LVMH Lecture Theatre at Central Saint Martins, Kings Cross | Source: LVMH

LVMH and Central St Martins Partnership (Vogue UK)
“Central St Martins new Kings Cross building will feature a state-of-the-art lecture theatre sponsored by LVMH. The luxury conglomerate has also announced plans for a scholarship programme to recruit promising designers from the university for its stable of brands.”

Tamara Mellon leaves Jimmy Choo (FT)
“Tamara Mellon has stepped down from Jimmy Choo, the footwear and accessories brand she founded 15 years ago, following its takeover and integration with Labelux, the private Italian luxury goods group… In 1996 Ms Mellon transformed a small business set up by Jimmy Choo, a cobbler from east London. The business has also branched out into accessories such as handbags and scarves, as well as fragrances.”

A new frontier for big brands (FT)
“In Paris, at 23 Place Vendôme next year, Louis Vuitton will open the first boutique dedicated to its fine jewellery. It is a significant move for the industry… As is usual with Louis Vuitton, a decision by the world’s most successful luxury brand to make a decisive step into a new market is a signal of shifts in the industry… But expectations are that jewellery’s switch from a predominantly craft market to a new frontier for big brands is under way.”

Big in Japan: Paul Smith’s focus shifts to the East (Telegraph)
“The designer has, however, recently fixed his gaze eastwards, staging a fashion show in Japan for the first time in his career. Entitled I Love Japan, the show marked the launch of Japan’s first major fashion event since the March 11 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis… In the case of Paul Smith, the designer’s affection for Japan has clearly returned – reflected in both the number of boutiques and department stores across the country and sales figures.”

Fashion retailing catalogs turn a page (LA Times)
“Alluring as print catalogs may be, an increasing number of retailers — Bloomingdales, Nordstrom and J. Crew among them — aren’t just mailing them to their customers. They’re going digital, showing off this season’s lace-trimmed dresses and faux-fur vests in free downloadable apps that mimic the traditional catalog experience, minus the print.”

The Fred Hayman Place sign, Los Angeles | Source: Fred Hayman Archives

Fred Hayman: The man behind Rodeo Drive (LA Times)
“He’s been called the godfather of Rodeo Drive. And it’s not all hyperbole. Before Beverly Hills was the land of designer logos… Hayman was an architect of luxury in Los Angeles, bringing high fashion, a social shopping atmosphere and white glove service to what was still a sleepy main street when he went into retail in 1967.”

Prada IPO five times subscribed (Reuters)
“Italian fashion house Prada, which is seeking to raise up to $2.6 billion through a Hong Kong IPO, has generated five times demand for its offer… The Milan fashion house, known for its leather handbags, brightly-coloured shoes and long boots, launched the retail portion of the IPO on Sunday.”

Tory Burch Awarded $164 Million in Anti-Counterfeiting Suit (Thread NY)
“The company has been ceded control of the fake-product domain names, and given power to disable future websites set up by the offenders… The victory marks a significant step towards combatting the problem of trademark infringement in the fashion industry.”

Philip Treacy on Ascot (WSJ)
“Treacy has been the last word in hat making since graduating from the Royal College of Art in 1990, thanks to initial ‘sponsors’ like the late, great Isabella Blow, Madonna and, more latterly, Lady Gaga. But since the Royal Wedding he says he has been unable to keep up with demand both here and in the U.S.”

Feting an Ending, and a New Start (IHT)
“Why has ‘Saint Martins’ become a by-word for excellence? It is one of many colleges showing in London last week. All have in common the concept of nurturing creativity and individuality to push fashion forward and to allow the students to make work that is a mirror image of an ever-changing world.”

The New Creative Establishment | Source: INDUSTRIE Magazine

LONDON, United Kingdom — Today, The Business of Fashion brings you an exclusive preview of The New Creative Establishment, a list of the 50 most influential and inspirational creatives working in fashion today, developed by our friends at INDUSTRIE magazine for their second issue which comes out later this month and was inspired by a much-watched list with a similar name published by Vanity Fair called ‘The New Establishment’.

Ever since the widely-read debut issue of INDUSTRIE hit the stands last May, editors Jens Grede and Erik Torstensson have been carefully creating their list which they say is a “celebration of creativity in fashion.” After the first draft of the list was developed, they sought feedback from fashion insiders and peers, and re-iterated the list several times. The emphasis is on the word ‘new’ as there are obviously some very important longtime names who continue to wield great influence who are not on the list. In the end, “those listed were selected not only for their creative faculties/creative contribution to fashion today but also because of the wider impact their work has had on fashion business, the social and other creative industries.”

So, without further ado, here is The New Creative Establishment from INDUSTRIE magazine. What are your thoughts and opinions? Who deserves to be on the list? Is anyone missing? And what do you think of fashion power lists in general?

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01. MERT ALAS AND MARCUS PIGGOT | Photographers

Mert and Marcus | Source: American Vogue

It’s the nature of the industry that only the very best photographers get to shoot for the most influential magazines and most important campaigns. But when it comes to working at the highest end of the business, none can match the sheer scale of Mert and Marcus’s output right now. Interview, Vogue, Love, W, Gucci, Givenchy, Stella McCartney, Bulgari, Armani, Miu Miu, CK Jeans, Chanel, Valentino… And because of the extent of their influence within the industry, they can make or break the creatives they choose to work with: the models, the stylists, the hair and make-up – even the designers. Alas owns a majority stake in the company of Turkish designer Hakaan, whose recent collection at Paris Fashion Week after scooping up the ANDAM award, saw Naomi Campbell and Eva Herzigova on the front row and Daria, Natalia, Mariacarla, Sasha and Anja on the runway. All proof of the magic touch wielded by this duo, the latest names to secure a place within fashion photography’s all-time elite.

Further reading: The New Yorker
Web: www.mertandmarcus.com

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02. PHOEBE PHILO | Creative Director of Céline

Phoebe Philo by David Sims | Source: French Vogue

After working wonders at Chloé, Phoebe Philo’s arrival at Céline two years ago heralded the most significant revamp of a label since Tom Ford at Gucci. After several years in the wilderness post-Kors, Céline was finally back on track as Philo forged a new aesthetic for contemporary women, quietly and cleverly trimming back while the rest of the industry was blowing up big.

Meanwhile her mood books give us a tantalising glimpse of her creative process, and her ad campaigns take the radical step of dispensing with models and celebs to close up on the clothes. Most importantly of all, she has been namechecked by Kanye West in ‘Dark Fantasy’ — surely there can be no greater marker of one’s cultural relevance, and proof positive that she’s even mightier than the house she’s heading.

Further reading: The Financial Times
Web: www.celine.com

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03. NICOLAS GHESQIERE | Creative Director of Balenciaga

Nicolas Ghesquiere by Thibault Montamat | Source: W Magazine

Not exactly news, we know. But season after season his collections remain among the most creative and surprising of any Paris house, continuing to push the boundaries of modernism and making clever look sexy. After 13 years of brilliance this consistent, anyone else would be getting boring by now. What’s his secret?

Further reading: Interview Magazine
Web: www.balenciaga.com

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04. CENTRAL SAINT MARTINS | Fashion School

Central St Martins at Kings Cross in 2011 | Source: Central St Martins

Just look at who went there (even if not all of them made it to graduation): Stella McCartney, Hussein Chalayan, Alexander McQueen, Hamish Bowles, John Galliano, Phoebe Philo, Katie Grand, Christopher Kane, Riccardo Tisci, Gareth Pugh, Giles Deacon… London’s Central St Martins School of Art and Design is the educational establishment the industry turns to for new talent and fresh ideas. Truly fashion’s greatest powerhouse.

Further reading: The Observer
Web: www.csm.arts.ac.uk

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05. MIUCCIA PRADA | Designer of Prada

Miuccia Prada | Photo: Guido Harari

For the unparalleled way she manages to balance creativity and commerciality. For being so recognisably Prada regardless of whether she’s pushing flowery romanticism, strict minimalism or rainbow-coloured optimism.

For the Prada Foundation. For her commitment to radical architecture. For being so clever and grown-up while taking way more risks than the youngsters. For making herself synonymous with fashion in mainstream culture thanks to being the first choice of fashion editors: would anyone have believed The Devil Wears Gucci?

Further reading: Wall Street Journal
Web: Prada.com

Emilio Pucci in his workshop, 1950s | Source: Life in Italy

Without the Prints, Can It Still Be a Pucci? (WSJ)
“Under the hand of designer Peter Dundas, the six-decade-old fashion house is reinventing itself as an It brand. In the process, it is shifting its emphasis from kaleidoscopic cruisewear to cocktail dresses and sweeping gowns.”

Oscar de la Renta continues expansion (Reuters)
“‘We continue to offer, and continue to sell, $20,000-plus off-the-rack women’s evening gowns… On the other hand… a blouse that might have sold for $1,000 three years ago may now sell for $500.’”

Luxury sector to see niche deals (Reuters)
“The next aspiring Marc Jacobs or Stella McCartney may find it harder to get financial backing as luxury dealmakers target well-established brands for growth and top design houses begin paring smaller assets.”

Online, luxury strong, but apparel off (Reuters)
“Luxury items, jewelry and products sold online were the fastest-growing U.S. sales categories in the retail sector in May, but weakness in apparel and electronics suggest consumers may still be wary in their spending.”

CSM’s Graduate Show: The Clothes, The Designers, The Stars (Fashionista)
“London’s Central St. Martins College of Art served up 40 of its most promising talents to industry recruiters… With inflating Helmut Newton inspired pieces and a show-closing collection modeled on stilts, this was undoubtedly one for the books.”

Thomas Tait’s Sketchbook | Source: Thomas Tait

LONDON, United Kingdom — Each year, more than 4,000 design students graduate from fashion colleges across the UK.  But there are only about 500 new jobs available for them, leaving thousands of young designers to move abroad or start their own labels. The vast majority of these have absolutely no business training whatsoever.

For Thomas Tait — one of the most buzzed-about new graduates from Central Saint Martins, one of the UK’s leading fashion schools — and hundreds of other budding designers around the UK, PR and fame are not enough. There are also the practical necessities of developing a viable fashion business: raising funds, setting up a studio, hiring staff, securing production, creating a new collection and, ultimately convincing buyers that they should place an order because the clothes will actually arrive on time, as promised, ready to be sold.

The youngest in his class to complete the M.A. at CSM this year, Mr. Tait, 22, is of French-Canadian and Scottish origins. He grew up modestly in the suburbs of Montréal, where he attended Collège LaSalle and learned the fundamentals of dressmaking. During the M.A., Tait was able to instill deeper meaning in his design aesthetic, to understand how people reacted to his work, and to toile and test out different fabrics.

Image from Thomas Tait Graduate Collection | Source: Thomas Tait

For his graduate collection, Tait’s work was largely influenced by his obsession with bone structures — namely, shoulder blades, collarbones and hipbones — which he dramatised throughout his designs. His all black collection possessed a deceptive depth and required one to view the garments in profile in order to catch all his references and protrusions.

But apart from his history as a buyer at Reborn, an avant-garde fashion boutique in Montréal, Tait has little professional work experience. “Up until a few weeks ago, I never even had a business card,” he says.

Last month, he applied to several of the existing fashion funds and initiatives that support young UK designers: Fashion East, NEWGEN, Vauxhall Fashion Scout and Fashion Fringe. These prizes are vital to supporting fresh, new fashion talent, but few come with solid advice on how to build a long-term fashion business, or even how best to spend all of that prize money.

Indeed, Tait is reluctant to quantify the funding he estimates he’ll need to stay afloat for his first season, citing only fabric and studio space as his main costs.

Though his creative spark may set him apart, when it comes to understanding the business side of the industry, like many of his fellow fashion graduates, Tait seems under-equipped. That’s because, at many institutions the world over, fashion design is taught as a creative process only, and not an enterprise.

“Many, if not most, of the great creatives in fashion have been poor at business, from Poiret to Yves Saint Laurent. The solution may not be to teach them business but to help them find the right partner — just as YSL found Pierre Bergé,” says Roger Tredre, an associate lecturer at Central Saint Martins. But finding the perfect partner is easier said than done and even with a partner, designers must still respect and understand that fashion is a business, not an art, and this requires an awareness of how the industry works operationally, not just creatively.

To make a creative business tick, there is a “difficult balancing act between craft, creativity, and the right economic incentives and motivations,” adds John Bates, director of the University of the Arts London’s Centre for Creative Business and adjunct professor at London Business School, who has begun a New Creative Ventures course designed to establish a “common language” between the University of the Arts London’s post-graduate students and London Business School’s M.B.A. students.

But Tait, like many students who aren’t afforded the opportunity or time to undertake these supplemental courses, was left to learn about the business side of the industry on his own. “I’m not into this whole world of fast fashion. I don’t want an insane turnover, to make a fast buck or to become yet another celebrity fashion designer,” he insists. But despite his clear talent, he feels he may struggle for quite some time: “You have to give yourself three seasons before you can say that you’ve developed a following, and it’s after six seasons, when you can expect to make a profit and be able to actually live off of the actual pieces, not just the funding.”

No one wants to upset the unique and delicate creative climates that have been carefully constructed at the world’s leading fashion colleges, which have given rise to design talents like Thomas Tait, and scores of high-potential talents that have come before him. But to help these gifted students turn their creative abilities into successful fashion brands, building some basic business training into the core fashion curriculum would be a very good thing indeed.

Elizabeth Peng, an M.A. student in Fashion Journalism at Central St Martins, is an editorial intern at The Business of Fashion.

George Davies | Source: George Davies

George Davies has further designs on women (Guardian)
“The man who invented Next and George at Asda is launching a spring collection with a brand new label. …GIVe – Davies’s fourth attempt to capture the hearts and minds of British women.  With the launch of its spring collection only days away, he cautiously reflects: ‘We are where I hoped we’d be when we set off. Overall, I’m happy.’”

Prada sounds positive note (FT)
“In a glimmer of good news for the luxury goods industry, Pradayesterday said its operating profit for 2009 would be better than the previous year and better than forecast in its own budget.”

Yoox ’09 sales rose 50 percent (Reuters)
“Online fashion retailer Yoox reported on Monday a 50 percent rise in 2009 sales, as consumers grew more comfortable and confident in using the Internet to shop.”

Liberty of London creative director exits (Retail Week)
“Tamara Salman, the creative director of the Liberty of London brand, has left the business. Liberty buying director Ed Burstell is reported to be taking over her responsibilities.”

The fashion stars of Central Saint Martins (Guardian)
“As the famous fashion school prepares to leave Soho, Louise Wilson, its razor-tongued head of MA fashion, talks us through her next generation of style superstars.”

LONDON, United Kingdom — I just finished reading the interview with Jane Rapley, the Head of College at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in this month’s Luxury Briefing, and I couldn’t help but think that for a school that prides itself on being progressive, she sounded behind-the-times when it comes to the way the industry works and what her students need to thrive in it.

Take for instance her answer to the question: Is it difficult to teach ‘creatives’ to be business-focused? She says:

“Yes, it’s terribly difficult! And we don’t always try…Product design is very much about the market because the way it works is that you identify a gap, research it, answer a very specific problem and quantify it. It is a more analytical process than being a textile designer. However, we don’t necessarily expect a great engineer or scientist to be a great business person or a musician to know how to run an orchestra, so does a designer need to know about business?”

Um, YES. This is a business. Just because they’re not plugging numbers into a spreadsheet doesn’t mean scientists don’t know the basics of their business. In a previous life when I was working with scientists involved in packaging, I was surprised to find they all knew that without the support of the marketing division, they had no hope of getting their ideas off the drawing board. They were all too aware of costs per unit, of minimum number of sales required, all those business-y things.

Rapley goes on to say:

“Our responsibility is to make them [the design students] understand the areas where they don’t have expertise and surround themselves with people who do. McQueen is a very good example. By chance, or by design, he surrounded himself with some very interesting people who were prepared to buy into his vision and allow him to make it happen. We’re not about trying to develop all of those skills in one person.”

First of all, I think this does a great disservice to McQueen, who has had a series of strong managers by his side. Partnerships like that do not just happen. In order to find a good manager, designers have to stop thinking of managers as people who need to buy into their vision. Instead, they have to respect the job they do and listen to their advice.

Talented managers get a thrill out of building businesses in the same way designers get a thrill out of creating a new silhouette. A potent partnership must be founded on mutual respect. Hussein Chalayan is practically glowing these days, so happy is he to have met a manager with whom he gets along (Puma’s Jochen Zeitz). To say managers are there to back someone else’s vision, goes a long way towards explaining why there’s such a shortage of talented managers willing to work in fashion.

Look at all the trouble this attitude caused Christian Lacroix when he expected the managers at LVMH to bend to his will. They got so fed up with his lack of understanding, his refusal to compromise for the sake of profits, that they sold his brand. The days of designers being able to create whatever their hearts desire and have a hope of staying in business are long gone — if they ever existed.

I think what makes me so upset about this interview, is that I am very frequently asked for help by designers who all want the same things — money and someone to help them “sort out” the business side as if it were an adjunct to their activities. Let’s make this clear: If you’re in fashion, you’re in business. If you want to create things for pure aesthetic joy, then you should be on an art course. If more students at CSM were being taught the basics of their business at college it would give them a huge lift in the future. Even if they never intend to strike out on their own, how much more persuasive could they be in fighting for their ideas if they understood the implications in production costs, margins, overheads, etcetera? It appears that the primary way CSM deals with this is by sending students to do internships and hope they pick it up through osmosis. Jane said:

“We need to provide the students with an awareness of the range of skills that they have to have if they want to go into somebody else’s business and where their creativity fits alongside the accountant, the production engineer, the marketing people, the retail people. Some pick that up post-graduation and have the drive to become very business minded. And there’s nothing like going out into the world and finding that you have nothing to eat at the end of the week to encourage that!”

Internships can certainly be helpful, but it seems these students are being sent out into the world not fully prepared for the reality of business. As a journalism student, I was taught the basics of media law, production, and even ad sales. Of course, magazines and newspapers have other people to do those things on a day-to-day basis, but as the people creating the content that is at the center of the enterprise, it is essential to understand what happens to ones work after it leaves your hands. The students at Central Saint Martins may not like their production class any more than I liked my media law one, but I bet it would be just as helpful to them down the road

She also says:

“British industry doesn’t feel that it gets what it wants out of our education system. For the past 35 years this has been an ongoing battle: industry says it doesn’t get what it wants and fashion educators say that industry doesn’t understand what it is setting out to do. Industry complains that the graduates do not have enough basic skills in some areas and not enough technical focus or production skills.“

Is it really so far-flung an idea that students can be highly creative, technically competent and have experience in other areas of their business? Yes, CSM graduates are highly sought after and get great jobs abroad. But how many English designers have I met in Milan and Paris who are dying to come back home? Too many.

Even if they don’t relish the idea, I think the students know they’re missing something. Why else are websites like this one so popular? Students at Saint Martins should be made to work out the cost of the garment, to factor in the shipping, the taxes, the mark-ups and every other part of the process because they are leaving CSM and entering a fiercely competitive business world — a world they’ll need to understand in order to thrive, and survive.

Lauren Goldstein Crowe is co-author of a book on Jimmy Choo to be published by Bloomsbury later this year

In the years before he became an overnight household name in the United Kingdom, when Linda Evangelista walked down his runway for free, Giles Deacon spent more than 10 years exploring — not the world, but rather the people and environment in which he lived.

The first chapter of Giles’ story explains how he came to be a fashion designer and launch his own label, GILES. It reveals how the accidents of life can change the course of fashion history.

Inside the Studio | Giles Deacon was generously supported by Swarovski