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.”

LONDON, United Kingdom — After months of speculation and almost a year of going without a head designer, Halston announced in May that it had appointed Marios Schwab, the half-Austrian half-Greek Lond0n-based designer, as its new Creative Director.

Many in the industry breathed a sigh of relief. Amongst the various names that had been bandied around in the rumour mill, including Olivier Theyskens (apparently the strong choice of Anna Wintour), Schwab’s name was the one that seemed to create the most excitement amongst fashion insiders for his potential to develop commercially viable collections in the spirit of the brand’s DNA.

Making the final cut was no easy task. Amongst others, Schwab had to pass the muster of board members including Bonnie Takhar, Halston’s CEO, Harvey Weinstein, the notoriously demanding Hollywood heavyweight and investor in the Halston brand, and Tamara Mellon, Founder and President of Jimmy Choo. With a vested stake in the Halston brand, each of these big guns also knew that their decision would directly impact the bottom line at a critical time for the newly-relaunched label.

I caught up recently with Marios on a sunny day at London’s Shoreditch House to learn more about his decision to join Halston, his plans for balancing two labels, and his advice for young designers just starting out in the business of fashion.

BoF: With your own label to manage and so many other opportunities available to you, why did you accept the Halston role, and why now?

MS: Working with a brand in America was always one of my dreams. I was ready for a new challenge and felt an instant chemistry with Halston; it came naturally to me. It’s very challenging to take on a role like this, maybe more challenging than ever before, especially in times like these. All of this was very attractive to me.

When Halston started his label, he created something completely different from anything else available at the time — it was almost anti-fashion. People didn’t want to go for fittings in Paris. They wanted to have something comfortable. Halston came at the right time and he created something beautiful and timeless, that every woman could make her own, to bring out her own personality.

The Halston woman is not a seasonal, trendy girl. She has a contemporary outlook on fashion and wants something more relaxed than what I do in my own collection. Halston is about a lifestyle that people want. It’s innovative and has the fun fantasy side of fashion that I think people are really looking for now.

The collaboration and combination of these two roles is both good for me and for Halston. They get the energy of a young designer and I will benefit from the experience of working in a larger, more structured company. It’s a win-win situation.

MS: Coming from Greece, obviously there was the element of being surrounded by a culture that to me, in some aspects, is still humble. There is some sort of ancient element in the characters that you meet on an island. As a kid, I [could never go] to a beautiful gallery to see new things. I probably had two to three magazines that I would buy monthly. [I] didn’t have the internet, obviously.

Once I came to Berlin, and then to London, it was a completely mindblowing situation…especially London because you see the mixture and the diversity. This is mainly why I was so appreciative of all this information. I like diversity and I think once you have seen lots of things, touched lots of things like textures, your vision grows and you are highly more versatile. And, that’s what fashion needs at the moment as well. You need to adapt to certain situations.

BoF: Can you tell me a bit about what the business of fashion is for you?

MS: Personally, I like the risk of creating something and making it successful. For example, creating something that people are unaware of and may not be familiar with…something they need to observe and then accept. This is something that fascinates me. This is what a creator should be…challenging himself to create something that people want to observe and learn more about. It’s not just fashion, it’s also an object that they want to invest in and own, have, look at.

So, I think it’s very important that through learning about the business aspects of the fashion industry that you remain true to your creativity. This is what fashion is about. It should move forward. It’s an evolution. As our personalities evolve through popular culture and music, we need to do the same in the way we clothe and portray ourselves.

BoF: Finally, what advice would you offer to young designers who are just setting up their own businesses?

MS: The younger generation seems to have different expectations about fashion. When students come to work for us, they often come with this notion that fashion is about glamour. They don’t research enough. They don’t touch things enough. How can you design a building without knowing how to construct it? The same is also true for fashion. For young designers, I would say make sure you understand the technical aspects of a design.

I would also say that you must be very organised, and you need to carefully balance the business side and the creative side. Find the parts of the business you like and focus on them and for the other things, make sure you find people to work with you. You just can’t do everything yourself.

RSS and Email subscribers: To see a video excerpt of the interview with Marios Schwab, click here.

Christian Lacroix Couture A/W 09, courtesy of Coutorture

Rethinking the rules at Paris couture shows (FT)
“Should couture go big or small? Subtle or over-the-top? These days, this particular niche of the fashion industry seems as volatile in its identity as the price of oil. When the rest of the world is busy doubting the rationale for your existence, a show is effectively a public argument for your worth. But how to make the case most effectively?”

Halston targets growth with heritage collection (Drapers)
“Luxury brand Halston is launching a lower-priced collection and is targeting European expansion.”

Kate Moss ‘to go into business with Sir Philip Green and Simon Cowell’ (Telegraph)
“Kate Moss is poised to go into business with Sir Philip Green and Simon Cowell, creating a billion pound global empire bringing fashion and entertainment together, it has been claimed.”

Critter-Friendly Grows Up (WSJ)
It used to be that synthetic shoes looked fake and cheaply made. But now, a growing number of manufacturers are launching stylish shoes marketed as vegan and animal-friendly for women who don’t want any animal products in their footwear.

Saks S/S 09 ad campaign, courtesy of Saks

Saks swings to a loss as demand falters (MarketWatch)
“Saks Inc. swung to a smaller-than-expected first-quarter loss Tuesday after the luxury retailer controlled inventory and expenses amid faltering demand for upscale goods.”

Halston Taps Marios Schwab as Creative Director (WWD)
“Ending one of the most speculated-about searches in recent months, Halston has tapped London-based designer Marios Schwab as its new creative director effective July.” (Subscription required)

Phillips-Van Heusen profit falls but beats Street (Reuters)
“Phillips-Van Heusen Corp, owner of the Calvin Klein brand, said on Tuesday that its quarterly net income fell, hurt by lower sales, but the results were better than Wall Street expected.”

Topshop unveils Kate Moss high summer collection (Drapers)
“Topshop has unveiled its high summer Kate Moss for Topshop collection which hits stores tomorrow.”

Models: Taking Business Into Their Own Hands (Forbes)
“While the supermodels of the ’80s–Linda, Naomi, Christy–were content with walking the runways and playing muse to the likes of Gianni Versace and Karl Lagerfeld, today’s top models have their eye on their own fashion design careers. Say goodbye to the supermodel and hello to today’s model/designer.”

Matteo Marzotto, courtesy of The Sartorialist

LONDON, United Kingdom — The recent news that Matteo Marzotto and Gianni Castiglioni have bought the Vionnet brand reminded me of the old saying about second marriages: a triumph of hope over experience. Arnaud de Lummen has already had a hand at reviving Vionnet, the classic couture brand, over the past few years, but has now moved on to other projects. (You can read all about it in BoF’s exclusive interview with de Lummen.)

In announcing the purchase of Vionnet, Marzotto said “I am convinced there is always room for projects that have at their core originality, energy and passion. With Vionnet I would like to bring back to life an idea of fashion that is contemporary without forgetting its history.” And, Marzotto is not the only one who thinks so.

Halston is probably the highest profile re-launch, but the $20 million plus purchase price paid by Hilco Consumer Group, Harvey Weinstein, and a small group of private investors, means the pressure is on to see big-time results in a shrinking economy.

By comparison, Azzaro, bought by Reig Capital in 2007, has been taking a slow and steady path – and managed to maintain positive results despite the disappointing times. Managing Director Sagra Maceira de Rosen puts it down to the focus on performance in their two stores – the flagship in Paris and the new pop up store in Mount Street, which recouped its costs in the first two days of sales. (Full disclosure: Sagra is also the co-author of a book on Jimmy Choo that I am publishing later this year.)

I’m enamoured with JT handbags, based in Florence, who have exclusive distribution in Bendel’s in New York and are still considering European partners. And Lela Rose, who made her name dressing the Bush twins, is embarking on a new push into Europe under the guidance of sales director Sandra Ellis, who joined from Zac Posen.

But is it a foolish time to attempt these kinds of initiatives? On the surface of things, the answer would appear to be ‘yes.’ Sales of established brands are suffering, so retailers are going to be extra cautious about taking risks on new brands with unproven sales performance.

On the other hand, the suffering of the big brands could provide an opportunity for leaner, smaller bands. If established mega-brands are cutting back on their ads, so much the better for smaller, independent brands whose single pages have a better chance of being noticed in the glossy magazines. And even if they don’t have money for advertising, creative marketing ideas (read about Halston’s innovative online video in our CEO Talk with Bonnie Takhar) have a better than usual chance of getting noticed.

If Giorgio Armani isn’t in London throwing celebrity-studded extravaganzas at Earl’s Court (like he did in 2007 to celebrate his collaboration with the charity RED), then the press is all the more likely to head over to the Azzaro pop-up store on Mount Street to get a snap of Jemima Khan.

The danger is falling into the trap of getting over-extended. This is not the time for ambitious launches. Fortunately Marzotto and Castiglioni have the industry experience and deep-enough pockets to fund Vionnet through a transition stage. Brands without big backers aren’t so lucky.

So, while it may not be a good time to make money, if these re-launches are carefully managed, it could still be a good time to establish a fan base that will pay off when the recession ends.

Bonnie Takhar, courtesy of Halston

NEW YORK, United States — The trend for showing collections online, in lieu of runway shows, has been gathering steam in recent seasons. But, perhaps no initiative has been as ambitious as that of Halston, which debuted its own video presentation for Fall 2009 this past week.

Whereas brands like Marc Bouwer and Viktor & Rolf have previously shown online videos of looks going down the runway, Halston instead developed a bespoke, elaborate video presentation featuring Dree Hemingway, complete with signature music and a real fashion-meets-film concept.

Since the launch, Halston has successfully seeded the videos on fashion sites and blogs the world over, and the video has also been aired by major websites like Style.com. Of course, not everyone has responded positively — but that doesn’t happen on the runway either. And, it’s undeniable that the video has created an overwhelming interest in Halston, exemplified by a Google Trends search which shows highest levels of search volume ever on ‘Halston’ in January and February.

I sat down with Halston CEO Bonnie Takhar in the brand’s sleek SoHo showroom to see the new collection, discuss the goals and results of the video campaign thus far, as well as Halston’s plans for the future.

BoF: Tell us about Halston’s new online video initiative and how it was conceived, developed and produced.

Halston has always been considered an innovative brand as he pioneered luxury American fashion. When we launched Halston, we specifically wanted to maintain this groundbreaking spirit and I am personally very much in favor of exploring highly creative avenues especially with marketing strategy. We wanted to maintain the brand’s luxury value but also make them accessible to the new generations and essentially broaden our demographic.

In August of last year, I was thinking about the merger of fashion, art, music and film and just knew that all components were key to the new media environment. A music style video launched via the internet and backed by a viral campaign was the perfect platform to encapsulate and promote the Fall 2009 collection innovatively, strategically and beautifully.

The video was produced by a London based agency called Blink Productions who have won numerous awards for music videos and work with the best creative directors in the business. We wanted to showcase the world of Halston and not just our product. Each vignette within the video is a world within a world and provides the viewer with a myriad of scenarios. I notice something new each time I watch it.

The whole concept was specifically geared towards the online audience starting with an email teaser campaign and culminating with collection images sent all to all. We wanted to offer a real 360-degree view of the collection.

BoF: Given the high-level of production quality, this clearly wasn’t cheap. So why did you decide to launch it now, in the worst economic environment in a generation?

It was the right approach to take and has achieved our objectives at a brand awareness level, demographically and has had a positive impact on our ecommerce partners. In fact, the concept was already completed and we were assessing production facilities in August of last year, several months prior to the global economic storms.

This new economic climate is going to produce an explosion of creativity in all forms, which is especially relevant to the fashion industry. Already we are seeing a marked shift in values that can be positively reflected through the industry.

BoF: You’ve succeeded in creating significant online buzz on blogs and fashion websites around the world. An emerging concept of branding on Internet is that, more and more, brands are owned by the communities in which they are discussed online, not by the companies that own them in the traditional sense of the word. How do you feel about losing ‘control’ of the Halston brand in this way?

Blogs are the most prolific form of new and creative journalism. They are becoming and will continue to be a highly impactful source of information for the general consumer. It’s great that technology allows every one of us to voice our opinion to others, we can only learn from it.

I don’t personally view these online brand discussions as losing control but as a way of garnering consumer opinion and feedback, which will ultimately benefit brands that accept and validate this form of consumer interaction. Knowledge like this is invaluable and key to forming an emotional connection with the target audience.

BoF: With all the online chatter, why don’t you have an ecommerce element to your website to leverage the buzz?

The online market for luxury is a modern day phenomenon and even up till a few years ago, an undervalued resource. Consumer purchasing perception has dramatically shifted in favor of online boutiques. I think that Net-a-Porter.com has really been the leader in the field and has helped to create the online market as it stands today. Here at Halston, we have a great business with Net-a-Porter and it continues to grow season on season. We are also developing our business with Neimanmarcus.com. Many customers genuinely prefer the online experience especially now when many may want to be more discreet about their purchases in such a bad economy.

The video has definitely had a strong impact with our online retailers. Several recent deliveries have now sold out on key styles. It is really interesting to see how the modern luxury shopper has fully embraced the digital age.

We are certainly planning to launch our own ecommerce site and looking to determine the appropriate juncture… We’ll keep you updated!

BoF: How does the video fit with your broader strategy of relaunching Halston and how will you take this forward in seasons to come? Will there ever be a Halston runway show again?

The Fall 2009 video has been an ideal vehicle for our branding strategy. As we build the business we will inevitably launch brand extensions that will appeal to a broader consumer demographic with multiple price points. This initiative has allowed us to out reach to a consumer that is now aware of the Halston brand and lifestyle in a way that a traditional runway show could never have achieved.

But never say never! Halston will always look forward but that’s not to say that a runway show with a difference may yet again resurface.

Halston Spring/Summer 2009

CEO Talk is an ongoing series of discussions with fashion entrepreneurs and business leaders as they combat the economic downturn. Previous interviews are listed below:

• Natalie Massenet, Chairman and Founder, Net-a-Porter
• Camilla Skovgaard, Shoe designer and Entrepreneur
• Susan Lyne, Chief Executive Officer, Gilt Groupe
• Priya Kishore, Founder and Creative Director, Bombay Electric
• Alex Bolen, Chief Executive Officer, Oscar de la Renta
• Jeffrey Kapelman, Chief Executive Officer, Hilldun Corporation