Latest news with #WoolmarkPrize
Fashion United
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fashion United
Creative direction reshuffle: Does the trust between CEO and creative director have an expiration date?
With Maria Grazia Chiuri's departure from Dior now official, new appointments are anticipated. It seems as though all that is missing is the station master's whistle and the call of 'all aboard' to begin this latest journey towards a new creative direction in luxury fashion. We are witnessing a continuous reshuffling of creative directors; only a few weeks ago, news broke that Pierpaolo Piccioli, after years at the helm of Valentino–eight of these alongside Maria Grazia Chiuri, who left the brand in 2016 to join Dior–was moving to Balenciaga (Kering). A year prior, Alessandro Michele took the creative lead at Valentino, after Piccioli's departure in 2024. Michele left Gucci in 2022, subsequently replaced by Sabato De Sarno, who served as the Florentine brand's creative director from 2023 to February 2025, shortly before Demna Gvasalia's appointment. Gvasalia, in turn, vacated the position at Balenciaga, which was then 'assigned' to Piccioli. We'll stop here, but the merry-go-round of appointments in recent months has, of course, been much more extensive. It is perhaps worth remembering the arrival of Dutch designer Duran Lantink as the new permanent creative director of Jean Paul Gaultier, perhaps one of the few truly new entries into the Olympus of fashion in recent times. Not that Lantink is a novice; on the contrary, the designer, already shortlisted for the LVMH Prize in 2019 and winner of this year's Woolmark Prize, has designed pieces for artists such as Beyonce, Doja Cat, Paris Hilton, Billie Eilish, and Solange. Let's just say he's a fresher name. Sabato De Sarno Credits: Courtesy of Gucci, ph Riccardo Raspa The question that arises at this moment, however, is not so much whether in fashion, as in cinema, there is a famous 'inner circle' of names that move from one label to another yet always remain in the spotlight at one brand or another, but how much this sometimes frantic alternation can really contribute to the growth of brands. Or whether it contributes to the loss of the label's DNA and the partial recycling of loyal customers (who no longer recognise themselves in the brand), rather than a real expansion of the target audience, which is what, hopefully, the top management of the brands that move creative directors from one brand to another are aiming for. There is no shortage of choice, given that in LVMH's fashion and leather goods division alone, there are Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Celine, Loewe, Kenzo, Givenchy, Fendi, Emilio Pucci, Marc Jacobs, Berluti, Loro Piana, Rimowa and Patou; while Kering today has, in the fashion segment, Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, McQueen and Brioni. Kering deputy CEO: 'There must be mutual trust between CEO and creative director' In this regard, on May 22 in Milan, during the Changemakers in luxury fashion meeting, organised by Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (CNMI) and Zalando, Francesca Bellettini, Kering's deputy CEO, stressed: 'There must be mutual trust between the CEO and creative director, but each must have their role with mutual respect.' In complex times like the ones luxury is going through, brands must be true to their DNA and 'generate appeal and desirability thanks to creative directors'. But this trust, instead of consolidating over time, season after season, seems undermined in a short time and influenced by a turnover that, these days, has to do with the crisis, weak demand and the complicated geopolitical situation. Even the authenticity, transparency and coherence demanded by consumers and mentioned just two days ago by Matteo Lunelli, president of Altagamma, during the foundation's shareholders' meeting, do not always seem to be at the top of the list of priorities for brands. Pierpaolo Piccioli, creative director of Balenciaga Credits: Courtesy of Kering and Balenciaga, ph David Sims Demna Credits: Courtesy of Kering This article was translated to English using an AI tool. FashionUnited uses AI language tools to speed up translating (news) articles and proofread the translations to improve the end result. This saves our human journalists time they can spend doing research and writing original articles. Articles translated with the help of AI are checked and edited by a human desk editor prior to going online. If you have questions or comments about this process email us at info@
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Australian Designer Perri Cutten Dies at 73
Perri Cutten, an Australian designer, has died at the age of 73. A private cremation is planned for Cutten, who died on April 4, and whose cause of death was not immediately known. A memorial is being planned for a later date. More from WWD New York Fashion Designer Kenny Bonavitacola Dies at 71 Buzzy Women's Brand With Jéan Signs Deal for First Store Norman Salik, Who Placed Ray-Bans in 'Top Gun,' Dies at 93 Cutten started her company in 1981 at a time when women were entering the workforce in greater numbers. She helped to define Australian style with her stylish designs that had a classic sensibility. Although she studied graphic design at Swinburne University, Cutten gravitated toward fashion and clothing and found her livelihood there. Before venturing out on her own, Cutten worked for brands like Geoff Bade and Thomas Wardle. Once she started her company, Cutten wanted women to be taken seriously in the workforce and created designs that would help them fit in and feel feminine, but not look silly. After unveiling her first stand-alone store in 1982, Cutten reportedly had 32 boutiques throughout Australia by 2011. In addition to her signature stores, Perri Cutten clothing was sold to Australian retailers like Myer and David Jones. By her own assessment, her label's design ethos amounted to 'Good fabric, good taste, and always flattering.' Cutten's company won four awards from the Fashion Industries of Australia, as well as the coveted Woolmark Prize in 1991, and she earned an honorary doctorate from her alma mater Swinburne University in 1998. Being disciplined was also a pillar to her business and staying focused on her core customers, preferring not to chase the trends for editorial coverage. 'It's easy to make something fabulous that only 10 people can buy. But when you're virtually reengineering an idea that women love, to make them love it again, that's hard,' she told The Sydney Morning Herald in 2011. Like many apparel companies, Cutten weathered the ebbs and flows of business, striving to have 'a little increase every year — not a great big one — and certainly not a dip, so that's how it's been,' she told the Herald. 'When times do get tough and you've been there a while, and people trust what you do, and maybe your competition is diminishing, there is no reason why you can't do well. In 2021, her company was acquired by the Austin Group, which also owns Cable Melbourne and the Gazman brands. In the past few years, the Austin Group invested in Perri Cutten stores to create a more contemporary outlook and to update the interior decor in locales like Sydney, Manuka and Brighton. The Australian Financial Review's fashion editor Lauren Sams said Monday that Cutten was 'a true original,' who started out at a time, when department stores were copying designs from European collections. Sams told WWD, 'When she started designing, Australian fashion was very much in its infancy. Now, we have a robust fashion industry and a clearly identified sense of style. For Perri to stamp out her own style was brave and trailblazing.' A spokesperson for the brand Perri Cutten on Monday described the late designer as 'an iconic figure in Australian fashion whose name has become synonymous with timeless elegance and sophistication. As the founder of the Perri Cutten brand, she built a legacy that has endured for decades, dressing generations of Australian women with style, grace and confidence.' The Perri Cutten spokesperson said her contribution to the fashion industry was 'not only visionary but also deeply personal. She understood the modern Australian woman and designed with purpose, integrity and grace. May she be remembered for her pioneering spirit, her impeccable eye, and the enduring mark she left on Australian fashion.' The designer's philanthropic pursuits included Foundation 59, an organization that supports disadvantaged young people, and a women's fundraising group for the National Gallery of Victoria. Cutten is survived by her siblings Bill and Sue, her children Kate and Gaby, her stepchildren Lily and Coco and her partner Jo Daniell, a photographer. Best of WWD Bottega Veneta Through the Years Chanel's Ambassadors Over The Years Ranking Fashion's Longest-serving Creative Directors
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Luar Fall 2025: A Life Lived Unapologetically
Growing up in New York is not for the faint of heart, something Raul Lopez knows deeply. Coming of age during the AIDS crisis and realizing his LGBTQIA+ identity, the slur 'El Pato,' used for gay, was thrown at him regularly. 'I'm reclaiming that and that time and bringing it to now,' he said during a preview in his studio. His show notes dove deeper, reading: 'Hands like faggot, life like an ugly swan. Hand gestures gay, flamboyant, just like the clothes he wore.' Lopez is proud and standing strong in who he is. 'What's going on now. I'm born and raised in New York. I'm not going back anywhere. I'm staying right here,' he said. The first look was a white crocodile embossed suit, the blazer with a single strong shoulder while the other side exposed a bare shoulder, almost as if it had been thrown on backward. It was nipped at the waist and worn with skinny pants, heels and a feathered scarf on the head. A look that said, 'I am unapologetically me and I don't care what you think.' From there, Lopez pumped up the volume of the message with one look after another, a celebration of queer joy. A gray knit catsuit with webbed arms that held the hands like a limp wrist — a tongue in cheek take on a gesture many gay boys were made fun of for. There were opulent textures, particularly feathers, with one coat covered in black feathers that had been made in collaboration with the same atelier that works with Schiaparelli. More from WWD Celebrities Front Row at Christian Cowan Fall 2025: Sam Smith, Kesha, Cole Escola and More Lingua Franca Gathered a Very New York Crowd for Its First Runway Fashion Show Hailey Bieber Adds an Edge to Winter Glamour on Night Out with Justin Bieber That doesn't mean there weren't pieces for his growing customer base to covet. Deep dark barrel jeans, cropped jackets with full sleeves, top coats with square shoulders almost brushing the floor, cocooning suits. Wool was another defining texture — he is a Woolmark Prize finalist for 2025 and he used the fabric in unexpected ways, like a gray quilted jacket that looked sporty and tech-driven, with pants to match. Toward the end of the lineup, New York ballroom icon Stephanie Milan came out carrying a new plush handbag shape — the runway birthed many new versions of Luar's hit Ana bag — in a luscious gray and white fur. It was belted with an 'L' logo belt with feathers that cascaded off her bosom. 'She's a legend, the story of her life,' he said bluntly. Milan is transgender, came from Colombia and married a rich man from uptown; she lived with him for 30 years only to lose it all when he died and his family took it away. The TV show 'Pose' is thought to be based on her. It's the type of grit that Lopez imbues into his clothing: Uber cool and take no BS, like the 'I talk s–t about you in Spanish' black T-shirt he paired with a massive white feather headpiece and knee-high boot. Launch Gallery: Luar Fall 2025 Ready-to-Wear Collection Best of WWD Windowsen RTW Spring 2022 Louis Shengtao Chen RTW Spring 2022 Vegan Fashion Week Returns to L.A. With Nous Etudions, Vegan Tiger on the Runway
