Fashion News Alert: Marc Jacobs Adds Model to His Portfolio, GAP Closes More Stores, and Julian Woodhouse Competes

January 29, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of fashionista.com

Marc Jacobs has a new job!! Jacobs has a long and extensive resume from successful fashion designer of a slew of eponymous fashion brands to being the former creative director of Louis Vuitton to being a fashion celebrity.

Well, Jacobs can now add to job to his long list of accomplishments, fashion model. Jacobs, along with legendary British actress Charlotte Rampling, is the new face of Givenchy spring 2020 campaign.

The campaign was photographed by Craig McDean and also includes a short film. In the film Rampling slaps Jacobs while the two face off. The Givenchy spring 2020 campaign drops on November 29.

Image courtesy of doyouremember.com

More store closings

This past Sunday, The Gap Inc. closed 40 stores. These stores were located in the US, the UK, and Canada. Closed locations include Gap stores in Tuscon, Arizona; Emeryville, California; Long Beach, California; Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; Toronto, Canada; London, England; and Perth, Scotland, among others. These store closings were a part of The Gap Inc. restructuring plan which includes closing 230 stores over the next two years.

This 2019 restructuring plan includes closing Old Navy stores in China, while focusing more of Old Navy and Athleta stores in the North America with more brick-and-mortar stores in the US and Canada. Of all the Gap Inc. stores brands, Old Navy is the most successful.

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Julian Woodhouse competes on Netflix

Menswear fashion designer Julian Woodhouse is among the list of competitors on Netflix‘s new fashion reality show, “Next in Fashion.” There are eighteen designers on the 10-episode “Next in Fashion,” with Alexa Chung and Tan France. The winner receives USD$250,000 and can debut a collection with Net-a-Porter, a luxury fashion retailer.
Julian Woodhouse launched his menswear line, WOODHOUSE Army, in 2015 while serving in the US military in Seoul Korea as a lieutenant. WOODHOUSE Army has consistently been shown during New York Fashion Week: Men’s.

“Next in Fashion” debuts on Netflix on January 29, 2020.
William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: Conde Nast to Shutter Glamour, LL Cool J’s Fashion Tease, Halston’s New Chief Creative Officer, and Margiela Collabs with Reebok

January 23, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Photo by Anthony Behar/FOX/PictureGroup/Shutterstock (10516039bu)

Rap Artist/Actor LL Cool J aka Todd Smith is making a fashion comeback. His eponymous fashion Todd Smith by LL Cool J was carried by Sears and some other mega retail stores in 2008. And though LL Cool J’s first fashion line didn’t break any retail records and was discontinued almost as soon as it launched, the rap icon did not get a sour fashion taste in his mouth, so to speak.

LL is back with a new fashion line, named at his first hit rap song, “Rock the Bells.” This retro fashion line—which stays true to the rap traditions of Slick Rick, Curtis Blow, and Big Daddy Kane—will be a limited run of apparel.

We’re staying true to where the culture came from, but reimagined for now,” explained LL Cool J. “Two years ago, I launched my radio station #RockTheBellsSXM CH43 on #SiriusXM,” the artist wrote on the social media platform, as reported on fashionnetwork.com. “And one week from now, we will release our first limited edition collection of RTB products.”

The Rock The Bells collection will be available January 28 and will include 80s-styled hoodies, tee shirts, and record label-branded varsity jackets. About his new fashion line, LL Cool J contends, “I’m an MC. I’m a product of the culture, I represent the culture, so I’m lifting up the culture!!!”

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Au revoir Glamour

It appears that Condé Nast is about to shutter another print publication. On Wednesday, the French agency AFP confirmed that Condé Nast has intentions of closing down Glamour magazine.

“Following a painstaking assessment, Condé Nast France can confirm it intends to close down Glamour. The process will involve consultations with staff over a period of several months,” a Mind Media newsletter confirmed. According the newsletter Glamour is closing due to financial concerns.

In an attempt to deal with its dwindling readership, in 2018 Glamour switched to bi-monthly publishing. However, sales continued to decline, falling to 120,000 copies which was down from 220,000 copies in 2017, according to ACPM.

In the US and UK, Glamour has already converted to an online publication, while the Italian edition closed in 2019. Glamour is published in France.

Image couresy of fillermagazine.com

Halston’s new boss

The Halston brand continues to shake things up. The brand has experienced several creative directors since its eponymous founder, Roy Halston Frowick, passed away in 1990. And some of the former heads are quite illustrious—Sarah Jessica Parker to Tamara Mellon to Rachel Zoe.

Now the iconic label has a new chief creative officer, Robert Rodriguez. “I always thought Robert Rodriguez was the perfect choice for leading the Halston brand,” said Andrea Scoli, president of Halston. “Having worked with him for so many years, I truly felt that his aesthetic and vision for Halston would be an asset to us in supporting our future growth.”

Robert Rodriguez got his start in fashion working for Christian Dior under Marc Bohan in 1990. In 2003, Rodriguez launched his eponymous fashion line.

 “I am honored and delighted to be part of Halston,” Rodriguez said in a statement, as reported on fashionweekdaily.com. “Roy Halston Frowick was the creator of luxury American fashion. It is with great respect and admiration that I continue to lead the legacy and his iconic signature.”

Image courtesy of complex.com

Galliano collabs

John Galliano has scored a collaboration. Well, that is his first with Maison Margiela—where has been the creative director since 2014. This also marks the first time Galliano has collaborated with a mainstream brand.  

For Galliano’s collaboration with sneaker giant Reebok, Galliano is bringing back Maison Margiela’s tabi shoe, first shown in 1988. But this time in sneaker form.

The Margiela x Reebok sneaker made its debut at Margiela’s recent couture collection. The sneaker shoe is unisex with the classic tabi split toe and comes in yellow. The sneaker will in Maison Margiela stores later in the year in a variety of colors and in flat and heeled styles.

—William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: Jean-Paul Gaultier Retires from Haute Couture, Sofia Carson’s New Gig, Harper’s Bazaar’s Glenda Bailey Steps Down

January 16, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of pagesix.com

Jean-Paul Gaultier is ending his haute couture career. On Thursday, Gaultier announced that is end his extraordinary career in haute couture. Gaultier’s fashion career has spanned 50 years, with his next couture show taking place at the Theatre du Chatelet on January 22 being his last couture show.

“It’s going to be quite a party with many of my friends and we’re gonna have fun until very, very late,” says Gaultier. “Now I am going to share something with you. This will be my last Haute Couture show. Be there! You can’t miss this.”

That said; Gaultier’s haute couture collections will continue without Gaultier being at the helm. Stay tuned … Gautier Paris will go on; the Haute Couture continues!” Gaultier promised, “I have a new concept. I’ll tell you all about it later … all the little secrets. Bisou!”

Image courtesy of harpersbazaar.com

Glenda is moving on
Long-time Harper’s Bazaar editor-in-chief Glenda Bailey has stepped down after 19 years. As of March 1, Bailey will take on a new role as a global consultant for Harper’s Bazaar‘s 29 global editions.

Bailey become Harper’s Bazaar’s editor-in-chief in 2001 and is credited for turning the monthly fashion publication around. “I’ve wanted Bazaar to be a party that everyone is invited to, and I thank my incredibly talented team for helping me do just that,” said Bailey, “Fashion and beauty are my career and my hobby—there’s nothing that inspires me more.”

Before Bailey became editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar, Bailey in 1988 saw the launch of the British edition of Marie Claire.

Image courtesy of twitter.com

A new job for Sofia Carson
Actress/Singer Sofia Carson has a new job. Carson has been named a brand ambassador for Revlon.

“The heart of what Revlon speaks to is the woman I was raised to be—from Audrey [Hepburn] to Adwoa [Aboah] to Ashley Graham, they’re not only beautiful faces but philanthropists and activists,” Carson told WWD in an interview as reported in fashionnetwork.com.

WWD also reports that Carson will be the brand ambassador for Revlon’s Super Lustrous’ lipstick and Super Stay foundation along with top models Ashley Graham and Adwoa Aboah.

Sofia Carson has 15.5 followers on Instagram. Carson is known for her role on “Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionist.”
—William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: Taraji Henson to Launch Haircare Line, Frank Ocean’s Prada Menswear Campaign, Billy Porter Media Blitz, and Jimmy Choo’s New Men’s Fragrance

January 9, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of hereisthebuzz.com

If winning an Emmy is not enough for Taraji Henson, then launching a haircare line may satiate Henson’s need to continue to explore creative and economic opportunities outside of the entertainment industry. Henson’s haircare brand, TPH by Taraji, is set to officially launch in Target stores on January 29.

TPH by Taraji is an 18-piece series that will include cleansing and care, repair, treatment stylers, and scalp-care products, all designed for different hair types and hair textures. “I know that if I didn’t go into acting, I would have been a cosmetologist,” Henson told People magazine about her new haircare venture.

Image courtesy of fashionista.com

Billy Porter proliferation

In case you haven’t noticed, Billy Porter is everywhere. From the 2019 Met Gala to a plethora of red-carpet and talk show appearances to recently winning an Emmy. Talk about media proliferation!!

“When I get off airplanes now, sometimes “TMZ” is waiting in L.A. I’m going to be dripping in Thom Browne, walking through the airport,” said Porter. “I’m not hiding. Not going to be in a baseball hat. I’m not doing that. I’m going to be proud of what I [f****ng] worked for. I’m here; I’m not hiding in anybody’s corner. Yes, it’s me; I’m not taking no pictures; God bless you.”

Well, Porter can add one more notch to his belt. Porter graces the February 2020 cover of Allure magazine, making him the first man cast on the cover of Allure’s “Art of Beauty” cover. This is a first in the magazine’s 29-year history.

“We’ve had many conversations in our office about the so-called trend of ‘genderless’ beauty,” Editor-in-chief Michelle Lee writes in her editor’s letter, as reported in fashionweekdaily.com. “But a trend implies a flash-in-the-pan birth and death. Plus, beauty (and beauty products) have never had a gender. The LGBTQ+ community has a long, rich history of artistry and experimentation, often using hair and makeup and clothing as their tools.”

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The new face of Prada menswear

The use of celebrities as the face of fashion campaigns continues into 2020. Pop singer Frank Ocean is the face of Prada’s spring 2020 menswear campaign. Prior to this current campaign acquisition, Ocean starred in Calvin Klein’s fall 2016 campaign, and graced the covers of W, Dazed, and GQ magazines in the US, all in 2019.

For the spring 2020 season, Prada is focusing on “duality, multiplicity as constant reinvention and renewal,” as detailed in a recent fashionnetwork.com article. Prada’s spring 2020 menswear campaign was photographed by David Sims.

Image courtesy of fragranceblvd.com

Jimmy Choo’s new fragrance

When you think of Jimmy Choo, images of “Sex and the City’s” Carrie Bradshaw in slamming stilettos, or Amazonian models strutting their stuff on global runways with authority and panache flood your senses. That said; a man’s fragrance is not a part of the brand’s DNA nor does it conjure up images of the Jimmy Choo that we all love and adore.

Well, that’s about to change!! Inspired by street art and the artistic sensibility that lies dormant in every man, Jimmy Choo has released its new fragrance for men, Urban Hero. The Jimmy Choo man of 2020 is daring, yet sensitive, rebellious, yet sophisticated, and always an artist at heart. And this new fragrance speaks to that very guy!!

Designed by perfumers Antoine Maisondieu and Marion Costero, Urban Hero contains notes of lemon caviar and black pepper, as well as heart of rosewood and vetiver. The eau de parfum finishes off with base notes of grey amber and leather accord. “We wanted to create a modern urban signature to capture the spontaneous nature of street art, using blends of colours and textures, the way that street artists do,” explained Masiondieu and Costero.

Urban Hero is sold exclusively at Jimmy Choo and Sephora stores. Prices start at $98.

—William S. Gooch

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Fashion News Alert: Rodarte Returns to NYFW, 2019 US Sales Increase for Holiday Season, and Emanuel Ungaro Dies

December 26, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of nytimes.com

According to Mastercard SpendingPulse, US retail increased by 3.4% for the 2019 holiday shopping season. This occurred from November 1 to December 24. Online sales rose at a faster pace, up 18.8% from last year. Online shopping made up nearly 15% of total retail sales.

According to The New York Times, apparel sales gained 1 percent over 2018 and 17 percent online. Spending on jewelry went up 1.8 percent overall and 8.8 percent online.

As online holiday sales increased in 2019, brick-and-mortar sales didn’t grow nearly as much. In 2019 alone, the retail industry experienced 9,000 brick-and-mortar closings.

Image courtesy of vogue.com

Rodarte returns to Gotham

Based on the CFDA’s preliminary calendar for New York Fashion Week: The Shows (NYFWS) fall 2020 season, after a short hiatus, Rodarte is returning to the NYFWS calendar.

Rodarte last showed during NYFWS in September 2018. Since that time, The Mulleavy sisters, creative directors of the brand, have presented Rodarte collections in Paris and Los Angeles. Kate and Laura Mulleavy, in Rodarte’s absence from NYFWS, have been producing incredible lookbooks for their collections, with some lookbooks being star studded—Kirsten Dunst, Gabrielle Union, Lili Reinhardt, Yalitza Aparicio, and others are featured.

That said; as Rodarte is coming back to the NYFWS calendar, Tom Ford is moving on to greener pastures for the fall 2020 season. Tom Ford will be showing in Los Angeles for the fall 2020 season instead of New York.

Image courtesy of bbc.com

Emanuel Ungaro transitions

This past Saturday Emanuel Ungaro passed away in Paris. He was 86 years old. According to a family member, as told to the AFP, Ungaro had been in a weakened state of health for the last two years.

Born in the south of France to Italian immigrants, Ungaro moved to Paris in 1956, studying under Cristobal Balenciaga. In 1965, Ungaro opened his own couture house in Paris, and opened a women’s ready-to-wear line in 1968, with a men’s line following a few years later. Eventually, his fashion empire would include accessories, fragrances, and eyewear.

“A simple sweater, by the softness of its material, calls for a caress; a dress is cut to move, accompany the body in its movements, show and conceal: because it loves women, Emanuel knows the limits of male tolerance—he will create a garment too beautiful to be torn off, but clever enough to suggest to take it off with tenderness,” said Ungaro, as reported in a fashionnetwork.com.

Emanuel Ungaro retired from fashion in 2004, with Giambattista Valli becoming creative director in 2001 of his company.

—William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: Sally Singer Leaves Vogue, Kate Upton Targeted, and Lagerfeld Bans Fur

December 19, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of vogue.com

There are more major staff defections at Vogue. Long-time Creative Digital Director Sally Singer has left Vogue for other job opportunities. She is being replaced by Stuart Emmerich, in a newly created position, as editor of vogue.com.

Sally Singer joined the Vogue staff in 1999 as fashion news editor, working her way up to her last position at American Vogue as creative digital director. Singer left American Vogue in 2011 to work at T: The New York Times Style Magazine, returning to American Vogue in 2012.

Stuart Emmerich brings to American Vogue a wealth of talent to vogue.com. Before his new position at American Vogue, Emmerich was assistant managing editor at The Los Angeles Times, editor-at-large at The New York Times, senior editor at Times Magazine and executive editor at SmartMoney.

“Stuart brings to Vogue not only his strong journalistic background, but a discerning understanding of the current news climate and a talent for finding new voices,” said Wintour in a press release. “The skills that he has spent his career honing align so well with the vision that we have for [vogue.com], as reported in fashionnetwork.com.” 

Image courtesy of karllagerfeldparis.com

No-fur Karl

Many recognized fashion brands have banned the use of fur from their collections and you can now add Karl Lagerfeld to the growing list of fur-free fashion brands. AM Retail Group, which operates all Karl Lagerfeld’s Paris stores will stop using fur. AM Retail Group  also operates Wilsons Leather, GH Bass & Co, and Calvin Klein Performance stores.

AM Retail Group adds that, “these fur bans are proof that the fashion industry is changing to meet the rising demand for luxury animal-friendly alternatives, as detailed in a fashionnetwork.com report.” Karl Lagerfeld, who died earlier this year, always used lots of fur in his fall/winter collections.

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Kate Upton harassed

Curvy supermodel Kate Upton has been targeted by animal-rights activists. While hosting a Strong4Me fitness class, Upton was rampaged by animal activist for appearing in a Canada Goose campaign.

According to the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), as expressed on their website,  “What many people don’t realize about these garments [Canada Goose] is that the retailer subjects defenseless animals to an agonizing death in order to produce their fur trims and down-feather fillers.”

The uninvited animal-rights activists were carrying a sign that said, “Kate Upton Animal Abuser.” One male animal activist yelled at Upton, “Coyotes get shot in the head and are strangled to death.”

The animal-rights activists were later expelled from the fitness class by security.

William S. Gooch

 

 

Fashion News Alert: Marc Jacobs’ Menswear Is Back, Rihanna Teams Up, Lord & Taylor Returns to NYC, and Slay Model Management Searches for Models

December 12, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of marcjacobs.com

Marc Jacobs menswear is back!! Discontinued in 2017, as Jacobs shuttered his lower-priced, younger and more hip Marc by Marc Jacobs spinoff. Marc Jacobs menswear will be a part of the new The Marc Jacobs more accessible, lower-priced line launched earlier this year.

So far, the recently born-again Marc Jacobs menswear has had a less than auspicious reveal, with a few images from the relaunched menswear line recently released on Instagram. In concept and scope Marc Jacobs menswear is very similar to many current women’s wear garments, relying heavily on gender neutral pieces. The collection contains tees, hoodies, sweaters, tracksuits, jackets, broad-striped knitwear, silk shirts, pullovers, and cashmere pants.

Image courtesy of anothermag.com

Fenty’s first collaboration

Unless you have been living on a desert island, you probably are aware that fashion collaborations are the order of the day. Virgil Abloh has been involved in 18 collaborations—making him the king of collaborations—so far, Disney collabs with a host of designers, and H&M partners with a host of brands, with Giambattista Valli being the latest H&M sellout collab.

Now, Rihanna has jumped into the collaboration fray. Fenty, Rihanna’s LVMH-backed brand, is releasing its first-ever collaboration with ASAI. This will be a limited-edition capsule collection of 24 pieces available exclusively at Selfridge in London.

Rihanna has a relationship with the ASAI for some time, having previously word designer A Sai Tai’s ASAI garments. “Rihanna’s at the vanguard of contemporary culture,” Ta tells British Vogue. “I really respect what it takes to push the envelope in these increasingly competitive times. She’s been an incredible supporter of my work.” 

Image courtesy of glossmagazine.net

Slay hopes to slay the competition

If you are not familiar with Slay Model Management, you should be. Slay Model Management received some household recognition when it was a part of the 2016 reality show “Strut,” which detailed the careers of trans models. Slay Model Management was the agency of choice for the trans models on “Strut.”

 

Well, that was 2016. Now, Slay Model Management is holding its first model search in January. “Slay is not about selling Transness,” explains Cecilio Asuncion, the agency’s founder and director in a fashionweekdaily.com article. “We are selling a young woman’s capability to represent a brand or a designer. Sure, it’s great to be booked during June for Pride month, but what we want is sustainability and opportunities year-round.”

Models can enter the search competition through the company’s website. Twenty-five finalists will be selected to attend a model boot camp in Los Angeles with three winners to be represented by Slay Model Management.

Image courtesy of wsj.com

A smaller, more intimate Lord & Taylor

When Lord & Taylor shuttered its doors on January 2, 2019, no one thought the iconic New York City store would return. Well, surprise, surprise, surprise!!

Lord & Taylor will re-emerge in New York City as a holiday pop-up on 138 Wooster Street. The 2,400-foot pop-up will be open from December 11 through Christmas Eve, offering a range of products from cosmetics, jewelry to Lord & Taylor’s cashmere selects.

Lord & Taylor is now owned by Le Tote and this new pop-up experience is being created to attract a younger more diverse audience that will love the more boutique feel of the pop-up as opposed to the almost cavernous 700,00 square feet former Fifth Avenue flagship location.

—William S. Gooch

 

 

Fashion News Alert: The 2020 Pirelli Calendar, Missoni Pairs Up with Timex, and US Online Sales Increase over the Holiday Weekend

December 4, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Images courtesy of pagesix.com

Images from the 2020 Pirelli calendar have been released. In this 47th edition, the calendar employs the likes of Indya Moore, Yara Shahidi, Kristen Stewart, Emma Watson, Rosalia, Chris Lee, Claire Foy, Stella Roversi, Mia Goth, and other celebrities and entertainers.

Shot by famed Italian fashion photographer Paolo Roversi, the 2020 “Looking for Juliet” calendar was unveiled in Verona on Monday.  Photographed in Verona and Paris, Roversi drew inspiration from Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.”

“I was looking for a pure soul, someone full of innocence that combined strength, beauty, tenderness and courage,” says Roversi in a statement. “I found this in the glimmer of an eye, in the gestures and words of Emma and Yara, Indya and Mia and in the smiles and tears of Kristen and Claire … in the voices and chants of Chris and Rosalía. In Stella we have the innocence.” He concludes: There’s a Juliet in every woman. And I will never stop looking for her.”

The 2020 Pirelli Calendar comes in at 132 pages, accompanied by sections of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet. Fifty-eight pages of the calendar capture the story of “Romeo and Juliet,” as well as the city of Verona.

Image courtesy of wwd.com

Timex keeps on ticking with Missoni

Famed Italian brand, Missoni, has formed a licensing agreement with the Timex Group for the creation, development and distribution of a line of watches. The timepieces will be available in Missoni boutiques beginning in the fall of 2020.

“I am particularly proud of the debut of this new line of watches, which adds a new, important element to the mosaic of the Missoni world. Today more than ever, the watch is a fashion accessory able to express the style of the wearer, showing their taste and personality. We will bring a touch of color to the time of our customers”, says Angela Missoni, President and Creative Director of Missoni.

“I am sure that Timex Group, with its long-time experience and proven competence, will be able to enhance Missoni’s creativity. Together, we will carry out a great project, taking the thrilling opportunity to approach new consumers and convey to them our exclusive message through these [time pieces”] confirms Michele Norsa, Missoni Vice President and FSI Industrial Partner.

“We are thrilled to add an iconic brand like Missoni to Timex Group Luxury Division. We look forward to combining our expertise in luxury watchmaking with the iconic designs of Missoni and to bring a watch collection, which expresses the multicolor aesthetic and contemporary luxury vision of the brand, to consumers around the world”, says Tobias Reiss-Schmidt, President & CEO of Timex Group.

Image courtesy of cnbc.com

They shopped til they almost dropped

According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), US consumers spent more over the 2019 Thanksgiving holiday weekend than in previous seasons. A survey from the NRF found that nearly 190 million shoppers made purchases over the five-day holiday shopping period which includes Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday. This was an increase of 14% compared to a year ago. Additionally, shoppers spent $361.90, up 16% compared to $313.29 a year ago.

“Americans continue to start their holiday shopping earlier in the year, and Thanksgiving is still a critical weekend for millions,” NRF Chief Executive Officer Matt Shay said, as reports in fashionnetwork.com. “With the condensed holiday season, consumers are feeling the pressure to get their shopping done in time.”

NRF also found that 124 million people shopped in brick and mortars with roughly 142 million shopped on retailers’ websites. With many websites offering early holiday promotion deals and year-round discount, the shift from brick and mortars to online shopping continues to be the trend.

Craig Johnson, president of retail consultancy Consumer Growth Partners contends that over the holiday weekend stores sales grew by 3% while online sales rose by 14% from last year. Johnson explained that sales were led by the “Big Four” mega-retailers—Walmart, Amazon, Costco, and Target, and “both Black Friday and the full weekend reached record levels…”

—William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: Yves Saint Laurent Jacket Breaks Auction Records, American Eagle Closes Japanese Stores, and Goodbye Italian Glamour Magazine

November 27, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Image courtesy of theguardian.co.uk

The Yves Saint Laurent jacket inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s “Irises”recently sold at a Christie’s auction for $420,000 ($380,000 euros). The jacket was expected to sell for $80,000- to $120,000 euros; however, sold for much more. The jacket was bought by the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia.

The jacket was from Yves Saint Laurent’s spring 1988 collection and reportedly worn by Naomi Campbell.  According to Yves Saint Laurent museum website, The bright yellow and orange jacket took haute couture embroiderers Maison Lesage more than 600 hours to stitch by hand.

Before auction, the jacket was owned by one of the richest women in the world, Lebanese-born entrepreneur Mouna Ayoub. And this sell makes the “Sunflowers” jacket the highest amount paid at auction for a French designer.

Image courtesy of apparelresources.com

Japanese shutdown

At the end of December all American Eagle and Aerie stores will close in Japan. Aoyama Trading Co., the Japanese licensing company that launched Aerie and American Eagle stores in Japan in 2013 under its franchise Eagle Retailing, has decided to focus its clothing directives on business wear.

Aoyama Trading’s licensing agreement will end with American Eagle at the end of December. All stores will close by December 18 with the Japanese e-commerce site shutting down on December 31.

Image courtesy of flickr.com

Another one bites the dust

The Italian version of Glamour is shutting down with the December/January issue being the last issue. Condé Nast is shutter Italian Glamour after the magazine being in existence for 27 years.

“My main concern now is to create products able to accompany our public in the future,” says Fedele Usai, CEO of Condé Nast Italy in a fashionweekdaily.com article. “We have to take hard decisions, including closing a storied title like Glamour, which has always talked to an audience that, now and even more in the future, accesses contents in very different ways than in the past.”

The closing of Italian Glamour is a clear indication of how fashion and beauty publications are still struggling globally with international versions of Vogue, Glamour, and Harper’s Bazaar closing in various countries over the past few years. One wonders how the major versions of these hallowed behemoths are surviving!!

William S. Gooch

Fashion News Alert: Joan Collins’ Stars in Valentino Holiday Campaign, Kylie Jenner Signs Deal with Coty, and Italian Sweatshop Linked to European Luxury Brands

November 20, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Photo courtesy of independent.co.uk

At 86 years young, Dame Joan Collins is not letting any grass grow under her feet. Collins stars in Valentino’s Christmas campaign video, giving the Italian luxury brand her special brand of diva glam. In the video, Joan Collins dons a lacy red off-the-shoulder gown with evening gloves. She is beautifully accessorized in a diamond tiara.

In a recent Instagram post, the brand states, “[a] holiday party wouldn’t be complete without a dinnertime surprise from a special someone.” The holiday video ends with Collins hiding behind a fan and in a grand diva moment declares, “[y]ou know I enjoy my own company as much as you do.”

That’s right Joan, we do enjoy your company, especially around the holidays!!

Photo courtesy of elle.com

Kylie Jenner increases her wealth

For a 22-year old, Kylie Jenner is making a lot of moves. Kylie’s very lucrative beauty company, Kylie Cosmetics, has been sold to Coty for a reported $600 million dollars. Kylie Cosmetics is one of the fastest growing cosmetics lines in the country.

With this new deal Kylie will continue to helm the creative direction of Kylie Cosmetics when it comes to product and communication initiatives. Coty will manage R&D, manufacturing, distribution, commercial, and go-to-market strategies aimed to facilitate growth. Coty will also act as a licensee for skincare, fragrances, and nail products.

“I look forward to continuing the creativity and ingenuity for each collection that consumers have come to expect and engaging with my fans across social media. This partnership will allow me and my team to stay focused on the creation and development of each product while building the brand into an international beauty powerhouse,” Jenner commented, as reported in a fashionnetwork.com article.

“Combining Kylie’s creative vision and unparalleled consumer interest with Coty’s expertise and leadership in prestige beauty products is an exciting next step in our transformation and will leverage our core strengths around fragrances, cosmetics and skincare, allowing Kylie’s brands to reach their full potential,” detailed Coty CEO Pierre Laubies.

Photo courtesy of twitter.com

Union busting

Hearst employees are attempting to unionize. However, some employees are claiming that Hearst executives are encouraging staffers to withdraw their union cards. Some staffers are even claiming that Hearst execs have expressed that unionization is “as a threat to Hearst’s company culture and values.”

“They told me, verbatim, that if I didn’t trust them, I didn’t have to work there,” an anonymous staffer told Intelligencer, as reported in the fashionweekdaily.com. “They’re playing really, really nasty in a way that is very upsetting to a lot of people because we work very, very hard for the company.”

In case it isn’t known, the pay scale at most print publications is shamefully low—except for executive staff—even though revenue at top print publications is way into the hundreds of millions. And unlike Conde Nast, Hearst’s money coffers are quite deep!!

Photo courtesy of businessoffashion.com

Caught red handed

Italian authorities recently discovered and arrested the boss of a manufacturing company in Naples, Italy that was employing undocumented workers making leather good for several top European luxury brands. The factory in question, Moreno Srl, located in Melito, a suburb of Naples made luxury bags and shoes big fashion holding companies that include Armani, Kering’s Saint Laurent, and LVMH’s Fendi.

When the factory was searched by Italian police, 50 undocumented workers were found, including two teenagers and a pregnant woman. As reported in Reuters, “[t]he manufacturing district around Melito is seen as China, where production is decentralized from European industry due to low costs and poor workers’ rights,” explained Rosario Pagliuca, attorney for Moreno Srl owner Vincenzo Capezzuto,

Moreno Srl is a subcontracting factory that makes luxury goods for some of the biggest European luxury brands. And like many subcontractors, the larger luxury brands/groups do not enforce labor, health and safety rules for the workers at these subcontracting factories.

“ …. the production chain at times is too long. It happens that the original suppliers subcontract to other companies, without the brands knowing,” a person working in the luxury industry quietly told Reuters. Vincenzo Capezzuto is currently under house arrest on charges of illegal employment and abduction.

—William S. Gooch

 

 

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