Valentino Unit Bows in Brazil

Valentino has opened a 1,076-square-foot store at Iguatemi São Paulo, the upscale shopping center whose tenants include Chanel, Cartier, Gucci, Prada, Saint Laurent and Ferragamo.
The store, which is Valentino’s first unit in Brazil, represents a concept developed by the brand’s creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli and British architect David Chipperfield. Valentino operates stores elsewhere in South America in Argentina, Chile and Columbia.
During the Aughts, when a newly minted middle class was shopping with gusto, luxury brands flocked to Brazil. However, the pipeline of high-end names slowed in recent years as the economy softened with high interest rates and rising inflation sapping consumers’ spending power.
A new Brazilian president, Michel Temer, took office in May after his protégé, Dilma Rousseff, was removed following her impeachment. Consumer confidence has improved, albeit from record lows. Brazil’s economy is expected to grow a feeble 0.2 percent this year.
Valentino has been courting Brazilian customers, dressing actress Marina Ruy Barbosa and other celebrities.
With areas for ready-to-wear, accessories and fragrance, the store combines old and new elements into the design. Piccioli and Chipperfield moved away from the traditional store model, using architecture to suggest a palazzo. “This is the idea of a new future that’s not nostalgic, but full of memories,” Piccioli said. “The architecture is designed

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07.02.2017No comments
Wild at Heart

Bold animal prints, ostrich feathers and festive rooster charms rang in the Lunar New Year in January. But Valentine’s Day assures that bold red hues will continue to turn heads. This month embrace seductive cuts, gilded flourishes and…

06.02.2017No comments
Coach Makes Switch to Dual-Gender Fashion Shows

Coach is never one to shy away from a fashion trend. The house will now make the switch to a dual-gender fashion show, WWD has learned.
Coach will move its men’s show from London to New York, and present it in tandem with its women’s collection — following a two-show-a-year model going forward.
Previously, the house staged four shows a year – two each for men and women.
The leather goods house made its first move toward dual-gender shows in December, with its 75th anniversary show. There, Coach presented its fall 2017 collection for men and pre-fall 2017 collection for women.
On Feb. 14, the show will feature fall 2017 women’s ready-to-wear as well as previously “unseen” men’s looks from the same season. Reasons for why these looks were not presented in the original fall 2017 men’s lineup could not be learned.
A Coach spokesperson did note that the forthcoming show will feature a “greater proportion” of women’s looks.
Coach last held a men’s show in London last June, when it unveiled its spring 2017 collection in the English capitol.
Going forward, pre-fall and resort collections will be shown with look books and editor appointments.
Chief executive officer Victor Luis and creative director Stuart Vevers were unavailable for comment.

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06.02.2017No comments
Tom Ford Gets Into Men’s Underwear

Tom Ford is on a roll with new categories. Next up: undies. A week after he revealed his new luxury watch partnership with Tom Kartsotis’ Bedrock Manufacturing Co., Ford has revealed that he’s getting into underwear — men’s only to start. It will be done through a license with the Italian manufacturing firm Albisetti International.
Confirming WWD’s initial report in December that underwear was on Ford’s radar, the designer said in a statement: “The creation of Tom Ford Men’s Underwear is a natural extension of our highly successful men’s collection and comes at a time when the Tom Ford brand has become firmly established worldwide as a leader in men’s fashion. Albisetti International is the perfect partner for this venture as their dedication to excellence and the highest quality product is impressive and their strong family work ethic makes them a perfect fit as our partners.”
In 2011, Albisetti bought Ittierre, the Italian manufacturing company that was part of IT Holding SpA group, after two years of government-backed bankruptcy protection. Albisetti is operated by brothers Alessandro and Tommaso Bianchi. Their father, Antonio, was formerly head of Albisetti and Ittierre, which at one point produced the C’N’C Costume National, Galliano, Ermanno Ermanno Scervino

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06.02.2017No comments
Planned Parenthood Partners With the CFDA to Raise Awareness

The Council of Fashion Designers of America has joined forces with Planned Parenthood to launch Fashion Stands With Planned Parenthood, an initiative that capitalizes on New York Fashion Week’s global reach to raise awareness and funds for Planned Parenthood’s efforts.
Under the Trump administration, politicians are taking steps to defund Planned Parenthood health centers. Should that occur, millions of people — nearly half of whom are people of color and many who live in rural areas — would lose the care they rely on. To address the urgency of the situation, the CFDA has created a pink pin for CFDA members and supporters to use during their fashion week shows and presentations. Designed by The Creative Group, Condé Nast, the pin has been distributed to all participating designers; public relations, modeling agencies and creative; fashion week locations; industry influencers, and press attending New York Fashion Week from Feb. 9 to 16.
The CFDA worked with Tracy Reese, one of its board members, to encourage designers to wear the pin when they take their bow and place it on one or more models in their show, and distribute them to all front row attendees, as well as their front-of-house staff. More than 40

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06.02.2017No comments