GUCCI’S ARTISANS: Gucci is committed to help support tomorrow’s craftsmen introducing a training program dubbed “École de l’Amour,” or School of Love.
Comprising three different courses, the initiative is aimed at teaching and passing down the luxury company’s artisanal skills and its know-how to the next generation of workers, as well as to its current employees. “The heritage of Gucci is made up of people and their knowledge. Training is the most powerful method and tool we have to enhance our people and our products,” said Marco Bizzarri, Gucci’s president and chief executive officer.
Gucci’s artisans and managers, as well as retired employees, will teach the courses. They include the Craftsmanship School, or Scuola dei Mestieri, a six-month training program dedicated to leather goods’ design and production, held at the company’s ArtLab industrial complex dedicated to leather goods and shoes, which Gucci christened last April in Scandicci, near Florence, and the Factory School, a bimonthly course aimed at raising artisans skilled in a specific leather goods manufacturing process. This is held at different Gucci manufacturing plants and has enrolled 60 students since it launched in October last year. Both courses are dedicated to school graduates or unemployed people aged 18 to 26.

Follow WWD on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.

Read More…

The festive new King of Speyside loafers from Rob McAllan honor Macallan’s Rare Cask series.

The auction house smashed several previous records.

But don’t expect air taxis anytime soon—the first wave of flying vehicles will more likely be carrying your kids’ next Switch.

See if you can count them.

From over-the-top luxury in Dubai to a new resort in Vietnam, these were the hotels that sparked your wanderlust this year.

STARTING BLOCKS: LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton has opened applications for the sixth edition of its LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers.
Candidates have until Feb. 4 to submit their applications on the web site lvmhprize.com, the French luxury conglomerate said on Monday. The winner, decided by a jury including LVMH’s top designers, will walk away with a cash prize of 300,000 euros plus a year of coaching from experts at LVMH.
Launched in 2013 and spearheaded by Delphine Arnault, second-in-command at Louis Vuitton and a key talent scout at the luxury group her family controls, the prize is open to designers under age 40 who have presented and sold at least two collections of women’s, men’s or unisex ready-to-wear.

The past five winners of the main prize are Doublet, Marine Serre, Grace Wales Bonner, Marques’Almeida and Thomas Tait, and the award has also boosted the careers of its runner-up special-prize winners: Rokh, Kozaburo Akasaka, Vejas, Jacquemus, Hood by Air and Miuniku.

LVMH also rewards three graduates from fashion schools. They will each receive 10,000 euros and will join one of the group’s houses for one year.
Last year’s edition drew 1,300 applications from 90 countries, with 20 semi-finalists invited to show their work during Paris Fashion Week in

Follow WWD on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.

Read More…

In the U.S., the Council of Fashion Designers of America has taken up the mantle of the United Nations’ call for a need for the fashion industry to move on its global mandate on sustainability.
Earlier this year, the CFDA, considered a non-governmental organization, launched a sustainability-centered resource hub to provide members, educators and the professional community with open-access resources pertaining specifically to the fashion business. The NGO is also paying particular attention to professional development, and helping early-stage brands build businesses with a sustainability focus.
Among the informational options set for launch on Jan. 14 on the CFDA platform is a Materials Index that contains a directory of materials, including fiber information with descriptions. Another is a Sustainability Directory, a resource hub that connects fashion designers, companies and students with resources that include organizations and tools. There is also a Guide to Sustainable Strategies that’s meant as an overview to help members create, meet and exceed their sustainability goals. The Guide also contains case studies of members on their sustainability journey. And there’s the Sustainable Strategies Toolkit that maps and frames out the sustainability priorities so brands have access to diagnostics for their use, as well as a step-by-step guide on

Follow WWD on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.

Read More…

La La Anthony is teaming with Ashley Stewart, the plus-size retailer, to create a capsule collection that goes online today and will hit stores this week.
The 14 styles, chosen by Anthony, consist of dresses, jumpsuits, tops and bottoms, including denim, activewear sets and outerwear in sizes 12 to 32. The capsule retails from $78 to $120 and is available online and in 20 Ashley Stewart stores in New York, California, Georgia and Illinois. Ashley Stewart’s 89 stores primarily serve plus-size women within urban communities across the U.S.
Anthony continues to distribute her denim line, which is available in sizes 0 to 14, to Lord & Taylor but that deal is no longer exclusive. Ashley Stewart is Anthony’s first big partnership outside her L&T deal.
“I was noticing that a lot of curvy, beautiful women love the jeans and the denim line, and I thought why not partner with Ashley Stewart and come up with a great selection together?” said Anthony. She said she met with James Rhee, chief executive officer of Ashley Stewart, “and we just hit it off immediately, and we thought a partnership would be amazing, and that’s what we’re doing now, and what I’m so excited about.”
“He really believes

Follow WWD on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.

Read More…

Though perhaps not the most original, Bungalows Key Largo, is an easy—and decidedly luxe—getaway from Miami.