THE NEW FASHION EMPIRE
Sales at Zara’s parent company Inditex are holding steady, albeit slowing from pandemic peaks, with sales up 9% during the holiday season from November 1 to December 9.
That’s still below the 14% sales surge seen at the start of last year’s holiday shopping season, however. The news sent shares down 6.5% in Wednesday trading after the news broke. Zar is taking market share from the LVMH-owned brands.
CHANEL CHINESE STYLE
These Chinoiserie give us a luxury without doubt, and without doubt, there is no mystery, and without mystery, there is no more dream. Here the public, brain in hand, film and look through the prism of their mobile phone, and even the AI will not make this collection a sublime moment.
THE QUEEN OF TAX
T
he Alexander McQueen brand is the subject of a tax probe by Italian authorities, Kering announced on Monday. Kering and the company are confident that their operating mode is correct and are pursuing these discussions constructively, it said.
Italy’s financial police allege that Alexander McQueen failed to declare between 60 million euros and 70 million euros in taxable income between 2016 and 2022, leading Florence prosecutors to open an investigation.
To settle an investigation into Gucci’s tax payments related to its Italy sales between 2011 and 2017, the conglomerate paid the Italian Revenue Agency a total of 1.25 billion euros in 2019. Italian tax authorities claim Kering intentionally avoided Italian taxes by directly operating a Swiss subsidiary named Luxury Goods International to distribute Gucci products in Italy. Continue reading
A NICHE MARKET
A woman flew from Australia to meet master perfumer in the South of France. A lover of fragrance, she wanted a made-to-measure perfume. But more than having it just for herself, the client hoped the scent would ultimately be passed down to her granddaughters, to stir up memories of her. A small selection of perfumers are offering bespoke services to people from the world over. Just don’t ask who the clients are Confidentiality the rich aren’t secretive, they’re discreet.
Prices are from 45,000 euros and go up to 100,000 euros-plus. Among major cost contributors are the olfactive ingredients used. Yet still there are often waiting lists for those women and men wanting their own fragrance, since perfumers generally can only accommodate a handful of clients annually. In 1853, Eau de Cologne Impériale was created as a special order for the Empress Eugénie for her marriage to Napoleon III by Pierre François Pascal Guerlain, founder of the perfume house.
In 1933, his grandson Jacques Guerlain developed Sous le Vent for Josephine Baker and six years later conceived Coque d’Or for Sergei Diaghilev, founder of the Ballets Russes to name a few of the made-to-measure creations. A niche market; let’s hope it’s not a doghouse.
FM
A NIGHT IN NEW YORK
In 2024, New York City is looking forward to a repeat performance of last year’s holiday season. The city attracted 4.4 million visitors in 2023 who spent over $500 million and created 14,000 jobs.
New York City is back, as said Arnold… Holidays are a time when millions of people come to our shopping districts from around the world and we can’t wait to welcome them. Our local economy benefits from thousands of jobs and businesses. There were 4.4 million people in town on the weekend before Christmas last year.
The most popular retail hubs in Manhattan were Fifth Avenue, Bryant Park, Times Square, and SoHo, as well as downtown Flushing in Queens and MetroTech in Brooklyn.
A SILVER TIFFANY AND CO
Tiffany & Co. has opened a reimagined boutique at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre, spanning more than 8,000 square feet. According to the American jeweler owned by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the new location reintroduces Tiffany to Canada and showcases the brand’s latest design concept: a luxury and elevated destination featuring exceptional fine jewelry and diamond designs.
The store’s façade fuses heritage and inventiveness, with 32,000 glass bricks framed by polished aluminum panels. Inspired by the concept of “diamonds in the rough,” the design symbolizes Tiffany’s expertise in transforming rough diamonds into jewelry. The arrangement of the glass bricks further enhances the sense of movement, creating a sense of fluidity and dynamism; visitors are greeted by a custom light sculpture designed by architect Hugh Dutton, paying homage to Canada’s national symbol, the maple leaf.
CHANEL IN THE HOMELAND OF COPYCATS
Although Chanel never visited Hangzhou, the Chinese city dubbed “heaven on earth,” she was fascinated by black lacquer. China tops the list of countries producing counterfeit and pirated goods.
A collection that brings together the intricate skills of more than 100 artisans from the house’s subsidiary subsidiaries, including embroiderers, feather workers, florists, goldsmiths, pleaters, shoemakers, hatters, milliners, glove makers and tanners, was designed by the studio team and depicts the fictional life of a traveler, perhaps modeled on Coco herself, a journey not to Germany, but to China. Continue reading
THE LUCKY BUGGER CLIENTS
The empty house Jacquemus is about to launch its own lottery, to attract customers to its empty store of products worthy of the name. I hope that the National Gaming Authority (ANJ) is aware of this.
A coupon of communication after having opened its first store in London, by offering the British to participate in a traditional French bad tea ceremony thinking that the English know nothing about Tea, and to win a “Bisou Chaine” bag, you know the one made in China and bad quality at 550 euros.
It will be on Instagram, that Jacque mumuse announced the news last Friday. And wants to offer his community to be part of the 200 participants drawn at random to attend and play the Jacquemus Lottery. We can say for next year that he will have had 200 clients.
This pinch butt will be held in Paris “in an iconic place, presented by an icon”, probably a supermarket bimbo. It will be on December 5 at 6 p.m. No more informations.
SUITCASE BUILDING IN BIG APPLE
Luxury brand Louis Vuitton has concealed its New York flagship under renovation under a suitcase-like façade and moved into a temporary shop.
From East 57th Street and 5th Avenue a trunk-inspired facade simultaneously covers a temporary location around the corner, with sculptures developed with OMA partner Shohei Shigematsu . As for the next Vuitton hotel on the Champs Elysées in Paris.
A VETERAN PROCTER IN LVMH
Beware of knockoff, sometimes it can be surprising..Dior Creates New Industrial Department, Taps EssilorLuxottica Veteran as Chief Production Officer. The French luxury house vowed to take a larger proportion of its production in-house following a scandal over subcontractors in Italy.
After being hit by a scandal over its subcontractors in Italy earlier this year, Dior is bolstering its in-house production arm. The French luxury house revealed Wednesday the creation of a new industrial department, tasked with strengthening its overall production capacity over the long term and ensuring the continuity of its knowhow.
“It is more important than ever to sustainably support our various production processes at each stage of manufacturing, respecting the ethical regulations in force, overseeing all the house’s activities, while preserving and promoting Dior’s creativity, craftsmanship and exceptional savoir-faire,” said Delphine Arnault, chairman and chief executive officer of Christian Dior Couture.
BACCARAT WHY NOT !
The 260-year-old Maison Baccarat is embarking on a strategic shift with the appointment of Laurence Nicolas as its next CEO.A former executive at #Dior, where she led the watchmaking and fine jewelry division for 17 years, Nicolas has since consolidated her expertise in strategic roles at Sotheby’s and Printemps Haussmann.
Already familiar with #Baccarat through her seat on the Board of Directors since 2018, she succeeds Margareth (Maggie) Henriquez PhD, whose tenure was marked by ambitious modernization initiatives.
This transition comes as Baccarat seeks to strengthen its international presence and capture new audiences in a constantly evolving luxury market. It’s always interesting to watch someone who has arrived in a profession they don’t know and to see if coming from Dior they can manage a crystal factory!
A IDOL FOR KORS
Idol previously ran Michael Kors through a major growth spurt as the brand transformed from small designer to a publicly traded force in the accessible luxury handbag market.
Now he’s taking direct control of a business in the midst of a major turnaround, while keeping his day job as chairman and CEO of parent company Capri Holdings, which also owns Versace and Jimmy Choo.
After 16 years as CEO of Michael Kors, Cedric Wilmotte is leaving the company. Philippa Newman will take on the role of chief product officer at Michael Kors following the changeover. As president of accessories and footwear, Newman has been with the brand for 14 years. Continue reading
MADE IN ITALIARABIA
Sindalah Island, Saudi Arabia’s newest ultra-luxury resort, is preparing to welcome its first visitors. Located at the northern tip of the Red Sea, facing the eastern coast of Egypt, Neom is an exclusive resort destination designed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Gulf’s super-democrat.
Italian architect and designer Luca Dini has been chosen to lead the full design, and the island will feature an 86-berth superyacht marina, yacht and golf clubs, a village, three five-star hotels with over 550 ultra-premium rooms, villas and apartments, 38 restaurants, 51 boutiques and much more, with LVMH not to be outdone.
CARTIER IN DOWNTON PARIS
For its 40th anniversary, the Fondation Cartier is pulling out all the stops because in 2025, it will set up shop at Place du Palais-Royal, swapping Boulevard Raspail to better anchor itself in the beating heart of Paris and the ghetto of the Lord of LVMH. Neighbors: the Louvre Museum, the Museum of Decorative Arts, the Comédie-Française, the Bourse de Commerce – Pinault Collection, the Musée de l’Orangerie, the Jeu de Paume, the Opéra Garnier and the Musée d’Orsay, but especially the Samaritaine.
An architectural revolution led by Jean Nouvel, and setting up in such an impressive place, given its location and history, implies inventing something new or art nouveau.
Inside, 6,500 m² of exhibition spaces, 1,200 m² of mobile platforms, verticalities that rise up to 11 meters. A playground that lives up to the ambitions of the Foundation, which is celebrating 40 years.
TWO YEARS FOR A DOLL
With a touch of the supernatural, Harris Reed has concocted a haunting, gender-fluid Monster High doll, which will be released on Friday. Harris Reed is a British-American fashion designer[1] and creative director for French fashion house Nina Ricci
“My biggest dream as a designer and as a queer activist is to inspire the next generation, so I think (if that’s possible). The doll took about two years to make, so you can imagine for a collection of 50 designs!
The doll, named Witch Weaver, wears flared bell-bottom pants, a harlequin blouse, a gold vest, and a crystal headdress, inspired by the Lady Gaga monster, and it’s easy to see why.
DOCTOR FRANKENSTEIN IN VUITTON
The French fashion house has chosen British actor Callum Turner as its brand ambassador. On and off screen, he exudes an authentic and endearing charisma while his elegant clothing choices have earned him notable stylistic popularity, notably in Doctor Frankenstein.
Turner starred in the mini-series “Masters of the Air” probably for the wind of Vuitton creation. But with headlines for his relationship with pop star Dua Lipa. Just like Montespan, and her husband, the most famous cuckold in France, we rehabilitate supermarket whores, gold diggers.
As a teenager, he was a model and then worked as a salesman at Dover Street Market in London, a real experience to work at Vuitton. Last year, he appeared in a campaign for luxury brand Montblanc, and he’s been a front-row guest at fashion shows for brands like Tom Ford and Burberry—a real experience that even my concierge has.
LITKOVSKA PARIS 2025
This season, LITKOVSKA introduces ZHNYVA – «harvest» in Ukrainian – symbolizing the gathering of the brand’s achievements over the past 15 years. This collection reflects the concept of reaping what has been sown: a cycle of creation, reflection, and renewal, celebrating the brand’s history and its ongoing evolution.
KERING NEW DEAL
Cédric Charbit, new CEO of Balenciaga at Saint Laurent Gianfranco Gianangeli, former CEO of Maison Margiela and currently commercial director of YSL, succeeds Cédric Charbit at Balenciaga.
A return to Saint Laurent for Cédric Charbit, who was executive vice president of product and marketing when he took over at Balenciaga eight years ago, a year after creative director Demna.
Once at the helm of Saint Laurent, he will have to face a revival of sales momentum against a backdrop of slowing luxury sales, particularly in China, and as inflation and high interest rates weigh on discretionary spending worldwide.
Prior to YSL, Charbit was deputy general manager at Emilio Pucci. Previously, the Frenchman held senior roles in retail – as general merchandise director for womenswear at Harrods in London and Printemps in Paris. A graduate of ESC Toulouse, he is appreciated for his fashion instinct and his complicity with designers.
CHANEL END OF STORY
Matthieu Blazy, Chanel’s next artistic director? Chanel is no longer looking to find a new artistic director for fashion because it has found it after that negotiations with the prince of clubbing have failed. The French house, which is now English, plans to announce in June the successor to Virginie Viard, who left the house after five years.
A anonymous source said that Matthieu Blazy, who made Bottega Veneta one of the hottest tickets in Milan, has emerged as a new contender for the top job in Paris.
A Chanel spokeswoman said a new creative organization would be announced “in due course” after interviews with Pieter Mulier, Pierpaolo Piccioli, Jeremy Scott and Marc Jacobs.
He succeeded Daniel Lee as artistic director of Bottega Veneta in November 2021 after moving from a ready-to-wear designer.
Following the death of Karl Lagerfeld in February 2019, Chanel Fashion has been without a creative head since Virginie Viard stepped down in June after more than three decades at the house. Chanel’s spring 2025 collection was designed by an in-house team.
BURBERRY BASIC SPEECH
Since he joined Burberry as CEO in July, Joshua Schulman has wasted no time in trying to right the ship, with the twin brakes pressing, the slowdown in luxury demand and by past strategies that pushed the brand into territory too specialised, too fashionable and too expensive, and without ever inviting journalists.
His strategy to restore sales and profit growth is to connect the dots between the creative and marketing teams, and has revealed plans to speak to a wider customer base, particularly those left out by Burberry’s failures in the haute couture arena. There’s still a long way to go, though, as couture will require a designer.
A few hours before Schulman spoke to analysts, Burberry announced a 20% drop in retail sales.
And the company announced an adjusted operating loss of £41 million. Its plan is to fill shops and advertising campaigns with flagship products, install ‘scarf bars’ and ‘trench destinations’ in shops, capitalise on gabardine, the brand’s iconic waterproof fabric patented by Thomas Burberry in 1888, and make the brand recognisable once again to its loyal customers, who have never stopped loving the check pattern.