Fashion News Alert: Saks Global Poised to File for Bankruptcy, Kevin Hart Branches into Fashion and CFDA’s Preliminary NYFW Calendar

January 14, 2026 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of cnbc.com

It appears that Saks Global, which holds Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, and Neiman Marcus, is looking to reorganize its debt and operations with Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Sak Global’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy will happen only if Saks Global can finalize $1.75 billion in financing with their creditors.

Most of the financing is rumored to be coming from Pentwater Capital Management in Naples, Florida, and Bracebridge Capital, based in Boston. Neither company is known as experts in luxury fashion. This financing will assist Saks in meeting their employee payroll demands, pay vendors, and restock dwindling inventory while they attempt to restructure the business.

Saks Global financial woes began with the acquisition of Neiman Marcus in 2024. Richard Baker, who was elevated as Saks Global’s CEO, following the sudden resignation of Marc Metrick on January 2, is rumored to be leaving his role as CEO as Chapter 11 bankruptcy approaches.

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NYFW preliminary calendar

The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) has released the preliminary fashion calendar for the fall 2026 season. The fall 2026 fashion season promises to be a very important season with the return of familiar names to the fashion calendar with a bevy of new names to New York Fashion Week (NYFW).

Returning fashion brands/designers include, but Altuzarra, Area, Calvin Klein Collection, Carolina Herrera, Coach, Khaite, LaQuan Smith, Michael Kors, Prabal Gurung, Sandy Liang, Sergio Hudson, Tory Burch, Ulla Johnson, and others. Proenza Schouler returns to the fashion calendar under the creative directorship of Rachel Scott.

Public School returns to the calendar with Maxwell Osborne and Dao-Yi Chow at the helm. The Derek Lam Collection returns to the fashion calendar now under the direction of Robert Rodriquez. Rodriquez dissolved his namesake brand in 2020. For his debut collection for the Derek Lam Collection, Rodriquez is inspired by New York City, “and the women who move through it with quiet confidence,” as well as the “cast-iron facades, worn stone streets, and the procession of utilitarian objects throughout the city.”

Fashion brands/designers showing at NYFW for the first time include but are not limited to 7 For All Mankind by creative director Nicola Brognano, Alix of Bohemia, Andrew Curwen, Caroline Zimbalist, Contessa Mills, Cult Gaia, Hilá, J. Press, Jasper, Mel Usine, Menyelek, Ossou, Pipenco, and Veejay Floresca. Ralph Lauren is presenting his collection of February 10. And again, Marc Jacobs is presenting his fall 2026 later during the season.

Image courtesy of medium.com

Fashionable Kevin

Kevin Hart is now branching into fashion. Hart has inked a wide-ranging deal with Authentic Brands Group (ABG), giving the IP licensing company rights to his name. Currently, Kevin Hart is a shareholder in the Authentic Brands Group. Hart and ABG have partnered to produce clothing brands, consumer products and digital platforms, and live performances.

“This partnership is about acceleration, growth and diversification. I’ve spent years building businesses and creating opportunities, and joining Authentic gives me the platform and global infrastructure to take my brand to the next level,” Hart said in a statement, presented in a dailyfrontrow.com article. “Becoming a shareholder allows me to co-own some of the most recognizable IP of all time while building my own brand legacy. I want the Hart name to live on for generations to come and be something that my grandkids and their grandkids will be able to be proud of.”

William S. Gooch

 

 

 

Fashion News Alert: The Met Gala 2026 Theme, Prada’s Acquisition Is Complete, and Ralph Lauren Collaborates with Topa

December 2, 2025 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of styleup.com

As we head into the holiday season, several fashion brands are looking to ramp up holiday sales with collaborations. Ralph Lauren is no exception.

For its fall/holiday 2025 collection, Ralph Lauren recently revealed the brand’s collaboration with Indigenous-led clothing label Tópa. Founded by husband-and-wife team, Jocy and Trae Little Sky of Tópa are award-winning performers and designers. Jocy is Dakota and from the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nations, and Trae is Oglala Lakota and Stoney Nakoda. Their work is infused with traditional indigenous craftsmanship and design.

“We’ve long admired Ralph Lauren and how the brand brings worlds to life through its designs and storytelling,” said Jocy in a recent fashionnetwork.com article. “This collaboration with Polo Ralph Lauren honors our community, culture and way of life, and we hope it inspires people to be proud of who they are, where they come from and to follow their dreams.”

The Polo Ralph Lauren x Tópa collaboration is offered within the Ralph Lauren fall/holiday 2025 collection. The collaboration centers on modern silhouettes with Native design motifs in an assortment of men’s, women’s and accessories products. 

The Polo Ralph Lauren x Tópa collaboration is the fourth collaboration in Artist in Residence initiative. This initiative collaborates with artisans preserving heritage craft, offering a platform for mutually creative partnerships while amplifying historically underrepresented voices.

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The Met’s Next Exhibit

The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute next exhibit was recently announced. “Costume Art” will examine the concept of the body dressed as a fashion retrospective through the ages. This exhibit concept will be carried over the iconic Met Gala in May of 2026.

This new exhibit will examine the juxtaposition of body and clothing over 5,000 years with a focus on Western art. According to dailyfrontrow.com, the new exhibit will be organized into a series of thematic body types including the “Naked Body,” “Classical Body,” “Pregnant Body,” “Aging Body,” “Anatomical Body” and the “Mortal Body.” Almost 200 works will be displayed with 200 garments and accessories.

“Costume Art” will be the first exhibit in the new 12,00-foot galleries. The new Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art is named after the founder of the legendary publishing house, Condé Montrose Nast.

Image courtesy of apnews.com

Prada acquires Versace

If you have had your ear to the fashion grindstone, you are very aware of Prada Group acquiring Versace from Capri Holdings. Well, the acquisition is now complete.

Capri Holdings acquired Versace in 2018 for 1.8 billion euros. And now Prada Group has acquired Versace for 1.25 billion euros which makes this acquisition the largest acquisition for the Prada Group in its 112-year history.

Prada Group currently owns Prada, Miu Miu, Church’s, Car Shoe, Versace, Marchesi 1824, and Luna Rossa. Prada is available in more than 70 countries through a network of 620 company-owned stores, its direct e-commerce channel, as well as selected e-tailers and department stores worldwide.

William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: Balmain’s New Creative Director, Sofia Vergara’s New Gig, and Pull Back on Black Friday Deals

November 12, 2025 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of wwd.com

Balmain has a new creative director. With Olivier Rousteing leaving the French luxury house, there remains an empty post at Balmain.

That post has been quickly filled.  Antonin Tron has been appointed the new creative director of Balmain. Tron comes to this position after having founded Atlein with which he won ANDAM’s First Collections Prize in 2018.

Tron attended the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. Tron began his career designing menswear at Louis Vuitton, before moving on to Givenchy and Balenciaga.

“I am deeply honored to join Balmain and grateful to Mr. Rachid and Matteo for entrusting me with this extraordinary Maison. I would like to express my gratitude to Olivier Rousteing for making Balmain the global brand it is today,” said Tron, as detailed in a fashionetwork.com article. “Balmain has a truly inspiring history. At its heart, the Maison embodies savoir-faire, culture, sensuality and elegance: fashion that is radiant, precise and bold. This touches me deeply, and I feel privileged to have the opportunity to carry forward this incredible heritage.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Antonin to the Maison Balmain. Antonin’s approach to design, rooted in the art of draping and the physicality of fabric, marks a continuation of Pierre Balmain’s fundamental belief that ‘tailoring is the architecture of movement.’ Like Balmain, Antonin sees fashion as a spatial art that develops around the human form with precision and emotion,” said Matteo Sgarbossa, Balmain’s CEO. “Antonin will build on the Maison’s heritage of creativity, craftsmanship, elegance and deep human values. We look forward to his first runway show for Balmain in Paris in March.”

Antonin Tron will present his first collection for Balmain in March 2026 for the fall 2026 season.

Image courtesy of klarna.com

A milquetoast Black Friday

Donald Trump’s tariffs are hurting various segments of the fashion industry; the latest culprit is Black Friday deals. Fewer companies are offering a reduction in price points for the traditional Black Friday sales after Thanksgiving in the US due to Trump’s tariffs.

“It just doesn’t make financial sense for us to offer discounts because our costs of goods are so high because of the tariffs,” explained Dan Peskorse, owner of the parent company that sells the products, Upstream Brands, as reported in fashionnetwork.com. “Our concern is that the general public is just a little cash strapped and is pulling back in general. It’s a bit of a perfect storm.” 

Established brands from Coach to wellness brands Therabody are pulling back on Black Friday promotions due to Trump’s tariffs and inflation. “This is a very strange year for holiday,” said Sonia Lapinsky, leader of fashion retail at AlixPartners, as reported in fashionnetwork.com, citing “a lot of challenge on the retail front.” While many companies absorbed the first wave of tariffs, now they “just don’t have the room” to offer the same discounts as past years, she added. 

Brands have already increased their price points 5% to 7% due to inflation and tariffs. Therefore, reducing prices for Black Friday can be a bit of a stretch for some brands. To add to that, some luxury brands want to make their product so desirable that consumers will pay full price. “While promotional activity continues in parts of the market, we’ve deliberately moved away from deep discounting over the past several years,” Coach CEO Todd Kahn told Bloomberg News. 

That said, many shoppers will still hunt down holiday deals, and there will still be some reasonable discounts on Black Friday as well as discounts throughout the holiday season.

Image courtesy of sgbmedia.com

Skechers injects some diversity

Sofia Vergara has a new job. She is a new brand ambassador for Skechers. She is the first Colombian artist to be a brand ambassador for the footwear brand.

“I don’t do anything if I don’t believe in it … and I really believe in Skechers,” said Vergara. “I’ve been wearing Skechers for over a year now, and they’ve completely changed the way I think about trainers. Not only are they comfortable, they’re sleek, stylish, and pair easily with everything in my wardrobe. That’s why this collaboration felt so natural.”

Vergara became acquainted with Skechers while looking for stylish, comfortable shoes after her knee surgery. Vergara brought several pairs without realizing that her team was already in talks with Skechers.

“Sofía embodies everything Skechers stands for: boldness, confidence and uncompromising comfort,” said Michael Greenberg, president of Skechers. “She brings a fresh energy to the brand, and her passion for design will be reflected in everything we do together.”

Vergara will front a global campaign that celebrates style, versatility and comfort—core values of the brand. This global campaign will feature the brand’s Hands-Free Slip-ins and Glide-Step silhouettes.

William Gooch

 

 

Fashion News Alert: Cynthia Erivo’s Harper’s Bazaar Cover, and Allen Iverson New Gig, and Diane Von Furstenberg Launches DVF Vintage

October 29, 2025 by Leave a Comment

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Film and Broadway icon Cynthia Erivo graces the cover of the November issue of Harper’s Bazaar. Erivo’s recent Harper’s Bazaar cover is a part of her media blitz for Erivo’s press tour of “Wicked: For Good.”

“Elphaba will be part of my life forever, but we need separation,” Erivo says, as detailed in dailyfrontrow.com. “We’re not one and the same anymore, but we can be friends. What I love is having had the chance to play her when she has to figure out what she is and play her again when she knows.”

Dressed in magic and fantasy-like couture from Giorgio Armani Privé, Balenciaga Haute Couture, Schiaparelli Haute Couture, and Maison Margiela Artisanal, Erivo is photographed for this cover and spread by Cass Bird. And true to form, Erivo is styled in her signature, super-duper Jimmy Choo and Louboutin high heels.

Image courtesy of CR Fashionbook

DVF keeps them coming back for more

Diane von Furstenberg is figuring out a way to keep her fashion brand relevant. She is introducing a new initiative that celebrates the brand’s heritage.

“I always wanted to design timeless dresses, but I didn’t know how timeless they would become,” said Diane von Furstenberg, as reported in fashionnetwork.com. “The essence of timelessness is in dresses that last forever, and to have a great vintage piece is a jewel that lasts forever in your closet.”

DVF Vintage offers a hand-selected collection of vintage styles pulled from Diane’s personal archives and from the DVF community, through a buy-back program that invites customers to consign their pre-loved DVF items for store credit. Upon visiting the DVF flagship store in the meatpacking district, shoppers can explore a rotating curation of archival looks, tracing the evolution of the brand’s era-defining prints and silhouettes. 

Until November 30, consumers and shoppers can explore DVF Vintage at the DVF flagship store in New York City’s meatpacking district. DVF Vintage is currently available online and in DVF stores.

Image courtesy of highxtar.com

Iveson and Guess

NBA legend and icon Allen Iverson has a new job. Iverson has teamed up with Guess Jeans in a limited-edition capsule collection. The capsule collection introduces five iconic Iverson tee-shirts based on his 1993 photoshoot with Sports Illustrated.

“Everybody wanted to wear Guess,” explained Iverson, in a fashionnetwork.com article. “In high school, it was the flyest thing out—but back then, I couldn’t afford it. My dad gave me a pair once for doing something good—maybe for my grades or something like that. I’ve always had love for Guess because it was the style back then, and it just had a different swag when I had it on … It was never about trying to dress a certain way—my goal was just to be able to afford what I wanted to wear. When I made it to the league, I could finally buy all the Guess I wanted. That was my style.” 

“Iverson represents a generation that changed how we see sport, fashion, and identity,” said Nicolai Marciano, chief new business development officer. “His energy, resilience, and authenticity embody what Guess Jeans stands for today; a fearless approach to personal style rooted in cultural impact.”

 The tee shirts retail for $44 a piece and show an 18-year Iverson at the beginning of his professional career.

—William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: Victoria’s Secret Show Is More Inclusive, Runway Thinness Is Back, and Grace Wales Bonner’s New Job

October 17, 2025 by Leave a Comment

Calvin Klein spring 2026 images courtesy of yahoo.com

In case you haven’t noticed slim, thin models are dominating major runways again. After several years of inclusive with major fashion brands including more models of color, more seasoned models, transgender models, as well as curvy and plus-size models, for the spring 2026 season slender models are once again the major force on runways.

This does not mean that there are no curvy or plus-size models; however, their numbers have decreased for the spring 2026 season. However, standard-sized thin models are back to being the ideal runway models.

Recently, Vogue Business summarized model size data from the recent spring 2026 seasons in New York City, London, Paris, and Milan. According to fashionnetwork.com, of the 9,038 looks analyzed in New York, London, Milan and Paris, 97.1 percent featured models judged to be very small (US 0-4, UK 4-8 or 32-36 in France), according to data from Vogue Business in its size inclusivity report.

“There are fewer and fewer plus-size models on the runways,” Aude Perceval, a booker at Plus Agency, a pioneer in plus-size modeling in France, told the Associated Foreign Press (AFP). Aude Perceval that thinner models were particularly evident at the spring 2026 Paris shows, even though many French designers were using silhouettes that emphasize curvy figures and zaftig physiques. In fact, some models were sent out on the runway with padding on to give the hourglass effect.

The body positive movement which speaks to diversity in model size was borne in the 2010s; however, with the arrival of Ozempic and g-LP drugs which can help consumers lose weight quickly may be contributing the return of super thin models to the runway as celebrities and Hollywood actress using g-LP drugs. The diabetes treatment “has something to do with it because we’re seeing a lot of celebrities who are using it,” British Vogue editor Chioma Nnadi said last November. “I think there’s this shift in the culture around how we think about our bodies and how we address our bodies,” she told the BBC.

Image courtesy of fashonnetwork.com

A state of Grace

Fashion Reverie always celebrates when a woman, particularly a woman of color, achieves a creative directorship of a global fashion brand. Grace Wales Bonner has been named the new creative director of Hermès menswear.

The UK-based designer will continue with her eponymous brand while working at Hermès. The 35-year-old Jamaican British designer currently has a collaboration deal with Adidas.

“I am really pleased to welcome Grace to the Hermès artistic director family. Her take on contemporary fashion, craft and culture will contribute to shaping Hermès men’s style, melding the house’s heritage with a confident look on the now. Grace’s appetite and curiosity for artistic practice strongly resonate with Hermès’s creative mindset and approach. We are at the start of an enriching mutual dialogue,” exclaimed
Pierre-Alexis Dumas, general artistic director of Hermès.

Bonner will be replacing Véronique Nichanian stepping down from the brand after a tenure of 37 years. Bonner’s first collection for the iconic French luxury house will take place in January of 2027. Nichanian’s final show will be in January 2026, and the label won’t show its spring 2027 collection (which will be created by the studio) at the runway event in June 2026.

Bonner graduated from Central Saint Martins and soon after developed her menswear collection. She has received the emerging menswear designer title at the British Fashion Awards (2015), the LVMH Young Designer Prize (2016) and the CFDA International Men’s Designer of the Year (2021).

Image courtesy of wwd.com

VS scores another hit

The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show presented again in New York on October 16 at Steiner Studios at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. This particular show was more inclusive in that Victoria’s Secret model Jasmine Tookes opened the show stepping out with her baby bump draped in gleaming gold crystals and oceanic pearl wings. 

 According to the dailyfrontrow.com, the evening was filled with all-star moments from Gigi Hadid, Alessandra Ambrosio, Adriana Lima, Irina Shayk, Candice Swanepoel, Behati Prinsloo, Barbara Palvin, Joan Smalls, Abby Champion, Anok Yai, Precious Lee, Ashley Graham, Alex Consani, Adut Akech, Grace Elizabeth, Lila Moss, Devyn Garcia, Emily Ratajkowski, Liu Wen, Imaan Hammam, Doutzen Kroes, Paloma Elsesser, Lily Aldridge, Awar Odhiang, and many more. Several celebs also made special cameos, including Angel Reese, Quenlin Blackwell, Barbie Ferreira, and Suni Lee. 

There were musical performances by Madison Beer, K-pop girl group TWICE, and Karol G. Missy Elliot gave a spectacular performance, closing the show with her hit songs Lose Control,” “Get Ur Freak On,” and “Work It.” 

The Victoria Secret’s fashion show demonstrated their customer at every jointure of her day—plus Victoria’s Secret’s iconic fragrances over the years. “Life feels so immediate and raw to me right now, yet so crystal clear,” Victoria Secret’s creative director Adam Selman wrote in his pink show notes. “This show is big. The emotions around it—big, the audience—big, the expectations—big. It’s a reminder of the power Victoria’s Secret holds. Honoring the strength of the brand’s iconography, grounding it in the excess of the present and propelling it firmly towards a continually optimistic future. It is a love letter to women, the beauty they possess, and the power they harness.”

—William S. Gooch

 

 

 

 

Fashion News Alert: Ashley Graham’s JC Penny’s Collection, Celine Dion’s New Fashion Gig, and US Government Shutdown Destabilizes Haiti’s Textile Industry

September 25, 2025 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of dailyfrontrow.com

Ashley Graham proves that curvy girls can do it all. And evidence of that is Graham’s new collection for JC Penny. Graham had been a catalog model for JC Penny’s some years back and now she adds to her plate of many accomplishments a fashion collection for JC Penny.

” Let’s look at this as a collection that we would make for the everyday woman who wants to feel confident, who wants to feel bold, and who wants to push the limits.” We were able to do that with the amazing team there. I was a fit model for so much of it, and I got to really educate on darts and educate on grading. JCPenney was really excited to learn and grow with me. I feel like we pushed the boundaries in some ways, just with hemlines, showing cleavage off, and having crop tops—just being able to do stuff that you normally wouldn’t see in a classic plus-size collection,” explained Ashley Graham in a dailyfrontrow.com article.

Speaking of exclusivity in her collection for JC Penny, Ashley Graham details, “There isn’t a regard for the fact that all of our bodies are so different. We hold our fat in different places, and our shapes are completely different. That needs to be taken into the thought process when you’re designing for so many different types of women in one category.”

Ashley Graham’s first collection, retailing from $30 to $280, is now at JCPenney stores and JCPenney.com.

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Celine sparkles in Charlotte Tilbury

Celine Dion keeps her name in the press after over three decades in entertainment. Currently, Celine Dion is the face of Charlotte Tilbury’s and stars in the brand’s 2025 holiday campaign.

In the glamorous holiday campaign Celine Dion is seen on stage in feathers and sequins clutching Tilbury’s newest fragrance, Star Confidence—a warm mix of blackcurrant, oakmoss, and patchouli housed in a glistening golden bottle. But that is not all, Celine Dion in an accompanying holiday campaign video for Tilbury’s new “Charlotte’s Magic Gifting Universe” gift guide, including the brand’s new Hollywood Instant Look in a Palette face palette also is accompanied by supermodel Jourdan Dunn and Quentin Maxwell. I think we could have a very merry holiday season!!

Image courtesy of wallstreetjournal.com

US shutdown affects Haiti

Haiti only has one stable industry, the garment industry. And that industry will be adversely affected by the US government shutdown. Two decades ago, a US law was passed that allows Haitian textiles to come into the US tax free. The US government shutdown expires that tax free law.

The textile industry employs more than 24,800 people and exports to the US totaled $538 million in the 12 months through July. Without the trade deal, it’s unlikely those companies can continue to function. Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the Western hemisphere and its textile industry is the country’s most stable industry.

“Once these jobs are lost, that creates a fertile ground for gangs to recruit more people,” he said in an interview before the tariff-free measure expired,” said Maulik Radia, the president of the Haiti Industrial Association, in a dailyfrontrow.com article.  “While we appreciate that the US is concerned about security issues in Haiti, this could be the biggest plus for security in the country.”

The American Apparel and Footwear Association has been trying to the get tax-free deal with Haiti extended. “Despite persistent and constructive engagement from a wide range of stakeholders, Congress has fallen short in renewing these mutually beneficial programs, ultimately surrendering further strength to China’s manufacturing influence by placing unnecessary obstacles in the way of viable sourcing alternatives,” Beth Hughes, the organization’s vice president of trade and customs, said in a statement. 

—William S. Gooch

 

Fashion News Alert: Swatch Parodies Trump’s Tariffs, Jaden Smith’s New Gig, and Armani’s Will Revealed

September 11, 2025 by Leave a Comment

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Everyone is concerned about Donald Trump’s tariff wars. Whether you are a fashion brand or a consumer experiencing increased prices, the tariff wars are no joke. Well, no joke unless you are Swiss watch retailer, Swatch.

In a play on Trump’s 39% imposed tariff tax on Switzerland, Swatch has created the “WHAT IF…TARIFFS?” watch that recently went on sale. The “WHAT IF…TARIFFS?” watch is only available in Switzerland and retails for $175 or 139 Swiss francs. Sorry US consumers who need a little humor in their lives, you will have to go to Switzerland to purchase this Swatch watch.

The “WHAT IF…TARIFFS?” will only be sold for a short period of time. “Because as soon as the U.S. changes its tariffs for Switzerland, we will immediately stop selling this watch,” the spokesperson said, as reported in fashionnetwork.com.

Image courtesy of thewristwatcher.com

Jaden Smith to revitalize Louboutin?

In case you didn’t know, Christian Louboutin produces something more than red-bottomed shoes. The iconic brand also produces a menswear line. This expansion into menswear happened over 15 years ago.

Recently, Louboutin announced that Jaden Smith, son of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith is the new creative director of Christian Louboutin’s menswear line. According to fashionnetwork.com, Jaden Smith will relocate to Paris and unveil his first collection from the brand in January.

As the new creative director of Christian Louboutin menswear, Jaden Smith will design four collections a year, as well as develop campaigns, events, and immersive experiences. Jaden Smith will also create leather goods and accessories to accompany the menswear line.

Christian Louboutin’s menswear line makes up 24% of the brand’s business. It is expected that Jaden Smith will revitalize and empower the brand’s menswear line.

Oh, the power of celebrity. Hmm, really?

Image courtesy of bbc.news

Armani’s will revealed

As the fashion industry continues to mourn the death of Giorgio Armani, life goes on, and Armani’s last will and testament has been published. This complex will request that the heirs to Armani’s fashion empire sell control of the business to one of a trio of the biggest names in fashion and beauty. Also, according to fashionnetwork.com, Armani’s will expressed that his company should be managed “in an ethical manner, with moral integrity and fairness”, that “the pursuit of an essential, modern, elegant and unostentatious style” is key, along with “attention to innovation, excellence, quality and product refinement.”

Since Giorgio Armani had no children, the Giorgio Armani Foundation will own the main fashion business; however, the multi-billion-euro group passes to a variety of heirs. And the control of the business, over a period of time will be sold to luxury giant LVMH, beauty behemoth L’Oréal, and eyewear giant EssilorLuxottica.

According to Armani’s will, in the first 18 months the heirs will sell 15% of the business, with another 30% to 54.9% to the same buyer between three and five years. Rosanna Armani and nephews Andrea Camerana and Silvana Armani will inherit businesses and properties outside of Armani’s fashion businesses.

William S. Gooch

 

Fashion News Alert: Robin Givhan Leaves The Washington Post, Nike Returns to Foot Locker, Louis Vuitton Partners with Pat McGrath

August 20, 2025 by Leave a Comment


Photo Credit: Helayne Seidman/dailyfrontrow.com

Longtime fashion editor Robin Givhan is leaving her position at The Washington Post after being offered a buyout. Givhan was a staff member of The Washington Post for 10-plus years in the role of senior-editor-at-large.  In this role Givhan examined the juxtaposition of fashion to culture, politics, and the wider consumer culture at large.

“There’s still a lot to be said, and I’m just self-centered enough to believe I’m someone who needs to be heard,” Givhan said, as reported in the dailyfrontrow.com. “So, I’m not done. Democracy definitely dies in darkness, but it is gravely wounded by silence.”

The Pulitzer-Prize winning author is currently working on a biography of Virgil Abloh entitled Make It Ours and planning the book tour of Abloh’s biography.

Image courtesy of theimpression.com

Louis Vuitton and Dame Pat McGrath

Louis Vuitton has a new cosmetic brand, La Beauté, an “elevated make-up line.” For this new beauty launch Louis Vuitton has chosen makeup icon Dame Pat McGrath as the creative director of La Beauté.

As reported in fashionnetwork.com, the launch expands the House’s vision that’s “rooted in travel, creativity, and savoir-faire,” and introduces a “highly curated offering of the finest quality make-up, housed in objets d’art designed to be kept forever.” The Louis Vuitton star cosmetic line is also “redefining beauty as a lifestyle, as an experience and as a dedicated art form,” and is setting “a new standard in luxury beauty.”

La Beauté will contain 55 lipsticks, 10 balms, and eight eye palettes with a launch in China on August 20 and a wider launch on August 25. Price points range from $160 to $250.

Image courtesy of Instagram

Nike’s return to Foot Locker

Nike products have returned to footwear chain store Foot Locker. The two companies have come back together after Nike’s previous chief executive cut deep ties with Foot Locker as Nike established its own name brand stores.

Nike’s current chief executive, Elliott Hill, has promised to work more closely with Foot Locker and other wholesalers. Foot Locke is positioning Nike’s running shoes in the lead columns of the men’s sections in its stores—in front of rivals such as On, Hoka, Adidas and New Balance for the first time in two years, according to Matthew Boss, an analyst at JPMorgan. Nike had previously been positioned behind all those brands.

Nike’s products once accounted for 75% of total sales at Foot Locker, that dropped to 60% by 2022 under former Nike management.

—William S. Gooch

 

Fashion News Alert: NYFW Spring 2026 Calendar Is Here, Victoria’s Secret Show Is Back Once Again, and Marc Jacobs Sold?

July 30, 2025 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of people.com

The Victoria’s Secret show is back. Well, back in 2025 without a specific location, show sponsors or a list of top models walking in the show.

Victoria’s Secret released a teaser on the brand’s Instagram account. Victoria’s Secret new executive creative director Adam Selman will have a big challenge topping the Victoria’s Secret 2024 show that had appearances by Cher and Tyra Banks. Add supermodels Adriana Lima, Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid, Imaan Hammam, Anok Yai, and other top models and you have a comeback show that rivaled the best Victoria’s Secret shows.

Adam Selman is best known for dressing Rihanna in the legendary Swarovski crystal dress at the 2014 CFDA Awards. Most recently Selman worked for the Fenty X Savage powerhouse, where he helped shift the narrative around lingerie with size-inclusive, gender-fluid loungewear. Stay tuned!!

Image courtesy of people.com

Potential change at Marc Jacobs

Marc Jacobs and his fashion brand have had a significant run. After three decades in the industry, Jacobs’ namesake brand may be on the chopping block.

According to the New York Post, Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy (LVMH), which is the holding company of Marc Jacobs’ brand, is looking to sell Jacobs for over a billion dollars. LVMH is in conversation with holding companies Authentic Brands, Bluestar Alliance, and WHP Global for this purchase.

LVMH has had a 9% drop in fashion and leather goods sales in Q2 of 2025. “We will not keep brands if we believe they are not a good add-on, or if we are not the right operator to operate them,” LVMH CFO Cécile Cabanis told investors last week during Thursday’s earnings call, as reported in voguebusiness.com.

“As a designer, Marc Jacobs is one of the industry’s pre-eminent culture engines,” Mellery-Pratt says. “Very few designers can claim to have dramatically influenced the zeitgeist in every decade since the 1980s. From his entertainment-first TikTok strategy to the launch of its Gen Z-focused sub-label Heaven, the Juergen Teller campaign of Victoria Beckham in a carrier bag, the grunge collection at Perry Ellis, all of his work at Louis Vuitton with Stephen Sprouse and Murakami — the list goes on.”

Image courtesy of elle.com

New York Fashion Week spring 2026 schedule

The New York Fashion Week (NYFW) spring 2026 calendar is here. Unlike last season, with the NYFW calendar shows and times announcement coming in very late, this year the NYFW calendar is on schedule.

“The collections this September represent the resilience and dynamism of the city through a global lens,” said Joseph Maglieri, CFDA’s Director of Fashion Week Initiatives. “With great returns to the calendar, visiting brands from around the world, and a new guard of rising talent finding their rhythm and stride, New York Fashion Week continues to be a gateway for discovery, creativity, and storytelling representing the spirit and independence of American fashion,” as detailed in the fashionweekdaily.com.

There are several coveted returns to NYFW, which include Oscar de la Renta, Alexander Wang, and LaQuan Smith who canceled his show in February at the last minute. With the over sixty brands that will present during NYFW, the week starts with Michael Kors, followed by Lafayette 148, Kate Barton, Christian Siriano, Simkhai, and Collina Strada. Other labels presenting their Spring 2026 designs during the Week include Altuzarra, Anna Sui, Area, Bevza, Calvin Klein Collection, Campillo, Cynthia Rowley, Diotima, Eckhaus Latta, Fforme, Elena Velez, Jason Wu Collection, Khaite, Kallmeyer, KidSuper, Lapointe, L’Enchanteur, Luar, Norma Kamali, Prabal Gurung, Sandy Liang, Sergio Hudson, Tibi, Todd Snyder, Tory Burch, TWP, Ulla Johnson, Who Decides War and Zankov. 

In addition, there is fresh talent making their debuts at NYFW. 6397, Amir Taghi, Maria McManus, SC103, Rùadh are among the brands presenting for the first time, as well as CFDA/Vogue finalist Ashlyn, Bach Mai, Don’t Let Disco, Gabe Gordon, Heirlome, Jamie Okuma, Bernard James, and Meruert Tolegen.

NYFW starts on September 11 and continues until September 16.

—William S. Gooch

 

 

Fashion News Alert: Heidi Klum’s Son the Model, Pharrell Williams’ New Honor, and Loro Piana Investigated

July 16, 2025 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of parade.com

“Sometimes you’re in. sometimes you’re out,” or so we’ve heard supermodel Heidi Klum exclaim. Well, it appears that Heidi Klum’s son, Henry Samuel, is in, in the modeling industry that is.

Henry Samuel has signed with Next Management. He made his runway debut during Paris Fashion Week and recently posed for Hunger Magazine.

“I’ve grown up around fashion and entertainment, but stepping into this world myself is a whole new experience,” Samuel said in a statement, published in dailyfrontrow.com. “I’m grateful to Next Management for this opportunity and excited to learn, grow, and find my own voice in the industry.”

Image courtesy of bozemagazine.com

Chevalier Pharrell

On July 14, Pharrell Williams was awarded France’s highest civilian honor “Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur” according to hypebeast.com.   According to the dailyfrontrow.com, Williams was given this award as a creative force culturally impacting the world, primarily through his role as Louis Vuitton’s creative director. So, Pharrell can now refer to himself as a “knight.”

This French award was shared with by 589 individuals this year. The Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur (Knight of Legion of Honor) has historically been awarded to war heroes and diplomats; that said, cultural leaders and celebrities have also been awarded the award, namely Steven Spielberg, Nelson Mandela, and Bob Dylan.

The honor was created by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802. It consists of five degrees that are split into three ranks, Chevalier (Knight), Officier (Officer), Commandeur (Commander), and two dignities, Grand Officier (Grand Officer) and Grand Croix (Grand Cross).

Loro Piana spring 2025 ad campaign courtesy of theimpression.com

More labor allegations

Iconic Italian textile brand Loro Piana, known for its cashmere garments, is the latest luxury brand to undergo investigation for labor violations.  According to the dailyfrontrow.com, the brand has been put under a one-year court administration by a Milan court for allegations of worker exploitation by suppliers at Evergreen Fashion Group, which Loro Piana subcontracted to produce apparel including jackets.

A court-appointed administrator will monitor Loro Piana operations until the one-year court administration ends in 2026. The one-year monitoring could end early if Loro Piano aligns its business practices with legal requirements.

This case evolved from the Carabinieri police from the Milan labor protection unit in May arresting a Chinese workshop owner in Milan who was accused by his workers of withholding wages and beating one of the workers, causing injuries that required 45 days of treatment. This workshop was an outsourced vendor for Loro Piano.

—William S. Gooch

 

 

 

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