L: Proenza Schouler PS1. R: Target Mossimo® Messenger | Source: purseblog.com

LONDON, United Kingdom — When reports first surfaced in March about the striking similarities between Proenza Schouler’s PS1 bag and Target’s Mossimo Messenger, the discomfort within the fashion industry was palpable. What was particularly troubling was that Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, the design duo behind Proenza Schouler, had a longstanding relationship with Target.

Indeed, in 2007 the designers debuted their capsule collection for Target, part of which they agreed to re-issue for the 2011 spring season. So to make matters worse, when the Target story broke, the alleged knock-off was sitting alongside the re-issued Proenza Schouler for Target pieces, lending a quasi-legitimacy to the offending Mossimo Messenger bag.

Speaking with BoF, Proenza Schouler chief executive Shirley Cook said the impact was deeply felt. “Our relationship [with Target] was based on trust, so of course the [revelation] was particularly upsetting,” she said. “We were attracted to working with Target because we really respect it as an upstanding company, so seeing our product knocked-off in store cut close to home.”

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Christian Lacroix's Theodora Collection for Sicis, detail | Source: eRoom

Wanted: a Second Chance (WSJ)
“It’s the fear of every high-achieving professional: excelling, reaching the pinnacle of your field—and, the next day, having to start over… Many designers say the key to their reinvention came from using skills, interests and contacts from their earlier lives—without stopping for regrets. ‘Nothing’s a bad experience and nothing is a waste of time.’”

More Target Than Tar-zhay? (WSJ)
“The chain that made it trendy to shop for low-priced designer clothing and mod lamps while picking up detergent and toothpaste has been struggling to gain back its pre-recession sales strength… It was these apparel and decorating items—mixing mass with class—that set Target apart and allowed it to be one of the few discount chains to thrive against Wal-Mart.”

Five Online Retail Trends Shaping The Way Americans Shop & Save (FMM)
“Fueled by new technology and an evolving social media shopping sphere, e-commerce reported record sales last year… This new breed of brand deals and coupons is changing the way consumers shop and save money. Here’s a look at five online retail trends that are shaping a new type of consumer — those who expect special rates and lower prices.”

Jeffry Aronsson in at Ungaro (Vogue UK)
“Emanuel Ungaro has appointed a new CEO – former Donna Karan, Marc Jacobs and Oscar de la Renta chief executive Jeffry Aronsson… ‘We have an authentic, world renowned haute couture designer brand with a great heritage… Yes, it has been bruised, but with the right care and attention, the bruises will heal and it will look as great as it ever did.’”

Innovation Extravaganza (Trend Watching)
“There will never be a shortage of smart ventures, brands, goods and services that deliver on consumers’ wants and needs in surprising, new ways. In fact, with the entire world now engaged in creative destruction… the dozens of innovations we’ve rounded up for this Trend Briefing are just the tip of the iceberg. Invent, improve, copy… or perish.”

Alber Elbaz | Source: Alive not dead

The Future Of Fashion, Part Six: Alber Elbaz (Style.com)
“The word poetic invariably attaches itself to descriptions of the clothes Elbaz designs for Lanvin, but you get the feeling that behind the famous floppy bow tie, there is a hard-won sense of resolve. During our conversation… he spoke frankly about the problems the industry faces.”

Fashion Films Become the Hottest New Accessories (IHT)
“‘Catwalk shows were good in a period when they were restricted, but now billions of people are interested in having a relationship with a brand, so the emotional appeal is more important than before,’… that can be achieved not just physically, but virtually.”

Gucci Launches Custom-made Gowns (WWD)
“The Italian luxury brand is breaking into the rarefied world of haute couture with the launch of Gucci Première, which will offer celebs one-of-a-kind gowns like the slinky burgundy one-shoulder dress Salma Hayek wore on opening night of the Cannes Film Festival.”

Coach, Target resolve handbag infringement lawsuit (Bloomberg)
“Coach and Target have settled a design infringement lawsuit, seven months after the upscale handbag maker charged that handbags the discounter was selling too closely resembled its own designs.”

‘Sex and the City 2′: From Downsizing to the Desert (WWD)
“Costumer Patricia Field wasted no chance to beturban and bejewel the ladies to cartoonish extremes… And King seized every opportunity to play on the cultural divides (and unifiers) between the way American and Middle Eastern women are expected to dress.”

Saks Fifth Avenue Christmas Lights | Source: Philips

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.”

Hermès Autumn/Winter 2009, courtesy of Hermès

Jean Paul Gaultier Said to be Leaving Hermès (Fashion Week Daily)
“Change is brewing at Hermès, and it’s starting with Jean Paul Gaultier. The designer is said to be resigning from the company; his last collection for the house is due to bow in Paris this October.”

Liberty linked to Target collaboration (Drapers)
“Liberty, the iconic London department store, is reported to be in talks with US value chain Target about a collaboration on clothing next year.”

Escada Draws Interest From Several Investors, Handelsblatt Says (Bloomberg)
“Several investors are interested in buying German luxury clothing maker Escada AG, which filed for insolvency this month, Handelsblatt reported, without saying where it got the information.“

Fashion World Moves to Damp Sale Frenzy (Wall Street Journal)
“Next week begins the media blitz for Fashion’s Night Out—a global pep rally sponsored by two fashion icons, Anna Wintour and Diane von Furstenberg.”