La Source by Anne Deniau | Source: NY Times

What Christian Lacroix Did Next (NY Times)
“‘This is my couture,’ says Christian Lacroix, before his latest creations took to the stage in “La Source,” a magical realist ballet created in the 19th century and rarely seen since then. These fantastical costumes, mixing folkloric outfits with diaphanous pastel dresses, scattered with sparkling crystal, are for just one among a series of theatrical events across Europe that Mr. Lacroix has worked on since his couture house was shuttered in 2009.”

Hugo Boss confirms 2011 outlook after Q3 results (Reuters)
“German fashion house Hugo Boss  confirmed its outlook for 2011 as it reported forecast-beating third-quarter results… Adding to signs the premium and luxury sector has not yet been hit by the global economic slowdown… Hugo Boss, known predominantly for its sharp suits, is aiming to grow sales by between 15 and 17 percent on a currency neutral basis and core operating profit by between 25 and 30 percent for 2011 as a whole.”

Has campaigning for an ethical fashion industry had any impact? (Guardian)
“Campaigners have been battling for an ethical fashion industry ever since the first sweatshop scandals broke back in the 1990s… Progress might be slow, but it’s not all doom and gloom. Take the example of the campaign led by the Responsible Sourcing Network to stop forced child labour in Uzbekistan’s cotton industry. Over 60 global clothing companies, including Adidas and H&M, have now committed to ban Uzbek cotton from their supply chains.”

Photo Sharing App For Fashion Pose Raises $3 Million (TechCrunch)
“Pose, a mobile platform for real-time discovery and sharing of fashion, shopping and style, has raised $3 million in Series A funding from GRP Partners, True Ventures and Mousse Partners… Pose wants to help you share what you’re buying (or thinking of buying) with your friends. When you’re in a store and you come across and item of clothing you may want to buy, Pose invites you to take a snapshot. You can then tag it with your current location and the item’s price, and share it with friends.”

Meet Katie Hillier, the fashion world’s best-kept secret (Evening Standard)
“Once the head accessories designer at Marc by Marc Jacobs, where she created some of the most coveted bags of the decade – she continues to work there as a creative consultant – Hillier is now the expertise behind Victoria Beckham’s phenomenally successful bag line, and a consultant for Henry Holland’s House of Holland label and for designer Stuart Vevers, with whom she recently collaborated to re-imagine Loewe’s iconic Amazona tote bag.”

Daisy Lowe on the cover of the March 2011 ASOS Magazine | Source: ASOS

Online retailers discover the joy of journalism (FT)
“‘Mail-out magazines are a great way to create a shop floor for online retailers when they don’t have a physical space… Journalists have a different skill set. They know how to engage the readers, and engage communities of readers.’”

Egypt crisis has effects on luxury market (CPP Luxury)
“The current ongoing turmoil in Egypt has brought a complete hault to the country’s feeble luxury market. Stores such as Burberry, Ferragamo… have remained closed since the debut of the crisis.”

What Harrods and Torres can do for Britain (FT)
“We do not have to stand helpless before people’s fear of foreigners. They can be persuaded. British businesses and universities have begun to make the case for a confident, forward-looking approach to the outside world. It is time the government did so too.”

Fairytales and furniture for Christian Lacroix (Telegraph)
“Firstly, he has collaborated with the young, British author, Camilla Morton… by illustrating a fashion fantasy/fairytale… Equally romantic and fantastical will be Lacroix’s new furniture collection, which will be launched at the Milan Furniture Fair in April.”

A Brand Where Storytelling Is Part of the Design (NY Times)
“Urban Inc… has quietly segued into a higher-end market with Leifsdottir, a Scandinavian-inspired brand sold at Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdale’s that is achieving a kind of stealth success with trendsetters and shoppers alike.”

Burberry Mens A/W Show 2011 in Milan | Source: Oki-ni CultureShoq

Today, BoF exclusively brings you Savigny Partners’ blow-by-blow analysis of the rapidly shifting luxury fashion business model which is undergoing transformation due to underlying shifts in consumer values, technology and globalisation

LONDON, United Kingdom — Luxury fashion is a very exciting business which can generate substantial returns if you get the formula right. Not only is there the ability to charge up to ten times the cost of manufacturing a garment and the potential to build a global business; apparel can be the beginning of a page-turning blockbuster, accessories and leather goods are the next chapter, fragrances and eyewear licenses the well-oiled plot. The story can have a happy ending with the promise of many sequels to come.

Success stories in this field are mouth-watering: Burberry’s share price climbed from 175p in November 2008 to 1,116p at the beginning of this year as the brand went from strength to strength and reportedly attracted the attention of a number of acquirers. Lanvin has embarked on a stellar growth trajectory with plenty of potential yet to come. However, not all blockbusters have a happy ending. The latest crisis has claimed a number of victims: Christian Lacroix, Gianfranco Ferré, Yohji Yamamoto, Luella Bartley to name a few.

In this article we will examine how the traditional designer business model has come under threat and what key factors we believe are necessary to ensure the success of a luxury fashion label today. Finally we will take a look at what lies ahead for the luxury fashion sector.

… Continue Reading

Rick Owens Autumn 2011 Runway | Source: GQ.com

Paris Men’s: Fashion Hams and the Home Front (NY Times)
“Despite some of Mr. Helbers’s knowing design details, especially in the mix of textures, the dark clothes were plain enough to make you seem invisible, one more dude in the lonely crowd. But if you can afford Louis Vuitton, would you want that distinction?”

An Exclusive Sit-Down with Alexandre Plokhov (MANual)
“Like pretty much everyone else who follows menswear, we’ve been anticipating this week’s launch of Alexandre Plokhov’s namesake collection in Paris—which is why we were thrilled when the…designer invited us to his Flatiron District studio.”

Christian Lacroix Designing for Desigual (The Cut)
“The line has to be called Monseiur Lacroix since he can’t use his name on his designs anymore, and the first collection for fall 2011, presented this week at Barcelona Fashion Week, includes 30 pieces.”

Mulberry shrugs off retail gloom to ride the luxury boom (Telegraph)
“Mulberry’s strong performance is in marked contrast with most high street fashion retailers, who in general had a difficult Christmas trading period due to the snow and consumers’ concerns about the economy.”

The blurring lines of fashion (Telegraph)
“Everyone in fashion is turning their hand to another discipline as stylists become designers, bloggers go mainstream and editors become creative consultants… the way fashion exists now, that means anyone in the industry can turn their hand to a new role.”

Chaumet Attrape-moi...si tu m'aimes ring | Source: Chaumet

Jewelry With Stories to Tell (IHT)
“You don’t need 3-D glasses for the sculpted shapes to stand out and the colors to pop. But the high jewelry that had an open day during last week’s haute couture season is finely tuned to the latest fashion.”

Christian Lacroix’s New Creative Director is Up for the Challenge (Fashionista)
“Besides Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen, there is no designer in the world with a more enviable/terrifying job than Sacha Walckhoff, the new creative director at Christian Lacroix.”

Armani Sales, Profit Fall Amid Downturn (WSJ)
“Italian fashion house Giorgio Armani said Monday its sales and profit dropped last year amid a consumer-spending slump brought on by the economic crisis… sales fell 6% to €1.52 billion ($1.92 billion) from €1.62 billion a year earlier.”

Prada says Chinese tycoon’s share-buying talk is unfounded (Chanelnewsasia)
“A Chinese tycoon has been quietly buying up shares in Italian fashion house Prada SpA in a bid to become the biggest shareholder, his company said on Monday, but Prada in Italy denied this as being completely unfounded.”

London Fashion Week prepares to welcome its second famous Rocha (Independent)
“With London Fashion Week just two months away, the hunt is on for the next British-based design star… the daughter of the designer John Rocha, among the young names hoping to catch the eye of international fashion press and buyers.”