Beauty

Disney to Rebekah Brooks’ rescue

June 22, 2012 3:41 pm by Vanessa Friedman

Let’s be honest: Rebekah Brooks, ex-CEO of News International UK brought down by the phone hacking scandal, does not have a great image – and I’m not just talking about her executive style. The riot of red hair with which she is closely associated, combined with her tendency to wear black, landed her on the cover of Private Eye recently with the title, “Salem Witch Trial”. But today a new movie bowed, to pretty rapturous reviews, that may do a surprising amount to change perception. Read more

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Posted in Beauty |
From FT.com April 28, 2012

Recently, a woman in the midst of a career change came to see me. This former banker, who took time off to get married and have children, was on the verge of beginning a new life in the high-end fragrance business. Her launch product is a limited edition perfume called “Tiara” that will sell for $1,200 and features particularly glitzy packaging: nestling inside a white resin box is a glass vial shaped like a cupcake, “crowned” by a special silvery top studded with sapphire blue Swarovski ovals. The look was, she said, inspired by the late Princess Diana’s engagement ring, as now worn by the Duchess of Cambridge. Read more

Posted in Beauty, Couture, Fashion, Jewellery, Luxury goods, Marketing, Royal wedding, Womenswear |

Introducing Apple perfume

April 18, 2012 3:29 pm by Vanessa Friedman

And so Apple is getting the final ingredient in the arsenal of a luxury brand: a fragrance. Admittedly, it wasn’t developed by the company itself; it was commissioned from a scent manufacturer called Air Aroma by an Australian art collective called Greatest Hits as part of a gallery installation. Still, it pretty much confirms what we already knew about that brand: that it has transcended tech to become part of an individual’s socio-political identity — and hence open to artistic commentary. Now, what’s Apple going to do about it? After all, it may sound conceptual, but I think it has quite powerful real-world applications.  Read more

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Posted in Beauty, Internet, Marketing |

The politics of Hillary Clinton’s hair

April 13, 2012 4:07 pm by Vanessa Friedman

In a week of big American political news, from Rick Santorum’s campaign “suspension” to the furore over a comment from a democratic strategist over Ann Romney’s stay-at-home Mom-dom, one piece of new has, at least on-line, almost trumped them all: the bombshell revelation, in a piece in American Elle, that Hillary Clinton’s staff is secretly horrified at her penchant for hair scrunchies. If anyone wants to debate whether or not appearance matters when it comes to politics, I think the viral reaction to this information, which was buried in a much longer, non-fashion profile, pretty much answers the question.
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Posted in Accessories, Beauty, Politics |
From FT.com March 30, 2012

Years in fashion have taught me never to use the phrase “You can’t be serious”. I’ve learned, for example, that saying, “Patrick Thomas, chief executive of Hermès, you can’t seriously expect someone to buy that €1.5m diamond-covered gold handbag?” will prompt both a pleased grin and the perplexed response, “Yes, of course, why not?” And I’ve learnt that noting how all the models in a catwalk show have been reimagined as birds and transformed with moulded headpieces, and how the designer can’t be serious about expecting any woman to wear that, only means that said look is more than likely to appear on Rihanna a few weeks later. Read more

Posted in Beauty, Fashion, Hollywood |

Mila Kunis sells handbags to grown-ups — and other luxury fables

January 5, 2012 4:06 pm by Vanessa Friedman

The freezing winter winds are now upon us, which means fashion’s spring/summer ad campaigns are about to launch, and the excited sneak peek emails have been coming thick and fast. The most recent comes from the house of Dior, who have signed Mila Kunis, the 28 year old actress from Black Swan, as their new “face.” Here’s my first reaction (and I liked her as an actress): groan.

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Posted in Beauty, Fashion, Hollywood, Marketing, Womenswear |

Burberry releases single

October 10, 2011 10:54 am by Vanessa Friedman

Today, I have learnt an important lesson: when it comes to fashion, last week’s inside joke is this week’s exciting new initiative. After all, there I was a few days ago, giggling with a friend about the Kanye West show, saying “Why did he want to start a fashion line? He’s just a great singer; it would be like Karl Lagerfeld wanting to be a rapper”, when, lo and behold, the information arrives: Burberry is releasing a single: “Rose Unplugged at Abbey Road for Burberry.”

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Posted in Beauty, Internet, Luxury goods, Marketing, Womenswear |

Estée Lauder’s web success

September 27, 2011 11:07 pm by Vanessa Friedman

In the “can’t-see-the-forest-for-the-giant-branded-oak-tree” category I would like to nominate all luxury industry watchers (myself included), who have been so distracted by Burberry’s public assumption of tech-God status, recently met by Gucci, that they have TOTALLY OVERLOOKED the real challenger to both those thrones: Estee Lauder.

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Posted in Beauty, Internet, Luxury goods |
From FT.com August 26, 2011

As summer draws to a close (wah!) and September looms, with all its related back-to-school and back-to-work associations, I have a prediction to make for those who may still be at the beach/in the woods (yours truly) but are nonetheless getting a jump on things and readying themselves mentally and organisationally for The Return: this will be the autumn of Elizabeth Taylor. Read more

Posted in Beauty, Fashion, Hollywood |

Luxury goods get cheaper in China

June 21, 2011 9:32 am by Vanessa Friedman

In the wake of the Prada IPO, where some investors balked at having to pay Italian taxes on their share purchases, according to Guangzhou Daily the government has announced plans to cut their taxes on luxury imports to the mainland by 2-15%. Brands all over Europe must be celebrating. Ooooooh the possibilities! The mind boggles.

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Posted in Beauty, China, Luxury goods |
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