“Perfectionism is almost an illness with me, but sometimes I have moments where everything is absolutely clear and you can feel, rather than think.”

Tom Ford, speaking in Visionaries, a new documentary which airs on the Oprah Winfrey Channel on 23 October, 2011

Burberry Spring/Summer 2012 | Source: Design Scene

Burberry launches 2012 collection on Twitter (Guardian)
For the first time, the label “live tweeted” the show on Monday from backstage, posting photographs of each look on Twitter moments before the model stepped on to the catwalk… When you consider that it was not long ago that high street stores smuggled spies into catwalk shows in order to glean clues as to what might be in stores in six months’ time, this is quite a turnaround.”

Tom ‘God’ Ford has off day. Fashion world in denial (Guardian)
“This man redefined the parameters of what a fashion brand could be during his time at Gucci. He made the world rethink what it means to be sexy, replacing heroin chic with a slick, glossy aesthetic…His comeback show in New York was one of the highlights of my decade as a fashion editor: a gorgeous, glorious, life-affirming celebration… But even godlike geniuses have off days.”

eBay says Boo to the runway (FT)
“Some of the world may be obsessed with fashion that hasn’t yet happened – or the stuff now appearing on runways from London to Paris, which won’t be in-store until late February of 2012 – but the folks at eBay are much more interested in the profit potential of immediate gratification.”

London Fashion Week crisis after Gucci summon models to Milan (Telegraph)
“London Fashion Week has been thrown into crisis after heavyweight Italian fashion brand Gucci, who will show their spring/summer 2012 collection in Milan on Wednesday, ordered countless models to fly to Milan early to begin fittings for their show.”

Miuccia Prada Sitting Pretty (Because London)
“Miuccia earned her stripes slowly and after years of being regarded with skepticism from critics and fashion insiders. Untrained in design and lacking an apprenticeship in the conventional sense, she earned a Ph.D. in politics, then became a mime artist before eventually taking over the family business. 
At that point in the late ’70s, Prada was a small Milanese leather goods manufacturer.”

LONDON, United Kingdom — This season, fashion brands embraced fashion film like never before, integrating digital videos more meaningfully into a wide spectrum of communications strategies, from Nicola Formichetti’s formidable social media machine for the House of Mugler to Tom Ford’s contrarian approach that defied the industry trend towards greater access and immediacy.

In past seasons, fashion films have often been geared at editors, buyers and other industry insiders, accompanying — and sometimes even replacing — runway shows and presentations. But as brands grappled with the tug-of-war between digitally-enabled consumers with real-time expectations and the challenging realities of syncing the physical atoms of their supply chains with the virtual bits of their digital communications, momentum swung in the direction of consumer-facing fashion films designed to coincide with the retail schedule and build intrigue around new collections, just as they hit stores.

Chanel launched a robot animation with terrific viral appeal to support its Spring 2011 makeup line, while Tom Ford synced the arrival of his first womenswear collection in stores with the debut of a film that captured his ultra-exclusive fashion show held last September. But our top honours go to Prada, which released an irresistible fashion film with just the right energy to match the stripes and monkeys of Miuccia Prada’s current collection and accompanying ad campaign.

The following is a BoF selection of what we think were the most compelling fashion films of the Spring 2011 season. As you sit back and enjoy the films, let us know which ones you like best.

… Continue Reading

Tom Ford’s Private Spring ’11 Show (Grazia Daily)
“If there’s one man who knows how to tantalize an audience, it’s Mr Tom Ford. Because, as a New Year gift, the designer has bestowed upon us super-glossy footage of his highly-secretive, high-security showcase four months after it took place.”

Regulator to weigh Hermès buyout waiver (Reuters)
“France’s stock market regulator will examine Hermès request for a waiver on buying out minority shareholders on Thursday as the luxury goods maker tries to fend off a takeover from rival LVMH, according to a person familiar with the matter.”

7 Stellar Examples of Branded Content from the Fashion Industry (Mashable)
“From online blogzines to Tumblr-powered micro sites, branded content is quickly  becoming a cost effective, long-term online marketing strategy that the fashion industry will continue to utilize as brands and retailers look for new, innovative ways to connect with customers online.”

Rei Kawakubo thinks inspiration is hard to find (Vogue UK)
“Rei Kawakubo says finding new inspiration is growing more and more challenging the longer she is in fashion – and she’s worried that today’s crop of designer talent don’t have what it takes to succeed her.”

Just Have Less: Bottega Veneta’s Tomas Maier (New Yorker)
“Tomas Maier, the head designer of the Italian fashion label Bottega Veneta, is one of those people who wants to erase every fault in their range of sight.”

L'Wren Scott at Barneys | Source: Barneys

Will Top Firings Change Barneys’ Cool? (On the Runway)
“Increasing Barneys’ profitability was a prime objective… The recession forced retailers to become leaner and more competitive, in particular with online sales, and that urgency will be critical to Barneys’ cool.”

Moncler fights against fakes (Fashion United)
“The Italian Fashion Chamber is joining Moncler and also stepping up against fakes… fighting the collateral damages caused by the creation of a black market, which hits tax payers, companies, and puts jobs at risk.”

Gilt Groupe’s Full-Price Men’s Site Slated to Launch in July (NY Fashion)
“Gilt Groupe realizes that men, who approach shopping with the utmost effort to get in, get out, and get on with life rather than dig and dig for a great find to brag about later, will just as easily pay full prices as sale prices.”

Yoox to open new online stores in China in 2011 (Reuters)
“Italian online fashion retailer Yoox is planning to bring some of the most exclusive fashion brands to China next year, tapping into the demand for luxury goods of the world’s largest online population.”

Tom Ford’s catwalk pictures hit the web (Telegraph)
“Tickets were like gold dust and the anticipation sent shivers through New York Fashion Week in September. Tom Ford was back – but on his own terms. Mr Sexsational’s first women’s wear collection since leaving Gucii and Yves Saint Laurent was unveiled.”