CARDI B LIKE BELFEGORE
Cardi B as Belfegor comes to haunt the Louvre. Beyoncé and Jay-Z took over the Louvre in Paris for the shoot of their “Apes–t” video in 2018. Cardi B is taking it to the next level with the unveiling on Tuesday of a giant billboard on the side of the museum featuring her debut in a Balenciaga advertising campaig, the quatari from brittany don’t know how to recognize vulgarity
The “WAP” singer, sporting a sleek black bob, is shown reclining on fake grass surrounded by bright yellow kids’ toys, wearing a slinky, black evening gown with an asymmetric cleavage cut low over one breast. Among the objects scattered on the ground is a pristine white version of Balenciaga’s new Neo Classic handbag, the slogan could be, throw your bag Piggy in the midle of the Louvre.
The image is part of the Kering-owned label’s (For the Owl Kering) winter campaign, which it said was self-styled and self-produced during lockdown by its network of friends, which also include American artist Eliza Douglas, a regular on the Balenciaga runway. Continue reading
TEN UNKNOWN LABEL IN PARIS
Ten labels have been added to the upcoming Paris fashion week, the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode said Monday, listing them as Ami, Cecilie Bahnsen, Enfants Riches Deprimés, Ester Manas, Gabriela Hearst, Mossi, Situationist, S.R Studio LA.CA, Vejas and Wales Bonner. Ten unknown labels in Paris Fashion week, and that nobody knows who has chosen them.
The spring-summer 2021 collections are expected to be a mix of digital and physical shows in Paris from Sept. 28 to Oct. 6, in conformance with requirements from local health authorities. Ami has said it plans to stage a physical show in the French capital, but outdoors.
French officials recently tightened measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus as people return from summer vacation and head back to work and school, requiring the public to wear masks in offices and on the streets.
Earlier this summer, the federation canceled physical shows for couture and men’s fashion week, and set up an online platform for designers to showcase videos for their collections. Continue reading
ORANGE IS THE NEW VUITTON
The second drop of Louis Vuitton LV2 collection, the collaboration between men’s artistic director Virgil Abloh and Bape and Human Made founder Nigo, has arrived with a temporary residency in New York City, 116 Greene Street : SoHo NY New York.
The SoHo storefront has been transformed as well with a bright yellow facade with drip effect, as well as large sculptures of the LV Made duck, which is the symbol of the collection, turtle rugs inspired by Nigo’s Human Made rugs, customized drum sets at the entrance, oversized mannequins and custom Marshall and Louis Vuitton speakers with LV x Nigo logos all in bright yellow.
LV2, which is Abloh’s first collaboration for Louis Vuitton, was revealed in December 2019 and launched in June. The second drop that launched today is also available on the Louis Vuitton web site. Continue reading
BOARD OF CARTIER IS ON THE DOCK
The coronavirus crisis delayed changes to the board of Compagnie Financière Richemont as well as its business strategy, according to the group’s chairman Johann Rupert.
“The new profile of the board must reflect the opportunities and challenges that we’re facing, evolving tastes, consumption habits, digital, Chinese clientele, cyber criminalities, diversity and inclusion matters, training needs, change management,” Rupert said.
“So we will be changing the board and we would have started this year but we need time to also transition the committees,”.
Noting that he had urged caution early on in the coronavirus crisis when it became clear that the group’s cash flow was being “badly affected,” by the drop in consumption, the executive said that at the end of August, there remains uncertainty over when a treatment or vaccine might emerge to prompt consumers to resume traveling and spending money. Continue reading
FAN RECOVERS HER FANS
Chinese actress Fan Bingbing is back, two years after being fined nearly $130 million for a highly publicized tax-evasion scandal and avoiding the limelight as a result.
Now, she has a global contract with LVMH prestige beauty brand Guerlain, and appears in its Chinese Valentine’s Day campaign to promote the limited-edition Rouge G lipstick, which comes with pink heart motifs on the packaging.
Fan was ranked as China’s best-paid actress four years running, according to Forbes, and places among the world’s best-paid, with more than 130 endorsement contracts, including Louis Vuitton, Montblanc and De Beers at the height of her stardom.
She is also expected to star in the period drama;Win the World,a $70 million television series, and Universal Pictures upcoming spy film alongside Jessica Chastain, Penélope Cruz, Lupita Nyong’o and Sebastian Stan. Continue reading
THE LORD OF LOUIS MING DYNASTY
Louis Vuitton’s Biggest Shanghai Store Sees Record-High $22M in August Sales. Louis Vuitton is on track to make sales history in China amid a strong COVID-19 rebound.
Its flagship in Shanghai’s Plaza 66, the largest in China, is expected to make $22 million in August, usually the sales at the store come in between $11 million and $13 million.
Local press said showgoers flocked to the Plaza 66 store to pick up head-to-toe new season looks for the event of the summer, which helped send sales up. Fortunately it was not at 666 the number of sales devil.
The Chinese Valentine’s Day, were also key factors driving up August sales. The event has been a national phenomenon, with shoppers queuing outside luxury stores in recent weeks to get a hold of limited-edition items brands have released exclusively for the world’s biggest luxury market. The lords of luxury become the lord of the Louis ming dynasty. Continue reading
RISE AND FALL FOR MASSIMO
Mossimo Giannulli, Lori Loughlin Sentenced to Jail Time in College Admissions Scandal
Fashion Designer Mossimo Giannulli received five months jail time, while “Full House” actress Lori Loughlin received two months.
The fashion designer was sentenced to five months in prison Friday morning for his part in the nationwide college admissions scandal, just hours before his wife, “Full House” actress Lori Loughlin, learned her own fate. Loughlin, who was believed to have a less active role in the crimes, received two months of jail time.
The sentence was a clear message from U.S. District judge Nathaniel Gorton that college admissions cannot be bought. Giannulli also received two years of supervised release, 250 hours of community service and a $250,000 fine, while Loughlin received two years of supervised release, 100 hours of community service and a $100,000 fine. Continue reading
CLEOPATRA OIL
Cleopatra used to keep her skin radiant and glowing, Egyptian Magic cream has become a Cultural treatment all over the world. Olive oil is having a moment, both in and out of the kitchen. Whether induced by quarantine cooking or consumers’ growing predilection for all things clean, olive oil has found its way into baked confections and skin-care products alike. Lifestyle brand Poosh even recently collaborated with a Los Angeles-based bakery on a variety of olive oil cakes.
Furtuna is one of the brands capitalizing on the ingredient’s buzz. “It’s high in antioxidants and it also includes vitamins A, D and K, as well as E. It’s amazing what olive oil can do for your health. Furtuna Skin, founded by Luczo and Kim Walls, offers a range of products all enriched with Italian olive oil sourced from a 700-acre farm in Sicily. Continue reading
THE DREAM OF ARNAULT BELGIUM
It hopes that humor can serve to energize the local shopping scene, Le Bon Marché is filling the store with Belgium-themed merchandise starting Aug. 29, with an emphasis on the country’s cartoon tradition.
The Smurfs, Marsupilami and Gaston Lagaffe are among characters decorating the selling space as well as merchandise throughout the tony, Paris Left Bank department store and its neighboring food hall, La Grande Épicerie de Paris and even spilling out into the street, with stands selling beer and fries. I’d have preferred Balthazar Picsou.!!!
Retailers have been struggling to draw shoppers into stores even before the coronavirus crisis hit it’s hard to compete with the convenience of online purchases turning to events and temporary, exclusive offers to drum up consumer interest. The store called on comedian Stéphane De Groodt to take part in the Belgium theme, resulting in hoodies, T-shirts and pouches with word play in French. A box of matches, for example, which are called “allumettes” in French, is stamped “allumeuses,” which means “teasers.” The theme runs through Oct. 18. Continue reading
MASK THE FACIAL CUMSPOT
These days, when my family ventures into town to pick up groceries, we see people wearing a rainbow of creative face masks. The facial coverings are a practical way to stem to spread of COVID-19, but they also reflect our personalities and outlook on life.
On my Instagram feed, people are wearing masks made of everything from repurposed designer hand bags to aprons. In 2020, masks aren’t just medical devices; they’re fashion.
According to Valerie Steele, director and chief curator of The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, people have used protective facial gear throughout history to send a message to those around them. In the 1600s, doctors wore masks with long, pointed beak-like extensions at the nose, which could be stuffed with incense, since people believed that the plagues were transmitted through foul smells. “They clearly didn’t work,” Steele says. Continue reading
THE DETOX MARKET
Natural beauty retailer The Detox Market has acquired Clementine Fields, a Canadian natural beauty and wellness e-commerce business.
Clementine Fields was founded by Ingrid Doucet and Tom Barnett in 2013. The business sells beauty and personal-care products from Alpyn Beauty, Captain Blankenship, John Masters Organics, Vapour Beauty and a variety of other brands.
The Detox Market plans for the acquisition to help cement its position as a leader in North American natural beauty retailing, and to bolster its e-commerce business. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Continue reading
VIRTUAL FASHION FOR VIRTUAL CLIENTS
August Getty’s couture is going virtual with the help of a new digital fashion shop, the Institute of Digital Fashion in London.
Created by Leanne Elliott Young, founder of creative hub CommuneEast, and Cattytay, founder of the Digi-Gxl network of women, trans and nonbinary 3-D artists, the company aims to animate the tactile vision and creativity of designers with AR and VR, while thinking about ways to push inclusivity, diversity and sustainability in fashion.
Their first high-profile client is the Los Angeles-based designer, whose eveningwear has been worn by sister-in-law Gigi Gorgeous, as well as by Kim Kardashian West, Paris Hilton, Miley Cyrus and Katy Perry, Since the couture institutions no longer invite them to Europe.
Cattytay and her digital atelier; are building an online world called Tinnitus, similar to a gaming world, in which Getty will debut his new collections. Continue reading
HERMÈS IN THE STORM
Shares in Hermès International dipped in morning trading in Paris on Thursday after the French luxury house reported first-half results that fell below analysts’ expectations, as the widespread closure of stores due to the coronavirus pandemic sharply impacted its business and profitability.
Like other French luxury companies that reported second-quarter results this week, Hermès saw revenues plummet despite strong growth in mainland China and robust online sales. Its sales declined 41.3 percent to 982.5 million euros in the three months ended June 30, representing a drop of 41.5 percent in comparable terms.
Net income in the first six months of the year fell 55.6 percent to 335 million euros. Operating profit was down 53.2 percent to 535 million euros, with the operating margin sliding to 21.5 percent from 34.8 percent in the same period a year ago, weighed down by the fact that the company manufactures many of its goods. Continue reading
CELINE NOT TIK BUT TOK
Celine is new to the TIkTok platform, with about 5,000 followers, and livestreamed its spring men’s wear show, a slick production with models hoofing it around an old motor-racing track near Marseille, some wearing sparkly helmets.
Hedi Slimane paraded seemed aimed squarely at Gen Z, no matter if some users of the app don’t seem to have a clue that Celine is a luxury French fashion brand and that Slimane is known for commissioning a single track of music and stretching it over 15 minutes. “Change the song,” countless TikTokers urged as the number of viewers quickly thinned out. Continue reading
KERING SAID …
Kering said net profit fell 63.4 percent in the first six months of the year after the coronavirus pandemic.
Group revenues in the three months to June 30 fell 43.5 percent to 2.17 billion euros, representing a decline of 43.7 percent in comparable terms. This came on the heels of a 15.4 percent drop in the first quarter.
In percentage terms, the decline was greater than the one recorded by sector leader LVMH, which on Monday reported a 38 percent drop in second-quarter sales, but was below a consensus of analyst estimates, which called for a 48 percent fall.
Kering flagged an “encouraging” recovery as stores reopened, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, and saw a 72.4 percent jump in online sales in the second quarter. But organic sales at its cash cow brand Gucci fell 44.7 percent during the period, compared with a 23.2 percent drop in the prior three months. Continue reading
LVMH NET PROFIT DIVES 84 % IN CHINA
LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton said net profit plummeted 84 percent in the first six months of the year, although it forecasts a gradual recovery in the second half, supported by a strong recovery in China during the second quarter.
Bernard Arnault, chairman and chief executive officer of LVMH, said the group had shown “exceptional resilience” during the health crisis. “While we have observed strong signs of an upturn in activity since June, we remain very vigilant for the rest of the year,” he said in a statement.
“Thanks to the strength of our brands and the responsiveness of our organization, we are confident that LVMH is in an excellent position to take advantage of the recovery, which we hope will be confirmed in the second half of the year, and to strengthen our lead in the global luxury market in 2020,” he added. Continue reading
MIU MIU CAMPAIGN BY GIGI
Gigi Hadid shares her backstage photos in Miu Miu Campaign. Proximity is now something of a nostalgic concept, given social-distancing protocols. It’s also the clever subtext of Miu Miu’s Fall campaign, which was shot before, during and after coronavirus lockdowns and has an intimate, DIY feel. Continue reading
OFF WHITE 2021
A ITALIAN FOR MARGIELA
Gianfranco Gianangeli joins the Paris-based fashion house Margiela after stints at Givenchy, Prada and Bottega Veneta
Gianangeli joins the Paris-based fashion house from his family-owned, namesake knitwear manufacturer in Perugia, Italy. Before that, he was global retail director at Givenchy and associate international director at Prada. He also worked for several years at Bottega Veneta in various merchandising positions and as that brand’s regional vice president in Japan.
Gianangeli joins a fast-growing brand powered by the creative vision of John Galliano, who recently documented the making of his wet-look Margiela couture dresses and diced-and-spliced tailoring in a mesmerizing 50-minute film with Nick Knight. Continue reading
MILAN FASHION WEEK 2020
Milan Digital Fashion Week Scores Highest Among European Fashion Capitals. The combined earned media value generated online by the London, Paris and Milan fashion weeks amounted to 10.7 million euros.
The first edition of Milan Digital Fashion Week closed on July 17 with a bang. Although observers have been pointing the online traffic generated by the London, Milan and Paris fashion weeks sent a reassuring message to the industry, forced to forgo physical events for the most part at least until September.
In particular the Milan showcase, which kicked off on July 14 and featured brands such as Prada, Ermenegildo Zegna and Gucci, among others, had the highest impact amassing 6.24 million euros in EMV, followed by Paris, with an EMV of 2.68 million euros and London Fashion Week that generated 1.81 million euros, or 17 percent of the total. The study took into consideration the July 9 to 13 period for Paris, excluding the previous days dedicated to haute couture collections. Continue reading
INFÉRE PARFUMS URBAN HERO
Inter Parfums Inc. posted an 18.7 percent net sales decline for the quarter ended March 31, the company said on Wednesday. While declines were broad, the Coach and Guess brands still grew.0 During the quarter, Coach and Guess both grew, helping to offset declines from most of the other brands. Coach launched Coach Dreams, which boosted brand sales by 35.9 percent.
Net sales were $144.8 million, down from $178.2 million in the prior-year period. European-based sales were down 20.6 percent, to $114.1 million, and U.S.-based sales were down 10.9 percent, to $30.7 million.
We have taken steps to minimize expenses and protect cash flow said Jean Madar, Inter Parfums chief executive officer in a statement. Our operating cost structure, of which variable costs accounts for over two-thirds, should enable us to minimize the impact of reduced sales until 2021 and moved related advertising and promotion expenses to 2021 as well. Continue reading
CREATIVE TALENT QUIT HERMES
A discreet, yet pivotal creative talent at Hermès International that some insiders describe as its;secret weapon is exiting the brand, bad bosses never keep good employees, Goodbye Hermés hello Kering.
Bali Barret, artistic director of the women’s product universe, has submitted her resignation and will exit the French house sometime this fall.
Practically unknown to the general public, and familiar to relatively few in the fashion world, Barret’s profile is somewhat akin to Alessandro Michele, who toiled behind the scenes for years at Gucci, while being responsible for products that generate the lion’s share of brand revenues.
Barret joined Hermès in 2003 as artistic director of its silk department, where she recruited street artists and other young creatives to bring fresh ideas to the category. She was promoted to her current position in 2009, giving her purview over all women’s departments, including leather goods, rtw, footwear, silks, jewelry, watches, beauty and fashion accessories.
According to insiders, said to be fiercely loyal to Barret’s leadership and design vision, she helped ;revolutionize; Hermès by modernizing its products and processes, bringing much-needed oxygen to a heritage brand with a conservative style streak. Continue reading
VIRTUAL FASHION BORN TO BE ALIVE
With safety measures in place, fashion weeks in these Asian fashion capitals will return to physical showcasing in October. Shanghai, Tokyo, Seoul and Beijing Fashion Weeks to Return.
As a few brands are beginning to do physical shows again at the end of the Spring 2021 men’s wear season, fashion weeks in Shanghai, Tokyo, Seoul and Beijing, where the coronavirus pandemic has been largely contained, are planning to press ahead with fully fledged physical fashion shows this October.
Return on Oct. 8, a spokesperson for the Shanghai Fashion Week Committee told. It hosted the world’s first online fashion week in partnership with Tmall amid lockdowns in March with mix results, but the livestreaming and selling component will be integrated into the physical fashion week to enable brands to have an omnichannel presence with both the trade audience and the public. Continue reading