Fashion News Alert: Hedi Slimane’s Rift with Vogue, Kylian Mbappe’s New Gigs, and London Fashion Week’s Lineup Revealed

December 17, 2021 by Leave a Comment

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Fashion tongues are wagging that Celine Creative Director Hedi Slimane has a beef with Vogue. After Vogue Runway did not cover his spring 2022 runway show, rumor has it that Slimane is cutting ties with the esteemed fashion behemoth. It appears that Slimane is also angered the ouster of long-time Vogue Paris editor-in-chief Emmanuelle Alt.

According to WWD, Vogue Runway has stated, “It was not our decision to not cover spring 2022, but we look forward to covering the brand’s next show.” That said, covering future shows may not happen.

WWD has revealed that Celine has also stopped its advertising deals at Vogue.  In addition, a fashion insider revealed on Instagram that Celine will no longer be sending samples to Condé Nast and will not be sending invitations to future shows and presentations.

(Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP)

London Fashion Week lineup

Like many global fashion week, London Fashion Week’s fall 2022 season will be a hybrid fashion week, a combination of live fashion shows and digital fashion presentations. London Fashion Week will take place from February 18 to February 22.

London Fashion Week will again be sponsored by Clearpay and will have 70 live shows and presentations. Some of the more well-known fashion brands that will present at London Fashion Week include, but are not limited to, David Koma, Erdem, Fashion East, Margaret Howell, Molly Goddard, Nicholas Daley, Paul Costelloe, Preen by Thornton Bregazzi, Rejina Pyo, Richard Quinn, Roksanda, Simone Rocha, and Temperley London. Other not so well-known brands such as Asai, Charles Jeffrey Loverboy, Conner Ives, Feben, Halpern, Labrum London and Matty Bovan will present live presentation as well.

Though there will be more digital presentations than live presentations due to the rising COVID-19 (Omicron) infection rate, most of the digital presentations will be a part of the Discovery Lab platform. Fashion Brands using the Discovery Lab platform include Geo, Harris Wharf London, Jenn Lee, Jens Laugesen, Liam Hodges, Richard Malone, Tiger of Sweden and others.

Image courtesy of eldiario.com

Kylian Mbappe’s new ambassadorship

Paris Saint-German soccer star Kylian Mbappe is the House of Dior is the latest brand ambassador for Dior menswear and Dior’s Sauvage fragrance. In this new ambassadorship, Dior is shifting away from using Hollywood celebrities as brand ambassadors.

“The star striker will now be lending his image to the creations of Kim Jones, Artistic Director of Dior men’s collections and to the Sauvage perfume,” Dior said in a release on Friday, as reported in fashionnetwork.com. “Today, the house of Dior is particularly happy to welcome Kylian Mbappé, with whom it shares the same values of exacting standards and generosity,” Dior added.

Kylian Mbappe is considered the most exciting young star in European football (soccer). In 2018 Mbappe lead the Paris Saint-German team to a victory over Russia in the 2018 World Cup. The young soccer star turns 23 on December 20, 2021.

—William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: FIT Opens Social Justice Center, Demna Gvasalia Drops His Last Name, and Calvin Klein’s Pete Davidson

December 9, 2021 by Leave a Comment

 

 

Image courtesy of esquire.com

you think of one-name celebrities, who comes to mind? Prince, Cher, Madonna, Aretha, RuPaul, Kanye, and there are several others. However, when it comes to fashion, what single names come to mind? Lagerfeld, Halston, Valentino, Kenzo, see not many. Demna Gvasalia is out to the change that.

As creative director of Balenciaga, Demna Gvasalia has decided to drop his last name. “From now on, Demna uses only his first name, distinguishing an artist title from a birth name and therefore separating creative work from personal life,” an accompanying release proclaims. “In all press going forward, he chooses to be referred to simply as Demna.” 

Setting himself apart from other fashion designers Is not new for Demna. If you notice his current collections for Balenciaga, Demna merges the design aesthetics of 90s grunge and rave. And recently released fall 2022 collection demonstrates that a minimalist perspective that combines the elements of 90s rave and grunge can have a consumer appeal to customers who were born in the 2000s.

This name drop will not such an odd thing for Demna Gvasalia since most people call Demna by his first name anyway. By only using his first name, perhaps, Demna is creating a place for himself in an industry where one name recognition, if collections are successful, can cement a designer’s status in that pantheon of one-name fashion legends.

Image courtesy of fashionnetwork.com

FIT embraces BIPOC

Fashion is not usually associated with social justice; however, the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) is about to change all of that. On Wednesday, FIT announced the launch of the Social Justice Center (SJC) at FIT, a first-of-its-kind higher education initiative, supported by founding partners PVH Corp., Capri Holdings Limited, and Tapestry. Other fashion brands that have pledged support include Carolina Herrera, Prada, Ralph Lauren, Saks, Target, and The Fragrance Foundation. Fashion conglomerate G-III Apparel Group had donated a gift to the SJC Scholarship Fund, which already has reached more than $1.5 million in contributions. 

These fashion holding companies have pledged $1 million dollars to help create SJC. SJC will focus on creating opportunities and accelerate social equity within the creative industries for the Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) community. The first-of-its-kind initiative will provide mentorship, education, and career support.

“A powerful and much overdue dialogue was sparked last year around diversity and inclusion, which led to a sobering realization that there was much work to do within the creative industries and at FIT as well. Since then, we have been building a strong foundation for the Social Justice Center at FIT,” said FIT president, Joyce F. Brown, as reported in fashionnetwork.com.  

“I am grateful for the early support from PVH, Capri Holdings, Tapestry, G-III Apparel Group, and FIT’s other charter partners. They have demonstrated a formidable commitment to these efforts, and I am confident that the center is poised to effect meaningful change.”

The SJC at FIT will establish scholarships for scholarships for middle school, high school, and college students and provide pathways to internships, mentorships, and apprenticeships provided by SJC partners to BIPOC professionals.

Image courtesy of theindependent.org

Pete and Calvin

We’ve all heard of celebrities collaborating with fashion brands. The list is long and extensive. Now there seems to be a new development. Celebs are now taking over the Instagram accounts of fashion brands.

What you say? Yeah, it’s happening!!

Calvin Klein, the renown American sportswear brand has given “Saturday Night Live’s” Pete Davidson full access to its Instagram account which has 21.5 million followers. Davidson will be joined by Machine Gun Kelly in this endeavor. The two recently stripped down to their Calvin Klein skivvies on Instagram Live.

This celeb takeover came with no prior announcement. And it is not clear if this takeover is not a part of a campaign promotion.

This is not the first out-of-the-box marketing move by Calvin Klein to bring attention to it products. Last month, the brand staged a 35-minute shoppable spectacular streamed on Amazon Live and the Amazon Music Twitch channel. Headlined by rapper and platinum artist, Saweetie, and featuring emcee, Symone, winner of “RuPaul’s Drag Race”, the show included live musical and dance performances, Saweetie’s holiday gifting advice and live Q&A sessions with fans.

—William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: Bella Hadid Rejoins Victoria’s Secret, the 2022 Pirelli Calendar, and Elle Goes Furless

December 3, 2021 by Leave a Comment

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Elle magazine has announced that the magazine will stop using fur in its advertising and editorial content worldwide. Elle is the first magazine to take on this initiative.

“The presence of animal fur in our pages and on our digital media is no longer in line with our values, nor our readers,” explained Elle‘s international director Valeria Bessolo Llopiz. “It is time for Elle to make a statement … rejecting animal cruelty,” she told delegates in Chipping Norton, in Oxfordshire, southern England.

Thirteen Elle publications have already put this furless initiative in place with twenty other publications coming on board starting on January 1, 2022. This furless initiative is the result of lots of pressure by animal activists who have for years pressured the fashion industry to eliminate fur.

Smaller global fashion weeks have eliminated fur from their runway presentations—Amsterdam, Oslo, Melbourne, and Helsinki, while larger fashion weeks have left this up to the individual fashion designers. That said, some fashion designers have eliminated fur from their collections, namely Gucci, Versace,  Prada, Burberry, Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, Donna Karan, DKNY, and Michael Kors, as well as Jean-Paul Gaultier and Balenciaga.

Image courtesy of harpersbazaar.com

2022 Pirelli Calendar and rock n’ roll

The 2022 Pirelli Calendar is here!! This year’s Pirelli calendar is inspired by music stars who have shaped the entertainment industry. Licensed by Canadian rock n’ roll icon Bryan Adams, this year’s calendar features music celebs whose hits have topped the charts, past and present.

The 2022 Pirelli Calendar marks the 150th anniversary of the calendar and is being published in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Titled “On the Road,” this calendar contains 160 pages and 70+ portraits of St. Vincent (who’s also the cover star), Kali Uchis, Saweetie, Cher, Normani, Jennifer Hudson, Iggy Pop, Grimes, Bohan Phoenix, and Rita Ora.

The photos were taken over three days this summer at the Palace Theater and Chateau Marmont hotel in Los Angeles and later at the Scalinatella hotel in Capri. To coincide with the release, Adams has composed a song, “On The Road,” which will be included on his next album.

Image courtesy of pagesix.com

Bella comes back

There are lots of changes at Victoria’s Secret. Not only has the lingerie giant changed their name to VS Collective; the brand is also bringing supermodel Bella Hadid back into the fold.

In an interview in Marie Claire, Bella explained that she and several models left VS Collective because of inappropriate behavior by former VS Collective executive Ed Razek. Hadid also conceded in the interview that she never felt that she was welcomed or powerful at VS  Collective.

“It has been a few years since I’ve done anything with Victoria’s Secret. What magnetized me to coming back was them coming to me and really proving to me that, behind the scenes, Victoria’s Secret has changed so drastically …. There was a type of way that, I think, a lot of us women who used to work with Victoria’s Secret felt. And now, six of the seven [VS] board members are all female,” explained Hadid.

Hadid deliberately meet with the rebranded company before she decided to return. “I know firsthand how Victoria’s Secret used to make me feel, and now, going onto set every day, there is just an energy that’s switched. I would never work for a company that not only made me feel a type of way, but made the world feel a type of way, until I knew for a fact that real change was going to be made.”

—William S. Gooch

 

Fashion News Alert: Top Fashion Icons of 2021, Michelle Obama Launches Saks 2021 Holiday Campaign, and Stella McCartney Celebrates The Beatles

November 26, 2021 by Leave a Comment

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Saks Fifth Avenue unveiled its 2021 holiday windows on November 24. In addition to the 2021 holiday window unveiling, former First Lady Michelle Obama made an appearance in support of the  Obama Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance. Saks Fifth Avenue holiday collection was in support of the Obama Foundation’s Girls Opportunity alliance.

“The holiday season is an important time for Saks to connect with our customers in a meaningful way through unique and memorable experiences,” said Marc Metrick, CEO of Saks. 

“This year, we are proud to support the Girls Opportunity Alliance and to champion the program’s mission to empower adolescent girls around the world through education. Our support of the Girls Opportunity Alliance is the perfect way to capture the joy of this time of year and we look forward to sharing this innovative, one-of-a-kind campaign with our customers across all Saks Fifth Avenue channels,” as reported in fashionnetwork.com.

Saks Fifth Avenue is committed to donating $1 million to the Obama Foundation in support of the Girls Opportunity Alliance, a curated multi-vendor merchandise collection, holiday window displays at the Saks New York flagship, a Saks career shadowing opportunity for three young women from the Girls Opportunity Alliance community from Girls Inc., and a digital campaign featuring special content throughout the holiday season.

“This contribution to the Girls Opportunity Alliance will help these girls to reach their full potential—and that’s especially important as the pandemic continues to threaten their education, which would set us all back in the years and decades ahead,” added Michelle Obama.” I’m excited to see the impact of this wonderful gift from Saks and how it can help support the work of the Girls Opportunity Alliance around the world.”

Image courtesy of neoba.com

Style icons of 2021

In a study conducted by money.co.uk., British pop star Harry Styles topped the list of global style icons. Harry Styles outfits were searched more than any other celebrity, according to money.co.uk.

Billie Eilish ranked second behind Harry Styles with her outfits at the top of searches in 23 countries. Ariana Grande takes third place, with her outfits being the most searched in 14 countries around the world, including France. Then comes Kim Kardashian—whose style rules the way in Armenia, Botswana, Namibia and Australia—and her two sisters, Kendall and Kylie Jenner, who are also still popular this year.

Money.co.uk. believes that Styles and Eilish top the list in 2021 because of their gender-fluid style and sensibility. Both pop stars break style codes and use fashion as a vehicle of self-expression.

New additions to money.co.uk‘s list of style icons include Rihanna, Cardi B, Justin Bieber, Addison Rae, Kate Middleton, Doja Cat, Selena Gomez, David Beckham, and two Blackpink singers—Rosé and Jisoo—whose outfits will be closely followed throughout 2022.

Image courtesy of facehunter.com

Stella McCartney and The Beatles

The Beatles became a worldwide phenomenon in the 1960s and the world’s love affair with them has continued. So, it is only natural that British fashion designer Stella McCartney would create capsule collection that pays homage to the British rock n’ roll group that her father helped found.

This Beatle capsule collection is a part of McCartney’s spring 2022 collection. Dubbed the Stella McCartney x The Beatles: Get Back’ capsule, this outing includes garments for men and women inspired by Beatle iconography contrasted with vibrant psychedelic prints created by The Fool collective. 

The capsule features a regenerated nylon bomber inspired by Paul McCartney’s own wardrobe, galaxy wash organic cotton denim, a patchwork cardigan coat, knit tracksuits and accessories, as well as tee shirts, jumpers, and hoodies. There is also a vibrant version of the Reclypse unisex trainer, McCartney’s sustainable sneaker.

“Get Back is about so much more than just a song or a concert—it is the timeless story of lifelong friends coming together to create something incredible with laughter and utter fearlessness whilst standing at the forefront of change. The Beatles were the faces of a cultural movement for positive change that continues to shape the lives of millions around the world, and I hope this capsule celebrates and communicates these ageless messages to a new generation,” said Stella, in a news statement. 

The collection launched at an event in Los Angeles on November 18 and is sold exclusively at stellamccartney.com, in Stella McCartney stores and on Net-a-Porter.

—William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: America Ferrera’s New Gig, Travis Scott’s Trouble with Nike, and Gucci Returns to Milan Runway in 2022

November 18, 2021 by Leave a Comment

The image courtesy of thefader.com

There is more trouble for hip-hop artist Travis Scott.  Nike has decided not to move forward with its sneaker collaboration with Scott since the deadly concert debacle at the recent Astroworld festival in Houston, Texas where Travis Scott was the headliner. Ten people were killed a the Astroworld festival.

“Out of respect for everyone impacted by the tragic events at the Astroworld Festival, we are postponing the launch of the Air Max 1 x Cactus Jack,” Nike said in a statement on their website. In a statement, Scott said he was “absolutely devastated by what took place.” He pledged to work “together with the Houston community to heal and support the families in need,” as reported in a fashionnetwork.com article.

Travis Scott’s collaboration with Nike, The Nike Air Max 1 x Cactus Jack sneakers, was scheduled to drop in December. Nike has pulled the campaign.

Travis Scott has had several collaborations with brands prior to the tragedy at Astroworld. Prior collaborations include McDonald’s, Hot Wheels, Helmut Lang, and Saint Laurent. Dior currently has a menswear collaboration with Scott in the works that should be available for the spring 2022 season.

Image courtesy of businesswire.com

America Ferrera and Covergirl

Actress America Ferrera has a new job!! America Ferrera is a new brand ambassador for Covergirl.

“We have admired America for years and her message about owning your identity as your superpower. She is intelligent, authentic and fearless and always honors herself, which is exactly what the Covergirl brand loves about her,” said Stefano Curti, chief brands officer, consumer beauty, at Coty, parent company to Covergirl, as reported in fashionnetwork.com.

“America is a powerful and thought-provoking role model and an advocate for individualism and inclusion, making her a natural Covergirl partner, as we continue to make beauty accessible and inclusive, through products and campaigns that speak to all audiences, including the LatinX community.”

Ferrera’s breakout role came as the heroine in the highly rated “Ugly Betty.” Since that time, Ferrera starred in and executive produced the workplace comedy “Superstore.” She is making her feature film directorial debut with “I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter.”

As a Covergirl brand ambassador America Ferrera will be featured in a range of campaigns. “Easy and natural makeup has always been my favorite kind of beauty. I like to feel and look like myself,” added Ferrera. “For me, beauty is about loving and accepting myself first and foremost and as a Covergirl, I want to share that message; Your uniqueness is what makes you beautiful and your authentic identity is your superpower.”

Image courtesy of wwd.com

Gucci returns to Milan Fashion Week

According to Gucci’s CEO Marco Bizzarri, the luxury brand will return to the runway during Milan Fashion Week in February 2022 for the winter 2022 season after a two-year absence.

Gucci Creative Director Alessandro Michele has expressed the need for change in the way that Gucci presents its collections, following his own rhythm, so to speak. “I feel the urgent need to change a lot of things in the way I work,” he wrote on his Instagram account, denouncing “deadlines which risk to humiliate creativity” and “an excessive performativity that today really has no raison d’être.”

True to his own perspective, Michele presented a short series of films in November 2020 at a festival that highlighted the new Gucci collection. And in July 2020, Michele presented his first collection via video. Gucci’s most recent collection was a live runway presentation held in Hollywood.

Gucci’s return to the runway may be an indication that digital presentations are not working for the brand, as other Kering-owned fashion brands are experiencing a similar result. Revenue for Gucci slowed in the third quarter.

 —William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: Kerry Washington’s Jewelry Collection, The Row’s First Fragrance, and Roberto Cavalli’s Biopic

November 11, 2021 by Leave a Comment

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Most of us know Kerry Washington from her role on “Scandal” and the many movies she has starred in. What might not be known is that Kerry Washington also has a jewelry collection. And she has had this jewelry collection with Aurate, an ethically sustainable jewelry brand for a few years. This is Washington’s third collection with Aurate.

“When we think about old-school glamour, we often think about Hollywood’s leading ladies throughout history,” she says. “So, we decided to create a collection that invites everybody to feel like they are the leading star in their own life story,” explained Washington in an instyle.com article.

Hollywood icons, such as Cicely Tyson, Diahann Carroll, Rita Moreno, and Barbra Streisand, inspired Washington’s “Be the Lead” Holiday collection, which features gold vermeil and topaz details and starts at $150. “Be the Lead’s” holiday collection is made from recycled gold and contains five delicate pieces.

“I really like the ‘everyday glamour’ version that Aurate puts out into the world. I like to have fun and change up my jewelry and accessories, but still have it be classic and understated with some edge here and there. That’s different, obviously, from the way I approach jewelry on the red carpet.”

“One of the things I love most about the company is its vision that everybody deserves to have access to fine jewelry. I believe in the democratization of fine jewelry—not that fine jewelry is the most important thing in the world, of course. People need education and healthcare a lot more than they need recycled gold. But everyone deserves to look and feel beautiful and have access to fine things,” detailed Washington.

The new Kerry x Aurate “Be the Lead” collection is now live and available at auratenewyork.com.

Image courtesy of fashionnetwork.com

Cavalli comes to film

Roberto Cavalli’s book “Just Me!” has been optioned by Ilbe (Iervolino and Lady Bacardi Entertainment), from Company Freedom Srl. Base. Shooting is scheduled to start in Italy in May 2022.

“Roberto Cavalli is a fashion icon whose incredible life cannot be replicated. But it can be told truthfully and amusingly, and that’s what we’re doing with this film. Monika and I are very excited to be telling this story, and we believe that the public will be fascinated by Roberto’s life,” said Andrea Iervolino, the film’s producer.

This film will catalogue Cavalli’s life from his childhood during WW2 in Florence, Italy to his early loves to his life in fashion. This biopic will also speak to Cavalli’s successes and his setbacks in fashion, his love of stretch denim and printed leather, as well as all the celebrities that are fans of his collections.

The Cavalli biopic will be directed by Giulio Base.

Image courtesy of fragrantica.com

More product from The Row

The Row is launching its first scent collection. Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, the founders and the duo that leads the luxury brand, in collaboration with L’Oeil du Vert’s Haley Alexander van Oosten have created hand-blended fragrance oils in three scents.

“We met Haley through her company, L’Oeil du Vert,” said Ashley Olsen in comments made to The Wall Street Journal. “We started wearing her oils, and the idea of creating something together was a natural progression of our relationship,” as reported in fashionnetwork.com.

The oils are all anchored in sandalwood and are each named with a letter: R, O, and W. The R fragrance oil combines its sandalwood base with tobacco leaves, esfand seeds, and rose. The O fragrance oil combines notes of blue water lily, olibanum, and orris. W features amber, champa, and incense woods. The Row fragrance oils are available at The Row stores with price points ranging from $490 to $550.

—William S. Gooch
 

Fashion News Alert: Lady Gaga Spills Tea in British Vogue, Balmain Teams Up with Netflix, and Ralph Lauren Works Magic with the Winter Olympics US Closing Ceremony Uniforms

November 4, 2021 by Leave a Comment

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Fine wine gets better with time and so does Lady Gaga. For those not in the know, Lady Gaga will portray Patrizia Reggiani in the upcoming film, “House of Gucci.” (Patrizia Reggiani was married to Maurizio Gucci and was accused of hiring a hitman to kill her husband in 1995.) This scandal rocked the fashion and entertainment world.

In the December issue of British Vogue, Lady Gaga talks about how she channeled Reggiani so that she could accurately portray the infamous character.  “I only felt that I could truly do this story justice if I approached it with the eye of a curious woman who was interested in possessing a journalistic spirit so that I could read between the lines of what was happening in the film’s scenes. Meaning that nobody was going to tell me who Patrizia Gucci was, not even Patrizia Gucci,” explained Lady Gaga in the December issue of British Vogue.

Lady Gaga revealed in the interview with British Vogue’s Giles Hattersley that she has been working on her role for over three and a half years.  “It is three years since I started working on it and I will be fully honest and transparent: I lived as her (Reggiani) for a year and a half. And I spoke with an accent for nine months of that. Off camera, I never broke. I stayed with her. The 35-year-old also detailed why she dyed her hair the same chocolate brown color as La Gucci: “It was nearly impossible for me to speak in the accent as a blonde.”

Though Patrizia Reggiani has dissed Gaga for portraying her in “House of Gucci,” Gaga is still not sure she would want to me Reggiani. “Who I care the most for in this process are her children, and I extend to them love and compassion that I’m sure this movie coming out is tremendously difficult or painful for them, potentially. And I wish nothing but peace for their hearts. I did my very best to play the truth.”

“The House of Gucci,” directed by Ridley Scott will be in movie theaters on November 24.

The Winter Olympics is just a little more than three months away. (Hard to digest with the Tokyo Olympics ending two months ago.)

Image courtesy of fashionnetwork.com

Olympic Realness

As you know, fashion waits for no one. Ralph Lauren is already giving a sneak peek into the Closing Ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics. These garments were created with a commitment to sustainability. Lauren has been created uniforms for the US Olympic team since 2008.

“Ralph Lauren is incredibly proud to outfit Team USA in apparel that has been designed with integrity and purpose. For these Games, the design aesthetic of our uniform represents a modern look that feels distinctly new and fresh, created with sustainability in mind,” said David Lauren, chief branding and innovation officer, Ralph Lauren, as reported in fashionnetwork.com.

“We are highly invested in scaling sustainability solutions that have the potential to significantly reduce our and the wider industry’s impact, and we are proud to have created thoughtful apparel for Team USA that embodies this mission.”

To meet his sustainability goals, Lauren used more sustainable materials and manufacturing practices including with items made from recycled polyester, recycled down and wool sourced from Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) certified U.S grown wool. The commitment is in line with Ralph Lauren’s promise to use 100 percent RWS certified or recycled wool by 2025.

The 2022 Winter Olympics take place in Bejing, China from February 4 to February 20.

Image courtesy of fashionunited.com

Balmain x Netflix

Collaborations, collaborations, and more collaborations. Just like the Samuel Coleridge famous line in “Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” “water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink,” fashion collaborations are everywhere in the fashion industry.

That said, one of the more unlikely collaborations is Balmain’s recent collaboration with Netflix’s new western “The Harder They Fall.” Balmain creative director Olivier Rousteing was invited to costume the series and from there a fashion collaboration was borne.

“… to tell you the truth, I wanted to do much, much more. So, I was thrilled when ‘The Harder They Fall’ team asked me if I’d be willing to push it a bit farther—which is how we ended up deciding to partner on a special limited-edition Balmain-The Harder They Fall collection, directly inspired by the spirit of this groundbreaking Western,” explained Rousteing in a recent news release.  

“Both on and off the catwalk Olivier Rousteing has ensured that the Balmain brand represents a strength and unity that gives equality to all irrespective of race, gender, or anything else. Much like The Harder They Fall Balmain is kick ass, taking no prisoners and showing us time and again that that the brand hasn’t come to play, it’s come to make a statement. A perfect marriage if ever there was one,” detailed Jeymes Samuel, writer, director, producer and composer of “The Harder They Fall.”

The Balmain “Harder They Fall” collection is now available on Netflix.shop, Farfetch.com, Balmain.com and in select Balmain retail flagships. 

—William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: Madonna’s V Magazine Cover, Anna Wintour’s New Tome, and Telfar Collaborates with Moose Knuckles

October 29, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of fashionista.com

Anna Wintour continues to be in the news this week. Earlier in the week Fashion Reverie discussed how some fans of Vogue Paris were outraged at the renaming of the hallowed magazine to Vogue France. Wintour was named the culprit of this name change.

Additionally, to that new, there will soon be a new book out about Wintour. Former Cosmopolitan and The Cut editor Amy Odell in penning a biography of Anna Wintour.

Odell revealed on her Instagram, “I am beyond excited to share what I’ve been working on: I wrote a biography of Anna Wintour. It is the product of interviews with more than 250 people. I can’t wait to share more about the book and reporting process as publication date nears.” Odell’s Instagram account also reveals an initial review from author Sheila Weller who says, “Extraordinarily sweeping, astute and unputdownable.”

The book, Unputdownable, is due out on May 3, 2022. Published by Simon & Schuster, Odell encourages consumers to pre-order the $28 biography.

A press release from publishers Simon & Schuster detail, “Based on extensive interviews with Anna Wintour’s closest friends and collaborators, including some of the biggest names in fashion, journalist Amy Odell has crafted the most revealing portrait of Wintour ever published. Weaving Anna’s personal story within a larger narrative about the hierarchical dynamics of the fashion industry and the complex world of Condé Nast, Anna charts the relentless ambition of the woman who would become an icon.”

Image courtesy of fashiongonerogue.com

Madonna conjures up Marilyn, yet again

Is Madonna still relevant? Of course, she is!!

Madonna is a pop icon legend and will never go out of style. And V magazine has the photos prove that!!

The Material Girl worked with longtime collaborator Steven Klein for the cover and fashion editorial that paid homage to Marilyn Monroe. Fitting, don’t you think? This fashion editorial looks at the last photoshoot that Monroe did with legendary photographer Bert Stern.

“We were not interested in recreating the images exactly but more importantly, we wanted to explore the relationship between photographer and subject,” Klein tells Jeremy O’Harris, as reported in dailyfrontrow.com.  “Both the friendship and the artistic process, and how art can imitate life and vice versa. When I sent Madonna the photos, she was really taken by the incandescent fragility of Marilyn at that moment in her life. We decided to find a hotel suite and try to capture the liaison between a star and the camera, the mystery, and magic of this creative collaboration. We hope we have done justice to the great work of Bert Stern and Marilyn Monroe.”

For this V magazine winter issue, Madonna stars of four different covers. One of the covers features her nude on the bed with nothing on but pearls, fishnets stockings, opera gloves, and Christian Louboutin stilettos. The other three covers feature Madonna teething a strand of pearls, licking a blinged-out necklace—diamonds are a girl’s best friend, after all —and posing in profile in a fur coat, as reported in pagesix.com.

Image courtesy of fashionnetwork.com

Standout and be noticed with Telfar x Moose Knuckles

As temperatures drop, most consumers are thinking about outerwear. If you are the kind of consumer that loves to turn heads, there is no better brand or collaboration to look to than Telfar’s new collaboration with Canadian outwear brand Moose Knuckles.

In a recent press release Telfar Clemons stated this this 17-piece collaboration is inspired by New Yorkers who want to be noticed while minding their own business. “[T]his is designed specifically for everyone. If I don’t see it in the street every day it didn’t really happen,” referencing the inclusive slogan that has become the tagline of his label: “Not for you, for everyone,” explains Telfar Clemons, as reported in fashionnetwork.com.

Stand-out pieces include high-waisted snow pants with fur trim, hooded puffer jackets, cropped bombers, a double-breasted peacoat, and new versions of Telfar’s much-sought-after shopper bags featuring a quilted puzzle monogram, a pattern which appears throughout the collection. Prices for the pieces range from $195 to $4,300.

The Telfar x Moose Knuckles collection will launch on both brands e-commerce sites on November 1 and in Saks and Notre in US on November 8 and in Holt Renfrew in Canada, and Galeries Lafayette in France, as well as on the Ssense online platform.

William S. Gooch

Breaking Fashion News: Anna Wintour Stirs French Rage

October 26, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of thetimes.com

First, there was sharing content with all Condé Nast magazines. Then esteemed Vogue Paris’ esteemed editor-in-chief Emmanuelle Alt was eased out. Most recently, Condé Nast Global Chief Content Editor Anna Wintour who is also editor-in-chief of American Vogue has decided to drop the word ‘Paris’ from the Vogue title.

This elimination will take place on November 4. Vogue Paris will be renamed Vogue France, a name that many people already called the publication. Still, this name change has caused outrage among francophiles and many French citizens.

Legendary French newspaper Le Figaro decried this name change and said, “This graphic suppression is accompanied by an editorial, even ideological shift, and a massive social plan.” Le Figaro also claimed that the newly named Vogue France would lose its voice and reflect the ‘woke’ values of American culture.

Last month Condé Nast replaced Emmanuelle Alt with Wintour’s protégé Eugénie Trochu. Paris is seen as the European city that sets standards of beauty and design for the fashion industry. However, with the name change, many fashion pundits feel that Wintour is trying to change that.  And with Trochu’s appointment, many believe Wintour’s plan is on its way.

“The freedom. The freedom to dress as you like, to think differently, to put all the colors on your nails, your hair, your cheeks … To proclaim loud and clear your identity, to celebrate your differences, explained Trouchu. “The very first issue of Vogue France will pay tribute to and celebrate individuality. A passport to be oneself, to assert oneself and to ignore clichés.”

Hmm, freedom you say. Or is it staying in step and following orders. Time will tell!!

William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: Zendaya Named CFDA Fashion Icon of the Year, Gucci Shows on the Streets of Hollywood, and Billie Eilish’s First Fragrance

October 21, 2021 by 1 Comment

Image courtesy of usweekly.com

It’s that time of the year, again. The time of the year when the CFDA selects their Fashion Icon of the Year. In the past, the CFDA has selected Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Naomi Campbell, Franca Sozzani, Pharrell, and Beyonce as their choice for this prestigious award.

This year the CFDA has named Zendaya as their 2021 Fashion Icon of the Year due to her global impact on fashion. Zendaya will the youngest person ever to receive the coveted CFAD Fashion Icon of the Year award.

The CFDA noted that Zendaya donning an all-white Rick Owens gown to the London premiere of “Dune” and Zendaya’s choice of a purple Versace gown that paid homage to Beyonce’s iconic 2003 Versace gown, as well as gold-plated fresh-off-the-runway Loewe dress for the Women in Film Awards, as well as other looks demonstrated her great taste and style.

The CFDA also praised Zendaya for her diversity and inclusiveness evidenced in her fashion line Daya which was an early advocate of gender-fluid designs and inclusive size ranges. Zendaya is currently a spokesperson for Valentino, Lancôme, and Bulgari.

The 2021 CFDA Fashion Awards will be held on November 10 at The Pool + The Grill, the iconic venue housed within the landmark Seagram Building on Park Avenue.

Michael Kors is not the only designer to use the streets of a major city to present his runway collections. Gucci has now followed.

Image courtesy of nssmagazine.com

Gucci takes it to the streets

Gucci Creative Director Alessandro Michele will present Gucci’s upcoming “Gucci Love Parade’ on the streets of Los Angeles’ Hollywood Boulevard. The live runway is scheduled for November 2.

“Gucci is proud to highlight the intersection of creativity and culture within the City of Los Angeles, poised for rebirth post pandemic,” explained the brand in a release. “As part of Gucci’s Changemakers program, powered by Gucci Equilibrium, Gucci will provide significant support to the Los Angeles and Hollywood communities through a donation to the city’s most critical needs: homelessness and mental health.”

This is not the first time Gucci has presented a runway show in the US or in Hollywood. In 2015 Gucci hosted its Cruise collection in New York City and in 2018 Gucci celebrated the launch of the brand’s Gucci Guilty fragrance in November 2018 at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Alessandro Michele has been the creative director of Gucci since 2015.

Image courtesy of vogue.com

Billie Eilish’s fashion domination

2021 has been a banner year for singer Billie Eilish. Eilish has graced the cover of British Vogue and made her first appearance at the 2021 Met Gala.

That said, like many celebrities before her, Eilish is coming out with her first fragrance. When the fashion world starts to pay attention to celebrities with a certain style, not far behind are fashion collaborations and fragrance deals.

Billie Eilish’s fragrance, ‘Eillish,’ is a vegan Amber Gourmand and described as “a warm, cozy scent that feels like home.” It combines soft spices, rich cocoa, and creamy vanilla, anchored by base notes of warm musks, tonka bean, and sleek woods.

“I wanted it to feel like a warm embrace. Like what it feels like to feel your blood rushing through you. It’s a scent that I’ve been chasing for years and years and years. It’s my favorite smell in the world,” said Billie, as reported in fashionnetwork.com.

Billie Eilish is a singular talent and the voice of a generation. She has a vision in everything she does that is unique, disruptive, and authentically hers. Partnering with Billie was natural for Parlux because we can bring a vision to life like no one else, and we were equally excited to be on this journey together,” said Lori Singer, president, Parlux. 

The bottle is inspired by Eilish’s favorite body parts, the chest, the collarbone, and neck. The fragrance bottle is gilded in a bronze amber. Eilish will retail for $68 and will launch direct-to-consumer exclusively.

—William S. Gooch

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