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.
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.
Kering said sales increased by 14% in its third quarter, driven by strong results in Europe, although Gucci revenues lagged behind overall growth.
Within less than a month of announcing plans to restore tax-free shopping for international visitors, the British government has backed down. The return of tax-free shopping had been hailed by industry groups and luxury retailers as a way to boost tourism post-COVID-19 and help British luxury brands and retailers compete with their European counterparts.



There is a lot of buzz around Kering and its potential entry into the beauty industry. Does the French luxury conglomerate plan to bring back some of its activities? Is there a possibility of other beauty acquisitions?


After five years as Burberry’s chief creative officer, Riccardo Tisci is stepping down. His last show for the brand took place on Monday, after the London Fashion Week show had been rescheduled due to the funeral of the Queen. Tisci’s spot at the British heritage house will be filled by Daniel Lee, the former creative director of Bottega Veneta.
Who knows the gemellity? This cramped place where for nine months, it was necessary to cohabit with an apostate, sectarian, in a word a human Knockoff! So here is the Gucci fashion show in “twin” twice as many clothes twice as much trash, twice as much incoherence! I would have preferred the Twin Cilynder of the Harley-Davidson softer to my ear as Artemis would have liked. Is it a reflection on the identity “to be equal is to be identical? Subject that gives the artistic director of Gucci an intrigue, and dividing the audience into two parts by twin portraits. The botoxed and surgically enhanced bimbos who all look the same on one side, and the others who look like nothing.




Given the mourning period following Queen Elizabeth II’s death and the funeral scheduled for Monday, London Fashion Week designers had to adjust the timing of their spring 2023 shows.

