fashionologie

Should Donatella Move On from Versace?

fashionologie — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:30:11 -0800

>> After Dana Thomas's best-selling book Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster came out in August 2007, she wasn't invited to Louis Vuitton's show the following October - Vuitton chief executive Yves Carcelle was unhappy with how she had portrayed LVMH head Bernard Arnault. Given the article she just wrote for Newsweek, "The Tragic Decline of the House of Versace," she may be uninvited from Versace's show next.

Just last week, Donatella expressed that she expected Versace to weather the economy, despite having to lay off a quarter of its workforce. Thomas doesn't seem as convinced, suggesting that perhaps it's time for Versace to move past its family-centric setup:

"Many in the fashion industry believe it's time for the brand to continue without Versace family involvement - and some suggest that the family is starting to accept this idea too. Last year, Santo [Versace, Donatella's brother and former CEO of the company] was elected to the Italian Parliament. Allegra [Beck Versace, Donatella's daughter and 50 percent company heir] has been attending Brown University and has said her dream is to become an actress. And will Donatella remain at the helm? 'Maybe,' says [an anonymous] former Versace executive. 'Then again, maybe not.' Which, after a decade of turmoil, may be the best thing for the company after all."

Gianni Versace wanted the brand out of the family hands »

Pheobe Philo's First Celine Runway Collection for Spring 2010: The Reviews Are In

fashionologie — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:35:59 -0700

>> For her first runway show since leaving Chloe in 2006 to focus on motherhood, Phoebe Philo sent out a fast-marching group of models swaddled in earth tones, clunky wood wedges, modified trenches, military details, lots of leather, and curiously few handbags, despite Celine's accessory-brand heritage. Bound inspiration books from Philo, containing photos of Kurt Cobain, disco balls, and work by David Sims and Helmut Newton were placed on every seat.

The mood of the collection, one of the season's most anticipated, Philo described as “purposeful and positive.” Backstage, while holding her five-year-old daughter, Maya, who attended the show with Philo's husband, she went on: "I wanted to clean it up, refocus, and present a strong, powerful woman." And of all the expectation: "It's just the beginning. It felt like, just take it easy, just start easy. It's nice to have the bubble of expectations burst. That feels good. Sometimes what people get into their head is unachievable."

In the front row were top photographers David Sims, Mario Testino, Craig McDean; Pucci designer Peter Dundas, who called the collection "wonderful"; and top LVMH brass, including Bernard Arnault, who stood to applaud Philo afterward. As Suzy Menkes put it, "This was an important exercise in making Celine fashion credible. And that was mission accomplished."

fashionologie — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 11:58:26 -0700

>> Bernard Arnault, Francois Pinault Are Playing Nice, Still Rich -With the lapse of almost a decade since the fight over Gucci, LVMH's Bernard Arnault and PPR's Francois Pinault are experiencing a detente, symbolized by their willingness to appear on the cover of French business magazine Challenges together this week. The accompanying story credits Arnault's wife, Helene, with the warming of feelings when she embraced Pinault's wife Maryvonne at an event last November. Since, the Arnaults invited the Pinaults to dinner on May 26. The magazine also tabulates France's largest fortunes, with Arnault (14.58 billion euros) in second, the Hermes family (7.68bn euros) in fourth, Pinault (4.95bn euros) in sixth, and Alain Wertheimer and family, owner of Chanel, (3.5bn euros) in tenth. [WWD]

Full Video: Anna Wintour on 60 Minutes, Plus Outtakes

fashionologie — Mon, 18 May 2009 11:25:04 -0700

>> The months-in-the-making 60 Minutes profile of Anna Wintour finally aired last night, and besides the tired Devil Wears Prada and unauthorized biography references, a snarky Morley Safer provided a candid look at "Darth Vader in a frock" - except for the instances when she purposely evaded his question. He even asked her if she thinks of herself as a b*tch: "I hope I'm not . . . I try not to be, but I like people who represent the best of what they do and if that turns you into a perfectionist than maybe I am."

She laughs when asked if it's true that Vogue staffers are not allowed to speak to her on the elevator:

Oh yeah, I heard that, you're not allowed to get in the elevator with me. That's a complete exaggeration. I guess in response I can only say that I've have so many people here that have worked with me fifteen, twenty years, and if I'm such a b*tch they must really be a glutton for punishment because they're still here.

She credits part of her success to her failures elsewhere: "I wasn't academically successful and maybe I've spent a lot of my career trying to make up for that." But she's still the Anna whose daily hair and makeup bill, plus a rumored $200,000 annual clothing allowance, is all picked up by Conde Nast - and her view of "reasonable" clothing prices reflects that. She visits Alexander Wang's showroom for a runthrough, and as a silver sequined minidress passes by, she asks Alexander how much it is. "This one retails for $1,200." Her reply? With a little smile: "It's very reasonable."

But designers can irritate her: "If you see a collection that you feel the designer has been lazy or is taking inspiration from other designers, it doesn't as much as bore me as anger me."

Even Andre Leon Talley, one of those figures who have been at Vogue for years, feels the Wintour chill:

It's not like a tea party here, we work very hard. Let's say that Anna can be intimidating, I think that's her armor, to intimidate, to give people a sense that she's in charge. She is not a person who's going to show you her emotions ever. She's like a doctor. When she's looking at your work, it's like a medical analysis. Some of us can't cope with that . . . we need to be loved.

But it's something to get used to - if Anna has any say, she'll be sticking around a while longer. "To me, this is a very interesting time to be in this position, and I think it would be, in a way, irresponsible not to put my best foot forward and lead us into a different time." Morley prods, asking her if when the time comes, she'll go quietly? She smiles. "Certainly, very quietly."

The full segment, plus outtakes! »

Another Anna Wintour 60 Minutes Preview: "I Enjoy Fashion, Morley"

fashionologie — Thu, 14 May 2009 15:56:18 -0700

>> At this rate, the whole twelve minute-long profile of Anna Wintour on this Sunday's 60 Minutes is going to be spoiled - yesterday, they released the first 45 second clip, featuring Anna talking shop and holding court in her offices; this morning, they released a quote with her explaining her penchant for sunglasses; and now, there's another clip: Anna is asked about her put-together look, "not a hair out of place" - "It's very important to me that I look good when I go out publicly," she responds. "I like looking at my clothes rack in the morning and deciding what to pick out." Apparently, Sunday's segment will feature interviews with Andre Leon Talley, Grace Coddington, Bernard Arnault, Karl Lagerfeld, John Galliano, and Nicholas Ghesquiere.

The video! »

LVMH, Arnault to Go Green with Edun Investment

fashionologie — Thu, 14 May 2009 11:27:52 -0700

>> For months, Bernard Arnault has been hovering around an unnamed ethical fashion brand - many guessed Bono and his wife Ali Hewson's label Edun, but she denied it outright back in March.

Turns out it was all a ruse - at the LVMH annual shareholder's meeting Thursday morning, Arnault said the company will announce "very soon" that it has taken an "important" stake in the eco-luxury label - LVMH is expected to remain a minority shareholder, but their stake is to be nearly 50 percent. As part of the deal, LVMH will play a "very active role" in the development of Edun as a brand, including management of the company as well as granting access to its marketing and production resources.

The Edun investment marks the first foray by a major fashion conglomerate into the ethical fashion market.

fashionologie — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 16:55:38 -0700

>> INSIDER WIRE -Speaking of ethical fashion, Ali Hewson addressed rumors about LVMH taking a financial interest in Edun last night - "Everyone keeps asking us that. I wish it were true." Which begs the question: Who else would Bernard Arnault have been hinting at? Edun seems to fit the bill perfectly . . . [Style File]

*image: source

Louis Vuitton Fall 2009: Bunny Ears, Bunching, and Boots

fashionologie — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:24:29 -0700

>> Marc Jacobs's signature collection started a minute early, and Louis Vuitton started just seven minutes late - which according to the way most fashion shows run, is still early, causing loads of people to miss the beginning - Suzy Menkes climbed over the runway after the first model walked out - and many to be locked out. Lucky for them, the show was staged in a clear tent in a Louvre courtyard, so late editors and passersby could watch the show.

Bunny ears topped heads - show stylist Katie Grand was inspired by "a black doe rabbit in the pet shop on the corner" - necklaces were modeled after paper garlands, ruching was everywhere, and Rose Cordero finally made a Paris runway appearance. Marc Jacobs said he was inspired by "all the great, elegant Parisian women, like Loulou de la Falaise," and the LVMH-Gareth Pugh connection continues: Pugh sat front row, two seats away from Bernard Arnault, still denying the Dior Homme rumors.
*image: source

Bernard Arnault Doesn't Like Plastic Pendants on His Dior Bags

fashionologie — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 15:05:24 -0800

>> So just how does the richest man in France, and one of the most powerful in fashion, do it? A profile in the March 2009 issue of WSJ. gives us a clue about the dealings of Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVMH, who Anna Wintour says "has a very strong understanding of what [his] designers do. If he’s concerned about something, he’ll speak up, but he’ll never tell them, ‘Do this’ or ‘Do that.”

But he will give them a strong hint. When John Galliano was presenting the Pre-Fall 2009 collection to buyers in Paris, Arnault came to oversee. Twenty-three models are escorted in for Arnault's perusal, and Galliano "reads nervously in English from a prepared speech to explain the source of his inspiration: Dior seen through the erotic lens of photographer Helmut Newton":

Arnault, seated on a white sofa, focuses on two ingredients: Is the piece “Dior” enough and is it priced right? “Ah, this is true Dior,” he states definitively of a black waist-cinched suit with pleated pockets. “It’s Dior safari,” he says of a beige coat with fox-fur collar. A skirt suit in Prince of Wales check appears: “The Dior woman will like this and will want to come back season after season,” he says.

"Ça, c’est beau - how much is it?” Arnault asks as a tall blond model stands before him in a $1,500 red double-face wool dress. “Will that sell?” he asks of an embroidered $15,000 cream-colored gown. (The answer was yes, in Monaco, Hong Kong and Moscow.) “Why not use those black masks for the ad campaign?” “If you tell me so, sir,” Galliano answers.

Now about those pesky plastic pendants »

LVMH Is In Shopping Mode

fashionologie — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 13:13:01 -0800

>> WSJ., The Wall Street Journal's glossy, is back this weekend with a fashion-centric March issue featuring LVMH chief Bernard Arnault. Inside, Arnault hints that LVMH might be in the market to acquire more companies. “We’re about to enter a market of buyers over the next six-to-eight months. There will be opportunities, and we will be looking at them.” According to WSJ., Arnault was “in talks to invest in a fashion company with ecological and ethical goals founded by a global celebrity” at the time the article was written - WWD is guessing Edun, Bono’s green clothing line.

But there are certainly a couple of other designers on LVMH's radar. Gareth Pugh is the obvious one - rumors have run rampant about him taking over at Dior Homme ever since LVMH heiress Delphine Arnault sat front row at his debut menswear show, and Bernard Arnault has already confirmed that LVMH has helped finance Pugh's shows. Talking acquisitions, however, Rodarte may be a more likely candidate - Pierre-Yves Roussel, CEO of LVMH's fashion division, was in attendance at the Fall 2009 show, and soon after, Katherine Ross, PR honcho for LVMH, hosted a poolside tea party at the Chateau Marmont in LA for the designing duo, so they're definitely on the radar.

Bernard Arnault confirmed in January that Gareth Pugh wasn't the only "new talent" LVMH supports - "LVMH does that with many talented people" - so a number of other brands may be being looked at. Especially now, when as Arnault points it, it's a buyer's market - young brands with plenty of talent may need that big-company backing to keep them going.
*image: source