The Business of Fashion
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
BoF Exclusive | Natalie Massenet to be named Chairman of BFC (BoF Exclusive)
"The Business of Fashion has learned that Natalie Massenet, founder of pioneering fashion e-commerce website Net-a-Porter, is soon to be named the new chairman of the British Fashion Council (BFC), replacingHarold Tillman, who has been chairman of the organisation since 2008."
Finding Your M.O. | Part 7: Going Global (Education)
"Today's fashion industry is truly international, with designers, manufacturers, retailers and end consumers scattered across the globe. And as an Icelander living abroad, it is doubly important to me that M'O is an international company. We hire employees from different countries. We showcase emerging designers from markets like Australia, Brazil, Israel and Scandinavia. We ship product to customers worldwide. And our website, customer care managers and personal stylists operate in multiple languages."
Market Pulse | Back in the Tourist Business (Market Pulse)
The Savigny Luxury Index ("SLI") gained 5.5 percent in August, outperforming the benchmark MSCI World Index ("MSCI") by over four percentage points. Strong results by sector leaders confirmed continued growth in Asia and increased tourist spending in Europe, thanks in part to a weaker euro.
Louboutin wins red soles trademark battle (FT)
"French shoe designer Christian Louboutin has won the right to trademark protection of his distinctive red soles in a US federal appeals court in the latest chapter of a bitter legal battle with rival luxury house Yves Saint Laurent."
Zegna Hires Designer From Saint Laurent to Bolster Brand (NY Times)
"The Italian men's wear company Ermenegildo Zegna moved on Tuesday to strengthen its core brand and breathe new life into its little-known women's fashion line by hiring a designer best known for his work at Yves Saint Laurent."
Bags Made by Hand, in East Africa (IHT)
"At the heart of the African fashion collectives is Simone Cipriani, an Italian from his country's leather industry who has made it a mission for the United Nations to develop an Ethical Fashion Initiative at the International Trade Center in Geneva. (The I.T.C. is a joint body of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.)"
Mature markets (FT)
"'Attitudes seem to be slowly changing, as blogs such as Advanced Style, The Women's Room, and That's Not My Age have highlighted the fact that growing older does not mean women lose interest in fashion and style,' says British trend forecaster Jane Kellock, founder of The Women's Room."
After three days of inspiring talks, guests closed out BoF’s gathering for big thinkers with a black tie gala followed by an intimate performance from Rita Ora — guest starring Billy Porter.
Photographer Misan Harriman, artists Rita Ora and Billy Porter and designer Diane von Furstenberg shared their experiences translating pain into art and impact.
Designers Jonathan Anderson and Diane von Furstenberg, actor-filmmaker Dan Levy, Uniqlo’s John C Jay and others spoke about the state of creation in an age of artificial intelligence and corporate mediocrity.
Generative AI is already changing fields such as design and marketing, and while it presents a number of very real threats, it also holds potential benefits for all of humanity.