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.
THE CHEAT SHEET
Zara's Future is Online
Zara store
The Bottom Line: Though Zara's stores have fared better than most in the e-commerce era, Crespo's appointment indicates the company is well aware it has more work to do online.
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Chinese Designers on the Global Stage
Pronounce collection at the BoF China Prize 2019 | Source: Getty Images for The Business of Fashion
The Bottom Line: Occasions like Pitti Uomo provide an opportunity to get Chinese designers in front of international buyers and press at one of the most important events on the menswear calendar.
The Business of Virgil Abloh Retrospectives
The museum catalogue for Virgil Abloh's retrospective at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago | Source: Instagram/@virgilabloh
Museums have always kept their coffers full with well-timed retrospectives of popular artists. But short of Andy Warhol or Leonardo da Vinci, it's hard to imagine an artist better suited for marrying aesthetics and commerce than Virgil Abloh. His upcoming retrospective spans 20 years of design, from Pyrex Vision to Off-White and Louis Vuitton, his side projects in music and film, and collaborations with brands like Rimowa. The $15 tickets to skip the line sold out months ago, but, much like the sneakers from Abloh's 2017 Nike collaboration, they are listed for 20 times their original price in the resale market. True to form, Abloh and his collaborators plan to flood the city with drops, pop-ups and activations, including a large store inside the gallery itself. Even the security guards' sneakers will be available for sale, at least to anyone with lightning reflexes who happens to be checking the official app when they drop.
The Bottom Line: Abloh, who spent three years preparing the exhibit, has said he sees "Figures of Speech" as both a validation of his work and a sign of progress toward inclusivity in the art world.
COMMENT OF THE WEEK
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Male models pose outside the Abercrombie & Fitch flagship store in Munich. | Source: Getty Images/Hannes Magerstaedt
"Being individual is cool now - having your own brand, having your own representation of yourself. A&F and Hollister were never that. They've always been about conformity." @Lizzvo, commenting on "What Abercrombie & Fitch's Reality Check Says About the State of Retail"
SUNDAY READING
Professional Exclusives You May Have Missed:
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From analysis of the global fashion and beauty industries to career and personal advice, BoF’s founder and CEO, Imran Amed, will be answering your questions on Sunday, February 18, 2024 during London Fashion Week.
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