Friday, May 31, 2019

Lady Gaga Opens Vegas Fashion Archive In Old Gaga Style

Lady Gaga is back in Las Vegas for the latest leg of her Enigma residency and that can only mean one thing: the return of old Gaga, popstar Gaga, the Gaga more prone to wearing meat dresses than frothy Valentino gowns. Before her first show, the “Born This Way” singer, who swapped stadium stages for red carpets on last year’s promo trail for A Star is Born, had one job to do: cut the metaphorical ribbon and open the Haus of Gaga.

The exhibition marks the first time the performer has opened her personal archive to the public, and features some of her most memorable costumes from the various personas she has adopted since breaking onto the music scene in 2001. Of course, there’s the aforementioned flesh dress, conceived by longtime collaborator Nicola Formichetti for the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards and preserved like a “piece of jerky”. There’s the custom Versace bodysuits Gaga wore for her 2017 Superbowl performance, the fake blood-stained ensemble she wore to perform “Paparazzi” at the 2009 VMAs, and the sunglasses made from cigarettes in the video for “Telephone”.


Gaga greeted guests outside the Vegas Haus dancing in a black crop top that read “Don’t be a drag, just be a queen”, an orange layered tulle skirt and ginormous platform boots. She proceeded to sign walls of the space with a personal caricature and the message “Born to be brave and love yourself” and then positioned herself behind the booth that sells exclusive exhibition products, including the slogan tee modelled by herself.

Among the 20 outfits and 40 wigs and accessories is the Brandon Maxwell gown Gaga wore to the Met Gala 2019. After a string of Old Hollywood moments during awards season, the fabulously over-the-top red-carpet moment, which comprised four looks and numerous props, was a no-holds-barred return to Lady Gaga the enigma, who never fails to keep innovating and surprising her followers. What, however, comes after Vegas?

Lady Gaga’s Fashion Archive Is Going On Display In Las Vegas – Infamous Meat Dress Included

A few weeks ago, the old Lady Gaga came out to play. Strutting and dancing the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the singer and actor arrived for her co-hosting duties at the Met Gala 2019 in not one, but four different outfits layered on top of each other. There were props involved too. The final ensemble was vintage Gaga: a glittery black bra, hotpants, fishnet tights, and ridiculously high platform boots.

When she first began her reign as pop music’s lady provocateur, Gaga became famous for her outrageous, scandalous, and always artistically-inclined wardrobe choices. The bra and panties were her signature, followed by iconic standout moments like the time she wore a dress made entirely of thin cut sirloin steaks to the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards. In between the costumes came designer red carpet gowns from houses like Versace and Valentino. But in recent years, Lady Gaga has toned it down, starting with her make-under during the Joanne album phase. While promoting A Star is Born, Gaga went full on Hollywood glam, trading in the Philip Treacy lobster headpieces and latex for voluminous ball gowns and classic hair and makeup. The Met Gala performance perhaps foreshadowed a return to her wild child days of dress up. Now, she’s about to celebrate an unearthing of her most iconic fashion choices of the last decade.

Opening on May 30 in Las Vegas to coincide with her residency at the Park MGM, the Haus of Gaga exhibition showcases around 40 pieces of clothing and accessories that have never before left Gaga’s personal archive. These include the custom Versace bodysuits worn for her 2017 Superbowl performance, the fake blood-stained ensemble she wore to perform her hit “Paparazzi” at the 2009 VMAs, and the sunglasses made out of cigarettes that she donned in the music video for “Telephone.”


Of course, there’s also the infamous meat dress, which has been preserved, according to the creative head of Haus of Gaga Nicola Formichetti, like “a piece of jerky.” “It’s been dried and we’ve preserved it all this time, but it has another life now in this experience, all of these clothes do,” he says of the collection, on which he has collaborated with Lady Gaga since the beginning of her career. Formichetti has been in charge of curating and staging the display, which is open and free of charge to visitors until November 8. He is also working on a line of exclusive products that will be available for sale in the space, as well as a dedicated area for fans to donate to Lady Gaga and her mother’s charity Born This Way.

Speaking on the phone from the exhibition space, Formichetti was feeling emotional about the new project. “Standing in this room is surreal,” he said of the disco ball and spotlight bedecked room. “This has been a dream of ours for a long time. We’ve always wanted to do something like this and create a space where all of the outfits and shoes and masks and wigs could all live together in a single place for fans to enjoy.” The “little monsters” were in fact a very important part of this archival project. As Formichetti notes, “Throughout this process I’ve been in touch with her fans and asking them which outfits they want to see and how they envisioned the exhibition space. Gaga has always been doing what she’s doing for her fans from day one, so it was important to have them be a part of this experience.”

Outside of the most iconic and over-the-top archival items, there are also beautiful designer dresses and shoes from Alexander McQueen, as well as the much more low-key jeans and T-shirt worn on screen by Gaga’s character Allie in A Star is Born. “It’s amazing to see all of these different fashion pieces next to one another,” Formichetti says. “The beauty of Lady Gaga is that she can be anything but still maintain her sense of self.” He also notes that despite the years of work he and the Haus of Gaga team have put in, along with the collaborative efforts of runway designers, “no matter if it’s a red carpet gown, a pair of jeans, or a pair of sunglasses made of smoking cigarette butts, the real magic happens when she wears it.”

Alexander Wang Has Invited 1,000 Members Of The Public To His Next Show

Alexander Wang has a habit of doing things his own way, and his latest business move is no different. On May 31, the designer will welcome 1,000 members of the public to his latest catwalk show at New York City’s Rockefeller Center, alongside the 360 industry insiders invited.

“Part of the coup of winning this location is that the company has a really organised location for industry types to sit and see the show in a very controlled manner on the lower level,” said a spokesperson for the brand, according to WWD. “Then, we invite essentially New York City to come to experience the show on the upper plaza. As an American brand that is rooted in New York, Rockefeller Center represented the energy and the epicentre of New York City.”


Wang will also incorporate well-loved elements of the Big Apple, from snacks to street food, in his show set-up, too. “We thought of this as a public moment as well, so that anyone who comes to see the show will also experience something beyond seeing it from the upper plaza,” the spokesperson explained.

Last year, Wang announced the decision to adopt a new biannual schedule with collections presented in June and December, rather than in line with the traditional fashion calendar. This strategy will see his collections go to market twice a year, instead of four, with more frequent product drops throughout the season. No products will go on sale on May 31, but it’s clear that the creative is continuing to place consumers at the heart of his industry-led efforts. Similarly, in June 2018, Virgil Abloh invited Parisian students to line the Palais-Royale gardens at his debut for the historic brand.

Giambattista Valli x H&M: Everything You Need To Know

On Thursday May 23, H&M unveiled its 2019 designer collaboration at the amfAR gala in Cannes, and it's certainly the high street giant's most red-carpet worthy collection yet. The announcement of Giambattista Valli x H&M followed a few hours of speculation after eagle-eyed Instagram users spotted both brands had changed their profile images to the same heart logo earlier that day. With five designs, worn by five muses – Kendall Jenner, Chiara Ferragni, Bianca Brandolini, Chris Lee (Li Yuchun), H.E.R., and Ross Lynch – the glamorous annual amfAR soiree was the perfect backdrop to reveal the Swedish retailer's partnership with Giambattista Valli, the master of frothy gowns with extravagant trains and exquisite cocktail dresses.

For those less familiar with Valli's sumptuous creations, the Rome-born, Paris-based couture and ready-to-wear designer launched his eponymous brand in 2005, having previously worked for the Fendi family and as Creative Director at Emaunel Ungaro. In July 2011 he presented his first couture collection, accepted as an official member of the incredibly exclusive Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture.

The Giambattista Valli x H&M looks showcased on the Cannes red carpet were then available to buy at 12 select H&M stores and hm.com from Saturday May 25 (the first time the collaboration has dropped almost immediately after the announcement) before the full collection hits stores and online on November 7. Brace yourself for a stampede as the limited-edition early drop sold out almost instantly, bar the GBV x H&M ribbed socks.

“H&M gives me the opportunity to bring my vision of style and my celebration of beauty to a wider audience. The goal is to share my love for beauty and to be able to be part of everyone’s 'happy moments', to help create love stories all around the world," Valli enthused.


“We are thrilled to collaborate with Giambattista Valli. He is the undisputed master of haute couture with a knack for the memorable silhouette," Ann-Sofie Johansson, Creative Advisor at H&M, added. "To be able to bring his signature styles to our customers is a dream come true. We can’t wait to see their reactions to this beautiful collection.”

The idea of a couture designer – renowned for his intricate, opulent creations – recreating his vision for the high street might sound problematic, but Valli's AW19 ready-to-wear collection could offer some indication of what to expect come November.

Including floral oversized blazers, weightless ruffled French country dresses, patchwork mini dresses and plumed heels, the designer's most recent ready-to-wear pieces, shown at Paris Fashion Week back in March, were modern, playful and ultimately very wearable. With price points around £100-£399 for the H&M collection, fabrics might not be as luxurious, but hopefully we can still expect those beautiful silhouettes.

Backstage at his spring/summer 2019 couture show in January, Valli told Vogue's Fashion Critic, Anders Christan Madsen: “The youngest haute couture customers all over the world, they’re mine!” Couture may be an elitist world, enjoyed by the wealthiest fashion consumers, but Valli's fans are some of the youngest in the category and his collaboration with H&M is about to tap into a considerably broader audience. "Go big or go home," he continued in January. "Even if it’s small it has to be full of embroidery. We sell a dream at the end of the day.” Now you, too, can buy into the couture dream.

Joseph Returns To Form With A New Chapter Of Easy Elegance

In a world where women are starting, tentatively, to be paid their dues – where female CEOs are less of a radical proposition than they once were, and conversations are being had about pay equity – Joseph is a brand that ought to be inherently primed for success. After all, Joseph Ettedgui built his brand on the sort of easy elegance especially suited to low-key power dressing, designing a thinking-woman’s capsule wardrobe long before Phoebe Philo had so much as graduated Central Saint Martins, and its formative aesthetic appeals now more than ever. Sensible, then, that the brand’s new creative director Susana Clayton, has a picture of the man himself pinned up on her new-season moodboard: standing alongside a group of friends (including one of his protégées, Margaret Howell) they, dressed in every shade of beige imaginable, could easily be the campaign stars for the collection she is presenting.

“This image was really my starting point,” Clayton explains. “I want to understand what the Joseph of that time can mean today.” Simply translated that equates to a wealth of honey-hued knitwear and leather separates; plenty of great tailoring; and some particularly good dusty rose dresses cut from crushed silk. “I believe in Joseph’s principles, and I want to go back there – to the simplicity and the nonchalance, to making fashionable clothes but not being about fashion – instead really being about the woman, and the way that she would feel wearing them.”


You can imagine women feeling completely composed in the deep navy ramie linen tunics styled over co-ordinating trousers, for example, or the bright white shirt dresses cut so wide they almost become capes. Equally, you can imagine settling into the endless knits that the brand has long been beloved for – from the chunky cashmere jumpers to clinging trousers imbued both with louche luxury and Nineties nostalgia. “The woman wearing this could be a lawyer, a stay at home mum… just someone who needs simple pieces that she can go to to look good, effortless and always chic – but without trying too hard,” grins Clayton. It’s that sort of appeal brands are currently clamouring for in droves but, through cleanly returning to bold minimalism, she appears to be setting herself in good stead.

The only print that appears throughout is an homage to Joseph: a vintage Moroccan stamp, printed on viscose shirting and robes and shorts (Clayton has reintroduced the brand’s early idea of head-to-toe separates designed to be mix and matched however you please). It is a sweet tribute to the founder’s remarkable story – as, to be honest, is this all. “Sometimes when I’m working, I find myself asking, ‘what would Joseph think of this?’” says Clayton. Seeing this on a rail, you can easily imagine he’d be proud.

Supreme Collector Sells 1,300 Accessories For £200,000

Hypebeasts who missed out on Sotheby’s Supreme auction this week, which saw the sale of 1,300 of the brand's accessories collected by US-based Yukio Takahashi, will be kicking themselves. The privately-owned edit, ranging in price and rarity, comprised a pinball machine, boxing kit, mini bike, Stratocaster, soup set, squirt gun and kayak, as well as myriad other pieces of aesthetic and functional value.

“What makes Supreme’s accessories the most exciting part of their product line is its unpredictability, multifacetedness and genius choices in collaborations,” Takahashi commented on his comprehensive haul. “I have enjoyed collecting Supreme for two decades and the process and result have both surpassed expectations. Now it is complete to the best of my knowledge and is at a good stopping place. Once Sotheby’s was mentioned, I recognised there would be no better way to sign off.”

The online-only sale, entitled The Supreme Vault: 1998 – 2018, was open for bidding from May 20 to 28 and generated £199,187. Not a single item was left on the virtual shelf, but Hong Kong-based Supreme fans were able to view select items in the city’s Hart Hall during the duration of the auction.


Many of the items signified the collaborative value of the streetwear culture in which Supreme is embedded. The punch bag and boxing gloves, for example, were born out of the founder James Jebbia’s love of the sport – something he has publicised via pictures on Supreme’s social channels. The spring/summer 2016 leather punch bag created with Everlast was sold via the brand’s website due to concern that customers would injure themselves when trying to carry the 70lb piece of equipment. Due to the effort of securing one, it has become one of the most sought-after Supreme products since the brand was born in 1994.

Likewise, when Jebbia decided he wanted to create a pinball machine, he sought out the leader in the field: Stern. The entirely customised gaming product remains the most expensive Supreme product to date, with an estimated 100 to 200 in existence. “Supreme can get away with anything,” Takahashi told i-D of what interests him about the counter-culture label. “I am so desensitised by [its] obscurity at this point that most things do not phase me. It's only when they really go off the deep end that my eyes go wide. Things like the punching bag, mini bike, and pinball machine.” The 69 pin, compass keychains and “fuck em” fobs were the hardest items for him to procure.

The collector suggested that everyday items, such as a Supreme toaster, bike pump and tape measure, could persuade him to purchase from the brand again. But for now, Takahashi is preoccupied collecting Glossier accessories, Mark Gonzales toys, and Redbull cans. Sotheby’s, meanwhile, has been bolstered by another sale (it has previously sold Supreme skate decks) that shows its ability to tap into global trends.

Naomi Campbell, Elton John & A$AP Rocky Rally In Rome For Gucci’s Cruise 2020 Show

From a visit to Rome institution Antica Libreria Cascianelli to the Gucci Cruise 2020 presentation in the Capitoline Museums overlooking the Forum, and the after-party at Palazzo Brancaccio, where Stevie Nicks and Harry Styles duetted, Alessandro Michele’s Resort programme gave guests a tour of his home city. Among the friends of the house in attendance were Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful and contributing editor Naomi Campbell, Elton John and David Furnish, A$AP Rocky, Zoe Saldana and Marco Perego, and Mariacarla Boscono and Ghali.

“All the beautiful things surrounding us here from the pagan world are connected to a freedom that has sometimes been threatened,” Michele told Vogue of the treasures surrounding the fashion, music and art crowd in the archaeological institution he has been visiting since he was a child. “It was really important to organise this show in Rome in a time when it’s important to glorify this place: a place of freedom.”


The cross-cultural references embedded in the Cruise collection were no less decade-spanning. From Ancient Roman tunics and togas to Vatican-esque nun’s habits, Mickey Mouse motifs and pieces adorned with the slogan “My body, my choice” or the date “May 22 1978” (when abortion was legalised in Italy), the catwalk was a sensory overload of political points of view, as well as covetable clothing.

“Through fashion, I found freedom,” Michele continued. “It’s important to say things because dressing is about using your freedom of expression.” As his Gucci journey continues and Michele gives greater insights into his personal creative process as well as the brand’s, his loyal cohort of followers has remained the same. From John in his tasselled blazer to Rakim Mayers (A$AP Rocky), who wore animal-printed denim with socks and slides, and Styles, who avoided pre-show photographs, the Gucci family is as eclectic as the man behind it. You get the sense that Michele wouldn’t have it any other way.

Chanel Takes Métiers D’Art Show Back Home To Paris

After stints in New York, Hamburg and Salzburg, Chanel is taking its travelling Métiers d’Art show back to Paris. The 2019-2020 collection will be staged on December 5 at an undisclosed location in the French capital.

The pre-fall ready-to-wear line, which honours the craftsmanship of Chanel’s artisan collaborators, was introduced by Karl Lagerfeld in 2002. The 2019-2020 collection will be the first Métiers d’Art edit designed exclusively by Virginie Viard, who took the reins when the creative director died in February. Lagerfeld’s last Ancient Egypt-themed Métiers d’Art vision was displayed in Manhattan’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, and he had previously taken the work of Chanel’s illustrious ateliers to Scotland, Dallas, Shanghai and Rome.


Although the Métiers d’Art show enjoyed a pit stop back in Paris when the Ritz hotel reopened in 2016, the decision to stay in the City of Lights follows recent moves made by the brand to strengthen its bond there. In February 2018, Chanel signed on as the exclusive private sponsor of the Grand Palais renovation, and pledged €25 million to the works, which are due to be completed in time for the Paris Summer Olympics in 2024.

In September, Chanel began works on its new Métiers d’Art workshops in Aubervilliers, a northern suburb of Paris. The site will house the majority of the 26 specialty ateliers that Chanel oversees, including milliner Maison Michel, cashmere specialist Barrie, feather maker Lemarié and embroiderers Maison Lesage, once it is complete in 2020.

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Rimowa’s New Candy-Coloured Suitcases Are Instagram Gold

Since taking the helm of Rimowa in October 2018 Alexandre Arnault has spearheaded a revamp of the 121-year-old luggage brand with the stamina of someone running a start-up business. He is the brain behind the German trunk-maker’s cult collaborations with Supreme, Off-White and Fendi – but, for his next stroke of marketing genius, the progressive CEO has turned the spotlight back in-house.

Airport exits are set to become a lot more vibrant owing to four new colourways in the Rimowa Essential line. The millennial-minded shades include coral, inspired by Australia’s Pink Lakes; slate, which references the chalky overtones of Indonesian mines; sage, like the greenery in Britain’s Lake District; and saffron, to emulate Tuscany’s canola flowers. The handles, zips and locks all match the hardware inspired by the aerial views of global destinations.


“The stores are going to look a bit more like candy stores and not just black, white and silver,” Arnault commented on the product launch, which, like all of the entrepreneur’s initiatives, has Instagram in mind. “Social networks have redefined the balance of desirability. Snapping and sharing images makes them valuable,” he has previously told Vogue. “A beautiful piece of luggage is the first accessory to any great experience, and it plays a fundamental role in the autobiography we write on [social media].”

With three sizes to choose from come June 6, prepare to see the polycarbonate cases – priced considerably lower than the Supreme x Rimowa luggage which sold out in 16 seconds – filtering down your feed and generating their own sales stats for the brand to buzz about. Louis Vuitton’s new monogram wheelies have got some serious competition.

The new Rimowa Essential range retails at £550 for the Essential Cabin, £710 for the Check-In L and £880 for the Trunk Plus.

Karl Lagerfeld Memorial Planned For June In Paris

Chanel and Fendi have come together to stage a memorial for Karl Lagerfeld in collaboration with the late designer’s eponymous brand. “Karl For Ever” will be staged at the Grand Palais – the iconic Paris venue that was transformed into the fantastical settings of his Chanel shows since 2005 – on the evening of June 20 during Paris Men’s Fashion Week.

Orchestrated by theatre and opera director Robert Carsen, the commemoration will comprise video footage of Lagerfeld and his collaborators on three screens, in addition to interpretative dance, music and theatre performances based on work admired by the former creative director.

“I wanted something full of life and unexpected,” Carsen told WWD of the invitation-only event, which should see some 2,500 guests in attendance. “He once famously said, ‘A funeral? I’d rather die.’”

“It will be a very powerful moment, a collective celebration of his persona,” added Bruno Pavlovsky, Chanel’s president of fashion. “The memorial will be about Karl only: who he was, what he loved, what gave him his exceptional energy. I am glad we could join forces with Fendi and Karl Lagerfeld to create together an exceptional event that measures up to him, a tribute that truly celebrates the things he loved and that inspired him.”


Since Lagerfeld died on February 19th, the insurmountable loss of one of the industry’s leading creatives has been recognised in a number of ways. Chanel and Fendi, the two fashion behemoths that he steered towards success during his lifetime, both played David Bowie’s “Heroes” during the finale of his last autumn/winter 2019 collections. Chanel organised a minute’s silence at the start of the alpine-themed presentation, while Fendi screened a video entitled “54 years together” depicting Lagerfeld drawing a sketch of himself on his first day at the company.

The former additionally placed an illustration on each of the audience’s seats reminding them, “The beat goes on”, while the latter left small cards for guests, inscribed with Lagerfeld’s signature and the date of his passing. Both were apt acknowledgments of a designer who was famously anti-sentimental and preoccupied with the future, rather than ever slipping into nostalgia. “Things start with me, they end with me,” Lagerfeld once told Suzy Menkes. “After that, the garbage can. I hate the idea of being heavily remembered.”

As per his own request, there was no public funeral after Lagerfeld died, only a private service in Nanterre. “The greatest tribute we can pay today is to continue to follow the path he traced by – to quote Karl – ‘continuing to embrace the present and invent the future’,” Pavlovsky said about the wishes of his collaborator. Serge Brunschwig, Fendi chairman and CEO, reiterated this sense of moving forward, and declared that Lagerfeld had left the Fendi family, of which he was an honorary member, “an enormous heritage, an inexhaustible source of inspiration to continue”.

AmfAR Celebrates Karl Lagerfeld & David Bowie At “Heroes” Fashion Show

The annual Cannes amfAR catwalk show was in danger of being upstaged by the launch of H&M’s collaboration with Giambattista Valli. Five muses – Kendall Jenner, Chiara Ferragni, Bianca Brandolini, Chris Lee (Li Yuchun), H.E.R., and Ross Lynch – debuted five frothy red-carpet ready designs from the edit, which will go on sale to the masses on May 25, and infiltrated Instagram feeds the world over. Carine Roitfeld, who has been curating the gala fashion for seven years, was unperturbed. This year’s rock’n’roll-themed show, entitled “We Can Be Heroes”, was dedicated to two icons of hers: David Bowie and Karl Lagerfeld.

“Karl was always involved in the event, always attending, joining my table and making sure that any brand he was involved with, whether Chanel or Fendi, was always a big partner in the show and donated clothes,” said Roitfeld. “He can’t be with us this evening, but I think he would like what we’ve done because he was also a big fan of David Bowie.”


As well as securing new brand support for the gala – 2019 is the first time Hedi Slimane has been involved in the charity event – Roitfeld, who was dressed in Celine, enlisted fresh model talent. Alton Mason, the Jamaican-Ghanaian model who shot to fame after Virgil Abloh booked him to walk Louis Vuitton’s autumn/winter 2019 show, was signed up “because he’s got great energy and can dance with the girls.”

Others, including Winnie Harlow and Stella Maxwell, walked the runway wearing sequin-strewn pieces from Givenchy, Alexandre Vauthier and Tommy Hilfiger. “We’re not here just to have fun, we’re here as a collective with the goal to raise a million. Fashion cares,” Harlow said as the presentation drew to a close and the auction began. The largest donation during the evening – which was interjected by performances from Mariah Carey, Dua Lipa (who gave good gown in Valentino) and The Struts – was £882,000.

“AmfAR is the golden ticket, the place to pull out the show stoppers,” photographer Ellen von Unwerth said as Roitfeld succeeded at raising funds for the Foundation for AIDS Research yet again.

Giambattista Valli Is H&M's Latest Designer Collaboration

On Thursday May 23, H&M unveiled its 2019 designer collaboration at the amfAR gala in Cannes, and it's certainly the high street giant's most red-carpet worthy collection yet. The announcement of Giambattista Valli x H&M followed a few hours of speculation after eagle-eyed Instagram users spotted both brands had changed their profile images to the same heart logo earlier that day. With five designs, worn by five muses – Kendall Jenner, Chiara Ferragni, Bianca Brandolini, Chris Lee (Li Yuchun), H.E.R., and Ross Lynch – the glamorous annual amfAR soiree was the perfect backdrop to reveal the Swedish retailer's partnership with Giambattista Valli, the master of frothy gowns with extravagant trains and exquisite cocktail dresses.

For those less familiar with Valli's sumptuous creations, the Rome-born, Paris-based couture and ready-to-wear designer launched his eponymous brand in 2005, having previously worked for the Fendi family and as Creative Director at Emaunel Ungaro. In July 2011 he presented his first couture collection, accepted as an official member of the incredibly exclusive Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture.

The Giambattista Valli x H&M looks showcased on the Cannes red carpet will be available in 12 select H&M stores and hm.com from Saturday May 25 (the first time the collaboration has dropped almost immediately after the announcement) before the full collection hits stores and online on November 7th. Brace yourself for a stampede.

“H&M gives me the opportunity to bring my vision of style and my celebration of beauty to a wider audience. The goal is to share my love for beauty and to be able to be part of everyone’s 'happy moments', to help create love stories all around the world," Valli enthused.


“We are thrilled to collaborate with Giambattista Valli. He is the undisputed master of haute couture with a knack for the memorable silhouette," Ann-Sofie Johansson, Creative Advisor at H&M, added. "To be able to bring his signature styles to our customers is a dream come true. We can’t wait to see their reactions to this beautiful collection.”

The idea of a couture designer – renowned for his intricate, opulent creations – recreating his vision for the high street might sound problematic, but Valli's AW19 ready-to-wear collection could offer some indication of what to expect.

Including floral oversized blazers, weightless ruffled French country dresses, patchwork mini dresses and plumed heels, the designer's most recent ready-to-wear pieces, shown at Paris Fashion Week back in March, were modern, playful and ultimately very wearable. With price points around £100-£399, fabrics might not be as luxurious, but hopefully we can still expect those beautiful silhouettes.

Backstage at his spring/summer 2019 couture show in January, Valli told Vogue's Fashion Critic, Anders Christan Madsen: “The youngest haute couture customers all over the world, they’re mine!” Couture may be an elitist world, enjoyed by the wealthiest fashion consumers, but Valli's fans are some of the youngest in the category and his collaboration with H&M is about to tap into a considerably broader audience. "Go big or go home," he continued in January. "Even if it’s small it has to be full of embroidery. We sell a dream at the end of the day.” Now you, too, can buy into the couture dream.

Rihanna Unveils Her Groundbreaking Fenty Collection In Paris

It’s no secret that Rihanna marches to the beat of her own drum. At the pop-up store in Paris for a walk-through of Fenty, her debut ready-to-wear collection created in partnership with luxury conglomerate LVMH, she postponed the meeting by one hour, which then turned into a further two-hour delay before she eventually arrived more than three hours late. If this were any other designer, editors would be fuming, loudly staging a mass walk-out. Instead, they were happily shopping. When the fashion world’s harshest critics begin purchasing straight from the rails, it’s a sure sign that Rihanna has another hit on her hands.

The collection – two years in the making and priced from 200 Euros for a white, waist-cinched T-shirt up to around 1,100 Euros for a reversible parka – is a round-up of the kind of clothes Rihanna wanted to have in her own wardrobe but couldn’t find. “I often walk into stores and I’m like, ‘I love this, but I wish it was more like that, or in a different colour or in a different fabric’ – and now I get to do it,” she said, dressed in Fenty’s tailored white blazer-minidress hybrid. Highlights included strong-shouldered corseted trouser suits sold with matching bum-bags, mannish cotton shirting, and multi-pocketed oversized jackets in Japanese raw denim. “I love strong silhouettes, and for women to look confident, that’s what I want to achieve with this collection,” she said.

The debut extends, too, to accessories, from point-toe strappy sandals in zingy and neutral hues, to statement shield sunglasses, and bold architectural jewellery in polished gold with crystal pave. “I always had a love of fashion and style,” she explained, adding, “I loved everything my mum wore, from her make-up to her clothing...” I ask what her mum’s style was like. “Oh, she was bad ass. She wore a lot of oversized stuff but still very feminine, I just wanted to be her.”

Of course, this isn’t her first foray into fashion. The 31-year-old was creative director of women’s collections for Puma, and she has designed lingerie under the Savage x Fenty moniker. But this is her first experience of working in the luxury sector. “We’re using the best fabrics I’ve ever encountered; everything is so well made. We want the best quality and we want to make something that someone can have forever. I know what’s gone into the making of every single piece.” She’s tried and tested everything herself and says there is a big emphasis on fit. “I’m a curvy girl, if I can’t wear my stuff then it just won’t work. I need to see how it looks on my hips, on my thighs, on my stomach – does it look good on me or only on a fit model? It’s important.”


She’s also re-writing the way things are done at LVMH. Fenty represents the first major fashion brand that the conglomerate has founded from scratch – not to mention the first luxury fashion brand helmed by a black woman. And, by offering this collection as a direct-to-consumer retail model with new pieces arriving on a 6-8 week basis, she’s also changing up the fashion production schedule. The first instalment goes on sale on Fenty.com on May 29; the next instalment launches at the end of June.

“There is no six-month wait, you get it when you see it,” she said. “There’s no tease. You see it, love it, and want it and that’s because I’m like that, I want things right away – I see designers’ new season [products] and I’m like, ‘Look 11, I need that!’” She laughed. “It’s frustrating when you can’t buy straight away.” The retail strategy is a first for the luxury conglomerate. “I really appreciate that LVMH is flexible enough to allow me to have a different perspective on how I want to release things,” she said adding, “Mr. Arnault [Bernard Arnault, chairman and CEO, LVMH] is not an idiot, he’s a very smart man and he’s open.”

She hopes the customers will be open, too. “There is huge diversity in the collection, which you will see as the new pieces come out, because that’s my style,” she said. “I’m all over the place, in sweats one day and a dress the next.” She promises streetwear elements but executed in a luxurious way. Likewise, Rihanna hopes that men will shop from the collection, too. (British Vogue’s Editor-in-Chief, Edward Enninful, purchased the reversible tan and black parka for himself.) “I like to wear men’s clothes, I don’t like to say, ‘It’s a man’s thing or a woman’s thing.’ I hope men and women just wear it because they love it.”

With everything she’s achieved – eight critically acclaimed albums, 14 US No.1 singles, sell-out tours, nine Grammys, and the not so small matter of her ground-breaking, million-dollar Fenty Beauty line (and its 40 shades of foundation which literally turned the cosmetics world on its head) – does she still feel pressure to out-perform, to do better? “I feel pressure in everything, of course. I care to make it the best and present it in the best way, there is pressure every single second, I feel it… not like crumbling pressure,” she laughed, “but fearlessness is a façade.”

It’s clear Rihanna isn’t one to take stock of her successes and she doesn’t seem the reflective type. But you get the sense that she acknowledges the gravitas of this partnership with LVMH. “Personally, for me as an immigrant moving to America; that’s a big journey for me to even get here to Paris. And that’s something I celebrate and embrace,” she said. “I just want to make my boss proud,” she said, referring to Arnault. If the number of editors leaving here with Fenty purchases are any kind of signifier, that’s already a done deal.

Prada Is The Latest Fashion House To Go Fur-Free

Miuccia Prada has confirmed that no animal furs will be used in future Prada or Miu Miu collections

Prada has become the latest major fashion house to go fur free. As of September, (for their spring/summer 2020 collections) the luxury group, which includes Prada and Miu Miu, will no longer use animal fur in its products – although existing stock made before the new policy was put in place will continue to be sold.

“The Prada Group is committed to innovation and social responsibility, and our fur-free policy is an extension of that engagement,” said Miuccia Prada in an official statement today. “Focusing on innovative materials will allow the company to explore new boundaries of creative design, while meeting the demand for ethical products.”

The decision was reached following “positive dialogue” between the luxury group and the Fur Free Alliance, an international coalition of over 40 organisations – including Lega Anti Vivisezione (LAV) and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) – advocating for the protection of animals.


Joh Vinding, chairman of the Fur Free Alliance, applauded the Milanese group for the move: “The Prada Group now joins a growing list of fur-free brands that are responding to consumers’ changing attitudes towards animals.”

Fur Free Alliance programme manager Brigit Oele said the pledge shows “that this global movement is gaining momentum fast. It’s very unlikely that fur will ever return as an acceptable trend”.

Since the beginning of 2017 alone, Burberry, Versace, Gucci, Chanel, Coach, Donna Karan, Michael Kors, Jimmy Choo, Diane von Furstenberg, Columbia Sportswear, Farfetch, Yoox Net-a-Porter, Burlington, Timberland, The North Face, Furla and Bottega Veneta have all gone fur free. As did London Fashion Week.

Naomi Campbell Signs To A New Modelling Agency On Her 49th Birthday

Naomi Campbell is celebrating another landmark moment in her three decades-spanning career. On her 49th birthday, the Voguecontributing editor has signed to London-based modelling agency.

Campbell joins other iconic models Linda Evangelista and Twiggy on its books, as the agency marks it’s 50th anniversary this year. The move shows that modelling is still an important part of career, alongside her commitments to philanthropy, activism, acting and more.


Earlier this year, Campbell covered Vogue’s March issue. Shot by Steven Meisel, the cover photograph is up for auction at Phillips in London on May 23. Captured in a warehouse in Brooklyn, the entire shoot sees actor Kendrick Sampson playing the role of Campbell’s love interest – with a cameo from Campbell’s chauffeur – as it pays homage to her world. Yuka Yamaji, the co-director of photographs at Phillips, estimates it could sell within the region of £45,000.

Streetwear Is Moving Beyond The Counterculture That First Defined It, So What’s Next?

The sway of influencers and the weight fashion brands put on them for marketing has been widely discussed within the industry, but now the streetwear community has declared the social-media stars who generate sales through likes its least likely source of fashion inspiration.

In the first Streetwear Impact Report, published by Hypebeast in collaboration with Strategy&, the majority (65 per cent) of the 40,096 streetwear enthusiasts surveyed suggested that musicians are the most credible figures in streetwear, because they “demonstrate cultural influence outside of social media”. Fifty-two per cent vouched for industry insiders, whereas only 32 per cent elected influencers. Half of consumer respondents said that they would stop buying a brand due to inappropriate behaviour by a label representative, and two thirds reported the importance of brand activism.

When outlining the factors underlining brand value, 81 per cent indicated product quality and design; 63 per cent said label legacy; 48 per cent reported the creative director as a key factor; and 31 per cent suggested social media. The top brands consumers believe are emblematic of streetwear, including Supreme, Nike and BAPE, have been creating streetwear for decades. The only anomaly is Off-White, which was born in 2012, but Hypebeast cites founder Virgil Abloh’s roots in music and fashion as boosting the company’s credentials.

The report defines streetwear not as a trend within fashion but as a component within a culture shift that spans fashion, art and music. “Simply put, streetwear is fashionable casual clothes: T-shirts, hoodies and sneakers,” the report states, but the countercultures it was born out of – such as skate, surf, hip-hop and graffiti – make streetwear an antidote to, rather than a part of, mainstream fashion.


The anti-trend foundation of streetwear is backed by the fact two thirds of the consumers surveyed believe that a streetwear product will never go out of style. The group studied also reported spending five times more per month on streetwear than non-streetwear. This is, in part, because of the direct-to-consumer model that many streetwear labels adopt, where products can only be purchased directly from the brand during limited drops. Two thirds of industry respondents declared drops integral to the success of a brand due to the tight-knit relationship it builds with consumers, while half of streetwear shoppers said they would be more than willing to wait in line for a product release.

But as the wider fashion market tries to crack this cult-like formula, streetwear has become diluted. “In the early 1990s, we were all rooted in some sort of subculture,” Erik Brunetti, the designer of FUCT, told the New York Times in response to the study. “Versus brands today, they’re not really rooted in any sort of subculture. They just sort of appeared out of nowhere… It was a rebellion and now it’s become the opposite of rebellion. It’s become corporate, sanitised and pasteurised.”

Indeed, 70 per cent of today’s streetwear followers revealed they liked the category because it’s “cool”, but only 24 per cent believe in the community values behind the products. Breaking the statistics down regionally, 40 per cent of North American and European respondents (the demographics where streetwear originated) said that community had been key to their interest in streetwear, in comparison to 12 per cent of Asian respondents (the new market). Korean and Chinese consumers spent the most per month on streetwear, while Japanese customers reported the highest average spend per streetwear product.

On how streetwear will play out, Alexandre Arnault, CEO of Rimowa, who orchestrated the brand’s much-hyped collaboration with Supreme, highlighted the “danger” of luxury brands simply creating trainers and hoodies in an attempt to tap into market. “While I understand why many brands want to get access to streetwear, I feel like pure customers who like streetwear feel when it doesn’t feel right,” he said. Arnault praised Balenciaga and Louis Vuitton, under Nicolas Ghesquière, as luxury brands who have successfully segued streetwear into their offerings, but suggested other labels run the “risk of losing customers completely.” For streetwear to keep growing at the rate it has over the past five years, the market will have to continue to evolve. The concern for those at the heart of it is whether it will move further away from the core values that first defined it.

Agent Provocateur’s New Swimwear Collection Offers A Taste Of Ibiza

From its white beaches to sun-drenched coastline, it’s easy to see why Ibiza is a favourite holiday destination for travellers come summer. Is it any wonder, then, why Agent Provocateur’s latest swimwear collection takes inspiration from the bustling island?

Comprised of colourful bikinis and one-piece swimsuits, the brand’s Pleasure Patrol range – designed by creative director Sarah Shotton – exudes the high-energy vibes often associated with the Spanish hotspot. In partnership with Pikes Ibiza, the campaign sees the likes of Atlanta De Cadenet Taylor, Simran Randhawa, Tali Lennox and Elizabeth Jane Bishop, onboard a yacht in the middle of the ocean.


And it looks like the all-female campaign crew had a lot of fun shooting in paradise – with Atlanta De Cadenet Taylor taking to Instagram to share the excitement. “Had so much fun the last few days with this wonderful crew of ladies! Thanks for putting together such an incredible trip, @AgentProvocateur” she wrote, alongside an image of everyone. Leaving us asking: is it summer yet?

The collection is available to buy in-store and online at agentprovocateur.com, with prices starting from £95.

Why This Capsule Collection By Ralph Lauren Is One To Wear With Pride

With Pride fast approaching – the event kicks off in London on June 8 until July 6 – Ralph Lauren has launched a capsule collection, celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community. Having partnered with the Stonewall Community Foundation, the five-piece gender-neutral collection will donate profits to various LGBTQIA+ organisations across the world.

From freeskier and Olympic medalist Gus Kenworthy to ballet dancer Harper Watters and actor Patti Harrsion and model Jacob Bixenman, the campaign – which focuses on self-love and expression – features some well-known members of the community. Created for both adults and children, the collection sees the iconic Polo Pony reimagined in rainbow stripes. 


From a polo shirt to a hoodie, tote and baseball cap, the range comprises of several pieces of outerwear. 100 per cent of the profits from the graphic tee and 50 per cent of profits from all other items will be donated to the Stonewall Community Foundation.

Since the Stonewall riots in in New York City’s Greenwich Village in 1969, in which several members of the LGBTQIA+ community carried out a spate of demonstrations against a police raid, the day has since acted as a catalyst in shaping a new cultural awareness for a group, who up until then, were largely ostracised from society.

Elle Fanning On Why She Was, Is And Always Will Be The Ultimate Miu Miu Girl

Elle Fanning is arguably Miu Miu’s most Miu Miu girl. Since 2014, the actor has fronted ready-to-wear campaigns, worn bespoke and catwalk outfits to major events, was asked by Miuccia Prada to open the spring/summer 2019 show and now fronts the newest fragrance to join the family: Twist.

Putting the usual seductive visuals associated with fragrance campaigns aside, instead Fanning plays an actor seamlessly switching roles and creating puns surrounding Miu Miu in the visuals: Miu-tant, Miu-sic, the Miu-n and so on.

“In Twist there is a true story. There's a beginning to end that you follow this girl on, and things happen. It's not the ordinary sensual, pretty looking man and woman being used to lure us in,” Fanning explained to Vogue. “Normally, when you're thinking about perfume it can be just beauty shots. I'm glad that it has turned a corner and there's a real storyline and [I] get to express what the scent is, who is wearing it and who they're trying to get to wear it. So, I think it is a great thing.”

“I don't approach it too differently, but you do only have two days to film it, so you have to cram a lot in,” she explained of the differing approach to being in a feature-length film to a short fragrance video. “You're rushing around, you're changing your hair and outfits and it can end up being more spontaneous. I also had to learn a whole dance routine for it. There wasn't really a specific script that we had to stick to. It wasn't like a movie but a really amazing short film. We had these amazing sets that they built, and it was a huge production where we had sets that looked like the moon and space. I was surprised at how big it felt.”

The decision to become the face of Twist – a fun and flirty fragrance with notes of bergamot, apple blossom, cedarwood and bespoke pink amber accord available now – was entirely instinctive for Fanning, a homecoming of sorts. “My first campaign I did for Miu Miu was when I was 14. That was the first time I met Mrs Prada and since then I've become a part of the family. They have given me so many opportunities, but I had never done a major fragrance campaign for them before. It wasn’t even a question, just an automatic yes to go on another adventure together.”


Fanning’s love of Miu Miu stems from her adoration of Miuccia Prada and the world she creates. “Mrs Prada is someone who loves cinema and film and she creates very cinematic experiences. Everything she does is such an experience and is so detail orientated that it transports you to this specific place and world that she wants you to be in.”

It isn’t only Mrs Prada’s ability to conjure up an entire universe that has connected Fanning to the brand since her teen years. The clothes also link back to her own idiosyncratic style.

“I remember growing up, I would experiment with my fashion and at school I would be made fun of for it a little bit, just for being different and I still am that girl. Miu Miu is defiantly off beat and it is quirky in being feminine, but with an edge. She balances all the opposites at one time. [Mrs Prada] knows what girls want and what women want. Her shapes are just so amazing and quite actually boyish in the way that she cuts pieces like coats… but then they'll have something like a little chick on them. She keeps the fun. Mrs Prada doesn't take herself too seriously which is very important in art. Miu Miu is just the all-round perfect brand. I could wear all of it.”

Wearing fragrance is part of Elle’s daily routine. “It is definitely something that is part of my routine in the morning and then I'll probably redo and freshen up to go out at night. That's kind of how I wear it. It is so personal to you and your personality and what your preference is. I also really associate scent with memories too. It makes me nostalgic as I can remember certain scents for different times, and it take me back to that place. It is very special.”

In the future when Elle smells Twist, what memories will it invoke? “I think Miu Miu Twist will remind me of shooting the video and campaign. When I think of it, I think about wearing the really high ponytail and the dress. But who knows? Maybe one day I will be wearing Twist and something [big] will happen in my life… then I’ll remember that.”

Riccardo Tisci Unveils His All-Encompassing Vision For Burberry Resort

It’s a new dawn, a new day, a new story both for me and for Burberry,” smiled Riccardo Tisci of his Burberry debut late last year. “I want to sustain the heritage, but I also want to go with the time, with modernity.” What he has achieved in the eight months since he presented his first collection has been testament to the fact: British tradition (pussy bow blouses and beige skirt suits) positioned against new-gen attire (sports jackets and tracksuits). But where those categories have been formally segregated until now – referred to by the terms “ladies and gentlemen” versus “boys and girls” and, last season, with each given their own distinct showspaces – for his Resort collection, Tisci has begun to blur the divide.

So – octopus-print bodycon dresses are worn underneath old money faux furs; traditional Fairisle knits transformed into boyish shorts; the Gen Z staple, the bumbag, appears in ladylike printed snakeskin. In homage to Tisci's long-lauded spirit of inclusivity, there's the introduction of a rather brilliantly-conceived new print: a graffiti scribble which has evolved from the sanctioned scrawlings of customers which decorate one of the walls at the Bond Street flagship (it's writ large across everything from puffers to thigh-highs).

There are plenty of the accessories that he has already made desirable (it’s certainly an achievement to have created such appealing leather goods within such a short timeframe; the bread-and-butter of luxury fashion houses is traditionally found in a good handbag and he’s offering plenty), an abundance of the Thomas Burberry monogram, the codification of his key house styles (tailoring and corsetry alongside a wealth of beige outerwear). But, most importantly, there appears a more relaxed, integrated confidence to the world Tisci is presenting.


It is no small feat to overhaul a brand like Burberry - a publicly-owned company where every fluctuation can quickly become headline news, and which has become emblematic of British culture – but, 14 months after being announced its Chief Creative Officer, Tisci is clearly settling in. The strict delineation between the codes of dress he has fetishised is becoming more porous, more realistic, and more nuanced in its appeal. While there was no question that the perverse propriety he first presented was severely covetable – or that the slip dresses pierced with barbells, or the micro-mini leather skirts, have since become catnip for teenagers across the globe – it was something of a pastiche of a divided Britain.

Following a literally divided AW19 fashion show, where half of his audience sat in a bourgeois theatre and the rest in scaffolded brutalism, one journalist asked for an explanation as to the two-part staging. “The models walked through both,” shrugged Tisci. That feels like a astute point to make about the situation we’re experiencing right now: whatever state this country is going to end up in, we’re all going to have to struggle along in it (or out of it) together – the boys and the girls, the ladies and the gents. Now, the idea that we don't require such entirely separate wardrobes, or that we can borrow from each other and subvert the strata, seems to be seeping in, too.

But, besides the political messaging that is, of course, going to be applied to any house proclaiming a vision of Britishness in the current climate, Tisci is also evolving his wonderful world of eveningwear. This month’s Met Gala, the first chance for him to flex that muscle, showed that he’s as good on the red carpet as he’s ever been: that he can drape Irina Shayk in midnight blue velvet with ease, or deck Naomi Scott in crystal chainmail with dazzling effect. His slinky jersey gowns ought quickly find Burberry appealing to a new demographic, one likely immune to the crisis looming. Now, there are multiple reasons to feel jealous of that sort.

A First Look At Rihanna's Fenty Fashion Line With LVMH

The wait for the first glimpse of Rihanna's LVMH-backed fashion label – rumblings of which first emerged in January – is finally over. The new luxury Fenty maison, which will comprise ready-to-wear, shoes and accessories, will officially be unveiled in Paris later this week, but RiRi has given fans a first preview via a series of Instagram posts and a campaign video.

The verdict? Neutral tailoring in strong-shouldered, cinch-waisted silhouettes; sharply-cut denim, even sharper-toed sandals and bumper tinted sunglasses chocka with metallic hardware. Among the commenters were DJ Khaled – “Beautiful” – and Snoop Dogg – “Go RiRi, go RiRi”.

“Women are forces of this earth,” the bad gal said in a press release published shortly after the frenzy-inducing Insta posts. “We are multifaceted, complex, vulnerable yet bulletproof, and Fenty speaks to all of our intricacies. Some days I want to be submissive, many days I’m completely in charge and most days I feel like being both... so it was imperative that we created a line versatile enough to embrace and celebrate us in that way. The collections are easily worn together and meant to be staples in our wardrobe. I’m just hyped to see people in my clothes, man.”

Fenty will operate on a see-now, wear-now basis, with each new product release focused on a specific product designed to “express a new facet of a woman and her wardrobe,” according to LVMH. Products will be sold strictly via Fenty.com, but supported by “ephemeral boutiques”.

“Designing a line like this with LVMH is an incredibly special moment for us,” the entrepreneur said upon confirmation of the label, which sees Rihanna become the first woman to launch a brand with the luxury conglomerate (the group's first new house since Christian Lacroix in 1987) and the first woman of colour to helm an LVMH house. “Mr Arnault has given me a unique opportunity to develop a fashion house in the luxury sector, with no artistic limits. I couldn’t imagine a better partner both creatively and business-wise, and I’m ready for the world to see what we have built together”.


She added a personal message on Instagram, writing: “Big day for the culture. Thank you Mr Arnault for believing in this little girl from the left side of an island, and for giving me the opportunity to grow with you at @LVMH. This is proof that nothing is impossible. Glory be to God.”

“Everybody knows Rihanna as a wonderful singer, but through our partnership at Fenty Beauty, I discovered a true entrepreneur, a real CEO and a terrific leader," LVMH chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault reciprocated of the partnership. “To support Rihanna to start up the Fenty Maison, we have built a talented and multicultural team supported by the group resources. I am proud that LVMH is leading this venture and wish it will be a great success.”

On what she has learned from the latest expansion of her Fenty empire, Rihanna told T: “Everything was a collaboration, so I’ve plugged my DNA into theirs, but there was already a blueprint. I’m learning so much: about the tailoring, the fabric – I’m seeing fabrics that I’ve never seen in my life.” The aforementioned tailoring is crafted from a material called Weapon – “All the techniques are, like, ridiculous” – and is complemented by intricate boning – “I love a corset. We put a corset in a suit, a dress, a shirt, a denim jacket and a T-shirt dress.”

“I use myself as the muse,” she added of her creative process. “It’s sweatpants with pearls, or a masculine denim jacket with a corset. I feel like we live in a world where people are embracing every bit of who they are. Look at Jaden Smith, Childish Gambino. They dare you to tell them not to.”

It was in February that French accounting firm Ledouble showed that a venture – entitled Project Loud France after the popstar’s fifth album Loud – was firmly in motion. Transactions filed revealed that Rihanna had invested €29,988,000 worth of in-kind contributions to the business and Project Loud France, the majority shareholder controlled by LVMH, had pledged over €30 million into the brand. A document on the cash flow (€29,960,000 was deposited on December 20 2018, in addition to the initial equity of €40,000 which dates back to June 29 2017) was signed by Antoine Arnault on behalf of a company called LV Group. Rihanna is a 49.99 per cent shareholder in Project Loud France via her company Denim UK Holdings.

Calvin Klein’s InCKubator Scheme Marks A Complete Brand Reset

Since Raf Simons exited Calvin Klein in December, its parent company, PVH Corp, has been on a costly mission to backtrack from the brand identity shaped by its former creative director. The 205W39NYC collections line has been disbanded, the Manhattan flagship store shuttered and 100 staff members in New York and Milan let go during internal restructuring at an estimated cost of $240 million (£183 million).

The first major public-facing move from the leaderless label was its seasonal #MyCalvins campaign, featuring a roster of high-profile personalities, including Kendall Jenner, Billie Eilish and Shawn Mendes. The final instalment features Bella Hadid sharing a kiss with model avatar and CGI influencer Lil Miquela. The video and imagery were met with mixed reactions and Calvin Klein was subsequently accused of queerbaiting. Apologising to offended fans, the company said, “This specific campaign was created to challenge conventional norms and stereotypes in advertising… we explored the blurred lines between reality and imagination.”

“We understand and acknowledge how featuring someone who identifies as heterosexual in a same-sex kiss could be perceived as queerbaiting,” it continued. “As a company with a longstanding tradition of advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, it was certainly not our intention to misrepresent the LGBTQ+ community.”

The digital-first campaign is part of PVH Corp’s strategy to push Calvin Klein’s underwear and denim lines, which was outlined further in an internal memo shared by Marie Gulin-Merle, chief marketing officer, on May 17. To achieve the “halo effect” the company has previously outlined, Gulin-Merle announced the launch of a marketing group called InCKubator. The team of young, New York-based creatives will launch four to six consumer-specific initiatives each year to “challenge the status quo, push back and propose ideas that nobody has thought of,” said Gulin-Merle, according to Business of Fashion. “They know things that older executives do not know.” The InCKubator projects, which will encompass clothing, experiences and collaborations, will exist under a new Calvin Klein label that will be premiered in September.


There isn’t a pre-definition or preconceived recipe,” explained Gulin-Merle of the fluid nature of InCKubator, which will evolve in tune with customer feedback. “I think the brand is at its best when it connects with culture, and one of InCKubator’s functions is to connect with culture through these communities – not just culture at large, or what we think we know from 205 West 39th Street [Calvin Klein’s Manhattan headquarters].”

The InCKubator scheme has its own design team in place, but the brand is still looking for a creative director, whose role, Gulin-Merle explained, will be different to the one Simons undertook for two years. “There used to be a series of tactics that had become the thing: a show, a collection, some must-have items,” she said. “I’m not saying all this is going away, I’m saying that the new world we live in has offered brands a whole new palette… The old playbook has to be reinvented. We don’t want to use any of the old recipes.”

Although Gulin-Merle’s note signifies a new consumer-first mindset, after Simons’s high-fashion brand concept alienated Calvin Klein’s mass audience, the model is similar to that of fellow PVH-owned company Tommy Hilfiger. See-now, buy-now collaborations with Gigi Hadid and subsequently Zendaya encouraged the “halo effect” desired by Calvin Klein, whereby Tommy Hilfiger’s audience responded favourably to the products owing to the experiential launches and publicity surrounding them. After Calvin Klein’s punt to engage with a younger audience failed with Lil Miquela, who will InCKubator call upon to drive a new dawn?

A Dedicated Sies Marjan Menswear Collection Is Coming

It’s official: Sies Marjan will host its first dedicated menswear show in Paris this June. “We are eager to continue the evolution of this category, which has been a success since its launch,” designer Sander Lak exclusively tells Vogue. “I am confident that now is the time for Sies Marjan to debut a men’s show.”

Now seven seasons in, Sies Marjan has become an international success and New York Fashion Week highlight thanks to Lak’s bold use of colour, innovative textures and easy silhouettes. “Menswear comes naturally to me, as I was originally trained as a menswear designer, so it feels like I’m going back to my roots,” says Lak.


To date, his menswear pieces have been woven into the women’s ready-to-wear shows, but the demand was such that the Dutch designer launched a capsule menswear collection for AW18. June’s show will be Lak’s first dedicated menswear show and his debut at Paris.

A number of looks will be available to purchase immediately following the show, with further styles landing in store in November. Prior to launching his own brand in 2016, Lak – a Central Saint Martins graduate – cut his teeth at Dries Van Noten in Antwerp, Balmain in Paris and Phillip Lim in New York.

Louis Vuitton To Launch First Blockchain To Help Authenticate Luxury Goods

Kering might be forging ahead in the sustainability stakes owing to a series of new pledges made this week, but rival French conglomerate LVMH is making serious waves in the technology sphere. The parent company, which owns Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Celine and Givenchy, is launching the first global blockchain to help consumers trace the provenance and authenticity of luxury products.

Developed in partnership with Microsoft and technology company ConsenSys, the Aura platform will track the life cycle of an item to provide proof of origin and prevent counterfeits. “The benefits for customers are increased transparency and enhanced ethical products,” LVMH said in a statement declaring that the service would be open to all luxury brands, with all data remaining confidential.


Louis Vuitton will be the first brand to demonstrate how the technology will facilitate customer engagement in stores. “Every step of the item’s life cycle is registered, enabling a new and transparent storytelling,” the group said. A product’s timeline – from raw materials to the manipulation of them through dyeing, weaving and tanning, manufacturing and shipping – will become part of the sales conversation as the discerning consumer tunes in to the sustainability conversation.

Aside from this, secure digital identities for luxury goods are crucial as the resale market grows and counterfeit culture persists. Blockchain will prevent data leakage and allow consumers to protect their own data. In an era where cybersecurity poses an ever-growing concern, blockchain might sound like a nebulous concept, but it will become a necessity.

Victoria Beckham’s New Graffiti Tee Is Inspired By School Leavers’ Shirts

Victoria Beckham has let her guard down in recent seasons. From the launch of her YouTube channel, where she has become quite the beauty vlogger, to her first collection with a narrative, which presented glimpses into the films and cultural figures that make up her personal interests, the designer’s door has seemingly been propped open.

Nowhere is this more obvious than on Beckham’s Instagram, where every lookbook shot, family home video and gym selfie is dutifully signed off with “Kisses VB”. This personal signature was the starting point of her latest product launch: the VB Graffiti Tee. Side note: It’s less street-art than it might first sound – more delicate Beckham-style doodling.


Messages including “Kiss, kiss, ciao, ciao”, “Big love”, “Bon voyage” and “Miss you!” are scrawled across the body in a graphic, chaotic way designed to emulate school leavers’ shirts. “I don’t remember exactly what was written on my school shirt – it was a while ago! – but I love that it’s still an expressive rite of passage, even now in the digital age,” Beckham told Vogue. “This tee is inspired by that idea and includes the sort of messages that I’ve written to friends and family over the years, including my ‘Kisses VB’ sign off.”

Of course the fun, one-off product launch – which, like her previous “Fashion Stole My Smile” T-shirts, is designed to give her audience a more accessible entry point into her brand – is not at all off-the-cuff, but underlined by detail. The product itself is the classic and perfectly cut Victoria Tee that Beckham wore to take a bow after her spring/summer 2018 show (pictured above). Amidst the messages sits an embroidered mimosa flower, a symbol of International Women’s Day. Beckham might have loosened the reins, but she’s a stickler for the small touches.

Friday, May 17, 2019

The 10 Commandments Of New Consumerism

For decades, a brand’s only priority was to create the best possible product at the most competitive price to ensure sales. But as consumers develop a more comprehensive understanding of issues like sustainability, authenticity and transparency, brands and retailers are being forced to change the way they sell in order to survive.

This change in consumers’ attitudes has a term — “new consumerism” — coined by research firm Euromonitor. “[Its] about today’s consumers reassessing their priorities and increasingly asking themselves what they truly value,” says Sarah Boumphrey, Euromonitor’s global lead of economies and consumers. “[And] conscious consumption replacing the conspicuous consumption of yesteryear.”

As customers reassess their priorities and question what they truly value, BoF outlines the 10 factors that define new consumerism, and what this change in shopping habits could mean for fashion brands and retailers.

1. Provide Transparency Into Your Business Practices

The modern consumer’s knowledge of environmental issues and working conditions means they respond to transparent business practices. Reformation, a Los Angeles-based label, takes pride in the sustainability of its vintage-inspired designs.

Transparency is now more of an expectation than an option, says Reformation founder Yael Aflalo. “I think that the millennial generation is really starting to push the boundaries of traditional fashion retail and driving demand for honesty and transparency for the products they purchase,” she says.

Revealing information about business practices allows companies like Reformation to engage with customers in a new way, opening a dialogue and creating a different, more honest brand experience, a far cry from global conglomerates that have traditionally kept such information under wraps.

2. Demonstrate Authentic Brand Values

Brands need to demonstrate a level of authenticity by offering products that are in keeping with the company history and culture. “We think this very much coincides with the rise of experience economy. As life becomes a paid-for experience, people increasingly question what is real and what is not,” says Joseph Pine, author of “The Experience Economy,” which explores the next phase of consumerism after the service economy.

This can be seen at brands like Burberry, which sticks very closely to its values of British heritage and craftsmanship, and its core product of trench coats and scarves. “Increasingly [consumers] don’t want to pay for something fake, they want the real from the genuine. And so authenticity is really the new consumer sensibility,” says Pine. “It is the primary buying criteria by which people choose who to buy from and what to buy.”

3. Create Sustainable Processes

A demand for more sustainable materials and production methods is a key hallmark of new consumerism, according to Euromonitor, and one that inspired Aflalo to set up Reformation four years ago.

“Our customers respond very positively to our sustainability efforts, and help motivate and drive us to keep doing better,” says Aflalo. “Some are incredibly passionate, and want to be informed — they want to know all of the details of our supply chain and operations, and really do a deep-dive.”

UK-based fashion label People Tree says it aims to be 100 percent Fair Trade throughout its supply chain. The company does this by purchasing Fair Trade products and materials from suppliers in the developing world. It also makes efforts to protect the environment and use natural resources sustainably.

4. Invest in Retail Technology

Rapid developments in technology have raised consumers’ expectations online. A shopper now demands a high level of service, speed and a unique experience with just one swipe of a finger.

“People expect some brands to be there at the touch of their fingers. Brands that they really care about, brands that they want a relationship with, those are the ones that are basically in their queue,” says Pine. “That they want to be there so that at a moment’s notice they can call them into speed and say, ‘Ok, provide me with what I need.’”

On the flip side, a brand might be marginalised by consumers if it doesn’t adapt its business model to include web, mobile and social retail.

5. Help Customers Achieve Personal Goals

Helping consumers achieve their health and wellbeing goals is another strategy that brands are implementing in line with new consumerism.

By staging experiences that help people become fitter or more mindful, a brand can become a key element in helping consumers reach their goals.

Nike, the world’s largest sportswear maker in terms of revenue, regularly stages local customer experiences like running clubs. “[Consumers] want to be healthier, they want to have a more satisfying life, they want to have a happier life, they want to have greater well-being and increasingly they look to companies to be able to help them achieve that,” says Pine.


6. Price Your Products Competitively


Constant discounting from retail brands has altered consumers’ attitudes towards value and consumption. In the age of new consumerism, the customer has come to expect a lower price.

Direct-to-consumer basics brand Everlane addresses this demand by sharing a breakdown of how much each product costs to manufacture, and what the mark-up would be if it had been sold at a third-party retailer.

“In order to save your money and your time for these experiences, you want to buy goods at the cheapest possible price,” says Pine. “You want that thrift and at the greatest possible convenience, so you are saving both money and time.”

7. Provide Efficient Services

The modern consumer is faced with endless choices, so products and services that help save them time have become more appealing. “Buying time is increasingly an option for today’s consumers,” says Euromonitor’s Sarah Boumphrey. “This is about more than just convenience, but increasingly about outsourcing tasks. Time has become a luxury in today’s connected world.”

US start-up Stitchfix, for example, aims to replace clothes shopping for the time-poor. Customers fill out a style profile, from which an algorithm and stylists choose and mail out a selection of items on a regular basis.

8. Deliver Experiences to Drive Sales

The rise in online retail means that retailers must work harder than ever to get shoppers into brick-and-mortar stores. Events and the creation of experiences have become crucial tools in helping brands connect with customers on a deeper level.

“Today we are in an experience economy,” says Pine. “Experiences are memorable [and] engage each individual in an inherently personal way and that’s what people desire today.”

This can be seen throughout the fashion industry, from British Vogue’s annual festival, which brings the magazine to life for readers, to Burberry, which capitalised on the press momentum from its recent London Fashion Week show by opening its Maker’s House venue up to the public and staging talks and workshops that relate to its new “see now, buy now” collection.

9. Embrace the Sharing Economy

The rapid growth of US fashion rental service Rent the Runway — which launched in 2009 and now has 5.5 million members — is clear evidence of the way new consumers have embraced temporary ownership.

“This is all about supply and demand and connecting people and businesses with the resources to those that want them,” says Boumphrey. “It removes market inefficiencies, empowers consumers and has disrupted or has the potential to disrupt, a wide range of sectors.”

Indeed, as more consumers become accustomed to the idea of sharing goods, the desire to actually own items may dampen demand for luxury trend-led fashion items.

10. Recognise Customers' Individuality

The rise in personalisation services speaks to the demand for products that help express one’s individuality. From monogrammed leather and denim at the likes of J. Crew and Madewell to Edie Parker’s personalised clutches and customers’ own quotes stitched across Poolside Bags’ wicker totes, the new consumer is eagerly seeking opportunities to put their own stamp on a product.

“We want to belong to one of more tribes, in which we feel like — yeah this is what we are about, that’s part of our identity. But yet we also want to recognise our own uniqueness” says Pine. “That is key for companies to understand.”

You Can Now Exchange Your Old Designer Handbags For Farfetch Credit

Farfetch is dipping a toe in the resale pool. Its new “Second Life” service offers customers the opportunity to trade old designer handbags for Farfetch credit. Twenty-seven brands, including Gucci, Balenciaga, Celine, Chanel, Dior and Chloé, can currently be swapped in the UK and European markets via a simple process of uploading pictures of the unwanted products. Farfetch, who will work behind the scenes with Hong Kong-based vintage specialist Upteam will respond to images of the accessories within two business days to share the customer’s credit score before a free collection can be organised.

“Once the bag has been authenticated customers will get that value up front,” Tom Berry, global director of sustainable business at Farfetch, tells Vogue. “They don’t have to wait until it sells to redeem the value.” Why the generosity? “We gain because those customers have an incentive to come back and shop on Farfetch again. It’s partly a customer retention scheme, but it also gives us a way of learning about the resale market.”

Indeed, luxury companies – bar green-minded ones such as Stella McCartney and Reformation – might have largely steered clear of resale due to concerns of brand dilution, but it is becoming an integral part of the sustainability conversation. “Looking at different business models is equally important as addressing and reducing our direct impacts and enabling and inspiring consumers to buy better products through Farfetch,” agrees Berry.


The initiative is part of Farfetch’s wider plans to “help inspire and enable consumers to buy more sustainable products more easily”, he continues. Farfetch already offers a selection of vintage merchandise, it is examining opportunities in rental and repair, and is making moves to reduce the huge carbon footprint that comes with shipping to and from boutiques all over the globe. “We have a packaging incentive in place to ensure that our boutiques use the right sized, FSC-certified packaging so they ship less air,” Berry comments. “But, we’re looking at different distribution models to ship more in bulk to different centres around the world, before shipping from those. We know it’s an area we need to work on.”

For now, he hopes the joy of trading something old for something new will raise awareness of the company's pledge to do more. “I do believe that people are looking for brands that can tell positive stories about the social impact of their business models,” he continues. Your new purchase is just a photo upload away.

Nike Taps Marine Serre And Yoon Ahn For New Collection Inspired By The Women's World Cup

Nike has enlisted four female stalwarts of streetwear – Ambush’s Yoon Ahn, Koché’s Christelle Kocher, MadeMe’s Erin Magee and Marine Serre – to create a new lifestyle collection in time for the Women’s World Cup 2019 (7 June to 7 July).

“We wanted to leverage the World Cup, a moment we believe will be a tipping point for women’s sport, to engage our ever-expanding global community of partners from the fashion, design and culture space in supporting and elevating female athlete voices and sports moments,” VP and GM of Nike Women Rosemary St. Clair exclusively tells Vogue. “Together, this collective represents a voice and spirit for the next generation of athletes.”

Due to be unveiled in the coming weeks, the football-inspired lifestyle collection follows in the footsteps of another female-first launch earlier this year. In March, Nike revealed the uniforms designed for 14 of the 24 competing nations in the international football competition; created not as derivatives of the men’s kits, but specifically for the women wearing it. “We believe in the power of sport to move the world forward, break down barriers, bring people together, and inspire action,” says St. Clair.


Speaking to Vogue, the designers involved all reference the importance of accessibility, inclusivity and the need for garments to be as empowering as they are functional and stylish. “It’s true to sport and function,” says Magee of her designs. “This is the first time MadeMe has ever designed piece that can be worn at the highest level of play.” LVMH Prize winner Serre adds: “The functionality of the garment makes it a performance piece, but it also looks good.”

Sewn into each jersey, the Nike design team worked with each collaborator to include what St. Clair calls “individual messages of positivity”. She explains: “It’s a small gesture of empowerment and a commitment to be a part of something bigger.” Ahn’s Nike x Ambush jersey, for example, reads: ‘Make each game your masterpiece’.

Off-White’s Virgil Abloh and Sacai’s Chitose Abe have previously teamed up with Nike to create running-inspired collections, the latest instalment of which will be unveiled later this summer. “I want the girls who wear these pieces to feel powerful and confident,” says Kocher. “Sports and fashion can have the same magic power: to make people feel stronger. I hope these pieces will help women to perform and have fun on playgrounds and in life.”

S Alexa Chung Has Designed A £25 T-Shirt To Help The Stop The War On Children Campaign

Alexa Chung is enjoying a collaborative spirit of late. Shortly after news emerged that Derek Blasberg had recruited the designer to join his YouTube fashion and beauty empire, Poppy Delevingne put her longtime party pal forward for a philanthropic project. The duo has collaborated on a line of T-shirts to celebrate Save The Children’s 100-year anniversary and the launch of the charity’s Stop the War on Children campaign.

“Having visited many Save The Children programmes over the past four years, I’ve met with some of the most inspiring and amazing children who, despite adversity and conflict, have not only survived to tell their stories but are now thriving and full of hope for a better future,” Delevingne said about her ambassadorial role. “It’s because of these children and their daily fight that Alexa and I wanted to create something that would help make a change and encourage people to do something good.”

The T-shirts – which have been made by Teemill, a manufacturer that only uses traceable GOTS-certified organic cotton and plastic-free packaging – come in navy, white and a limited-edition run of canary yellow, and feature an illustration of a crescent moon face alongside the words “The Future is Now”. “To me [the moon] symbolises children’s dreams, hopes and the promise of a new day,” Chung explained. “Sadly, not all children have the chance to enjoy such innocent childhoods as millions are battling through conflicts started by adults. But they should, and we need to fight for their futures and help them fulfil their potential by ensuring all children are off limits in war.” Thirty per cent of the profits generated from the Tees, which cost £25 and £15 for the children’s versions, will go directly to Save the Children.


To generate noise around the product launch, Delevingne enlisted shoe designer Tabitha Simmons to style her, Gucci Westman to beautify her and Cass Bird to art direct and photograph the campaign. Will Chung share the design process on her bona fide video channel? “We're going to be sharing behind-the-scenes content from my fashion line, but additionally you can expect tutorials, city guides, interviews with heroes of mine, and a mixed bag of all things I like,” she told Vogue about what to expect from her turn as vlogger. Why should we tune in? “Why not?” she replied in typical self-deprecating fashion.

When it comes to her friend’s charity efforts, she is anything but playful, however. “The children’s future, our future, starts now. Please join us and help raise vital funds for Save the Children.”

Kering To Unite Sustainability Leaders Who Will Put Themselves In An “Uncomfortable Situation”

Kering made headlines on April 15 when François-Henri Pinault, chairman and CEO of the luxury conglomerate that holds Gucci, Alexander McQueen and Balenciaga within its stable, pledged €100 million to the Notre-Dame restoration efforts. Now, French President Emmanuel Macron has called on Pinault to use his influence again.

Ahead of the G7 summit in Biarritz this August, the chief executive has been tasked with unifying a group of brands to set sustainability goals to reduce the industry’s negative impact on climate, biodiversity and the oceans. “We have to work collectively,” Pinault told the Copenhagen Fashion Summit this week. “It’s about a few leaders who will accept to put themselves in an uncomfortable situation to force themselves to move.”

“The mandate is really to move the sector,” added Marie-Claire Daveu, Kering's chief sustainability officer. “The G7 is a starting point.” Indeed, Kering, which also owns Saint Laurent and Bottega Veneta, shared its goal to cut carbon emissions by 50 per cent and its overall environmental impact by 40 per cent by 2025 with the summit in order to lead by example.


Additional internal targets, such as a push for stricter animal welfare standards in Kering’s supply chain for leather and cashmere products, have been instated. A commitment to only hiring people over the age of 18 has also been put in place to protect model welfare. In 2017, it published a charter in collaboration with LVMH which stated it would no longer represent young persons under the age of 16. The new age restriction will be enforced in early 2020.

“I’m trying to convince peers that we don’t have the solutions, but let’s commit and try to move in the same direction,” Pinault told the audience in Copenhagen.

Tilda Swinton And Julianne Moore Bring Understated Elegance To The First Night Of Cannes 2019

After the Met Gala comes Cannes. The film festival, which is in its 72nd year, never fails to attract the biggest names in Hollywood to the French Riviera, and the first night kicked things off in style as the stars assembled to celebrate international offerings in film over the next 10 days.

First up, Chloë Sevigny and Tilda Swinton walked the red carpet for the premiere of The Dead Don’t Die. Swinton, never one to opt for the "safe" ensemble, wore a custom Haider Ackermann silver sequinned column dress. The actor paired the armour-like look, which was inspired by the brand’s autumn/winter 2019 collection, with nude heels.


Sevigny – who, like Swinton refuses to follow the crowd – opted for a custom corseted Mugler gown, completing the outfit with long black gloves that made for a modern take on an old Hollywood look. Earlier in the day, she appeared in a cool pinstriped two-piece by the brand, too. Other celebrities – including Selena Gomez and Bill Murray – also took to the red carpet to showcase their new horror film which is due to hit UK cinemas on July 12.

Julianne Moore, meanwhile, fused understated elegance with a dose of glamour in Cannes. The actor, who appears in After The Wedding with Michelle Williams, wore an emerald green Christian Dior Haute Couture gown. Paired with Chopard jewels, the shoulder-skimming look served as a bold colour choice compared with other outfits showcased throughout the evening. One thing’s clear: the glamour of Cannes has arrived.

Gigi Hadid Fronts Burberry Campaign For First Ever Monogram Collection

Gigi Hadid can lean into any look. Is it any wonder, then, that Burberry has tapped the model to transform into several characters in its campaign for its first-ever monogram collection? Morphing into "the boy", "the gentleman", "the girl" and "the lady", the four distinct characters celebrated by the fashion house.

Photographed by Nick Knight and designed by Riccardo Tisci in collaboration with British artist Peter Saville, Hadid showcases the brand’s interlocking TB initials across an array of pieces – from bomber jackets to tote bags and trainers. “I have always loved and respected Riccardo’s work, and I feel so honoured and grateful that he trusted me with this project,” Hadid said. “My first Burberry show was my first time working with Riccardo, and the timing just felt perfect. It gave us our first opportunity to really get to know each other. The second I heard the creatives for this shoot, I understood how I wanted to bring that to life and show different sides of myself through each character.”


The distinctive monogram was first showcased in 2018 after Tisci discovered a selection of 20th century Burberry logo motifs in the house’s archive. “When I first started at Burberry, I spent a lot of time in the archives researching the rich history of the house,” Tisci explained. “I quickly became very interested in Thomas Burberry and who he was not only as an inventor and innovator, but also who he was as a man, a husband and a father. When I saw an image of his initials, the design felt so special and actually very modern, so I quickly developed it into a new code for the house. It’s a symbol that not only embraces Burberry’s heritage but also feels very contemporary.”

Ariana Grande Is The New Face Of Givenchy

Ariana Grande is the new face of Givenchy. Following Instagram posts from Ariana, Givenchy's official account and creative director Claire Waight Keller, the fashion house has confirmed that the superstar will front the autumn/winter 2019 campaign, unveiled in July.

"I am so proud to be the new face of Givenchy," Grande said in a statement. "It is a house I have forever admired and to now be part of that family is such an honour. I love this clothing and the confidence and joy it brings to the people wearing it. Not only is the clothing timeless and beautiful but I'm proud to work with a brand that makes people feel celebrated for who they are, and unapologetic about whatever they want to be.”


The French fashion house has a long history of collaborating with the world's biggest celebrities. Founder Hubert de Givenchy was responsible for many of Audrey Hepburn's most famous looks, and recently Waight Keller created the Duchess of Sussex's wedding gown. In the footage that has been released as a teaser, Ariana's signature top-tier ponytail steals the show while she wears a dress reminiscent of an archive design favoured by Hepburn and a pearl headband.

Currently in the middle of a mega world tour, Ariana's side-hustle also made headlines last month when a trademark for "Thank U, Next" beauty products was submitted. Previously, Ariana has worked with a number of brands including Lipsy, Guess, MAC and Reebok, while also releasing a line of perfumes under her own name. With such a major brand announcement imminent, the Met Gala earlier this week could have been the perfect opportunity for Givenchy to unveil the collaboration with Ariana Grande, however the global superstar was notably absent. Instead Waight Keller attended the event with actor Gal Gadot and tennis player Maria Sharapova.