BoF - The Business of Fashion » Hussein Chalayan

BoF Daily Digest | Cultural landmarks, Gender balance, Burberry’s global success, US focus on Europe, eBay’s liability for counterfeits

BoF Team — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 12:28:21 +0000

Hussein Chalayan photographed by Chris Moore | Source: Vogue Paris

Chalayan and McQueen exhibitions: cultural landmarks of the year (Telegraph)
“It is the intellectual and imaginative stature of these two former peers – the fact that they drove fashion to reflect difficult realities and push the boundaries of technology – which make their shows a different kettle of fish from the usual lifeless way clothes appear in museums.”

LVMH Pledges Gender Balance In Europe (Forbes)
“LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton voluntarily committed to increase women’s representation at the highest corporate level by signing the Women on the Board Pledge for Europe, which aims to increase women’s board membership to 30% by 2015 and 40% by 2020.”

Global Demand Buoys Burberry (WSJ)
“Luxury retailer Burberry PLC reported a 34% rise in first-quarter sales, boosted by new store openings and continued global demand for its iconic trenchcoats and designer handbags… Luxury groups enjoy renewed demand and the company’s growth strategy continues to deliver strong profits.”

U.S. Retailers Shop for Space in Europe (WSJ)
“The weak U.S. economy and worries about jobs have consumers spending less and are causing some of the biggest U.S. retailers to look abroad for growth… American retailers are finding it easier to experiment and try new strategies in new markets than to revamp worn models at home.”

eBay liable for counterfeits sold on its site (Telegraph)
“eBay has tried to claim exemption from liability for counterfeit goods sold on its site, but the European Court of Justice… Ruled that brand owners will be able to initiate legal proceedings if the likes of eBay and other online marketplaces allow counterfeit goods to be sold.”

BoF Daily Digest | Chloë Sevigny opens up, Chalayan’s moment, Gap on track, Kate Moss marries in Galliano dress, Where’s the fun?

BoF Team — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 11:23:03 +0000

Chloë Sevigny for Opening Ceremony | Source: Opening Ceremony

The ‘It’ Girl, Now a Woman (NY Times)
“No profile of Ms. Sevigny over the years has failed to note either her distinctive laugh or the impression that she is little bit coy… It also helps explain why her fashion designs, now sold in 100 stores around the world, have been so successful. They hold the promise of Ms. Sevigny: looking cool without looking like you are trying.”

Hussein Chalayan: The man of the moment (Independent)
“This looks set to be quite a month for the fashion designer Hussein Chalayan, who has long remained under the radar… Tomorrow at Les Arts Decoratifs in Paris, the largest retrospective of his work to date opens to the public.”

Gap Inc. on the Right Track (Retail Traffic)
“After a few tough years, Gap Inc. may have found the right turnaround strategy… To that end, last year the Gap launched its Web site in 90 new countries and opened its first locations in China and Italy—some of which have already become among the highest-performing locations in the firm’s portfolio.”

Kate Moss’ Controversial Gown (The Daily Beast)
“Some might think that in wearing the dress, Moss was making a symbolic statement about Galliano’s skill as a designer, his importance in the fashion industry, or even the justice—or injustice—of his being fired.”

Where Did the Fun Go? (On the Runway)
“I think in general what’s missing from the Paris and Milan spring shows is a sense of fun… The lack of pleasure is only one casualty of a system that has become absurdly pressure-filled. But its absence is evident in the collections — and what do consumers really want from fashion but something fun to wear?”

BoF Daily Digest | Chalayan’s surreal world, M&S returns to France, Hermès to sell Gaultier stake, D&G cleared, Knock-off battle

BoF Team — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 11:06:57 +0000

Hussein Chalayan S/S 2011 featured in Glamcult | Source: Hussein Chalayan

Hussein Chalayan: The surreal thing (Independent)
“When a designer such as Hussein Chalayan bases his collection on Japan it’s safe to presume that his interpretation will be far from literal: no opulent silk obi sashes tying flat-cut voluminous garments here.”

Marks and Spencer to return to France (Telegraph)
“The British high street stalwart has today announced that it will be returning to the French capital in style, opening a giant, three-storey floor on the fashionable Champs Elysées in the centre of the French capital towards the end of the year.”

Hermès in talks to sell 45 percent Gaultier stake (Reuters)
“Hermès is looking to sever longstanding ties with star designer Jean-Paul Gaultier as the French luxury group has begun talks to sell its 45 percent stake in the Gaultier fashion brand. Hermès… said on Friday it had been approached by potential buyers and was studying all options.”

Dolce & Gabbana acquitted of tax evasion (Telegraph)
“The news follows a preliminary court hearing held in Milan last week concerning accusations that design duo Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana had avoided paying taxes totalling $569 million each.”

Designers Face Uphill Battle When It Comes to Knock-offs (Thread NY)
“Knock offs are nothing new, but the Proenza Schouler bag situation hit a nerve — after all, the design duo has a history of partnering with Target. If they aren’t off limits, who is?”

BoF Daily Digest | Chalayan buys back brand, Abboud wins name, Social Media and CRM, Wooing the well-heeled, Jimmy Chuggs?

BoF Team — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 11:22:44 +0000

Hussein Chalayan, Design Museum Exhibit | Source: Innovation Matters

Hussein Chalayan Buys Brand Back from Puma (Mediabistro)
“Chalayan has bought his brand back from Puma parent company Pinault-Printemps-Redoute (PPR). The French conglomerate acquired a majority stake in the designer’s London-based fashion business in March 2008.”

Designer Abboud Gains Limited Use of Name (WSJ)
“A federal district court in New York ruled that menswear designer Joseph Abboud, who sold his trademark and later left the company that owns it, can use his name to promote his new line of clothing with certain restrictions.”

Luxury Brands Embrace Social Media (Destination CRM)
“Coming out of the recession, these high-end retailers are embracing change…’The New Luxury Paradigm.’ Perhaps the most significant change is the increased adoption of social media, marked by an imperative to connect with consumers on a personal level.”

Luxury retailers find new ways to woo the well-heeled (Globe and Mail)
“The Hermès store on Toronto’s famed mink mile did something in December it had never done before: It brought in an engraver to personalize fragrance bottles with a customer’s initials, flowers or hearts.”

Jimmy Choo to collaborate with Ugg (Telegraph)
“The ‘Choo-Choo train’ is chugging on. Now, the shoemakers to the stars are collaborating with Ugg Australia on a limited edition collection of women’s sheepskin footwear.”

Friday Column | The Colour of Fashion

Lauren Goldstein Crowe — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 14:47:44 +0000

Michelle Obama in Isabel Toledo, courtesy Jim Watson-AFP-Getty Images

LONDON, United Kingdom — It was almost old times in fashion this week.

First, even better than the Oscars, came the inauguration outfits. Vogue.co.uk even put up a slide show of what people were wearing on the big night. I can’t remember that happening when George Bush was elected, and then subsequently re-elected.

Michelle Obama made some inspired choices. Isabel Toledo, who made the green beaded dress and coat the new first lady wore during the day, is one of my favourite designers and, although a darling of the fashion set, was under appreciated in the wider world. (Certainly no longer.)

But not everyone was pleased. Although Jason Wu, the 26-year-old Taiwanese designer of the cream evening dress Michelle wore, is a member of a minority group, co-founder of the Black Artists Association, Amnau Ele, took Mrs. Obama to task for not wearing the work of a black designer, telling WWD, “It’s one thing to look at the world without colour but she had seven slots to wear designer clothes. Why wasn’t she wearing the clothes of a black designer? That was our moment.”

Wasn’t this election all about breaking down these sorts of barriers?

Moving on, the following night, Hussein Chalayan, not black, but as a Turkish Cypriot certainly the member of a very small minority in fashion, had his moment at the Design Museum in London. Puma, the company who both backs his label and employs him as creative director, sponsored a retrospective of his more inventive runway collections.

Without any signage to explain the philosophy behind each collection (apparently leaflets will be given to attendees), only collection title and season, it was a chance for the fashion cognoscenti at the opening to test their memories.

“I think this was the Victorian dress under the Edwardian dress, under the 1960s,” I heard someone explain.

In any case, the Puma-Chalayan hook-up is one of my favorites. Puma gives Hussein not just the money, but the room to let his imagination run wild. When he was creative director at Asprey, it was clear from the rather mundane clothes that he was being hemmed in.

The last retrospective I saw at the Design Museum was that of Manolo Blahnik in pre-credit crunch 2003. The place was even more packed now than then. There was a line around the block waiting to get in to see Hussein and his work.

People may not have the money to buy clothes, but it seems the interest in fashion is alive and well. Or maybe it was the free champagne?

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