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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