Fashion News Alert: Condé Nast Unionizes, H&M Closes Stores, and Au Revoir Patrick DeMarchelier

April 1, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of thetodayshow.com

H&M has announced that it will close 240 stores globally. This is a bit of a surprise because first quarter financials for the megastore, though below pre-COVID-19 levels, were substantial.

The store closures come on the heels of H&M opening 95 new stores. The new stores will be opened in what H&M calls “growth markets,” while the closures will be in established markets.

H&M has had to shutter 185 stores because of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Russia was H&M’s sixth largest market, accounting for 4% of its sales.

Image courtesy of newyorkcenterallaroundcouncil.org

Workers unite!!

It has finally happened. Condé Nast’s employees have formed a union with NewsGuild. Nearly 500 employees from editorial, production, and video have asked that management recognize the union. That includes staff from Vanity Fair, Vogue, GQ, Bon Appétit, Glamour, Architectural Digest, and other Condé Nast brands.

The Condé Nast employees’ bargaining representative is from NewsGuild which also represents The New Yorker, Wired, Ars Technica, and Pitchfork. This would the biggest infusion of employees ever with the biggest new unit.

“The current workplace culture at Condé Nast allows many people of color and women to be consistently silenced by management. It’s no longer enough to play-act a commitment to diversity or apply [band-aid] solutions to issues of discrimination,” said Epicurious social media staffer Kaylee Hammonds in a statement, as reported in the Hollywood Reporter. “[We are] unionizing today across the company so that this hypocrisy that currently thrives at Condé Nast can be remedied.”

“Workers at Condé Nast have organized hundreds of their colleagues with one shared goal: to raise standards and fight for better working terms and conditions,” says Susan DeCarava, president of The NewsGuild of New York. “This is an opportunity for Condé Nast management to work more collaboratively with employees and be held accountable in addressing long-standing concerns about equity, inclusion, fairness, and diversity. I’m excited to welcome these workers into the Guild and proud to join them in their fight to improve their workplace.”

Image courtesy of yahoonews.com

Au revoir Patrick

If you have ever watched the film “The Devil Wears Prada,” you will probably remember that fictional editor-in-chief Miranda Priestly always asking for famed fashion photographer Patrick DeMarchelier. They had a fantastic congenial relationship in the film and in real life. Of course, in real time, Miranda Priestly was modeled after Anna Wintour.

That said, all good things must come to end. And the closure of those good times makes us very sad. The entire fashion industry mourns the death of famed fashion photographer Patrick DeMarchelier.

DeMarchelier moved to Paris from Le Havre at the age of 20 and worked as a photographer’s assistant before getting his big break at American Vogue, before moving to New York City. Demarchelier formed a long-time relationship with Vogue creative director Grace Coddington at both American and British Vogue. One of his most memorable photographs is the one taken of Linda Evangelista for the September 1992 issue Harper’s Bazaar.

DeMarchelier shot campaigns for ​Christian Dior, Ralph Lauren, Chanel, and Giorgio Armani, and personal photos of Princess Diana. DeMarchelier also photographed the Pirelli calendar in 2005, 2008 and 2014.

Patrick DeMarchelier is survived by his wife and three sons. DeMarchelier was 78 years old.

William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: New Book Explains Vice President Kamala Harris’ Dismay over Vogue Cover, Maluma Launches Fashion Line, and Elsa Klensch Transitions

March 25, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of pennlive.com

Another celebrity fashion line, hmm, do we care? Well, perhaps we should care about this celebrity fashion line.

Colombian pop artist Maluma recently announced his fashion line for Macy’s. This collection will be exclusively for Macy’s and feature women and men’s garments. The collection, Royalty by Maluma,” was designed in partnership with Reunited Clothing and has affordable price points ranging from $39.50-$179 with sizes of SX to XXL.

“Royalty by Maluma” is a unique blend of my Latin culture and my love for fashion, with stylish wear-anywhere looks that are versatile for a night out or every day,” said Maluma. “In addition, my partnership with Reunited Clothing for Macy’s represents the American Dream. This will be the first of multiple drops in my collection, that I hope will inspire my fans to dream.”

“Maluma’s impeccable sense of style and inclusive commitment to celebrating the beauty and sexiness of everyone, whoever they are, made him an ideal partner to collaborate with,” added Durand Guion, vice president, Macy’s fashion office, as reported in fashionnetwork.com.

This collection includes bold pops of color and paisley prints. In addition, there are some personal touches from the Colombian pop artists which include his signature crown finishing and patterns inspired by his hometown of Medellin, Colombia.

Most of us would kill to be on the cover of any fashion magazine. But if you are Vice President Kamala Harris, the thrill did not last long.

Image courtesy of yahoo.com

Vogue, maybe not

A year ago, VP Kamala Harris graced the cover of American Vogue. Many of us were thrilled to see the newly elected Vice President on the cover of the esteemed fashion magazine. However, a new book, “This Will Not Pass: Trump, Biden, and the Battle for America’s Future,” reveals that Vice President Harris, and her team were not so happy about the images chosen for the Vogue cover.

The February 2021 issue of Vogue has Vice President Harris on the cover in a not-so flattering black pantsuit with Converse sneakers. According to the book, the outfit was self-styled, and Harris received very negative comments on social media about the cover. The Vogue cover was photographer by photographer Tyler Mitchell, who was the first black photographer to photograph a cover for Vogue when he photographer Beyonce for Vogue.

The image that appeared on the cover was leaked out two weeks before the publication of the February issue and many folks felt that the image was beneath the professional character of Harris. Some calling the image “too casual” and too “informal.”

According to the book, Harris was shocked that Vogue chose the “informal” image for the cover. Authors are quoted in the book as saying, “Harris was wounded,” the authors wrote. “She felt belittled by the magazine, asking aides: Would Vogue depict another world leader this way?”

Because of the criticism over the February 21 cover, Vogue released a limited-edition digital issue with Harris in a more flattering powder blue suit by Michael Kors Collection against a gold backdrop. Wagging tongues contend that this was the cover the Kamala Harris wanted and thought this image would appear on the cover.

Image courtesy of manicmetallic.com

Bye, bye Elsa

If you didn’t get the opportunity or were too young to watch Elsa Klensch’s show on CNN’s “Style with Elsa Klensch,” you missed a treat.  Elsa Klensch, the host of CNN’s “Style with Elsa Klensch,” died earlier in the month.

“Style with Elsa Klensch” premiered on CNN in 1980. Klensch was of the pioneering journalists of fashion and one of the first to present fashion news and coverage on cable television. Known for signature bobbed hair and Australian accent, Klensch covered runway shows from New York City to Paris to London, Milan, and Tokyo. She also interviewed designers Marc Jacobs, Miuccia Prada, Carolina Herrera, Karl Lagerfeld, and Anna Sui appeared regularly on her show.

“Her show had a tremendous impact on popular perceptions of the fashion industry,” said Valerie Steele, the director and chief curator of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan, as reported in thenewyortimes.com. “Prior to this, fashion shows were an industry event, or you had to be a private couture client to be seeing it. Elsa Klensch really opened that up to the public.”

You could see a wide range of designers and not just know their names but their faces and their runway footage, which is now so ubiquitous,” Ms. Steele said. Ms. Klensch, she added, took on the role of intermediary, between the real world and the fashion world. “She looked comfortable but not 100 percent part of it,” added Valerie Steele.

“Style with Elsa Klensch” ended in 2001 after the parent company, Time Warner, laid off 400 employees. “There were corporate changes; it was a good time to go,” she told The Times, adding, “I always said I’d stay at CNN for 20 years, see out the millennium, then find something else.” Elsa Klensch died in her home in Manhattan on March 4. She was 89 years old. 

—William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: Missoni’s New Director, Alexander McQueen Comes Back to New York, and the Met Gala Returns in May

March 18, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Images of Alexander McQueen fall 2022 courtesy of dailyfrontrow.com

A lot of fashion pundits thought after Alexander McQueen passed away, his brand would go out of existence. Not so!! Since McQueen’s death, the brand has continued.

Sara Burton is the current creative director of Alexander McQueen and under her helm the brand has returned to showing collections in New York City. ​”New York is exciting, creative, not speedy, but it is a fast city. I wanted to have a pace, energy, and precision to the tailoring and the coloring so to have a vibrancy and sense of character on purpose with a huge personality,” said Burton, according to fashionnetwork.com, after the brand recently presented in New York City on March15.

“New York and America is such a big part of McQueen and has been incredibly supportive to us. We showed Dante here (1996), Eye (1999), and Savage Beauty (2011). It’s part of our creative community; I’ve always loved people from New York, so it’s great to come here and honor that.”

At the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Burton presented the fall 2022 collection against a backdrop of tree mulch piled 15 feet high. The piled high mulch represented the brands connection to the community seen through the lens of an Alexander McQueen aesthetic; the same way trees are connected to community. “These dresses are individual characters; in the way we have characters in the McQueen family, it felt like they could exist in New York or any city really,” explained Burton.

Burton looked to the downtown New York City woman of the 1980s for inspiration for this fall 2022 collection. There were variations on leather envisioned as strapless jumpsuits and peplum-like jackets combined with full-skirt silk faille dresses. (Think Madonna and Cyndi Lauper of the early 1980s.)

“The color palette came from looking at a photo of mycelium mushrooms—which are very topical at the moment obviously—but what I really love is how trees talk to each and heal as a creative community and work together. But [mushrooms] are toxic at the same time,” she continued, adding the colors were found in nature.

The fall 2022 after party was held at the Boom Boom Room at the Standard Hotel in the Meatpacking District. Many attendees were garbed in bustier slash full skirt dresses that the brand is known for.

Image courtesy of purepeople.com

The Met Gala Goes Back to May

For 2022, the Met Gala returns to its original date in New York City, May 2, after having to change dates due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Met Gala benefits the Metropolitan Museum’s Costume Institute.

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds will co-host the event along with Regina King and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Tom Ford, Instagram’s Adam Mosseri, and Anna Wintour will also continue their roles as honorary co-chairs for the event.

The 2022 theme will be a continuation of last year’s theme, In America: An Anthology of Fashion. The 2022 exhibit will feature some 100 examples of men’s and women’s dress from the 19th and 20th century in a bid to tell the unfinished stories of American fashion and the talent ‘behind the seams.’

The 2022 exhibit will be housed at the Metropolitan Museum’s American Wing period rooms. This placement allows the viewer to see how American fashion evolved culturally and socially against an American domestic life backdrop.

Filippo Grazioli Image courtesy of vogue.com

Missoni Reinvigorated

Missoni has reorganized. And with this in-depth reorganization, there is a new creative director, Filippo Grazioli. Grazoli replaces Angela Missoni, who has moved on to creative direct the home decoration line. Grazoli will helm the menswear and women’s wear lines, as well as the lifestyle brand. His first collection will be the spring 2023 collection which will debut in Milan.

“In agreement with the [Missoni] family and FSI, we have appointed Filippo Grazioli as Missoni’s new creative director for the men’s and women’s collections. A young designer who nevertheless has an 18-year experience working with prestigious fashion labels, Grazioli has joined our team to sublimate Missoni’s identity on the luxury market and further strengthen the [modernization] process we have engaged in,” said CEO Livio Proli in a press release.

“I’m [honored] to be joining the world of Missoni, a label that has left its mark in the history of Italian style, maintaining a remarkable integrity over the course of nearly seven decades,” said Grazioli. “I am grateful for the opportunity I have been given, and the possibility to shape my experience further in a new vision that maintains the joyfulness, freshness, sense of [color], and positivity that are the core qualities of Missoni,” adds Grazioli.

Since 2020, the Missoni brand has been managed by former Armani CEO Livio Proli. Under Proli the brand invested in and increased its digital presence in China. Missoni, under Proli, closed it more youthful line, M Missoni, and took back control of Missoni Home which was previously licensed. In 20201 Missoni experienced double-digit growth with revenue of 105 million euros.

—William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: Marc Jacobs’ Spring 2022 Campaign, Olivier Rousteing’s New Gig, and Several Brands Close Shop in Russia

March 9, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of hollywoodlife.com

You would think that Olivier Rousteing would have enough to do being the Creative Director of Balmain. Not so!!

Rousteing now has an additional job. Wagging fashion tongues were insinuating that former enfant terrible of the fashion industry, Jean-Paul Gaultier was looking for some top designers to design his couture collections. When Gaultier showed up at Balmain’s recent fashion show, wagging tongues believed that Rousteing would be the chosen designer. And they were right!!

Soon after, Gaultier’s fashion brand revealed that Rousteing will be a guest designer for Gaultier’s haute couture collection. Rousteing’s haute couture collection for Gaultier will be revealed in July 2022.

Jean-Paul Gaultier sold his fashion brand to the Spanish Puig Group in 2011 and stopped creating ready-to-wear collections in 2015. Since then, the brand has re-introduced ready to wear with a sailor-themed collection 2021 in collaboration with five emerging designers Ottolinger, Palomo Spain, Lecourt Mansion, Alan Crocetti, and Marvin M’Toumo.

The brand has revived their haute couture by collaborating with five young fashion designers. The first collaboration dropped in July of 2021 with Japanese designer Chitose Abe reinterpreting the Gaultier codes.

Image courtesy of anadoulagency.com

Dasvidaniya Russia, well temporarily

As the US and other countries sanction Russia over the invasion of the Ukraine, several fashion and beauty brands are following suit by closing stores and limiting inventory. Every day the list becomes larger with brands taking action against the Russian invasion. The ever-expanding list now includes L’Oreal, Unilever, Pronovias, Sephora, and the PVH brands which include Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Michael Kors, and Kenneth Cole.

In a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing, PVH stated that on March 7, PVH brands will temporarily close stores in Russia and in Belarus. Two percent of PVH brands revenue comes from sales in Russia, Belarus, and the Ukraine.

 On March 8, 2022, L’Oreal stated that its stores, and their directly operated counters in department stores and its e-commerce sites in Russia, will be temporarily closed. And Unilever will stop imports and exports out of Russia.

On Instagram, Sephora announced that it will suspend operations in Russia and all its 24 boutiques in Russia. The closures and suspension of business happened on March 6.

“Given our increasing concerns about the current context and the complexity to operate, we will suspend our activity in Russia until further notice,” said the brand, which operates 2,600 stores in 35 countries, as reported in fashionnetwork.com. Sephora is owned by company LVMH.

Image courtesy of wmagazine.com

Marc Jacobs reinvents

Back in the early 2000s, Marc Jacobs and Marc by Marc Jacobs were the go-to brands for any fashionista who wanted stylish, trendy clothes at a higher price point. And Jacobs continued this upward projection for almost two decades.

Though he hasn’t been in the news much as of late, Marc Jacobs is a fashion brand that still brings a smile to shoppers. With Marc by Marc Jacobs defunct for the last few years, Jacobs launched a new brand, Heaven by Marc Jacobs, a few years ago. Heaven by Marc Jacobs will appeal to a much younger consumer.

And in line with the youthful point of the brand, Jacobs’s has employed an array of pop stars and actors that will appeal to his young consumers, namely Nicki Minaj, Sky Ferreira, Yung Lean, Steve Lacy, Paloma Elsesser, and Mena Suvari. Mena Suvari recreates her iconic scene from “American Beauty” for Heaven by Marc Jacobs’ spring 2022 campaign.

The collection launches online and in-stores today and this season sees contributions from artist Claire Barrow, photographer Ed Templeton, 1994 TV series Hi Octane and 1950s show Gumby, and more. 

—William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: Barbie and Harlem Fashion Row, Idris Elba’s Skincare and Wellness Brand, and Is Ralph Lauren for Sale?

February 24, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy hypebae.com

We all love fashion collaborations; however, Harlem Fashion Row with Barbie is something that we did not anticipate. And this all happens as we close out Black History Month.

 Barbie has partnered with Harlem Fashion Row black designers Hanifa, Kimberly Goldson, and Richfresh which is evidenced in a fashion editorial with Barbie wearing replicas of said designers’ clothing. These garments will be seen in a wide variety of Barbies of color.

“Who didn’t love Barbie as a little girl?! I loved my Barbie Dream House with the most perfect elevator, it gave me the chance to dream in real life. I’m so thankful for this opportunity to connect to my childhood and I’m happy to see that little Black girls everywhere can see themselves starting with their favorite toy.” Designer Kimberly Goldson added: “I chose a look that personifies the KG aesthetic which is born of our Brooklyn culture and driven by luxury. She’s ready for Bed Stuy!”

Image courtesy of nssmagazine.com

The acquisition of Ralph Lauren?

Is Ralph Lauren for sale? Wagging fashion tongues say could be.

The French luxury giant LVMH has been in exploratory conversations with the Ralph Lauren, which is the biggest fashion brand in the US. And these talks have been going on for a few years.

Now, Ralph Lauren, who is 82 years old, holds the most voting rights in his fashion brand. However, if LVMH acquires Ralph Lauren it would bring the biggest name in American fashion to one biggest fashion luxury holding companies in the world. LVMH’s most recent American acquisition was Tiffany’s. Additionally, LVMH acquired Donna Karan in 2001, which was not a profitable venture for LVMH.

Neither Ralph Lauren nor LVMH have commented on the possible acquisition.  So, wagging fashion tongues will have to keep wagging as we sit and wait!!

Image courtesy of blackenterprise.com

Another celebrity beauty brand

Another actor gets into the beauty industry. This time it is a celebrity couple, Idris Elba and his wife Sabrina.

Alba and his wife revealed on their podcast Coupledom that the plan to launch a gender neutral, well-being and skincare line.  “We believe that when you feel good, you look good. That’s why we’re launching our genderless skincare collection, designed with the many benefits of self-care in mind,” explained Alba, as reported on fashionnetwork.com.

Under the S’able Labs umbrella—which is Elbas spelled backward—the brand will produce product that is inclusive and available “to people of all ethnicities, genders, and backgrounds.”  The first product releases will contain lots of African ingredients with sustainable formulations.

According to the Elbas the product will be luxury, but also affordable. The Elbas are also hoping “to drive positive change [in Africa] in collaboration with its supply chain partners.”

—William S. Gooch

 

Fashion News Alert: InStyle Leaves Print Behind, Pantone’s Color Trends for NYFW, and Brooke Shield’s New Gig

February 10, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of pagesix.com

“You want to know what comes in between me and my Calvins? Nothing”, or so Brooke Shields once said. And she voiced that comment over 40 years ago for the 1980’s Calvin Klein commercial that become iconic.

Forty years plus later Brook Shields has a new gig, and it is not with Calvin Klein jeans. This time around the jean of note is Jordache and shields is the face of their spring 2022 campaign.

This new campaign, dubbed ‘You’ve Got the Look,’ was shot in New York City by Cass Bird features Shields in a simple white tee shirt or without a top with the signature Jordache jean in flare, skinny, and straight leg. The campaign aims to promote inclusivity, diversity, and will include everyday women in similar poses.

“We are excited to work with Brooke Shields,” said Liz Berlinger, president of Jordache. “Like Jordache, she is iconic in fashion. We have watched her grow from a young girl into an incredible woman, mother and entrepreneur—throughout it all she has remained authentic and an inspiration to women everywhere.”

Image courtesy of fashionista.com

So long InStyle, well kind of

InStyle magazine will no longer be in a print format. After 27 years on newsstands InStyle will be a digital format only. This to a digital only platform is the result of a merger between Meredith and Barry Diller’s Dotdash. The merged companies will now be called Dotdash Meredith.

“We have said from the beginning, buying Meredith was about buying brands, not magazines or websites. It is not news to anyone that there has been a pronounced shift in readership and advertising from print to digital, and as a result, for a few important brands, print is no longer serving the brand’s core purpose,” explained DotDash Meredith CEO Neil Vogel.  Vogel reportedly added that the move is not a cost-saving tactic. “Today’s step is not a cost savings exercise, and it is not about capturing synergies or any other acquisition jargon, it is about embracing the inevitable digital future for the affected brands.”

Five other Meredith magazines will also be going completely digital—Entertainment Weekly, EatingWell, Health, Parents, and People en Español. And as these magazines are going completely digital, as expected there will be staff cuts.

According to WWD, most of the magazines’ top editorial staff will be leaving their respective publications. That includes Laura Brown, who has been with InStyle since 2016, replacing Ariel Foxman.

Image courtesy of pantone.com

The colors of autumn

New York Fashion Week (NYFW) is not just about clothing collections. NYFW is also concerned about trend predictions and color palettes for the season. For NYFW the Pantone Color Institute released color trend report for the fall 2022 season.

Experts at the Pantone Color Institute stated that this season’s colors, “reflect our hybridized lifestyles and our contradictory yearnings as we continue forward into this new landscape.” Colors for the fall 2022 season are nurturing and restorative, which you will find in shades like Martine Olive, Midnight, Caramel Cafe, Watersprout, and Nosegay. Likewise, super bright colors expressing the celebration of life make up the line-up including Lava Falls, an impassioned orange red, Cheerful Samoan Sun, Gregarious Orange Tiger, Vivid, and vibrant Rose Violet, and green Amazon, as detailed on fashionnetwork.com. 

This season that is also a take on the classic color tones of Arctic Wolf, creamy Autumn Blonde, a cosmically inspired blue hue, Polar Night, Loden Frost, and non-presumptive Chiseled Stone. These classic color tones express sentiments of longevity due mainly to their seasonless hue.

“Colors for Autumn/Winter 2022/2023 contrast our competing desires for calm and comfort with energy boosting vitality through a range of restful and restorative colors, in tandem with exuberant tones,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. “As we move forward into an environment filled with contradiction, hues for [autumn/winter] 2022/2023 enable consumers to move fluidly between a range of contrasting shades, allowing them to spontaneously express who they are and how they feel on any given day.”

—William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: Balenciaga’s Star-Studded Cast, Several Brands Opt Out of Live Shows, and Au Revoir Thierry Mugler

February 3, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of thesun.com

Balenciaga has a new marketing campaign, and it is comprised of some of your favorite celebrities. That’s right Isabelle Huppert, Kim Kardashian, and Justin Bieber, just to name a few.

Kim K, who has long been associated with Balmain, has more recently been connected Balenciaga and its creative director Demna Gvasalia. Demna has designed several garments for Kim K for special events.

All the celebrities were photographed by Australian artist and photographer Stef Mitchell in surroundings they were very comfortable in. Kardashian at her house in Calabasas, Huppert in her Parisian apartment. Model Tommy Blue was also pictured at home, while his colleague Marie-Agnès Diene picked her own artist studio, and Justin Bieber his favorite Los Angeles studio.

All the celebs were attired in the latest garments and accessories from Balenciaga. All the garment and items in the campaign are available online on the label’s e-shop. Images from the campaign will be strategically released throughout the season.

Though some fashion brands that have returned to runway shows and in-person presentations for global fashion weeks, many fashion brands are still using digital platforms to present their fashion collections. Due to COVID-19 Delta and Omicon variants, several major fashion houses have yet again cancelled their runway shows and presentations in favor of digital presentations. Some major fashion brands have even moved their fashion show sand presentations completely off the fashion calendar.

Image courtesy of Getty Image

Major brands abandon traditional fashion calendar

In a surprise last-minute announcement, Versace has opted out of a runway presentation men’s collection during men’s fashion week in favor of a digital presentation. Versace has also decided to forego a co-ed fashion show this season.

In late January Tom Ford announced that his February 16th show during New York Fashion Week (NYFW) would not take place due to a breakout of COVID-19 infections at his brand’s factories and studios. No rescheduled date has been announced. Thom Browne has also cancelled his fashion show during NYFW and will present his collection in New York City on April 29 prior to the Met Gala.

Gucci has moved it dual men’s and women’s fashion shows from Milan Fashion Week to an unannounced European location on May 16, while Max Mara has scheduled its Cruise show for June 28 in Lisbon, Portugal. And on April 29, Emilio Pucci will unveil its first capsule collection of its new creative director, Camille Miceli, in Capri.

Image courtesy of stylecaster.com

Goodbye Thierry

Thierry Mugler has passed away. On January 23, the iconic French fashion designer died of natural causes.

Known for his dominatrix, wasp-waisted, broad-shouldered, body-conscious creations, Mugler helped usher in the 1980s power dressing for women. Mugler’s highly choreographed fashion shows were on the level of a Hollywood extravaganza, with super models, famous actors, drag artists, music artists, and occasional porn stars.

Mugler’s fashion designs often bordered on a combination of the erotic and grotesque, inspired by Mugler’s fascination with science fiction novels and Detroit industrialism and the work of Hollywood costume designers such as Adrian and Edith Head. Often criticized by fashion critics for his hypersexualized portrayal of women, Mugler served as an inspiration for Alexander McQueen, Jeremy Scott, and other fashion designers of that ilk. And many celebrities and media personalities flocked to his collections—Lady Gaga, Madonna, Diana Ross, David Bowie, Ivana Trump, and Demi Moore.

I never dreamed of being a fashion designer. I wanted to be a director,” Mr. Mugler said in a 2019 interview with T, the New York Times style magazine. “But fashion happened to be a good tool. It was a means of communicating.”

Mugler started his career as a ballet dancer in Strasbourg, France and later moved to Paris. In Paris Mugler found more success in fashion than on ballet stages. Mugler started making his own clothes and began freelancing at various fashion houses in Paris, Milan, and London.

“I remember I had an old army coat which trailed on the ground and a pair of trousers, dyed in all the colors of the rainbow,” he told Britain’s Independent newspaper. “I would also wear a huge plastic orchid in my lapel and had an acid-green jacket with royal blue buttons in the form of stars.”

Mugler launched his first line, Café de Paris, in 1973. In 1974 he launched the House of Thierry Mugler.

For his label’s 20th anniversary, he organized a star-studded fashion show at the Cirque d’Hiver in Paris, which featured models such as Naomi Campbell and Jerry Hall as well as actresses like Tippi Hedren, whose satin dress was decorated with ravenlike feathers in homage to her movie “The Birds.” Socialite Patty Hearst performed a striptease, and the show ended with confetti and a performance by soul singer James Brown.

“I didn’t feel it at the time, but soon after the show, I realized it was the end of the era,” Mr. Mugler told T magazine. “Afterward, fashion became a branding, marketing thing. The model agencies started controlling the world, and it all became cheesy to me.”

Mugler sold his brand to Clarins in 1997, leaving the fashion house five years later. Mugler’s fragrance Angel continues to be one of the top fragrances. Mugler was 73 years old at the time of his death.

—William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: Martha Stewart’s CBD Products, Djokovic in Trouble with Lacoste, and Pierre Cardin Returns to Paris Fashion Week

January 20, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of foxnews.com

There may be trouble on the horizon between tennis star Novak Djokovic and clothing sponsor Lacoste. Djokovic recently lost his bid to play at the Australian Open for not being COVID-19 vaccinated.

The esteemed brand, that sponsors Djokovic, released a statement of Monday that they would contact Djokovic as soon as possible about the events in Australia. “As soon as possible, we will be in touch with Novak Djokovic to review the events that have accompanied his presence in Australia,” Lacoste said in an emailed statement, as reported in fashionnetwork.com. 

According to Forbes, in 2021, Djokovic made over $41.6 million dollars in sponsorship deals. Other major sponsors of Djokovic include French car manufacturer Peugeot and Japanese sportswear brand Asics, who are both yet to comment on the ordeal.

Swiss watch manufacturer Hublot has not waivered in their support for the Serbian tennis superstar. “Novak Djokovic is his own man,” a spokesperson told Agence France-Presse. We cannot comment on his decisions. Hublot will continue its partnership with the world number one in tennis.”

Image courtesy of thecut.com

Back to Paris

Famed fashion designer and couturier Pierre Cardin died in 2020 at the age of 98. Because of licensing deals, he left behind a huge fortune and a fashion empire that continues to be very profitable.

Though Cardin staged huge fashion shows in Russia, Kazakhstan and even on the Great Wall of China in the last years of his life, he stayed away from showing in Paris. His nephew, and hand-picked successor Rodrigo Basilicati-Cardin, wants to change all of that be returning the fashion house of Paris Fashion Week.

“Pierre wanted to be free,” Basilicati-Cardin told AFP in an interview ahead of the latest Paris Fashion Week, which kicked off on Tuesday. “As he approached his 80th birthday, he said there were lots of young designers who needed to be part of fashion week and he didn’t want to get in their way.”

But now the brand is returning to Paris Fashion Week. Rodrigo Basilicati-Cardin plans to return the brand to Paris Fashion Week with a commemorative show scheduled during Paris Couture Week on January 28.

“We want to return to fashion week, at least once a year,” said the new CEO. “We need the publicity. My uncle did a lot and the publicity came naturally. But he dedicated the last part of his life to creativity, not to distribution,” he added.

Known for revolutionizing fashion in the 1960s and 1970s, the commemorative fashion show will be held at Air and Space Museum outside of Paris. “We wanted the theme to be outer space to evoke the 1960s, when Pierre Cardin wanted to dress the sort of person who travels on spaceships,” said his nephew. “He was the first —the only who dared to do that alongside Andre Courreges—and was criticized by everyone at the time.”

Image courtesy of hightimes.com

Martha expands

Martha Stewart lets no grass grow under her feet. After launching her CBD gummies and capsules a year ago, Stewart adds to her CBD products with first body-care products that use CBD-based ingredients.

In partnership with Canopy Growth, Stewarts’s three CBD body-care products are focused on well-being, in combination with other active ingredients selected for their multiple benefits. Available on the Shopcanopy.com, the range currently consists of the CBD Super Strength Cream entirely dedicated to recovery, the CBD Daily De-Stress Cream with stimulating and comforting virtues, and the CBD Sleep Science Cream focused on sleep. The products are offered in several formats.

“You’ll see skin care coming later this year, and very fabulous products I’ve been using. I’ve been testing my product now for over a year and it is really efficacious in the best possible way,” she explained to WWD.  You go, Martha!!

William S. Gooch

Breaking Fashion News: Fashion Icon André Leon Talley Transitions

January 19, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of thecut.com

Legendary fashion editor, author, and television personality André Leon Talley died Tuesday evening in White Plains, NY. Recognized as one of the most influential African Americans in fashion for several decades, Talley was known was his impeccable style, glittering wit and wealth of knowledge about the fashion industry.

Born in Washington, DC in 1948, Talley spent his youth in Durham, NC in the care of his grandmother. Talley graduated from North Carolina Central University, a historical black college, located in Durham, NC. Later Talley received a Masters’ Degree in French Literature and History from Brown University.

After interning with the legendary Diana Vreeland at the Metropolitan Museum’s Costume Institute, Talley worked at Andy Warhol’s Interview magazine. After Interview magazine, Talley worked for WWD office in Paris where he capitalized on his friendships with Karl Lagerfeld and Yves Saint Laurent. And from those connections he was able to secure a highly coveted editorial management position at Paris Vogue, making him one of the few black editors at a Conde Nast publication.

Image courtesy of newyorktimes.com

Though known for his ebullient style and crackling wit, at times Talley felt very isolated as one of the few influential black editors in fashion. His consistent front row seat next to Anna Wintour at some of the top fashion shows did not the soft the snide comments and racial taunts that Talley experienced.

There were “many in that industry who really did love André for his talent,” explained Reverend Calvin Butts, pastor of Abyssinia Baptist Church, in a newyorktimes.com article. “It was also the case, he added, that “there were others who exploited his talent and used it to their advantage,” who “never really gave him respect as a man and were condescending.”

And there were many who accused Talley of not doing enough to help black models and black designers while he held auspicious positions at Vogue. In his bio The Chiffon Trenches, Talley expressed his frustration at how his attempts to promote black fashion industry professionals were thwarted.

Image courtesy of usatoday.com

As Talley’s fashion commentary went out of style and the fashion industry embraced a more youth-oriented fashion aesthetic, Tally lost some of his influence in the industry, turning to television as his next fashion chapter. For a few seasons, Talley was a judge of “America’s Next Top Model.”

With the publication of his bio The Chiffon Trenches, Talley fell out of favor with long-time friend and mentor, Anna Wintour and Conde Nast. In his last years, Talley continued to suffer from health issues due to his excessive weight gain and financial struggles. André Leon Talley was 73 years old.

—William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: Balmain Draws Inspiration from Barbie, Omicron Variant Delays European Tradeshows, and the NYFW Mask Mandate

January 6, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of nytimes.com

It is only the first week of 2022 and the fashion collaboration battle has already begun. Surprisingly, the first major fashion collaboration of 2022 is between a major European fashion house and an inanimate object. That collaboration is between Balmain and Barbie.

It that is not enough Balmain Creative Director Olivier Rousteing is making garments for the iconic plastic doll. That’s been done before. Rousteing is creating a 50-piece collection inspired by the iconic toy.

The collection is modeled by racially diverse avatars with all the garments being unisex. In other words, there is no Barbie/Ken divide.

“Having Barbie in my Balmain army, making a collection inspired by her where there are no boy clothes or girl clothes, is my small revenge,” said Olivier Rousteing, the creative director of Balmain, as reported in the newyorktimes.com. “I think Barbie represents a joyful dream world. There’s nothing wrong with a dream. But let’s push the dream and not dream of the 1950s or 1960s, but 2022. For me, it’s a lot more than just a commercial project. It’s very emotional.”

Balmain is not the only fashion house/brand to design for Barbie or use Barbie as an inspiration. In the past, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Michael Kors, Donatella Versace, Diane von Furstenberg, Byron Lars, and Karl Lagerfeld have in some way been attached to Barbie.

Price points for the 50-piece collection are quite steep, with tee shirts costing $295 and $42,495 for a signature gown. The color palette ranges from fuchsia to bubble gum with hints of yellow, white, and blue, all done in Barbie’s signature saccharine sweetness.

Image courtesy of euronews.com

Delays, and more delays

As the COVID-19 Omicron variant continues to cause havoc globally, many European tradeshows that were scheduled for early January have had to reschedule. As Milan Fashion Week and the Pitti Uomo trade show have had to cancel their shows and events, French tradeshows and fashion events are following suit.

Trade shows Salon International de la Lingerie (SIL) and its upstream counterpart Interfilière Paris have postponed their joint edition scheduled to run from January 22 to 24. For over the 200 lingerie brands that were to present at the SIL, two thirds of those brands were coming from other countries.

“We called our exhibitors and they told us about their constraints,” said Eurovet’s lingerie and swim division director Taya de Reyniès. “People from countries including the UK cannot come and the UK represents our third or fourth top country for visitors. Asian exhibitors also relied on [representatives from] their British office to attend and this is no longer possible. The show’s selling point is its international appeal. This is what our exhibitors expect, and we have had too low a registration level to be able to draw visitors to this edition.”

SIL and the Interfilière Paris trade shows have been postponed and moved to June 18 to 20 in Paris’ Porte de Versailles’ in Hall 7.2. 

Image courtesy of dailyfrontrow.com

NYFW mandates

The COVID-19 Omicron is already causing some changes in the fashion industry. The CFDA recently announced that they are putting in place a mask mandate for New York Fashion Week (NYFW) show schedule for February 2022.

The CFDA in collaboration with IMG will require masks at all indoors events except for designated eating and drinking areas. Models walking the runway will not be required to wear masks. Additionally, NYFW attendees will have to present proof of current COVID vaccination.

NYFW will take place February 11 through February 16, and the list of in-person presentations has not been confirmed.  “The CFDA will continue to support the American fashion community as brands decide what approach is best for their business,” the organization states in its memo, as reported in fashionnetwork.com. “RUNWAY360 continues to be our central virtual home for NYFW as it has been throughout the pandemic.”

Because of the rise in COVID Omicron infections in Europe, many European designers are bowing out of European fashion weeks. “As we continue to navigate the fluid nature of the pandemic, we will update the above should the situation change in the coming weeks,” the CFDA added.

—William S. Gooch

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