Latest from Fashion Network
Fashion Network
an hour ago
- Business
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Erevan rethinks strategy with expanded offering and multiple projects
After a dazzling start, Erevan is consolidating its position by rethinking its strategy. Founded in Saint-Tropez in 2021 by Evan Morello-Boghossian, the women's and men's ready-to-wear and fragrance brand has multiplied its projects in recent months, reorganizing in depth. It has redefined its silhouette, enriched its offer with knitwear and leather goods, moved production to Italy, relocated to new premises in Paris, and is preparing to open a boutique in Courchevel. First and foremost, the company has refocused on its fundamentals, namely creation. The factory opened last year in Pantin, on the outskirts of Paris, where it also produced for other houses such as Patou and Charles de Vilmorin, was closed at the beginning of the year. It now relies on a network of Italian craftsmen and workshops between Treviso and Mestre, in the Veneto region, led by a former Bottega Veneta product manager. "He handles all product development and production follow-up in Italy," said Morello-Boghossian. This link with Italy has enabled Erevan to diversify, with, among other things, a line of leather pieces. The label offers, for example, a Camargue jacket in grained nubuck or another with four pleated leather pockets inspired by Matisse paintings. "The wardrobe is expanding, but always in keeping with Erevan's codes, with a casual yet refined feel in terms of materials, structures, and volumes," stressed the entrepreneurial designer. The company has also launched a collection of evening shirts and, over the past year, has developed a line of sweaters and knitwear in fox fur and cashmere. The range also includes Alpaca jackets made in Peru, small combed-hair jackets, more structured cardigan-vests, and cashmere polo shirts. Another project is the launch of a hat designed with master milliner Sébastien Tessier. These new product categories have led Erevan to redefine its silhouette. The sunny elegance and slightly vintage aesthetic of the early days, inspired by the nautical world with a French Riviera spirit mixed with military influences, remains. But the emphasis is now on a slightly rockier style designed for "a dandy with no hang-ups," like "Mick Jagger in Saint-Tropez." In the colors, patterns, and lightness of the cuts, one also finds the spirit of the New Wave films of the 1960s-70s. From transparent shirts in devoured volumes to pleated silk shirts, embroidered shirts, and loose-fitting artist shirts in white cotton, shirts take the lion's share of the spotlight, available in a variety of fabrics and models, all in comfort and fluidity. Japanese featherweight cottons with a silky touch are particularly popular. There's no shortage of strong pieces, like this tapestry jacket woven in Japan, these striped canvas pants with openwork embroidery details, or this black officer's overshirt with white embroidery. "The average shopping basket has risen from 350 euros in 2021 to 1,000 euros. Today, we sell a silhouette, whereas before, customers would come looking for pieces. Sales have continued to grow, and now stand at around 1.3 million euros. We now have around fifteen retailers, including Tomorrowland in Japan and Handsome in South Korea," continued Morello-Boghossian. The brand is also sold via its own e-commerce site and boutique in Saint-Tropez. "Distribution is concentrated on prestige brands around the world. After Japan and Korea, where our partners have successfully established the brand, we are targeting New York and Paris," he added. As for the direct sales network, the strategy is now to target exclusive destinations. The Paris address on Rue des Saints-Pères was closed at the end of 2024. The brand prefers to concentrate on a new opening in Courchevel, scheduled for December: a 50-square-meter space in the heart of the town, on Rue de l'Eglise. The interior, designed by interior architect Lika Korsounskaya, features a yachting universe transposed to the mountains, with exotic woodwork, metal, and light effects. Another destination under consideration is Saint Barthélémy in the Caribbean. As for fragrances, Erevan has continued to develop its collection, which is sold in its boutiques and at Printemps. It now includes ten fragrances, including the two new ones "Bonjour" and "Bonsoir." The company, which employs a dozen people with an average age of 25, is as dynamic as ever. It has just moved to new premises in Paris, on Rue du Pré aux Clercs, in the very chic 7th arrondissement, where it has installed a photo studio in addition to its offices and showroom.
Fashion Network
an hour ago
- Business
- Fashion Network
Von Dutch enters F&B market with new liquor, soda, and water ranges; cafés to come
American fashion brand Von Dutch is entering the food and beverage market with its debut liquor collection, healthy sodas and mocktails, as well as a new water range, ahead of the opening of Von Dutch-branded cafés. The Los Angeles-based brand, acquired by White Space Group (WSG) in 2024, has signed a global licensing agreement to form Von Dutch F&B, as the early 2000s apparel outfit looks to become a complete lifestyle brand. The new food, beverage and hospitality venture, led by a newly appointed CEO Joe Wallace, kicks off with the launch of organic, plant-based mocktails and healthy sodas created in collaboration with Flavor House. The brand will also launch liquor products including vodka, tequila, beer, and spiked seltzers, followed with the debut of Von Dutch Water. Finally, the brand has plans to rollout Von Dutch Cafés, or café-lounge hybrids, set to open in New York and Los Angeles in the next 12 months. Visitors can expect a space that shifts from daytime coffee and snacks into an after-hours haven made up of mocktails, cocktails, and live entertainment. 'We're building more than a food brand - we're creating a whole empire. Von Dutch will be about entertainment, hospitality, wellness, authenticity, and bringing in new energy," said Wallace, an executive that has raised millions in startup capital and led several first-to-market innovations across food tech, hospitality, and consumer goods. 'This partnership marks a powerful step forward for Von Dutch as a cultural force. Joe brings not only the entrepreneurial fire, but the values and velocity to translate this brand into entirely new verticals," said Jack Cheika, CEO of WSG, which purchased the Californian brand from the French Royer Group, in June last year.
Fashion Network
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Fashion Network
Manchester Fashion Week makes a comeback
Manchester wants to return to the forefront of the fashion scene. After hosting shows for Chanel and Fila in recent years, with Haider Ackermann at the helm, the northern English metropolis, which was the capital of the textile industry in the 19th century - it was nicknamed "Cottonopolis" because it produced half the world's cotton - is looking to reaffirm its link with fashion by relaunching Manchester Fashion Week. It is announcing its return, after a ten-year hiatus, with a new team and management, and a focus on sustainable development. The event will take place over three days from September 9 to 11, just before the "Big Four" marathon of Fashion Weeks in New York, London, Milan, and Paris. Its nerve center will be Campfield, Manchester's former market halls in the new St. Johns district, which have been renovated and transformed into a hub for tech and creative start-ups. "The event will be steered by renowned industry thought leaders, including Carry Somers, the co-founder of the Fashion Revolution movement, and Safia Minney, another sustainable fashion pioneer at the helm of ethical fashion brand People Tree," said the organizers, in a statement, adding that the executive producer of this Manchester Fashion Week is Gemma Gratton, who boasts twenty years' experience in sales and project management. Manchester Fashion Week is also supported by the media platform and sustainability consultancy Eco Age. "Manchester has always been at the forefront, whether in music, manufacturing, or movements. Today, it's time to return to the forefront by preparing the future of fashion from scratch. Manchester Fashion Week is not just a celebration of style, but a cultural catalyst for people, purpose, and progress," said Gratton, who co-founded the Manchester Fashion Movement in 2019 to raise awareness of the damaging effects of clothing overproduction and launched the ethical brand The Bee Thrive. Manchester Fashion Week will welcome established brands and emerging designers, the organizers announced without detailing the program, stating that beyond the runway shows, "it will highlight heritage and future, health and wellness, tech and innovation, merging fashion with responsible innovation," during round tables, exhibitions, and interactive experiences. Manchester Fashion Week was launched in Manchester in the early 2010s, but only lasted a few editions. In parallel, another event called Northern Fashion Week was held between 2022 and 2024.
Fashion Network
an hour ago
- Business
- Fashion Network
New World seeks to sell 11 Skies airport mall to boost liquidity
New World Development Co. is seeking to sell its flagship 11 Skies mall to address liquidity constraints, according to people familiar with the matter. The company has held early-stage discussions with the Hong Kong airport authority on its plans, the people said, requesting not to be named because the matter is private. The talks are preliminary and subject to change, the people said. The mall has been evaluated at a price range of HK$15 billion ($1.9 billion) to HK$17 billion, one of the people said. That means selling at a loss considering the company invested HK$20 billion for the project. The company and the airport authority didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. The development of the 11 Skies mall has become a drag on New World, hampered by sluggish tenant sign-ups and concerns over weak foot traffic — fueled in part by uncertainty around airlines' willingness to shift flights to Hong Kong's second airport terminal next to the complex. Facing liquidity pressure, New World Development is accelerating asset sales — including in mainland China — as it rushes to shore up its balance sheet. The company is also seeking to raise as much as $2 billion through a new loan facility, backed by its crown jewel, the Victoria Dockside complex in Hong Kong, underscoring the urgency of its capital-raising efforts. New World missed its self-imposed target to complete the $2 billion loan deal, people familiar said earlier this week. The company had HK$50 billion in completed investment properties in mainland China as of Dec. 31, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. Its prospects for selling the assets are clouded by the country's ongoing real estate downturn and slowing economy. In Shanghai, the company is seeking 2.85 billion yuan ($397 million) for its K11 tower, according to a property agent brochure. Controlled by the family empire of Hong Kong tycoon Henry Cheng, New World has one of the highest debt burdens of any big developer in the city. Its net debt reached 95.5% of shareholders' equity as of December, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. The funding environment for troubled and small Hong Kong developers has become increasingly challenging given that property prices in the city are now around a nine-year low. Banks are demanding stricter refinancing terms and asking for more credit enhancements. The Cheng clan, worth an estimated $21 billion as of March, proposed a semi-bailout to New World about two years ago, when it offered to take a subsidiary private and give the developer about HK$21.7 billion. The firm reported its first annual loss in 20 years for the 12 months ended June 2024. Adrian Cheng, the eldest son of the family's patriarch Henry Cheng, stepped down as chief executive officer soon after that, and he left the board recently. The Cheng family also owns a stake in Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Ltd. Adrian Cheng's siblings include Sonia Cheng, who looks after the Rosewood Hotel and co-leads the jewelry business.
Fashion Network
an hour ago
- Entertainment
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Louis Vuitton unveils 'Visionary Journeys' exhibition in Osaka
has opened a new exhibition at the Nakanoshima Museum of Art, in Osaka. Dubbed 'Visionary Journeys' and running until September 17, the showcase reimagines the house's rich history through the unique lens of Japan. Curated by fashion historian Florence Müller and brought to life by Shohei Shigematsu of OMA, the exhibition spans twelve immersive spaces, with over 1,000 pieces on display, including archival sketches, rare artworks, leather goods, and installations. A standout feature is the inclusion of more than 200 Japan-specific artefacts, highlighting the Maison's deep cultural ties with the country. Visitors enter through a dramatic five-storey atrium filled with glowing trunks, followed by an immersive dome built from 138 trunks. In monogram, a celestial-themed room highlights the evolution of the iconic pattern, including a rare 1897 sample. Atelier honours the artisans behind bespoke pieces, such as collaborations with Sho Hirano and designer Verdy. Other highlights include Louis Vuitton in Japan, celebrating decades of cultural exchange and iconic collaborations with artists like Yayoi Kusama, Nigo, and Takashi Murakami.
