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Read MoreLily Gladstone Achieves a Historic Moment at the Golden Globes, Winning Best Actress for 'Killers of the Flower Moon.'
MICHELLE YEOH IS BALENCIAGA’S NEW AMBASSADOR
Skims, the brand owned by Kim Kardashian, has entered into a new partnership with the NBA.
The NBA league has revealed a groundbreaking partnership with Skims, marking the NBA's inaugural official underwear sponsor. The full extent of its impact on the league remains uncertain.
A multiyear partnership in unvailed. The agreement designates Skims as the official underwear sponsor for the NBA, the WNBA, and USA Basketball.
Kim Kardashian, co-founder and creative director of Skims, expressed her pride in the partnership, describing it as a testament to Skims' increasing impact on culture, according to a news release.
This collaboration comes shortly after the launch of Skims Mens on October 26, featuring three distinct collections. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the point guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder, was featured in the brand's campaign launch, alongside other prominent athletes modeling the new underwear line.
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A Joint Venture by Uniqlo, Roger Federer, and JW Anderson, is set to hit the shelves soon
Uniqlo has officially announced the upcoming release of a new LifeWear apparel collection in collaboration with tennis legend Roger Federer and Northern Irish designer Jonathan Anderson. The partnership between Anderson and the retailer dates back to 2017 when they began creating collections together.
Scheduled for launch on September 4, the "Roger Federer collection by JW Anderson" will seamlessly blend Federer's timeless style with Anderson's contemporary and vibrant take on sports and performance wear. This exciting collaboration aims to provide consumers with versatile apparel suitable for both on and off the tennis court. Who is excited?!
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Celebrating the Bond between French and Indian Fashion with Dior Fall 2023
Dior has set its designs in motion for Pre-Fall 2023 in Mumbai, alongside the iconic Gateway of India landmark. Creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri has a deep-rooted affinity for the city, where she has maintained a working friendship with Karishma Swali for over 20 years. Swali is the director of Chanakya ateliers and the Chanakya School of Craft, a place of exchange, study and emancipation for many women in the region. Through next season’s clothes, Chiuri aims to champion India’s rich history and spotlight the country’s influence on fashion at large.
“I was able to learn so much about the artisanal embroidery techniques, which are still found in each and every Indian region, and the unique ability of the Chanakya Atelier to put them in dialogue with the fashion industry, through this relationship with Chanakya,” said Chiuri.
The collection draws inspiration from Dior's archives, specifically from April 1962, when then-creative director Marc Bohan traveled to India, notably to Mumbai and Delhi, to initiate conversations between France and India. Bohan's international escapades marked a new era for Dior, one that invited younger customers and a more modern design approach into the Maison.
To highlight Marc Bohan's pioneering work and Karishma Swali's influence, Chiuri has chosen a distinct kaleidoscopic color palette that emphasizes timeless design codes. The collection includes a color-block sequence of silk fabrics in shades of green, yellow, pink, and purple, used in upscale evening coats, sari-inspired straight skirts, and traditional Indian attire. By merging heritage and fashion histories, the silk-infused lineup also features shiny pants, boleros, jackets, and tops.
Embroidery plays a crucial role in Dior's appreciation of India's cartography. Across the collection, the artistic design technique highlights the intrinsic skill sets offered by the Chanakya School of Craft, with the ultimate aim of empowering women's creativity directly on the female form. Silver sequins, strass, decorative motifs, and toile de Jouy fabric blend together harmoniously to convey Chuiri's creative dialogue. As per the collection notes, this dialogue "perpetuates precious illustrations of exceptional savoir-faire, confirming the unfailing bond between France and India."
Explore Dior's Pre-Fall 2023 collection in the gallery above.
Fashion and luxury do not need revolution nor “renaissance”
Coty Inc is set to buy 20% stake of KKW for $200 Million
Kanye West x GAP Collab Coming up in 2021. Are you ready?!
Rapper and designer Kanye West has signed a 10-year deal with GAP. Get excited people as Geezy is about to happen.
According to USA Today Gap stock got a boost after the announcement of collaboration. Yeezy Gap apparel will be available to buy in 2021.
"This new apparel partnership furthers the size and scope of the Yeezy business, building on the ground-breaking success of Yeezy footwear," Gap said. West will lead the Yeezy design studio in developing a new clothing line of "elevated basics for men, women and kids at accessible price points." Gap will pay Yeezy royalties and possibly equity related to the line's sales levels.
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SHOP GAZETTE
Matthew Williams Named Givenchy New Artistic Director
The perfect example of never give up on your dream is Matthew Williamson. Who is now named Givenchy’s new Artistic Director.
Clare Waight Keller who was the one behind Meghan Markle’s wedding dress steps down as an artistic director of The House of Givenchy.
In a statement she shared with WWD, Keller said, “Focusing on a world based on haute couture has been one of the highlights of my professional journey.” She contintued, “ I have shared so many incredible moments with the brilliant Givenchy ateliers and design teams. Your exceptional talent and dedication will forever remain in my memories. My heartfelt thanks go out to each of the unsung heroes and heroines behind the scenes, for their contribution from product to communications and retail, and every global team member, partner and supplier in between.”
Matthew Williams will be replacing Clare Waight Keller and this is what we’ve learned about him. He is only 35 years old and is a founder of the influential brand 1017 ALYX 9SM, minimalistic workwear. He was at some point a creative director of Lady Gaga and a collaborator with Kanye West.
Williams grew up in Pismo Beach, California and is a dropout of University of California, Santa Barbara after one semester or Art. He was rejected from Parsons but never gave up his dream. He became a regular at the city club where he met Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, aka Lady Gaga.
Canada Goose Lays Off Staff
Canada Goose, luxury parkas brand, reportedly laid off 125 employees due to Covid -19 according to Fashion Network. The company reported that employees who were laid off will receive compensation packages and will get to keep their equipment such as, computers and phones.
by Sarah Brooks
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UNIQLO x BILLIE EILISHxMURAKAMIUT
This one is going to sell so fast, we can already taste it. In a short video, Uniqlo unveiled an upcoming collaboration. Fans are going crazy over this already, hoping that collection will arrive for both men and women.
Takashi Murakami is excited about this colabo as he called it on his instagram post. The artist posted a 3D model of Billie Eilish quoting, “@uniqlo.ut @uniqlo @billieeilish colabo.”
Fans commented, “one of my favorite artists and one of my favorite singers collaborating for one of my favorite brands ?? oh my g o d”
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The Impact Of Covid on Fashion
Chanel is raising its prices on handbags and small leather goods. In the response to a Reuters query, Channel announce the price increase in euros, ranging between 5% and 17%.
"The price adjustments only regard Chanel's iconic handbags, 11.12 and 2.55, as well as Boy, Gabrielle, Chanel 19 bags and certain small leather goods," it said.
Meanwhile, iconic American department stores like Macy’s , Nordstroms, JCPenney are fighting to survive as coronavirus pandemic forces them to close.
Dolce & Gabbana are loosing out due to virus. In an interview with daily La Stampa , Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana said, "You should ask our chief executive, but certainly we will, a lot, as it has already unfortunately happened in these past months."
Conde Nast is laying off 100 employees and furloughing an additional 100.
And while Dolce & Gabbana are struggling, a luxury handbag retailer Rebag secured $15 million in series.
The total funding is now $68 million.
by Sarah Brooks
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Fashion Goes Digital
Unprecedented times call for unprecedented fashion week calendars. And what an innovation!
For the first time Paris and Milan Fashion Weeks will go digital. In a statement by the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode on Wednesday, Paris Fashion Week is noted to take place from July 9 to 13 and will be focusing primarily on film and video formats; following closely will be Milan Fashion Week.
helmut lang fall 1998Photo: Courtesy hl-art
Fun fact: Helmut Lang Fall 1998 collection was the first fashion show that took place online and the whole collection was presented on a digital platform and CD-rom.
Lang shared with Vogue, "I sensed at the time that the Internet would grow into something much bigger than imaginable, so I thought it was the right moment to challenge the norm and present the collection online. It was a shock to the system, but a beginning of the new normal. In terms of the broader context of the industry, we made in the same season the entire collection available on a public platform, allowing consumers for the first time to get an unfiltered view of my work.”
Digital move is to obstruct social distancing requirements.
by Sarah Brooks
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Is Secondhand Fashion Retail Prospering In Coronavirus Time?
You bet! While stores are closed, events are canceled, the stock market is down, the state of fashion is unpromising, there is hope for the fashion industry. The online secondhand fashion market is booming amid the lockdown. Users around the world spend more time online and companies like eBay and StockX are running their business as usual, with only exception that employees are working-from-home.
This week's top vintage secondhand online platform theREMODA announces its launch. The fashion resale space is one that’s heating up as all the brick-and-mortar locations are closed and more consumers go online to buy and sell clothing and accessories. theREMODA is home to secondhand consignment shops and boutiques from around the world.
The niche of theREMODA resale space is a curation of the latest trends and ready-to-wear looks put together from its products. Aside from finding the most perfect pieces for the fraction of its original price, theREMODA serves as a styling guide by suggesting to shopper what is trending and how to mix and match for the desired perfection.
by Juliet Belkin
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Opinion: Giorgio Armani Is Leading Luxury Towards New Paths
by Susanna Nicoletti
In a time of uncertainty and chaos, Italian fashion icon Giorgio Armani rapidly emerged as one of the few leaders to take a stand from the start.
Giorgio Armani founded his Italian eponymous brand in the mid-‘70s, a decade that saw austerity, Cold War and violent terroristic attacks across the globe, Italy included.
The company grew thanks to private ownership, long-term vision and a genius designer-turned-entrepreneur who founded a 2.1 billion euro fashion giant covering categories such as hospitality, cosmetics, concept stores, business apparel and accessories.
Giorgio Armani is a fashion pioneer who helped pave the way for professional women by dressing them in stylish jackets and pants and developing one of the most authentic and strongest bonds with Hollywood celebrities, well before celebrity endorsement became a must for all luxury brands. Who can forget Richard Gere in “American Gigolo”? Armani opened the first stores mixing selling floors and restaurants, such as Florence Piazza Strozzi at the Doney’s, Paris’ Saint-Germain and many others. He also bought the Milan basketball team Olympia, a flagship for his pride of being Italian and Milanese.
Armani introduced the androgynous style for women well before gender-fluid fashion exploded and he was the first to open a concept store, like the one in Via Manzoni in Milan where you can find Armani-styled flowers, chocolates, books selections and more.
In addition to his success as a businessman, he has time and time again proven to be a man of principle. Armani was the first big name in fashion to ban models with a body mass index (BMI) under 18 after the tragic death of a model. When it comes to his spirit of innovation, it was no surprise that he was the first one to broadcast a fashion show on the internet in 2007.
Giorgio Armani created a lifestyle and a way of being. He hates baroque and thinks that less is more. He’s loved by the likes of Cate Blanchett, Sophia Loren, Tom Cruise, Eric Clapton, and Leonardo Di Caprio, but he is often neglected by his own colleagues of the fashion and luxury industry for his outspoken nature.
Armani in the Age of COVID-19
In a fashion world rich with political correctness (if not hypocrisy and double standards), Armani has always been the fashion leader to share his blunt point of view instead of being falsely polite.
In these days he found himself, once again, at the helm of an industry-only devoted to unstoppable double-digit growth, rather than the creation of beauty and purpose.
During February 2020 Milan Fashion Week, Giorgio Armani was among the few whose show was moved behind closed doors for respect to all the guests and people involved. At the time, the red zone of COVID-19 was just a few kilometers from Milan and the city was already overwhelmed with hospitals full of by critically-ill patients.
He was the first one to donate to Milan hospitals and the first (and only one) to buy 60 full pages in Italian newspapers to send out tributes to healthcare workers coping with the dimensions of the emergency. He reconverted all his factories in Italy to make overalls for doctors and nurses.
He also sent out a very sharp message to the world: continuing to manage a fashion industry as it was before would have been immoral. Armani was one of the first luxury powerhouses to broadcast that he was not willing to sell his pieces, created with love and passion, to see them disposed of after a few months. He believes that the pace of the so-called luxury industry is similar to the heavily criticized fast-fashion.
In such an uncertain and chaotic time, he rapidly emerged as one of the few leaders, and not only in fashion.
Luxury Recovery & Moving Forward
While according to Matteo Lunelli, chairman of luxury brands association Altagamma, most luxury brands are expecting a speedy recovery, partially due to the “revenge spending” that seemed to surge in China. The main concern is not for brands’ resilience against the lockdown shock, but the survival of the supply chain. Even the biggest consulting firms are ready to sell pre-made guidelines for getting back on track quickly. Many fashion and luxury brands that are distressed by such an unexpected event cannot wait to see a bounce back. But caution is advised.
Armani believes that “the crisis is also an opportunity to get back to the value of authenticity. Special events must be dedicated to special moments, they cannot be routine.”
Of course, there will be a Darwinian selection and a polarisation in the industry between companies able to understand the global markets and new signals (and to proactively act accordingly, finding new solutions to old problems) and the ones waiting for China to save them, without even putting under discussion an obsolete way of managing brands.
Luxury is undergoing a severe restructuring and will see most brands relying more and more on the Chinese one as the main, if not the only, target market. The local mainland subsidiaries will become a relevant headquarter and collections will be catered to making Chinese customers happy and fulfilled.
Even if China is also experiencing the highest decrease of GDP for the first quarter of 2020 since 1992 (-6.8 percent), the country will still lean toward prestigious luxury goods made in Europe to keep their people motivated to invest their time in hard work.
The luxury goods industry and the Chinese market have become deeply intertwined and dependent on each other, and China won’t leave the luxury brands alone, pushing for their desirability and attraction. This will be a free pass for most of the brands in need of a strong boost.
Global Outlook
But, will China be enough for the future of luxury? What about the rest of the world, much neglected in the past years by the luxury industry?
The Western countries are facing, with more transparency than its Eastern neighbors, a huge meltdown due to the tragic mix of health emergency and lockdown financial crisis.
Europe and the United States, two of the most strategic regions for the luxury industry, have seen entire luxury streets of shopping shut down for weeks. The supply chain is suffering and there is, so far, no emergency exit for the implications that await.
Western Europe and the United States have been deeply impacted and are now facing unknown consequences of COVID-19. They have been the cradle of fashion, style, luxury, craftsmanship, and an entrepreneurial spirit.
Will they give up completely on luxury items? Will the concept of luxury be transformed into a new category?
A British survey commissioned by the Royal Society of Arts, alongside The Food Foundation, showed “a real appetite for change,” with “people trying new things and noticing differences, at home, in their work, and in communities” and that “the British people are increasingly aware that the health of people and planet are inseparable and it’s time for radical environmental, social, political and economic change.”
The report states that just 9 percent of Britons want life to return to normal after the coronavirus outbreak is over. While these results might be also the outcome of a survey made in a very emotional time, it’s also true that many people received a powerful shock that it is very unlikely that things will resume exactly as before.
A New World of Luxury?
The desire to invest money in meaningful products and activities will create space for new fashion entities to be founded and thrive.
The “old world” successful brands managing empty businesses will be put under the test, and most of them won’t be ready to survive the pressure, instead of turning to an obsessive focus on China, where the competition will be fierce.
A new world of fashion and luxury, as anticipated wisely by Giorgio Armani, will have the chance to go up on stage and have proper visibility.
The castes of fashion insiders and fashion victims lacking true, the authentic purpose will be blown away or relegated to minor roles. New communities made up of intelligent and wise leaders will start creating a new meaningful way of creating luxury.
And something even more unexpected compared to the wished for “new normal” will happen: more Chinese customers, aware and mindful, will rise to the occasion and show their appreciation for transparency and authenticity.
Who knows what China will look like in five years? Who can say if China will continue to be the same as we knew in 2019? What kind of impact will this shock have on the younger generations of China, willing to live in a more edifying world and ready to do their best to promote it?
A brand-new chapter will begin.
On different bases and premises, an obsolete world may become just a memento.
And one day we may have forgotten those ugly, poorly-fitted, provocative products sold inhomogeneous stores across the world, but everybody will remember the uplifting love letter to the world written by Giorgio Armani.
Because he showed all of us that difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations, but only if we are able to re-think the system.
Cover image: Giorgio Armani.
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Famed Wildlife Photographer Peter Beard Dies At 82
Famed photographer Peter Beard, known for his intimate and dangerous photography of Africa, went missing from his home in Montauk, New York.
Three weeks after his disappearance his family confirmed Beard’s death in a statement shared on social media. “We are all heartbroken by the confirmation of our beloved Peter’s death. We want to express our deep gratitude to the East Hampton police and all who aided them in their search, and also to thank the many friends of Peter and our family who have sent messages of love and support during these dark days,” the statement read. Peter was an extraordinary man who led an exceptional life. He lived life to the fullest; he squeezed every drop out of every day. He was relentless in his passion for nature, unvarnished and unsentimental but utterly authentic always. He was an intrepid explorer, unfailingly generous, charismatic, and discerning. Peter defined what it means to be open: open to new ideas, new encounters, new people, new ways of living and being. Always insatiably curious, he pursued his passions without restraints and perceived reality through a unique lens. Anyone who spent time in his company was swept up by his enthusiasm and his energy. He was a pioneering contemporary artist who was decades ahead of his time in his efforts to sound the alarm about environmental damage. His visual acuity and elemental understanding of the natural environment was fostered by his long stays in the bush and the ‘wild-deer-ness’ he loved and defended. He died where he lived: in nature. We will miss him every day,” the statement concluded.
““The last thing left in nature is the beauty of women, so I’m very happy photographing it,” Mr. Beard told the British newspaper The Observer in 1997.”
The 82-year-old suffered from dementia and went missing on April 1st. The three-day search ended with the East Hampton Town Police reporting that on Sunday authorities located “the remains of an elderly male consistent with the physical and clothing description of Mr. Beard” in Camp Hero State Park in Montauk, according to a statement obtained by the New York Daily News. The remains are still awaiting identification.
The photographer captivated many through the thrilling photography spending much of his career chronicling Africa with his images.
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Louis Vuitton Announces The Production Of Thousands Of Hospital Gowns
There is no greatness without generosity! Louis Vuitton announces the production of thousands of hospital gowns to be donated to frontline medical staff within the Parisian hospital network AP-HP, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris.
These gowns will be created by volunteers at the Maison’s headquarters for six Parisian hospitals in urgent need of protective gear. Thank you to everyone who is doing their part to fight this global pandemic.
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Top Executives Donate Huge Amounts To Fight Covid19
Marc Jacobs Celebrates 57th Birthday
For his 57th birthday, Marc Jacobs threw the best quarantine party starting with the delicious dinner at home followed by calories-burning disco dancing at Club 96 , aka (his bathroom). For the night on the town (Marc’s Manhattan apartment) designer chose purple suit, blue clutch and groovy, disco-dancing platform booties.
In the last few weeks Marc’s WFH style turned into a fashion show of its own. His #ootd outfits consist of fresh-off-the-runway pieces and Marc’s favorite Rick Owen’s platform boots. And why not?! Staying home shouldn’t be boring or unattractive. After all fashion is not just for others to enjoy, it does your body good as well. Happy Birthday Marc Jacobs!
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Hotel Okura , once home to Yoko Ono and John Lennon