Fashion News Alert: JCPenny Rescued, Diane von Furstenberg Teams Up with H&M, and Chanel Increases Prices, Yet Again

November 12, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of retailtouchpoints.com

Earlier this week a US judge approved a deal that would keep JCPenny (JCP) out of bankruptcy proceedings. This new deal will halt JCP from closing of its stores and keep thousands of its workers employed.

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas approved the deal for the 118-year-old distressed megastore. This deal is expected save J.C. Penny Co. Inc. 60, 000 jobs.

As reported on fashionnetwork.com, The transaction contains multiple parts. Lenders led by H/2 Capital Partners will forgive $1 billion in debt in exchange for 160 properties and six distribution centers. Mall operators Simon Property Group and Brookfield Property Partners will acquire the company’s slimmed-down retail operations for $1.75 billion (1.33 billion pounds) in cash and debt.

JCP was launched in 1902 by James Cash Penny in the state of Wyoming. The company went public in 1929. Over several decades JCP stores could be found in every state, with most states having several stores.

Image courtesy of fashionnerwork.com

DVF collaborates

Despite increasing COVID-19 infection rates, H&M is still on board with collaborations. Their latest collaboration includes one of the most esteemed designers in the fashion industry, Diane von Furstenberg. But instead of von Furstenberg collaborating on clothing, the creator of the wrap dress will collaborate with H&M on home furnishings.

“I’m thrilled to be collaborating with H&M Home, especially since I have such a passion for interiors,” DVF said in a recent press release. “The home is both a relaxing and empowering place where you can really ‘own’ a look or feel. With this collaboration, I want people to take charge of their home decor. The only rule I have is that your home should reflect who you are. The main point is to create a space that you’re incredibly comfortable in and is a true expression of your personality.”

This is the first time H&M Home has collaborated with a fashion designer. The Diane von Furstenberg and H&M Home collaboration will be available in 2021.

Image courtesy of dailymail.couk

Chanel price gorging

French luxury fashion house, Chanel, has announced in an increase in prices for the second time this year. In a response to a Reuters inquiry, the luxury explained, “the consequence of recent significant exchange rate fluctuations between the euro and certain local currencies.” Chanel continued, “the consequence of recent significant exchange rate fluctuations between the euro and certain local currencies.”

In May, Chanel increased prices on handbags and other small leather goods from 5% to 17% worldwide. And in October there was another 5% increased in Hong Kong, China, Japan, South Korea, and Great Britain.

Though these increased have been credited to a spending slowdown due to the COVID-19 lockdowns and pandemic, some analysts that prices have an increase of 30% in Asian countries compared to European countries and the US. This disparity in prices increase is difficult to explain in that the US and Europe has seen more COVID-19 infections and death than most Asian countries.

William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alerts: Kanye West Concedes Election, Karlie Kloss’ Pregnancy, and Nike’s Layoffs

November 4, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of newyorkmagazine.com

Kanye West, who run on an independent ticket, conceded his bid for the US presidency on Twitter late Tuesday night. So, that means no Kanye in the White House!!

According to deadline.com, Kanye received 60,000 votes. Kanye West’s name appeared on ballots in 12 states, garnering the most votes, 10,188 votes, in Tennessee.

Here’s how he did in other states, according to the Associated Press, as reported in fashionweekdaily.com.

Arkansas: 4,040
Colorado: 6,127
Idaho: 3,092
Iowa: 3,197
Kentucky: 6,259
Louisiana: 4,894
Minnesota: 7,654
Mississippi: 3,117
Oklahoma: 5,590
Tennessee: 10,195
Utah: 4,311
Vermont: 1,255

West aims to run in 2024. With his huge following on Twitter, 30 million+, Kanye West is assuming he will have some traction if he starts campaigning early enough.

Karlie Kloss and husband at 2019 Met Gala (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/FilmMagic)

Karlie Kloss expects a little visitor

Continuing to observe fashion as it is related to politics, Supermodel Karlie Kloss is married to Joshua Kushner, Jared Kushner’s brother, recently announced that she is with child.  Jared Kushner is senior advisor to President Donald Trump. Karlie Kloss has been married to Joshua Kushner for two years.

“Karlie is overjoyed to be expecting her first child in 2021,” a source said, as reported in fashionweekdaily.com. “She will be the most amazing mother.”

Karlie Kloss, who has converted to Judaism, is part of a group of investors that are aiming to bring W magazine back. W magazine’s editor-in-chief Sara Moonves will work with Kloss and other investors to drive strategy and growth.

Image courtesy of footwearnews.com

Nike aims to cut staff

This past Tuesday, Nike revealed that they will be laying off 700 employees from their Portland, Oregon headquarters by the beginning of 2021. The upcoming layoffs are a part of a company restructuring plan announced in July 2020.

What is surprising about these cuts is that Nike is not experiencing a downturn in revenue because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, Nike’s earning for the third quarter of 2020 was $1.5 billion, compared to the $1.4 billion in earnings of the 2019 third quarter.

Nike’s restructuring process will refocus the business’ operations around online direct-to-consumer sales. As of May 2020, Nike employed 75,400 workers.

—William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: The Met’s New Costume Exhibit, Kyle Anderson’s Racially Biased Rant, and Goodbye Cushnie

October 29, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of fashionista.com

We have all heard the call to action, “Black Lives Matter.” And while some fashion publications have recently put real diversity actions in place of cautionary inclusions, there are those in the fashion industry who are not pleased with this new injection of inclusion.

Former Elle Fashion Director Kyle Anderson has voiced his all call to action in the vein of “White Men Matter” by complaining that since this recent explosion of racial diversity at some top fashion magazines, white male editors have been losing their jobs.

On his Instagram Stories post Anderson contends, “All white guys I worked with lost their position in editorial over the past three years. Every white man (only) in my office lost their jobs on the same day. My personal story is horrendous and caused severe trauma.”

Anderson’s post was in response to a recent New York Times story by Elizabeth Lippman that stated that 42% of Conde Nast’s editors-in-chief were people of color. Because of the clapback received by Anderson, Anderson has disabled comments on his Instagram page and made his Twitter account private.

Image courtesy of fashionista.com

The Costume Institute’s New Exhibit

The Costume Institute of New York of the Metropolitan Museum of Art has a new exhibit. Next Thursday, the Costume Institute of New York will debut “About Time: Fashion and Duration,” a curation that explores how clothes generate temporal associations that conflate past, present, and future.

“About Time: Fashion and Duration” will pair garments at moments in antiquity juxtaposed against modern expressions. The garments will be connected through shape, motif, material, pattern, technique, or decoration. “For example, a black silk faille princess-line dress from the late 1870s will be paired with an Alexander McQueen ‘Bumster’ skirt from 1995. A black silk satin dress with enormous leg-o’-mutton sleeves from the mid-1890s will be juxtaposed with a Comme des Garçons deconstructed ensemble from 2004,” the Met explained in a news statement. 

All garments will be black garments to emphasize changes in silhouette. There will be one exception, a white dress from Viktor & Rolf spring/summer 2020 haute couture collection; made from upcycled swatches in a patchwork design. This Viktor & Rolf white dress was included as marker that projects toward the future.

This new Costume Institute of New York exhibit will include 125 fashions, dating back to 1870. The exhibit will open to the public from November 5, 2020 to February 7, 2021.

Image courtesy of yahoo!sports.com

Ciao Cushnie

Carly Cushnie has announced the closure of her eponymous brand, Cushnie. Because of shrinking revenue to the COVID-19 pandemic, Carly Cushnie has decided to cease operations.

Carly Cushnie started her fashion brand with fellow Parsons student Michelle Ochs in 2008, with the brand initially named Cushnie et Ochs. In 2018, the design duo parted, and brand became Cushnie.

In an open letter Carly Cushnie stated, Over the last twelve years, the Cushnie collection has come to define a modern elegance that celebrates the female body with a timeless ease – striking a balance between minimal and sensual. There has been nothing more rewarding than making women feel confident, sexy and empowered through my collections.

As many designers have experienced, the fashion and retail landscape has become increasingly challenging over the years. While my brand has persevered through unending headwinds, the effects of Covid-19 have hurt my business beyond repair, and it is with great sadness that I share Cushnie will be closing its doors​.

Fashion Reverie wishes Carly Cushie much success in whatever her new endeavors might be. Keep strong, sister!!

—William S. Gooch

 

 

Fashion News Alert: Supermodel Liya Kebede’s First Harper’s Bazaar Cover, “Emily in Paris” Fuels Interest in Chanel, and Asia’s Largest Store

October 21, 2020 by 1 Comment

Image courtesy of harpersbazaar.com

For her first Harper’s Bazaar cover as the magazine first woman of color to helm the esteemed magazine, Samira Nasr chose a model blast from the past, Ethiopian supermodel Liya Kebede. This is Kedebe’s first Harper’s Bazaar cover.

“Welcome to my first issue as editor in chief of Harper’s Bazaar,” Nasr wrote to readers, as reported in fashionweekdaily.com. “This isn’t my first issue of Bazaar, though. I was a fashion editor at the magazine 20 years ago. My job was to edit and produce the shopping section of the magazine, and the section always opened with a model. Our bookings editor at the time told me that there was a new model who was ‘going to be a star.”

“A few days later, I styled Liya Kebede for the April 2001 issue, marking the first time she appeared in Bazaar, and the start of our friendship. In the years since, she has walked for every major designer and covered every major fashion magazine except this one. I’m thrilled that my first issue as editor in chief is also Kebede’s first cover for American Harper’s Bazaar, photographed in Paris by Christopher Anderson. The accompanying cover story by my fellow Montrealer Durga Chew-Bose unpacks Kebede’s decades-long career in an industry that has historically not made space for women of color and is often guilty of aging women out.”

Liya Kebede, 42, has had major contracts with Gucci, and Estee Lauder with major campaigns for Revlon, Yves Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton, Dolce & Gabbana, Tommy Hilfiger, Escada, and Victoria’s Secret. She has appeared on the cover American, Japanese, Italian, French, and Spanish Vogue.

Image courtesy of netflix.com

Chanel gets a boost

The verdict is still out whether Netflix’s “Emily in Paris” is a great show or will evolve into a hit. However, the fashion in “Emily in Paris” is fueling interest in an iconic French fashion house, The House of Chanel.

According to online fashion shopping platform Stylight, they have seen an increase of 30% in global clicks to Chanel following the premiere of the show earlier in October. “Emily in Paris” follows the meandering of a young American woman in Paris as she attempts to navigate life in a foreign city while working at a prestigious French marketing firm.

“Emily in Paris” broke streaming records immediately after its premiere episode. The series also caused much consternation from cultural critics who were turned off by the series stereotypical portrayal of Parisians and French culture.

Iconic fashion designer Pat Fields serves as wardrobe manager for “Emily in Paris.” The series features several scene-stealing garments from recent Chanel collections.

Image courtesy of fashionnerwork.com

Asia’s biggest store

Zara has opened another store in China and this new store is the largest store in Asia. Last Friday, Zara opened a store that spread over 3,500 square meters across four floors. The megastore is located on the busy Wangfujing Street, one of the most famous shopping streets in Beijing.

This new megastore will integrate new technologies that reduce energy consumption by 20% and water usage by half. This new store also emphasizing design elements with smooth and circular shapes. There is so much space in this new store that the brand’s latest collections can be displayed, as well as standalone space for cosmetics, footwear and clothing personalization labs.

Interesting, Zara closed two stores in China in 2019 with the parent company, Inditex, announcing in June 2020 that they have plans to close 1200 Zara stores in Asia and Europe. Because of COVID-19, Zara experienced its first quarterly loss in the first quarter of 2020, reaching a 480-million-dollar loss because of the pandemic. Zara currently has 191 stores in China including the autonomous regions of Hong Kong and Macau.

—William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: Selena Gomez’s Fashion Film, Emily Ratajkowski’s New Job, and German Amazon Workers Strike on Prime Day

October 15, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of people.com

Pop star Selena Gomez has been cast in a new film. The horror film, “Dollhouse,” uses the fashion industry as its backdrop. Not only is Gomez starring in “Dollhouse,” she is also one of the producers.

“Selena’s involvement is an exciting direction for this project. She is supremely talented as both a star and a producer,” said STXfilms Motion Picture Group chairman Adam Fogelson, as reported in fashionweekdaily.com. “Teaming Selena with [co-producers] Shawn and Dan’s expertise in the horror-thriller genre will elevate Dollhouse and we couldn’t be more thrilled by the way this is being developed.”

Selena Gomez has been named one of TIME’s 100 most influential people of 2020 and has over 194 million followers on Instagram. No director has named for “Dollhouse.”

Image courtesy of REUTERS/Thilo Schmuelgen

Prime Day is not prime for Amazon workers

German trade union, Verdi, called on German Amazon works to strike on Amazon’s global Prime Day. Amazon’s Prime Day, which is traditionally held in July, is Amazon’s massive two days of sales. Prime Day took place this year on October 13 and October 14.

Verdi organized a two-day strike against Amazon in Germany is a part of their long battle—since 2013—in relation to what Verdi claims is Amazon’s low pay and bad working conditions. Germany is the biggest consumer of Amazon goods after the US.

News site Reveal released a report that states Amazon’s Prime Day is one of the most hazardous workdays for Amazon workers because of the increased sales and workers having to work harder to meet quotas.

Image courtesy ofwwd.com

Emily’s new gig

Supermodel Emily Ratajkowski has a new job, a big one. Ratajkowski has been named the creative director of Loops, an up-and-coming skincare brand. Loops specializes in beauty masks.

“Emily is a global icon and revered tastemaker,” said Loops co-founder Colin Peek in a release. “We couldn’t be more excited to partner together around a vision, a concept, that lifestyle beauty is simply how modern people take care of themselves today, how they look and feel their best.”

Ratajkowski duties as a partner and creative director will includes establishing Loops as a leader in skincare and helping develop content and skincare products. Loops, a New York City-based skincare company, launched in 2020 by Peek, Tushar Adya, and Aditya Julka. Loops is a skincare lifestyle brand that seeks to redefine daily skincare routines by introducing carefully formulating beauty masks with a range of benefits, from the anti-ageing “Weekly Reset,” to the detoxing “Clean Slate” and the moisturizing “Night Shift.”

—William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: June Ambrose’s New Gig, Nyle DiMarco’s “Deaf U,” and Kenzo Takada Transitions

October 7, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of fashionunited.com

June Ambrose has a new job. Consumers will probably know June Ambrose as the stylist to hip-hop royalty—Missy Elliot, and Jay Z, well as celebs Zoe Saldana, Kerry Washington, Mariah Carey, Mary J Blige, and Alicia Keys. Consumers may also know June Ambrose for her short-lived reality show “Styled by June.”

Well, June has a new job. June has formed a new creative partnership with Puma, designing the footwear brand’s women’s and girl’s line. The collaborative collection is aiming for a summer 2021 release.

“Beyond the collections, it’s important to me that the collaboration is rooted in social impact, and Pumas work in the social justice space to empower youth through sport makes them the perfect partner,” explained Ambrose in an article on fashionnetwork.com.

“Having the opportunity to bring an individual with such talent into the world of sports is unique and we are excited to see how she can redefine what it means to create a sportswear collection,” said Adam Petrick, Puma’s global director of brand and marketing. In 2020, Puma has landed several important collaborations with popular celebrities—Selena Gomez, Rihanna, and Kylie Jenner.

Image courtesy of pride.com

Nyle DiMarco puts on the producer’s hat

If you don’t know who Nyle DiMarco is, you should. First, Nyle was the winners of “America’s Next Top Model” cycle 22—he was also the first deaf model to win the reality model competition. And Nyle was the winner of season 22 “Dancing with the Stars.”

Besides modeling and acting, Nyle DiMarco is now branching into documentary production. “DEAF U” a new Netflix documentary, produced by DiMarco, centers on deaf students at Gallaudet University as they navigate life. Gallaudet University is a renown university for deaf students of which DiMarco is 2013 graduate.

“DEAF U” premieres on Netflix on Friday, October 9.

Image courtesy of wwd.com

A very important fashion designer bites the dust

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the fashion community. This time the COVID-19 casualty was iconic fashion designer Kenzo Takada.

Kenzo was a very important fashion designer in the Paris fashion world. He was the first Japanese fashion designer to establish himself in Paris.

Born in Hemeji, Japan, Kenzo came to Paris in 1965, and quickly established himself as a fashion force to be reckoned with. His first fashion line, Jungle Jap, helped Kenzo establish himself. Later in 1975, Kenzo merged Jungle Jap into his eponymous line which became extremely popular around the world. In 1983, Kenzo launched his menswear line.  Kenzo’s collections were known for their emphasis on graphic and floral prints.

Kenzo sold his eponymous line to LVMH in 1993 and resigned as creative director in 1999. At his death, Felipe Oliveira Baptista was serving as the creative director of the brand. In June of this year, the brand opened its first US store in the Soho district of New York City.

Kenzo Takada died from complications due to COVID-19 on Sunday in the American Hospital in Neuilly-sur-Seine five days at the brand presented its spring 2021 collection in Paris. He was 81 years old.

—William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: Lacoste Cuts Ties with Moha La Squale and Romeo Elvis, Ralph Lauren Cuts Staff, and Sean Combs Collaborates with Missguided

September 23, 2020 by 1 Comment

Image courtesy of bookska-p.com

Lacoste has ended its relationship with rappers Moha La Squale and Romeo Elvis after several young women has accused the rappers of sexual assault on social media. Lacoste started collaborated with French rapper Moha La Squale in 2018 and Belgian rapper Romeo Elvis in 2019.

“[Lacoste] would like to make clear that, when we associate our corporate image to a brand ambassador, the idea behind the operation is to open up new horizons for both parties. This is not what is currently happening in France with some of these [ambassadors], and we deeply regret this,” stated Lacoste in a press release sent to AFP, confirming information reported by French news channel BFM TV.

Moha La Squale has been under investigation since early September for “sexual assault,” “wilful abuse” and “death threats,” following accusations by three women, who all filed complaints. A fourth accusation was filed on September 11. And Romeo Elvis apologized on social media in September for having“used [his] hands in an improper manner on someone,” saying he thought he was responding “to an invitation that was no such thing.” He said that “something that is too often seen as a banal act is a mistake that should not be made,” adding “I’m not proud of this situation, and I hope to serve as an example that must not be followed,” as reported on fashionnetwork.com.

Image courtesy of Missguided

P Diddy collaborates

Sean Combs, aka as P. Diddy, will collaborate with fast-fashion e-commerce company Missguided. This collaboration with Combs’ fashion brand, Sean John, will result in a streetwear women’s collection.

The collaborative collection will come out later this month. It has been revealed that the collection will be a 117-piece collection inspired by Sean Combs’ music history. Sizes will range from XS to Plus, retailing from £12-£80.

“Real disruption that resonates with customers, isn’t just about getting ranges and collaborations right, it’s about being prepared to break new ground,” said Missguided Founder and CEO, Nitin Passi, as detailed in a fashionnetwork.com article. “And with Sean John x Missguided, that’s precisely what we’ve done—the first Sean John collaboration for women, built around how we know the Missguided customers want to look. And we’ll be unveiling additional Sean John x Missguided ranges as our partnership builds.”

Combs commented, ‘it’s an exciting partnership” for his label and that “we feel like the time is right to bring a strong, style-driven collection to market for women. We couldn’t think of a better partner than Missguided, because they get it. Over the years, women have supported the brand, worn our iconic velour tracksuits and have been asking for a collection, so here it is.”

The collaboration will be available online on September 29.

Image courtesy of Ralph Lauren

Cuts at Ralph Lauren

Ralph Lauren Corp. announced on Tuesday that it would cutting 15% of the company’s global workforce by the end of 2020. Ralph Lauren Corp. currently employs 24,900 employees, and these cuts could affect 3, 700 workers.

“The changes happening in the world around us have accelerated the shifts we saw pre-COVID, and we are fast-tracking some of our plans to match them,” Chief Executive Officer Patrice Louvet said. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused consumers to decrease their buying of luxury handbags, and other accessories.

“After stores reopened, the second phase of recovery for retailers is looking at their balance sheets and how to improve profitability, and for high-end clothing companies, that often means closing stores or letting people go,” said Jessica Ramirez, retail analyst at Jane Hali & Associates, as reported in fashionnetwork.com.

That said; online consumption of luxury goods has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. This surge has caused Ralph Lauren Corp. to invest more money and resources into digital platforms.

—William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: Supermodel Emily Ratajkowski Reveals Sexual Assault, Raf Simons to Debut Signature Collection, and Kohl’s Layoffs

September 17, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of vanityfair.com

In a recent, self-penned article for New York Magazine, Supermodel Emily Ratajkowski talks about being sexually assaulted by a noted fashion photographer before she became an established fashion model. The assault happened when Ratajkowski was booked for an unpaid editorial with a photographer in the Catskills.

Jonathan Leder, the photographer in question, the makeup artist, and a 20-year old Ratajkowski has been drinking some red wine, so some details of the assault are not quite clear. But Ratajkowski did detail what she did recall in the article in New York Magazine.

“Most of what came next was a blur except for the feeling. I don’t remember kissing, but I do remember his fingers suddenly being inside of me. Harder and harder and pushing and pushing like no one had touched me before or has touched me since. I could feel the shape of myself and my ridges, and it really, really hurt. I brought my hand instinctively to his wrist and pulled his fingers out of me with force. I didn’t say a word. He stood up abruptly and scurried silently into the darkness up the stairs,” detailed Ratajkowski in a fashionweekdaily.com article.

Ratajkowski did not report the incident at the time; however, revealing images from the photo editorial did pop up in a book of Leder’s photography, and on Leder’s Instagram account. When Leder was sent a cease and desist letter, he produced a signed consent form which Ratajkowski contends she never signed.

Leder released two more books of photography that included Ratajkowski’s revealing images. “Years passed, and Jonathan released a second book of my images, then a third. He had another show at the same gallery. I looked him up online occasionally; I almost felt like I was checking in on a part of me, the part of me he now owned. For years, while I built a career, he’d kept that Emily in the drawers of his creaky old house, waiting to whore her out. It was intoxicating to see what he’d done with this part of me he’d stolen.”

When contacted by The Cut of New York Magazine Leder stated, “You do know who we are talking about right? This is the girl that was naked in Treats! magazine and bounced around naked in the Robin Thicke video at that time. You really want someone to believe she was a victim?”

Image courtesy of timemagazine.com

Raf Simons debut women’s collection

Raf Simons has announced that he will debut his women’s collection on October 23 in Antwerp, Belgium. This showing will happen 25 years after Simons started his brand. The debut will take place a month after Simons will show his debut collaboration with Miuccia Prada on September 24 on Milan Fashion Week.

Simons launched his fashion house in 1995 and has been the creative director of the fashion houses of Jil Sander, Christian Dior, and Calvin Klein. Both Simons’ men’s and women’s collection will be available for sale online on October 26.

Image courtesy of shutterstock.com

Trouble for Kohl’s

On Tuesday, Kohl’s announced plans to cut 15% of its workforce due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Kohl’s will layoff employees at its Menomonee Falls headquarters, as well as at its corporate offices in New York and California. Kohl’s hopes to save $65 million dollars with these cuts. In 2019, Kohl’s employed 122,000 associates.

“Through prudent management, disciplined investment in key areas, and smart long-term strategic planning, we are well positioned to capitalize on evolving customer behaviors and the retail industry disruption. The organizational changes we’ve made and keen focus on our strategic business priorities will continue to support our long-term success,” explained SVP of communications Jen Johnson. 

William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: Trouble for Paris Fashion Week, Edward Enninful’s TIME Cover, and Phillip Plein Cuts Back

September 10, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of TIME

In this year of change history continues to be made, particularly in the fashion industry. First, there was the appointment of CaSandra Diggs as the first black president of the CFDA. And now British Vogue’s editor-in-chief Edward Enninful has acquired a cover on TIME magazine. This makes Enninful the first black fashion magazine editor on the cover of TIME. To that effect, TIME named Enninful “the most influential black man on the fashion landscape.”

Edward Enninful is the first person of color to helm British Vogue. And since taking over the reins of British Vogue Enninful has had 12 women of color on the cover of the esteemed fashion magazine.

“I wanted to reflect what I saw here growing up [in London], to show the world as this incredibly rich, cultured place. I wanted every woman to be able to find themselves in the magazine,” he said in an article in fashionweekdaily.com.

“I was always othered … you know, gay, working-class, black. So, for me it was very important with Vogue to normalize the marginalized, because if you don’t see it, you don’t think it’s normal.”

Image courtesy of zimbio.com

A distressed Philipp Plein

COVID-19 strikes again!! Philipp Plein has been forced to downsize his eponymous fashion brand due to diminishing revenue attributed to the COVID19 pandemic lockdown.

Founded in 1999, Philipp Plein was one of the most popular new European luxury brands. A go-to brand for hip-hop artists and millennial luxury consumers, Plein’s fashion shows had become one of the most coveted fashion shows in Europe and the US.

With the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown hitting luxury brands hard, Plein has had to layoff 200 employees and close his luxury headquarters in Milan. Plein will maintain his two stores in Milan while keeping his home base is Lugano, Switzerland.

Plein launched his first fragrance in early 2020 but shut down his sportswear line in 2019. Like many designers, Plein will introduce his spring 2021 collection via livestreamed video.

Balmain spring 2020 image courtesy of Peter White/Getty Images

Some designers/brands opt out of Paris Fashion Week

Paris Fashion Week will occur this season on schedule. Still, there is some controversy and trouble brewing for one of the most esteemed fashion weeks on the global fashion calendar.

Paris Fashion Week’s spring 2021 season is scheduled for September 28 through October 6. However, due to rising COVID-19 infections in France and in Europe overall, many fashion designers/brands are opting out of showing at Paris Fashion Week. Additionally, many fashion industry professionals are also not attending with many fashion events cancelling as well.

Plaza Athénée and Le Meurice, both Parisian luxury hotels, are down in hotel bookings from their usual 1,250 bookings to about 250 bookings. Italian distributors, which usually attend Paris Week, are also opting out.

“Our office on the Champs Elysées remains closed. We will stay in Milan to avoid unnecessary risks, and also a likely quarantine, a prospect that has been floated insistently in the last few days,” said the owner of the Studio Zeta showroom, Mauro Callegari, speaking to MF Fashion, as reported in fashionnetwork.com.

“We won’t travel to Paris because, apart from a few European buyers, no one will go there. And Paris is prohibitively expensive,” said Riccardo Grassi, of the eponymous showroom. “We had everything set up to showcase 15 collections at our Paris offices, but our clients themselves are now telling us they won’t go to Paris, to avoid taking risks,” Daniele Ghiselli also explained in MF Fashion. 

For those Parisian showrooms that will remain opened during Paris Fashion Week, most will operate on a very limited schedule, allowing online appointments, and limiting their in-person appointments.

William S. Gooch

 

Fashion News Alert: Michael Kors Gets Political, Sephora Launches Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty, and COVID-19 Makes Local Fashion the Order of the Day

September 2, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Images courtesy of dailyfrontrow.com

The upcoming 2020 presidential election is one of the most important elections in the history of the US. This election is so important that Michael Kors is putting in his more than two cents.

To encourage voter registration and voting in the US, Kors has released a tee shirt and sweater as part of the  Your Voice Matters campaign. One hundred percent of the proceeds of the sales of the tee shirt and sweater will go to the NAACP Legal and Defense Fund.

“Our greatest right and privilege as Americans [are] the right to have our voices heard,” Kors said in a statement. “Voting is the ultimate way to make sure that your voice is not lost. These  [tee] shirts and sweaters are a reminder for all Americans to vote and not let their voices be extinguished. It’s also an opportunity to raise money for legal and social justice.”

Kors has partnered with LA-based black-owned business FKSP, operated by African American fashion designer Folake Kuye Huntoon. The tee shirt features the phrase “Your Voice Matters” on the front and “Vote” on the back. The Michael Kors Collection cashmere intarsia sweater, states, VOTE on the front. The tee shirt is $40 and the sweater is $850.

Images of Valentino’s fall 2020 collection courtesy of latestmagazine.com

Global fashion brands may stay home

Because of COVID-19 international fashion brands are deciding to show collections closer to home. Before the COVID-19 pandemic it was standard practice for fashion designers to show at major fashion weeks in New York, Milan, Paris, and London. That’s all changing.

With New York Fashion Week (NYFW) being mostly a virtual experience for the spring 2021 season and recent outbreaks of COVID-19 in some European countries, international fashion designers are starting to cancel fashion shows in fashion capitals, staying closer to home.

Valentino, who always shows in Paris, is opting to only show in Milan for the spring 2012 season.  “We feel that it is more ethical to present the new show in Milan. We strongly believe that this project will help emphasize the importance of being part of a fashion system represented by both the National Chamber of Italian Fashion and the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, said the brand in a recent fashionunited.com article.

Victoria Beckham always shows in NYC—the city she launched her eponymous brand 10 years ago. This season, however, there is a change. Beckham will present her spring 2021 location in London where she resides.

Because of Japanese travel embargoes on European travel, requiring travelers to undergo a 14-day quarantine after European travel, many Japanese brands—Comme des Garcons and Yohji Yamamoto—will not show in European fashion capitals this season. Travelers will also be monitored by government mobile app for the length of the quarantine.

Because of COVID-19 readjustments, the French fashion federation (FHCM) ahs not released its lineup for Paris Fashion Week.

image courtesy of seventeenmagazine

Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty

Selena Gomez is not letting any grass grow under feet. Despite the COVID-19 slowdown, Gomez is going ahead with launching her beauty brand, Rare Beauty, in Sephora on Thursday, September 3.

“I’m so excited to release beauty products that not only feel great, but also celebrate what makes each of us rare,” said Gomez in a press release. “These products aren’t about being someone else, it’s about being who you are, whether that’s rocking a full face of bold makeup or barely any makeup at all.”

The brand’s debut offering includes 150 SKUs spread over 14 categories, including a calligraphy-inspired Perfect Strokes Matte Liquid Liner, a Blot & Glow Touch-Up Kit, a Brow Harmony Pencil & Gel, and a range of foundations, primers and concealers. And giving a nod to inclusiveness and diversity, the brand’s foundation will come in 48 shades.

Rare Beauty will be sold in Sephora exclusively in the US, Canada, and Mexico.

—William S. Gooch

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