LONDON, United Kingdom – As four weeks of fashion shows came to a close last week in Paris, it was hard to believe it had only been a month since the start of a fashion week season that had many designers, editors and buyers holding their breath. Thankfully, optimism reigned supreme as the industry finally got its groove back.

But even before the regular jam-packed four week fashion marathon was Fashion’s Night Out — possibly the biggest global fashion extravaganza ever­. This was followed by a month full of magazine and book launches, the U.S. Coco Avant Chanel film premiere, and the debut of perhaps the most anticipated high street fashion line ever, J+ by Jil Sander for Uniqlo.  The fashion pack is understandably exhausted.

Lucky for you, we at the BoF have been scouring the shows, talking to CEOs, observing the front rows and getting the skinny on all the important news and market trends over the past month. So, in what has now become a seasonal tradition, here is our take on Spring/Summer 2010, the season that was.

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Yohji Yamamoto

Designer Yamamoto files for bankruptcy protection (AP)
“Japanese fashion design house Yohji Yamamoto said Friday it has filed for bankruptcy protection, citing slumping sales amid a global downturn.”

Bulgari CEO Says Sales Are Improving, Led by Asia, Handbags (Bloomberg)
“Bulgari SpA, the world’s third- largest jeweler, said sales improved in the second part of the year, led by gains in Asia, its biggest market, and higher demand for handbags.”

US retailers in first monthly sales gain since 2008 financial collapse (FT)
“Leading US retailers yesterday reported their first monthly sales gain since the financial collapse of September 2008, although most still saw lower sales than a year ago as shoppers remained focused on bargain hunting.”

Fast Retailing sees record profit on Uniqlo boom (Forbes)
“Japan’s Fast Retailing forecast a 10.5 percent rise in operating profit this financial year as its Uniqlo casual clothing chain draws cost-conscious consumers away from rivals and it aggressively opens new stores in China.”

Gulf investor bids for fashion house Lacroix (Reuters)
“Gulf investor Hassan bin Ali al-Nuaimi, a nephew of the ruler of Ajman, part of the United Arab Emirates, submitted an offer for Christian Lacroix on Thursday, the administrator for the French fashion house said.”

Yohji Yamamoto, Pied Piper of New York Fashion Week

NEW YORK, United States — New York Fashion Week is always a blur of meetings, shows and parties, and this week is no exception. But there is also something different in the air for Autumn/Winter 2009 — a palpable sense that some serious change is coming, and in some quarters, the slightest hint of optimism that we may be reaching a market bottom.

On Monday evening, Marc Jacobs scaled back his show significantly: there was no major set, almost no celebrities, and 1000 fewer guests than normal, which is a dramatic reversal from his show at the height of the economic boom in September 2007. The focus, instead, was on the clothes which were an explosion of colour compressed into 8 minutes of fantastic, over-the-top 80’s punk and high, shellacked hairdos.

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