Gianfranco Ferré Spring 2009 | Source: Por Homme

Ferré Struggles to Find Its Feet (WSJ)
“After Mr. Ferré passed away in 2007, the brand’s parent company IT Holding SpA went into government-backed bankruptcy administration in 2009. The brand functioned under bankruptcy receivership until Dubai-based retailer Paris Group bought the Italian label in March. Now, just seven months later, the house’s future is in question again after allegations of mismanagement under the new owners.”

How Spanish Brand Loewe Woos China (Forbes)
“Less than a month after its spring 2012 runway show in Paris, the Spanish luxury brand Loewe (famous worldwide for their leather) mounted a recreation of the full show in Hong Kong today, October 19. The full line up from the Paris show was flown over for the event. When you really think about it, the Hong Kong Loewe show was a much bigger affair than the one held in Paris because it had three different sessions for regional press.”

One Month, Too Much Fashion (NY Times)
“For some retailers and editors, who have complained of the ever-expanding duration of the shows and the feeling of being harassed to attend them all, it would be a welcome development for one city or another to fall by the wayside. Condé Nast editors have already sided with the teams in New York and London. It may be useful to remember that fashion capitals come and go. Cities like Florence, Rome and Barcelona once held greater status in a calendar now crowded with upstarts in New Delhi, Berlin and Seoul.”

Christian Louboutin Heads Back to Court Over Red Sole Trademark (The Cut)
“In August, Judge Victor Marrera ruled against Christian Louboutin’s request for a preliminary injunction to prevent Yves Saint Laurent from selling red-soled shoes…Filed Monday, the plaintiff’s appeal brief restates its arguments and focuses on what it deems Judge Marrero’s ‘errors of law in determining that Louboutin’s red outsole mark was likely invalid.’”

An Intellectual Fashion | Rick Owens (Another)
“The Californian Paris-based designer Rick Owens is famed for his artistic take on dressing, his avant-garde eye and his daring designs. Iconic in the fashion field, he also creates furniture and works intensely in connecting clothes with a deeper metaphysical and creative experience.”

Kris Van Assche by Paolo Roversi | Source: Interiew Magazine

Kris Van Assche By Rick Owens (Interview)
“The last two years have marked a subtle turning point for the 35-year-old Van Assche, who has weathered the early storms, turned back the critics, and started to carve out his own territory. But as he confesses to Rick Owens, beneath his organized, controlled surface lies a quiet intensity that continues to fuel his work.”

The height of fashion (Marketing Week)
“‘If you bought the first Harry Potter film, then you are probably going to buy the next one… But if you’ve bought a pair of red shoes there’s no certainty over what you are going to buy after that.. It’s more about understanding a customer’s preferred brands, styles and price point, then engineering that to a point where the product served to them is relevant.’”

Madewell, but Remade How Well? (NY Times)
“Around the turn of this millennium, Mr. Drexler… presciently intuited a groundswell of consumer yearning for traditional American dry goods and bought the rights to, though not the physical remains of, Madewell, a brave little workwear manufacturer in New Bedford, Mass.”

Mulberry profits surge as fashion group expands (BBC)
“Luxury fashion group Mulberry has reported a sharp rise in profits as the boom in luxury goods continues to defy the economic gloom. Pre-tax profit for the year to March jumped to £23.3m from £5.1m a year ago… ‘Strong demand in all markets has continued into the new financial year and the outlook for the Mulberry brand is positive.’”

The Sound of Style | Tim Blanks (AnOther)
“‘I’ve been doing what I’ve been doing for such a long time, but people don’t really know that much about me,’… Blanks rose to prominence celebrating and disseminating shows on video for Canada’s Fashion File, an international cult that gave thousands of viewers an insight to the world’s most vibrant catwalks, opening a closed-door culture.”

Rick Owens | Source: Vice Magazine

Rick Owens: The prince of dark design (Independent)
“In a fashion climate ruled by luxury-goods conglomerates and an excess of merchandise that is both overwhelming and, increasingly, banal, Owens’ less-than-conventional career trajectory – his business turned over more than $50m last year – is an inspiration. ”

The Golden Shears – the Oscars of the tailoring world (FT)
“Sometimes we can be so transfixed by new trends… that the quieter fashion revolutions pass us by. Take last Monday’s Golden Shears competition. It’s the Oscars of the tailoring world… this year not only was the top prize scooped by a woman, there were 18 female trainees among the 24 finalists.”

India’s models accuse fashion industry of racism (Telegraph)
“India’s fashion industry is currently enjoying a boom, with growing numbers of Indian designers such as Manish Arora and Rohit Bal enjoying success…  [but while white] models are cashing in, some of India’s top models have complained they are losing out on the best jobs in their own country.”

Jane Pratt Plots Her Comeback (WWD)
“In the next two months, she will launch JanePratt.com, a Web site aimed at the gulf between the Cosmopolitans and Jezebels of the world. Then, in the summer, she will team up with Gevinson to introduce a magazine and a Web site for teenaged girls.”

How a generation of creatives is changing the face of fashion (Independent)
“‘When I was at art school, anything ‘fashionable’ was frowned upon,’ says Jones, who studied her craft at London’s Central Saint Martins. ‘I jumped straight into this from a BA at Cambridge, so spent a lot of time playing catch-up and making up my own way of doing things. Maybe this is why my style is so slap-dash.’”

Ann Demeulemeester Autumn/Winter 2011 | Source: The Cutting Class

The Tribes of Westwood, Owens and Demeulemeester (The Cutting Class)
“While some designers tend to beat to the drum of being on-trend, others have already cultivated their own communities and are even referencing it within their collections. In the recent Ann Demeulemeester, Rick Owens and Vivienne Westwood collections you feel that they are speaking in a language that their customers already know and understand.”

Tokyo’s fashion stores slowly reopen (Relax News)
“‘Tokyo’s fashion business is gradually getting back to usual…Monday’s foot traffic along Omotesando Avenue and Harajuku seemed close to normal levels and shoppers were seen making purchases at Vuitton, Dior and Forever 21. H&M’s closed flagship drew some puzzled looks from passersby.’”

Luxury malls yet to catch on as brands can’t find the right space (Live Mint)
“With little expansion in the luxury mall space, what is emerging is a hybrid retail concept where luxury and premium brands are juxtaposed… For example, while there are pure luxury brands such as Burberry and Armani at Palladium in Mumbai’s Lower Parel, premium brands such as Diesel and Zara on the ground floor.”

Inditex Net Income Rises, Adds Stores in Asia (Bloomberg)
“Inditex… reported profit growth that beat analysts’ estimates and said it will accelerate expansion in stores and online. Fourth-quarter net income rose 14 percent to 553 million euros ($784 million), according to calculations based on today’s full-year results.”

John Lobb Unveils Bespoke Line (Forbes)
“It was created as a celebration of world cities: Eleven teams were assembled in 11 capitals to each create a unique pair of John Lobb shoes. The idea was to make two shoes that embody the spirit of the city, Paul-Dauphin said. He called it ‘around the world in 22 shoes.’”

Alexander McQueen A/W 2010 | Source: alexandermcqueen.com

LONDON, United Kingdom — The passing of Alexander McQueen and the future of his namesake brand provided the defining background narrative of the Autumn/Winter 2010 collections. Everywhere a fashionista went, in every conversation, at every show, party and presentation, the ghost of Alexander McQueen seemed to linger as the industry struggled to come to terms with its most sudden loss of creative genius since Gianni Versace was gunned down in Miami in 1997.

But the shows had to go on. And, in a fitting tribute to Mr. McQueen’s futuristic fashion vision from last September, more brands than ever before experimented with live-streaming, digital innovations and new e-commerce models. And, while not all of the experiments were entirely successful, it was a great step forward nonetheless.

In our seasonal tradition, we give you a guide to the ins and outs, ups and downs, and random curveballs that kept fashion’s movers and shakers talking during Autumn/Winter 2010, the season that was.

… Continue Reading