L-R Mugler, Issey Miyake, 3.1 Phillip Lim Fall 2012 | Source: Style.com

Asian Designers Make an Impact in Paris (IHT)
“Asian designers, whether home based or in the fashion diaspora, are making an impact in the opening days of the Paris men’s 2012 season. Phillip Lim, the Cambodian-American designer based in New York, was smart to come to Paris to show a 3.1 Phillip Lim collection that was simple but laced with the conceptual.”

European Luxury-Goods Stocks May Benefit From Weaker Currencies (Bloomberg)
“Investors forecasting the euro and Swiss franc will weaken against the dollar may find comfort in shares of European luxury-goods companies. Financiere Richemont and LVMH are among stocks that would benefit disproportionately if the currencies fall further from year-ago levels.”

Crisis on the catwalk over Britain’s fashion brain drain (Independent)
“The British Fashion Council (BFC) yesterday announced the formation of a Fashion 2012 Menswear committee, designed to raise the profile of UK designers and increase sales.”

More Heads Roll at Ungaro (The Cut)
“After losing Giles Deacon in December and new CEO Jeffry Aronsson just last month, Emanuel Ungaro appears to be on one shaky last leg. WWD reports that the ailing French fashion house told retailers that they’re unable to deliver their spring-summer collection because of ‘internal reorganization.’”

Louis Vuitton’s Kim Jones: exclusive Q&A (Guardian)
“British menswear designer of the year Kim Jones presented his second collection for Louis Vuitton. He talks exclusively to the Guardian about his inspirations and moodboard.”

Ungaro Spring/Summer 2011 | Source: Style.com

Giles Deacon’s Ungaro debut (Independent)
“Deacon, who became creative director of this grand French fashion house in spring this year, said he wanted to take it back to its distinctly French roots – and he has done just that.”

Is this the future of media? (Independent)
“Many companies have, in recent years, moved into the customer publishing sector, distributing their own glossy magazines to their client database. But the web version has so much more potential, being open to all and offering opportunities for instant purchase.”

Why a mobile strategy for retailers matters more than ever (Luxury Daily)
“By 2013 mobile devices will overtake PCs as the preferred way of accessing the Internet… sooner or later retailers will have to make well-informed technology decisions about how to tackle mobile commerce.”

On Message and on the Screen (IHT)
“This kind of cerebral and visual imagination makes a Hussein Chalayan fashion movie an ideal way of transmitting the designer’s thoughts and feelings in a poetic, but practical, way.”

Jefferson Hack interviews Gareth Pugh (Fashionista)
“In a series presented by Dazed and Confused called ‘Meet the Designer’ the magazine’s co-founder Jefferson Hack talks with [Pugh] about the tentative future of catwalk shows, his sold-out shop in Hong Kong and why Saint Martins does not a star make.”

Emanuel Ungaro fitting a model | Source: NY Times

The Fall of the House of Ungaro (NY Times)
“Ungaro was losing roughly $15 million a year, and [the Ferragamos] signaled to their bankers to look for a buyer. Abdullah was the only serious buyer who turned up. That was in 2005, and as you probably guessed, he had no experience in fashion.”

Barneys Appoints New CEO (Market Watch)
“Barneys New York, the luxury retailer, with the support of its shareholder Istithmar World, today announces the appointment of Mark Lee to the Company as Chief Executive Officer, effective September 1, 2010.”

Social Media Fashion Statements (Ad Week)
“Visit the sites of major fashion names like Louis Vuitton and Gucci and you’ll find pretty much the digital equivalent of Vogue: lots of glossy photos and little in the way of interaction.”

Levi’s Expands in China, With Western Fits (WSJ)
“The new Levi’s brand, called Denizen.. was — prior to the launch — reported by trade publications to be specifically designed for Chinese body types… [but] that’s not the case. Denizen is a global brand for men and women, and its tailoring… remains unchanged.”

Retiring CEO Burt Tansky Leaves a Legacy of Luxury (Dallas News)
“Burt Tansky discovered a customer who loved luxury in 1974…For the next three and a half decades, he never left her side… His 49-year retailing résumé includes serving as president of Saks Fifth Avenue and CEO of Bergdorf Goodman.”

Sarah Burton, Alexander McQueen A/W 2010 | Sources: Telegraph, Style.com

Sarah Burton confirmed as Creative Director at Alexander McQueen (Telegraph)
“A statement from Alexander McQueen and its ‘parent’ company, Gucci Group, announced that Burton will supervise the creative direction and development of all collections of the brand going forwards.”

New Designer at Hermès (NY Times)
“After seven years, Jean Paul Gaultier is giving up his ready-to-wear duties at Hermès and will be replaced by Christophe Lemaire, who has been designing for Lacoste since 2000. Mr. Gaultier’s move was expected, but the replacement was something of a surprise.”

Olivier Theyskens to Design for Theory (NY Magazine)
“Olivier Theyskens hasn’t been producing clothes since he was dismissed from Nina Ricci after his adored fall 2009 collection. But he’s finally landed a gig doing a capsule collection for Theory.”

U.K. Bans Two Vuitton Ads (WSJ)
“The U.K.’s Advertising Standards Authority Wednesday banned two Louis Vuitton print ads that it says could have misled consumers into thinking its products are handmade, when in fact the luxury brand also uses machines.”

Giles Deacon Talks Taking The Reins At Ungaro (Style.com)
“‘When I was doing my foundation course, before I ever got to Saint Martins, I was a really big fan of Ungaro. The Ratti prints were immediately appealing to my magpie eye… [what] I want to do is assimilate all that and make a new version.’”

Giles Deacon confirmed as Creative Director of Ungaro (Vogue.com)
“The new appointment is bound to bring a close to an unsettled atmosphere at the French house that has reigned since Emanuel Ungaro himself retired in 2004.” (RSS and email subscribers: watch exclusive BoF interview here)

Phillips-Van Heusen beats, but Tommy weighs in Q2 (Reuters)
“Analysts had been expecting a bigger boost from Tommy Hilfiger, the preppy apparel brand recently acquired by the clothing maker, but the company cited weaker seasonal business trends in that unit for the second quarter.”

Prada Q1 revenue up on strong retail sales (Reuters)
“Italian fashion house Prada posted a 26 percent rise in first-quarter consolidated revenue on Monday, boosted by strong sales in all main markets, including Europe.”

Reassessing the ’70s: A Brave New Wave (IHT)
“It has been dismissed by opinion makers as ‘the decade that taste forgot’ — the era of bell-bottom pants, glam rock glitter, clammy polyester, shrunken sweaters and a palette of orange, brown and avocado. Yet suddenly ’70s style is being re-assessed.”

The world’s gone Gaga (Times Online)
“As the Gaga juggernaut sweeps back into town this week for a second stab at her British tour, we thought it was time to take stock of the great lady’s fashion effect.”

Coach Spring/Summer 2009 Featuring Ali Michael | Source: Coach

Coach Doubles Dividend as Earnings Top Estimates (BusinessWeek)
“Coach Inc., the largest U.S. maker of luxury leather handbags, doubled its dividend and announced an expansion in Europe … The company said it planned to open at least 14 stores in France … with Printemps, the French department-store chain. Coach has also agreed in principle to create a joint venture with Hackett Ltd. to open stores in the U.K., Spain, Portugal and Ireland.”

High street retailers show their resilience (Independent)
“Burberry, the fashion giant, said its sales had risen by 6 per cent during the first half of its year, adding that profits were now likely to come in above previous expectations of around £200m. Meanwhile, Primark, said it was also seeing strong demand continuing, with profits up 18 per cent during the first half to £144m.”

Estrella Out (Vogue)
“The Ungaro plot grows thicker today with the announcement that head designer Estrella Archs has left her position at the French house.”

Asos aims for £1bn global operation (Times)
“The online fashion retailer reported a sales rise of 38 per cent in the year to the end of March, a slower rate than previously, but insisted that its international expansion meant that it could quadruple in size by 2015.”

What’s in a Label? Say It in French (NY Times)
“The environment of Ms. Marant’s new SoHo store is reflective of the finished-yet-unpolished look of her clothing: artsy structures in raw wood; acoustic French folk music.”

Erdem Autumn/ Winter 2010 | Source: Coutorture

Flower dressing: why Erdem is a winner (Times)
“Meet Erdem, candidate for the title of World’s Most Modest Designer — no, really — and, I can reveal today, winner of the first British Fashion Council andVogue Designer Fund… In the end, we decided that Erdem had it all: creativity, the potential for longevity and a well-thought-out strategy.”

The rise of Chinese luxury brands (CNN)
“Mainland Chinese tourists queue outside Chanel, clear the shelves at Louis Vuitton, and show off their latest purchases at Cartier, Gucci, or Ferragamo. They’re also buying designs of Chinese fashion label Shanghai Tang. Company CEO Raphael le Masne de Chermont told me ever since the Beijing Olympics in 2008, wealthy Chinese have been flocking to his stores.”

Al Fayed closes the door on Gulf advances for Harrods (Mail Online)
“Harrods’ owner Mohamed Al Fayed brought the shutters down on potential suitors after rebuffing the advances of a wealthy Gulf investor, thought to be Qatar Holdings. The iconic Knightsbridge retailer insisted it is ‘not for sale’, but would not confirm or deny that any bid talks had taken place.”

Ungaro boss offers ex-Valentino chief 75 percent stake in fashion house (NY Post)
“Asim Abdullah — a San Francisco-based software developer who bought Ungaro in 2005 despite knowing little about the industry — met with baby-faced fashion mogul Marzotto in recent weeks in a bid to unload a 75-percent stake in the label, according to sources close to the situation.”

British designers cause a stir at Vogue party (Telegraph)
“The pinch-us sensation began last year, when Sarah Brown threw her second reception in a row for London Fashion Week at No 10, … Now that they make beautifully crafted British products that the best stores in the world hang alongside Lanvin, Balmain, Céline and YSL, designer fashion is finally beginning to win respect and political recognition as a serious exporter.”

Esprit Casual Fall/Holiday 2009 | Source: Brandthink

HK’s Esprit buys $500M JV stake in China push (Reuters)
“Hong Kong fashion retailer Esprit Holdings is buying out its partner in a Chinese retail joint venture for HK$3.88 billion ($500 million) as part of a drive to expand in the world’s third largest economy. The deal will see Esprit take full control of the 10-year-old venture, while China Resources Enterprise, which is selling the stake, will focus on its core businesses.”

Neiman Enlists Designers in Cost-Cutting Plan (WSJ)
“Burton Tansky, the 71-year-old rag-trade journeyman who has led Neiman Marcus Group for nearly a decade, is quietly refashioning the upscale department store chain for an age of belt-tightening and less conspicuous consumption. Mr. Tansky, Neiman’s chairman and CEO, is pressing suppliers to produce lower-priced versions of designer styles, a stark reversal for a chain long labeled ‘Needless Markup’ by more frugal-minded shoppers.”

Fashion boss who hired Lindsay Lohan leaves Ungaro (Reuters)
“Mounir Moufarrige, president and chief executive of French fashion house Emanuel Ungaro, has resigned just over two months after a widely panned collection by American actress Lindsay Lohan. Ungaro said in a statement on Wednesday that Moufarrige would continue to advise the company, which has gone through several stylists and two chief executives since couturier Emanuel Ungaro retired in 2004.”

Madonna does the dishes (Telegraph)
“But the pop star has not let her glamourous image slide, the pictures are acutally part of a photo shoot to promote the Dolce & Gabbana spring/summer clothes campaign.Madonna takes on the role of housewife for the campaign, in which she is also pictured preparing vegetables and tucking into a plate of pasta with her hands, sat on top of a kitchen work surface.”

Dsquared2′s Caten twins launching into limelight (AP)
“The twin-brother team behind the fashion label Dsquared2 are on TV and the radio, they created concert costumes for Madonna and Britney Spears, and they’ll be outfitting the headlining performers at the opening and closing ceremonies at the 2010 Winter Olympics… But any time it seems success might go to their heads, they remember their modest Canadian roots and have a good chuckle.”

Esteban Cortazar

Cortazar Leaves Ungaro (Vogue.com)
“Following a lengthy period of less than emphatic denials and weak shows of unity between Ungaro and the label’s ceo, Mounir Moufarrige, the decision has been taken to dissolve the relationship, WWD reports. It is expected to be formerly announced later today that the separation is by mutual agreement.”

Amazon to buy Zappos (Drapers)
“Amazon is set to buy US footwear website Zappos.com for around $927 million (£561.6m).”

Italian luxury consumption seen stable in summer (Forbes)
“Consumption of Italian luxury goods is seen stabilising in July and August from falls in the two previous months as the crisis sapped demand for jewellery, accessories and designer goods, an association said.”

Fashion Rio and the casual lifestyle (The Japan Times)
“While there are some bumps to get over, interest in Japan seems to be readily increasing for some in the Brazilian fashion industry.”

Karl who?

PARIS, France – We don’t actively engage in the rumour mill here on BoF, but when the whispers involve Karl Lagerfeld, Olivier Theyskens and Alber Elbaz in a Lanvin and Chanel merry-go-round, it seems worthwhile to engage in a bit of Friday afternoon fashion speculation.

Today, Diane Pernet has published a bombshell post outlining this scenario:

“This is not a fact until you officially read it somewhere else but rumour has it that Karl Lagerfeld will not renew his contract at Chanel and that Alber Elbaz will take his place and Olivier Theyskens will take Alber’s place at Lanvin…Nothing is engraved in cement, these are still just rumours you will have to wait and see.”

Of course, fashion observers have long wondered what will happen at Chanel (and Fendi, for that matter) when Lagerfeld’s seemingly endless energy finally runs out. For Elbaz, or any top fashion designer for that matter, the Chanel post would be a dream job as it is one of the most coveted design roles in the fashion world.

That said, this all seems a bit suspect to me. And as Diane says, these are only rumours.

Word has it that Elbaz has a significant ownership stake in Lanvin, making it hard to believe that he would walk away from all that upside, especially now that sales at Lanvin are up 29 percent and the brand is on the ascendant, even in the current economic environment. What’s more, private equity and strategic investors have been circling the buoyant French brand for months now, and there is potentially a big payout to be had for Mr. Elbaz–but only if he sticks it out and, I suspect, only if he stays on as Creative Director.

In other revolving designer news, WWD is reporting today that Esteban Cortazar is the latest designer to clash with Mounir Moufarrige at Ungaro, prompting the young designer to walk out of his role. This will not come as a surprise to long-time readers of The Business of Fashion. When Cortazar was first appointed, a raging debate took place about his suitability for the role and about Moufarrige’s apparent inability to effectively work with top creative talent. If the news of Cortazar’s departure are true, this will be the third designer to walk out on Moufarrige: Giambattista Valli, Peter Dundas and now, Esteban Cortazar.

UPDATE: As expected, both Chanel and Lanvin have denied these rumours and so, alas, Karl Lagerfeld and Alber Elbaz are both staying put. For now.

Imran Amed is Editor of The Business of Fashion