Luxury Industry News Roundup: 03/05/10

1.) Paris Fashion Week as Mix and Meld:
"There's a spirit of bricolage running through this season, as if designers wanted their clothes to convey as many possibilities as possible. Why not, for example, give a sweater a fur sleeve, or a tailored jacket a knit shoulder? . . . A khaki coat, set off with a mock leopard print scarf, suggests a belligerent state of fashion mind. But it ain't necessarily so."

Balenciaga and Dries Van Noten could conceivably be the Parisian master brands at this approach, expertly welding futuristic architectural forms to new materials (Balenciaga) or incorporating a melange of textures, fabrics, colors and silhouettes to result in a surprising look of understated sophistication (Dries Van Noten).

Video clip below of the Balenciaga Fall 2010 show -- odd, angular glamour interspersed with bursts of flowing simplicity:

Dancing about architecture

Cathy Horyn for the the NYTimes writes: "When it comes to the collections (head Balenciaga designer Nicolas Ghesquiere) presents in Paris, there has almost always been a sense of a designer free to create. That was again the invigorating experience this morning at the Hôtel de Crillon, on a specially installed white laboratory floor, where Mr. Ghesquiere showed a highly textured collection that looked well beyond the fall of 2010."

Suzy Menkes adds her two cents: "New geometry -- linear and circular cutting -- rules the runways for the fall/winter Paris season. From the Issey Miyake math lesson through the Rick Owens asymmetrics to Vionnet's folded squares, sharp cutting and soft folds are the power pieces."

Now, move from that to the defiantly high-end casual yet still captivating Dries Van Noten Fall 2010 show -- we find that comfort via the sweatshirt is back in style (a very 1990's reference):

Too cool for scandal school

And since we've mentioned the 1990's, there are several 90's era trends that have made a big comeback for 2010: #1) An Ode to Clueless -- "Yes, AW10 has sent us back to the '90s--pleated mini skirts, knee socks, plaid prints, pinstripes and velvet have dominated the fall runways"; #2) Hello, GI Jane -- "Okay, so there isn't any glitz and glamor in a pair of army fatigues, but the fashion industry has taken the military trend to a whole new level. We saw a lot of this on the Fall 2010 runways during New York Fashion Week. Deep, neutral shades of green will be hot this year and this military-inspired look is a great way to wear them"; and #3) Tom Ford -- "Balmain's Christophe Decarnin brought the Court of Versailles to modern-day Paris with his rock-n-roll take on opulence, complete with his signature dose of sex appeal. As Prince hits blasted from the speakers, models went down the runway in gold leather, sequins, brocade and lamé dresses and rocker pantsuits à la Tom Ford in the Gucci days."

Extra bonus info: Tom Ford moves forward with plans to return to women's wear: "It looks like a Tom Ford women's wear collection is moving closer to reality. According to markets sources in Europe, Ford has quietly begun recruiting designers, including accessories specialists, for the forthcoming launch. Last year Ford signaled he would reenter women's 'very soon,' but has been mum on dates and specifics."

Apparently, not a moment too soon. It's been intriguing to see Ford's name pop up in reference to several of the Fall 2010 shows, but how did he know that the right time to make a comeback would be now? Just two years ago, no one seemed to care whether the 90's Gucci glam era ever came back into style.

*Note: The Paris collections are still exhibiting. Major mover and shaker Christian Dior has just presented, with Chanel still yet to come. An advance peek below at Dior for Fall, 2010:

The horse she rode in on

2.) Fur is Back to Stay - Is it PETA's Fault?:
"It started during New York Fashion Week this past February and it is still going strong on this side of pond this week. Fur. It's everywhere. More importantly, it's on the runways not only of established designers with a track record for incorporating fur into their collections (Oscar de la Renta, Fendi, etc.) but younger designers as well (Thakoon Panchigul, Quentin Veron, etc.). Why?"

The author suggests that PETA itself may be partially responsible for the sudden insurgence of fur on runways across the world -- that once they abandoned the tactic of raising awareness of animal abuse for more aggressive (and often moronic) methods that sought to control consumer behavior, stifle free choice and publicly shame/humiliate fur/leather wearers, it was only a matter of time before consumers rebelled.

That may be true (or not), but I would think the far more significant influence in the return of fur is the rising dominance of the Asian, Eastern European and Latin American consumer markets. When the U.S. and Western Europe provided the bulk of revenue for global fashion and luxury brands, then companies paid close attention to the anti-fur concerns prevalent in the Western media. But once the financial meltdown hit and the Western consumer shrank from spending, nervous global luxury brands found themselves with more to worry about than gallons of fake blood and Pamela Anderson stripping in public -- and since the Chinese, Russian or Indian consumer isn't fur averse (but actually fur friendly), fur has roared back into the fashion picture.

The fashion and luxury business is, first and foremost, a business. Allegedly moral considerations apply when they make financial sense.

*Note: A watershed moment for the fur industry in the U.S. was the Barack Obama Presidential Inauguration in January of 2009, where numerous celebrities and high ranking officials sported fur coats and accessories to brave the Washington, D.C. winter chill. It hit the New York runways with a vengeance the following seasons.

Video clip below of the Fendi Fall 2010 collection. Fendi is an Italian furrier (founded in 1925) that's achieved contemporary global reach due to the creative influence of head designer Karl Lagerfeld (who famously stated that the banning of fur is "childish") -- they're focusing on accessories now (like most fashion brands), but their roots are in the fur industry and their collections proudly showcase this heritage:

Who's the dinosaur now?

In related news, Cole Haan and Nike have announced that they're banning the use of exotic skins from their brand lineups: "The decision follows a campaign by animal rights group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) which carried out an undercover investigation into the suffering caused by the exotic-skins industry."

PETA: they lose some, they win some.

3.) Hermes Decides It Doesn't Do Yachts, After All:
"French luxury brand Hermes is exiting a luxury yacht joint venture with shipbuilder Wally, saying it is not experienced enough to complete the project, its chief executive told Reuters. The two partners had unveiled a full-sized model of their mega yacht, 'WHY' (Wally Hermes Yacht), in Monte Carlo in September . . . Hermes, which is famous for its silk scarves and handbags, will sell its stake to Monaco-based Wally and will be paid back via commissions on boat sales through to 2020, Thomas said."

The WHY yacht concept is an extraordinary piece of design, but I have to admit that my first thought on seeing the CGI photos was, "That's going to take a huge full-time staff to keep all those windows and decks clean!" But hey, if you're splashing on a Wally-Hermes yacht, then you're likely to have staff whose job it is to worry about the staff, right?

Hermes stated that the WHY yacht project was a bit too above their pay-grade (i.e. they didn't have the proper expertise to complete the project), though they seem to have no problem collaborating on cars (the Bugatti Hermes Veyron) and helicopters (the Hermes Eurocopter). Granted, a $109 million dollar yacht is a much more involved and intense project than a $2.1 million dollar car or a $7.9 million dollar helicopter.

Video clip below of the Bugatti Hermes Veyron:

When a $1million car isn't exclusive enough

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Pierre-Alexis Dumas, part of the Hermes family and head of the creative end of the Hermes company, defines luxury for the 21st century: "'Last May, I bought a new portable computer. After a while, it broke down. It went to the computer doctors and I'm going to get a new one. They tell me, We can fix it but it's going to be more expensive than buying a new one. I have a problem with that. I feel that incredible sense of waste. Maybe we're going too fast, maybe there's a feeling of acceleration of everything. We have to slow down . . . Speed is so passé. What is the luxury for tomorrow? One of them is time."

Along those lines, that luxury means time and speed is so passé, there seems to be a renewed interest in slow yet palatial means of travel: Blimp My Ride: Luxury Eco-Zeppelin Does London to NYC in 37 Unforgettable Hours -- a cross Atlantic ride that's spacious, gorgeous, stuffed with amenities and takes several days instead of several hours.

Because, really, if you've got the time and the cash to hang-out and relax aboard an opulent airship on your slow-going way to London instead of cramming aboard a dirty, overcrowded public jet, then that really is a luxury.

Speaking of moving a little slower: Proudly Not Made In America -- "Farah Malik and Dana Arbib are bringing fashion literally into the war zone. The two founders of A Peace Treaty have set up production in Afghanistan, where they're working with the nonprofit Afghan Hands to produce hand-embroidered scarves and -- soon to come -- a range of bags."

While "artisinal" may be the new overused buzzword, there is a growing segment of consumers who desire to move away from anonymous mass-production methods in support of hand work and traditional designs. The prices may not reflect a sense of "luxury" when compared to something from Hermes or Chanel (if price is how you define luxury -- Balmain, anyone?), but the idea of hand crafting designs drawn from a long cultural history is what "heritage" meant before the word was hijacked by LVMH, PPR and Richemont to promote canvas logo bags and assembly line watches.

4.) Alice in Wonderland Could Wear Out its Welcome:
"If you haven't already fallen down the rabbit hole, prepare to be pushed. Alice in Wonderland is being positioned as the grown-up's answer to Disney Princess, with 360-degree licensing agreements that make Ed Hardy look restrained by comparison . . . But whether the rich offerings will thrill fans or scare them off remains to be seen, with analysts noting that market saturation could strip Wonderland of its fringe sensibility . . . 'There's so much collateral involved in these things now that the movie becomes almost an afterthought,' says UBC's Dahl. 'The licensing of goods has become the chief consideration.'"

If you compare the Twilight movie phenomenon with what's happening with Alice in Wonderland, you can see a huge difference in how a pop-culture to retail success movement grows naturally versus how it's forced into the world.

The flood of Twilight related merchandise was a popular reaction to the book/movie series, with retailers scrambling to meet consumer demand and fashion houses fighting to sit the film's young stars in their fashion week front rows and feature them in ad campaigns -- Disney's Alice movie is the oppositie: a mass of merchandise already on-tap before the film is even released, accompanied by a calculated media and advertising roar pitched to manufacture a demand that doesn't presently exist.

For example: Jewelry, cosmetics, designer dresses, handbags and more -- a good portion of it aimed at adults and with prices that bust the curve for the average merchandising price point.

There's so much retailer hope riding on the success of this film that it's pretty much going to be dragged kicking and screaming across the box office success finish line, whether anyone wants to watch it or not. But getting consumers to spend money on tie-in merchandise is another matter entirely -- Twilight was considered "cool" because the teens and tweens owned it while most adults were baffled, but Alice in Wonderland? It's aimed squarely at the adult mainstream, so there's no cool-factor to push sales, no club that anyone will be rushing to join as a means of separating him/herself from the boring people in charge.

I'm curious (and curiouser!) to see how the manufacturing of the Alice phenomenon plays out.

Buy our stuff or it's off with your head!

5.) Fewer Stars, But They Still Shine Bright:
"Despite predictions to the contrary (many have forecast a shift in the fragrance industry away from the cult of the celebrity and towards the cult of the perfumer), product sales and new launches suggest celebrity scents are still a dominant trend . . . it is still the mass market products that attract the biggest consumer base, of which celebrity fragrances make up a large proportion, that are likely to continue driving growth in the market."

The article notes that while companies have cut back on launching new celebrity fragrances, they're working to expand their already successful celebrity brand names, rolling out accompanying sub-brands of products that are calculated to profit off the success of an already established name.

A good example of this new sub-branding is SJP NYC, a new fruity-floral perfume that's meant to capitalize on Parker's 'Sex in the City' Carrie Bradshaw personae rather than Sarah Jessica Parker herself.

While Parker's 'Lovely' fragrance was a huge global hit, the follow-up 'Covet' was a sales disappointment (though still a money maker), so Coty decided that maybe what consumers really wanted was Carrie Bradshaw and they created a new type of celebrity brand -- the fictional character as celebrity. If this proves successful, I'm certain we'll see a lot more of it, like a Bruce Willis John McClane or Matthew Fox Jack Shephard cologne, or maybe a Kristen Stewart Bella Swan or Meryl Streep Miranda Priestly perfume.

All the advantages of celebrity name recognition without any of the disadvantages of a celebrity's bad behavior or waning popularity. I'll take a bottle of Cary Grant as whomever in whatever, thanks:

It's tough to be so suave

Plus this: Perfumistas are the new cool-hunters -- "Smart Londoners don't want to smell like everyone else. We're busy hunting down tiny artisan perfumers and niche brands. From colognes at Santa Maria Novella on Walton Street to contemporary artisan perfumers at Les Senteurs in Belgravia, we're looking for a new hit . . . These days perfume is experiential, almost a relationship. The watchwords are craftsmanship, expertise, savoir faire and the customer is a patron -- not just a casual shopper."

Hmmm, I think I know a few people just like this.

6.) INDUSTRY QUICK HITS:

A. Coach Plots Global Expansion for Beauty Products: "The companies plan to increase their existing fragrance and beauty line globally, with immediate plans to enter North American department stores and specialty retailers, followed by a launch in global markets . . . The global expansion will begin in March 2010 with the launch of the Coach Signature Fragrance in Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Macy's, Dillard's, Lord & Taylor, Von Maur, Bon Ton, Belk and Sephora stores nationwide. The launch will be supported by an integrated marketing and communications campaign, including widespread national print and web, among other media."

Coach beauty products to date have been sold exclusively in Coach boutiques, so this is an ambitious roll-out for the Coach brand, but one which they believe is supported by customer demand: "'We have been pleased with the customer reactions and industry reception that our fragrance business has garnered in such a short time,' said Kathy Nedorostek, President of U.S. Wholesale and Global Licensing for Coach. 'This initial success in our own stores serves to underscore the potential for Coach Beauty with a more extensive distribution network.'"

Coach fragrances are produced in partnership with BeautyBank and Aramis, divisions of the Estee Lauder company.

B.) Alexander McQueen's Spring 2010 high-concept runway show wins posthumous award: "Paula Reed, judge and style director of Grazia magazine described McQueen ... as a clear winner . . . 'The entire jury wanted to be clear that the choice was not made for any sentimental reason. The video presentation of McQueen's last show is one of the most compelling pieces in the exhibition. It works on so many levels. The designer had been working for years on developing fabrics that could blend the hard into soft and had pretty much come close to achieving that in this collection.'"

The award was the Brit Insurance Design of the Year, and the list of nominees was finalized before McQueen's death last month. And I know I've featured this before but it's worth seeing again -- the Spring 2010 McQueen show that won the Brit award, a fantastical concept that merged the marine and mammalian into a high-style hybrid:

Surf and turf

C.) Christian Lacroix Returns, But Without Christian Lacroix:"The company has announced plans for four upcoming fashion and lifestyle lines while pursuing licensing deals for lingerie, childrenswear and men's and women's accessory collections . . . While Lacroix, the brand, is still out of the couture and ready-to-wear game, it has reportedly set its sights on a range of women's sunglasses and optical frames for Mondottica; luxury stationery via Libretto Holdings; home textiles with the Designers Guild and decorative wood panels (hey, whatever works) with Marotte . . . French designer Christian Lacroix, whose name carries on, is no longer involved with the company."

The only valuable part of the Lacroix company was its name, so the quick licensing of this name to companies eager to produce Lacroix-branded merchandise was a no-brainer. And since Lacroix was never able to steer his own company into profitability, his absence from the newly revitalized operation is not a surprise.

This is not to say that Mr. Lacroix isn't busy with his own projects: Hotel Notre-Dame in Paris: The Latest from Christian Lacroix

D.) Christian Louboutin Opens His First Boutique in Dubai: "In an interview with Gulf News during his visit to Dubai yesterday, Louboutin says he has been extremely choosy about the store location, the product detailing and the size of the store. 'The look of the store is very important to me. I look into every detail such as the architecture, the size of the store, the height of the ceiling and the galleries above it. The store should finally reflect the flavour of the region too,' said Louboutin. After scouting myriad locations -- including the expansive Dubai Mall -- Louboutin zeroed in on the Mall of the Emirates."

Without really thinking about it, I'd assumed that Louboutin had established a presence in Dubai already, and was surprised to read that this is his first boutique, but then I read that the Middle East accounts for less than 2% of Louboutin's total sales, so I can understand the leisurely approach. The partners involved in the venture are hoping to increase sales to 5% of the total over the next three years.

In other Louboutin news, the designer has created his second Barbie doll for Net-a-Porter.

E.) Designer Brands Go to Art School:

First, there's the abstract, over-artsy film clip for critcal darling label Rodarte:

My wardrobe has swallowed all my happiness

Though I'm not certain what exactly they're attempting to convey here -- how miserable and depressing it must feel to actually wear their clothes?

And then we have the new Dior mini-film advertisement that's part nu-new-wave music video and part fashion catalogue:

The 80's pop star that never should have been

Again, I'm not exactly certain who the target audience is -- do the people who plunk down a couple of grand for a Dior handbag care about Franz Ferdinand (the featured band)? And Marion Cotillard could have benefited from a trip through the pitch-correction software. Just sayin' . . .

But perhaps it's really more about selling makeup than handbags and dresses. Lord knows, Cotillard's lips, eyes and skin feature very heavily. If it's a Dior cosmetics showcase, that might help explain the retro-80's music video approach.

Meanwhile, rumors are swirling that Tommy Hilfiger is up for sale, Yves St. Laurent might be struggling and that Proenza Schouler's major financial backers want out.