fashionologie

Givenchy's Riccardo Tisci Talks the Spring 2010 Campaign, Runway Casting, and a New Secret Project

fashionologie — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:17:52 -0700

>> Riccardo Tisci, fresh off a stint in Rio de Janeiro over the weekend to support Oi Fashion Rocks with a combination men's, women's, and couture fashion show, arrived fashionably late by half an hour yesterday for a guerrilla appearance at Barneys in New York - his first for a trunk show, which was only announced the afternoon before. Endearingly adorable in sneakers and with braces, the designer was on hand to see the launch of his new lower-priced (by forty percent) Capsule collection, which focuses on his iconic white shirts and studded pieces, with a few exclusives for Barneys on tap. We were able to steal a couple of minutes of his time:

You were just in Rio, how was that?

I just got in [to New York] this morning, so I'm a little tired but happy.

You dressed Ciara for her Fashion Rocks Rio performance; she later Twittered, "I'm going to be Givenchy's Muze! So excited!" Do you agree?

Yes, she is a muse. I had never met her before, but it was one of the most amazing moments of my life. We really clicked; I can respect her as an artist and a woman and she respects me as an artist and as a man. I look forward to working with her again soon.

Would he collaborate with H&M? »

Givenchy Launches Redux, A Slightly Lower-Priced Line of Greatest Hits (Including Shoes!)

fashionologie — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 16:17:15 -0700

>> Riccardo Tisci launched a capsule collection of his greatest hits - called Redux - along with Givenchy Resort 2010 in June, but what he failed to mention before is that this isn't just a one-time thing: he plans to show a Redux collection twice a year alongside his pre-collections. In stores in October, the first Redux collection, focusing on studs and white blouses, will also include shoes - all less expensive than the usual runway offerings; prices start at approximately $350.

LVMH To Hold Out on Marketing Some of Its Brands for the Rest of the Year

fashionologie — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 16:15:06 -0700

>> In the wake of the 23 percent decline in first-half profits it announced Monday, LVMH plans to postpone or suspend marketing and promotions for its brands that failed to be top performers, according to CFO Jean-Jacques Guiony.

He did not specify which brands would receive the "selective investments" still being made, but its wines, spirits, watches, and jewelry businesses were hurt in the past few months and seem like contenders for those being passed over. This new withholding strategy is part of LVMH's cost containment plan for the remainder of 2009.

So which fashion brands might be affected? »

Riccardo Tisci Takes Givenchy Fall 2009 Couture to the Middle East

fashionologie — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:09:53 -0700

>> Backstage at Givenchy today, a sign read: "No girls on the runway if they haven't eaten before." The show ran over an hour late, was in a hard-to-reach location, and guests froze in the outside venue, but they were allayed by Riccardo Tisci's homage to the Middle East, complete with live musicians playing karkabou. "I dream of Riccardo's genie!" Joe Zee exclaimed.

Tisci not only attracted editors but fellow designers: Pucci's Peter Dundas joined Christian Lacroix in the show's front row. And all the models had their hair dyed black especially for the occasion - which was apparently quite impressionable on Lara Stone; Iris Strubegger debuted a new crop and newcomer Antonella Graef opened the show.

Christian Lacroix May Have Just Shown His Last Couture Show for Fall 2009; Will He Go Back Into LVMH Fold?

fashionologie — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 09:51:24 -0700

>> Last Friday, employees at Christian Lacroix were informed the the workforce would be cut from 124 to 12, and the house would close at the end of July - effectively reducing it to a licensing operation - unless a buyer could be found. Today at the Arts Decoratifs, Lacroix showed what may be his last couture collection to just over 200 guests, a set of 24 looks entirely privately financed, which the designer described as: "A collection which is finished, but which was not completed under the usual conditions. It is like a sketch, a drawing for a painting . . . the classic repertory of the house, what is left, the hard disk."

The mood was sober, but staid: badges declaring "Christian Lacroix Forever" were handed out and a sign reading similar was held across the runway. There were tears aplenty as the designer took his walk with bride Vlada Roslyakova, and no red carnations were on the seats, ready to toss in the finale as has been the custom at Lacroix's couture shows since he started in 1987. But he did receive a standing ovation, and Lacroix is not ready to give up: "What really churns my stomach is wondering what is going to become of the workrooms and, for the moment, none of the solutions I am looking at would save the couture side of the business."

Some are wondering if he may renew his relationship with LVMH - under whom he originally launched his label in 1987. Just an hour after his own show closed, he was spotted backstage and front row at the LVMH-supported Givenchy show, where he posed for photos with Delphine Arnault. The Times UK noted that Lacroix, "beaming in the front row at Givenchy doesn't look like a man whose label is finished."

fashionologie — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:46:16 -0700

>> Cathy Horyn Really Isn't a Fan of Riccardo Tisci -It's no secret Cathy Horyn doesn't love Riccardo Tisci's work at Givenchy - last October of his Fall 2009 collection, she wrote: "I’m beginning to wonder if [Tisci] has any ideas at least that are original." Of his couture collection in January, it was: "not so wild, frankly, about the lumps & bumps at Givenchy." And over the weekend, she found his Spring 2010 men's collection "just plain tedious": "To me, the Givenchy collection . . . smacks of the work of a stylist, rather than the specific vision of a designer. The collection has a cadged look of picking things up from here and yonder, notably Comme des Garcons. This method just betrays insecurity - the insecurity of a designer who doesn’t have a meaningful, real vision." But if you're a fan of his vision, The Cut has a video of Tisci going over his Spring 2009 couture collection. [On the Runway, On the Runway]

Fashion Mourns Michael Jackson

fashionologie — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:21:54 -0700

>> Just today, Swarovski announced that they were going to clothe Michael Jackson head to toe for his "This Is It" tour kicking off next month - his costumes and sets were to feature over 300,000 crystals, in 53 different shapes, 43 different sizes, and 27 different colors. In April, The Imagist reported that Balmain stylist Emmanuelle Alt "would weep" if Jackson allowed Balmain to do his tour costumes because she was "100% obsessed" with him - a fact reflected in Balmain's flashy runway pieces.

Jackson had catapulted himself back into fashion's eye in recent months after he was spotted in a number of different Balmain looks - no doubt courtesy of Emmanuelle Alt - and a favorite gold studded Givenchy jacket. At the news of his death this afternoon, an outpouring of reactions - some incredulous - came from models, editors, and designers alike - those from a few, below.

"This is unbelievable..."

Riccardo Tisci Doesn't Mind Michael Jackson Wearing Givenchy, Designs More Studded Garments for Cruise 2010

fashionologie — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:46:36 -0700

>> Turns out that Riccardo Tisci is tickled that Michael Jackson has been snapped wearing one of his studded Givenchy jackets - and the studs aren't going away anytime soon. The designer launched a mini-collection within his Cruise 2010 collection solely devoted to black pieces embellished with gold studs, and another mini-collection focusing on white blouses. But if you want a hint at what Riccardo will do with Givenchy for Spring 2010, check out the tailored, white stretch pieces.

fashionologie — Tue, 26 May 2009 18:06:29 -0700

>> THE MODELIZER -Lily Cole wasn't the only model who had a film debut at Cannes - Laetitia Casta, who is currently pregnant with her third child, her second by boyfriend Stefano Accorsi, had a movie in competition - Face (trailer here) - which screened Saturday. She wore Givenchy. The film apparently flopped, with half the audience walking out, but Casta already has her next role, playing Brigitte Bardot, carved out - she dyed her hair blonde for it. [AFP]

Givenchy Fall 2009 Ads Debut Featuring Newly Pregnant Adriana Lima

fashionologie — Tue, 26 May 2009 15:26:55 -0700

>> Louis Vuitton switched their advertising image up last season, replacing Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott with Steven Meisel after a six year partnership. This season it looks like Givenchy is up for rebranding - they've adopted Mert and Marcus after collaborating with Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin for nine straight seasons, and ditched the black-and-white, edgy look of recent seasons for a little color and a touch of French classicism. “It’s a new step,” Riccardo Tisci said. “I wanted to give this feeling of going from a studio to reality. It’s important to give reality to women.”

Tisci's muse Mariacarla Boscono is the only model carrying over - joining her are Ranya Mordanova; Leonor Scherrer, daughter of retired couturier Jean-Louis Scherrer, who Tisci says he's "completely in love with . . . she represents France in all senses: the elegance, the aristocracy, the darkness of France"; Iris Strubegger, who doubles in the season's accessories campaign, shot by Mark Pillai; and Adriana Lima, who just announced her pregnancy today, making her return to high fashion.