Category Archives: BREAKING MODE

AVATAR ZOE IN FASHION

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She is probably best known for “Avatar,” the James Cameron epic that became the biggest movie of all time in 2009. But she’s also part of “Avengers” and “Star Trek”. She has become one of the highest-grossing actresses in today’s movies.

It’s naturally an entirely different world 13 years after the first “Avatar” movie was released, and the moment of course leads to reflection on how Saldaña’s life and career have changed in that time.

At a certain point, even being an action star begins to feel like riding a bicycle, and Saldaña is now in her moment of seeking out discomfort. Whjy not Fashion ?

Monot’s polyester dress. Boucheron Maillons necklace, from Paris, Vu du 26 high jewelry collection, set with quartz, pavéd with diamonds, on yellow gold; Vendorafa 18-karat yellow gold dome ring; Bulgari Serpenti Viper ring in 18k yellow gold with diamonds; David Yurman ring in 18k yellow gold with pavé diamonds; Anita Ko gold ring; Delfina Delettrez 18k gold, white diamond and akoya pearl ring; Hamilton Jewelers 18k rose gold ring; Saldaña’s own gold ring, worn throughout. Continue reading →

FASHION UNDER COVER

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Between the official sponsors of the soccer world cup and the vertigo of endless wealth,  they are torn between their will to shine without alienating dictatorships, with the risk of scratching their image by associating themselves with a world cup truly tainted with accusations that hint at the trampling of Human Rights. But, in the world of fashion, we are used to these counterfeit humans, and they perform daily a balancing act so perfect.

RICHEMOND AND THE LORD

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The answer is hard to determine, say principals at Compagnie Financière Richemont. Consumer behavior is still impacted by COVID-19, China remains volatile, and U.S. growth is slowing.  Are storm clouds gathering over luxury?

The demand for high-end watches, jewelry, and accessories remains robust, resulting in solid results for the first half of the fiscal year. Richemont’s sales increased 24 percent to 9.68 billion euros at actual exchange rates, and its profit from continuing operations increased 40 percent to 2.11 billion euros.

On Friday, Richemont’s shares surged more than 10 percent to close at 118.10 Swiss francs.One thing is certain: COVID-19 continues to change consumption patterns worldwide, for better and for worse. Richemont managers discussed volatility and a lack of visibility in the market.

In fact, Richemont says consumption patterns have changed so dramatically since COVID-19 that no single geography is driving revenue or dominating the balance sheet. Continue reading →

UOTANI TIME TO GO

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Shiseido’s president and CEO Masahiko Uotani announced succession plans on Thursday that will see him step down within two years. As of Jan. 1, Uotami’s role will change to representative director, chairman and CEO, while Kentaro Fujiwara will assume the position of president and chief operating officer.

“Fujiwara and I will work closely together for two years managing the company jointly, and then we will see what happens after that. I don’t want to just pass the baton on suddenly,” Uotani said. 

Shiseido’s business grew 19 percent on a like-for-like basis in 2021, despite continued lockdowns in China. The growth of the business in China has been a cornerstone of Uotani’s globalization strategy. Continue reading →

MUGLER IN SELFRIDGES

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With Body Spaces, French luxury brand Mugler will take over Selfridges Corner Shop until December. The brand’s fall 2022 and spring 2023 collections, along with festive gifts, will be featured in the space, along with its signature scents Angel, Alien and Alien Goddess.

In partnership with Random Studio, The Corner Shop features reflective silver surface sculptures depicting the contours of the human body. The brand has never set up an immersive pop-up before. It’s a unique approach that is accompanied by a strong architectural gesture.

Chrome hues will be available in a limited number of fragrances. Mugler is offering 30 hand-blown, hand-sculpted bottle variations of Angel, one of Mugler’s bestselling fragrances.

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FRANCOIS BAUFUMÉ PASSED AWAY

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French fashion executive François Baufumé the Kenzo and Christian Dior Couture businesses in the 80 and & 90 died suddenly on Friday in Saint-Jean-de-Luz at age 77.

Services are scheduled for Wednesday in Urrugne, France, according to a family announcement signed by his two daughters. He was a visionary, who recently stepped down as president of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode.

A great and bold entrepreneur, an outstanding executive and a charismatic leader, and despite his famous temper tantrums, he was a very warm and endearing character who knew how to enjoy life.

He built Kenzo into a fashion and perfume company with combined sales of roughly $150 million by 1992, extending the brand into menswear, jeans and childrenswear, and opening many key boutiques.

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TOM CATCH ME IF YOU CAN KERING

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A deal to buy U.S. fashion brand Tom Ford from the American designer is said to be in advanced stages between Kering, the French luxury giant that owns Gucci. Estée Lauder, who is also rumored to be in the running to secure Tom Ford, is in a close race with Kering for Tom Ford.

 A deal could be reached as soon as next week, according to sources. As of now, François-Henri Pinault’s luxury giant has yet to confirm any deal.

It will be the largest acquisition ever made 3 billion  of dollard,  it is possible that the price has fallen, given today’s precarious market environment and current geopolitical crisis, which has led to almost unprecedented inflationary pressures and dramatically increased procurement costs around the world.

However, Kering has been able to ride a sort of post-pandemic surge in sales, particularly across its Gucci, Saint Laurent and Balenciaga brands, as wealthy customers wanted revenge and a return to normality; those who have shown themselves to be more resilient, despite the exponential rise in inflation, and continue to purchase expensive clothes, bags, and watches.
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A VAMPIRE AT DIOR’S

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Dior’s spring pre-collection will be presented by Robert Pattinson. It was photographed by Rafael Pavarotti, with art direction by Ronnie Cooke Newhouse and styling by Melanie Ward and Ellie Grace Cumming.

Since 2013, Pattinson has been the face of Dior Homme. “Twilight” actor also appeared in Karl Lagerfeld’s spring 2017 and fall 2016 menswear campaigns for the French fashion house.

The actor read lines from Jack Kerouac’s work on the soundtrack of Dior’s pre-fall men’s fashion show in London last December, in addition to attending dozens of fashion shows over the years.

The British actor recently starred in “The Batman”. Among his next projects is a science fiction film based on the novel by Edward Ashton “Mickey7”, directed by the Oscar-winning South Korean director Bong Joon Ho . Science fiction for Dior ! It make sens.

KERING STELLAR GROWTH

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Kering said sales increased by 14% in its third quarter, driven by strong results in Europe, although Gucci revenues lagged behind overall growth.

With the dollar strong in Europe and the Chinese market recovering from COVID-19 restrictions, luxury giants are disregarding concerns that the industry’s post-pandemic boom may cool.

With overall sales of 5.137 billion euros in the three months to September, Kering also benefited largely from that trend. Analysts had predicted a 12% increase on a comparable basis, which strips out currency fluctuations. However, Gucci’s sales grew by 9%, below a consensus forecast of 11%.

The label’s performance in China was “mixed” and “has yet to normalize,” said Kering’s finance chief Jean-Marc Duplaix. Following years of stellar growth, Gucci has underperformed rivals Louis Vuitton and Hermes in terms of its sales, which accounts for the bulk of profits at Kering. Too bad the turnover is not like Gucci’s collection this season, a double vision.

UK TAX FREE SHOPPING IS BACK

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Within less than a month of announcing plans to restore tax-free shopping for international visitors, the British government has backed down. The return of tax-free shopping had been hailed by industry groups and luxury retailers as a way to boost tourism post-COVID-19 and help British luxury brands and retailers compete with their European counterparts.

With Jeremy Hunt as Chancellor of the Exchequer, that euphoria has dissipated as the country tries to generate as much tax income as possible to restore confidence in brand Britain. It is estimated that the new measures he announced will save the government 32 billion pounds per year.

After the speech, the pound rose by roughly 1 percent against the dollar, trading at $1.13. By late afternoon, it had risen to $1.14.  Continue reading →

RALPH LAUREN 2023

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Thursday night at The Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens in the preppy Los Angeles suburb of San Marino, California. Ralph Lauren joined the luxury brand movement of destination shows, bringing his runway to the West Coast for the first time. Continue reading →

FASHION FROM THE SUBURBS 93

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She comes to make Paris Fashion Week look ridiculous, and so the doors of the suburbs open, those of the real suburbs, not those where we used to look for the sons of the bourgeoisie in order to make them look like little ruffians who come out of the mire of immigration in order to propel them into fashion. No, the real one, the one that creates, the one that is multi-cultural, the one that is not afraid to be in a multi-ethnic couple, the one of multiple confession.
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PRADA BREAKFAST AT TIPHANIE

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In its first fine jewelry collection, Prada is breaking ground as the first global luxury brand to use 100 percent recycled gold. Featuring American poet and activist Amanda Gorman; American actor, model and singer-songwriter Maya Hawke; and Dutch-Korean-Canadian musician Somi Jeon, Prada’s campaign is being photographed by David Sims.

Classic portraits are juxtaposed with gold-gilded reflections for a visually strong and immediate campaign, recognizably different from others in the category.

At the core of the collection is Prada’s signature triangle motif, which harks back to the brand’s founder Mario Prada. the bimbos of the fashion week thought that the triangle was the representation of their sex !

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BROWNE MASTER OF CFDDA

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The Council of Fashion Designers of America has named Thom Browne its next chairman, effective Jan. 1. Browne will be tasked with overseeing the organization as it continues to undergo rapid changes.

Browne was unanimously elected to the position for a two-year term by the CFDA board. Tom Ford completed his three-year term as chairman at the end of May, and he is succeeded by the 57-year-old designer.

During his term Ford diversified the board; initiated new programs to help bring much-needed diversity, equity and inclusion to the fashion industry; worked with brands to provide access to hundreds of jobs, opportunities, and mentorships; and founded A Common Thread with Vogue, which provided over $5 million in relief aid to fashion businesses during the first two years of the pandemic.

Born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Browne didn’t set out to become a fashion designer, graduating from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in economics. Following an acting career in Los Angeles, Browne moved to New York in 1997 and began working as a salesman at Giorgio Armani. Club Monaco, then owned by Polo Ralph Lauren, later chose him to lead its creative development team, which he did for several years before launching his own label. Finally, it is not only in France that we have designer economists!

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KERING AND BEAUTY THE BUZZ

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There is a lot of buzz around Kering and its potential entry into the beauty industry. Does the French luxury conglomerate plan to bring back some of its activities? Is there a possibility of other beauty acquisitions?

Gucci, YSL, and Balenciaga are among the companies in the company’s portfolio. Industry insiders believe the answer is “yes,” and that a shift might come sooner rather than later.

“[Kering brands’] competitors Dior, Chanel and Givenchy have everything fashion, beauty, leather goods, jewelry, etcetera under the same roof. It gives for sure more consistency, synergy and power to the brand. Late last month, a Kering executive suggested the group is ready to explore beauty.

The jewels in Kering’s crown are Gucci, whose beauty license is held by Coty Inc., and Yves Saint Laurent, still with L’Oréal. Industry sources estimate those generate sales of a half-billion euros and 1 billion euros, respectively.

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TAG HEUER AND PORSCHE

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If you were looking for a getaway car from Paris Fashion Week, a Porsche Carrera would have been ideal, but the trio parked on Place Vendôme were celebrating Tag Heuer’s 50th anniversary.

It is now a collectible car, described by Tag Heuer chief executive officer Frédéric Arnault as a “sporty, performance-oriented car,” with iconic design codes such as white and blue, white and green, white and red, and the iconic Carrera stripe.

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KANYE OLD WILD WEST

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Kanye West has not stopped talking about him since his arrival in Paris. The rapper first caused a sensation by opening the Balenciaga fashion show on Sunday, October 2. The next day, he organized his own fashion show for his brand Yeezy. Many stars have also made the trip including Anna Wintour, the god master of fashion. However, his show has caused controversy on social networks after images of him wearing a long-sleeved black top with the following message: “White Lives Matter” have made the rounds of the Web. A reference to the slogan “Black Lives Matter” which became viral on social networks and in the demonstrations after the death of the American George Floyd. The Internet users have expressed their anger towards Kanye West, including the famous model Gigi Hadid.

On Monday night, after the show, Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, a journalist for the American edition of “Vogue”, decided to share her opinion on the show of Kanye West: “The T-shirts that this man designs, produces and shares with the world are pure violence,” she wrote in her Instagram story. Continue reading →

FRENCA FENDI PASSED AWAY

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Franca Fendi died Wednesday in Rome, as the third-born daughter of the Fendi family, she worked closely with her four sisters Carla, who died in 2017; Anne; Paola, and Aida, in expanding and developing the luxury house.

As retail manager, she was responsible for the brand’s Rome stores until the business was sold in 1999. Prada Group and LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton acquired 51 percent of the Rome-based fashion and leather goods company in 1999.

In November 2001, LVMH acquired Prada’s stake, and today the company is managed by Serge Brunschwig.

Former creative director of Fendissime and now cofounder of Triple F’s vintage resale platform, Federica leaves behind four children: Guido, Andrea, Luca, and Federica.

DGENA PARIS 2023

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It is a pleasure under our eyes when the hand of the creator unrolls her creations of a world where everything seems to collapse. She drags us from peaks to abysses, between the infinity of time, which sometimes is suspended, to penetrate our intimate fiber. The creator, about whom everyone speaks in Paris, sublimates the sublime, by a simple and mastered collection; couture spirit says to me the man of the Spring next to me.

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