Troubled fashion label Lanvin to get a makeover
Troubled French fashion house Lanvin is to be relaunched before the end of the year, with plans to expand into accessories and other luxury goods, the label told AFP on Tuesday.
The oldest Paris couture house, which has been in turmoil since the shock sacking of popular designer Alber Elbaz two years ago, said its owner, the Taiwanese media magnate Shaw-Lan Wang, who will fund the turnaround with a fresh cash injection.
The news comes amid renewed speculation about the future of the label, which sank into the red to the tune of 18.3 million euros ($21.2 million) last year, its first loss for a decade.
But its new designer Olivier Lapidus — who replaced Bouchra Jarrar in July after only 10 months at the helm — told AFP that he was helping to prepare a major shift for the brand, which was founded in 1889.
“Madame Wang very much believes in the label,” said Lapidus, who had only a month to put together his first women’s collection for Paris fashion week in September.
He said he wanted to strengthen the venerable label’s haute couture line and expand into luxury lifestyle products and decoration, while also beefing up its accessory lines.
“We are not at all worried about paying the bills,” its finance chief Nicolas Druz told AFP.
“The company has not a penny of debt. Our major shareholder has decided to put her hand in her pocket” to help relaunch the brand, he said.
– ‘Not abandoning ship’ –
“We want to bring the house into the modern era, and develop a high-tech, lifestyle ‘art de vivre’ side to the business,” Druz added, floating the idea of Lanvin-linked hotels and spas as well as an expanded accessory range.
Druz paid tribute to Lapidus for the “miracle” of managing to turn around a collection “in August in France”, when most of the country traditionally heads to the beaches.
The collection had a mixed reception when it hit the runways, but Lapidus said he was cheered by the warm reaction of Vogue and Elle magazines.
“It was not a very profound collection. Unfortunately we had very little time to do it in, but we have some incredibly talented people in our studios and workshops, and I will stay and support this label to the death if I have to,” he said.
“I am not about to abandon ship, far from it.”
Jarrar’s two collections for the label were warmly received by critics for their “sober elegance”, but with morale low in the brand’s workshop amid an exodus of talent after Elbaz’s departure, rumours that she was isolated and friction over budget cuts, her exit was not unexpected.
In March, she had hinted that she was not getting the support that she needed to turn the label around.Read more at:bridesmaid dresses online
Will Going to Fashion School Actually Get You a Job
For the third year in a row, Central Saint Martins (CSM) tops BoF’s Global Fashion School Rankings. The London-based art school, which counts the likes of Phoebe Philo and Alexander McQueen amongst its alumni, took first place in both our graduate and undergraduate fashion course rankings, cementing its reputation as the world’s leading creative institution for fashion education. And, in our first ever ranking of graduate business courses, Paris’ Institut Français de la Mode (IFM) takes top honours.
But will going to fashion school actually get you a job? This year’s analysis reveals a decidedly mixed performance. CSM’s top ranking reflected the high regard it is held in by educators, its students and recruiters, as well as its impressive employability score — measured by surveying HR professionals who awarded the school the highest possible indexed score of 100.
As one former student tells BoF, “The CSM name carries great weight, which played a major role in helping me get a job. The networking and help from the faculty to reach out to industry insiders is great.”
However, CSM and the handful of other schools which also achieved strong employability scores, including Parsons and Antwerp, ranked second and third place respectively, are leagues ahead of the rest of the fashion education market.
This year, BoF also analysed graduate fashion business courses. Paris’ Institut Français de la Mode (IFM), a school with exceptionally strong industry ties, topped our inaugural ranking. “The best professionals from the fashion, luxury and design sector come to teach us how the business works; the network of IFM is incredible and gives you many opportunities to discover what suits you best. Moreover, it opens so many job opportunities throughout the year,” says one recent graduate.
Indeed, graduating from a leading institution is the surest way to gain employment in the fashion industry. While 76 percent of the total alumni respondents gained a job within 6 months of graduating, the return on investment for those attending lower ranked schools is questionable.
Employability Matters Most to Students
According to the more than 11,000 students surveyed this year, employment is their primary concern, especially as the number of fashion graduates continues to grow each year, outpacing the number of available jobs. In the US, for example, it’s estimated that each year about 10 percent of the total job pool are graduating from undergraduate programmes and entering industry with degrees in fashion design each year, which in turn has created an oversupply.
As a result, we have placed further emphasis on employability in our rankings, revealing a gap between the institutions with the best graduate employability scores as defined by HR recruiters and the rest of the fashion education market. Of the 73 schools assessed by BoF, the top five performers in the Bachelors — Central Saint Martins, Parsons, Antwerp, LCF, Aalto — won a large chunk (40 percent) of points allocated by HR recruiters. This focus on employability depressed scores for Kingston University, which dropped from second to ninth place; as well as Drexel University in the US, which dropped 13 places from 11 to 24; and Japan’s Bunka Gakuen University, which dropped six places from 8 to 14.
Other schools were buoyed by the focus on employability, including Accademia Costume & Moda, the alma mater of Gucci’s Alessandro Michele, and University of Technology Sydney, now the highest ranking Australian university, which both moved up the rankings significantly.
Creating Employment Advantage for Students
Today, the schools most successful in training their students to secure employment are deepening industry ties, investing in innovative technologies and digital resources and evolving their curriculums and course structures.
In 2017, Florence-based Polimoda, which scored in the top 10 in all three rankings, announced a Masters course designed and executed in partnership with Gucci. The nine-month course, which launches in April 2018, will cover retail management, finance, merchandising and marketing and will be taught, in part, by Gucci managers. Gucci will also offer select graduates internships or job opportunities at Kering, Gucci’s parent company. One former Polimoda student tells BoF, “Polimoda was my career reset button and entry ticket to the fashion and luxury market, and it gave me exactly that.”
Other institutions are seeking to train students in newly important skills. In January 2017, London College of Fashion (LCF) opened its Digital Learning Lab, where students can work with new technologies, including e-textiles, creative coding, mixed and virtual reality and 3D printing. Similarly, the University of Westminster has invested in new digital printing technologies and a suite of other resources, resulting in over 90 percent of students being satisfied with the technological resources of the school. "The quality of the technical resources, machinery and workrooms was by far the best I've experienced, including my time in the industry,” says one Westminster alumnus.
Other institutions are providing their students with a wider range of courses on topics from law to advertising to media studies to coding, as part of their fashion studies. Finland’s Aalto University, Israel’s Shenkar College and Japan’s Bunka Gakuen have each created flexible curriculums, encouraging students broaden their skill sets.
Being based in a top fashion capital also provides a clear advantage. Eight of the top 10 undergraduate programmes, all of the top 10 graduate fashion courses and seven of the top 10 graduate business courses are stitched into fashion hubs where major fashion houses and retailers are based including Paris, London, Milan, Florence and New York. Simply, being in a fashion capital boosts access to work experience opportunities and employment rates, and this is especially true for students aspiring to enter the luxury sector.
“The BA fashion design course is rigorous and trying, but the results are clear — we are contacted by the likes of Louis Vuitton, Tom Ford and Burberry for internships during our sandwich year and for jobs straight after graduation,” says one student of London’s University of Westminster, which came 10th in the 2017 undergraduate rankings.
The experience level of leading members of the faculty, as well as internship programmes, are also important factors in driving employment rates. Specialised courses and resources relevant to growing industry needs, such as sustainability and digital design, can also boost results, as can access to industry events, even in second-tier fashion hubs.
BoF’s New Graduate Business Rankings
The decision to create a new graduate business rankingwas prompted by student feedback, as well as the growing number of fashion schools that offer business courses. Indeed, while many of the top executives in fashion may have graduated from top US business schools like Wharton and Harvard, or HEC and INSEAD in France, fashion schools are increasingly looking to get into the market for business education and these programmes required a separate ranking with a unique methodology.
The fashion industry requires a broad range of skills and its business leaders must appreciate both creativity and commerce to be successful. “The MSc International Luxury Management manages to engender young professionals with a business focus from the very crucial cultural lens that brings a key understanding of luxury or fashion brands,” says one student of IFM.
Yet some HR recruiters remain sceptical of the competitiveness of specialist fashion business courses compared to their more established MBA equivalents. “I believe fashion is still viewed as a niche industry and most executives with high ranking school credentials will have access to the desired roles without necessarily having had an in-depth industry focus (HEC graduates are an obvious example in France). I have a sense that these specialised postgraduate fashion schools are not as competitive as their business counterparts,” says Caroline Pill, vice president of Kirk Palmer Associates, an executive search company that works with Calvin Klein, Estée Lauder Companies and Farfetch.
However, the educators behind some of fashion’s most successful postgraduate business courses think they are onto something with these new specialised programmes. “Creative leadership is sought after across all sectors. For example, Angela Ahrendts moving from Burberry to become Apple’s Senior Vice President demonstrates the problem-solving, enquiry-led approach that you get with creative studies, learning to work autonomously and innovatively to become reflective, independent and strategic thinkers, and therefore effective decision makers,” says Frances Corner, head of London College of Fashion, which placed second in our inaugural ranking and launched its first fashion business programme over 20 years ago and offers both an MSc in Strategic Fashion Management and a full-time MBA aimed at candidates with over three years of experience in the industry, among other programmes.
“The MA Fashion Design Management course provided the optimal balance of commercial training and creative thinking courses. This industry requires both. You can't get this at a traditional business school. I feel very prepared for a successful career in this industry,” says one LCF student.
Ultimately however Pill believes specialist courses in fashion business are a “nice-to-have,” not a necessity. “Attending a specialised course will often open doors and allow privileged access to the industry through internships, networking, career days, guest lectures etcetera, but I wouldn’t think it’s necessarily the key to success in the industry,” she concludes.Read more at:www.queenieau.com | bridesmaid dresses
Employers in finance, fashion get tough post-Weinstein
The repercussions of Harvey Weinstein's downfall spread further beyond Hollywood to the worlds of fashion and finance on Tuesday as employers showed the door to powerful men accused of sexual harassment.
Accusations that the mogul engaged in years of predatory behavior shredded his career and marriage, and lifted the lid on endemic sexual harassment -- particularly by older men preying on younger women -- in Hollywood.
Nearly three weeks after the accusations surfaced, a leading fashion photographer has now been blacklisted by some of the biggest magazines in the world and it has emerged that two male senior executives at a blue-chip finance company were recently dismissed for allegedly harassing associates.
Conde Nast confirmed Tuesday that it was axing Terry Richardson, a 65-year-old New York photographer known for sexually explicit images, acting now -- despite years of claims that he exploited models -- in the wake of Weinstein.
In the male-dominated world of US finance, an industry source confirmed that Fidelity Investments sacked portfolio manager Robert Chow, 56, after 30 years at the firm, and Gavin Baker, 41, who ran a $16 billion tech fund.
CEO Abigail Johnson, widely considered the most powerful woman in US finance, was said to be instrumental in demanding their dismissal in recent weeks.
"We simply will not, and do not, tolerate this type of behavior," Fidelity spokesman Vincent Loporchio told AFP by email.
A spokesman for Baker did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Johnson, valued at $17.5 billion by Forbes, sits atop a fund that manages $6.4 trillion in assets and is a rarity in the US finance sector where nonprofit organization Catalyst says women account for only two percent of CEOs.
- 'Unacceptable' -
The refusal by Conde Nast to publish Richardson's work is the latest indication of shrinking tolerance for powerful men accused of sexual impropriety, with actresses, models and ordinary women increasingly emboldened to speak out.
Staff at London-based Conde Nast International, whose titles include Vogue, Vanity Fair and Glamour, were informed by email that work already commissioned from Richardson should be "killed or substituted."
Conde Nast US said it had "nothing planned" with Richardson.
"Sexual harassment of any kind is unacceptable and should not be tolerated," it told AFP in an email.
Richardson -- like Weinstein -- has insisted that all relationships were consensual. On Tuesday, a representative said he was "disappointed."
The married father of two has shot campaigns for luxury fashion houses, photographed Barack Obama prior to his election as president and directed Miley Cyrus's video for her 2013 "Wrecking Ball" single in which she appeared naked.
Cyrus has since said she regrets the video.
Britain's Sunday Times newspaper had questioned why Richardson was "still feted by fashionistas" despite a "reputation as the Harvey Weinstein of fashion."
US model Cameron Russell last week launched an Instagram campaign called MyJobShouldNotIncludeAbuse that swiftly garnered more than 70 anonymous accounts of abuse, lewd behavior and harassment.
- Sexual advances -
On Tuesday, a former production assistant became the latest of more than 50 women to accuse Weinstein, alleging that he forced himself on her at his New York home in 2006, an incident that was not reported to police and may not be prosecutable.
Mimi Haleyi said Weinstein bombarded her with calls and messages, and turned up at her apartment insisting that she fly with him by private jet to Paris to watch the couture season. Each time, she said she refused.
Upon his return, she said he subjected her to sexual advances, refusing to take no for an answer and forced himself on her orally while she was on her period, apparently in a child's bedroom.
"I would not have wanted anyone to do that to me even if that person had been my romantic partner. I remember Harvey afterwards rolling over onto his back and saying 'don't you feel we're so much closer to each other now?"
"I replied 'no'," Haleyi told reporters.
Haleyi said she had not reported the incident to the police. Her lawyer, Gloria Allred, who represents other Weinstein accusers, said that the incident happened in 2006 and may be difficult to prosecute under statute of limitations laws.
On Monday, US celebrity chef John Besh, the face of New Orleans cuisine who fed world leaders and appeared on TV programs, stepped down from his company after women complained that sexual harassment was rife at his restaurants.
Besh acknowledged an affair, but denied an abusive culture at his company where women alleged co-workers and supervisors engaged in unwanted touching, made inappropriate comments, and at times tried to coerce women for sex.Read more at:short bridesmaid dresses | long bridesmaid dresses
Rihanna on her 'fluctuating body type' and how she chooses her outfits
Have you ever woken up and realized the dress you wore last week just doesn't fit today? Believe it or not, Rihanna has been there too.
The pop star and fashion designer recently opened up about her ever-changing shape, and how she approaches getting dressed in the morning. Spoiler alert: Finding the right outfit isn't a walk in the park for her either.
"I actually have had the pleasure of a fluctuating body type, where one day I can literally fit into something that is bodycon, and then the next day, the next week, I need something oversized," Rihanna told The Cut. "I need a little crop here and a high waist there to hide that part, you know?"
Rihanna, who spoke to the website to promote her latest fashion collection, encouraged girls to assess how they're feeling before choosing an outfit.
"I really pay attention every day when I go into the closet about what's working for my body thatmorning," she said. "I feel like that's how everyone should go after fashion, because it's an individual thing. And then, if you take it further, it's like: What week are you having? You having a skinny week? You having a fat week? Are we doing arms this week? We doing legs this week? We doing oversized?"
"I love to play with silhouettes as well, but I think it's important to make sure that you wear the thing that works for your body the best, and that's flattering," she continued.
At TODAY Style, we're fans of wearing what makes you feel good. And Rihanna is known for setting trends in the fashion world, so clearly her strategy works!Read more at:plus size bridesmaid dresses | one shoulder bridesmaid dresses
Weinstein leaves stain on wife Georgina Chapman’s Marchesa label
She already has declared that their marriage is over, but the “unforgivable” behaviour of disgraced mogul Harvey Weinstein also may have dealt a fatal blow to his wife’s fashion label.
Marchesa was founded by Georgina Chapman, the British designer with whom Weinstein has two young children. She created feminine, fairytale dresses for the red carpet. He ensured the Hollywood A-list wore them.
Now its future looks about as bleak as that of an aspiring actress who has just rejected the millionaire in his bathrobe.
Fashion insiders say it is game over for the brand, once worn by leading ladies from Reese Witherspoon and Sandra Bullock to Nicole Kidman and Penelope Cruz. “Bye Marchesa. Who would buy or wear it now?” says one. Another adds: “I can’t imagine any star wearing it now. They’re screwed.”
Chapman, a millionaire’s daughter from west London, began the business with her friend Keren Craig, and runs it with her brother Edward. If her disgraced husband drags the label down with him, it will add insult to injury for the former model and actress, described as “a very nice woman, warm, friendly and polite”.
“I’ve never known her to behave in any way other than graciously,” says a source. “She’s not a diva. Georgina softened Harvey — his image, if not his behaviour. His business is going to go under, and hers probably will too. I hope she’s got a very good pre-nup.”
She began dating Weinstein aged 28, in 2004, the same year she got her big break when Renee Zellweger wore the unknown label to the premiere of Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, a film distributed by Weinstein’s company Miramax. Shortly after, Cate Blanchett wore another Marchesa gown to the Rome premiere of The Aviator, another Weinstein-backed movie.
The brand has denied benefiting from Weinstein’s influence. Weinstein later admitted he helped a “little” with the Zellweger debut, but Chapman insisted her business was completely separate from that of her husband, telling one interviewer: “I would not let him near this brand, no. When it comes to fashion, it’s a separate world: think church and state.”
Not everyone agreed. “Marchesa is a brand that’s run on celebrity connections,” one insider says. “Harvey was the star-maker. He was 400 per cent, 1000 per cent (responsible for Marchesa’s high profile) on the red carpet.”
Weinstein proposed to Chapman in Venice, and they married at his home in Connecticut in 2007. She appeared in small roles in some of his films and was a judge on Project Runway, a television series of which he was executive producer.
Asked in an interview what first attracted her to him, she said: “He is probably the most charismatic person you’ll ever meet. He’s an extraordinary man and an extraordinary talent. He is my husband and I love him. I love being married. Everyone said, ‘You won’t feel any different’, but I think you do. I’m romantic. Look at my clothes! I love the idea of the fairytale.”
While Chapman and Craig have been forced to cancel their brand’s summer 2018 preview this past week, with some writing off Marchesa as a toxic brand, others believe it is unfair to punish a wife for the crimes of her husband
“I do think some stores will drop them,” says one major retailer whose stores carry Marchesa in the US. “In fashion, editors and buyers only go with what’s ‘cool’. But they won’t suffer overseas. I think they can weather the storm.”
“Look, Georgina’s a survivor,” one top fashion publicist told the New York Post. “If she can survive Harvey, she can survive anything.”Read more at:QueenieAu | cheap bridesmaid dresses
Vogue fashion director Christine Centenera's guide to Adelaide
New York-based Vogue Australia fashion director was raised in Adelaide. Ahead of returning home for this week’s Vogue Festival she reveals her favourite things about her hometown.
What do you love most about Adelaide and South Australia?
"Firstly, my parents and half of my siblings and nieces live there — who I don’t get to see often enough — while I live in New York. Secondly, everything is so close by and there's not crazy traffic all the time. But in terms of the city itself, there’s been a cultural shift towards small business surrounded by a notable urban focus in food, fashion, art and the delivery of next level interior design.
Supporting the 'local makers' and 'handmade in SA' are hashtags dominated on social media forums. A strengthening of choice in local street markets and a drive in restaurant culture that present exceptional food choices that are both healthy and breaking the rules of the norm are exciting attributes for the industry. Adelaide’s Restaurant Orana was recently awarded the coveted restaurant of the year at the national Gourmet Traveller restaurant awards. It’s great to see a growth in local businesses that are opening shop to stock only locally made product and vintage wares. Street art is ramping up and local artist Lisa King is doing great things with the launch of her new space, Cult & Harper at the port. Wineries are always flourishing and delivering the outstanding results complimentary food.
The beaches at Port Willunga are my favourite. It will be interesting to see the launch of the new concept at Henley Beach this summer with a deckchair/umbrella serviced space reminiscent of European holidays."
Why do you think there is such a thriving cultural community in Adelaide?
"Liquor licensing laws were relaxed a little a couple years ago so there have been a lot of cool little bars that have popped up throughout the city. It's creating more intimate places for people to meet up and collaborate.
This thrust of support for local creatives gives young businesses the opportunity to thrive and deliver new concepts. Local government bodies and council initiatives provide grants which enable small business the opportunity to launch and activate Adelaide streets/laneways and unused spaces."
What makes it such a successful city for festivals and the arts?
"There are many great festivals that harness the best the state has to offer. With so much variety in local produce, alcohol and entertainment, each festival brings a new vibe and appreciation for what is loved about South Australia engaging the community and harnessing the power of local product, such as: the Winter Reds, the Beer Festival, the Barossa Gourmet Festival, AFF 2017, Oz Asia festival, Winterfest, the Fringe Festival, the Cabaret Festival."
What is it that makes Adelaide so unique?
"Product, people, ease of living, landscape."
Why is it enjoying such a cultural boon right now?
"The ideas injection by Adelaide creatives and support by local governing bodies enabling small business to flourish, for example the Adelaide fashion festival. It's like the whole city is getting a revamp. Food trucks are seen throughout the city. On any given weekend you can either pick from a handful of food, fashion, farmers markets to go to or go to one of the pop up events happening around town. Shared workplace spaces are staring to become prominent, all of which are bringing more and more people together."
What is your favourite place to eat or drink in Adelaide?
"Local Japanese-inspired favourite is Shobosho, local breakfast is Whistle & Flute and Crack Kitchen, Osteria Oggi, and an Adelaide Hills favourite pizza place is Lost in a Forest. Favourite watering hole is Proof, Hill of Grace (Filipino/Modern Australian) in the Adelaide oval, restaurant Orana (modern Australian bush tucker), and Star of Greece are some of my favourites."
What do you miss most about it when you are away?
"My family."
If you could have one day there doing some of your favourite things what would they be?
"The launch of the $15m d’Arenburg Wine Cube – tasting, visiting the Central Markets, breakfast at Crack Kitchen, heading down south to the beach at Port Willunga, dining at Shobushu or Osteria Oggi, shopping at local markets and small businesses for the best in locally made product. And doing any of the above with my family!"Read more at:formal dresses australia | celebrity dresses
A flair for fashion
Inspired from different parts of India, over 200 fashion design students from Hamstech Institute of Fashion and Interior Design are gearing up for their annual fashion show titled ‘Indigenous India’ to be held on Sunday. The students, mentored by ace designer Neeta Lulla, were divided into 31 teams a few months ago and have been working hard for the big event since.
“We had interactive sessions with Neeta Lulla and got to learn so much. My collection is about the Kumbh Mela and the aghoris. I used jersey tie-and-dye techniques and hand embroidery, among others. I am excited because my collection will be showcased on the ramp,” says Syed Jesika. While Debarti Dutta adds, “I got inspired by the interiors of the Taj Mahal. The experience has been great and everyone can see all the hard work that we have put in since the last four years.”
From ancient Indian doors, Sheesh Mahal and Rogan art to denim kalamkari and ghungrus, the students have come up with some out-of-the-box ideas and designs. Gayatri Devi says that working in a team and learning things practically has been a worthwhile experience. Tanvi Mittal adds, “I fused ethnic and Western wear in my denim kalamkari collection. People have been appreciating it a lot and I am positive that it will stand out from the rest.”
On the other hand, Vineet and Shravya Sri’s collection has been inspired by the Kalachakra. “We thought this was a unique theme because the chakras are not just known in India, but all over the world. Mustard, rust, black and blue are some of the colours that we used,” informs Shravya.
Interestingly, Vineet dropped out from an engineering college to pursue fashion. “My parents weren’t happy that I took up fashion, but are now satisfied with the progress,” he says.
Shreeya Pittie’s theme is about mughal floral motifs. “I had to do a lot of research to come up this collection,” she says.
Pratima Kanodia’s collection is about nathanis. “They are the nose rings that women wear. I used block prints on saris and lehengas. I am excited, but also nervous,” Pratima concludes.Read more at:www.queenieau.com
