The Men (and Women) Who Would Be Halston | Source: NY Times

The Men (and Women) Who Would Be Halston (NY Times)
“Now presided over by the chief executive Ben Malka — until recently the president of the solidly middlebrow brand BCBG — Halston is expected to announce a new creative director, Marie Mazelis (also late of BCBG), to lead it… It’s safe to say that expectations aren’t high, after a series of ill-fated corporate maneuvers that began even before Halston himself died of complications from AIDS in 1990.”

Azzaro’s New Start (Vogue UK)
“Azzaro has appointed Mathilde Castello Branco as its new creative director. The designer, who previously worked with Alber Elbaz at Lanvin, will unveil her first designs for the French label in January for pre-autumn/winter 2012-13… Branco takes over from Vanessa Seward, an assistant to house founder Loris Azzaro. In addition to Lanvin, the designer also worked atHermès under Martin Margiela.”

Brunello Cucinelli planning Milan listing (FT)
“The company, which is based in a hilltop hamlet in Umbria, sells cashmere sweaters and leather jackets for upwards of €1,000 ($1,420), mostly in Europe and North America, and has emerged as a leader in the luxury niche in the past decade. The move by Mr Cucinelli follows the successful listing of Italian luxury goods companies Prada and Salvatore Ferragamo on the stock exchange this year.”

A head for figures (FT)
“The idea of celebrities such as the Beckhams, the Olsen twins and Sarah Jessica Parker crossing professional boundaries to launch second careers as fashion designers has become a familiar one in the 21st century. But beyond these famous fashionistas, a surprising number of financial and legal specialists are also foregoing their former areas of expertise to enter the style arena.”

Katie Grand: the super-stylist (Telegraph)
“Katie Grand, the magazine editor and stylist -or super-stylist as she is now described, perhaps in reference to the many fashion superbrands for which she has helped create defining images – has the sort of non-stop life that sounds just too fabulous and utterly exhausting.”

Vogue Paris 2008 Isabeli Fontana as Amy Winehouse | Source: Bubblespop

Of fashion and Amy Winehouse (FT)
“She was her own fashion statement, and it’s my guess, had she been able to deal with her own demons, she would have ended up shaping fashion, not the other way around. She wouldn’t have sung for her style; her singing would have set the style. And the effects would have reverberated at a deeper level.”

Hermès Opens in Horniman Circle (Mumbai Boss)
“The store, the first stand-alone luxury brand boutique outside of a mall or five-star hotel in India, marks a departure for Hermès’s strategy in the country, where it already has two branches in Delhi and Pune, both in hotels… The process has taken them 18 months and it is hoped that the store will inspire other businesses to help revive and restore the area.”

Forecast-beating LVMH lifts stake in Hermès (Reuters)
“LVMH has raised its stake in smaller luxury rival Hermès  to 21.4 percent from 20.2 percent… The owner of the Louis Vuitton and Kenzo fashion brands, Moet & Chandon champagne and Chaumet jewelry added, however, it did not own any financial instruments, other than those disclosed, which could raise its Hermès holding further.”

Halston Poached BCBG Max Azria’s President After All (The Cut)
“Ben Malka initially denied rumors that he would take over at Halston following its sudden meltdown two weeks ago, he confirmed that he had left BCBG Max Azria Group to do just that. Malka was the president of BCBG since 2001, and worked at the company for sixteen years, during which time he solidified BCBG’s place in the contemporary womenswear market.”

Clothes that are proud to be British (Telegraph)
“With heritage brands such as Burberry leading the global fashion scene, Mulberry sales rising 526 per cent over the past year, and Pringle being one of the hottest tickets at London Fashion Week, British-based labels have become “cool” again… What attracts foreign buyers is the emphasis on endurance, not only in the clothing, but its back stories as well.”

The Mad Hatters spread, Harrods magazine, April 2010 | Source: Harrods

Harrods’ new owners announce upgrade plans (Telegraph)
“Qatar Holding is expected to back an expansion programme into new areas ­including China.  Harrods could become a global franchise as new owner… announces plans to ‘upgrade’ the luxury retailer.”

BCBG opens in London (Elle.com)
“BCBG Max Azria is the latest U.S. label to open its doors in the UK. Following October’s launch of Anthropologie and the imminent arrival of J. Crew on Net a Porter, BCBG opened on London’s Kings Road over the weekend.”

Baroque and roll: Fashion houses go back to their roots (Independent)
“In demanding economic times, the major fashion houses are going back to their roots for inspiration – so it’s no wonder that Donatella Versace is focusing on high glamour, rainbow colour and ultra-sexy silhouettes.”

Now Showing | Ultrasuede: In Search of Halston (T Magazine)
“… what the director, Whitney Sudler-Smith, presented on Friday at its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival was an affectionate, often kid-glove portrait — or make that ultrasuede-glove portrait — of the fashion legend.”

Mrs. Bono on how fashion can save the world (Times Online)
“Ali Hewson is determined to shrug off the sackcloth image of ethical fashion. What exactly does ethical mean? … I’m hoping that by following Hewson round in Uganda, I may find out — and discover whether it can really be good business.”

Browns' 40th Anniversary | Source: Browns

Browns celebrates 40 years in fashion (Telegraph)
“The John Galliano shirt wasn’t my first temptation at Browns, but has somehow come to represent what the shop stands for. Some four decades on, it has kept the flag flying for delightful conspicuous expenditure.”

Neiman boosted by sales revival (FT)
“Neiman Marcus, yesterday said its February store sales had improved, underlining the continuing revival of US luxury spending. The retailer said comparable sales rose 5.1 per cent in February from the same period the previous year.”

Women dominate mobile social networking scene (Biz Report)
“Over half (55%) of mobile social networkers were found to be women – not teens, who are more likely to use their devices to text. In fact, teenagers and college students combined account for less mobile social network traffic than their parents.”

Retailers are taking Liberty to heart (Independent)
“Target’s collaboration with the iconic London department store has resulted in the characteristic flower and paisley prints appearing on dresses, jumpsuits, swimsuits, bags, and even some home accessories, hitting US stores March 14.”

Fashion falls for Alice (The Toronto Star)
“Fashionable institutions are also falling down the rabbit hole in their rush to embrace the wonderment that is Alice. Paris’s Printemps and London’s Selfridges have dedicated entire display windows to fantastical scenes.”

SJP in Halston Heritage for SATC2 Movie Poster | Source: imdb

Sarah Jessica Parker partners with Halston (Times)
“Sarah Jessica Parker and Halston may be banking on fashion sequels: The storied designer label reportedly has hired the “Sex and the City” star in a creative role for its newly announced Halston Heritage collection.”

Burberry beats forecasts as luxury goods come back into fashion (Guardian)
“Recession or no recession, it seems luxury goods are on the shopping lists of the rich again, judging by a good performance from Burberry. The retailer said its total sales in the three months to 31 December had jumped 12% to £380m, better than analysts’ forecasts of an increase of around 3%.”

Zegna sees growth in 2010 (Plush)
“Milan, Italy: Leading global menswear brand Ermenegildo Zegna sees a return to growth this year as it celebrates its 100th birthday, after closing 2009 with an 8 percent fall in turnover, its chief executive said.”

Texture Messaging (IHT)
“Creating fashion emotion in a digital age was the subtext of the Milan menswear season. Designers are streaming their shows and tweeting to their followers but more than anything else they are creating the desire for interactivity, mirroring touch-screen technology with sensory fabrics.”

Designers show one-offs at eco fashion show (Independent)
“Fashion designers including Thakoon, Bora Aksu, and Manish Arora have unveiled their unique creations that will be shown exclusively at EcoChic Geneva on January 21.”