Luxury Executives Preach Sustainability

NEW DELHI — Luxury goods and sustainable development are not mutually exclusive, according to luxury and retail titan François-Henri Pinault.

Speaking at an International Herald Tribune luxury conference here Wednesday, Pinault asserted that “more than ever, people want to return to genuine values such as timelessness, sincerity and exemplary standards.”

Pinault, who is chairman and chief executive officer of PPR, parent of Gucci Group, said in a keynote address that his version of sustainable luxury — the conference’s theme — encompasses ethics, collectivity and conservation. Conservation of the world’s natural resources is desirable, but also the continuation of knowledge and respect for craft and materials, he said.

Luxury is not superfluous, as it protects trades and skills, the sustainability of which is a necessity for human endeavor, he argued.

“The duty of luxury is not only to act, but also to mobilize,” he said. “I believe luxury is not just sustainable, but responsible.”

Pinault also took the occasion to trumpet PPR’s new foundation for women and the PPR-produced documentary “Home,” slated for worldwide release on the Internet, television and in theaters on June 5, World Environment Day.

How luxury brands can sustain their growth of the last 15 years is a hot topic at the two-day conference, hosted by IHT fashion editor Suzy Menkes.

Sustainability has become the most important ingredient of fashion now, said Nicolas Ghesquière, creative director of Balenciaga. He said he chose to make his new Los Angeles store eco-friendly and energy efficient, and it will serve as the model for all his future boutiques.

Dries Van Noten, who has been getting his clothes and accessories embellished in Indian ateliers for 20 years, said he has invested in improving the working conditions and income of his embroidery workers in Calcutta. Earlier, it was not possible to produce white garments, as the workshops were too dirty. Recently, the Belgian designer used white in his collection and had the clothes produced in India.

“Time is required to achieve deep luxury,” said Christian Blanckaert, executive vice president of Hermès International. He asserted that in times of economic recession, people prefer to spend money on quality, durability and timelessness rather than fast fashion.

-Mahlia S. Lone

Yigal Azrouel Fall 2009

A peak or a valley in fashion’s increasingly pathetic celebrity obsession? Depends upon one’s viewpoint. From this end, the presence of Ashley Dupré, the world’s most famous has-been hooker, suggested that Yigal Azrouël couldn’t get star power of a more reputable sort to grace his front row, somebody like Chris Brown, perhaps. Why he went with a tabloid toots is curious, because it only made her, rather than his excellent collection, the focus. Azrouël, like many of his peers, is fixated on the hip downtown type who tends toward stovepipe pants and strong shoulders. He had that angle covered with legging-like cotton and leather pants and romantic washed-silk blouses done with a level of sophistication that sets his clothes apart. Indeed, the voluminous top/skinny bottom silhouette often skews young and sometimes sloppy — likewise for the short-and-tight conceit. But Azrouël managed to show both with a controlled edginess that works for women and girls — and you know there’s a difference. Colors were moody, heavy on black, gray and blue. For day, he emphasized texture with a terrific, oversize Fair Isle cardigan that flew away over stretch wool pants, as well as tough, as in a studded cropped leather jacket. As for the dresses, a painterly print on a languid silk gown didn’t flow, but a black, relaxed-Morticia version perfectly captured the “dark yet romantic” tone Azrouël meant to set.- WWD Staff

Peter Som gets the greenlight for Fall 2009

Photo: Patrick McMullan

From Women's Wear Daily, February 12, 2009

Peter Som may have nixed his plans for a runway show this season, but he still pulled together a capsule collection of about 16 looks. The designer is expected to show the collection to editors and buyers at market appointments. He also had the collection photographed on Wednesday, and will distribute the photos to editors and buyers.

Som's fate was somewhat unclear after he and investor Creative Design Studios, the subsidiary of Lord & Taylor LLC, decided to go their separate way last month. At the time, Elana Posner, who coowns Peter Som Inc. and serves as Som’s president and chief executive officer, told WWD, “We will work with our key accounts. We are exploring every option, whether it be a showroom presentation, a look book or private sales and press appointments. We plan to find a solution that meets the needs of our retailers and the press, that is also cost-effective.”

As the Economy Goes, So Do the Parties

by Jacob Weinstein for Women's Wear Daily

Last September, the folks at Calvin Klein erected a museum-like building on the High Line to celebrate the company’s 40th anniversary.

Attendees included Halle Berry, Naomi Watts and Claire Danes. People in the neighborhood noted they could actually smell the flowers from blocks away. The cost, the company admitted, was well over $5 million.

But this season, Calvin Klein isn’t even having a party to fete their fall collection. Neither is Marc Jacobs, whose semiannual Monday night postshow party is the hipster equivalent of Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve. Zac Posen, who took over Balthazar in September, has also decided not to hold a dinner after his show.

None of this is exactly surprising, but it’s yet another sobering indication of how bleak things are these days in the fashion world.

In normal recessions, the upper end of the market typically does comparatively well. But as this economic downturn has deepened, with unemployment reaching 7.6 percent nationally without even including the people who have simply stopped looking for work, no one is safe, and fashion designers are clearly tightening their belts.

It’s Jacobs’ cancellation in particular that has people worried. Because — as always — what Marc says goes, so if he’s decreed restraint to be the new black, well then even companies with money must now sit on it. “Everyone follows him,” said Paul Sevigny, the current disc jockey of choice among people in the fashion world. “So when Marc pulls out, it’s really bad. Things are definitely going to be quieter this season.”

Moreover, with the Oscars now falling at the end of fashion week, designers will likely have fewer celebrities in the front row. And that means less publicity in the tabloids, and therefore fewer opportunities to get attention for the brands at a time when designers need it most.

“There are very few celebrities coming, and the few that are are exclusive to large brands who can pay,” said Scott Cooke, whose company Cooke & Co works on forging partnerships between celebrities and brands. “It’s particularly tough on young designers who are having trouble to begin with and could use the association with a celebrity.”

Cindi Berger, co-chief executive officer of Hollywood p.r. firm PMK/HBH, whose clients include Jennifer Aniston, Sharon Stone and Gwyneth Paltrow, put it similarly. Fashion week “is sandwiched between the Grammys and the Oscars, and the economic downturn has put everyone’s sensitive antennas up. People feel more aware of accepting money to go to a show or accepting airline tickets at a time when millions of people are losing their jobs. And it’s too bad because now is the time we do need to support designers, particularly up-and-coming designers.”

Roger Padilha, whose company Mao PR does media strategy and show production for just those sorts of designers, was trying to see the silver lining. “The upside is that the attention may move back to the clothes,” he said.

It’s a fair point to make, but consider the side effects. Hotels will likely see less business. Catering companies will employ fewer people. Florists like Belle Fleur — whose clients include Vera Wang, Carolina Herrera, and Oscar de la Renta — are already saying business is down.

“We’re not doing arrangements for any of the actual fashion shows,” said Meredith Waga Perez, who runs the company with her mother, Marilyn. “In the past, we’ve done floral backdrops and large displays for the shows. We’re still getting work, but the events we have on the board are much more intimate. They’re at restaurants and people’s homes, not big venues.”

Welcome to the new fashion narrative, where “back to basics” and “intimate” are the current buzzwords being used by a reeling industry.

So what are the events that will still be happening?

For one, Giorgio Armani has a store opening on Fifth Avenue and 56th Street, for which there will be a cocktail reception next Tuesday. And Diane von Furstenberg will host her regular postshow dinner at her company’s 14th Street headquarters on Sunday.

On the Left Coast, meanwhile, Dior Beauty is throwing a dinner at the Chateau Marmont, whose attendees are expected to include Sharon Stone (a paid spokeswoman), as well as starlets like Camilla Belle and Ginnifer Goodwin.

But again, expect all of it to be scaled back, which means drinks instead of dinner (à la Armani), 30 people instead of 500 (à la Dior) and, in the Big Apple, lots less star wattage than in previous seasons.

“There are still too many events for actors to attend and not enough real work” said one high-profile entertainment publicist, who asked that her name not be used because she “has too many friends in the fashion business” — and because people in Hollywood always prefer not to be on record. “There are less movies being green-lit because of the economy, it’s pilot season and NBC has knocked out all scripted shows in the ten o’ clock hour to make room for Leno. That means more people are out in L.A. auditioning and less people are getting hired. It’s just not a good time.”

Michelle Obama: What Should She Wear?

Article from WWD December 1, 2008
by Bridget Foley and Bobbi Queen

Who says these are bleak times? On one matter at least, designers are positively euphoric. That is the Obama presidency, a two-part point of light. While much of the glee centers around the President-elect and his policies, Michelle Obama radiates a powerful style all her own. So step aside, Angelina. You too, Madonna, not to mention the bevy of pop tarts, gossip girls, “High School Musical” grads and even potential Oscar divas, now all suddenly second-tier. The American fashion industry hasn’t had a catch this big since, well, since another icon of Democratic chic took up residency on Pennsylvania Avenue in 1961.

For the big guns at least, dressing Michelle may prove even more of a challenge, since her chic is more lowercase democratic than was Jackie’s. Throughout the campaign, the first lady-to-be has avoided all major names save Narciso Rodriguez, while showing a proclivity for locals (Chicago’s Maria Pinto), young types (Thakoon; Jason Wu) and cost-conscious labels (Donna Ricco; J. Crew).

Nevertheless, just about everyone yearns to dress Michelle, who could raise the profile of American fashion around the world. Yet with the exception of Maria Cornejo, her current favorites, as well as a few majors, declined WWD’s request for sketches. Some are loath to presume to offer unsolicited advice, while others, it seems, are definitely in the Inaugural sweepstakes and prefer, or have been asked, to keep their participation low-pro.

But plenty more happily offered their visions for Michelle and her charming first daughters, for the big day and evening events of Jan. 20.

Inaugural ballgown by Monique L'huillier

A clean, modern look from Peter Som

Evening look from Christian Lacrois for Michelle Obama

Fashion Celebrates Michelle Obama from WWD June 19, 2008

For her first official meet-and-greet with New York's fashion industry, Michelle Obama adhered to the cardinal rule of style — she wore all black.
At a fund-raiser in her honor Tuesday night, Obama chose to wear a black ensemble by Isabel Toledo, accented with a striking costume necklace by Tom Binns. The potential first lady arrived promptly to the reception at the Sikkema Jenkins & Co. gallery in Chelsea, minutes after hosts André
Leon Talley, Anna Wintour and Shelby Bryan. (The other co-host, Calvin Klein, who opened his Perry Street home for a private dinner afterward, arrived later on the arm of his daughter, Marci.) Once inside Talley introduced her to the crowd, which included Catherine Malandrino, Erin Fetherston, Cynthia Rowley, Lisa Airan, Thakoon Panichgul, Ralph Rucci, Julie Gilhart, Amanda Brooks, Iman, Chris Benz and Yigal Azrouël, who had paid either $1,000 or $2,300 to attend. And, according to one source, the crowd was "pumped" by Obama's presence, in spite of the soaring temperatures inside the venue.

"I'm excited for Obama becoming president," said Zac Posen, who was wearing a "Yes, we can" T-shirt emblazoned with Barack Obama's face under his suit. "I think it's always great for someone who represents our country to look good, but most important is for the values of our country to be in place."



Peter Som echoed those sentiments. "I think she's amazing," he said. "Michelle and Barack are hopefully the light at the end of a very dark tunnel. And she's fabulously styled. She seems that she has an amazing sense of self. She has impeccable taste, so she is not going to need any help from anybody else."

Tory Burch, in preparing for the event, had been reading up on her. "I have a lot of questions, but I'm just excited to meet her," Burch said, adding of her style: "She has a great figure and is so easy to dress."

At the reception, Obama spoke for an estimated 20 minutes about meeting and falling for her husband while working at a law firm in Chicago. They were the only two African-Americans at the firm, and he was a summer associate and she was the lawyer to whom he was assigned. According to sources, Obama spoke of how she was initially less than impressed with her husband's background, odd name and ears, even as he kept asking her for a date. Eventually they went out for a sandwich and then to a church she always visited, where he sat with people in the basement and explained how they needed to change things. She praised her husband's ability to connect with people at all levels. She talked about how there is a choice in this country between "the way things are" and "the way things should be," said one observer.