibition opening next year in San Francisco. “Levi Strauss: A History of American Style,” on view Feb. 13 to Aug. 9, 2020 at The Contemporary Jewish Museum, will be the largest public display of Levi Strauss & Co.’s archival materials ever assembled. Featuring more than 150 items (including vintage apparel and advertising materials, as well as ephemera related to the life of Levi Strauss the man), the exhibition will showcase the story of the Bavarian Jewish dry goods merchant in 19th-century San Francisco, the birth of his iconic blue jeans and its influence on American style and identity, according to press materials. The museum’s curators worked with the brand to mine pieces from the Levi Strauss & Co. archives, located at the company’s headquarters in San Francisco. In 1873, near the end of the Gold Rush, Levi Strauss obtained a U.S. patent with tailor Jacob Davis for the process of putting metal rivets in men’
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Olivia Palermo Launches E-commerce Platform, Hints at Future Label

Olivia Palermo has her sights set on the future of fashion. The entrepreneur has spent the past decade studying the ins and outs of the industry. Once a member of Diane von Furstenberg’s public relations department, Palermo has blossomed from street style star to fashion authority, transcending the typical restraints of reality television to ultimately earn the respect of some of fashion’s icons. A week before his death, Karl Lagerfeld revealed that he had chosen Palermo to co-design and style a collection for his namesake label. The collaboration officially released in June and is one of the first to be sold on Palermo’s new e-commerce and editorial platform. The online boutique will bow on Sept. 3 with select products from a total of 25 brands. The platform is a culmination of Palermo’s style expertise and designer connections. To date, she has created and collaborated on 10 fashion collections — including ones with Banana Republic, Nordstrom and Aquazzura — and has driven a total of
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What to Watch: Can Beauty Save the British High Street?

LONDON — Beauty is helping British high-street retailers stay out of the red. As consumer spending on beauty products increases, ailing retailers like Debenhams and Boots are putting the category at the forefront of their restructuring strategy, while companies who have never been in the beauty game before, from supermarket chain Sainsbury’s to fast-fashion retailer Primark, are looking to tap into the opportunity. “Beauty is such an accessible commodity to the consumer, so it stands to reason that high-street retailers known for pharmacy, food and fast fashion are getting into the game,” said Millie Kendall, chief executive officer of the British Beauty Council. Companies are betting big on beauty, especially for the likes of Debenhams and Boots, which have both been struggling with sales. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018, Boots’ Retail Pharmacy international division saw sales decrease by 2.7 percent, while Debenhams filed for administration earlier this year. However, both belie
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What to Watch: Italian Instagram Beauty Brands Gain Traction

MILAN — Every brand wants to be Glossier, but that’s no easy task, especially in a country like Italy. The Bel Paese is historically rooted in beauty — artistic, architectural and environmental — and is home to leading color cosmetic suppliers, which manufacture more than 60 percent of the makeup products distributed by international beauty brands in Europe and over half of the makeup distributed worldwide, according to Cosmetica Italia’s data. Yet this heritage and know-how has rarely resulted in local blockbuster labels, even less in powerhouses or conglomerates that could compete with L’Oréal and the Estée Lauder Cos. Inc. Backed by a strong supply chain culminating in a few, individual cases — think Kiko Milano — the Italian beauty industry is made of small- to medium-sized brands making good products but lacking the expertise and boldness to create distinctive brand awareness. But with the booming appeal of the niche category, customers’ ambition in scouting unique brands to boast
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Rock n’ Roll Hatter Nick Fouquet’s Ambitions Won’t Be Capped

L.A. hatmaker-to-the-stars Nick Fouquet has planted a flag on Abbot Kinney. The designer, whose handcrafted creations with details like bullet holes, burns, beads and dried blooms have been worn by Lady Gaga, Madonna, Tom Brady, Pharrell Williams and many more, has opened a 1,800-square-foot retail space and attached a 2,000-square-foot production studio in the boho Venice neighborhood. He hasn’t set up shop on the traffic-choked stretch where Everlane and Birkenstock have recently opened, however (“I avoid that like the plague,” he said of “upper Abbot Kinney”). Instead, he is pioneering a corner south of Venice Boulevard, next door to Stahl and Band furniture, whose minimalist pieces he’s picked up for hanging-out options in the shop. “We have a woodworker, a welder and a sail maker nearby. This area is a little more industrial…to me, this is going to be the next cool part of Abbot Kinney,” he said. The store is as L.A. cool as it gets — warm, airy and fragrant, with the scent of sag
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For Fashion Labels, Restoration Projects Mean More Than Securing Show Venues

When French officials unveiled details of an extensive renovation project for the Grand Palais in Paris last year, they said the effort was intended to draw a wider and more diverse public to the towering glass and steel edifice.  “The new Grand Palais must embody France of the 21st century,” said Françoise Nyssen, the country’s culture minister at the time. The minister was flanked by architects who presented plans to improve traffic flows between the sprawling sections of the complex, connecting exhibit halls with more public spaces to shore up its status as a major events venue and tourist destination — also reflecting the government’s inclusive bent. Accessible, with something for every audience. And that would include luxury fashion fans. Alongside the local and national politicians supporting the half-a-billion-euro refurbishment is also one of the world’s most established luxury labels — with Chanel throwing 25 million euros into the pot. The brand is known for staging monumenta
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What to Watch: Influence China With Caution and Precision

Fashion houses have been courting Chinese celebrities and influencers to represent them in the region for some time. Picking the right person can make a great impact on the balance sheet, but recent events also demonstrate the damage they can cause. Brands need to learn and respect China’s cultural and political sense and sensitivity. Tapestry and Capri Holdings learned that the hard way. Their shares plummeted after Liu Wen and Yang Mi distanced themselves from Coach and Versace, respectively, for mislabeling Hong Kong, Macau and the disputed region of Taiwan as separate countries on their T-shirts. Yang is the most influential celebrity in China, in terms of fashion influence, according to Exane BNP Paribas. She was the face of Micheal Kors in China from 2017 and was appointed the first China ambassador for Versace on June 24. Capri Holdings was hoping she could boost Versace’s presence in China as she did for Michael Kors. Coach is supposed to open its Tmall store for the third time
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DTC Brands Step-up Brick-and-Mortar Presence to Give Shoppers ‘Tangible’ Experience

Direct-to-consumer companies are increasingly eyeing physical stores to give loyal customers a more “tangible” experience with the brand while also wooing potential consumers with something new and fresh. Valerie Pettine, vice president of brokerage services at Metro Commercial, discusses what’s driving DTC to open stores and what brands need to consider in opening up physical venues. WWD: Why should DTC digital brands consider having a brick-and-mortar presence? What are the benefits? Valerie Pettine  Courtesy image. Valerie Pettine: There are many compelling reasons why DTC brands are opening brick-and-mortar stores. The biggest reason why we are seeing the growing trend is that brick-and-mortar stores provide brand and product awareness that is leading to a noticeable increase in overall sales. For companies such as Away and Casper, they see a surge in online sales in markets where they open a tangible location. Additionally, it helps companies provide a more satisfying customer exp
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What to Watch: Millennial Female Founders Are Modernizing Vaginal Products

Feminine care, sexual wellness, self-love, self-care — call it what you will, but a category for products designed specifically for vaginas is continuing to grow, and looking ahead to 2020, is expected to continue to permeate deeper into mainstream beauty. From organic tampons and boho-chic supplements for vaginal health to fashion vibrators and CBD lubricants, there is no shortage of cheekily designed brands formulated with better-for-your-vagina ingredients. At the Indie Beauty Expo in New York earlier this month, for instance, several of these brands were on display, including Saalt menstrual cups, Dame Products silicone vibrators in various colorways, and CBD lubricants and “intimate oils” from Quim, a brand described as a “self-care line for humans with vaginas and humans without vaginas who love vaginas.” The number of sexual wellness and women’s health-oriented brands on display at Indie Beauty Expo has tripled year-over-year from 2018, said cofounder Jillian Wright, noting that
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Old Watches, New Tech Investments

As the clocks tick for traditional retailers, resale’s trajectory penetrates further. The pre-owned luxury watch market has yet to tap the same technology, logistics and efficiency at scale that powers the businesses of handbag and clothing resellers. Until now. Luxury timepiece reseller WatchBox is using technology as well as leveraging content, which may be a market differentiator (some of the site’s videos garner in excess of 40,000 views). The market size for luxury timepieces in the U.S. is estimated to be $580.6 million in 2018, up from $126.7 million in 2013, according to market researcher Euromonitor International. And the Chinese market is even larger. As previously reported in WWD, players operating and newly entering the pre-owned luxury timepiece sector include Atlanta-based Crown & Caliber and Richemont-owned Watchfinder.com, which was acquired last year. WatchBox, a Philadelphia-based company launched in 2017, is one that shines like new, built on the foundation of a
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What to Watch: Sustainability Quotient Grows for Cosmetics Packaging

PARIS — Cosmetics packaging manufacturers will continue whittling down the amount of plastics they use throughout 2019, as brands, customers and legislation push for a new, more ecological normal. A single-use plastics directive was adopted at the European Union level by the European Parliament and Council in June, for instance. The directive “promotes circular approaches that give priority to sustainable and nontoxic reusable products and reuse systems rather than to single-use products, aiming first and foremost to reduce the quantity of waste generated.” Member states have until July 3, 2021, to comply with most of the directive’s previsions. “With this new directive, brands and consumers will have to change their habits, and on our side right now, we are studying new material alternatives to plastic and refillable options, as well as different ways to keep your packaging for more than one use,” said Denis Maurin, executive vice president of sales and innovation at HCT Group. The co
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Bally Unveils Flagship in Milan

MILAN — The new Bally flagship in Milan is hard to miss, located on the corner of two of Milan’s main streets — luxury haven Via Montenapoleone and the busy, high-end Via Manzoni, across from the Armani Hotel and Emporio Armani megastore. The three-level, 6,480-square-foot store, called Bally Haus, opened to the public on Tuesday and will be officially unveiled in October. It is an indication of the importance of the Italian market for the brand and it emphasizes its Swiss heritage, while nodding to its Italian and Milanese influences. The new Bally flagship.  courtesy image Designed by Casper Mueller Kneer Architects, the banner’s blueprint replaces a previous one by David Chipperfield and reflects the label’s shift from aspirational to entry luxury.  “The unveiling of Bally’s flagship in Milan is a celebration of our brand identity,” said Nicolas Girotto, the company’s chief executive officer. “In opening the doors to this store, we want to create a destination for cultural engagemen
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What to Watch: 8 Mass Beauty Launches for Fall

The mass market, beauty’s problem child for sales growth, continued to struggle through August, particularly in channels that data services such as Nielsen and IRI track (i.e. drug and grocery). The makeup and nail categories were down 2 percent, though skin care was up 3 percent in the 52 weeks ending Aug. 10, according to Nielsen. Despite how the numbers look on paper, they aren’t all that meets the eye — mass brands are now placing emphasis on a wide range of channels to drive sales, including everything from retailer e-commerce sites to Amazon, off-price stores, dollar stores and Walmart. Fall launches in the mass market follow this pattern. Below, a selection of new brand and product launches. Essie Expressie L’Oréal-owned nail brand Essie has a new franchise aimed at younger consumers called Expressie. The 40-shade collection, priced at $9 each — all new colors for the brand — features a quick-drying formula and a slim bottle and brush designed to perfect the DIY-manicure experie
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What to Watch: So, Media Brands Have New Owners — Now What?

A lot of media brands have new owners, and with them will inevitably come changes since everyone has their own plans to revive and make profitable their investments. Meredith Corp., having acquired and dissolved Time Inc., shook off magazines Sports Illustrated, Fortune and Time, which didn’t fit in with its other more prosaic, and more profitable, titles. Condé Nast, still looking to cut costs and make big, if belated, moves into digital and video, sold magazines W, Golf Digest and Brides. Univision came to terms with the fact that its acquisition of former Gawker digital brands like Deadspin and Jezebel, and separately The Onion, was a mistake, given its decades as a Spanish-language TV broadcaster. Even Verizon Media started to winnow its digital web portfolio, which it expanded in 2017 through the acquisition of Yahoo, effectively throwing its hands up with Tumblr and letting it go reportedly for around $2 million, when in 2013 it was valued at $1 billion. But what is to become of
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What to Watch: Men’s Wear Online Sales Have Grip, Customers’ Habits Shift

What men want is the holy grail online retailers are trying to figure out in order to better cater to their male audience, which is evolving fast — and growing even faster. According to market search firm Euromonitor International, global sales of men’s fashion, including apparel and footwear both online and off-line, are poised to generate revenues this year of $452.47 billion versus $440.24 billion in 2018, with sales in 2020 expected to climb to an estimated $473.86 billion. Munich-based retailer Mytheresa is the latest to dive into the fray by kicking off a men’s section in January, while Moda Operandi entered the market last year. Mr Porter — launched in 2011 — introduced its own label, Mr P, in 2017 and Matchesfashion.com has been ramping up exclusive men’s wear drops and capsules with international luxury labels. Customers’ rapidly changing purchasing habits and craving for fresh product are pushing online fashion destinations to constantly adapt in a bid to stay relevant. “The
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What to Watch: Cactus Plant Flea Market and Who Decides War Taking Streetwear Forward

Now is as good a time as ever to know the names Cactus Plant Flea Market and Everard Best. The streetwear brand and the New York City-based designer have been separately building solid followings and are seen transcending the streetwear world and crossing into mainstream fashion at a time when designers and retailers may be experiencing streetwear fatigue. First, the two are far from new, and second, they hit several marks expected to propel them forward. Cactus Plant Flea Market is a mysterious streetwear brand founded by Cynthia Lu with an origin that dates back to 2015. Lu, who worked closely with Pharrell Williams at Billionaire Boys Club and at the artist’s multimedia creative collective I Am Other, produces graphic T-shirts, hoodies, and accessories that are favored by the Grammy Award-winning producer, along with Travis Scott, Tyler the Creator, and Kanye West. The brand is carried at Dover Street Market in New York City, and this year launched collaborations with Stussy, Anti S
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With $25 Million in Play, Greater Transparency Is Called for in Choosing Apparel Production Projects

NEW YORK — The decades-long debate about how to modernize the Garment District appeared to be moving forward to more unified ideas last week, but now a few individuals involved with the process are questioning the objectivity of it and recommending a third party get involved to ensure fairness. The Garment District’s rezoning was approved by the New York City Council in December, and last week 12 members of the Garment District Alliance’s special program committee met to review 22 proposals geared toward rejuvenating local apparel manufacturing. The GDA has as much as $25 million to fund programs that support manufacturing and fashion production in the area over the next 10 years. The group’s recent meeting culled the candidates to four parties, which would be advised to collaborate to avoid any overlap. No formal action was taken, though the formation of a subcommittee was agreed upon, according to a few participants, including GDA president Barbara Blair. A date for a future meeting
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EXCLUSIVE: Former Charlotte Russe CEO Jenny Ming Joins Poshmark Board

Retail veteran Jenny Ming first downloaded the Poshmark app last spring.  The former chief executive officer and president of Charlotte Russe and founding brand president of Old Navy had been in contact with Manish Chandra, founder and ceo of Poshmark, and wanted to see for herself what the platform was all about.   “You can’t be in retail and not know what’s going on,” Ming told WWD.  After receiving positive feedback from her daughter and even helping a friend sell some dresses on the site, Ming decided to set up her own account.  “I am certainly going to be a buyer and a seller on Poshmark,” she said. “Because I have a lot of shoes that I need to upload and sell on Poshmark. So, anyone in size 7 shoes will get a great assortment.” But that’s not the only way she will be engaging with the resale site. Ming is the latest addition to Poshmark’s board.  Ming, who’s resume includes a number of traditional retailers, like Gap Inc., Barneys New York and a current spot on the board of Levi
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Henning, a Plus-Size Tailored Collection, Will Be Introduced Online Sept. 3

Lauren Chan, a former plus-size model with Ford Models and a fashion features editor at Glamour, is making the leap into fashion design. She will launch an online plus-size collection called Henning on Sept. 3 on the brand’s web site, henningNYC.com. Chan has worked on the business for over a year, having started her research in spring 2018. She did the designing herself and conducted focus groups in the beginning to see what people would like to buy. For the fall launch, she is offering 10 styles in sizes 12 to 24. Fabrics come from the U.S., and everything is made in New York. “It’s all very men’s wear inspired, which is a personal preference of mine,” said Chan, who herself is now a size 14, having been up to a size 20 in her life. While she has no formal design training, Chan designed the line for Glamour x Lane Bryant and did 10 collections. “That was my first foray into product,” she said. The Canadian-born Chan was signed to Ford Models’ plus-size division right after she gradua
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First Look: Hugo Boss Capsule Collection by Leading Industrial Designer Konstantin Grcic

Hugo Boss has collaborated with Konstantin Grcic, one of Germany’s most influential industrial designers, on a limited capsule collection for fall 2019. Grcic’s award-winning work in seating and lighting is featured in the permanent collections of the world’s leading museums, including MoMA in New York and the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris; in 2010, he was named designer of the year at Design Miami. Over his almost three-decades-long career, Grcic is perhaps best known for his focus on utility and simplicity — high fashion seems rather a long way from his usual remit. But not at all, Grcic told WWD as he showed off his Boss capsule collection in his airy Berlin studio, a converted factory floor with large windows and long white desks. “Beauty has a function, too,” he explained. “And if things are only practical, and not appealing, then you have a very different relationship to those objects. “I don’t want to stretch the metaphor too far but chairs come close to something that we alm
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Vogue Japan to Mark 20th Anniversary With Milan Fashion Week Party

MARKING A MILESTONE: Vogue Japan is turning 20 and will mark the anniversary with no less than a Kawaii-themed party during the upcoming Milan Fashion Week. Capping off the first day of shows, on Sept. 18, the Japanese edition of the glossy title will throw a bash hosted by the magazine’s editor in chief Mitsuko Watanabe and its Italian creative director at large Anna Dello Russo. Dubbed #Tokyoglam, the party will celebrate all things related to modern Japanese culture. “When we marked Vogue Japan’s 15th anniversary, we celebrated the country’s traditional history. This time I wanted to offer a glimpse on its modern, pop culture,” Dello Russo told WWD. To this end, Milan’s Bulgari hotel will be transformed to resemble Tokyo’s Kawaii Monster Cafe, a wacky restaurant located in the city’s Harajuku neighborhood and replete with garish decor including a giant merry-go-round made of desserts and unicorns. Dello Russo said performers from the Tokyo cafe will fly to Milan for the occasion. “T
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The Impact of Nontraditional Retail Footprints, Formats and Assortments

With back-to-school sales doing better online than in stores (as Amazon leads the way), traffic and sales in the physical retail landscape have remained lackluster this summer. There have been winners, most notably Target Corp. and Walmart, but it’s been a challenging year-to-date period. In its monthly report, RetailNext found month-to-month sales were “relatively flat,” with year-over-year sales declining just 0.3 percent — which analysts took as good news since flat sales are better than a steep decline. Last week’s chain store sales did show a slight jump as the Retail Economist-Goldman Sachs Weekly Chain Store Sales Index rose 0.9 percent week-to-week, while sales gained 1.7 percent year-over-year. But the gain, noted Michael P. Niemira, chief economist of the Retail Economist LLC, was driven solely by warehouse clubs and dollar stores. These retail segments tout frugality and cater to pennywise shoppers. Dollar stores, in particular, are finding the right mix in a tough climate,
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Lafayette 148 Settles Into New Madison Avenue Home

NEW YORK — “Twenty-three years it took us to get here,” said Deirdre Quinn, chief executive officer and cofounder of Lafayette 148, surveying her new Madison Avenue flagship that opens today. The spacious 4,400-square-foot, bi-level store at 956 Madison Avenue is Lafayette 148’s third location in Manhattan and 24th store in the fleet. Called the Townhouse, the store is the cornerstone of the brand’s drive to ramp up its New York City presence — and is next door to Carolina Herrera’s newly revamped flagship. “It’s always been a dream of mine to open on Madison Avenue,” Quinn said. “And the time is right. We’ve been downtown in SoHo for 23 years and the fact is, New York City is our single-largest market in the U.S., largely driven by Upper East Side residents.” Founded in 1996, Lafayette 148  moved its headquarters last summer to a sprawling 90,000-square-foot space in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The company retained 10,000 square feet on the eighth floor of 148 Lafayette Street in SoHo for
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EXCLUSIVE: Coach to Show on The High Line Park

Coach’s creative director Stuart Vevers is sticking close to home for his spring 2020 runway show: The designer has decided to show his latest collection on the Spur and Coach Passage, the newest sections of the High Line park, the brand has exclusively revealed to WWD. Coach and its parent, Tapestry Inc., in 2016 moved their global headquarters to 10 Hudson Yards — situated at the foot of the High Line. “I’m excited to present our spring collection on the High Line, a place that inspires me,” said Vevers, who showed his first official runway show for the brand on the elevated former railroad line in 2015. “I used to walk to the studio every day on the High Line. I love the industrial railroad history that has been transformed into the green heart of downtown New York. To me, it’s a powerful symbol of New York’s ever-evolving history, and I’m proud to celebrate what makes it special and continue our long-standing support of the park,” he said. The Coach Passage, named in recognition of
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What to Watch: More Tailored Aesthetic Hitting Men’s Stores for Fall

Fall is coming, and with it, men will be leaving their shorts and flip-flops in the back of the closet — and this year reaching for a blazer. Although streetwear and ath-leisurewear have been all the rage in the men’s market for the past few years, the pendulum has begun to swing back in the other direction. The first hint came during the fall runway shows in Europe last January when there was an undeniable shift toward a more dressed-up aesthetic. Those looks are just now hitting the retail floors, raising the spirits of merchants who have historically built their businesses on the back of men’s suits and sport coats. Although their expectations are high, stores also realize they can’t just hang a sea of navy, black and gray suits interspersed with the occasional patterned sport coat on their floors any more and expect them to sell. Streetwear and activewear have had an indelible impact on the industry and men are not looking for their father’s — or even their grandfather’s — suits. G
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Bridget Foley’s Diary Carolina Herrera: Retail Wonderland on Madison

“It’s not about being greige.” So notes Wes Gordon of the Carolina Herrera aesthetic — a simple prescription that doesn’t begin and end with the clothes. After honing his fashion vision for a few seasons, the creative director, who succeeded the house founder in February of last year, felt ready to take on the renovation of the brand’s New York flagship. Gordon determined to translate his baseline belief in fashion that makes you happy into an ebullient, celebratory retail space. “Everything I say about the clothes is that Herrera is an anti-normcore brand. It’s color and beauty. We are not a minimalist house. This space should reflect that, too,” he said. The store at 954 Madison Avenue reopens today after an eight-month renovation, its first in almost 20 years of operation. Gordon spoke during a walk-through of the site earlier this month. Though the prevailing architectural motif then discernible was construction site, and the dominant decorative effects, drop cloths and dust, the v
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What to Watch: Solving the Sizing Dilemma

One size certainly does not fit all. In fact, it often fits no one. Sizing is a perpetual problem in the apparel industry with a lack of consistency rampant among the different brands. Much of the data used by apparel firms to create their lines is based on measurements that are decades old and no longer applicable to today’s body types. BodyBlock AI, which uses 3-D body and consumer data to provide insight on more-accurate sizing, estimates that 80 percent of sizes do not actually fit the general population. Kirk Keel believes the number is even higher than that. The cofounder and co-chief executive officer of Stantt said his research found the number is closer to 85 percent. “We built a company off of that,” he said. Seven years ago, he and Matt Hornbuckle founded the made-to-measure men’s shirt brand, which uses proprietary technology to offer “a hybrid option between off-the-rack and full custom that offers the benefits of each.” Stantt offers 99 sizes of shirts and uses an algorit
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Interior Designer Andre Mellone on Carolina Herrera’s Makeover

“We had this sort of long dating period,” says interior designer Andre Mellone from the living room of his stylish two-story Manhattan apartment, overlooking the High Line through giant casement windows. One might be mistaken for thinking he was talking about romantic life. But Mellone, perched on a gray flannel sofa next to a stack of his grandfather’s old National Geographic magazines, is actually referring to how he got involved in his latest and most high-profile retail gig to date — redesigning Carolina Hererra’s flagship on Madison Avenue in Manhattan. Starting out designing the interiors of private abodes (Misha Nonoo and Jason Wu are among his clients), the Brazilian native, an architect by training, has over the past few years become more prolific in the retail world thanks in part to his friend, designer Thom Browne, who gave him his first store to design for his namesake brand. “He one day called me out of the blue and he said, ‘Do you want to do a store for me’ and it was a
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Prada to Celebrate Pedro Almodóvar in Venice

ALL ABOUT PEDRO: The marriage between fashion and cinema is one of the lucky few that has stood the test of time and events like the Venice International Film Festival serve as annual reminders of this successful bond. Among the many initiatives scheduled during the movie festival, which kicked off on Wednesday: Prada will be hosting a dinner and party to celebrate Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar, who will be awarded with a Honorary Golden Lion prize this edition. Staged in partnership with Warner Bros. Italia, the soirée will take place on Thursday at the Scuola Grande di Santa Maria della Misericordia venue, a 14th–century frescoed building that originally housed a confraternity. In addition to Miuccia Prada and Almodóvar, guests in attendance will include the filmmaker’s longtime muse Rossy de Palma; American actors Joaquin Phoenix and Anthony Mackie; Italian actresses Monica Bellucci and Valeria Golino; film director Lucrecia Martel, and American avant-garde artist and musician L
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The Carolina Herrera Flagship: More Than Window-Dressing

After an eight-month renovation, the Carolina Herrera flagship on Manhattan’s Madison Avenue reopens today in all its ebullient glory. While its fanciful design projects high spirits and a carefree attitude, its purpose couldn’t be more serious: to clearly telegraph the ethos of the brand, after undergoing significant evolution under president Emilie Rubinfeld and creative director Wes Gordon, spurred by Gordon’s designs that have brought a new youthful attitude to the house while remaining faithful to the house founder’s steadfast belief in beautiful. The shift is very much a leadership focus at Puig, which owns the Herrera business. “Following the momentum that the brand is enjoying with the arrival of Wes, and the excellent performance of his collections, it is time to mark a new milestone with the renovation and reopening of our flagship in Manhattan that features the new brand image,” said José Manuel Albesa, president, Puig brands, markets and operations. “Every detail has been t
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EXCLUSIVE: Telfar to Show Film in NYC, Runway in Paris

Telfar is heading to Paris. The New York City-based designer will present his next runway show on Sept. 23 to open Paris Fashion Week. He won’t leave New York City empty-handed though — the brand will present a film on Sept. 6 featuring a collective of directors and writers including Petra Collins, Steve Lacy, Ashton Sanders, past collaborators Jeremy O. Harris and Kelsey Lu and others. The nonlinear format film was shot in New York, Los Angeles, Ohio, Paris and Lagos, Nigeria. “We think we are doing this out of necessity,” said designer Telfar Clemens. “I think it’s good for fashion as a whole to rethink how it works. This is really just an experiment happening live.” Telfar was established in 2005, although the designer had been producing nongendered clothing since 2002. In 2017, he collaborated with White Castle on a capsule collection after hosting his runway show afterparty at the fast food chain’s Times Square location in 2015. He won the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund in the same year
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Bridget Foley’s Diary: Zac Posen — To Every Spring There Is a Season

The model’s body language is gloriously seductive as she works a major-glamour gown that draws imprecise lines to both Swan-generation elegance and Eighties glitz. Her carriage has the gazelle-like grace of forebears who once populated the cabines of Halston and Yves Saint Laurent. But her hair, worked into intricate Fulani braids, and her complexion, unique among the known stars of her profession, radiate 21st–century distinction. The model has just descended a stairway that leads to the photo studio’s main set, a vast white drum of a space with a huge sliding door now open, ready for her entrance. But the would-be haute aura of the moment never materializes thanks to Booby, the dog someone has brought to work for the day. He follows the model down the stairs, and before you can say “breathtaking,” she bends down to give him a “good dog” treat, and then goes full-on prone on the floor, leaning and contorting in serpentine correspondence with the happy pooch. The scene speaks volumes a
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What to Watch: Luxury Players Up the Ante in Quest for Sustainability

Forget handbag wars: A new battlefront has opened among luxury rivals — sustainability — and it’s widely perceived as a win-win for the planet and all its inhabitants. This new game of one-upmanship was sparked last July, when LVMH Moët Hennessey Louis Vuitton revealed a minority investment in Stella McCartney, who had built a reputation as the industry’s pre-eminent eco-conscious designer during a 17-year joint venture with Kering. Her surprise switch of luxury camps seemed to cue a race for bragging rights in the green movement, and to foreshadow greater efforts among European luxury players to clean up their supply chains. This movement was front-and-center at last weekend’s G7 meeting in Biarritz, France where a Kering-led group of 32 signed a “fashion pact” geared toward sustainability efforts. “I don’t see many negatives in a race to become better at producing responsibly, answering the wishes of a new consumer generation, protecting the planet and coming across as being good cit
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What to Watch: Five Trends for Fabrics of the Future

More science than art, technical textiles can be anything from innovative components for sneakers to the carbon-fiber reinforced plastics that make up about a fifth of an average airliner. Given the futuristic and highly technical nature of their business, European companies are often at the forefront of technologies and trends that will eventually impact the more mainstream apparel industry: That includes robots that sew, fabrics that feel and T-shirts that call the doctor. Fabrics that Feel You Over the past decade or so wearable tech has become increasingly commercially viable. A lot of the applications for touchy-feely fabrics tend to start as industrial or medical: A safety coat, developed by Portugal’s Beira University, that lights up when telecommunications workers are subjected to excess levels of radio frequencies, for example. Garments used by medical specialists can check body temperature, humidity (and therefore liquid spillage), heart rate and respiratory activity. Should
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Fashion 4 Development’s First Ladies Luncheon to Honor Carla Sozzani and the Alaïa Foundation

AN ALAÏA SALUTE: Fashion 4 Development is already gearing up for its First Ladies luncheon with a bevy of honorees. Carla Sozzani and the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation are at the top of that list as the recipient of the F4D Development award. She is president of the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation and founder of 10 Corso Como. The Sept. 24 event will feature a tribute to Azzedine Alaïa and the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation complete with a runway show by Maison Alaïa. Twelve years ago, the company’s founder set out to convert his voluminous archives and holdings through the Association Azzedine Alaïa to become the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation. Sozzani and the late designer’s partner, Christophe Von Weyhe, have been instrumental in protecting his legacy. His collection is housed at 18 rue de la Verrerie in Paris, where he once lived and worked. Exhibitions are planned to share his work with future generations. F4D founder Evie Evangelou said of Sozzani, “Carla is an extraordinary human being and she insp
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What to Watch: Is An Open Door Policy the Industry’s Answer to Sustainability?

LONDON — The industry is banding together to standardize sustainability and share resources. Tech giants like Google, major retailers, brands and consultants from Nike to Vestiaire Collective, and the Current Global are adopting an open door policy when it comes to saving the environment. “We are endeavoring to create a common language between designers, suppliers and manufacturers to communicate effectively. It’s a shared commitment,” said John Hoke, chief design officer at Nike, who revealed that the brand has created an open source design guide to help businesses reach their sustainability goals, at Copenhagen Fashion Summit earlier this year in May. Filled with case studies, Nike’s guide aims to help businesses reach their sustainability goals. Similarly, the Center for Sustainable Fashion also unveiled a tool guide to prompt critical thinking to adopt sustainable business alternatives while Vestiaire Collective debuted an educational guide on circular fashion. According to Tamsin
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What to Watch: Not Just a Gimmick, Digital Fashion Could Disrupt the Industry As We Know It

If there is one thing that should convince the fashion industry that digital-only apparel is a serious proposition, it is the FaceTune app for mobile phones. Ever since it came on the market, the application — which allows users to “edit” their pictures before they share them on sites like Instagram or Facebook — has been incredibly popular: It’s estimated that around 70 percent of adults edit self-portraits before they post them. So one thing is clear: More than ever, consumers like to experiment with their looks online — and how real they eventually end up looking is not an issue. It’s the most obvious sign that digital-only fashion has potential, agreed Kerry Murphy, founder of a Netherlands-based company, The Fabricant. His firm calls itself a digital fashion house and made headlines last May for selling a digital-only dress for around $9,500 on block chain. Murphy believes that digital-only fashion, where consumers buy clothing that can only be worn online, which will never exist
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What to Watch: Theory Offers Staples, a Collection of Essentials for Fall

Theory, which is now under the direction of Dinesh Tandon as chief executive officer, has a significant initiative under way this fall called Staples, which encompasses all the modern Theory basics that the company is known for. The essentials have been launched at Theory stores, theory.com and selected retailers, with a campaign starting Sept. 3, photographed by Andrew Zuckerman. According to Siddhartha Shulka, chief brand officer, the offerings consist of the tried-and-true Theory essentials “because they’re proven.” The idea is to remind the company’s audience that Theory is a purveyor of modern luxurious essentials, especially in a market that’s so saturated with trend, he said. “We invest so much of our resources into the design and manufacturing of our garments, more so than our competitive set. We felt it was a time to celebrate the things that make Theory, Theory.” This is Tandon’s first major initiative since the resignation last April of Andrew Rosen as ceo. Rosen continues a
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What to Watch: Goodbye to the Statement Earring?

Statement earrings seem to have outsized themselves. The upholstery tassels, crystal cascades and oyster-sized pearls that have pained women’s earlobes over the last few years appear to be on the wane. The gobstopper accessories arrived on the scene at a moment of peak Instagram influence, when fashionistas hoped the tiniest minutia of outfit details would translate on palm-sized phone screens. The trend grew to encompass both the fine and costume jewelry categories, particularly taking off after Rebecca de Ravenel introduced her much-copied Bonbon style in 2015. A wedding-circuit mainstay for the last four summers, statement earrings have graced life-cycle event hashtags with rabid frequency and have held a constant presence with celebrities and magazines — making them one of the fashion trends that could define this era of dress. This last summer, however, may have seen statement earrings exhaust the last of their oversized options — taking the shape of birdcages, enameled clown face
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Jewel Tones for Gentlemen x DL1961 Is Here for Denim Aficionados

Fall is upon us and Jewel Tones for Gentlemen x DL1961 takes men’s denim to the next level with versatile pieces that suit every guy’s lifestyle. Jewel Tones for Gentlemen x DL1961 features jeans in different jewel tones, including emerald and sapphire that can be worn to work, on dates, casual weekends and everything in between. “This collection has a wide range of jewel tones that not only speak to the trends but are also incredibly functional and are easily paired with wardrobe staples. These colors are echoed throughout, with some overlapping from our newly revamped chino program to our soaring colored denim program,” Zahra Ahmed, DL1961‘s vice president of marketing. “Along with the jewel tones, other themes include camo, soft utilitarianism, sustainable rinses and dad core.” The men’s wear line includes eight silhouettes that will be available in multiple washes: The Hunter (a skinny jean), The Copper (tapered slim), The Nick (slim), The Russell (slim straight), The Avery (modern
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Beth Buccini Looks Back on 20 Years of Fashion at Kirna Zabête, and Plans for 20 More

Kirna Zabête‘s raison d’être in opening in August 1999 a 5,000-square-foot boutique at 96 Greene Street in Manhattan’s SoHo was to introduce monastic New Yorkers, whose go-to uniform was black everything, to the pleasures of color. Everything about the store seemed exotic, from the unabashedly vivid hues of styles from emerging designers — discovered by the retailer and nurtured like hothouse flowers — to the space itself, envisioned by contemporary artist Jim Dine’s son Nick with lavender-painted wood floors, school-bus-yellow jewelry vitrines, a maraschino cherry-colored staircase, and Dine’s furniture for the store, including hexagonal purple Neoprene poufs for the dressing rooms. Even the name was unusual, a mash-up of nicknames owner Beth Buccini and her former partner and University of Virginia pal Sarah Easley said were bestowed on them by “some stupid boyfriends,” Buccini recently recalled in her lilting Southern drawl. She added that the moniker caught the attention of curious
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What to Watch: Hong Kong Unrest Adds to Watch Sector Challenges

It’s been a rocky ride for the traditional watch sector, which is coping with rising competition from connected timepieces — especially the Apple watch — a fast-moving digital landscape that is upending consumption habits, and new generations of consumers who seem more interested in traveling than acquiring a badge of prestige for the wrist. Add to that the unrest in Hong Kong, one of the sector’s most important markets. The series of street demonstrations that have swept the city since the spring have disrupted retail business — adding to the forces drawing many Chinese, top consumers for the industry, to make their luxury purchases in Mainland China. Growth in exports of Swiss watches — a key industry measure, closely eyed for clues about the overall health of the luxury market, as well as demand for timepieces — has slowed to a rate of 2.7 percent so far this year, compared to 13.4 percent for the same January-to-July period past year, according to figures from the Federation of Swi
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What to Watch: Demi-Fine Jewelry Labels Sustain Growth Momentum, Lure Investors

LONDON — Thanks to Instagram, e-commerce and the growing trend of self-gifting among female consumers, demi-fine jewelry has been one of the most robust sectors in the accessories market. A flurry of brands, the majority of them female-led, were quick to nail down a success formula in the market. It includes sweet-spot price points, direct-to-consumer strategies and social media-fueled marketing — and as a result are seeing rapid growth and catching the attention of investors. Prices range from 80 to 500 pounds for necklaces, 40 to 200 pounds for rings and 65 to 500 pounds for bracelets. And they’re just getting started. With dedicated online communities and fresh investments in hand, these brands are now certain they can sustain the growth momentum by broadening their reach and investing in technology, new categories and the right people. AUrate, a New York-based label that sells both demi-fine and fine pieces using ethically sourced diamonds, completed a $13 million Series A funding
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What to Watch: 55-Plus Chinese Brands on the Global Fashion Calendar

A whirlwind of Chinese brands is marching out of the country to showcase their latest fashion collections during the big four fashion weeks. New York hosts the most Chinese brands, despite the ongoing trade war that has made more than 60 percent of Americans hold an unsavory view of China, according to the Financial Times. But it doesn’t matter to most of the designers, as their goal is to achieve domestic amplification, instead of entering the U.S. market. Initiatives, such as Suntchi’s China Day, Tmall’s own China Cool and ICY Presents: Dynasty bring in a dozen of Chinese designer labels and big brands to the calendar of IMG’s NYFW: The Show. Suntchi, a fashion, lifestyle and entertainment company that holds a five-year partnership agreement with the Council of Fashion Designers of America, is bringing sportswear giant Anta’s junior line Anta Kids, the LVMH Prize-shortlisted Xu Zhi from London and Lily, a Shanghai-based career apparel brand to New York for the fourth edition of China
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What to Watch: The Future of the Roberto Cavalli Brand

Come this fall, eyes will be on the potential development of the Roberto Cavalli brand, once a Milan judge will have ruled on the industrial plan and agreement with creditors presented by the company’s management that was due to be submitted by Aug. 3. The judge’s ruling is expected in mid-September or the following month. Cavalli did not officially present a spring men’s wear collection in June at Pitti Uomo or in Milan and does not appear on the first draft of the Milan Fashion Week calendar issued by the Camera della Moda at the end of July. The label is still without a creative designer, following the exit of Paul Surridge in March. The design lead, however, may not be an immediate priority for the brand and its chief executive officer Gian Giacomo Ferraris, who was rumored to stay on following the acquisition by Vision Investment Co. LLC  last month. The vehicle is controlled by Hussain Sajwani, the founder and chairman of the Damac Properties Group. Vision Investment has signed a
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EXCLUSIVE: 424’s Guillermo Andrade to Release Adidas Collaboration

Guillermo Andrade, the designer and cofounder of 424, a fixture in L.A.’s streetwear scene, will release a collection with Adidas, WWD has learned. “It’s ready-to-wear and footwear….It’s coming [out] before the end of the year,” Andrade said during Guess Jeans U.S.A.’s second annual weekend pop-up experience — dubbed Guess Sport — at the Guess Inc. headquarters in downtown Los Angeles. Joining other prominent streetwear designers like Pleasures’ Alex James at the event, Andrade was presenting his capsule collection with Guess Jeans U.S.A., a division that, while pulling inspiration from the brand’s Nineties esthetic, has also been focused on producing collaborations with younger labels. The project was spearheaded by brand partnerships director Nicolai Marciano, son of the L.A.-based, family-run business’ cofounder, Paul Marciano. “We have always been focused on youth, and obviously, in the Eighties, we were really pushing as an original fashion house, and we’ve become a big, global br
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5 signs that your mattress is on its way out

Here are five ways to tell that you need a new mattress ASAP.             from USATODAY - Tech Top Stories https://ift.tt/30Cvf8v
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