Tag: Stella McCartney

What high-end brands do those unpredictable but desirable, virtually-enabled, live-life-on-Facebook twentysomethings like? This is a question that obsesses luxury — after all, some chunk of said twentysomethings will become the luxury purchasers of the future, and knowing what they respond to is one of the great challenges of today, and potential cash cows of tomorrow.

The other day I had an experience that gave me some clues as to the possible answers. And it’s not what you (OK, I) might expect.

Today PPR, the French luxury group, owner of Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and Puma brands, came out and did two things that I don’t think any other luxury brand has done so far: publicly put its money where its mouth is. It officially committed to environmental goals to reach by 2016 – announcing them for all to see (and measure, and wave critically in the air if the company fails to fulfill them), and it invested in a carbon off-shoot company, taking a 5% stake in Wildlife Works Carbon, with a seat on the management committee.

It all sounds great, but what does it really mean?

There’s been a bit of a hoo-ha over the past few days in NYC over a video Stella McCartney made for People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals. In it, she tries to convince fashionistas, in town for the ready-to-wear shows (which start on Thursday) that buying leather is bad: for them, the environment and the cows.

Interestingly, the kerfuffle has to do with consumer access, rather than with the politics of the spot, or the graphic nature of the video and how leather manufacturers may, or may not, kill the cows.

Stella McCarthy Greene Street opening

The opening of Stella McCarthy's Greene Street store was a small, glamourous event

Last night Stella McCartney launched her pre-fall collection as well as a new New York store in SoHo at 112 Greene street — a bigger, more glamourous version of her former 14th street store — with a small, glamourous event: 50 or so people for dinner in the store at a long table with giant ice sculptures of the Empire State building on an island in the centre, surrounded by a river around which little vegetarian dishes floated. They had been “curated” by chef Mario Batali, which I guess means chosen, although it wasn’t entirely clear.

Gallery-owner Tony Shafrazi gave a toast extolling the store’s address as the home of various artists and musicians, and Ms McCartney laughingly apologised for turning the storied space into a “mere store” filled with shoes and bags and dresses. It was all very chic.

Who is fashion week for?

The fact that this is a pressing question has suddenly become as clear as the plaid on a kilt thanks to British Vogue’s website, which today launched a new initiative: “Online Fashion Week.”

And what, you may ask, is “Online Fashion Week”?

It’s a B2C five-day event where designers offer special sales and products, show certain collections (christmas, pre-fall, spring/summer), and engage in “Twitter takeovers” by posting on the microblog site 24/7, the better to reach their consumers in the holiday shopping period. It is not particularly limited to UK designers (Chanel and Christian Louboutin are participating), though it is UK-heavy.

It is, in other words, a lot more like that after-hours shopping extravaganza, Fashion’s Night Out, than like what I consider the traditional NY/London/Milan/Paris Fashion Week, and it points to a growing schism in the fashion world.

Kate Hudson and Stella McCartney at the British Fashion Awards 2011. AP/Jonathan Short

Kate Hudson and Stella McCartney at the British Fashion Awards 2011. AP/Jonathan Short

The powers that be are spinning the British Fashion Awards (see report from my colleague Carola Long) as the triumph of the women – Victoria Beckham took home designer brand of the year; Stella McCartney, the red carpet award; Alexander McQueen’s Sarah Burton, designer of the year; Mary Katrantzou, emerging talent women’s wear; Charlotte Olympia, accessory designer of the year; Tabitha Simmons, emerging talent accessories – but as far as I am concerned the real stories are elsewhere.

I mean, let’s think about this for a moment.

Of the above, only one – Mary Katrantzou – shows in the UK (McCartney and McQueen show in Paris, and Victoria Beckham in NY; Tabitha Simmons presents her collection in Paris, as does Charlotte Dellal of Charlotte Olympia). Meanwhile, two (Simmons and Dellal) are actually shoe designers. And a third (Christopher Kane) won a new award invented for this year’s ceremony: the New Establishment Prize. So what does this tell us?

British Fashion Awards 2011 - London. Sarah Burton with the Designer of the Year award. Credit: Ian West/PA Wire

Sarah Burton, Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards 2011. Ian West/PA Wire

Take a wild guess who won the designer of the year award at the British Fashion Awards last night. Yup, it was Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. A well deserved win, given her acclaimed royal wedding dress and the sensitive way in which she has interpreted Alexander McQueen’s legacy, but not really a surprise. It was the first of many not-really-a-surprises at the awards, held in London’s Savoy hotel, which is probably a good thing, indicating that there is a consensus behind which British names are ones to be confident about.

Mary Katrantzou, who won the Emerging Talent – Womenswear award, is fast becoming a highlight – if not the highlight – of London Fashion Week. Not only are her bold and unusual prints arresting, they are also tailored to be highly wearable and fairly commercial. The question of when a designer is no longer deemed to be emerging can be a problematic one though; there’s often no clear moment when they become – like a butterfly from a chrysalis – fully formed.

Stella McCartney

Stella McCartney

The London 2012 Olympics may not start until July, but Stella McCartney’s personal marathon begins in February.

The designer, who is creating the uniforms for Team GB as well as various bits of sartorial memorabilia for the tourist hordes, has agreed to return to London Fashion Week for a one-off extravaganza on February 18. This actually follows a pre-collection presentation in NY in January and a perfume launch, and precedes her usual autumn/winter collection show in Paris on March 5.

It’s exhausting just thinking about it.

Though Ms McCartney, who also has a line with Adidas which has been shown in London, she has not had a full-fledged main line show in the UK capital since she joined Chloe in 1997. According to her office, the February event will not be a catwalk show, but rather a presentation focused on eveningwear.

Nevertheless, expect drumrolls of pre-publicity, fights for tickets, clogged thoroughfares – expect, in other words, an effective dry run for the main event.

Sir Paul McCartney and Nancy Shevell

Image by Getty.

Nancy Shevell

Image by Getty.

Ah, the difference a dress makes — at least when it comes to a designer’s family politics.

Though Stella McCartney had nothing to do with stepmother #1 Heather Mills’ wedding dress (that lace number was designed by Ms Mills herself), hence telegraphing the lack of common ground between the two, she very happily lent her skills to creating the dress of stepmother #2, Nancy Shevell, as worn on Sunday to Ms Shevell’s registry office wedding to Sir Paul in London.

Indeed, Ms McCartney has a history of making dresses for her friends: she created the gown for Madonna’s wedding for Guy Ritchie, as well as six of the outfits Kate Moss wore during her wedding weekend in July.

Rui Vieira/PA Wire

OK, John Galliano made her actual wedding dress, which was pretty, being bias cut and gold beaded, but also pretty unsurprising (inspired by the beautiful and damned Zelda Fitzgerald, who was also the theme of Kate Moss’s famous 30th birthday celebration).

 

If I had bet, I would have made some money.

But – and this a big but — Stella McCartney made six – count ‘em! – dresses for the Kate Moss wedding extravaganza that began yesterday and is continuing through the weekend: her first dance dress, her after-party, and her going away suit, plus three bridesmaid dresses.

Specifically, she made, according to a spokesperson:

“First dance dress in oyster silk chiffon with diamond and chain embroidered bodice and cut out back. After party dress – micro mini all over cubic diamond and micro bugle bead body con dress with super low back. Going away suit – single breasted gros grain peak lapel jacket three piece suit with waist coat and wide leg trouser – suit is an alabaster off white wool Charlotte Moss & Ella Richards; two Bridesmaids dresses – washed silk chiffon in oyster – bias cut with soft ruffle at the shoulders. Jess Hallet: Maid of Honour – washed silk chiffon in dusty antique blue – bias cut with soft ruffle at the shoulders.”

Plus her own outfit, of course.

Now, who do you think is going to get the most press pictures sent round the world, and thus the most profits? One, of not all, of these dresses is going to be fabulous, and inspire various women to rush into Ms McCartney’s stores, and various high street outlets to pay “homage.”

Also doing well out of the event, I think, will be Yves Saint Laurent and Stefano Pilati, who made groom Jamie Hince’s blue wedding suit and after-outfits, as well as “best woman” Alison Mosshart’s. That was an interesting choice, and a surprise. Guess YSL is getting in on the rocker act now.

Material World

with Vanessa Friedman

About this blog About Vanessa Blog guide
Vanessa Friedman's blog deals with the fashion/luxury industry from both a corporate and consumer point of view, as well as the subject of dress.



Vanessa FriedmanVanessa has been the FT’s fashion editor since 2003, and is based in New York, though she lived in London for 12 years.
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