DIOR AND SANTA CLOSE
Harrods is transforming into a gingerbread world as Dior takes over its flagship store with a larger-than-life holiday takeover. In the absence of Santa’s Grotto at Harrods this year, who needs the North Pole contingent anyway?
There has never been a collaboration between Dior and a department store of this scale before, and this is Harrods’ largest brand takeover. A warm cookie brown, caramel, cinnamon and powdered sugar white replace the season’s usual red and green hues inside and outside Dior’s stores.
Christian Dior’s life and the evolution of the couture house are traced through an immersive experience. There is a 17-meter-high mega-star above the Brompton Road entrance, which is part of a lavish 3D display inspired by sketches by Roman artist Pietro Ruffo for the Dior cruise 2023 collection.
UOTANI TIME TO GO
Shiseido’s president and CEO Masahiko Uotani announced succession plans on Thursday that will see him step down within two years. As of Jan. 1, Uotami’s role will change to representative director, chairman and CEO, while Kentaro Fujiwara will assume the position of president and chief operating officer.
“Fujiwara and I will work closely together for two years managing the company jointly, and then we will see what happens after that. I don’t want to just pass the baton on suddenly,” Uotani said.
Shiseido’s business grew 19 percent on a like-for-like basis in 2021, despite continued lockdowns in China. The growth of the business in China has been a cornerstone of Uotani’s globalization strategy. Continue reading
FERRAGAMO OR FERRAGAME ON
Marco Gobbetti has full confidence in Maximilian Davis’ design skills as he leads the Ferragamo turnaround. During the first nine months of the year, it has reached a 17.2% increase in revenues, the chief executive officer and general manager touted the success of Davis’ first collection, shown in Milan last September for spring 2023.
His style is now out in the open, he is an elegant designer, his clothes are elegant, and they have a high component of sexiness, said Gobbetti of Davis, who was appointed creative director of Ferragamo in March.
Gobbetti trumpeted continued growth in revenues in the third quarter, “ensuring especially the quality of sales throughout all our distribution channels” at full price. “We delivered progress in our operating profit and cash flow for the first nine months, while implementing the planned increase of marketing and communication expenses.
MUGLER IN SELFRIDGES
With Body Spaces, French luxury brand Mugler will take over Selfridges Corner Shop until December. The brand’s fall 2022 and spring 2023 collections, along with festive gifts, will be featured in the space, along with its signature scents Angel, Alien and Alien Goddess.
In partnership with Random Studio, The Corner Shop features reflective silver surface sculptures depicting the contours of the human body. The brand has never set up an immersive pop-up before. It’s a unique approach that is accompanied by a strong architectural gesture.
Chrome hues will be available in a limited number of fragrances. Mugler is offering 30 hand-blown, hand-sculpted bottle variations of Angel, one of Mugler’s bestselling fragrances.
FRANCOIS BAUFUMÉ PASSED AWAY
French fashion executive François Baufumé the Kenzo and Christian Dior Couture businesses in the 80 and & 90 died suddenly on Friday in Saint-Jean-de-Luz at age 77.
Services are scheduled for Wednesday in Urrugne, France, according to a family announcement signed by his two daughters. He was a visionary, who recently stepped down as president of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode.
A great and bold entrepreneur, an outstanding executive and a charismatic leader, and despite his famous temper tantrums, he was a very warm and endearing character who knew how to enjoy life.
He built Kenzo into a fashion and perfume company with combined sales of roughly $150 million by 1992, extending the brand into menswear, jeans and childrenswear, and opening many key boutiques.
GIORGIO ARMANI 2023
It’s beautiful this collection with the models practically floating on the runway of the theater of the palace of Giorgio Armani, via Borgonuovo.
GUCCI GALA IN L.A
The 11th annual Art+Film Gala on Saturday night in Los Angeles, California, where DJ D-Nice had guests dancing right off the purple carpet and into the cocktail party, on Dancing Queen.
TOM CATCH ME IF YOU CAN KERING
A deal to buy U.S. fashion brand Tom Ford from the American designer is said to be in advanced stages between Kering, the French luxury giant that owns Gucci. Estée Lauder, who is also rumored to be in the running to secure Tom Ford, is in a close race with Kering for Tom Ford.
A deal could be reached as soon as next week, according to sources. As of now, François-Henri Pinault’s luxury giant has yet to confirm any deal.
It will be the largest acquisition ever made 3 billion of dollard, it is possible that the price has fallen, given today’s precarious market environment and current geopolitical crisis, which has led to almost unprecedented inflationary pressures and dramatically increased procurement costs around the world.
However, Kering has been able to ride a sort of post-pandemic surge in sales, particularly across its Gucci, Saint Laurent and Balenciaga brands, as wealthy customers wanted revenge and a return to normality; those who have shown themselves to be more resilient, despite the exponential rise in inflation, and continue to purchase expensive clothes, bags, and watches.
Continue reading
CELINE SPRING IN DECEMBER
Hedi Slimane may have been a little late unveiling Celine’s spring 2023 collection, but he will be way early with the collection he’s designing for fall 2024.
A fashion show will be held in Los Angeles, California, on Dec. 8 to unveil the fall 2023 collection over two months before New York, London, Milan, and Paris fashion weeks.
In the meantime, Celine’s spring 2023 collection will be showcased as a film to be streamed on its website and social media platforms sometime during November.
Filming for Celine’s spring 2023 collection took place in the south of France, but the exact timing and other details are not yet known. The exact location of Celine’s runway event in Los Angeles was not disclosed either.
Ralph Lauren, Dior, Louis Vuitton and Saint Laurent are among the brands that have mounted runway displays in California recently. Is Paris burning?
CHINA AND FRENCH BRANDS
For emerging designers and established brands alike, navigating China’s copyright protection system might seem like a daunting task. In China, your rights are protected as long as your trademark is registered. But in the U.S., Last month the French luxury label Louboutin successfully defended its red-sole stilettos from copycats without a trademark registration.
Article 6 of the Anti-Unfair Competition Law of China was readily applied because it addresses the scenario where the brand owner has not yet acquired a prior registered trademark in China.
Louboutin proved that its red sole shoes as a commodity and its sole red decoration have a high fame and influence in the market, and therefore protected its rights according to the Unfair Competition Law.
The rampage of bad-faith trademark squatters in the market, who are quick to snatch up any popular corporate names, signs and designs, then gain a profit from trademark buybacks, is another common issue that brands and creators face in the China market. Continue reading
BURBERRY LONDON 2023
Adventure begins in the face of unknown horizons. Burberry’s history has always been marked by the pursuit of opportunities in uncharted worlds. The company’s founder, Thomas Burberry, enabled the most daring adventurers of his time to go beyond the beaten path. From the explorers of the past to the pioneers of today, Burberry coats and jackets are for those who aspire to step boldly into uncharted territory.
ART AND HAUTE COUTURE
The world’s largest art gallery, Gagosian, denies talks with LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. LVMH was rumored to be in discussions to invest in Gagosian, a Los Angeles mega-gallery founded by Larry Gagosian in 1980. However, a Gagosian representative vigorously denied the existence of any deal on Tuesday. The company declined to comment.
YE DON’T LIVE MATTER FOR ADDIDAS
“After a thorough review, the company has taken the decision to terminate the partnership with Ye immediately, end production of Yeezy branded products and stop all payments to Ye and his companies. Adidas will stop the Adidas Yeezy business with immediate effect,” it added.
The German sporting goods firm, which had come under growing pressure to renounce its seven-year partnership with the rapper formerly known as Kanye West.
It expects a short-term hit of up to 250 million euros to its net income as a result. Adidas does not tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech. Ye’s recent comments and actions have been unacceptable, hateful and dangerous, and they violate the company’s values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and fairness,” Adidas said in a statement.