Alexander McQueen Store on 14th Street in New York | Source: Stylesightings
LONDON, United Kingdom — One of the first fashion shows I ever attended was the Alexander McQueen show for Spring/Summer 2007, staged in the round at the Cirque D’Hiver in Paris. Jonathan Akeroyd, the affable CEO of McQueen, was kind enough to grant my cheeky request for an invitation, and he even let me bring along my college roommate, who was studying outside Paris at the time.
We were seated in the very last row way up in the rafters of the massive round theatre, but still we were mesmerised by McQueen’s collection and his spectacular presentation. Afterwards, we stepped out into the pouring rain late on a Friday night during Paris Fashion Week with a sense of awe and wonderment that lingered for the rest of the evening.
Barneys New York Spring/Summer 2010 | Source: Barneys
Burkle Angles for Controlling Stake in Barneys(WSJ)
“Billionaire Ronald Burkle is angling to take a controlling stake in Barneys New York, people familiar with the situation said, a bet that the company and battered luxury retail sector have seen the worst of the recession.”
Bloomingdale’s opens in Dubai(The National)
“From today, people in Dubai will be able to indulge in the magic of Bloomingdale’s as the American department store ventures outside the US for the first time in its 138-year history.”
Versace’s New Look(WSJ)
“At the House of Versace, Donatella is back in the saddle again. She now signs off on every leather bag, dinner plate and evening gown… With the House of Versace facing the toughest times since it flirted with bankruptcy in 2004, the family must now steer the company through the current crisis in luxury goods.”
Fluff flies as fashion writers pick a cat fight with bloggers (Independent)
“Enthusiasm has waned for bloggers such as Tavi Gevinson, the 13-year-old wunderkind who waltzed into the front row of the biggest catwalk shows, as former fans complain bloggers have been ‘bought off’ by the industry.”
Davos 2010: Gucci boss on the rise of the shrewd customer(BBC)
“Robert Polet, boss of Gucci group has said he has seen a shift in the way customers are approaching the purchase of luxury good… ‘People want to know does the promise you give as a brand really stands up’.”
Fashion goes live on line(AP)
“The fall-winter 2010-2011 preview presentations, the first shows of the new decade, got under way over the weekend with a new fashion passion: live online showcasing. Gone are the days when house bouncers, trained to spot potential copycats, blocked any unauthorized person who dared snap a picture during a show.”
Defiant Armani rules out sale of empire(Financial Times)
“Giorgio Armani, the doyen of Italian fashion designers, has ruled out a sale of his global empire and has no plans to step back from day-to-day involvement. Mr Armani sought to quash speculation that he may sell the house to a bigger group, saying he had no need or desire to sell and would always have the final say in decisions.”
Thinker, tailor, technophile(Financial Times)
“The potential of customers interacting with a brand online goes way beyond looking at an ad page in Vogue or Vanity Fair,” says Robert Polet, CEO of Gucci Group. “The Gucci app had 340,000 downloads at the end of October, just a few weeks after it launched. That makes those people part of the Gucci world.”
Fashion house Cavalli to boost accessories, expand(Reuters)
“Fashion house Roberto Cavalli is looking to boost its accessories segment and expand in South America and Asia Pacific this year, its chief executive said, adding there were signs of improvement in the luxury market.”
Fashion Designers Respond To Haiti: Find Out Who Did What(Huffington Post)
“The fashion industry has joined forces to aid the victims of this natural disaster, in the form of monetary donations and contributing portions of sales.”
Luxury’s turnaround? Maybe not quite just yet(Market Watch)
“It may be too early to call a turnaround in the luxury-retail sector. Despite expectations that high-end shoppers are gradually coming back to stores and with retailers such as Macy’s and Saks indicating some improvement, the latest data suggest that the battered sector may need to do more to prove this pickup in momentum can be sustained.”
From catwalk to laptop, fashion houses embrace web(Reuters)
“Increasingly fashion brands are shifting their communication budgets to the Web, and have a greater understanding of its potential and in particular they now are all requesting an online store.”
Indian Government allows Gucci to pick up 51 percent stake(Business Line)
“Italian designer goods maker Gucci can now go ahead with its plans to enter the Indian retail market through single brand stores with the Government allowing it to pick up a majority stake in its Indian franchisee Luxury Goods Retail Pvt Ltd.”
Liberty of London to team up with Target (Drapers)
“Liberty of London, the brand famed for its prints and owned by department store Liberty, has confirmed it has signed a deal with US value chain Target to create a range of clothing and accessories for the store.”
What a Lens Can’t Capture(NY Times)
“A gesture can speak volumes, something few people grasp as viscerally as does Blue Logan, a London-bred fashion illustrator… Mr. Logan, 29, is but one in a clutch of young artists to have snared the attention of the style world and, in the process, revitalized an art form that has long been eclipsed by photography.”
The Business Of Lady Gaga(Forbes)
“In the cacophony of the music business, Gaga has broken through the clutter with muzzle velocity, becoming a superstar in scarcely a year. Her first album, The Fame, is the best-selling debut album of 2009. Her single Just Dance has been viewed 87 million times on YouTube. Gaga’s tracks have clocked 20 million downloads this year. One of them, Poker Face, is the most downloaded tune in the history of U.K. digital music.”
Heir to Gucci Empire Reveals Plan to Double Bet on Fashion (Wall Street Journal)
“A 12-person team within PPR has drawn up two lists. The first enumerates a new set of 20 possible industry buyers for the three retail businesses up for grabs, Mr. Pinault said during the interview. The second list targets a dozen potential luxury and lifestyle brands PPR would be interested in buying.”
Tailoring the Image to Fit the Clothes (NY Times)
“It is Patrick Li’s peculiar job, as an art director and graphic designer for some of the hottest new clothing designers in the business, to articulate their vision in the single nanosecond it takes to look at the name on the label of a dress or a T-shirt.”
Luxury brands avoid price cuts at all costs(Toronto Sun)
“Tiffany, like all retailers, has struggled during the global economic downturn as consumers tightened their purse strings. As a result, North American big box, discount and grocery stores have resorted to drastic prices cuts to lure shoppers. Metro and Loblaws, Sears and Walmart Canada have all gone head-to-head in price wars. Luxury brands however, have done quite the opposite. Instead, exclusive shops have opted to shrink inventory levels to avoid offering steep discounts.”
Steve J & Yoni P Makes Waves in London(Korea Times)
“Rising designers Steve Jung and Yoni Pai are making a name for themselves on the British fashion scene with their chic, impeccable designs with quirky details.”
PPR Sales Miss Estimates as Gucci Touches ‘Low Point’(Bloomberg)
“PPR SA, owner of the Gucci brand, reported sales that missed analysts’ estimates after demand weakened across the French company’s markets, from luxury to furniture and African goods distribution.”
Coach fiscal 1Q profit falls slightly; sales rise(AP)
“Luxury handbag maker Coach Inc. said Tuesday its new lower-priced handbag lines such as its colorful Poppy bags are boosting growth in an environment where consumers will spend less on nonessentials for the long term.”
Online spending growth at all time low(Drapers)
“Online spending growth dropped to a record low in September as etailers were hit by heavy high street discounting and localised postal stikes.”
Luxury retail lands in Singapore(Inside Retailing)
“A colossal integrated resort development under construction in Singapore will add a whole new retail dimension to the city state already renowned for its retail offer.”
‘Schmatta: Rags to Riches to Rags’(LA Times)
“In the last 40 years, the percentage of American clothing made in America has plummeted from 95 to 5. Five percent! How did this happen?”
Gucci Group sees Balenciaga as a rising star (Forbes)
“Balenciaga, the trendy fashion house favoured by actresses such as Charlotte Gainsbourg, is the fastest growing brand within the Gucci Group and meeting all pre-crisis targets, its head said on Monday.”
Primark delivers ’stunning’ sales(Independent)
“Primark, the discount fashion retailer, has posted recession-defying sales in its second half, and vowed to press ahead with its store opening programme.”
‘Time Style & Design’ Quarterly is No More(Media Post)
“Time Inc. is suspending publication of fashion quarterly Time Style & Design because of the collapse of the luxury market.”
A Decade Sophisticated but Louder(New York Times)
“With the spring 2010 collections beginning in less than a week, let’s take a moment to reflect on what designers have wrought over the decade that is coming to an end. What will fashion of the aughties be remembered for, if anything more than hipster uniforms and the Olsen twins?”
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