fashionologie

It's Official - Diego Della Valle and Tod's To Restore Roman Colosseum

fashionologie — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 13:55:41 PST

>> Officials from Italy’s Ministry of Culture have approved the offer Diego Della Valle, the chairman and CEO of Tod's, made to finance the restoration of Rome’s Colosseum. Tod's Group will be responsible for a monetary commitment of 25 million euros (approx. $32.8 million) to the project, which is expected to begin at the end of the year and take up to two and a half years.

"A monument that represents Italy in the world must be restored, and a company that represents Made in Italy stepped forward to say, 'If you need us, we are here,'" Della Valle said at a press conference. When recently asked what benefits to Tod's sponsoring the project would bring, Della Valle told WWD that “there is a moment to take and there is a moment to give” and that this is a cultural project, not a commercial one.

Tod's Doesn't Take Risks, According to Diego Della Valle, But It's Paying Off

fashionologie — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 14:13:33 PDT

>> As luxury brands are increasingly turning to manufacturing in China and technological savvy to increase profits, Tod's chairman Diego Della Valle refuses. He runs Tod's like a traditional, old-fashioned family business - instead of listening to focus groups to decide which new shoe styles should go into production, he wears the shoes, and decides after a few days if they're to his liking. And there are no computers or iPhones in his office - Della Valle makes do with an outdated Motorola cellphone.

“We don’t take risks,” says Della Valle, who has grown Tod's into a multibillion dollar company and kept the business concentrated on shoes and handbags. “We want to guarantee our customers we’re giving them the best.” While the brand has 24 stores in China, Della Valle refuses to move production there just to reduce costs, something that other Italian-based brands have done recently.

A men's crocodile loafer retails for 3,500 euros and costs 1,590 euros for Tod's to make in Italy; making it in China would reduce production costs by half, and therefore, increase the company's profitability. But Della Valle thinks it's worth the price - and the strategy is paying off. Tod's was one of the few luxury companies worldwide to increase sales and profits throughout the financial crisis: profits grew from 77 million euros in 2007 to 83 million in 2008 and 86 million in 2009.

Derek Lam Renews Tod's Contract for Two More Years

fashionologie — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 19:13:55 PDT

>> Derek Lam, who became Tod's first creative director ever in 2006 and had been collaborating with the brand for a couple of seasons before that, has reupped his contract with the Italian label for another two years. [@womensweardaily]

A Toned-Down Costume Institute Gala Is On the Horizon

fashionologie — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 17:08:58 PDT

>> Like everything else these days, this year's Costume Institute Gala might not be the bang-up event of the year it usually is. Though Anna Wintour extends the brand invitations to purchase tables at the 700-person benefit dinner, prices run from $75,000 to $250,000 depending on the size of the label and its relationship with Vogue. They're typically sold out well in advance, but some brands are balking this time around, and more profitable brands are being asked to carry a larger portion of the burden.

Burberry, Roberto Cavalli, Versace, Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, and Alberta Ferretti have all declined to do full-table sponsorship this year, instead buying individual seats, which range from $5,000 to $10,000 depending on location. Ralph Lauren was undecided on sponsorship, according to a spokesperson. "We of course will be supporting the event - [we're] still not sure at what level yet." Calvin Klein, Puig Fashion Group (Nina Ricci, Carolina Herrera), and Tod's, on the other hand, have all confirmed that they will be sponsoring tables.

Since the focus is on models this time around, will there be less star power? The theme might be convenient to brands with slashed budgets - flying in celebrities to accompany a designer can cost plenty after the flight, hotel bills, hair, makeup, and car services are all taken care of.
*image: source

For Tod's and Gwyneth Paltrow, Things Get a Little Bit Hairy

fashionologie — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:43:18 PDT

»PETA isn't a fan of Gwyneth Paltrow's Tod's ads [The Cut]

»The winner of Stylista starts as Anne Slowey's new assistant editor at Elle tomorrow [FWD]

»Karl Lagerfeld: Now in pink gingham [Jezebel]

»Could Kate Moss make an appearance at Interview's fashion week party? [FWD]

»Emily Weiss, former Teen Vogue intern of The Hills fame, is now working for stylist Katie Mossman [Fashionista]

»Jourdan Dunn closes Cape Town Fashion Week [FabSugar UK]

»Rankin designed a limited-edition Coke bottle [Vogue UK]

»Shipley & Halmos launched a new website boasting the "Cursor is God." [Racked]

Even Missonis Can't Resist the Proenza Schouler Allure

fashionologie — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 16:33:45 PDT

»Jennifer Missoni was spotted wearing the Proenza Schouler for Target bustier last night [Chic Report]

»According to Mary-Kate Olsen, she focuses more on Elizabeth and James, while The Row is "Ashley's baby" [PopSugar UK]

»Daisy Lowe has a Maltese puppy named Uncle Monty [The Cut]

»Same-sex model hookup rumors are still swirling [Fashionista]

»A look at the Spring 2009 New York and London fashion week calendars [COACD, London Fashion Week]

»Parties everywhere: Tod's and Gwyneth Paltrow are hosting a party together during Milan Fashion Week; Rachel Zoe is throwing a party to celebrate her reality show premiere during New York Fashion Week [FWD, FWD]

»Vogue Brazil August 2008 features five local models to watch on the cover [Style File]

»Supermodel dance party, circa 1994 [Fashionista]

»Donatella Versace joins the fashion-designers-doing-real-estate trend [CasaSugar]

Gemma Ward's Black Balloon: Coming Soon to a Theater Near You

fashionologie — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:01:04 PDT

»Gemma Ward's movie The Black Balloon is coming to "key US cities" in October [Variety]

»Bee Shaffer works out with a trainer at Equinox Soho [FWD]

»Diane von Furstenberg is using Andy Warhol prints in a capsule collection of swimsuits and coverups [Fashionista]

»Giorgio Armani has set off the animal rights activists in Italy [The Cut]

»Vogue Paris and Vogue UK like to use the same cover models, front and back [Fashionista]

»Derek Lam, Tod's still love Gwyneth Paltrow [PopSugar]

»Grey Ant, Spring & Clifton collaborate with Urban Outfitters [Nylon, Flickr]

»Behati Prinsloo shops where she's paid [FAD]

»Cindy Crawford hung on a yacht with George Clooney, her husband, and Bono in the south of France this weekend [PopSugar]

fashionologie — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 10:58:09 PDT

>> Anna Dello Russo's Home Featured in Upcoming Book from Tod's -Tod's commissioned a new picture book called Italian Touch, which inside features - among the 100-plus Italians of different ages photographed, Vogue Nippon's fashion director-at-large (and cult style icon) Anna Dello Russo, captured in her Milan home; the preview shown features an enlarged still from Luchino Visconti’s The Leopard on the wall behind her and Tod's moccasins, of course, next to her. The book is available to pre-order online. [Style File]

paltrow bags promos

philleif — Tue, 20 May 2008 13:30:00 PDT

>> No surprises here: Gwyneth Paltrow has been confirmed for the Fall 2008 Tod's print campaign.

It was revealed a couple of weeks ago that Gwyneth Paltrow was shooting a promotional video for Tod's around Rome, and now a few more details about the Dennis Hopper-directed, Fellini-inspired, short have emerged.

Gwyneth plays an actress (there's a stretch) being interviewed by a "devastatingly handsome" Italian journalist. When the paparazzi descend, Gwyneth flees, forgetting her Tod's Pashmy bag. The chivalrous journalist sets off to find her and reunite her with her Pashmy, eventually tracking her down at a "glamorous ball" just outside Rome. As Hopper puts it: "Cinderella had her shoe. Gwyneth has her Tod's bag."

Meanwhile, the accompanying print campaign (first peek - above left) was shot in Capri under the direction of Mario Testino, with Gwyneth playing out a beautiful Italian aristocrat from the "heady days of the jet-set era." Both scenarios sound right up Gwynnie's alley . . .

Below, a behind-the-scenes look at the shooting of the five-minute short:

*image: source

just a girl and her bag

philleif — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:31:00 PDT

>> I've been trying to get to the bottom of all these Gwyneth Paltrow pictures floating around the web, since everyone was saying she was filming a Tod's commercial.

Now we've got answers. Gwyn was being filmed by actor/director Dennis Hopper for "a day in the life of Gwyneth Paltrow in Italy with her Tod's Pashmy bag." The short film will be four minutes long, debut at The Cannes Film Festival, and then play on the Tod's web site.

Gwyneth is the second celebrity to be tapped by Tod's in an advertising capacity . . . the first was Sienna Miller, who appeared in the brand's Fall 2007 campaign.

*image: bauer-griffin