FORM AND FUNCTION VICTOIRE DE CASTELLANE TOOK INSPIRATION FROM GRAPHIC DIOR CREATIONS PARIS PARTY FOR HER NEW HIGH-JEWELRY MIU MIU WENT FOR A SIXTIES/EARLY SEVENTIES TAKE FOR ITS RESORT SHOW — AND MIUCCIA COLLECTION FOR THE PRADA THREW A BASH AFTERWARD THAT DREW UMA THURMAN, STACY MARTIN AND MORE. HOUSE, CALLED ARCHI DIOR. PAGES 6 AND 7 PAGE 9 BRIGHT FUTURE Younger Clients Drive Growth of Couture By MILES SOCHA PARIS — The pinnacle of the luxury pyramid re- WWD mains in fine fettle. An influx of younger clients, including a new wave MONDAY, JULY 7, 2014 Q $3.00 Q WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY from China, is helping to pad couture’s coffers, fu- eling double-digit growth for the most expensive clothes on earth. Chanel cited record sales for its spring 2014 col- lection, hinged on couture sneakers by specialty ate- lier Massaro, and Schiaparelli — having returned in January to the fashion scene after a 60-year absence — received its first confirmed order the day after the show. “Even though you can read or hear every now and then that ‘couture is dead,’ our first experience proves that haute couture is very alive,” said Camilla Schiavone, managing director of Schiaparelli. STARR POWER The storied newcomer has added a second show for clients only in order to accommodate the number of requests. Couture week, which opened Sunday night, winds up on Friday with a slew of high-jewelry presen- tations and by-appointment visits to specialty ateliers. Sidney Toledano, chief executive officer at Banging Christian Dior, credits the “new economy” — high- tech businesses and burgeoning wealth in emerging markets — for bringing down the average age of cli- ents by almost a decade, to early 30s from 40s. An influx of young clients from varied geographies The Drum — Asia, the U.S., South America and even Western Europe — and couturier Raf Simons’ modernist, arty Ringo Starr has chosen a unique way to mark his approach underlie Dior’s double-digit gains, accord- 74th birthday today: At noon, he’ll stand in front ing to Toledano. of the Capitol Records building in Los Angeles “Germany is also a country that is picking up for luxury,” he said, adding that Dior plans to soon open and urge everyone to flash the universal peace boutiques in Düsseldorf and Frankfurt, adding to its sign to raise awareness of his Ringo Starr Peace locations in Berlin and Munich. & Love Fund. At the same time, it will be revealed Toledano noted that couture clients of yore were rarely seen outside of private events, whereas today’s that Starr will be the face in John Varvatos’ latest thirtysomething devotee is likely to wear high fashion ad campaign, which will help raise money for the fund. But SEE PAGE 8 while the former Beatle has plenty of his own iconic fashion moments, don’t expect him to launch his own line. “No. Then ANDAM AWARD it’s hard work. I like to just find it, wear it and have fun with it,” Starr told WWD. For more from Starr, see pages 4 and 5. Van Herpen’s Prize: Money and Mentoring By PAULINA SZMYDKE PARIS — Smart money: It’s what young designers need, and why fashion prizes are layering on coaching in ad- dition to cash to ensure solid business development. Dutch designer Iris van Herpen, who catapulted 3-D printing to the fashion forefront with her sculp- tural dresses, is the latest talent to receive such a boost, having scooped up the 2014 ANDAM Fashion Award. The prize of 250,000 euros, or $341,630 at cur- rent exchange, will enable her to grow her brand, which was launched in 2007. The prize package also contains a year’s worth of mentoring from François-Henri Pinault, chairman and chief executive officer of Kering, who is to advise on matters including financial, legal, marketing, com- munications and production. “I voted for her,” Pinault smiled during a brief award ceremony at the Hôtel France-Amériques in Paris on Thursday night. Along with Stefano Martinetto, ceo of Tomorrow London; Xavier Romatet, Condé Nast France presi- dent; John Demsey, group president of the Estée Lauder Cos. Inc.; model Caroline de Maigret; Anne- Sophie von Claer, deputy managing editor of Le Figaro, and photographer Ellen von Unwerth, Pinault sat on this year’s judging panel. He said the single most frequent mistake young designers commit is “probably to go too early into distribution and not spend enough time on the product.” PHOTO BY STEVE EICHNER SEE PAGE 12 2 WWD MONDAY, JULY 7, 2014 WWD.COM Stuart Weitzman’s Global Push THE BRIEFING BOX look at. It’s actually the only one.” IN TODAY’S WWD By RACHEL STRUGATZ In a month, the brand’s U.S. site will begin ship- ping to China. Currently, Lane Crawford’s e-com- STUART WEITZMAN is taking on Asia — and a merce site is the only way consumers can access new digital executive. the brand online in China. Pedder is part of the The brand is putting considerable resources into Lane Crawford Joyce Group. Clémence Poésy bulking up its global e-commerce presence, includ- Culkin spends nearly a third of his time in and Clare Waight ing aggressive strategies in Hong Kong, China and China, and by year’s end, Stuart Weitzman will have Keller at the Australia. To oversee that growth, Weitzman has freestanding stores in 14 cities in Greater China. Chloé party in brought on its first chief global digital and e-commerce A Zaha Hadid-designed shop-in-shop will open Paris. For more, officer, Monica Schwartz. Most recently, Schwartz was in Shin Kong Place Beijing in early November. see WWD.com. the head of David Yurman’s e-commerce team. While technically this isn’t a freestanding store, “Our goal is to make e-commerce our biggest Weitzman’s strategy in China is focused on opening channel of distribution globally,” Wayne Culkin, the its own stores or shops-in-shop, apart from Lane firm’s chief executive officer, told WWD, pointing Crawford. This strategy differs greatly from the out that “consistency” among all of its Web sites — company’s approach in the U.S., where wholesale American, Canadian, European and a Hong Kong comprises a significant portion of the business. FEUGÈRE site launched last month — is paramount. He noted “There is no other place you can buy our shoes that Europe has been the slowest region to accept [except for Lane Crawford or freestanding stores]. e-commerce, but the area’s overall online business We positioned our brand as a gateway to a luxury STÉPHANE has still seen 100 percent year-over-year growth. brand. When you go to malls, you see us next to BY Weitzman’s Hong Kong site went live about three [brands owned by] Kering or LVMH [Moët Hennessy PHOTO weeks ago, and still is in soft-launch mode; the des- Louis Vuitton],” Culkin said. “This builds a great tination will be fully up and running with new sea- aura and a halo effect because the Chinese con- son’s merchandise in the next few weeks. There is sumer loves to buy outside their own country.” An influx of younger clients, including a new wave from China, a marketing team of three based in Hong Kong who As for when Culkin sees the Chinese e-commerce is helping to pad couture’s coffers, fueling double-digit growth also works with a local digital agency and Culkin market maturing, he put the time frame at two years. PAGE 1 said the plan is to expand this team significantly. “It’s like dog years. Every three months is like for the most expensive clothes on earth. In December, the brand will launch a Chinese three years. They [the Chinese consumer] are so site in partnership with the Pedder Group, which is adaptable. Before, it was a follower market, now it’s Dutch designer Iris van Herpen scooped up the 2014 ANDAM responsible for distribution and customer service in a leader market,” Culkin said, adding that if China Fashion Award, which will enable her to grow the brand she China. A placeholder on the company’s URL is live doesn’t become the biggest e-commerce market launched in 2007. PAGE 1 in Mainland China. globally in two years, it will be the second. Culkin called e-commerce in the region “the Spanning the APAC region, Stuart Weitzman, which Stuart Weitzman is putting considerable resources into black box everyone is trying to figure out.” He sees is owned by Sycamore Partners, will open 20 to 25 bulking up its global e-commerce presence. PAGE 2 the market there as “tainted” because consumers stores a year there. By the end of this year, there will have become so reliant on mobile communication. be 48 doors in the region. It’s also just signed on to add Former Beatle Ringo Starr, who will be the face of John “In China it’s Weibo and WeChat. Every single stores in Tier 2 Chinese cities like Chengdu, Harbin, Varvatos’ fall advertising campaign, discusses his career person is using it four to six hours a day, but no one Chongquing, Hangzhou and Suzhou. Pedder is its part- and his Peace Rocks initiative. PAGE 4 has cracked how to sell luxury merchandise in a ner for e-commerce and Hong Kong, while Goodwill luxury way. The appropriate social and full-price Trading is Weitzman’s partner for northern China. Delphine Manivet, Stéphanie Coudert and Fred Sathal are site is somewhat new for the market,” Culkin said.