THE CHEAT SHEET

Zara's Future is Online

Zara store

• Zara parent Inditex reports first-quarter results on June 12
• The company appointed Carlos Crespo, an architect of its digital strategy, as chief executive last month
• Inditex expects same-store sales to increase by 4 to 6 percent this year, though recent growth has come in below expectations

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. 

Chinese Designers on the Global Stage

Pronounce collection at the BoF China Prize 2019 | Source: Getty Images for The Business of Fashion

• China is the first "Guest Nation" at Pitti Uomo, with 10 designers' collections featured
• BoF China Prize finalist Pronounce is the first Chinese brand to stage a runway show at the trade fair
• Also on deck: artist Sterling Ruby's debut collection and Givenchy's first standalone men's show under Clare Waight Keller

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

• "Virgil Abloh: Figures of Speech," the designer's first major retrospective, opens at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago on June 10
• T-shirts, sneakers and other merchandise will be made available in limited-edition drops on the Frenzy app
• Abloh and his partners plan city-wide activations during the exhibition

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

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: 

• Can Topshop owner Arcadia be saved?
• Is China ready for LGBTQI marketing?
• The future of watches.
• Six things to know about selling clothes in a tough market.
• At Kering and LVMH, corporate branding goes beyond the logos.

The Week Ahead wants to hear from you! Send tips, suggestions, complaints and compliments to brian.baskin@businessoffashion.com. 

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