fashionologie

Roland Mouret Buys Back Name After Five Years

fashionologie — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 06:03:12 PDT

>> Roland Mouret has bought his trademark back from his former investors and is readying his first flagship in London's Mayfair for February or March. Mouret split from his backers Sharai and Andre Meyers in October 2005 over strategic differences - the Meyerses have owned 100 percent of the Roland Mouret name since. He then formed a 50-50 venture, 19RM, with British impresario Simon Fuller in September 2006, showing under the name RM by Roland Mouret. Mouret bought his name back from the Meyerses for an undisclosed sum.

“It took time - but I am really happy. And I am so proud that I continued working - even without my name,” Mouret said. "When Simon and I started together, we made a plan. I wanted to get my name back in a natural way, and I didn’t want to get into any legal battles. Simon has allowed me to develop a business while ensuring I always had enough space and resources to follow my intuition and establish the company.”

So what's in the pipeline? »

Simon Fuller Leaves 19 Entertainment; Roland Mouret, Victoria Beckham, and Storm Models Could Be Affected by Company Buyout

fashionologie — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 09:07:54 PDT

>> Two months ago, Simon Fuller, the founder of 19 Entertainment, which owns controlling stakes in Storm Models, Victoria Beckham Collection, and RM by Roland Mouret, announced that he was leaving the company to start a new company pursuing film and other entertainment projects. He is currently retained as a consultant at 19 Entertainment.

For the past year or so, rumors have surrounded Fuller. Last June, it was announced he was teaming with Topshop's Sir Phillip Green for a global entertainment company; soon after, word came that Kate Moss might somehow be involved. Then, in November, Fuller was rumored to be pairing with Victoria Beckham for a New York-based modeling agency, which Beckham then denied.

But yesterday came news that 19 Entertainment's owner CKX (Fuller sold to CKX in 2005) is discussing the sale of 19 Entertainment to One Equity Partners, the private equity arm of JPMorgan Chase. Without Fuller and with a potential new owner, there's no confirmation on what the buyout might mean for Storm Models, Victoria Beckham Collection, and RM by Roland Mouret.

fashionologie — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:29:22 PST

>> Beckham Denies Modeling Agency Plans with Fuller, But Some Aren't Convinced -Earlier this week, British tabloid the Daily Mail was convinced that Victoria Beckham might be involved in Simon Fuller's New York modeling agency plans, but today, her spokesperson says otherwise: "There is absolutely no truth in the story regarding Victoria Beckham and Simon Fuller opening a modelling agency in New York. Victoria is concentrating all her efforts on her fashion line and her family." Deny she may, but some from the London side say that ideas are indeed being batted around between Fuller and Beckham, and model television of some kind is involved . . . he is creator of the Idol franchise, after all. [Vogue UK, The Imagist]

Victoria Beckham Will Not Become a Model Scout

coutorture — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:53:59 PST

Victoria Beckam dismisses rumors she will open the U.S. branch of Storm Models with manager (and financial backer of her fashion line) Simon Fuller.

As her spokesperson told Vogue.com UK this morning, "There is absolutely no truth in the story regarding Victoria Beckham and Simon Fuller opening a modelling agency in New York. Victoria is concentrating all her efforts on her fashion line and her family." [Vogue.com UK]

Victoria Beckham to Team with Simon Fuller on New York Modeling Agency?

fashionologie — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:17:37 PST

>> Here's a rumor on a rumor: Victoria Beckham is said to be working through another deal with Simon Fuller - this time to set up a modeling agency in New York. Fuller already backs her Victoria Beckham collection and, as of August owns a majority stake in Storm modeling agency in London - which represents the likes of Kate Moss and Jourdan Dunn.

Word went around a couple of weeks ago that Fuller was shopping the New York modeling agency market for "opportunities." As for Beckham's supposed involvement, her spokesman didn't deny the news, only "play[ed] down the plans," according to the Daily Mail - but it sounds now like Fuller may be setting up a new agency as New York counterpart to Storm. A source told the Daily Mail:

"Simon knows that Victoria is very savvy when it comes to fashion. Simon’s first foray into fashion was to team up Roland Mouret and Victoria, which was a huge success. Victoria is a key asset to Simon and he wants her to take on a major role."

*image: wenn.com

fashionologie — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:25:37 PDT

>> Simon Fuller Now Shopping for a New York Modeling Agency? -Simon Fuller has continously been creeping into the fashion industry since he began backing Roland Mouret in 2006. Since, he has worked with Victoria Beckham to launch her industry-acclaimed eponymous collection, partnered with Claudia Schiffer to represent her name, image, and brand rights, and just a couple of months ago he took a majority stake in London's Storm agency, home to the likes of Kate Moss and Jourdan Dunn. Now, word is going around that Fuller is "scanning the New York [modeling agency] market for 'opportunities'" - a New York counterpart to his latest London acquisition? As The Imagist points out, "that would represent a whole new ideal of management that could pose huge challenges for some established players in the trade." [TI]

Kate Moss Caught Between Entertainment Ventures, Now That Simon Fuller Has Acquired Her Modeling Agency Storm

fashionologie — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 11:42:40 PDT

>> Any hope that Sir Phillip Green and Simon Cowell may have had for Kate Moss to act as a judge on one of their shows in development may have just gone down the tubes: Simon Fuller, creator of American Idol, which helped Cowell rise to fame, just took a majority stake of 51 percent in Moss's model agency, Storm.

Fuller has been in talks with Storm's founders, Sarah Doukas and her brother Simon Chambers, for the past year and aims to “help create new joint entertainment platforms for its talent, as well as developing the Storm brand in new and exciting directions.” Doukas hopes the partnership "will provide Storm with the opportunity to work competitively, creatively and on an international level," and Fuller elaborated that the deal will allow them to “push the boundaries, blur the lines and redefine what a model agency should be in this fast moving world, where fashion is playing an increasingly important role in setting and reflecting cultures and tastes.”

So who will Kate go with? »

Victoria Beckham Still Subject of Fashion Industry's Sniggering; Daphne Guinness Denies Calling Beckham "an Ugly Pig"

fashionologie — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 11:36:44 PDT

>> Victoria Beckham, who just announced that she's having her first girl in July, has had an uphill climb to prove herself as a fashion designer. Although it seemed lately that she'd made it over the hump, during her Fall 2011 presentation last month - which Beckham narrated to an intimate crowd of top editors - Robin Givhan reports: "There were muffled giggles, knowing glances, and plenty of eye-rolling over the non-stop narration . . . It called to mind the manner in which Tom Ford presented his women’s collection for spring. His rolling monologue drew gushing praise from the industry. Of course, Ford’s presentation dripped in irony. And Ford is the reigning prince of charm. Beckham’s great crime, it seems, was her earnestness. She was not being ironic. She was not being self-consciously hip. And the cool girls turned on her. It wasn’t pretty."

Then, yesterday, an article in the Times UK came out, with fashion insider and heiress Daphne Guinness quoted calling Beckham "an ugly pig ... downbeat miserable and awful. Of course she's going to make money - she's backed by Simon Fuller. I don't have anyone! She annoys the sh*t out of me."

But Guinness now denies that she made such remarks. "I would never make a comment like that about my worst enemy, let alone someone I like," she told Vogue UK. "I think Victoria is brave and fantastic for building up her business like she has. I did not make those comments. They were b*tchy and horrible and just not me."

Guinness says the subject of Beckham arose from a discussion with the Times about financial backing: "I like to make my own things - they're probably not of any commercial worth and it's not always easy to get funding for them. I used Victoria as a reference as someone that had managed to do that. I do things a little differently. I remortgage my house and do it that way [Guinness reportedly paid $15 million in 2008 for her New York apartment]. I really admire the way she has achieved what she has. She makes beautiful clothes - they're really very beautiful."

Guinness also took to Twitter to dispel the firestorm, explaining that she did the interview as a favor: "I am so sad stitched up by the sunday times. I thought [the writer] c. long was a friend. I would never call anyone an ugly cow, not my words . . . the journalist I knew from Issie [Blow], so i thought she would understand things, we had been friends, she has put words in my mouth." She added as further explanation: "And for the record I not only admire Victoria Beckham but know her and like her. My point was that I do most things alone without a backer."

Victoria Beckham Designs On Her Own, Without the Help of Close Friends Roland Mouret or Marc Jacobs

fashionologie — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 13:27:59 PST

>> dVb is no more: Victoria Beckham has taken her denim and eyewear collections in-house to go with her four season-old dress line, and everything is now housed under the Victoria Beckham collection. Beckham, who just had up to 75 of her dresses stolen en route to Neiman Marcus in London for delivery last week, is serious about the designing thing.

Despite traces of Roland Mouret's aesthetic in her dress collection (and the fact that they're both backed by Simon Fuller's 19 Entertainment), Beckham insists all design decisions are her own.

I have utmost respect for Roland. I think he is incredibly talented. I love what he does. He’s a great businessman. When I very first started working on the dresses, he gave me advice when it came to putting my team together. He doesn’t have anything to do with the design of anything that I do. But he taught me about how to turn my dreams into reality, if you like. He told me I needed a production manager - he helped with that side of things. I do what I do, and he does what he does, and it’s incredibly separate.

And she's here to stay »

could it be?

philleif — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 00:47:00 PDT

>> Does Roland Mouret finally have backing? WWD is reporting that M. Mouret has been in talks with Simon Fuller, of all people. No deal has been signed thus far, but M. Mouret's PR company has been inviting journalists to "celebrate a new announcement for Roland Mouret" on Sept. 5. Even if this announcement has nothing to do with Simon Fuller and finances, I am realllllly curious to hear what this is all about.