Fashion News Alert: Andrew Cuomo Comments of NYFW, Jennifer Lopez’s New Beauty Brand, and Under Armour Delays Sneaker Launch

August 27, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of Instagram

Jennifer Lopez’s empire continues to expand. J Lo recently hinted on her social media that her own beauty line is in the works and will soon be unveiled.

J Lo is no stranger to the world of beauty, having had several fragrances in the past—her fragrance ‘Glow” launched in 2002. J Lo is now primed to take on the beauty market. In 2018 Lopez collaborated Inglot Cosmetics for a 70-piece makeup collection.

On her Instagram account, Lopez announced, “Sunset glow…#JLoBeauty coming soon.” No other details about the beauty line is known at this time.

Image courtesy of therealdeal.com

Cuomo gives nod to NYFW

Unless you are living under rock, you must be aware that the COVID-19 pandemic is changing life as we know it, even the fashion industry. The upcoming New York Fashion Week (NYFW) spring 2021 season will be a digital fashion week. And though many fashion pundits expressed the need to cancel the upcoming NYFW, IMG and the CFDA has decided to go on with the event.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo recently commented on the upcoming NYFW in The Cut. “New York City is the fashion capital of the world and New York Fashion Week celebrates the ingenuity of this city, and our unmatched creative talent. The pandemic is far from over, but we’re proud to support event organizer IMG in moving forward with NYFW, in adherence with strict state public health guidance.”

That said, though NYFW will be a digital fashion week, there will be a few outdoor fashion presentations. However, these outdoor presentations must follow COVID-19 guidelines. There can be no more than 50 people gathered at these presentations at any one time, face coverings are mandatory, social distancing is non-negotiable, and tests and health screenings, such as temperature checks, will also be required for attendees, models, and staff. 

Image courtesy of footwearnews.com

Police shooting delays Under Armour sneaker launch

Under Armour has delayed the launch of its new sneaker collaboration with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The cause of the delay is the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a black resident of Kenosha, Wisconsin. 

“Out of respect for Jacob Blake & his family we’ll postpone our @projectrock @underarmour PR3 launch today,” Johnson tweeted. “Unbelievable we’re here again. Shot 7xs. In the back. In front of his kids. There’s no progress without humanity.”

Jacob Blake was shot seven times in the back by Kenosha, Wisconsin police while his three children watched from inside Blake’s car. He is now paralyzed from the waist down.

Blake’s shooting has caused widespread protests in Kenosha and around the US. In protest of Blake’s shooting, the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, and Major League Soccer refused to play their respective sports on Wednesday. “We support all of those in sport who are currently demanding societal change across the United States and the globe,” Under Armour said in a statement, as reported on fashionnetwork.com.

Johnson has been collaborating with Under Armour since 2016.

—William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: Jay Manuel’s New Book, Michele Morrone’s New Gig, and the High Cost of Air Jordans

August 19, 2020 by 1 Comment

Image courtesy of theattic.com

Though Anna Wintour may not have pleased with Andre Leon Talley’s recent tome “The Chiffon Trenches,” wagging fashion tongues contend that Supermodel/entrepreneur Tyra Banks is even more perturbed by Jay Manuel’s novel “The Wig, the Bitch & The Meltdown.” The novel details the behind-the-scenes and goings on of a reality model competition, Model Muse.

According to pagesix.com, “Tyra is not happy about the book,” explained a pagesix.com insider. “There was some kind of meeting with Tyra [and] some sort of message was sent out regarding the book coming out. A couple of months ago, she asked a lot of the “America’s Next Top Model” family to not interact with Jay and to not support the book.”

We’re told “ANTM” coach Miss J had been appearing on Manuel’s Instagram Live show “Jay’s Chat,” but “all of a sudden, Jay received a call that Miss J can’t [do the chats]. He pulled out without an explanation and hasn’t returned calls. They have a close relationship and now all of a sudden he disappeared.”

Tyra’s discontent or not, “The Wig, the Bitch & The Meltdown” sales are pretty good. The original publication date of “The Wig, the Bitch & The Meltdown” was August 3.

Image courtesy of cnn.com

Out of my price range

If you love expensive sneakers, the price of Michael Jordan’s Air Jordans that recently sold for $615,000 might be too rich for your blood. That’s right, Michael Jordan’s 1985 game-worn Air Jordans’ High 1 that were worn by Jordan during a 1985 exhibition in Italy when he dunked the ball so hard it shattered the glass backboard were sold at Chrystie’s for $615,000, making the sneakers the biggest price tag for any sneakers ever sold for by an auction house.

“This is the original shoe with an actual piece of the backboard, a piece of glass, in the sole of the shoe,” said Caitlin Donovan, head of handbag and sneaker sales at Christie’s—which organized the auction with Stadium Goods, as reported in fashionnetwork.com. At the exhibition, while wearing the 13.5 size Air Jordans, Michael Jordan racked up 30 points.

Jordan’s auctioned items have been getting and going beyond top price at auction houses since the release of his Netflix/ESPN documentary, “The Last Dance.” This documentary chronicles Jordan’s years with the Chicago Bulls.

Image courtesy of fashionnetwork.com

Guess has a new guy

Italian actor/singer Michele Morrone has a new job. He is the global face of Guess Men’s. Morrone is a star of Italian and Polish films and television series.

“It’s an incredible feeling being able to have fun on set doing what I love, while having a sense of comfort that I’m now part of such an amazing family. Family and loyalty are important to me, and I want to take this brand and treat it as my own,” said Morrone, as detailed in a fashionnetwork.com article.

“Michele is an extremely hard worker, and a very ambitious and decisive man and these are all qualities I deeply appreciate. In a matter of minutes, we knew we were going to work together and a few weeks after that very first meeting, we met again in Lake Como to shoot these spectacular images,” added Guess chief creative officer Paul Marciano. 

—William S. Gooch

 

Fashion News Alert: Martin Margiela Documentary, CaSandra Diggs’ New Gig, and Cardi B’s Elle Cover

August 12, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of blackenterprise.com

Is the CFDA serious about diversity? Hmm, the verdict is still out; however, with the promotion of CaSandra Diggs to president of the organization, perhaps, the CFDA is more serious about diversity than previously assumed. This appointment is groundbreaking and history making; CaSandra Diggs will be the first African American to helm the CFDA.

“Expanding her role will provide the CFDA with more opportunity to meet the needs of the membership in a broad and diverse way,” exclaimed CFDA CEO, Steven Kolb in a statement. “It is a critical time for our industry, and she is the right person with the right ideas to help lead CFDA into the future.”

Diggs came to the CFDA in 2001 and the last position she held was that of Chief Administrative and Financial Officer. In her new position of president, Diggs will be tasked with developing strategy, championing, educating, and supporting its membership and the fashion industry-at-large.

“I am delighted to join Tom Ford and Steven Kolb as we continue to advance and evolve the CFDA into a modern, [forward-thinking] organization that is reflective of our times,” concluded Diggs in an essence.com article. You go, girl!!

Image courtesy of Flaunt Magazine

Martin Margiela revealed

What happened to Martin Margiela? That is question that many fashion insiders have been pondering for years. Well, you don’t have to wonder anymore.

 “Martin Margiela: In His Own Words” reveals and details Margiela’s drawings, notes and Margiela’s own reflection on his place in the fashion industry. This 90-minute documentary also has interviews and commentary from Carine Roitfeld, trend forecaster Lidewij Edelkoort, fashion critic Cathy Horyn, fashion historian Olivier Saillard, and Jean Paul Gaultier—whom Margiela once assisted.

Named the best fashion documentary of the decade by The Hollywood Reporter, “Martin Margiela: In His Own Words” is written and directed and produced by Reiner Holzemer.

Image courtesy of fashionista.com

Elle anoints Cardi B

Most fashion magazines’ September issues use fashion models on the cover; however, 2020 September issues are not following that tradition. Rihanna has 26 global covers of Harper’s Bazaar’s September issue, and Cardi B is on the cover of Elle’s September issue.

The announcement that Cardi B has been chosen to be on the cover of Elle’s September issue was timed with the release of Cardi B’s music video for her new single “WAP.” The music video went viral and broke the internet.

In the Elle 2020 September issue Card B talks about everything from politics—Trump, Cuomo—her relationship with her husband, Offset, and of course, music.  “My music is always going to make a woman feel like a bad b**ch,” she told interviewer Marjon Carlos, as reported in fashionweekdaily.com. “When you make a woman feel like she’s the baddest b**ch in the room, to me, that’s female empowerment.”

Steven Klein photographed Cardi B for the Elle 2020 September issue, and Cardi B was styled by her own stylist Kollin Carter. The Elle 2020 September issue hits newsstands on September 8.

—William S. Gooch

 

Fashion News Alert: Rihanna Breaks Harper’s Bazaar’s Record, Lord & Taylor Files for Bankruptcy, and Sayonara Kansai Yamamoto

August 5, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of usweekly.com

As Rihanna’s fashion empire continues to grow, so does her influence. Rihanna has broken a Harper’s Bazaar record by appearing on the covers on all 26 global Harper’s Bazaar upcoming September issue.

As a fashion icon, Rihanna got to wear a vintage John Galliano dress, a Saint Laurent coat, a dramatic yellow fuzzy Veneta Bottega coat from the fall 2020 collection, a Dior logo print silk headscarf, a Max Mara slouchy coat,  and of course her Savage x Fenty lingerie and Fenty makeup and beauty products. The editorial and covers were art directed by Jen Brill, photographed by Gary Sorrenti with interview conducted by editor Kahlana Barfield Brown.

The 2020 September Harper’s Bazaar issue will be on newsstands on September 8. Ri-Ri reigns!!

Image courtesy of curbedny.com

Another one bites the dust

On August 2, mega retailer Lord & Taylor filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the US Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. With this bankruptcy filing, Lord & Taylor joins a long list of retail stores and brands—J Crew Group, JC Penny, and Neiman Marcus in May, and Lucky Brand in July—that have recently filed for bankruptcy.

The Lord & Taylor store chain was founded in 1826 and is now estimated to have between $100 and $500 million in assets and liabilities. It has been reported that Lord & Taylor is planning to liquidate inventory in 38 of its retail stores. Lord & Taylor opened its flagship store in New York City in 1914. The flagship store closed in 2019.

Image courtesy of thebusinesstimes.com

 

Bye, bye Kansai

Japanese fashion designer Kansai Yamamoto has passed away. Yamamoto became famous for designing stage costumes for David Bowie, Elton John, and Lady Gaga. “I found David’s aesthetic and interest in transcending gender boundaries shockingly beautiful,” he told website The Cut in 2018, as reported in a recent article on fashionnetwork.com.

Kansai Yamamoto came to prominence in the early 1970s with his famous shows that used bold, bright color with brilliant patterns referencing and incorporating Japanese colors. Yamamoto’s avant-garde designs were also gender neutral and was a direct contrast to some of the more minimalist points of view of other Japanese designers.

Kansai Yamamoto was born in Yokohama, Japan in 1944 and showed his first collection in London in 1971. Yamamoto design aesthetic is inspired by the Japanese concept of Basara—an aesthetic defined by “extravagance, eccentricity and excess.” In later years, Yamamoto collaborated with Anna Sui and Nicolas Ghesquiere for Louis Vuitton in recent years. 

Kansai Yamamoto died of leukemia. He was 76 years of age.

—William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: Michael Kors’ New Approach to Fashion Week, Rihanna Releases Three New Beauty Products, and Goodbye O Magazine

July 30, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Images of Micahael Kors spring 2020 collection courtesy of tom+lorenzo.com

Michael Kors has decided not to show his spring 2021 collection during New York Fashion Week (NYFW). However, that does not mean that Kors will not have some form of presentation for his spring 2021 collection.

Instead of showing his spring 2021 collection during NYFW, Kors will have a series of digital presentations.  Kors’ will present his spring 2021 collection to the press in an intimate presentation on October 14, and on October 15 the spring 2021 will be broadcast on the brand’s social and digital platforms.

“It is key for us to be able to bring our collection to life and translate that in-person runway show experience as best as possible to the digital world,” says Michael Kors, as reported in a fashionweekdaily.com post. “To ensure the press and consumers alike are able to view the clothes and accessories in detail, virtually, is my top priority,” says Kors.

Image courtesy of thelatch.com

Fenty Beauty expands

Rihanna’s empire continues to grow. This week the Barbadian-American pop singer will debut three products from her Fenty Beauty line. Fenty Beauty launched in 2017.

Fenty Beauty is now a gender-neutral beauty line with a wide spectrum of products that can appeal to wide, diverse demographic. “I’m a woman of color and I have a lot of sensitivity in a lot of areas of my face,” the singer, actress and business mogul, said on Instagram, as reported on fashionnetwork.com. “I wanted a product that just worked.”

These three products—the Total Cleans’r Remove-It-All Cleanser ($25), Fat Water Pore-Refining Toner Serum ($28), and Hydra Vizor Invisible Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen ($35)—will debut on Friday. Rihanna hosted a live virtual Fenty Skin Launch Party on Wednesday July 29.

Image courtesy of O magazine

Bye, bye O

O magazine goes out of print in December 2020. Earlier in the week Hearst Publications announced that O magazine will only exist in a digital format after December 2020.

“As the brand celebrates twenty years of O, The Oprah Magazine, we’re thinking about what’s next, but again the partnership and the brand are not going away,” Hearst said in a statement Monday, confirming a Business of Fashion report from July 24. “This is a natural next step for the brand, which has grown to an online audience of 8 million, extending its voice and vision with video and social content. We will continue to invest in this platform as the brand grows and evolves into one that is more [digitally centric.]”

Like most print publications, O magazine has suffered a dramatic decrease in newsstand sales. And the COVID-19 pandemic has made sales plummet even further.

Launched in 2000, O magazine, a joint venture between Hearst and Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Productions, at its peak reached a circulation of over 3 million, including 1 million newsstands copies sold each month. In 2019, the magazine’s monthly circulation fell to 2.3 million; however, monthly newsstands sales fell to 228,989.

“I’m proud of this team and what we have delivered to our readers over the past 20 years,” said Oprah, as reported in the nypost.com. “I look forward to the next step in our evolution.”

—William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: CFDA 2020 Nominees, Erika Jayne Sells Wardrobe, and Stella McCartney Restructures

July 23, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of cfda.org

On September 14, the CFDA will hold its annual CFDA Awards. Postponed from earlier this year, the CFDA Award winners will be announced on cfda.com and the CFDA media platforms.

“In this time of unprecedented challenge and change for our industry, we feel very strongly that it is important to recognize the nominees representing the best of fashion creativity,” said Tom Ford, chairman of the CFDA, in a statement, as reported on harpersbazaar.com. “We look forward to returning to an in-person celebration honoring the American fashion industry in 2021.”

There are no great surprises with the CFDA Awards nominees this year. This year’s nominees are designers/brands that have nominated in past or won before. And though the CFDA released a press release in June in support of Black Lives Matter and vowing to support designers of color, especially black fashion designers, the CFDA has not named any new black fashion designers to their list of nominees this year.

The list of nominees this season include, but are not limited to, the following:

American Womenswear Designer of the Year

Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford, Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen for The Row, Gabriela Hearst, and Brandon Maxwell

American Menswear Designer of the Year

Kerby Jean-Raymond for Pyer Moss, Thom Browne, Emily Adams Bode for Bode, Todd Snyder, and Tom Ford

Global Men’s Designer of the Year

Craig Green, Dries Van Noten, Jonathan Anderson for Loewe, Kim Jones for Dior, and Virgil Abloh for Louis Vuitton

Global Women’s Designer of the Year

Daniel Lee for Bottega Veneta, Dries Van Noten, Miuccia Prada for Prada, Pierpaolo Piccioli for Valentino, and Rick Owen

Image courtesy of dezeen.com

Trouble for Stella

The COVID-19 pandemic is causing Stella McCartney to restructure her company. The company is a part of LVMH’s cohort of brands, and this restructure will include workforce layoffs, salary cuts, and store closures, as reported by WWD.

Launched in 2001 by Stella McCartney through a joint venture with French luxury holding company Kering, McCartney bought back Kering’s controlling interest in the brand in 2018. After experiencing financial losses of 10.8 million dollars in 2018, McCartney got an investment of cash and a minority share from LVMH in July of 2019.

With the slowdown of sales and slow opening of stores due to the COVID-19 lockdown, the brand is now forced to reduce salaries “for an extended period” and McCartney has decided to forgo a salary. McCartney’s network of 50 stores will be reduced through the conversion of certain stores into franchise locations and partnerships with wholesale distributors. 

Image courtesy of broadway.com

Erika Jayne cleans out her closet

“Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’” Erika Jayne has partnered with Vestiaire Collective to sell 50 items from her wardrobe. Vestiaire Collective is an online site that sells pre-owned luxury clothes and accessories.

 Some of the pieces that will be sold from Erika Jayne’s collection include Moschino, Alexander McQueen Balmain, Rodarte, and more with prices ranging from $200 to $3000. “Whether on camera or not, I am always drawn to theatrical looks,” Jayne says. “Obviously, showtime is showtime! When I’m at home, things are a little less dramatic.”

—William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: Olivia Culpo Lands Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover, Viola Davis’ Vanity Fair Cover, and Farfetch Partners with Fenty

July 16, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of DIY Photography

Times they are a changing, well, kind of. In 2019, Beyoncé was able to have her photographer of choice, a black photographer, shoot her cover for Vogue magazine, and now Academy Award-winning actress Viola Davis is following suit.

For her recent cover for Vanity Fair, Davis got to choose the photographer that she wanted, a black photographer, to shoot the cover and images within the publication. This happened to be the first time a black photographer shot the cover of Vanity Fair.

The photographer of this historic moment is Dario Calmese. The Vanity Fair cover is his first major magazine cover.

“Our mission at Vanity Fair is to capture the zeitgeist,” Vanity Fair Editor-in-chief Rahdika Jones writes in her editor’s letter, as reported in fashionweekdaily. “We feel that responsibility especially keenly at this moment, when it seems as if our ways of seeing each other may be shifting, finally. What can one person’s face on a magazine cover accomplish, in this context? It can add to our pantheon of people whose work and ambition we aspire to. That is no small thing.”

 “This is [Calmese’s] first major magazine cover, and we celebrate him and honor his vision at this heightened moment in American history,” writes Jones. “No amount of praise or censure affects me, in my current role, so much as the hope that our choices might inspire a young person—a future actor, director, photographer, writer—to pursue their own creative vision or imagine [themselves] in our pages,” continues Jones.

Image courtesy of usweekly.com

Olivia Culpo keeps busy

Olivia Culpo is one of those actress/models who always seems to keep busy. The former Miss USA and Miss Universe has acquired a very high honor, the cover of the 2020 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue. Culpo shares the cover with supermodels Kate Bock and Jasmine Sanders.

“This is still so exciting for me,” the 28-year-old model/actress—who’s been in the mag three years in a row now—told The Post. “I created a vision board years ago to get into the magazine.”

All three cover models are veterans of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue. And they are all friends. “I have been friends with them for a very long time,” Culpo says, as reported in The Post. “During the shoot, we were so kind to each other and wanted to make sure each of us was comfortable.”

Image courtesy of lofficielarabia.com

Fenty and Farfetch

Rihanna’s fashion brand, Fenty, has announced a retail partnership with Farfetch. Farfetch is not the only online retailer to carry Fenty outside of the Fenty’s own website. Fenty is financially backed by LVMH.

Giorgio Belloli, chief commercial and sustainability officer at Farfetch commented, “We are thrilled to welcome Fenty to the Farfetch platform. We’ve long admired Fenty’s innovative approach to luxury fashion retail and the way they champion inclusivity for customers.” 

“Fenty was looking for a retail partner to double-down on its digital-first business model and with our global customer base and industry-leading platform model, it’s an ideal opportunity to work together,” Belloli continued as detailed in fashionnetwork.com.

Fenty’s launch with Farfetch is the third drop of Fenty’s 6-20 collection, which commemorates the irrepressible creativity, hope, and spirit of the youth community. 

—William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: Sports Illustrated’s First Trans Model, Brooks Brothers Files for Bankruptcy, and Virgil Abloh’s Scholarship Fund

July 9, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of usweekly.com

The month of July is turning out to be a month of change. Several US cities are having serious conversations about defunding the police, and some US cities have even passed legislature to put police defunding in place. Also, several US cities are tearing down Confederate monuments.

Add to this incredible restructuring of police forces, and re-examinations of American history, Sports Illustrated has tapped into this era of change by putting the first transgender model in the coveted Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition. Trans model Valentina Sampaio will appear in the upcoming 2020 swimwear issue which will be available on July 21. Sampaio joins rookies Lorena Duran, Kim Riekenberg, Brooks Nader, Marquita Pring, Anita Marshall, Hyunjoo Hwang, and Josephine Skriver.

“The team at [Sports Illustrated] has created yet another groundbreaking issue by bringing together a diverse set of multitalented, beautiful women in a creative and dignified way, ”Sampaio says, as reported in fashionweekdaily.com. “I was born trans in a remote, humble fishing village in northern Brazil. Brazil is a beautiful country, but it also hosts the highest number of violent crimes and murders against the trans community in the world—three times that of the U.S.”

 “Being trans usually means facing closed doors to peoples’ hearts and minds. We face snickers, insults, fearful reactions and physical violations just for existing. Our options for growing up in a loving and accepting family, having a fruitful experience at school or finding dignified work are unimaginably limited and challenging. I recognize that I am one of the fortunate ones, and my intention is to honor that as best I can,” adds Sampaio.

“We are deeply moved that Valentina was willing to put her trust in us and we didn’t think twice about wanting to amplify her voice, her message and give her a platform to advocate from on behalf of her personal aspirations and the trans community,” MJ Day, editor of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, says. “That is what we can do as a brand, especially during these uncertain times- support her and celebrate her.”

Image courtesy of thinknummedia.com

Bankruptcy for Brooks Brothers

In case you didn’t know, Brooks Brothers has been in existence for over 200 years. Unfortunately, the legendary menswear brand is on the precipice of closing. 

On Wednesday, Brooks Brothers requested protection from its creditors in a Delaware bankruptcy courts. Brooks Brothers is currently looking for a buyer and closing 50 of its stores. As reported in the Wall Street Journal, WHP Global and Sparc Group LLC are poised to put in a bid for the menswear brand. If either one of the firms acquires Brook Brothers, either firm has confirmed that they will keep most of the Brooks Brothers’ stores open and shepherd the menswear firm through it Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.

Brooks Brothers was founded in 1818 by Henry Sands Brooks and has dressed 41 out of 45 US presidents.

Image courtesy of high.org

Virgil Abloh gives back

Virgil Abloh has announced a $1 million scholarship fun for African American creatives. Abloh has come under intense scrutiny and criticism by many in the African American community for recent comments about not feeling connected to African Americans though the Ghanaian American designer is a native of Chicago. Also, Abloh was criticized for contributing only $50 to defense funds for Black Lives Matters protesters.

The Virgil Abloh “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund is financially funded by Abloh, Louis Vuitton, Farfetch, Avian, and New Guards Group. The Abloh Scholarship will work in conjunction with the Fashion Scholarship Fund—in operation since 1937—which creates opportunities for young American fashion creatives.

“By the metrics we’re projecting, we’ll put 100 kids, Black kids, through a wide spectrum of educational institutions. I started as a 17-year-old kid whose parents wanted him to be an engineer, but I wanted to be a fashion designer … I’m 39 years old and it’s taken me that time to work to get here and prove my pedigree and to be in a position to activate change, says Abloh, as reported in vogue.com.”

Abloh continues, “A benefit of this uprising is that we are paying attention to systemic problems … we can’t move on … It’s time for us not to make this industry about fashion, but about people… And I’ve been pouring that into my own work. I’m looking at this as a call to action for me to take on more challenges that don’t only end up on the runway, but that end up changing people’s lives.”

—William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: NYFWS Goes Digital, Shoppers Return to NYC Luxury Stores, and Kylie and Kendall Accused of Not Paying Workers

July 2, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of newyorkfashionweek.com

New York Fashion Week: The Shows (NYFWS) is going forward with its spring 2021 fashion season. But there are some substantial changes. NYFWS has been cut down from six days to three days and the entire season will be digital.

The CFDA felt that these adjustments to the NYFWS was necessarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We can fit the same amount of shows into three days because of no need for travel time in between the shows,” Mark Beckham, CFDA vice president of marketing and events, told WWD.

“First and foremost, protecting the health and well-being of our teams and ourselves, and stabilizing business operations. With that in mind, the CFDA is currently reviewing all upcoming important dates including New York Fashion Week and market dates,” explained the CFDA in a press release.

NYFWS spring 2021 season will take place September 14 through September 16.

Image courtesy of stylecaster.com

Kendall and Kylie stiff workers

Garment workers in Bangladesh claim that Kylie and Kendall Jenner have not paid them for their manufacture of the Kendall + Kylie fashion brand. Remake, a nonprofit dedicated to creating an ethical fashion industry, alleged in a recent article that the Kendall +Kylie fashion brand “refused to pay its garment suppliers for orders produced in February and March following a drop in sales caused by the coronavirus pandemic,”[ leaving factory workers] “starving around the world.” Kendall + Kylie is owned by Global Brands Group (GBG).

The Kendall + Kylie team addressed the issue on Instagram claiming that the brand is no longer owned by GBG by by the Canadian holding company, 3072541 Canada Inc. “We know that these are trying times for the fashion industry and garment workers as a whole, and we continue to support all of our partners working in the factories who produce our products. We manufacture in countries all over the world and have not received any concerns from the factories who produce our goods,” the post said on Instagram.

Remake has reached out to the Kendall + Kylie brand for a continued dialogue about this concern.

Image courtesy of nypost.com

NYC luxury stores reopen

Tiffany & Co., Nordstrom Inc., and Saks Fifth Avenue opened their New York City flagship stores on Wednesday. As these luxury stores reopen, there is a huge amount of luxury product that has been heavily discounted. All this goes to the advantage of shoppers who can make out like bandits on all the unsold inventory.

That said; some luxury brands like Chanel, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton have increased prices on product to make up for all the money lost due to the COVID-19 shutdown. “It’s no longer good enough to look at how sales are versus a year ago. We need to look now week by week” by keeping tabs on how stores are performing, foot traffic and unemployment figures, said NPD Group’s chief industry analyst, Marshal Cohen in a recent fashionnetwork.com article.

Many NYC luxury stores are taking into consideration that many luxury consumers fled NYC for the Hamptons and other summer enclaves in mid-March as the NYC became a COVID-19 hotspot. Also, with tourism very low in NYC due to the COVID-19 pandemic, luxury retailers realize they are still going to have challenges moving luxury goods

—William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: Halima Aden’s New Gig, Michael Kors Cancels NYFW Show, and Diane von Furstenberg Layoffs

June 18, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of essence.com

Fashion model Halima Aden has a new job. Aden has been named diversity editor-at-large at Vogue Arabia. Her duties will include a monthly column highlighting “hard-hitting social topics, inspiring personalities, and committed organizations with impactful work.”

In 2017, Aden was the first model to grace the cover of Vogue in a hajib. Aden was also the first model to walk the runway during New York Fashion Week (NYFW) wearing a hajib. Additionally, Aden won The Daily’s Breakthrough Model award at The Fashion Media Awards in September 2019.

“Now, more than ever, using my voice and personal experiences to educate others is at the forefront of my agenda,” Aden said in a statement. “It is with great pride that I join the team at Vogue Arabia as diversity editor at large. I look forward to sharing content ranging from human rights issues to race and diversity, acceptance, and inclusion.”

“Although Vogue Arabia has always celebrated an inclusive policy—both in its editorial line and team—I believe that in order to create content that is truly effective and meaningful, we need extra support from someone who embodies the values of our time and understands the struggles and all the layers of the topics that society is discussing now,” Manuel Arnaut, Vogue Arabia editor-in-chief said, as reported in dailyfrontrow.com.  “That motivated me to invite Halima Aden to join our team as diversity editor at large, helping us to better curate topics and continue our history of catalyzing meaningful discussions on themes relating to equality, inclusion, and human rights. I’m excited to continue our journey together.”

Image courtesy of adweek.com

Diane von Furstenberg repositions her brand

As Diane von Furstenberg commits to becoming a digital brand, the esteemed brand has laid off most of its staff, closing all but one of its brick-and-mortar stores. The layoffs will affect most of Furstenberg’s 400-plus employees, leaving only the brand’s meat packing store open.

The Diane von Furstenberg fashion brand has been struggling financially for some time with several changes in leadership. The current CEO Sandra Campos recently resigned.

The brand is refocusing its energies toward China, following a trend by many high-end fashion brands. According to a report in The State of Fashion 2020, China contributes to 38 % of growth in the fashion industry. Since 2012, China has contributed to 70% of growth in fashion and this trend is expected to continue into 2025, as reported in fashionnetwork.com.

Images of Michael Kors fall 2020 collection courtesy of tom+lorenzo.com

NYFW no-show

As tongues wag and rumors continue about the future of NYFW, Michael Kors recently announced that he will forego presenting during NYFW. Kors will present his spring 2021 collection in a presentation format at another location sometime in mid-October at a location not yet revealed. Kors may return to the NYFW roster in February 2021.

The brand has also decided to return its collection to just two major collections a year, spring/summer and fall/winter. “I have for a long time thought that the fashion calendar needs to change. It’s exciting for me to see the open dialogue within the fashion community about the calendar—from Giorgio Armani to Dries Van Noten to Gucci to YSL to major retailers around the globe—about ways in which we can slow down the process and improve the way we work. We’ve all had time to reflect and analyze things, and I think many agree that it’s time for a new approach for a new era,” expressed Kors in a release in a recent fashionnetwork.com article. 

Kors is one among a host of designers/fashion brands that are re-examining the fashion calendars and making key decisions about how they present their collections. A manifesto released by Marine Serre of Dries Van Noten explained the need for change in the fashion industry and market. The manifesto asked for a reduction in production, travel and promotions, as well as more ecofriendly runway shows. The manifesto was signed a several small fashion houses and Chloé, Thom Browne, Y/Project, Lemaire, Alexandre Mattiussi, Nordstrom, Bergdorf Goodman, Selfridges, and Harvey Nichols.

—William S. Gooch

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