TREND JOURNALS
BY VIDHI BALASARIA
RALPH LAUREN: FLAGSHIPSTORESANDRUNWAYIN FOURTH DIMENSION
Tonight, the designer staged his Polo for Women runway show in Central Park with groundbreaking technology that brought fourth dimension to the waters of the park’s Cherry Hill Lake. The show was an evolution of 2010’s 4-D presentation at Ralph Lauren’s flagship in London and the women’s boutique at 888 Madison Avenue here. “This is actually a new technology of water projections,” said David Lauren, Ralph Lauren Corp.’s executive vice president of advertising, marketing and corporate communications. “You pump water about five stories into the air, and from behind it you shoot a video onto it, which then creates a holographic effect.” The water serves as a screen for a film of the show. Lauren called the production “an art-meets-technology-meets-water-projectionmeets-fashion. The idea was to reinvent the fashion show on water, with videos and technology.” Ralph Lauren’s in-house team collaborated with several movie production houses to help with the special effects, including ones who worked on special effects for “Godzilla” and “The Hobbit” series. The water shoots up into the air, and the 11-minute video is projected against it. It’s going to make a splash, which is just the intention. Lauren wanted to approach the classic and traditional Polo with a new sensibility. The intention was to keep the brand fresh, and make it more downtown and urban. Lauren approached the Parks Commission for permission. The company made an undisclosed donation to Central Park in order to be able to hold the show there. The show began with the moon rising out of the water, and then lead into various New York scenes, from women walking down a cobblestoned street, to the Brooklyn Bridge.
“The reason to do this is not just for fashion week or for a fashion show, but to create something that was mobile,” he noted. “We're talking about taking it to Singapore, and [elsewhere] as we roll out Polo stores around the world. We're going to be opening in major cities around the world in the next couple of years.”
-DaVID LAUREN
a lighthouse, and newspapers rolling down the street and a moment at a Ralph’s Coffee coffee truck — with meticulously planned transitions between the scenes and set to an original score. It was literally a movie. The 9 p.m. time slot was selected for a specific reason — the technology required a certain level of darkness for a stronger effect. Polo brought in extra water, and installed backup pumps and a sound system for the occasion. While Lauren declined to disclose the cost of the production, it was relatively big, justified by the potential versatility and reach of the project. Because of the “substantial” cost, the company staged the event three times in New York. Tonight was earmarked for press and VIPs. The following Tuesday, the production was to open to the public, while Wednesday night was intended for the house’s top customers. A simulation taped over the weekend, for example, would be available on the company’s Web site as part of the major social media push behind the show. “We’re engaging in digital influencers,” said Malcolm Carfrae, Ralph Lauren’s global head of communications, public relations and media. “It won’t be just the people at Central Park seeing it. It will be completely global. We want the video of the event, of the actual runway show, to go viral with digital influencers who are a combination of VIPs, bloggers and models.” The Ralph Lauren company has been a pioneer in embracing technological innovation, having just introduced the Polo Tech compression shirt that reads biological and physiological information via sensors knitted into the product. This show fits into the brand strategy. As Lauren put it, “We wanted to make sure people saw our brand as modern, young and tech-y.”
09.08.2014
ITALY: THE FASHION INDUSTRY STEPS UP IN ECO - CULTURE
Pictures ABove, Top Right and bottom right: RALPH LAUREN DITCHES THE RAMP FOR A 4-D WATER SHOW FOR IT”S WOMENSWEAR IN CENTRAL PARK
Sustainable choices in Italian fashion are still hard to spot for end consumers. Glamorous e-commerce sites and eye-catching store displays of Italian designs or products seldom speak of ethical or ecological concerns about people, chemicals, water, forests, energy and air. With few exceptions, clothing labels don’t typically mention the environmental and social impact of the husbandry, processing, handiwork, packaging or transport involved in the complete journey for a dress or handbag to go from raw materials to store shelf. Nevertheless, industry operators, environmental consultants and activists say major Italian labels and key suppliers in the Italian fashion production chain have been ahead of the curve compared to many on ensuring justice and safety for the people who work for them, and have now initiated a major shift behind the scenes — though still in the early stages for many — to shore up their use of energy, water, paper, raw materials and waste. “Italy has the highest number of SA8000-certified factories [for socially responsible workplaces],” said Francesca Mangano, head of business development for the Italian and Swiss markets for Made-By, a U.K.-based nonprofit group that helps fashion and textile brands improve the life-cycle impact of their collections. “Although the concept of a sustainable supply chain is growing, few Italian companies have taken a holistic approach with practices that include life-cycle assessments,” she added. Environmental sustainability is a delicate subject and a work in progress, with many firms still defining their strategies. Gucci, Valentino, Armani and Prada serve on the National Chamber of Italian Fashion, or CNMI, sustainability commission. Gucci leads the group and is known for its consolidated experience in the field.Across its entire supply chain of roughly 45,000 people, the Florence-based firm claims an international SA8000 certification for full compliance with labor, health, safety and freedom of association laws.
“Brands and maisons that are starting to move toward a more sustainable supply chain tend to keep their efforts behind closed doors.”
-MANGANO head of business development for the Italian and Swiss markets for MadeBy
09.19.2014
Its French parent, Kering, has adopted group-wide targets — affecting 21 top brands from Boucheron to Puma — addressing deforestation, carbon dioxide emissions, waste, water usage, responsible raw materials sourcing, as well as eliminating hazardous chemicals throughout the global supply chain by 2020, according to its Website. While other major luxury labels are slower to detail their progress, that doesn’t mean they have been inactive. For instance, the Valentino Fashion Group topped Greenpeace Italy’s Fashion Duel ranking of high-end French and Italian brands for environmentally friendly policies in 2013; it has committed to eliminating hazardous chemicals from its global supply chain by 2020 and is adopting a no-deforestation policy for procuring leather and paper. Gucci, Valentino, Armani and Prada are also among 11 major Italian maisons serving on a CNMI roundtable that hammered out the Manifesto on Sustainability in 2012 — a document defining common values and a sustainability agenda for Made In Italy. Le Divelec, who chairs the CNMI sustainability commission, explained that the luxury industry is taking environmental and social impact seriously. During a presentation at an apparel innovation conference in London in July, she said efforts are being made to reduce risks regarding reputation and price volatility, while increasing opportunities, such as building brand value, sales and innovation. “To distinguish oneself from the competition is an element, but the main issue is to guarantee a sustainable, long life to the business,” she said. Bettoni reported Gucci will be including recycled, engineered cashmere from Re.Verso in men’s, women’s and children’s collections for fall 2015, made from selected pre-consumer textile waste — scraps from Italian mills of premium, mostly wool materials — which are then resorted, mechanically converted to fiber and retransformed into yarn for wovens, jerseys and knits. Re.Verso was developed by Italian wool mills Green Line, Nuova Fratelli Boretti and Lanificio Stelloni.
Max Mara presented a set of pieces in it’s spring Weekend collection made from Newlife, a premium polyester made by Saluzzo Yarns spun from 100 percent recycled plastic bottles sourced and mechanically pulverized in Italy. The first garments were a coat, jacket, skirt and blouse in a black-and-white oversize houndstooth pattern with a taffeta consistency. They sold with a tag boasting 94 percent savings in water usage, 60 percent savings in energy and 32 percent lower carbon dioxide emissions compared to virgin polyester. Newlife is also finding its way into large eco-conscious collections abroad, with negotiations ongoing with Eileen Fisher, Burberry and Turkish fabric maker Çalik Denim, Cochis added. Cariaggi, which spins premium cashmere and other precious yarns, has been ISO 14001-certified for environmental standards since 2006, and OHSAS 18001-approved for occupational health and safety since 2011. “We have always sought to adopt, in every aspect of our work, eco-compatible behavior and attitudes, limiting as much as possible the impact of our production on the environment,” said Cristiana Cariaggi, executive board member of Cariaggi Fine Yarns Collection. Greenpeace Italy’s Chiara Campione, who heads up Fashion Duel Project — an initiative that has been a gladly in recentz years, challenging fashion labels to communicate their practices and lobbying them to commit to environmentally unsound ones, said she believed the Italian fashion system had reached the tipping point.
After signing up 20 global fashion leaders to its Fashion Detox campaign — including Benetton, H&M, Burberry and Zara — Greenpeace expects to reveal the commitment of another large Italian group on Monday, Campione said.
ABOVE LEFT: Zero-deforestation Amazonian leather bag from Gucci ABOVE RIGHT: Canepa participates in Greenpeace's Fashion Detox commitment to eliminate hazardous chemicals by 2020. TOP:A Bogner ski jacket using Thermore insulation.
JOHN GALLIANO: BACKASMAISONMARTINMARGIELA
When Renzo Rosso acquired Maison Martin Margiela in 2002, it was described as a wedding of fashion’s Greta Garbo with Harpo Marx. On October 6th, Rosso surprised the fashion world again by appointing John Galliano, one of fashion’s most flamboyant and controversial figures, to take over the creative direction of Margiela, founded by an intensely secretive Belgian designer.
CREDITIVE DIRECTOR
It confirmed widespread market speculation that Galliano was headed to the Paris-based company, despite recent denials during Milan Fashion Week by Rosso, whose group, OTB, controls Margiela via a subsidiary called Neuf.
“Although controversial, there is no doubt that Galliano has great energy and is an undisputed visionary. He has a wide repertoire even if he is better known for his theatrical flair, and no doubt they will find a way to bridge his style with the familiar signature deconstruction of the Margiela house”
-Averyl Oates, fashion director at Galeries Lafayette
ABOVE- JOHN GALLIANO, NEW CREATIVE DIRECTOR FOR MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA
10.06.2014
“Margiela is ready for a new charismatic creative soul,” said Rosso, president of OTB. “John Galliano is one of the greatest, undisputed talents of all time — a unique, exceptional couturier for a maison that always challenged and innovated the world of fashion. I look forward to his return to create that fashion dream that only he can create and wish him to here find his new home.” The development marks the return of one of contemporary fashion’s most acclaimed talents, absent from the runways following racist and anti-Semitic outbursts that precipitated one of the most spectacular flameouts in recent history. It also represents a revelation phase for Margiela, whose Belgian founder was often described as the industry’s invisible man for his Greta Garbo-like ways. Especially since, following his retirement in 2009, the house left an anonymous team to carry on his legacy, steadfastly refusing to identify any its members. Galliano, 53, has been sitting on the sidelines since being ousted from Christian Dior and his signature fashion house in 2011. It is understood he will take over the design leadership of all Margiela lines, including couture and the women’s and men’s ready-to-wear. World-renowned for his ultra-feminine, historically inspired designs, and a particular penchant for bias-cut gowns, Galliano is hardly an obvious choice for a house known for cleft-toed boots, deconstructed fashions and all-white stores. Yet the British fashion maverick has wide experience designing different kinds of collections, men under his now-defunct Galliano second line, known for its newspaper prints, distressed leathers and denim.
Despite the outcry that precipitated Galliano’s downfall at Dior, early industry reactions to his appointment at Margiela were mainly positive. “Although controversial, there is no doubt that Galliano has great energy and is an undisputed visionary. He has a wide repertoire even if he is better known for his theatrical flair, and no doubt they will find a way to bridge his style with the familiar signature deconstruction of the Margiela house,” she added. Maria Luisa Poumaillou, fashion director at Printemps, said she was intrigued to see what the pairing of Galliano with Margiela would bring, “It’s the most interesting thing I’ve seen in a long time,” she said. “It’s not immediately obvious what they have in common, except for talent.” She said enough time had passed since Galliano’s firing for the industry and consumers to forgive and move on. “I thought it was the ugliest sacrifice of a great talent that I’ve ever seen, so for me, wherever he’s back, he’s more than welcome. I’m very happy for John,” Poumaillou said. She saluted Rosso’s “guts” and said the decision was a good fit for the brand. “The most conceptual of all fashion houses fell into the hands of the man who built Diesel, so why shouldn’t it today tap the greatest living couturier, who is unemployed?” she asked. “[Rosso] has already pulled it off. We are all talking about Margiela, which will stop being a niche brand in order to become front-page news.” Armand Hadida, founder of Paris concept store L’Eclaireur, said he bought Galliano’s first collections and was excited to have him back. “I like the idea because that is what you expect from fashion and from players like Renzo Rosso — it’s to shake things up, to give them a second lease of life. I think that without Renzo Rosso, Margiela would have closed down,” he said. The retailer, who is of Moroccan-Jewish origin, said it was time to let bygones be bygones. “No one has the authority to judge anyone whatsoever. We all make mistakes and its part of our journey. The important thing is to know your mistakes and to learn to correct them, and I guarantee you that John Galliano has done that,” he said Rosso’s OTB swept in and bought a majority stake in Margiela in 2002, one of series of acquisitions aimed at building a multibrand Italian group including Victor & Rolf and Marni.
At the time of Margiela’s 20th-anniversary fashion show in Paris in 2009, the founder had gradually reduced his day-to-day involvement in the company, working mainly on special products, including the house’s first fragrance under license with beauty giant L’Oréal. While long cloaked in mystery and steeped in conceptual high-mindedness, Margiela ultimately took on a more commercial bent following the Rosso investment, opening boutiques in more established neighborhoods, expanding its offer of accessories and branching out into lifestyle categories such as home decor. Market sources estimate the company generates about 100 million euros annually, or $126 million at current exchange. It operates about 50 directly owned stores.Upon Margiela’s final exit, the company explored the possibility of naming a new creative director, with Raf Simons and Haider Ackermann among those approached.
“I thought it was the ugliest sacrifice
But now, finally, John Galliano is the new face of Maison Martin Margiela.
more than welcome. I'm very happy for
of a great talent that I've ever seen, so for me, wherever he's back, he's
John,”
-Maria Luisa Poumaillou, fashion director at Printemps
TOMMY HILFIGER : CELEBRATES TEN YEARS IN
Then I would take these, in a rickshaw, to the factory, lay them out, stand there and watch each sample get made in a small factory not even the size of this room. I would draw what I wanted to make on the table, cut the pattern, put the fabric on top, cut the fabric, stitch it. Then, I would put all of this into a bag when it was finished and take it to Bloomingdale’s or Saks or any of the stores in New York, then take the orders and go back and stand there while it was manufactured.”
INDIA
When Tommy Hilfiger said “business is good” when talking about the brand’s growth in India, he wasn’t exaggerating. With 82 stand-alone stores and shops in 91 department stores in 50 cities, the brand is marking 10 years in India. “It’s more than just an anniversary, but, rather, it’s been a lot of positive movement in the right direction,” said Hilfiger, who was here to help celebrate the anniversary. “Actually, we came into the Indian market at the exact right time,” Hilfiger told WWD, discussing the globalization of the brand, the India business and his own sense of nostalgia visiting India, where he first started out 35 years ago. Over the past decade, the $500 billion retail industry in India has been on an explosive growth path. Many malls have been built across the country, and global brands have been testing the waters, seeing the huge population base and customer propensity to buy. Meanwhile, Hilfiger kept growing its retail presence. “It was just the beginning of the acceptance of foreign brands coming into India and the beginning of the globalization of fashion,” Hilfiger observed. “Same with China. The market there wasn’t ready, but we entered China about the same time.” Now, the company has 275 points of sale in 97 cities in China and 1,200 points of sale throughout the Asia-Pacific “I started my design career here in India,” said the designer, whose launch was backed initially by Mohan Murjani, the Indian businessman who, decades later, would help Hilfiger open stores in India. “Thirty-five years ago, I would take a flight into New Delhi, get off the plane and head directly into Chandni Chowk [in Old Delhi] to buy fabric.
““Actually, we source more and more here because, also, the level of production is getting so good here. When you go to the factories, there's so much that's handcrafted and [that has such] beautiful qualities that you cannot do anywhere else”
-DANIEL GRIEDER,
Hilfiger explored textiles further, visiting the fabric mills in southern India, in Salem, where he would wait for the fabrics of his choice to be made.It was no easy task, but Hilfiger doesn’t mention the difficulties. “But that was glamour for me, because I was realizing my dream. I was beginning to build a brand,” he said. The Tommy Hilfiger brand still buys a lot of fabric from India and part of the global manufacturing is still done there. “Actually, we source more and more here because, also, the level of production is getting so good here. When you go to the factories, there’s so much that’s handcrafted and [that has such] beautiful qualities that you cannot do anywhere else,” Grieder Murjani eventually sold his interest in Hilfiger India, and the brand now has a joint-venture partnership with Arvind Ltd. In 2011, Tommy Hilfiger acquired a 50 percent direct interest in its Indian business. Amid the whirlwind of celebrations for his 10th anniversary, Hilfiger still found time to eat at his favorite restaurant, Bukhara, and visit the narrow streets of Old Delhi in a rickshaw. “I love life,” he said. “I find extraordinary inspiration in meeting people, trying new restaurants, visiting places.” Two of the brand’s India-specific designs were launched for the anniversary celebrations: a shawl for women and a bandi for men.When he addressed students of the National Institute of Fashion Technology, Hilfiger himself wore a specially designed blue denim bandi with a specially sewn “Hilfigers Love India” logo on the back. He wore red pants to complete the outfit.
CEO, TOMMY HILFIGER
10.09.2014
ABOVE- Tommy Hilfiger, The designer
ALEXANDER WANG: HIS CAPSULE COLLECTION FOR H&M
Alexander Wang’s capsule collection for H&M has not failed to create an industry wide buzz about what the designer will come up with for H&M. It was first announced at Coachella that the collection will be out in stores on November 6th. World reknowned pop artiat, Rihanna stepped out in the first two pieces from the collab over the weekend: a stretchy crop top and leggings emblazoned with Wang’s blocky logo. Today, three more looks come out in the media for everyone to see. As the pics of RiRi suggested, Wang is bringing a distinctively sporty vibe to the table.Wang aknowledges the fact that H&M has collaborated in the past with archive-based collaborations but Alex Wang wanted to create a collection where most of the pieces were
“We wanted to take certain elements of each sport and portray the ultimate warrior.”
designed from scratch. His attempt was to design and create true perfor-
ABOVE: Tommy Hilfiger's first store in Chandigarh, India TOP RIGHT: Soam Kapoor with Tommy Hilfier at the brand's 10 year anniversary event in India
mance pieces hat fit the price proints of H&M sportwear line, exclusively
-ALEX WANG
for H&M customers rather than have a less expensive collection of past designs of Alexander Wang’s brand. This way, he envisioned to bring exclsuive pieces, to both men and women , shoes, bags as well as “objects’ , a selection of everyday items that H&M says are “reflective of the Alexander Wang lifestyle, infused with a sense of humor and irony.” Reading and knowing about everything associated with the much awaited Alexander Wang x H&M collaboration, who can even wait eight more weeks until the big day?
09.28.2014
Later in the month, Alexander Wang’s advertising campaign pictures were realeased for his one-off collaboration with H&M. The campaign featured a hockey stick and boxing gloves plus a couple of real athletes: soccer player Andy Carroll and kickboxer Rivaldino dos Santos. Mikael Jansson photographed the two men as well as models Joan Smalls, Raquel Zimmermann, Isabeli Fontana and Natasha Poly for a print campaign that is slated to release an array of dailies and monthly magazines starting today, with Poland among the first to roll out. Wang’s “ultimate dream team” is also to appear in a TV commercial, which starts airing on Oct. 30, and an online film. From the look and feel of the campaign, the girls certainly feel big and heroic, additionally, big sunlight glares were used to heighten the effect against a stark white backdrop. It is interesting to see how Alexander Wang has grown as a designer, from first starting his line, to being creative director at Balenciaga and now, designing and bringing together an exclsuive collection for H&M. He definitely seems fully invested to have his story be heard loud and clear through his clothes and his approach to the masses. The Alex Wang PR department is certainly doing an effective job creating a buzz about the Alexander Wang x H&M collection but only time will tell how far Alex succeeds in this new venture of partnership with the Swedish clothing giant.
HERMES: REVAMPS WEBSITE AND BRING TRADITION TO THE DIGITAL WORLD
Beauty, craftsmanship, tradition—they make up the foundation of the Hermès empire. Throughout its 177-year history, those values have been passed down through generations of artisans. The heritage label has never wavered from those core principles, but Hermès is also committed to its own reinvention. It’s been a strong recipe for success, especially as of late. In 2013, the global enterprise’s consolidated revenue reached roughly $5.2 billion, marking the company’s highest-ever increase (up 13 percent from 2012). There are plenty of factors at play, but the brand’s success can’t be mentioned without taking note of its impressive digital approach. Back in 2001, Hermès launched e-commerce well ahead of most luxury brands. (Even today, plenty of them still have yet to launch e-comm or social media channels.) Hermès has continued to invest in its digital with a series of apps, like the Silk Knot app launched in September 2013 and the Tie Break app that was released in August 2014.
“Beauty, excellence, and imagination, of course, but user-friendliness above all---it has always been key at Hermès”
-BALI BARRET, ARTIST DIRECTOR, HERMès
Robert Chavez, president and chief executive officer of Hermés USA claimed that the company spending on digital presence will only continue to grow. On the heels of the newest rollout, an online hub for Hermès’ silk scarf collection titled La Maison des Carrés, was launched by the brand. Bali Barret was the artist director behind Hermès’ digital evolution.
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10.16.2014
According to Bali Barret, the initial idea was to create a practical and attractive tool. His experience of online shopping was bland because it was shameful to find that visually appealing parts of a product are often not showen on the sales pages as they are in person, the presentation of such products are rather cold and presented simply with a white background. He asserts that he wanted to make it possible for a customer to feel as enchanted enchanted by an online boutique as by the atmosphere in a shop. [La Maison des Carrés] is an online store where you can buy all of Hermès’ silk products: silk scarves, stoles, cashmeres, twillys, and a few men’s items—scarves, ties, scarf rings, and so on. And like a magazine, the site is enriched with editorial content. The illustrator Pierre Marie, with whom Hermes has been working for many years, was commissioned to design the site. On carefully, scrutinizing the website, I found that on the cover page on the website is a big house with an entrance, numerous rooms, an attic, and a boys’ bedroom. The whole thing is illustrated in black outlines on a white background in order to highlight the color of the carrés. Doormen greet you at the entrance and invite you to stroll from one room to the next. There are supposed to be as many rooms as carrés—around 600. But the visitor can use the menu to refine their search by selecting different criteria (color, size, model, material, universe, price) and thus reduce the number of rooms to the number of carrés that meet their criteria. So depending on their preferences, the house can change and metamorphose in an instant. When you click on a carré, you then enter a more traditional sales area—the colors available for a given model, the price, etc. It also contains information about the history of the carré and its designer, as well as photos and knotting techniques. Hermes’ stores carry a selection but never the entire collection—that would be physically impossible, says Bali. But La Maison des Carrés is an infinite space, featuring the entirety of our silk collections. One can even view up to three seasons at a time. It’s the department store of carrés—less imposing than a physical space with its rituals and its sales staff, whom customers may or may not dare to approach to be shown one, two, three, 10, or even 20 carrés.
ABOVE- HERMES, NEW WEBSITE LAYOUT
DOLCE & GABBANA: DESIGNERDUOFOUNDINNOCENTTO TAX ALLEGATIONS
The twosome were indicted for alleged tax fraud in 2010 but have always maintained their innocence. In April of this year, two lower courts found them guilty and sentenced each to 20 months in prison, but by May they announced their intention to appeal, calling the sentence “inexplicable”. Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce have been found not guilty by Italy’s Corte Suprema di Cassazione, according to Women’s Wear Daily. The jury took three hours to deliberate, and cleared Gabbana and Dolce’s colleagues as well, including general director Cristiana Ruella, finance director Giuseppe Minoni, and accountant Luciano Patelli. Prosecutors had argued that setting up the Luxembourg-based company Gado, a moniker comprised of their two surnames, was a deliberate attempt to defraud the state. The legendary designers have always maintained their innocence and had appealed against the ruling
“WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HONEST AND WE ARE EXTREMELY PROUD OF THIS RECOGNITION BY THE ITALIAN COURT OF JUSTICE, VIVA L'ITALIA”
-DOMENICO DOLCE & STEFANO GABBANA
Though the case has plagued the designers since 2008, when Guardia di Finanza began investigating them after the 2004 sale of the Dolce & Gabbana and D&G brands to Luxembourg holding company Gado Srl, Gabbana and Dolce have always maintained their innocence. Happy news, considering the duo previously explained that the prison sentence and fines would cause their labels to shut down. In a statement, the designers said, “We have always been honest and we are extremely proud of this recognition by the Italian Court of Justice. Viva l’Italia.”
10.24.2014
JASON WU :LANDSJOBASTHENEWCREATIVEDIRECTOROF HUGO BOSS’ WOMENSWEAR LABEL
“Even Jason Wu was surprised when he was offered a top job by German megabrand HUGO Boss. Now in his second season, the young designer is making his presence felt ”
ABOVE- JASON WU, NEW CREATIVE DIRECTOR AT BOSS
11.07.2014
There are clothes, and then there is fashion. The difference between the two, you might say, is that “clothes” are the things shoppers want when they walk into stores, whereas “fashion” is what they didn’t know they wanted, until somone introduces it and makes them fall in love with it. This is an interesting time in the industry, in that many of the legendary runway fashion brands are gearing in the direction of making clothes with a direct consumer appeal, while the ones who have been doing that all along are jostling for some of the fashion action—its sparkle, its buzz. Boss, the womenswear division of Germany’s storied Hugo Boss label, is one of those brands in the clothes-making business. It’s relied upon for reserved, razorsharp suiting. But like a lot of clothing brands, Boss has determined to elbow its way into the fashion game, appointing its first-ever creative director late last year. The job involves being a style prognosticator, spokesperson, brand ambassador, and showman. Jason Wu was, no pun intended, tailor-made for that role. Two weeks after showing his sophomore Boss collection, he’s tucked into a back booth at New York City’s Lambs Club, looking fresh-faced despite the fact that he hasn’t had a day off since the show. There weren’t many days off before that, either, and in a matter of hours Wu was being jet off to Hugo Boss headquarters in Metzingen, Germany. But he wasnt worried about missed sleep. The first time Wu worked for a company, he was thorough-- making dolls and doll clothes, which he famously started doing for Integrity Toys when he was 14; he was thorough when, as a relatively obscure 26-year-old, he created the gown Michelle Obama very famously wore for the 2009 inaugural balls. And he’s been thorough—as he’s taken the reins at Boss. There’s no doubt that Wu’s meticulousness helped land him his role as Boss’ creative director. When the appointment was announced in the summer of 2013, more than a few industry insiders set about scratching their heads: What could Boss, with its reputation for menswear-inspired tailoring, want with Wu, whose ladylike frocks cater to the gala-going, Park Avenue crowd? Not many know that though he’d actually studied menswear at Parsons the New School for Design, Wu himself was puzzled when he got the call.
On first recieved the calling, Wu said .“I was like, ‘Why? Why do you want me to do it? It’s so far from my aesthetic, and they said, ‘You’ll be bringing femininity and emotion.’ But they took a huge chance on me; I don’t have a past result.” he also, interestingly mentions, that he had never worked for anybody, except a toy company. On the other hand, Wu had proven himself commercially. His signature line is sold in 39 countries, and he’s built a high-profile following including not just FLOTUS but also style-minded celebs such as Kate Bosworth, Kerry Washington, and Diane Kruger, the latter of whom was in the front row when Wu made his Boss debut last season. Wu’s popularity among Hollywood’s It girls added a jolt of energy to Boss. It helped focus attention on the brand, which had been lacking. Wu’s Fall ’14 collection was a nuanced take on classic Boss, emphasizing strong-shouldered outerwear and lean, terrifically precise suits. This season, though, was Wu’s real test. Caution is understandable in a designer’s first collection as the head of an established brand; after that, he needs to forge ahead. In the days leading up to the Boss Spring show, a visit to the company’s midtown studio found Wu attempting to do just that. Alongside sundry members of the Metzingen-based Boss team, Wu was accompanied in the studio by his “creative dream team”—makeup artist Pat McGrath, hair guru Guido Palau, and stylist Joe McKenna. Working with them, and with the models trundling in and out for fittings, he alternated between cracking wise and kneeling on the floor, repinning the hem of a dress. Or fixing a leather skirt. Wu’s take on workplace demeanor boils down to a simple philosophy: “You’ve got to have fun. And don’t be a dick. Don’t be a dick. Just be serious about your work, be dedicated, and be professional.” You might say that Wu applied this philosophy to his Spring collection— the fun versus serious bit. There was a lightness to the clothes this season: In place of suits and severe jackets, there were slinky slipdresses and shimmering embellishments. It was a whole new Boss. But what about the old Boss—or, to be more exact, what about the loyal Boss client, the one who relies on the brand for natty button-downs and perfectly cut black trousers?
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