Cédric Charbit, new CEO of Balenciaga at Saint Laurent Gianfranco Gianangeli, former CEO of Maison Margiela and currently commercial director of YSL, succeeds Cédric Charbit at Balenciaga.
A return to Saint Laurent for Cédric Charbit, who was executive vice president of product and marketing when he took over at Balenciaga eight years ago, a year after creative director Demna.
Once at the helm of Saint Laurent, he will have to face a revival of sales momentum against a backdrop of slowing luxury sales, particularly in China, and as inflation and high interest rates weigh on discretionary spending worldwide.
Prior to YSL, Charbit was deputy general manager at Emilio Pucci. Previously, the Frenchman held senior roles in retail – as general merchandise director for womenswear at Harrods in London and Printemps in Paris. A graduate of ESC Toulouse, he is appreciated for his fashion instinct and his complicity with designers.
Matthieu Blazy, Chanel’s next artistic director? Chanel is no longer looking to find a new artistic director for fashion because it has found it after that negotiations with the prince of clubbing have failed. The French house, which is now English, plans to announce in June the successor to Virginie Viard, who left the house after five years.
Since he joined Burberry as CEO in July, Joshua Schulman has wasted no time in trying to right the ship, with the twin brakes pressing, the slowdown in luxury demand and by past strategies that pushed the brand into territory too specialised, too fashionable and too expensive, and without ever inviting journalists.
Loro Piana is floating into Harrods on clouds of cashmere and vicuña for a grand-scale holiday takeover marking the Italian brand’s 100th anniversary celebrations.
At the end of December, Valérie Leberichel joined Gucci as SVP global communications, reporting directly to Cantino. Daughter of the most famous florist in Dinan, Valérie Leberichel began her career as head of public relations at Jean Louis Scherrer before becoming communications director at Issey Miyake Europe. In 2002, she joined Celine as communications director. All that remained for Pinault was to take on the general director of the Franco-British Chamber of Commerce, Catherine Leyaouanc, to stock up on Breton women from his region for his house, but as is well known, Bretons work with their compatriots.
Elie Saab is strengthening its handbag division and has appointed Marina Raphael as its new artistic and design director.
In Occoquan, Virginia, local authorities asked Andre Soriano, a sort of “Liberace copycat,” to remove 11 pro-Donald Trump signs from the exterior of his building. A four-story building houses Soriano’s store on the ground floor and his residence on the second floor.
Bottega Veneta’s new fragrance collection, comprised of five scents, was designed to be the very essence of the house. This is the first major product launch unveiled by Kering Beauté since the division launched in January 2023.
The more madmen there are, the more dangerous it is to laugh. Proverbs are the prophets of the professionals of prophecy. The majority of luxury brands are truly “bullshiters”, and to denounce this, the shoe company Payless, which are not of very high quality, but of good quality nonetheless, decided to do a little test in 2018: Open a new store by making believe that it is a luxury brand, and this, by selling the same shoes. This new store is located in the middle of Los Angeles, with an adequate luxury decoration. Thus, the trap will close.
Dior has announced the restoration of Venice’s Porta Magna, underscoring its ties to Venice. The answer to the Prince of Venice, its direct competitor Pinault.
The Federal Trade Commission successfully halted Tapestry Inc.’s $8.5 billion acquisition of Capri Holdings with a preliminary injunction, likely derailing the mega-acquisition.
I don’t like the suburbs, living in the center of Paris, but I forced myself to go to the Porte d’Aubervilliers, taking the Queen Mago metro. Not taking my bike to eliminate the risk of being run over by motorists annoyed at being in traffic jams all day. Finally, the Paris “Tube” ripped me off for 2.50 euros to go see the “Lesage and 100 years of fashion” exhibition.
Lines stretched around the Chanel building for the preview opening of Art Basel Paris on Wednesday, reflecting the excitement surrounding the rebranded fair’s move to its new home, the newly renovated Grand Palais.
