Fashion. Beauty. Business. IN-STORE PITTI’S SHOWS EVOLUTION PROMISE ON THE GO JUNE 2016 From data and Raf ruminates, Itinerant Frenzy: No. 1 tech to display Gosha on where Fashion houses strive and collaboration, to go and more to outdo each other the store experience about next week’s with increasingly is in transition. Pitti Uomo fair. remarkable locales. Agenda, p. 10 Agenda, p. 29 Features, p. 58
Specialty retail visionary Leslie H. Wexner sits atop the largest fragrance product business in America, and is now entering the industry’s Master Hall of Fame. Builder
US $9.99 JAPAN ¥1500 CANADA $13 CHINA ¥80 UK £ 8 HONG KONG HK100 EUROPE € 11 INDIA 800 The Edward Nardoza EDITOR IN CHIEF Pete Born EXECUTIVE EDITOR, BEAUTY Bridget Foley Features EXECUTIVE EDITOR James Fallon EDITOR Miles Socha EXECUTIVE EDITOR, EUROPE Nick Mrozowski CREATIVE DIRECTOR The Wexner Way 54 A freewheeling interview John B. Fairchild 1927 — 2015 with one of retailing’s living MANAGING EDITOR Peter Sadera legends reveals a sharp eye, a MANAGING EDITOR, Dianne M. Pogoda FASHION/SPECIAL REPORTS MANAGING EDITOR, OPERATIONS Diana Benbasset well-read mind and enough DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR Evan Clark NEWS DIRECTOR Lisa Lockwood curiosity to build an empire. DEPUTY EDITOR, DATA AND ANALYSIS Arthur Zaczkiewicz SITTINGS DIRECTOR Alex Badia SENIOR EDITOR, RETAIL David Moin SENIOR EDITOR, SPECIAL PROJECTS, Arthur Friedman TEXTILES & TRADE Shows on the Go SENIOR EDITOR, FINANCIAL Vicki M. Young BUREAU CHIEF, LONDON Samantha Conti 58 Pack the trunks: Fashion BUREAU CHIEF, MILAN Luisa Zargani BUREAU CHIEF, LOS ANGELES Marcy Medina takes its cruise season ASIAN EDITOR Amanda Kaiser BUREAU CHIEF, WASHINGTON Kristi Ellis on the road, to locations ASSOCIATE EDITOR Jenny B. Fine DEPUTY EDITOR, FASHION Troy Segal near, far, exotic and SENIOR EDITOR, SPECIALTY RETAIL Sharon Edelson SENIOR FASHION FEATURES EDITOR Jessica Iredale otherwise remarkable. ACCESSORIES MARKET DIRECTOR Roxanne Robinson FASHION MARKET DIRECTOR Mayte Allende EYE EDITOR Taylor Harris ASSOCIATE EYE EDITOR Kristen Tauer
MEN’S SENIOR EDITOR Jean E. Palmieri FASHION DIRECTOR Alex Badia MEN’S MARKET EDITOR Luis Campuzano MEN’S REPORTER Aria Hughes MEN’S FASHION ASSISTANT Kayana Cordwell
MARKET EDITORS FINANCIAL NEWS AND ANALYSIS Debra Borchardt ACCESSORIES Misty White Sidell BEAUTY, FINANCE Allison Collins BEAUTY, MASS MARKET Ellen Thomas BEAUTY, WEST COAST Rachel Brown DIGITAL Rachel Strugatz READY-TO-WEAR & SPORTSWEAR NEWS Rosemary Feitelberg MEDIA Alexandra Steigrad READY-TO-WEAR AND Kristi Garced SPORTSWEAR FASHION EYE Leigh Nordstrom
CORRESPONDENTS LONDON, GENERAL Lorelei Marfil ASSIGNMENT EDITOR ACCESSORIES AND GENERAL Natalie Theodosi ASSIGNMENT EDITOR LOS ANGELES Khanh T.L. Tran, Kari Hamanaka MILAN, FASHION AND NEWS Alessandra Turra NEW YORK, EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS William Cotto, Tara Bonet-Black, Kelsi Zimmerman NEW YORK, FASHION ASSISTANTS Andrew Shang, Kayana Cordwell PARIS, EUROPEAN BEAUTY EDITOR Jennifer Weil PARIS, SENIOR FASHION EDITOR Laurent Folcher PARIS, SENIOR BUSINESS NEWS EDITOR Joelle Diderich PARIS, GENERAL ASSIGNMENT Paulina Szmydke REPORTER, NEWS PARIS, EDITORIAL AND WEB COORDINATOR Anne-Aymone Gheerbrant GENERAL ASSIGNMENT EDITOR, EUROPE Laure Guilbault SAN FRANCISCO, TECHNOLOGY Maghan McDowell DESIGN DEPARTMENT ART DIRECTOR Mallory Roynon DESIGNER Jewelyn Butron PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO DIRECTOR Ash Barhamand SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR Jenna Greene BOOKINGS AND PRODUCTION EDITOR Oona Wally PHOTO EDITOR Katrina Brown ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Jillian Sollazzo PHOTO STUDIO PHOTO STUDIO COORDINATOR Emily Taylor PHOTOGRAPHERS Justice Apple, George Chinsee, Thomas Iannaccone COPYDESK COPY CHIEF Maureen Morrison-Shulas COPY EDITORS Danielle Gilliard, Maxine Wally PREPRESS PRODUCTION DIGITAL IMAGING Alex Sharfman PREPRESS ASSEMBLY David Lee Chin WWD.COM DIGITAL DIRECTOR Danica Lo Louis Vuitton’s DIGITAL DAILY DESIGNER Ryan Richmond cruise show at the tk Caption Rate nisque et eserae WEB PRODUCER Robert Tutton Contemporary plitatem quuntion pe voluptae SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Leah Kircher INTERNATIONAL DIGITAL EDITOR Fabiana Repaci Art Museum in Rio senimus doloribus a natem renimet de Janeiro. fugiati squam, ipsus si sum quia
Photograph by STÉPHANE FEUGÈRE Contents
Paul Jowdy SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, GROUP PUBLISHER Pamela Firestone ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
ADVERTISING INTERNATIONAL FASHION DIRECTOR, Renee Moskowitz RMM MEDIA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MEN’S Brett Mitchell AMERICAN FASHION & Jennifer Petersen LUXURY DIRECTOR ACCOUNT DIRECTOR Samantha Hartje ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Amy Keiser Shannon Fitzgerald SENIOR CLIENT SERVICES MANAGER Trish Robbins CLIENT SERVICES MANAGERS Rachael DeSantis Tina Schissel REGIONAL OFFICES/INTERNATIONAL OFFICES WEST COAST DIRECTOR Jill Biren +1-323-617-9283 EUROPEAN ACCOUNT DIRECTOR, ITALY Giulia Squeri +39-02-722-33602 ACCOUNT DIRECTOR, ITALY Olga Kouznetsova +39-02-722-33603 SENIOR SALES COORDINATOR, ITALY Emanuela Altimani EUROPEAN DIRECTOR, FRANCE Valérie Deschamps-Wright +33-1-44-51-07-61 Fragrance Foundation Awards EUROPEAN SALES REPRESENTATIVE Marjorie Thomas +33-240-31-6541 ADVERTISING ASSISTANT, FRANCE Pascale Rajac DIGITAL/MARKETING/CREATIVE SERVICES The Fragrance Foundation has its grove back: MARKETING DIRECTOR Shannon Nobles CREATIVE DIRECTOR, MARKETING Cass Spencer Its awards gala is notching it up and DIGITAL MEDIA STRATEGIST Cassie Leventhal DIGITAL SALES PLANNER Suzette Minetti the organization is expanding membership. AUDIENCE MARKETING VICE PRESIDENT Ellen Fairbanks Dealy In Focus, page 43 CONSUMER MARKETING DIRECTOR Peggy Pyle SENIOR DIRECTOR, DIGITAL MARKETING Janet Menaker & STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT SENIOR DIRECTOR FINANCE, PLANNING Sean McDermott AND OPERATIONS SENIOR DIRECTOR, Randi Segal INSTITUTIONAL SALES DEPARTMENTS SENIOR ONLINE MANAGER Suzanne Berardi SENIOR MARKETING MANAGER Tamra Febesh Evolution of ASSOCIATE MARKETING MANAGER Lauren Busch 6 Social Studies PRODUCTION the In-Store The best and worst in social PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Kevin Hurley Experience 10 media, what’s trending, whom PRODUCTION MANAGER John Cross Navigating today’s to follow. SUMMITS & EVENTS complicated ominichannel VICE PRESIDENT, NEW VENTURES & GM Amber Mundinger EXECUTIVE EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Mary Ann Bacher shopping environment. 9 The Essentialist DIRECTOR, ATTENDEE SALES Kim Mancuso The week’s top stories. SPONSORSHIP DIRECTOR Alexis Coyle DIRECTOR OF Amelia Ewert EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING 40 Eye FAIRCHILD PUBLISHING LLC Parties; Chanel Fine EDITORIAL DIRECTOR OF Michael Atmore 22 Jewelry hosted a party at the FOOTWEAR NEWS & DIRECTOR Media People OF BRAND DEVELOPMENT Glenda Bailey discusses her New York Public Library DIRECTOR OF EUROPEAN OPERATIONS Ron Wilson evolving role as editor in that dripped with jewels — chief of Harper’s Bazaar and mostly its own. her thoughts on the future Report Card; Ladies range of fashion magazines in from A+ (Georgia May Jagger) WWD AND FAIRCHILD MEDIA ARE OWNED AND PUBLISHED BY PENSKE MEDIA CORPORATION an increasingly digital world. to F (Kylie Jenner) while the men score very average Jay Penske CHAIRMAN & CEO grades. VICE CHAIRMAN Gerry Byrne EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, George Grobar 66 Bridget Foley’s Diary STRATEGY AND OPERATIONS SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, Craig Perreault The human side of BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT retail layoffs. GENERAL COUNSEL & Todd Greene
Agenda Pitti Uomo SVP HUMAN RESOURCES VICE PRESIDENT, CREATIVE Nelson Anderson Preview 28 VICE PRESIDENT, FINANCE Ken Delacazar Visvim, Gosha and Raf; VICE PRESIDENT, HUMAN RESOURCES Tarik West VICE PRESIDENT, ENGINEERING Gabriel Koen Fresh faces in London. DEPUTY GENERAL COUNSEL Judith R. Margolin DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS Lauren Gullion SR. DIRECTOR OF Joni Antonacci PRODUCTION OPERATIONS CONTROLLER Young Ko SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER Derek Ramsey DIRECTOR, ADVERTISING OPERATIONS Eddie Ko PLUS: Briefs Fashion, beauty, accessories, retail, markets, men’s; DIRECTOR OF TALENT ACQUISITION Andy Limpus Face Time Pitti Immagine’s Raffaello Napoleone; Model Call DIRECTOR OF IT OPERATIONS Rick Gascon, & PRODUCTION Matt Williamson Birgit Kos; Trend Amethyst; Data Points Facets of Jewelry. SENIOR IT ANALYST Carl Foner IT ANALYSTS Don Gerber Ryan Ramos
ON THE COVER: Leslie H. Wexner; photographed by Ricky Rhodes TO CONTACT WWD EDITORIAL +1-212-256-8130 WWD IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF FAIRCHILD PUBLISHING, LLC. COPYRIGHT ©2016 FAIRCHILD PUBLISHING, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. VOLUME 211, NO. 24 ADVERTISING +1-212-256-8103 Wednesday, June 8, 2016. WWD (ISSN 0149-5380) is published weekly, except for the fifth week in August, the second week in September, and the third and fourth weeks in December, with one CIRCULATION +1-515-237-3650 additional issue in February, April, June, August, October and December, by Fairchild Media LLC, which is a division of Penske Business Media LLC. PRINCIPAL OFFICE: 475 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10017. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and at additional mailing offices. Canada Post: return undeliverable Canadian addresses to P.O. Box 503, RPO West Beaver Cre, Rich - Hill, ON L4B 4R6. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO WWD, P.O. Box 6356, Harlan, IA, 51593. FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS, ADDRESS CHANGES, ADJUSTMENTS, OR BACK ISSUE INQUIRIES: Please write to WWD, P.O. Box 6356, Harlan, IA, 51593, call 866-401-7801, or e-mail customer service at [email protected]. Please include both new and old addresses as printed on most recent label. For New York Hand Delivery Service address changes or inquiries, please contact Mitchell’s NY at 1-800-662-2275, option 7. Subscribers: If the Post Office alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within one year. If during your subscription term or up to one year after the magazine becomes undeliverable, you are ever dissatisfied with your subscription, let us know. You will receive a full refund on all unmailed issues. First copy of new subscription will be mailed within four weeks after receipt of order. We reserve the right to change the number of issues contained in a subscription term and/or the way the product is delivered. Address all editorial, business, and produc- tion correspondence to WWD, 475 Fifth Ave, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10017. For permissions and editorial requests, e-mail [email protected]. Visit us online at www.wwd.com or to subscribe to other Fairchild Publishing LLC magazines on the World Wide Web, visit www.wwd.com/subscriptions. WWD IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RETURN OR LOSS OF, OR FOR DAMAGE OR ANY OTHER INJURY TO, UNSOLICITED MANUSCRIPTS, UNSOLICITED ART WORK (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DRAWINGS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND TRANSPARENCIES), OR ANY OTHER UNSO- LICITED MATERIALS. THOSE SUBMITTING MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, ART WORK, OR OTHER MATERIALS FOR CONSIDERATION SHOULD NOT SEND ORIGINALS, UNLESS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED TO DO SO BY WWD IN WRITING. MANUSCRIPTS , PHOTOGRAPHS, AND OTHER MATERIALS SUBMITTED MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A SELF-ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE.
4 JUNE 2016, No. 1 WWD.COM Social Studies EDITED BY KRISTEN TAUER THE WEEK IN SOCIAL MEDIA Extraordinary is where we begin. Best Worst
“NYC L VE! #black #rubber” One man’s trash is another’s Instagram “Still Deserve Donuts! ” fodder. #NationalDonutDay got out of hand.
@faustopuglisi_wow @madonna Designer Icon
Bel Powley blended into Gucci’s resort lineup backstage.
@belpowley Actress age/REX/Shutterstock
Nicolas Ghesquière cruised into Brazil “#subwaylife” with Louis Vuitton. Game time at the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic. Falling asleep on the subway can be risky business.
@nicolasghesquiere @cocorocha @anselelgort Designer Model Actor
@BibhuMohapatra Trending “Float like a butterfly, Let’s Follow sting like a bee”— Fashion World Remembers ALI. 1946-2016 RIP GIRL BOSS CAT’S MEOW BEAST MODE Muhammad Ali (1942-2016) #muhammadali
@zacposen #RIP #hero #trailblazer #Thegreatest
@DANNIJO @ireneneuwirth If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it NEW YORK · COLUMBIA MD · WASHINGTON DC · MIAMI · NEW ORLEANS · DALLAS — then I can achieve @torysport it. — Muhammad Ali “The Greatest. #Ali HOUSTON · PHOENIX · LAS VEGAS · SACRAMENTO · HONOLULU #RIPMuhammadAli Flip Schulke” @sokothecat @therealluke @sophiaamoruso Stéphanie Sokolinski evans
Founder, Nasty Gal Musician/actress Actor Broadim by Evans Prandoni/BFA/REX/Shutterstock; Matteo by Soko Walker/Variety/REX/Shutterstock; H. Andrew by Amoruso photograph HOWARDHUGHES.COM 6 JUNE 2016, No. 1 WWD.COM Follow Us @WWD “Embrace failure. It’s OK to be a buffoon sometimes. Don’t make it a habit. Failure is not defining. How one responds to it is.” — Erik Nordstrom THE ESSENTIALIST
TOP 10 STORIES OF THE WEEK
1 Fast, Faster, Fastest Fashion leaders continued to evangelize the need for speed: Said Saks chief executive officer Marc Metrick: “For the first time, the consumer is ahead of us retailers.” Diego Della Valle said he’s eliminating seasons at Tod’s, and will instead generate new product monthly, noting: “The entire business model truly is changing.” 2 Beauty Blockbusters Shiseido scooped up Laura Mercier for $236 million; Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. bought Vogue International hair and personal care from VI and The Carlyle Group for $3.3 billion; Revlon bought Cutex’s international business from Coty, uniting the brand’s U.S. and global operations. “The world has changed. You must be fast. You can’t 3 bore. And you have to Appealing to ‘Borderless Shoppers’ communicate.” Panelists at the Global Department Store Summit in Zurich concluded that store renovation, using —REMO RUFFINI, MONCLER big data, social media outreach and locally tailored assortments, is the way to capture highly mobile, channel-hopping consumers in the digital age. 4 “The consumer has perfect information Karl’s Collaboration With Seibu relative to the pricing of Starting in September, the 75-piece Limited Edition by Karl Lagerfeld collection will be offered goods. I guarantee you exclusively in 15 Seibu Sogo locations in Japan and online, including women’s and men’s apparel, that with all of this cross- accessories, baby and home goods. border shopping, if we’re 5 not cognizant of what’s China Tops A.T. Kearney’s List happening on the cross- border pricing, A.T. Kearney’s report ranking the top 30 developing markets for retail investment put China, with its we’re dead.” economy shifting to one driven by consumer consumption, first; India, Malaysia, Kazakhstan and —STEPHEN I. SADOVE Indonesia rounded out the top five. 6 Paris to Rome to Beijing Aiming to forge deeper ties with Chinese consumers — and, of course, build sales — Chanel staged two shows of its 2016 Metiers d’Arts collection, dubbed “Paris in Rome,” in Beijing, marking its first show in China in nearly 10 years. 7 Ambitious Plan The strength of Calvin Klein — already an $8 billion brand — propelled PVH Corp.’s top-line 1Q “You know I love growth of 13 percent, and ceo Emanuel Chirico said he plans to make it a $10 billion business. new ventures.” 8 — KARL LAGERFELD Wal-Mart Work Walloped A coalition of labor activists and unions slammed Wal-Mart Stores with allegations of persistent wage and hour abuses and poor working conditions throughout its Asian supply chain. A few days “Over the past five years, earlier, the group levied similar charges against Gap and H&M. probably the Chinese 9 were the number-one nationality in terms of Ins and Outs in Italy growth not only in China, LVMH-owned Loro Piana named Fabio d’Angelantonio ceo, succeeding Matthieu Brisset, while but also everywhere Sergio Rossi design director Angelo Ruggeri, who joined the luxury footwear brand in 2013, is exiting. around the world. When 10 you are in such a position, I think that at some stage it U.K. Pay Pain is normal to see some kind Sagging sales and a grim outlook are taking a toll on executive pay at Burberry, where Christopher of slowdown.” Bailey’s package fell by $1.2 million to $1.7 million (and no bonus) while Compagnie Financiére — BRUNO PAVLOVSKY, CHANEL
Erik Nordstrom photograph by Rex/Shutterstock by photograph Erik Nordstrom Richemont ceo Richard Lepeu took a $5.4 million hit, to about $10 million.
Illustration by KYLE HILTON WWD.COM JUNE 2016, No. 1 9 of industry insights, retail at Adobe, said the innovations available today are partly driven by AGENDA consumer demand, but also due to advances in the technology itself. “Consumers are looking to technology to Retail’s provide seamless experiences while saving them time,” Klein said. “Retailers have always had to deal with digital disruption for over two decades now, which is driving innovation.” And despite what many observers are saying, physical stores — and department stores in par- ticular — are not dying, although they face fierce headwinds. “Whether it’s online or in store, con- Digital sumers will always want to see, try, feel merchan- dise before they buy it,” Klein asserted. The challenge for many retailers is creating a compelling enough reason for shoppers to head to the mall. Ike Boruchow, senior analyst at Wells Fargo Securities, said last week that May traffic saw Bridge a deceleration for the third straight month. Citing data from ShopperTrak, Boruchow said retail traf- fic was off 10 percent in May on a year-over-year How data and technology basis — despite the arrival of warmer tempera- are creating a better in-store tures, which followed below-normal averages so far this spring. “Thus, the retail malaise cannot be experience. entirely blamed on weather,” he said. So what is to blame? Maybe retailers themselves By ARTHUR ZACZKIEWICZ need to take a close look in the mirror and ask if they’re using the tools available in the right way. hen a shopper peruses a web site or casually strolls through “Technology adds an additional excitement and convenience to shopping experiences,” Klein said. her favorite department store and makes a purchase, “But it’s not just technology and consumers driv- she likely has no idea of the data-driven technology ing new innovations in online and in-store retail. behind that transaction. ¶ Whether it is in store or The retailers themselves have a vested interest in W shaping these experiences.” online, today’s omnichannel shopping experience is a Klein said, for example, that if a shopper opts complicated affair for retailers and brands that involves product sourcing, to share location information, “retailers can use inventory management, trend forecasting, consumer behavior analysis, iBeacons and other digital shopping technologies to offer content that is hyperpersonalized for that data management, marketing, employee training, visual merchandising and customer.” e-commerce fulfillment, among other variables. ¶ The technology behind “Data that’s captured and analyzed through retailers’ drive to create a so-called seamless shopping experience includes these in-store and online experiences can also drive dynamic pricing, inventory management everything from capturing transaction data and predictive analytics to and even help shape store layouts, product place- iBeacons and cloud-based marketing campaigns. Yet many companies — ment, and more effective visual merchandising,” especially fashion apparel retailers — aren’t using some of the key technologies he added. As for shoppers, what exactly are they looking or services available. for when they go to a physical store? According to For example, SAP offers a retail software solu- “Technology a white paper published last week by Synchrony tion that helps inform marketing and merchan- Financial in collaboration with Forbes Insights, dising strategies via planning and analysis. SAP adds an a positive omnichannel shopping experience for Retail also helps retailers manage inventory additional requires the very best retailers can offer — online across the supply chain; conduct procurement; excitement and and in stores. manage human capital, and manage financials, The white paper showed that 82 percent of con- among other tasks. convenience sumers polled “conduct research online for major Retailers are using predictive analytics from to shopping purchases,” while 46 percent said they make the companies such as First Insight Inc. to bring experiences.” actual purchase in the store. Forty-five percent of products to market that resonate with consumers, respondents acknowledged that “closing the sale which reduces inventory overflows and increases Michael Klein, Adobe for a major purchase online” is a challenge. And gross margins. Other companies such as RetailNext 38 percent of those polled said “the biggest reason are working with using various in-store technolo- for in-store visits is to be assisted by friendly and gies to measure foot traffic as a way to create better helpful associates.” floor plans to maximize sales productivity — and Regarding that last point, Klein said offering a bolster profits. personalized experience in the store is critical. All of these innovations are deployed in the “Its importance can’t be understated,” he said. name of creating a better in-store — and online “Personalizing the shopping experience in store is — shopping experience. Michael Klein, director necessary for winning and retaining customers ►
Retail Tech RFID TAGS Playlist BEACONS Radio-frequency VIDEO CAMERAS identification tags, from Bluetooth smart devices placed Say “cheese,” because a Some of the companies like Intermec, throughout the store that can beam Retail Next camera may be technologies track products throughout » promotions directly to shoppers, counting store traffic and available for the store. Imagine dress- resulting in more purchases. testing product displays. bolstering the ing-room suggestions that in-store experience increase conversions. Illustration: Artist Name Artist Illustration:
Photograph by BYLINE_NAME Illustration by SAM ISLAND WWD.COM JUNE 2016, No. 1 11 AGENDA
beyond price differentiators. What retailers need to keep in mind, though, is that they need to personalize the experience at every touch point, anonymous and known customers.” Klein said companies tend to focus their person- alization efforts online and via loyalty programs, Disrupt Story has traces of “Mr. Robot’s” which is good, but they do so while neglecting Coney Island-based their mobile commerce, for example. Klein said hacker group fsociety. solutions such as Adobe Marketing Cloud can help tie together marketing efforts across all touch points. Amit Sharma, founder and chief executive offi- cer of post-purchase experience platform provider store. Jack Threads has created a khaki jacket like Narvar, reiterated the need for personalization. A Disrupting the one Christian Slater’s He also noted the importance of mobile devices character wears in “Mr. as a bridge between the online experience and Robot.” the in-store one. Robot Tale Intriguing as the series- “As mobile continues to dominate digital media come-to-life aspects consumption, brands are more thoughtful about Story’s latest narrative — “Disrupt Story” — finds are, the setup is part of how they engage with customers on the go,” inspiration from USA Network’s “Mr. Robot.” a more encompassing Sharma said. “The most admired brands realize “The rise theme “Disrupt Story,” xperiential from the set. “E Corp” which runs through July that mobile can be the bridge between customers’ of digital E translates bottled water, as in the 24. About 10 percent experiences online and in store. A customer can shopping has to “ho-hum” gargantuan conglomer- of the merchandise is browse in a store and later order her product for many ate “Evil Corp,” is stocked Mr. Robot. Disruptors of via mobile, or she can purchase a product in a transformed retailers, but the new “Mr. in a vending machine that all kinds — not just the mobile app and pick it up in store. Taking it one Robot”-inspired concept shoppers can activate Mr. Robot ones — are the traditional at Story in Manhattan by tweeting. Regardless step further, the mobile channel can be effective the focal point for the definition of a aims to enthrall fans if they watch the show or in engaging a customer even after she leaves the West Chelsea boutique. of the USA Networks’ not, consumers can try to Through merchandise store through demo videos and relevant instruc- store, ‘Store’ no hacker drama and shop- hack an ATM in the store and in-store events, tional content.” longer refers to pers alike. to win cash. Disrupt Story has four Sharma challenged the industry to reconsider just bricks-and- Rami Malek, who The Jokerlike image areas — the Founders, the its prime nomenclature. “The rise of digital shop- plays the antisocial that appears on masks Innovators, the Expres- ping has transformed the traditional definition of mortar or an computer programmer in the show has been sionists and the Union of Elliot Alderson on the stamped on white a store,” he explained. “‘Store’ no longer refers to Ones (a reference to the online portal; show, won’t be swiping backpacks, journals just bricks-and-mortar or an online portal; rather, power of the individual). rather, it’s a customers’ credit cards and other items thanks Prynt’s smartphone it’s a reflection of a shopper’s entire experience. reflection of a with Square, but there to actress-artist Carly printer/phone case, Customers now expect brands to tie together all are plenty of other signs Chaikin, who plays the Invoxia Triby’s smart and of their physical and digital interactions into a shopper’s entire of his “fsociety.” As a wink role of Darlene. To emu- voice-controlled speaker cohesive experience. This means retailers must experience. to that fictitious Coney late Malek’s character, and an assortment of now apply attention to every unique moment in Island-based hacker they are sporting black items designed by the American Giant hoodies which a customer engages with the brand, from Amit Sharma, Narvar group, there are arcade digitally adept artist staples like a “Thunder- designed by founder Shantell Martin are also when she’s browsing — whether online or in store ball” machine, Ms. Pac- Bayard Winthrop and — to when she’s waiting for a product to when the available. Man, a concession stand Pop LED-lit sneakers, two USA will partner with purchased product is finally in her hands.” and the neon “Games, of the numerous items Story for in-store events Sharma said Sephora “does this exceptionally Games, Games” sign that are available in the with disruptors in art, well.” He said when shoppers are browsing in politics, technology and store, “customers can interact with store associ- other areas looking to ates to browse items, have makeup tutorials, prac- create another experi- tice applying products and interact with shoppable ence and a social media screens. Sephora mirrors this experience online conversation, said Alex- andra Shapiro, executive through ‘how-to’ videos, offering virtual try-ons, vice president of market- and creating a community board where shoppers ing and entertainment can ask questions and provide answers.” networks, NBC Universal. Sharma noted Sephora’s seamless customer “In a world where we’re experiences extends “through the post-purchase so fully immersed in dig- experience, when customers can view relevant ital and social platforms, product video content while also tracking their and on one level feeling package.” hyperconnected, there is also the pervasive feeling Maintaining that seamless experience by lever- of being disconnected,” aging various technologies while also using data she said, adding that to manage inventory and analyze trends helps to real-life opportunities are set the stage for better sales. But also offering a taking on greater impor- personalized approach in the store or on a mobile Story shoppers can tance between brands try to hack an ATM. device or web site is what solution-providers say and consumers. will seal the deal — and convert shoppers and The tie-up has a hefty base to draw from. To browsers into buyers. ■ ► Story photographs by Joshua Scott by photographs Story
BOPIS TABLETS ENDLESS AISLE SHOP-IN-A-SHOP “Buy online, pick up in store” means HP Retail Solutions arms sales Real-time inventory tracking by Clicks meet bricks as a special area is created for these associates with tablets that give JDA Software means the shelves your e-commerce stars treasured customers, who save them the ability to answer product are always full: Whether the appear in person in a » shipping costs and often spend questions, check inventory and salesperson pulls from the cloud physical store. more money. even complete a sale on the spot. or from the store, customers get what they want. OPENING SUMMER 2016 LEASING NOW: citypointbrooklyn.com SHOPS, EATS, FILMS 12 JUNE 2016, No. 1 WWD.COM AGENDA
Pop Shoes illuminate with date, the series has LED lights in the sole. resonate with your target been sampled 26 audience no matter million times across all where they are visiting platforms — including your brand, be it online, in linear, Vod, iTunes, store or at an event.” USANetwork.com and Specifically, the pro- GET multiple digital outlets cess includes assessing — and is currently avail- a retail brand to reveal able on demand, a USA its “sound DNA.” The spokeswoman said. As Bushnell’s Polycade, process is complicated, is the case with Story’s which plays all sorts and requires some other partners (except of old-school arcade soul-searching on the for its holiday one), USA games. (Ever ready part of the retailer. “When PAID paid $400,000 to spon- to tell a backstory, DMI develops a music sor the “Disrupt Story” Shechtman noted that strategy for clients, we installation. The retailer Bushnell’s father Nolan ensure that all sound, like has secured another created Atari and the any other brand asset, media entity for its kid-friendly restaurant creates cohesion not August concept. Having chain Chuck E. Cheese.) Sound DNA confusion,” Clark said. been approached by Figuring out a “We create the music every time, dozens of other media narrative that would Tena Clark works with retailers to develop strategy that delivers companies over the resonate with die-hard music strategies that reflect its brand. the brand’s sound DNA. years, Story’s founder fans without alienating We do a three-tier quality everywhere _ Rachel Shechtman said those who have never iving on the jingle, composing and check that includes Shapiro’s willingness to heard of the show, “For brick-and- West Coast producing “Heavenly” identifying and providing have “a true collabora- maintaining Story’s own L hasn’t worn for Victoria’s Secret a collective guideline that tion” and work together DNA and interplaying mortar retail away Tena and even programming helps to unify the brand’s as a team sold her on that with the show and locations, Clark’s Southern-tinged the music for President delivery of sound across the prospect. the Disruptor concept accent. Nor has it Obama’s Air Force One. all touch points. This With mobile com- was a bit challenging. music doesn’t softened her disposition, When Clark founded strategy provides the merce expected to She said, “There were need to take- which is energetic and DMI in 1997, listeners brand with a comprehen- account for 24.4 per- lots of layers.” projects a “let’s get right heard new music and sive plan for employing Omnichannel Payments cent of overall e-com- Now that USA has over the space, to work” attitude. discovered new artists music as a brand-mar- merce revenues by the tied up with Story, the rather it should That attitude and mostly from radio. So her keting platform and a Retailers use Adyen’s in-store, in-app and end of 2017, retailers question is who else creative energy are objective was to “deliver blueprint for making online payment solution to deliver compelling are trying not to get might be adventurous enhance the reflected in the song- music in unexpected decisive music choices. customer experiences, while growing revenue. left behind. A bevy of enough to take on consumer writer and producer’s places where consumers We are marketers, as direct-to-consumer “Mr. Robot.” Shapiro résumé. The list of hadn’t heard it before, well as brand, music and labels like The Arrivals, is certainly open to experience.” musicians who have which falls into the cate- technology experts.” www.adyen.com/retail been produced by Clark gory of connecting them a women’s outerwear more alliances and Tena Clark Clark said the process resource that retails for partnerships, but or have performed with more new music involves doing an under $900, are being said, “There just aren’t her songs includes that they actually want “in-depth brand analysis” sold. Kickstarter-funded enough Rachels in the Aretha Franklin, Chaka to hear.” while also conducting ones are also repre- world.” — ROSEMARY Khan, Natalie Cole, “In the early days, I interviews. The goal is sented including Tyler FEITELBERG Patti LaBelle, Jennifer developed a saying, to gain deeper insights Holliday, Gladys Knight, which still holds true for into the brand, Clark said, CeCe Winans, Dionne us today: ‘There is no adding that the work Warwick, Patti Austin and greater way to create includes an analysis American Giant Stephanie Mills, among loyalty than through of the target audience designed a customized many others. emotion. And there is no of the brand as well as hoodie inspired by Rami She’s considered a pio- greater way to create regional preferences. For Malek’s lead character. neer in music marketing, emotion than through example, shoppers in the and is well-known in the music,’” Clark explained. Midwest would have dif- consumer products and With the in-store expe- ferent music preferences retail industries as the rience, she describes than consumers in the founder of DMI Music & music as “an integral part South, which would result Media Solutions. While to overall brand strategy.” in different music even at some brands and retail- “There are so many the same retailer. ers rely on cookie-cutter opportunities for retail “Identifying and cre- playlists for in-store brands to have an ating a music strategy and event music, Clark audio footprint, and it’s makes the brand more leverages decades of important that it is a cohesive,” Clark said. experience to affect con- cohesive and connected “It’s about having the sumer behavior using experience that builds same personality across music. In fact, Clark says, loyalty,” Clark said. “For channels and delivering “music should be at the bricks-and-mortar retail a consistent experience center of a company’s locations, music doesn’t across all touch points marketing efforts.” need to take over the with your target demo- Her experience show- space; rather, it should graphic. Particularly for cases a discography that enhance the consumer the in-store experience, includes feature films experience. Another one it’s about building trust and TV, as well as writing of our favorite sayings and loyalty through a McDonald’s “Have You is, ‘No random acts of new channel.” Had Your Break Today” music.’ Music should — ARTHUR ZACZKIEWICZ
MERCHANDISING BOT BLOCKERS CLOUD GEO-LOCATION MAPPING Price-stealing bots take a retailer’s RBM Technologies taps prices and immediately undercut Matching shoppers’ GPS position to Google for Work can help its merchandising cloud to the price online to drive away traffic. in-store beacons is how Pitney Bowes customers locate products within give customers a better ShieldSquare blocks the bad bots can tell if store traffic will pick up when a store; so no more long searches experience and help from price-scraping and also keeps school lets out. to find Mom jeans. stores make the most out them from filling up online carts to of their promotions. create a phantom out-of-stock item. wherever people pay 14 JUNE 2016, No. 1 WWD.COM AGENDA PayPal’s Mobile, Global Play CONGRATULATIONS TO Chief executive officer Dan Schulman talks MICHAEL ATMORE about how PayPal is faring on its own and what the company’s doing to move more of the world’s money. THE 2016 ACCESSORIES COUNCIL By MAGHAN MCDOWELL
ayPal has been working hard to be more HALL OF FAME than a blue button on an e-commerce site. The 18-year-old payment platform Pthat left its longtime home at eBay Inc. last year has been focusing on products HONOREE that streamline payments for both merchants and customers — often in the background and often with a mobile mind-set. The emphasis on on-the-go commerce comes FOR HIS INSPIRING INFLUENCE at a time when customer needs, and competitive threats, are growing. Behemoths like Amazon, AND LEADERSHIP Apple and Google have expanded their scope and spilled over into PayPal’s domain. An estimated 45 percent of all shopping journeys include mobile devices and U.S. mobile commerce is expected to reach as much as $252 billion by 2020. But digital FROM EVERYONE AT WWD merchants are in many cases struggling to play catch-up and deliver a check-out process suitable for the small(er) screen. To that end, PayPal’s One Touch landed two years ago to reduce “friction” in digital checkouts by automatically authenticating customers on their chosen device. The company’s transition out of eBay was led by flip-flop- and cowboy boot-aficionado Dan Schul- man, who came to the San Jose-based company from American Express in 2014. WWD talked to Schulman in advance of PayPal’s one-year anniver- sary as a stand-alone company, coming in July, to get his thoughts on the past year and the future of mobile payments.
What’s changed the most since PayPal be- came independent from eBay? Some things haven’t changed. We are still fo- cused on what we do best, which is digital pay- ments and serving customers and merchants. What has changed is that we are truly a neutral third party. We are not aligned with an e-com- merce site. Ebay was a competitor to many mer- chants and even some technology platform com- Payment tech is a crowded market. The tinction between online and offline. panies. Being that neutral third party has allowed technology is there, but so far it seems like Many retailers are using the fact that everyone us to open our aperture to numerous partner- customers haven’t adopted mobile payment has their mobile with them all the time. Mer- ships that we might never have had before. Those services as quickly as many hoped. How is chants are writing their own applications, like the range from deep integration into the Facebook PayPal competing to stand out? Starbucks app. People don’t use it because they platform, deep integration into some of the larg- Mobile payments are not about a form-fac- want to tap their phone and show a QR code. est wireless carriers around the world in Europe, tor change. They are about a value proposition They use it because it gives them a free coffee af- Mexico and Latin America, and some very deep change. They are not about substituting a swipe ter the tenth purchase and it allows them to order relationships with retailers that we wouldn’t have of a card for the tap of a phone, because it’s pret- ahead and skip the line. had if we had been aligned with eBay. ty easy to swipe a card. We are enabling that value proposition change. That was one of the big premises of the sep- A value proposition is fundamentally different. We are powering, through our platform, all the aration: Could we take advantage of third-party What merchants are thinking about is, how can elements that a merchant needs to connect their status? I think we’re beginning to show that that’s they use mobile to form a more intimate con- application to. We’ll do a 100 percent share of clearly the case. We are clearly moving away from nection to their customers by putting them at their checkout. We will integrate simply, with being more than just a button on a merchant’s the center of a new value proposition that trans- very little code change needed on the merchant’s web site. Our mission and our vision is much verses online, mobile and in-store environments? part, Visa, MasterCard, any debit card, Ameri- more expansive and has mobile at the center. Mobile is the technology that is blurring the dis- can Express, Apple Pay, Android Pay and, of ►
16 JUNE 2016, No. 1 WWD.COM Photograph by JOSHUA SCOTT AGENDA
course, PayPal, onto their payments and check- out. We allow them to take their rewards and in- transactions are chang- tegrate them onto our platform so that at check- ing the nature of how payments are made — out, a consumer can use their rewards points to “whenever and wherever pay for something instantaneously. shoppers make a Two years ago, PayPal introduced One transaction all over the Touch, which helps digital shoppers log in world, which could be and pay without repeatedly entering user- online, in a store or on a names or payment information. It has since mobile device.” expanded from mobile apps to web and mo- Scott Galit, ceo of Pay- oneer, said his company bile usage and is available internationally. is “adding infrastructure How’s that doing? all over the world” to It is the fastest-growing product that PayPal has meet growing demand launched; over 22 million people are using it. and make cross-border For several years, mobile has overtaken the PC transactions smoother. as the way that people do their computing and Galit said India and conduct commerce. And that is growing. In the Japan in particular are Epay’s Future key markets. On the busi- developing world, it’s sometimes their only com- ness-to-business side of puting device. This offers tremendous opportu- Digital wallets and frictionless transactions the market, Galit said his nity for merchants to connect with consumers. are already transforming payments. company “is also making But the real problem is that actual conversion is a lot of investments” in much lower than on a desktop; there is this huge he explosive plastic creates a more the integrated payments drop-off. It’s a scary thing. T growth of elegant transaction, he space. “In the B2B area, Being a mobile-first company, One Touch was e-commerce noted. Indeed, earlier we’re seeing demand along with this year Apple Inc. chief about, how can we actually increase [conver- from companies consumer preferences executive officer Tim who want to embed sion]? As soon as you opt in with one of your de- for shopping and buying Cook told investors that payments into various vices — a mobile phone or laptop or desktop or anywhere and anytime the company’s Apple platforms,” the ceo said, iPad — you never need to put in your username has changed how fash- Pay platform was aver- adding that this includes or password again. That takes away friction for a ion and beauty retailers aging one million new cloud-based solutions consumer. When you see something you want, and brands market and users each week. Apple for payables and receiv- you hit one button, and you have checked out. sell their products. noted that there were ables where invoices are But the omnichannel about 10 million “contact- Conversion jumped to 87 percent as a result. automatically generated. approach has also less-enabled” terminals Ralph Dangelmaier, The next nearest, our nearest competitor, was transformed how con- on line, including about ceo of global payments 56 percent. sumers purchase those three million in the U.S. company BlueSnap, said From a merchant perspective, sales conversion products. Transactions Nipping on Apple’s heels merchants typically set goes to this extraordinarily high level on a device “Shoppers want at a physical register is Samsung Pay, which up their e-commerce where it used to be the lowest. That is an extraor- to have a more involving cash or a plas- the company describes sites in a way that incurs dinary thing for merchants and consumers. personalized tic credit card are giving as having “explosive cross-border fees on Where do you see your biggest growth way to digital wallets and growth.” And there are shoppers who are from other alternative pay- other alternative pay- with this? experience, outside the U.S. But ment options — including ment companies, which typically the payment We started in the U.S., but we just rolled out to and paying cross-border platforms continue to grow. acquirers are based in merchants in over 144 countries and to consum- with a mobile that make global In China, Alipay is the the U.S., which creates ers in every county in the 200-plus countries that transactions easier for most used third-party a hurdle. we operate in. We are seeing the uptick of opting [device] creates consumers, retailers and payments service pro- “The biggest issue is in across the globe. That is important, because 25 a different level suppliers. vider with more than 400 the significant percent percent of our business is enabling cross-border Sam Halse, chief million users and counts of false declines that of engagement.” operating officer at MasterCard and Visa as trade and e-commerce, which is one of the big come from cross-border payment solutions financial partners. The transactions,” Dangel- frontiers. Sam Halse, Adyen provider Adyen, said the e-commerce market in maier explained. “The Part of the reason that customers feel so com- most prominent change China is estimated to be solution is for merchants fortable using PayPal is because we guarantee in the marketplace has $1.2 trillion, according to to ensure they have that transaction. If we are shopping at Nord- been the merging of Adyen, which also has local processing in every strom, a guarantee there probably isn’t as im- online and the physical partnered with Alipay region they want to sell. portant as if you’re shopping in Greece or some store, which includes to offer users secure Many merchants don’t payments that mitigate country in Asia and you maybe don’t know that consumer ordering consider this — but they online and picking up in a chargebacks. are putting at risk as retailer. store. The use of mobile PayPal has more much as 20 percent of Speaking of security, some say it’s not a devices and digital than 175 million users, transactions that will matter of “if,” but “when” there will be a wallets is also impacting and generates $9.2 get declined because it breach. What’s your answer to increasing the in-store experience, billion in revenue. After appears to the issuing customer confidence in security? Halse said. spinning off from eBay, bank as a foreign trans- Security comes down to the basics: great fire- “Inside the store, the payments systems action. This is a bit of a walls and authentication methodologies. What you’re seeing a switch to company has been under-the-covers issue, mobile devices, and it is expanding into new really differentiates one company’s security from but it tends to be the changing the shopping markets and making largest problem in selling another is the scale of the data they have. experience,” Halse said. acquisitions — most cross-border.” There are a lot of compromised credentials in “Shoppers want to have recently Xoom Corp., Regarding broader the world, but what you need to do is spot behav- a more personalized which specializes in digi- trends in the global iors that are not normal and prevent those behav- experience, and paying tal money transfers. payments sector, iors from happening. You need incredibly strong with a mobile [device] Omnichannel retailing Dangelmaier said he algorithms to instantaneously spot abnormal be- creates a different level and the growth of expects digital wallets of engagement.” He said digital wallets is also haviors. And algorithms are only as strong as the to garner half of e-com- consumers “no longer allowing for greater merce sales by 2020. amount of data that they have to look at similar want to just pay only at data collection, Halse “Merchants need to be situations and to make the determination if it’s a the cash register – they said, adding that data is looking now at how they good or a bad transaction. expect to pay wherever being used to sharpen will work with these This past quarter, we put 1.4 billion transac- is convenient for them.” marketing efforts, wallets,” he said, adding tions through our platform. We look at every Halse said this is par- improve inventory posi- that there are also transaction and put them through incredibly so- ticularly true with luxury tions and get a better regional preferences to phisticated algorithms that can crunch through shoppers. Using a digital read on trends. Globally, consider. wallet instead of cash or Halse said cross-border immense amounts of data to provide world-class — ARTHUR ZACZKIEWICZ risk capabilities. ■
18 JUNE 2016, No. 1 WWD.COM AGENDA Briefs: Fashion, Beauty & Accessories
INSTAGRAM FAVES RETAIL Most Hashtagged Roman Holiday O Dean and Dan Caten including men’s and women’s Fashion Brands know how to throw a party. wear, accessories, fra- To mark the opening of the grances, underwear and eye- Globally first Dsquared2 boutique in wear, and reflects the Catens’ O The data set includes more than 130,000 geo-tagged Rome, the designers held an new store concept, designed Instagram posts covering the period from Feb. 22 to March 25 in-store cocktail followed by in collaboration with Milanese Q&A of how many times a company and/or consumer hashtagged a dinner on the Tiber river on architect studio Storage Peter Marino the brand’s name. — LISA LOCKWOOD the Baja boat, restaurant and Associati. Standout elements Talks Strategy cocktail bar. include arches covered in The flagship covers 4,298 brass or black metal and O Peter Marino, the archi- 1 16,431 square feet, counts seven okumé wood panels, which tect who recently designed windows and is located on in the dressing rooms show the Bulgari and Dior stores
BEAUTY Via del Babuino. It carries images of lush forests. in London, was there to pro- 2 15,928 The Counterfeiters all Dsquared2 collections, — LUISA ZARGANI mote his new book “Peter Marino: Art and Architec- O There seems to be little ture,” a 240-page tome 3 15,512 chance of stemming the that focuses on Marino’s flood of counterfeit per- collaborative nature and fumes, despite stepped up process for his renowned 4 14,208 efforts to do so. “It continues retail projects. We asked to go on,” said Robert Strang, Marino about his favorite 5 13,102 chief executive officer of projects and the luxury Investigative Management retail landscape. Group, which frequently — LORELEI MARFIL SOURCE: VERVE SEARCH FOR MIINTO.NO investigates counterfeit cases. “It’s going on now, it’s Can you tell us about your gone on in the past and in favorite projects? the global market that we live Well, it’s like all my children; in, with manufacturing firms they’re all my favorites. But, all over the world, it’s very I mean some of the more difficult to put a stop to it.” spectacular commissions Five New York men were that we’ve done is the big arrested late last month for Richard Deacon [suspended allegedly participating in a installation] for Louis Vuitton. ONE COMPLETE THOUGHT scheme to sell counterfeit I love the ginkgo, silvered branded perfumes in New “We do not need the bronze bench that Claude York and across the U.S. The Lalanne makes at Dior — I arrests were the result of designer in the classic think that’s incredible. I really, an ICE Homeland Security really, really love the giant k Investigation with assistance sense, for us, because pearls that Jean-Michel from U.S. Customs and Othoniel made for Chanel Border Protection and the I think that figure has London. New York Police Department. What are your thoughts The men allegedly imported become, except in some on the retail landscape goods from China and then cases, a bit of a hindrance now and how does that sold them to wholesalers affect the design process COUTURE While July’s couture sched- in New York and at least six to projects.” for stores? Cramped ule is slated to showcase fall other states, according to Well, because I work for Calendar collections, Vetements plans ICE. Counterfeited brands Diego Della Valle, Tod’s the luxury brands, I think I’ve Speak with consumers and you’ll discover that they want to send out spring 2017 on confiscated included Chanel, been largely responsible cotton in their clothes and home goods. More than 80% O With the number of true the runway. Lacoste, Calvin Klein and for elevating the bar on couture houses dwindling to “The brand has already Polo, among others. the customer experience have stated that they prefer jeans, towels and sheets made just a handful, the definition shown fall,” a spokeswoman The fragrance brands that to something much higher. of couture week has become for Vetements told WWD, are most commonly counter- Because, you know, people of cotton. 66% are bothered that retailers and brands would increasingly fuzzy. Formerly indicating that July’s catwalk feited include Armani, Cartier, always say to me, “Well Peter, substitute man-made fi bers for cotton. They love cotton so an exclusive showcase for would be heavy on rtw looks. Chanel, Christian Dior, Dolce why would they shop in your made-to-measure creations, “The collection will involve & Gabbana, Lacoste, Vera store instead of shopping much that over half of consumers say they’re willing to pay in recent years it has accom- different elements including Wang and White Diamonds. on the Internet?” and you go,
modated luxury ready-to- some Vetements interpreta- According to the Depart- well, most of our stores at 2013. ™ Survey (www.CottonLifestyleMonitor.com), more to ensure their T-shirts and denim jeans stay cotton wear, jewelry presentations tions of couture.” ment of Homeland Security, this point have more art than rich. Cotton is clearly on your consumers’ minds. Shouldn’t and even the odd high street Meanwhile, Alberta Ferretti DHS made 2,301 seizures most art galleries and that’s lingerie show. will stage an off-calendar of pharmaceuticals or a big part of why I do what it be on your label?
The couture calendar will presentation, presumably personal-care products in I do: to make the customer Lifestyle Monitor be even more dense this to capitalize on the editors fiscal 2015, up from 1,841 in experience something that season, with Vetements, and wealthy clients in town. fiscal 2014. Those items were you cannot experience J.Mendel, Yuima Nakazato, Purists will simply have to get valued at more than $75 mil- online. cottoninc.com Francesco Scognamiglio and with the (new) program. lion retail for fiscal 2015, up Iris Van Herpen among the — JOELLE DIDERICH from $73 million retail in fiscal
new guest members. 2014. — ALLISON COLLINS REX/Shutterstoc by Della Valle Sinopix/REX/Shutterstock; by photograph bottle Perfume Carlos Monteiro; by Calendar illustration
JUNE 2016, No. 1 WWD.COM
20 of Cotton Incorporated. © 2015 Service Marks/Trademarks COTTON PRODUCERS AND IMPORTERS. AMERICA’S The Cotton Incorporated Source: AGENDA AGENDA AGENDA
1. Dior Fine Jewelry’s 1 18-karat rose gold ring From gold and silver to diamonds and rubies, it’s with amethysts and easy to forget how precious those metals and gems diamonds. Data Points 2. Bulgari’s 18-karat are — and how much is used in jewelry-making and pink gold necklace with accessories. Here, WWD takes a look at the numbers amethyst, chalcedony, behind the market, which include $39 billion in rubellite and diamonds. Facets of Jewelry diamond jewelry sales alone in the U.S. as well as the 3. Sutra’s 18-karat rose gold earrings with angel weight of gold production from one mine in Indonesia By DEBRA BORCHARDT Illustration by CARLOS MONTEIRO skin coral and rose de in one year equaling nine SUVs. France amethysts. 4. Cartier’s platinum ring with sapphires, amethysts and diamonds. 5. Lucifer Vir Honestus’ 18-karat rose gold and amethyst earrings. 6. Mikimoto’s 18-karat white gold necklace with cultured pearls, sapphires 3 Timeline and diamonds. 1400 1.3 pounds $39 billion Weight of the largest diamond Sales of diamond jewelry ever found, “The Cullinan,” which in the U.S. in 2015. translates to 3,106.75 carats, discovered in South Africa. 1477 The tradition of the engagement ring 2 “The Cullinan” Same begins. before being scale 1500 cut. 1530 First known 53% wristwatch. of sales at jewelers 1600 are diamonds and diamond jewelry.
4 $4,800 Average cost of an 1700 engagement ring. 1958 Harry Winston donates the Hope Most common ring sizes Diamond to the Smithsonian $1,200 Institution. Average cost of #1 Woman’s 1800 a woman’s wedding Size 7 band.
1970 Mining.com AncientOrigins.com; Horlogerie; HarryWinston.com; on de la Haute The first digital An Alex and watch is developed Man’s Ani bracelet by the Hamilton 80% $550 Size 10 is the best- Watch Co. of all diamonds mined Average cost of selling piece of are used for industrial a man’s wedding women’s jewelry 1900 purposes. band. on Amazon.
6 173 pounds $137 million $80 million 2013 5 The largest jewelry The largest gold nugget ever Value of Elizabeth Taylor’s Value of the Wittelsbach-Graff 2000 theft on record found, named “Welcome jewelry collection. diamond, the world’s most (valued at $136 Stranger,” discovered in expensive piece of jewelry. Victoria, Australia. million) occurs at the Carlton InterCon- grams 11.2 tinental Hotel in Weight of the largest pearl ever Cannes, France. found — “La Peregrina” — mounted on a Cartier necklace and owned by the estate of Elizabeth Taylor.
The same weight as Grasberg mine 862,000 oz. 9 The ancient Greeks believed the February birth- Amount of gold produced each SUVs stone could prevent drunkenness — “amethyst” trans- year from the world’s largest gold lates to “not intoxicated” — but purple-toned gems, even mine, the Grasberg, in Indonesia. Trend sapphires that mimic amethysts, will definitely amp up the 6,000 giddy factor. At Mikimoto, diamonds and sapphires form Age, in years, of the flowers around a multistrand pearl necklace, and at Cartier, a world’s oldest Purple Reigns sapphire joins with amethysts in a ring. Bulgari pairs ame- crown, discovered thysts with chalcedony, rubellite and diamonds for a lari- in a cave near By ROXANNE ROBINSON the Dead Sea. at-style necklace, while Lucifer Vir Honestus places two raw- cut amethysts on rose-gold stems in a clean, simple design. SOURCES: 47thDiamondsWholesale.info; Jewelers of America; U.S. Department of Commerce; Amazon; History of Watchmaking — Fondati Watchmaking of History Amazon; Commerce; Department of America; U.S. of Jewelers 47thDiamondsWholesale.info; SOURCES:
22 JUNE 2016, No. 1 WWD.COM Photographs by GRAHAM POLLACK; Prop Styling by GINA MARIE BARBARO JUNE 2016, No. 1 WWD.COM 23 “I WANT TECHNOLOGY TO WORK FOR ME, AND lenda Bailey is far from the household name did an interview with him, just as the news broke of him going to Saint Laurent. MEDIA PEOPLE MY READERS. PEOPLE GET CONFUSED THAT of some of her peers. Sure, she’s been edi- When you think about some of your best covers, are they inspired by art or attending BY ALEXANDRA STEIGRAD TECHNOLOGY COMES FIRST. THE IDEAS COME FIRST.” tor in chief of Harper’s Bazaar for 15 years collections, talking to the designers? Yes, art. For example, I don’t know if you’ve and, before that, turned around Marie Claire seen Cindy Sherman’s limited-edition covers that we did in March, but these are major collector’s in the U.S., after becoming a media star in items. This came about because about three years ago I sat next to Cindy at a Lanvin show, and we Gthe U.K. as that title’s launch editor. Like most editors in chief, started chatting and we became friends. I’ve al- ways been after her to do something for us…and she’s no pushover when it comes to creating an exacting vision finally she agreed. This is the result [shows Sher- man editions, then turns to a cover of Rihanna for her magazine — and in her case, making sure her tight- with a shark]. But equally, if you take something like this, it came about because I’d read in an in- knit staff and Bazaar’s content adhere to it. ¶At the same time, terview — just one sentence — which said Rihanna was a strong swimmer because she comes from she lacks the much-practiced, uberjudgmental ice-cold stare an island. I was like, “Great. If she wants to be on expected of the studied fashionista. Instead, as she talks in her the cover, then she must agree to swimming with a shark, so she did.” It worked. You should look lilting Northern English accent — still strong, even after 20 at the video. You can see how she’s swimming. These were three 30-foot-long sharks. This is a years in America — Bailey exudes a disarming humor and un- very dangerous situation. You can see that the photographer’s assistant brushed his arm on one expected charm that appear incompatible with her position. of them, and as a result, they started to circle her, and we had to pull her out. You see this all on film. That would have made a headline. The editor, who received an Order of the Brit- know exactly what’s in Harper’s Bazaar. For them, There was lots of insurance on that shoot, let’s ish Empire in 2008 and an award of Chevalier of I feel like they get rewarded with this incredibly put it that way. But then, the great Laura Brown the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the French beautiful image. I like to be able to offer both. [executive editor] pointed out that it was actually government in 2012, began her magazine career Some of your subscriber covers have been the anniversary of “Jaws.” Remember there was at Marie Claire in the U.K. in 1988, making it such really artistic and innovative. Do you think a very famous picture like this [shows Rihanna in a success that she even did an American Ex- they wouldn’t sell on the newsstand? the shark’s mouth], there was a mock-up of Ste- press commercial there. She headed to America I’m afraid it’s logic. When you put an image ven [Spielberg] lying in a shark’s mouth, so we in 1996, to take over the U.S. Marie Claire, then like that on the newsstand, you have literally two re-created that sort of spirit here for the cover. succeeded Katherine Betts at Bazaar five years lat- seconds to get somebody’s attention. Often, with Some of our more famous ones, like the Demi er. The title has had its ups and downs, as have many of the subscriber covers, they’re far away Moore one, was good because that coincided most magazines. Bazaar’s total paid and verified and the thing that catches your attention more with the fact that I had just come back from the circulation in 2015 equaled 748,836, and total sin- than anything on the newsstand is eye contact. collections, and Lee [Alexander] McQueen had gle-copy sales amounted to 114,765, the Alliance Because you’ve got a smaller image, and some- shown his collection with the armadillo shoes. It for Audited Media said. While this constituted a times a darker image, often it doesn’t stand out was so surreal. I had been looking at a lot of Dalí 0.9 percent dip in circulation and a 1.4 percent as much as a traditional newsstand cover, which references because Dalí had first contributed to decline in newsstand sales from the prior year, is why we continue to do right for newsstand. It Harper’s Bazaar many, many years ago, and I’d Bazaar has managed to blunt some of the steeper has clearly been proven to be the case of our sales been on a holiday in Spain and I’d seen a lot of the declines in the industry with a tight 725,000 rate figures. Obviously, I’m very proud of the fact that exhibitions. I thought, “What can we do to try and base and a 10-time-a-year frequency. we’re least down of any of our competitive set, create this moment?” I had this idea of putting a Bailey sat down with WWD in a spartan con- but also we’re least down than the industry — way spiral staircase on the sand and then getting her ference room decorated mainly with old issues of better than the industry [average] on newsstand. to climb up it with her armadillo shoes. I thought, Bazaar, in the Hearst Tower in New York, to dis- This is something that is our point of difference, “While she’s up there, she needs to be doing cuss her evolving role as editor, how she comes that we really focus on commercial covers for the something.” Hence, I wanted a giraffe. She’s feed- up with some of Bazaar’s buzziest covers and her newsstand, and we’re able to look and dream and ing the giraffe. thoughts on the future of fashion magazines in an produce those epic images that we’ve been lucky So, you just like to torture these people? increasingly digital world. enough to win. Well, but here’s the thing: Celebrities under- Let’s talk about the Kardashians and social stand the power of original ideas because often How has the role of editor in chief changed? media stars. Bazaar has featured them on its that’s why they act. They want to be in movies I think, thanks to technology, it’s got a whole cover, but doesn’t seem to rely on them quite that tell a story. They know the power of iconic lot easier. The days of having to have faxes at the as much for covers as other magazines. imagery. Often, you find that people really want collections are happily gone. It just makes life It’s a moment in time, really. I’m looking at ce- to participate. easier, more efficient. I love fashion, and I love lebrities who are relevant or who want to partici- How do you convince Hearst to pay for the to be able to communicate that passion I have in pate in some of our more adventurous ideas. I’ve more elaborate shoots? different mediums. For me to be able to cover the often said we’re not just about hemlines; we’re We are very cost-conscious. As I said, we’re a news immediately, online, and be able to produce about headlines. I love the idea that as a monthly business. It’s not just producing this incredible im- something that is truly creative and innovative — magazine, we can break news stories. Like, for ex- agery, but also it’s produced within budget, and I’m full of ideas — in the magazine, it means I have ample, Emma [Ferrer], who is Audrey Hepburn’s that’s something we all need to take seriously. I the best of both worlds. As I look back at the past granddaughter. I don’t think anybody knew she certainly do at Bazaar, and before, at Marie Claire, 15 years, one of the things I’m most proud of is existed. [Points to Bazaar’s September 2014 cov- because a lot of people can achieve those wild creating the subscriber cover. When I first did it, er featuring Ferrer]. I like the idea of being able ideas if they have unlimited resources. Well, that’s the first couple of years, people really criticized it to show her, and to be able to present somebody not the case for us, but I think it helps us try harder and didn’t think it would work at all. Now, you see that people aren’t familiar with, and then, equally, to come up with ideas, which really have maxi- it everywhere. I like to show a model. Anna Ewers got her first mum impact at a minimum amount of budget. What was the thinking behind that? cover from Harper’s Bazaar, but then, equally, it’s Talk about your relationships with Carine I woke up to the fact that on the newsstand, great to have all of our celebrities. For example, Roitfeld, Bazaar’s global fashion director, you’re really talking to potential new readers who when I did the redesign, I love the fact that we had and creative director Stephen Gan, and how GLENDA BAILEY really don’t know what’s inside Bazaar and what Gwyneth Paltrow but we didn’t show her face. It you work with them. makes it so special. You need to, of course, put the turned out to be Anthony Vaccarello’s first edi- Stephen Gan I’ve obviously worked with for the cover lines on there to be able to suggest why they torial in an American publication, and he then, whole 15 years. We met at Iman and David Bowie’s Editor in chief of Harper’s Bazaar need to pick it up. If you’re a loyal subscriber, you obviously, got his cover. And in the May issue, we home. We were invited for a dinner. We knew ►
24 JUNE 2016, No. 1 WWD.COM Photograph by MARK MANN WWD.COM JUNE 2016, No. 1 25 Growing up, did you “I’M LOOKING AT CELEBRITIES WHO ARE RELEVANT OR WHO WANT ever think you could be a model? TO PARTICIPATE IN SOME OF OUR MORE ADVENTUROUS IDEAS.” When I was young, I had these really round glasses and really weird short hair. I looked like a boy, actually. each other, but only to say hello. At Then my hairdresser the dinner, we sat down next to each started to tell me that I should be a model and other, and we were chatting away. It that I had a pretty face, was so obvious that we should work around 13 or 14. I guess together, because we share a similar then you start to see it. spirit. I love to laugh. Life’s too short But modeling in Holland not to enjoy what you’re working on, is not really big. What I’m and Stephen has that spirit, too. He’s doing now is seen as a bit always laughing, and he also knows strange. We don’t really have a lot of fashion. how important it is to produce mem- We have G-Star…that’s a orable images. It’s so good to have Age: brand we can be proud of. someone who finishes your sentenc- 21 But we don’t have many es. He knows what I’m going to say, Height: other big brands. For and it’s not just with him — many on 5’11” Dutch people, the fashion Hair: industry — they don’t really my team do. It’s a shorthand. And Light brown understand it. Sometimes when Carine left French Vogue, I Eyes: actually wrote to her and I saw her Blue/green they have a negative view of it; they think it’s just and I asked her if she would consid- Hometown: Dedemsvaart, being pretty in pictures. er working for Bazaar. Do you use any social media Overijssel, The With my friends, I never She must have been a bit platforms? Netherlands really speak about my Agency: shocked, because of the rivalry Through Harper’s Bazaar — mainly work. I feel like I cannot The Society between Vogue and Bazaar. because I believe Harper’s Bazaar is Management complain to them. They’ll No. See, what you have to remem- the star. Instagram is my medium, Instagram: be like, “Oh please, but ber with me is, I’m all about talent. I because I’m very visual. Everybody @birgitkos you’re traveling…” You just touched down love talent, and I want to work with says I should do it under my name. in New York. How are as much great talent as possible. My Maybe I should reconsider that? you enjoying it? job as editor in chief is making the So you’re the author of some There’s so much to do most of everybody’s talent and pull- of Bazaar’s Instagram posts? here that it can be fun, ing that together into a format that’s Of course! I’m very visual, and I but it’s not my favorite even better than an individual. She love taking photos. It’s a hobby. city. I really like nature. works for us with Stephen….They do How does the market differ in I like to do sporty stuff outdoors…hiking, walking, a portfolio with us four times a year. the U.S. from the U.K.? snowboarding. My life is Many editors in chief today are I used to say when I came over based around modeling, the face of their publications. that in Britain, sex sells, and here, so it is difficult to find a People know who you are, but it’s hair. And I do think that’s true. second hobby that I can you don’t seek the spotlight. Is That’s very general, but fashion really do 100 percent that a conscious decision? ed as an ad. To your other point reflects what goes on in society. If because I cannot plan I firmly believe that Harper’s Bazaar is the star. with ShopBazaar, frankly, anything you live in America, you are inun- anything. Fashion is a I am there to make it the best it possibly can be, I can do to make shopping easier for dated with fantastic images of these world that…I’m too Dutch for it. I’m too easygoing. beautiful celebrities and Hollywood but there should be no confusion. I want to put my reader makes me very happy. But I like my work because Harper’s Bazaar front and center. We are a fashion and beauty mag- glamour. You’re brought up with you work every day with Do you feel you have to wear the hat of an azine, and you come to Bazaar be- that, and so you’re brought up with different, artistic people. editor and a businessperson, as media com- cause you are interested in fashion the idea of having your nails paint- If you weren’t modeling, panies demand more from editors? and beauty. ed. But in England still, it’s very what would you be doing? I’ve always been a businessperson. It comes Bazaar is a very old print much, there’s not a nail parlor on I always wanted to be from A-level economics. I think it’s a very shallow brand, but it is relatively new on every corner. There are still those a travel agent, do outdoor sports or go into nature thought to think creative people can’t do business. the web. How does it carve out a voice there? differences. But fashion and beauty, it’s an inter- to teach people about I am as proud of the fact that we’re a commercial We’ve only just begun. I love the different medi- national language. I love trends. I worked in fash- survival. I would never success as I am that we’re a critical success. I want ums. That’s the whole point. Technology enables ion forecasting, and I think that helps in being an live in Holland; it’s way people to realize that I’m very strategic in how I us to communicate in different ways. I like to play editor because I love to know what’s next, and I too structured for me. run Bazaar. When you think that we’ve had 150 with it. I want technology to work for me, and like to predict. I like to predict the trends going Everything needs to be years of these great people that went before me my readers. People get confused that technology into the shows, and normally I’ve organized all of planned out from the — legendary teams — when you think about how comes first. The ideas come first. You need to use our stories before we go. [Laughs] Fashion is my moment you’re born. You Model Call: need to go study; then Harper’s Bazaar was the first magazine to show the medium. second language. after you study, you get photography, the first magazine to show move- Bazaar is known for its fashion imagery You cochair the Lincoln Center Corporate a job; then around your ment in photography, the first magazine to show in print. How do you see fashion magazines Fund, which is in its fourth year. Who will 30s, you get married and a nude, the first magazine to show a bikini, the translating image-making digitally? you honor this year and how much have you Birgit Kos have children. It’s really first to show the Pill, it’s always been very inven- As time goes on, I think we’ll be seeing beautiful raised to date? weird. I don’t want to live tive. Alexey Brodovitch [art director from 1934 to imagery online. At the moment, it’s difficult to do We’ve got Carolina Herrera coming up, but OAlthough told at age 14 she had like this. I’m quite often 1958] used to say, “Astonish me.” We as the team just because of the amount of time it takes to gen- we’ve already made $4 million for Lincoln Center “too much hips,” Dutch beauty Birgit stuck in studios or typical at Bazaar hear that every day because we want to erate some of these stories. Some of these stories for the Performing Arts, not counting Carolina. We touristy beaches, which is Kos landed a modeling contract at 15, not really my thing, either. surprise people. have taken three years to do. You have to deal with wanted to do it with her because it’s her 35th anni- scored editorials in Elle and Glamour, My boyfriend and I want There can be a blurring of the lines be- fast reaction of the news and putting it out in a versary. We’re just working out a program. We do to take a few months off tween editorial and business. Is there ever a very fast format, but that doesn’t mean it can only have a great performer, but unfortunately I can’t and most recently, Giorgio Armani’s next year to go volunteer point where you feel you can go too far? For mean that. I’m personally really looking forward say whom. spring campaign. “When I started in Namibia, helping with example, you work with ShopBazaar… to the opportunity of mini-movies, and taking that You know all these people. Do you ever get wildlife conservation and Well, yes, we make our selects. idea of moving fashion into different areas, and re- starstruck? modeling, [Armani] was the king of fighting against corrup- Is there ever a point where you think an ally bringing it to life. You know, I like the idea of All of them. I have such an appreciation of tal- fashion for me,” she said. “It was nice to tion.…This is more the direction I’d be going in if editor should be separate from that? Snapchat — it’s there, and it’s gone. I’d really like to ent, and I have an inquiring mind. I’m always cu- get that [campaign] because after three I were not modeling. There are a lot of questions there. One: I think do an entire movie. The joy of being creative now rious about what makes people tick. I’m in a very it’s very important to highlight exactly what you means that you have all these opportunities, and fortunate position to be able to meet a lot of very years working, you see you’re going are showing. If it’s an ad, it needs to be sign-post- I’m determined to experience all of them. interesting people. ■ somewhere.” — KRISTI GARCED
26 JUNE 2016, No. 1 WWD.COM Photograph by ADRIAN MESKO JUNE 2016, No. 1 WWD.COM 27 AGENDA AGENDA Briefs: Retail & Markets Facetime With… Raffaello Napoleone GETTING REAL ESTATE POINT/COUNTERPOINT Lessons Labor Activists vs. Retailers Chief executive officer, Pitti Immagine Uomo From ReCon OA series of reports from an international alliance of This season, Pitti Uomo celebrates its 90th edition, but it’s OThe shopping center trade unions and labor-rights activists, the Asia Floor Wage showing no signs of age. On the contrary, the Florence-based and retail real estate crowd Alliance, cast a harsh spotlight on working conditions seemed reasonably upbeat in the world of fashion production. Retailers took exception. trade show continues to build momentum and is set to unveil when they gathered for special projects from the likes of Karl Lagerfeld, Raf Simons ReCon in Las Vegas late Asia Floor Gap: “We have been and Gosha Rubchinskiy. Here, Raffaello Napoleone discusses last month. But it’s an Wage Alliance: working for more what makes Pitti Uomo such a hot ticket. — LUISA ZARGANI undercurrent of restraint, “Significant gaps than two decades to which colored the mood and remained in stemming improve working condi- led to fewer deals, that’s abuses” across tions in the factories How do you stay relevant at a What do you think about the expected to linger for the rest Gap’s supply chain that make our clothes. time when many trade shows see-now, buy-now trend? of the year and beyond. “despite its widely We recognize that the are struggling? I think we must look at it very Activity hasn’t slowed to a publicized commit- global apparel industry To be relevant, you need to be carefully, but I am increasingly halt, but it’s the dollar stores, ments to stem these.” still faces challenges.” constant and consistent. You convinced that fashion must main- off-pricers and value-driven need to have content and do real tain an aspirational aspect of an chains, from H&M and Zara Asia Floor H&M: “[The report] research, produce new projects. emotional desire. It’s like with a to Maurice’s and Ross, that Wage Alliance: raises important issues You must help buyers, help exhib- Ferrari — I order it, and I get it 12 CHINA REUNION itors, help the press. Every time are in the marketplace in “All 50 workers and we are dedicated to or 24 months later, because it there is something new to see, it is unique and special. Today, force. Otherwise, retailers interviewed in contributing to positive Michael Kors Turns adds value. You need to make sure we are moving toward a are expected to be reluctant H&M’s Indian supplier long-term development that visitors return home richer in non-homogenization of to open stores, while real factories reported for the people working information, business opportuni- products, a personal- Toward Asia estate investment trusts that women are in the textile industry... ties, relations, contacts, emotions. ization, so I see it as a OThe 2011 IPO of Michael himself and chief executive $32.4 million. are seen bending over back- fired from their jobs The issues…are indus- It is a must to entertain. You are in marketing operation. Kors Holdings had (almost) all officer John Idol. Investors are getting wards to try to cut deals. during a pregnancy.” trywide problems.” the grand prix of men’s wear, and I may be wrong, but I the storybook elements of That’s been remedied. The something, too. Cowen and Other trends shaping the you have to take part in it. don’t think it will shift In addition to Pitti’s historical the balance from a fashion company on the go: company paid $500 million Co. analyst Oliver Chen said market include: Asia Floor Wal-Mart: “Wal-Mart’s talent search, you have signifi- where it is today. a well-liked designer with for the China business, which the company has a $1 billion Wage Alliance: Standards for Suppliers cantly developed the show’s well-liked designs, an empha- included nearly $100 million opportunity in Asia and was Asian-bound “Persistent abuses, specifically address digital activities. Do you think sis on the lucrative handbag to be put in escrow for tax bullish on the deal, which Developers are looking rights violations, working hours, breaks, this is an additional asset that market, an expanding retail liabilities and to “satisfy he said carried a multiple of to the East for growth. forced overtime and the cultivation of a safe exhibitors and visitors require? presence and room to grow. potential indemnification about two-and-a-half-times Taubman Centers, which a lack of living wages and healthy work envi- Yes. We started five years ago The only thing that was claims by the buyer.” The sales. “The deal highlights has two projects in the for workers in factories ronment….We expect with e-pitti, a unique digital fair, but we also just presented a ready-to- missing, and glaringly so for designer owned 14.3 percent attractive revenue growth works with joint venture manufacturing for our suppliers to uphold order service, because 60 percent the time, was the compa- of the business, setting him opportunities for Kors in partners, sees more Wal-Mart.” these standards.” of exhibitors have a business of ny’s China business, which up to get $57.3 million of pro- Asia,” the analyst said, point- absolute economic growth less than five million euros [$5.5 remained private, owned ceeds, after the funds were ing to Greater China, South in China than in the U.S. million] in sales, and they still book mostly by Michael Kors back- put into escrow. Idol owned Korea and Japan. And more opportunities for orders by hand. To help them, we ers Silas Chou and Lawrence 8.1 percent of the business, The jet is set for the Middle American-style shopping ONE COMPLETE THOUGHT have developed a customized Stroll, but also the designer setting him up to receive Kingdom. — EVAN CLARK centers. digital service specific to this end. “In recent years, the We tested it in January, and it worked very well. The cost is one Survival of the Fittest STAT global retail landscape euro [$1.10] per day. Why do we do REITs have been purging it? Because, again, these are pro- weaker properties from has become boring. grams and projects that we do to their portfolios and could support the companies, the same cut more. At Simon Prop- There is very little way we have done with young cre- erty Group, the number of ative talents, including Umit Benan, malls was winnowed to 108 to discover or explore in Gareth Pugh and John Varvatos, who started from here. from 180. another country Is the men’s business suffering at the moment? No Regrets that you’ve not already There are many companies that Simon Property Group said are suffering. Men’s wear is part Average annual increase in the number of global tourists through 2030, sales increased fivefold of that general scenario of inter- according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization. seen online or 43M when a department store national markets. Today, because closed and was replaced of what is happening in Japan, “I am increas- in a store near you.” which has been a great market, RED FLAG with a food pavilion. Anne Pitcher, Selfridges and what is happening in Russia, ingly convinced which is picking up through the Travel Warning Flexible Terms oil business, there is a new wave that fashion Malls are willing to give of optimism independent of the For Europe e-tailers and up-and-com- sanctions. America is flat now, so must maintain ing brands short-term these things have an immediate an aspirational OA travel alert from the State leases, or in lieu of rent, effect. Those who strike with the perfect product manage to Department signaled an increased take a percentage of sales. pass through this turmoil, those aspect of an — SHARON EDELSON possibility of terrorist attacks in Europe who don’t must find solutions emotional this summer, which should make for and ways to change to fit market expectations. desire.” a little extra angst for anyone hoping to sell to tourists and editors headed to the men’s shows this month and
the Paris haute couture shows in July. Young/REX/Shutterstock Richard by Pitcher Lowen; Jackson by photograph Kors
28 JUNE 2016, No. 1 WWD.COM Photograph by SIMONE LEZZI WWD.COM JUNE 2016, No. 1 29 A Glimpse
Images from “The Day Inside of My Death,” the photo project that will be presented by Gosha Rubchinskiy during Gosha’s the trade show. Italy Pitti Uomo’s featured designer will unveil a film and photo book reflecting his unique take on Italian culture.
See page 32 ► “I BRING A TOUCH OF ENCHANTING INNOVATION TO FASHION DESIGNERS.”
Janaïna Milheiro Artisan designer
13-15 Sept. 2016 premierevision.com © Nolwenn Brod / Agence VU Agence © Nolwenn Brod /
30 JUNE 2016, No. 1 WWD.COM Visvim adapts a a penchant for mixing various cultural elements. traditional Japanese Consider his reaction to a picture of a samurai technique of using mud to dye kimonos Visvim’s from the Edo period, which ended the traditional for its workwear. government’s rule in 1867. “You see someone wearing the kimono with boots,” he said. “When Coming- I see this, I think, ‘Wow — this is interesting, that type of stuff is inspiring.’” To be fair, fresh out of Burton, “he had a good Out background in tech,” explained Chris Gibbs, the owner of men’s specialty store Union in Los Ange- les, who has carried Visvim from the beginning. A Glimpse Inside Party “They did extremely technical pieces that didn’t look technical at all. In 2016, there are a ton of Gosha’s Italy brands doing that. In 2003, no brands were doing By MILES SOCHA The elusive Japanese it like that.” Nakamura met his blonde, blue-eyed American ¬ A fashion maker Nineties-tinged, Eastern workwear-inspired wife in New York and the couple decided to move and chronicler comfort- Bloc shorts, sweats, brand will stage its to Los Angeles from Tokyo with their daughter able in multiple media, T-shirts, warm-up suits three years ago after they missed their flight to Gosha Rubchinskiy and shirts peppered first runway show at New Mexico and made the most of their 24-hour plans to cap off his with Cyrillic slogans are Pitti Uomo. spring 2017 show on carried in some 200 sojourn in the City of Angels. Residing in a hillside June 15 at Pitti Uomo by doors worldwide, includ- By KHANH T.L. TRAN midcentury home here, Nakamura picks up his screening a short film, ing two shops-in-shop at 11-year-old from school in a 1932 Ford Roadster. He and unveiling a limit- Dover Street Market. especially likes the L.A. light. “You can see all the ed-edition photo book. “Unbelievable. It sud- colors and details,” he said, pointing to the tiny While he’s keeping denly took off,” marveled polka dots on his wife’s red dress. PITTI UOMO PREVIEW UOMO PITTI a tight lid on details, Joffe, who discovered Visvim’s annual sales total more than $100 the Moscow-based Rubchinskiy via his designer said all three photography, describing million. In addition to the namesake label, it also are “about my reflection him as an expert at has F.I.L. Indigo Camping Trailer, an offshoot on Italian culture, from documenting youth that incubates small projects, like a $1,500 down great artists like [Pier culture, particularly shirt jacket stitched together from a dozen Amer- Paolo] Pasolini to iconic the skateboard scene, ican-made bandannas. With about 60 employees, Italian sportswear. At and translating it into the company has seven freestanding stores and streetwear. “We just want to have the same time, it is very five shops-in-shop in Japan and wholesales world- about the moment and The executive credits AGENDA very ‘Gosha.’” Rubchinskiy’s eclectic wide to 135 doors, including Bergdorf Goodman, free thinking to mix around Titled “The Day of Instagram account — iroki Nakamura of Vis- Mr Porter and Isetan for the men’s business and traditional techniques, My Death,” the book which has garnered vim is an anomaly in the La Garçonne and Browns for the women’s. Having will be sold at Dover 128,000 followers and fashion industry. closed a trio of stores in Hong Kong and Singapore, sometimes traditional styles. Street Market, fashion counting — for fanning In an age of omni- the company is pondering new retail outposts in Visvim’s emporiums controlled his popularity. The channel retailing, hash- New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco or Europe. handmade That’s the exciting part — shoes have won by Comme des Garçons designer typically posts Htags and celebrity culture, he hates “It’s still really preliminary,” said Richard and through distributor only a handful of images over fans such to find something new.” gadgets with touch screens and Weston, Visvim’s regional managing director, who Idea Books. Images — verdant parks one day, as John Mayer Hiroki Nakamura, Visvim from the tome and film Orthodox churches the doesn’t own a TV. He waited nine moved to the U.S. from Hong Kong two years ago and Kanye West. are also to be exhibited next — and then deletes years after starting his company for the purpose of scouting a store. “It depends on Kelsi and Hiroki Nakamura through the duration of to start anew. Rubchins- in 2000 to introduce a web site, the character of the actual space. We don’t feel the The men’s and the fair, taking place in kiy also uses Instagram which remains simple and sparse need to be in a particular area.” women’s collections together.” Florence June 14 to 17. as a tool. Word has it he by today’s standards. He also limits Visvim’s social apparel for men and women at the brand’s first It’d be a lie to say that Visvim is immune to are sold at stores like For example, in the $858 update of his signature Rubchinskiy’s Italian found all his models for media activity to Facebook, leaving an anonymous runway show. Through Pitti Immagine Uomo’s the influx of celebrities in the fashion world. Eric Union, Bergdorf FBT shoe, Nakamura fuses a brown suede mocca- spectacle comes at an the Florence show on Goodman and Browns. fan to run an unsanctioned Instagram account that Designer Project, Nakamura is abandoning his Clapton and Kanye West are prominent fans. So sin, wrapped in an elk leather skirt, to a sneaker explosive time for his the platform. men’s wear collection, Comme des Garçons has attracted more than 66,000 followers. usual practice of hanging clothes on racks and is John Mayer, who was decked out in Visvim — sole. Another instance of jazzy juxtaposition is a which started in 2008 has a legacy of Walking into the Sunset Tower Hotel on a recent displaying shoes on pedestals within a gallerylike from the tan hat to the red bandanna shirt and $1,001 coffee-colored cotton jacket, which marries with a few T-shirts he incubating promising afternoon, he was oblivious to the presence of setting. His only other exposure to a fashion cat- distressed jeans to the chestnut brown boots — for the body of a traditional Japanese worker jacket produced in Serbia, until designers, including the Olivier Zahm, the oft-photographed editor of Pur- walk thus far was when he was a friend’s plus-one the cover of his 2013 album “Paradise Valley.” All that ties in the front to the sleeves of an American that manufacturer went likes of Andre Walker ple Fashion, who was lounging a few tables away at a Chanel runway show. “Oh, this is not for me,” the boldfaced names shell out their own money workshirt. Transitioning the cover-up from work bust and Adrian Joffe, and Ganyru. Now, with in his aviator shades. he thought at the time. for the duds since Nakamura doesn’t play the to leisure are affirming phrases like “beautiful chief executive officer Joffe’s encouragement, Instead, Visvim’s 45-year-old chief executive Staying tight-lipped in order to build a sense of gifting game. inside and out” and hand-drawn illustrations of of Comme des Garçons Rubchinskiy is carrying surprise for the upcoming show in Florence, he Despite lofty prices associated with special fab- International, came the torch and will house officer and creative director prefers telling tales a bikini-clad woman and a portrait of Nakamura to his rescue. Comme the first collection of of the artisans he’s discovered through the years. acknowledged the challenges in staging a perfor- rics and quality craftsmanship — few pieces sell for wearing a wide-brim hat, leaning on a guitar. now produces and dis- one of his skateboarder For instance, in Japan, the owner of one dyehouse mance that will include people who are passionate less than $400 — Visvim’s customers don’t reside “He’s a genius at doing these subtle things,” tributes Rubchinskiy’s friends, Valentin Fufaev, rubs natural indigo into the surface of leather jack- about their craft. solely in the 1 percent income bracket. Since Union Gibbs said. collections. at the Dover Street ets that were sewn in Italy, and another digs a pit “To be honest, I’m nervous, but nervous is began stocking Visvim’s shoes in 2001, expanded The spring collection Nakamura is set to unveil While declining to Shops. The line will on a rice farm and tosses clothes in the iron-rich good,” Nakamura said, holding hands with his with its apparel line a year later and hosted its first at Pitti Immagine Uomo continues the search for give figures, Joffe reach stores June 10 mud to tint them. A Parisian atelier works with wife, Kelsi, who serves as his sounding board and semiannual trunk show around eight years ago, the little details. “I also like to let things have a said Rubchinskiy’s under a mouthwatering a group of grandmothers who crochet by hand. designs Visvim’s three-year-old women’s line. “I the cult of clients devoted to the brand has grown meaning,” he said. “How can I design something business more than and evocative moniker: tripled last year and his Doublecheeseburger. A craftsman based near the Alps makes felt on think it’s opening a new door for me, pushing my to include a doctor, a TV producer and a female that has a weight to it? Not just on the outside, wooden machines, while his Tibetan counterparts creativity.” tattoo artist who snaps up the men’s pieces that designing the shape and color. It’s letting it have press the hair from yak beards in their wool cloth. Nakamura followed an untraditional route into are available in her size. a meaning. I enjoy doing that.” Then there is the nomadic tribe from Uzbekistan the men’s fashion industry. His fondness for “the Sporting beaten-up jeans by Visvim with Birken- Nakamura’s different perspective on fashion SHOW AT A GLANCE that forces Nakamura to wait as long as two years old stuff” started when he was a 14-year-old dig- stock clogs and a gray T-shirt, Gibbs admits that influences others. PITTI IMMAGINE UOMO before it delivers the woven tape that he uses as ging through vintage shops in Tokyo for Fifties-era a third of his own wardrobe was designed by “I never said ‘depth’ before,” said Kelsi Fortezza da Basso, Florence, Italy trim on shoes and hats. denim and workwear. Before founding Visvim, Nakamura. Among the 50-something brands sold Nakamura. “Sometimes Hiroki talks about the “The old stuff — I like it because we make it by he designed for Burton Snowboards, shuttling in the store, Visvim consistently has ranked in depth of a fabric.” June 14 to 16, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. hand,” Nakamura said after a lunch of lobster between Japan and the U.S. Swept up in the wave the top three, tallying year-over-year growth of Perhaps the word he upholds the highest is June 17, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. tacos on the hotel’s patio in West Hollywood, Calif. of independent labels shaking up the Japanese 10 percent. “free.” Pittimmagine.com “It’s important to preserve and see good product fashion industry in the late Nineties, “I wanted “The manifesto of our store is to try to offer “We just want to have free thinking to mix [email protected] in the market made by people.” to make something I love. I had no experience witty clothing,” Gibbs said. “When I say ‘witty,’ around traditional techniques, sometimes tradi- +39 02 86462919 On June 16, a much bigger audience will be able actually,” he said. it means you take things out of context. You tional styles,” he said. “That’s the exciting part to catch a glimpse of Visvim’s accessories and Still, he harbored a fondness for travel as well as take things that don’t go together and put them — to find something new.” ■
32 JUNE 2016, No. 1 WWD.COM Photograph by SHELBY GOLDSTEIN WWD.COM JUNE 2016, No. 1 33 34
JUNE 2016, No. 1 AGENDA PITTI UOMO PREVIEW N Fashion Wear and On Men’s Raf Riffs By By having areal moment now. Why? I’m notsure thatit’s going tohold upany longer. in my own butIseeiteverywhere. situation, And all thatkindofstuff. Iseeitnotonly happening tions, thenumber oflookson the runway, bags, ofpresenta- amount ofpresentations, thescale amount ofdeliveries, thedelivery schedules,the evolving the ridiculous: theamount ofproduct, is begood,The system can butI thinktheway itis take adifferentniche brandscan kindofposition. it’s really interesting how younger brands ormore because that’spity nothow fashion usedtobe. Ithinkthat’swith abigger amountofproduct. a ofabigger house don’t seemtofitthementality particularly smaller, more daringventures that tured….I thinkthere are alotofthingsindanger, ing? Ithink thewhole environment very struc- is audience, product, sellingandpreview-between thefuture therelationshipis Whatis ofproduct? now. thefuture Whatis ofthefashion show? What the questions thatare hangingover fashion right thatIaminnow.situation with Iam fascinated I couldnothave doneifIhadnotbeeninthe runway show, It’s Ithink. alsosomethingthat more timetodevote event? tothis a collaborationwithanartist. again itselfis collection say thattheactual I can is for everybody ifit’s Theonethingthat asurprise. it’s andIthinkitwillbesomuch sospecific nicer added things.Ican’t really say because what itis show Ihave doneinthepast20years, butIhave to thefashion show, justlike every otherfashion toit. kind ofemotionalconnection different from showing butyou inParis, get this fessional andvery nice.Idon’t know why it’s so very warmandvery pro- and thecollaborationis How doesitfeeltobebackatPitti? innovators.of itsmostenduring staturehis —after —asone more decades thantwo the fashion industry, love his ofmen’s wear and the designerspoke freely abouttheevolution of he’sing: RafSimons”spectacle But concocting. andthe“Florence spring2017his collection Call- keepingHe about alsois atightlidonparticulars creative director, heremains mum onthatsubject. toCalvin heading Kleinasthecompany’sis overall house. With speculationwidespread thatSimons when hewascreative oftheMilan-based director in 2005 andstaged aJilSandershow in2010 the 10thanniversary signature ofhis men’s brand Youth culture andstreetwear seemto be You know, there’s lotsofmoneyinvolved. Ithink Why that? is It’s going tobequite different from anormal Now that you’ve leftDior, hasthat given you sayThe only thatpeopleare thingIcan is invited Can you telluswhat toexpect? It’s nice to go backbecause Iknow thepeople, MILES SOCHA
WWD.COM an exhibition there in2003, marked designerstaged The Antwerp-based presentation onJunefor aspecial 16. will return to theFlorentine trade fair o stranger Uomo, toPitti RafSimons “I thinkthat men’s fashion was almost20years when ago. Istarted Iremember thing. Fashion very pop. became It’s nottheway it fashion. avery normal Ithinkthatfashion became therefore, it’s much easierformentobuy high creative andcommercial renaissance. andvery,esting very much somethingtofocuson. really different. So, for me,men’s stillvery inter- is an over-offering ofbrands thatare andproducts strong andgrowing. Inmen’s wear, there notyet is marked itsindependence.Right now it’s actually butithasalwaysbig brandintermsofproduct, It’s very, very freeing. It’s never really beena that it literally says ordoeswhat itwants todo. recurring things? recognize andthathasimpact. somebody cominginwithanattitudethat Idon’t I recognize. Butmaybe Iwould prefer ifIsaw there somebody is cominginwithanattitude that thing like welcomed. thatis Ilike very much that Gvasalia ofVetements and Iamhappy thatsome- Ithinkaboutthingslikekind ofthing. Demna nitely going very, very much toward theteenage to betreated like women.” almost say that mendeserve all foralongtime.Iwould has notbeendaringat Our society hasdefinitely evolvedOur society andIthink Indeed, men’s wear seemsto behaving a The beautiful oftheRafSimonsbrand is part backat yourLooking career, what are some The designersthatare comingnow are defi- am doingeven ifit’s presented on men.■ knowing buywhat thatawomansatisfying I can would make mehappy ifIdiditnow. For me,it’s want now and itdoesn’t feellike somethingthat I have todonow, itdoesn’t feellike something I butnotnow.point, Itdoesn’t feellike something to launch women’s wear. Itmightcomeatone andsizeattitude.Ihaveabout scale noplans none ofthegarmentswere made for awoman. It’s runway was somethingthat was very eye-opening: me, there’s nodifference. Having women onthe your future? runway. awomen’s Could wear launch bein interested inopeningstores. Ofcourse,Iwouldindependent. alsobereally it doesn’t get tothestores very often. seesomethingvery excitingcan onthestage, but happening inmen’s wear atall.Sometimesyou options inwomen’s brands.Idon’t thinkthat’s women. There’s andsomany somuch variety almost say thatmendeserve to betreated like because Iwould all foralongtime.Ifinditpity necessary. somethingthatis which Ithinkis makelot ofpeoplewho can adifference infashion, makecan niceclothes,butIdon’t thinkthere are a to say orshare. Ithinkthere are alotofpeoplethat intofashiontapping andtheydon’t have thatmuch same time,Ithinkthat way toomany peopleare their kidstodosomethingwithinfashion. At the to go Now tofashion everybody academies. wants that intheearly people would Nineties, beashamed I enjoy working onwomen’s very much. For You’ve had women inmen’s clothesonyour Just tocontinue intheway ofbeingtotally What are thenext steps foryour label? I thinkthat men’s fashion hasnotbeendaringat You’ve always beendaringwithmen’s wear.
Photograph by Billy Farrell/BFAnyc.com/REX/Shutterstock www.serapian.com stores andfashionboutiques. also distributedinmajordepartment Los Angeles andDoha. The brandis Milan, Venice, RomeplusHongKong, in Italyandnowhasbrandstores represented theexcellenceofMade Story. Forover70years, Serapianhas rise totoday’s Serapian, anItalianLove encounter withGinaFlori, thatgave the qualityofItalianleather. Itwasthe In 1945StefanoSerapiandiscovered Serapian www.belvest.com of aestheticvalue. ing andhandeddowntheimportance has reinterpretedthefi distinguishing traits. comfort andknow-howareBelvest’s Excellence, precision, versatility, ativity ofthe “Made inItaly” concept. that crossesfashion, affi and technology: This isourphilosophy. manship, enhancedthroughresearch Traditional tailoringandskilledcrafts- Belvest 2star.it shoes collection. MOFRA, istheultimatestreetsmart with thelatesttrends. women andmen, wholovestostepup casual. Interpretingtheneedsofstylish a newdefi dress uptheiconic2starstyles, giving Summer coloursandstandoutfabrics 2 Star P06/Q05 PADIGLIONE CENTRALE B/9-11 C/10-12 N31 SALA DELLA GUARDIA For three generations the company For threegenerationsthecompany Sophisticated style, atimelessicon 2star completelyproducedinItalyby launching newprojectsinmen’s fashion. Createdin1972PittiUomoisheld inFlorencetwiceayear. nition ofthecontemporary This istheworld’s mostimportantplatformformen’s clothing andaccessorycollectionsfor Top Trends from Pitti ne artoftailor- rming the cre- the rming Gold Fantasia/glitter Sneaker High bouclé jacket Cotton &silk € 350,00 Pitti Uomo90: ADVERTISEMENT Donna GlitterMulticolor/BiancoDonna Florence, 14—17 June2016 double-breasted jacket Sneaker SuperLow with ticket pocket 100% cotton € 145,00 Cashmere silkwool &linen unconstructed jacketunconstructed Sneaker Low Uomo Antracite-sughero with micro design € 122,00 Cashmere &silkjacket Illuminati Crew € 145,00 AGENDA New and Noteworthy
Two notable additions are PREVIEW LONDON coming to Pitti Uomo. By ALESSANDRA TURRA
in the last year and a half about their look but have PITTIPREVIEW UOMO Fausto I started considering the a super strong attitude,” Puglisi idea of launching the said Puglisi, who pointed men’s line.” to Antonio Benitez, the ¬ “The message is very At Pitti Uomo, Puglisi character played by strong, almost borderline. will offer a taste of his Antonio Banderas in I don’t like what is just new men’s venture, which Pedro Almodóvar’s “Law safe,” said Fausto Puglisi will officially launch with of Desire.” describing his first men’s a full lineup in January. With the classical capsule collection, to be “I wanted to start with Ancient Greek men’s unveiled at Florence’s a capsule because I’m body shape in mind, Pug- AGENDA Stazione Leopolda on totally involved in every lisi kept the shoulders June 15. aspect, from creation to wide and the waist tight This bold statement production, so I decided to with breezy shirts and is in character for those focus on key pieces,” said pants cut in a skinny or familiar with the Sicilian Puglisi, listing biker jackets, wider fit with pleats. designer’s women’s bomber jackets, sweat- In keeping with the wear, which since its shirts, tailored suits, shirts brand’s tradition, the launch in 2010 has been and knitwear among the pieces will be deco- focused on a flamboy- pieces in the capsule to rated with appliqués ant and maximalist be presented with the and printed patterns. approach to fashion. women’s resort range. “The overall look will be “There are so many Described by the neither too classic nor men around the world, designer as “coherent too street,” he said. especially in London, the with the image of the The men’s collection- United States and Asia, established image of the and women’s resort will who buy oversize pieces brand — and bold,” the be the first fruits of the from my women’s col- capsule is influenced by new licensing agreement lections, including biker a certain Mediterranean Puglisi signed with Italian jackets and sweatshirts,” street attitude. manufacturing company The designer Puglisi said. “Retailers “Think about Naples, Factory Srl, which Lucio and one of have started asking me its sense of freedom, the succeeds Gilmar in the the looks from to re-fit them to make real men in the street production of the brand’s Vanotti his collection. them masculine and so who don’t care too much lineups. ¬ It’s been a big year for Lucio Vanotti. In January, Fausto Puglisi the designer was chosen (right) with a by Giorgio Armani to show model in one of at his Armani Theater, and his designs. now he has been selected by Pitti Immagine to take part to the Pitti Italics program at Pitti Uomo. “I started thinking that I would have liked to present during Pitti Uomo right after the runway show at the Armani the- ater,” Vanotti said. “Pitti is something very Italian, but extremely international at the same time and it’s so great that my dream came true.” The designer will hold a London’s men’s and women’s run- way show at the Dogana venue, a stone’s throw from Pitti Uomo’s Fortezza atmospheres, which volume on the back; heavy da Basso, on June 16. emerged especially in the viscose blazers in a hound- “The idea for the show’s color palette.” stooth pattern; poplin and set is to re-create the The colors pay homage viscose shirts, as well as Next Wave familiar atmosphere of to Masaccio paintings and cotton and viscose knits. a Medici villa with live run the gamut from more Pants, made from a range music,” said Vanotti, who subdued tones of beige, of fabrics such as super Three designers who are garnering highlighted the impact of blue and white to earth soft denim, are very fitted Florence on the creation hues, pink and aqua green. but Vanotti also developed attention on the British fashion scene. From left: of the collection. “I usually Rooted in a minimal more relaxed silhouettes Edward Crutchley, By LORELEI MARFIL let the place where I aesthetic, the collection with wide legs and elastic Charles Jeffrey show influence me and features flared outerwear bands at the waist. An and Kiko Kostadinov. Florence gave me the pieces, including a cape accessories collaboration opportunity to be inspired with an incorporated vest with Marsell completes the by certain Renaissance and a trench with extra collection. Name Artist Illustration:
36 JUNE 2016, No. 1 WWD.COM Photographs by PIOTR NIEPSUJ and SIMONE LEZZI Photograph by FRANCESCA JANE ALLEN WWD.COM JUNE 2016, No. 1 37 AGENDA
cashmere fabrics woven Charles Edward in Yorkshire, knits created in Scotland and hand Briefs: Men’s Jeffrey Crutchley knits spun in Kent. ¬ Glaswegian designer, ¬ West Yorkshire-born “Modern, luxury artist and illustrator Edward Crutchley, who and ease” are the words Charles Jeffrey gradu- studied women’s wear Crutchley uses to ACCESSORIES ated from Central Saint and graduated from describe his signature Martins last year after Central Saint Martins in aesthetic. “I’m serving studying fashion design 2003, launched his men’s up my world. Anyone Grey for his master’s and line as part of Fashion who likes it is welcome to bachelor’s. East in 2015. Last season, buy a piece,” he said. Goods While studying for his he unveiled his first Prices start at 267 bachelor’s, Jeffrey hosted stand-alone presentation pounds, or $386, for a O Simon Kneen, a series of “Loverboy” par-
LONDON PREVIEW hosted by Louis Vuitton blanket to 1,700 pounds, ties, which helped him pay creative director Kim or $2,463, for a coat. the U.K.-born for his master’s degree. Jones. His line is stocked on designer who Jeffrey has also interned A textile design consul- Edwardcrutchley.com. at the couture atelier at tant, Crutchley has worked For spring 2017, Crutch- worked for Brooks Christian Dior. with Pringle of Scotland, ley will present at 5:30 p.m. Brothers and As an artist, his fashion Kanye West and currently on June 11 in a film format. illustrations are sold at collaborates with Jones He plans to experiment Banana Republic Nick Knight’s Showstudio, at Vuitton. His passion for with tie-dye, latex and over the course of and Jeffrey incorporates textiles is seen through ballgowns. “It’s going
AGENDA Daler-Rowney paints in his designs, which use to be hideous or fabulous, his 35-year career, his fashion, including his materials from different hopefully, the latter,” will unveil a men’s signature hand-painted regions of the U.K., such as he added. denim. He recently worked accessories line at BRAND EXTENSIONS with Showstudio Live Pitti Uomo. surprise you,” Elkann said. Studio on a project where Q&A necessarily a bad thing; Elkann Creates “You normally find prints he was the subject. it does mean you have Called Grey Custom like this on luxury goods. The designer, who is Harvey Nichols’ to be smarter with your New York Grey Sports Car This time, we wanted to known for his club-kid open-to-buy. I think we may transfer it to the world of aesthetic, sees his man as New Men’s Push also see a marked change New England, the O Lapo Elkann’s customiza- sport. It’s fun, it’s exciting “somebody who pioneers in the show schedule over tion service has extended and it pushes boundaries for queer sensibilities and sporty yet refined artistic endeavors.” from our customers. I’m the next few seasons with line is inspired to an Alfa Romeo 4C. — something that both Italia The 25-year-old will be on the lookout for that brands opting to combine In partnership with his Independent and Adidas showing at 3 p.m. on June point of difference and their men’s and women’s by Kneen’s own Garage Italia Customs like to do.” 10 as a part of Fashion element of mystique — the shows. Although this has life, which is division, the founder of This marks the first East’s Man lineup. For his kind that Japanese brands started already with the split between Italia Independent has customized car from Italia upcoming range, Jeffrey have been bringing to the likes of Burberry and joined forces with Adidas Independent, although plans to present a col- U.K. market. We have had Gucci, I’m a firm believer a New York City to create an extravagant, Elkann, whose family owns lection that is “a bit more focused and maybe a bit great response to the in maintaining separate loft and a colonial snakeskin motif in black Fiat, Alfa Romeo’s parent, somber.” likes of Junya Watanabe, shows. farmhouse and white — the same has worked on other auto- Prices range from Miharayasuhiro, Kolor, What is the business pattern seen on Adidas’ motive brands in the past. 170 pounds, or $246, O Harvey Nichols recently Hender Scheme and Porter climate in London? in Connecticut. Deadly Focus Pack Football The Adidas car has not yet for a cropped polo shirt revamped and expanded Yoshida. It has been challenging, The 30-piece line Boots collection. been priced. to 1,545 pounds, or $2,238, the men’s wear department What are today’s key but at Harvey Nichols we “The print aims to — FRANCESCA BONFANTI for a brown cord tailored includes duffels, at its Knightsbridge flagship trends? are continuing to maintain jacket. His line is stocked in London, increasing the Be it patterned or plain, steady sales and achieve totes, backpacks, in stores including TIMEPIECES Dover Street Market, space to 28,000 square belted or buttoned, an promising results. This briefcases, wallets Vfiles and Joyce. feet on two levels, which overcoat is a key wardrobe month, we opened a con- and key chains Cartier Creates now carry 270 brands. addition this season. Lay- cept space within the new A Posh Pitti that are created Here, Darren Skey, head of ering has also come into men’s department, Project Uomo Hangout men’s wear buying, gives his its own. Introducing con- 109. The space houses from either Italian thoughts on the upcoming trasting colors, weights and not only the very latest double-faced O If a man wears a Cartier season. — LORELEI MARFIL fabrics offers a new and offerings across fragrance, pebble leather watch, how does he live? on developing signature contemporary dimension grooming, technology, jew- Cartier is answering that Kiko shapes in utilitarian colors In terms of brands, design- to an outfit. Slowly building elry and giftables, but also (New England) or question at Pitti Uomo and fabrics — an aesthetic ers or trends, what are from a murmur of a trend a U.K. barbershop AONO and German calf-skin 90 by setting up a house Kostadinov he calls a “modern you looking for? few seasons ago, relaxed a collaborative hospitality in Florence to mark the ¬ Bulgarian native Kiko uniform with an antideco- Technicality — the appetite slacks are the trouser of offering, the Wallpaper* lined in Neoprene launch of its new Drive de rative approach” — and Kostadinov studied men’s for technical brands is the moment. Bar + Kitchen. A dedicated (New York). The Cartier watch. The brand design at Central Saint says his client is “a man increasingly strong. We What do you think about installation space sits has transformed a space Martins and graduated very aware of the world collection will with a master’s this year. around him.” recently brought Y3 Sports the show schedule? within Project 109, show- retail from $250 at the Palazzo Gondi into The designer created a The price range is from into our mix — it sits at Including trade fairs casing an ever-changing an interactive exhibit, which small capsule range for 350 pounds, or $507, the forefront of technical and the entire season, curation of brand pop-ups to $1,800. will be open from June 14 London shop Machine A, for a reworked hoodie to innovation and style and it can last up to three and immersive customer — JEAN E. PALMIERI to June 16, that reflects the then collaborated with 595 pounds, or $862, for we’ve had great feedback months. This in itself isn’t experiences. Drive man’s sensibilities. a Ventile cotton jacket. His Stüssy and Dover Street This fictitious home is Market on a collection line is exclusively stocked made up of multiple rooms Konstantin Kakanias. — which quickly sold out at Dover Street Market. STAT upon its launch — of con- Kostadinov was that highlight work from The house will also sec- temporary deconstructed recently awarded the various artists and interior ond as an intimate music workwear looks that were Topman-sponsored designers. The Library, venue with performances hand-dyed, bleached and NewGen Men support for which is decorated with from artists including painted. He designed London Collections: Men books and antique pieces singer Lawrence Taylor, another collection with for the spring season. He from the Cartier collection, musician Jean Rondeau Stüssy for Dover Street will stage a presentation was created by French and French pop quartet Market New York and for at 10:30 a.m. on June 13 at architect Tristan Auer, L’Impératrice. Resident DJ Dover Street Market Ginza 180 Strand and plans to develop an expanded take 24,800 and the Drawing Room is Paul Sevigny will hold court alongside an installation. The 26-year-old’s studio on his master’s graduate The total number of buyers who attended the last edition covered with trompe l’oeil on the terrace rooftop each
in North London is focused collection. Neil Rasmus/BFA/REX/Shutterstock by Kneen photograph of Pitti Uomo in January, with 8,800 from abroad. illustrations by Greek artist night. — ARIA HUGHES
38 JUNE 2016, No. 1 WWD.COM Photographs by FRANCISCO GOMEZ DE VILLABOA WWD.COM JUNE 2016, No. 1 39 Report Card Breaking Rank Newly single Gigi Hadid and Calvin Harris showed us what to wear (and what not to wear) post-breakup.
DLondon’s new DGigi, is that you? DThe bleach-blond DThe “Mr. Robot” mayor looks Breakups are hard, buzz cut feels actress channels approachable, and and it’s clearly been summery but is modern glam with while gray hair adds a rough week for too affected for a this soft wave and to his likability factor, her, but she needs 43-year-old. That glowy beat. he’d look younger if to power through said, the thick- DThat’s a whole he went darker. it — or at least framed sunglasses lot of skin. The He’s 45, not 65. appear to. are pretty cool. deep V feels a bit DThe tuxedo DThe topknot and DThere is nothing tired and steals feels dated lack of makeup wrong with a the show, which is and isn’t the aren’t the problem; white graphic unfortunate, since best fit. It it’s the shades. T-shirt, but when the rest of the may be time These are very paired with denim dress is chic. The for a visit to Rachel Zoe in 2006. shorts, it becomes auburn overlay, Savile Row too casual. And the engageantes DWhat is with the — even if he’s tear across the speaking of the at the wrists from the Labor stomach? It’s sad shorts, the cropped, and the pleated, Party. and says, “I’ve given distressed style is black and white more appropriate underpinning are DThe worn-in up.” patent leather for a Victoria’s all interesting. And DGigi’s gams are shoes show an Secret model. all overshadowed made for short- by the boobage understanding of DThe attention- shorts, but these display. Jerry Seinfeld with eveningwear, so black denim cutoffs seeking red kicks Jessica Seinfeld there’s potential are a touch too tight. add another DWe like how the in Chanel. for a fashion A slightly baggier, graphic element mesh pumps riff off comeback. boyfriend (sorry!) fit that doesn’t hold the illusion element together. of the dress. Audrey would work better. Gelman in Chanel and Bling Ring Chanel’s coterie Chanel Fine of PYTs came to the Jewelry. B- C- C B- Sadiq Khan Gigi Hadid Pharrell Williams Portia Doubleday
New York Public Library sman; DThis reads rock DWith such strong DOf all her Lip Kit DThe well-coiffed, ’n’ roll in a totally facial features, shades, this deep textured hair and dripping in diamonds. cool, unaffected yet a less dramatic boysenberry hue groomed beard polished way. haircut would help is the best. That’s are perfectly soften his look probably because orchestrated Gabriel-Kane DThe shiny shag Amandla Stenberg in and add a touch of dark colors and enhance his Day-Lewis is what deep- Chanel and Chanel conditioning distinction. minimize. hotness factor. Fine Jewelry. dreams are made DHe can easily DThis one-piece is DBeing of. And we’ve never pull off directional, like full-body Spanx. an Armani seen a pink eyelid fashion-forward We’re worried about underwear “I’m totally nerding out Amanda Peet, Dakota Fanning, that didn’t make us ensembles like her respiratory model has JUNE tonight,” Allison Williams Rose Byrne, Sophie Auster, cringe before. this formfitting situation. How the clearly paid 2 sighed, all charm and Caroline Sieber, Barbara Bush, tan suit over a hell did she even off, not only self-deprecation. She Leigh Lezark, Audrey Gelman, DThis has a great retro Hawaiian shirt. put this on? with a newly was hovering over a glass vitrine Jemima Kirke, Hannah Bronfman, balance of shock And the fact that chiseled body toward the back of the New York Laura Love and Leelee Sobieski value (hello, head- DA jean jacket to-toe bubblegum he’s thin helps. over the shoulders? but also with Public Library’s marbled lobby, wondered about the echoey hall, a fashion marveling at its contents. “This is each frosted in diamonds. pink!), signature DThe pants are What is the Gucci kitsch and a bit too short, point? It serves education. the Gutenberg Bible; it’s the first Fanning had complemented Case in point: issue to come to the U.S. in 1847,” her ready-to-wear — a cotton British rocker bringing too much no function other nonchalance (she attention to his than to frame the the cropped she said with all the gusto and lace and patent dress with some linen blazer matter-of-factness of a tour guide. lion-motifed finery. (“I was afraid is, after all, the surprisingly big feet gratuitous display of progeny of one). — he’s only 5 feet, 9 underboob. Ah-ha! paired with Carlos Mota with Hannah Academia aside, some of the I wouldn’t be able to sit,” she Bronfman in Chanel. inches after all. the collarless silk most dazzling objets in the room laughed, motioning down to the DThe gold shirt and cropped were floating around case-less. patent encasing her lower half. briefcase works off pants feel like they Chanel Fine Jewelry was host- “But I made it in the car. That the power suiting in just walked off the ing a soiree at the institution on was the test-run.”) When asked if a way that is both runway. Thursday to toast a selection of she gets anxious sporting such playful and luxe. the library’s collection, which is pricey items — after all, she was set to be on permanent display wearing a blinged-out cuff and next year. ring, a clustering of 18-karat white This being Chanel’s party, a gold and a sea of diamonds — “I fine jewelry party at that, the don’t,” she shrugged. “I trust my- Miles Garber brand had loaned out some self with precious things. Luckily, with Rainey FAIL pricy baubles to its nearest I haven’t lost anything yet….Knock Qualley in and dearest for the occasion. on wood.”— TAYLOR HARRIS A+ BB+ Chanel. Georgia May Jagger Rami Malek Kylie Jenner Calvin Harris May Jagger by Stephen Coke/REX/Shutterstock; Malek by MediaPunch/REX/Shutterstock; Harris by Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock Harris by MediaPunch/REX/Shutterstock; Malek by Coke/REX/Shutterstock; Stephen May Jagger by Khan photograph by Can Nguyen/REX/Shutterstock; Hadid, Doubleday and Jenner by Broadimage/REX/Shutterstock; Williams by Amy Sus Amy Williams by Broadimage/REX/Shutterstock; Doubleday and Jenner by Hadid, Can Nguyen/REX/Shutterstock; by Khan photograph TYRH
40 JUNE 2016, No. 1 WWD.COM Photographs by JILLIAN SOLLAZZO WWD.COM JUNE 2016, No. 1 41 Perfume executives join forces to celebrate Fragrance’s the best in fragrances for the year as part of The Fragrance Foundation Awards.
Big Night Photographs by GRANT CORNETT
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FRAGRANCE OF THE YEAR WOMEN’S Hermès Le Jardin La Panthère Le Gemme Noir Pour Femme, Valentino Donna, Azzedine de Monsieur Li, Eau de Parfum Collection — Tom Ford Beauty (5) Puig (4) Alaïa Alaïa Paris, Beauté Prestige Légère, Ashlemah, Beauté Prestige International (2) Cartier (6) Bulgari (1) Luxury International (3) 1 2
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FRAGRANCE OF THE YEAR MEN’S Hermès Le Jardin Monsieur, Venetian Bergamot, Yves Saint Laurent Colonia Club, de Monsieur Li, Editions de Parfums Tom Ford Beauty (5) Le Vestiaire de Acqua di Parma (3) Beauté Prestige Frédéric Malle (2) Parfums Tuxedo, Luxury International (4) L’Oréal (1) 1 2 3
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FRAGRANCE OF THE YEAR WOMEN’S P&G Prestige (8) Cardamom Cologne, MEN’S Prestige (5) Acqua di Giò Chance Eau Vive Eau Marc Jacobs Jo Malone London (10) Bleu de Chanel Eau Dior Sauvage, Profumo, L’Oréal (3) de Toilette, Chanel (1) Decadence, Yves Saint Laurent de Parfum, Chanel (4) Parfums Christian John Varvatos Gucci Bamboo Coty Inc. (7) Black Opium, Boss the Scent by Dior (2) Dark Rebel, Prestige Eau de Parfum, Mimosa & L’Oréal (6) Hugo Boss, P&G Giorgio Armani Elizabeth Arden (9) hugoboss.com 1 2 3 4
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FRAGRANCE OF THE YEAR WOMEN’S Elizabeth Arden (10) Green Tea and Pear MEN’S Nautica Life Falic Fashion Ari by Ariana Grande, Kuba Rose, Hothouse Blossom, Coty Inc. (3) Avon Attraction Energy, Coty Group (9) Luxe Brands (4) Beauties by Isabel and Victoria’s Secret Forever for Him, Avon (2) Inc. (7) Perry Ellis Citron, Fantasy by Britney Ruben Toledo (8) Sexy Eau de Parfum, Curve Sport, Original Penguin Falic Fashion Popular Spears Intimate Edition Vera Wang Embrace Victoria’s Secret (5) Elizabeth Arden (6) — Original Blend, Group (1) he Fragrance Foun- let’s get them in at the shower gels, let’s get them in at the air fresheners and dation has got its maybe they’ll slowly come toward the perfumes.” groove back. Another part of the group’s focus lies with developing its proprietary The Fragrance research. The results of that endeavor will be translated and presented at Foundation Awards annual, first-quarter presentations for members, according to Musmanno. has once again been “They’ll hear things they can’t hear anywhere else,” she said. And, for the coated with glamour, first time, Heart Magazines is the presenting sponsor for the awards. and the organization Much of the credit for The Fragrance Foundation’s resurgence goes to Mus- is expanding mem- manno, Vittoria noted, particularly for bringing the esteem back to the awards bership and starting in her four years as president. “When she took over, the awards had somewhat an online education slumped — they started off years ago as a very glamorous event, and over the platform, called The Fragrance Academy — aimed years perhaps we weren’t able to keep that going, and so people were not Tboth at people in the perfume industry and con- interested necessarily to associate their product with the awards,” he said. “By sumers. Perhaps most novel, the foundation is elevating the awards, by making it something really prestigious, quite a number launching proprietary research this fall, giving of different companies have decided to once again tie that into their marketing members further and more exclusive insights into campaigns.” One example is A Thousand Wishes, a Bath & Body Works fragrance the perfuming sector. that won The Fragrance Foundation Award for Consumer Choice, Popular, and
FRAGRANCE FOUNDATION AWARDS FOUNDATION FRAGRANCE “We’re spending quite some money this year to decided to use that as part of its marketing campaign, according to Musmanno. put us in a much better place, and to make sure Education is also part of the plan, through the Fragrance Academy, an online certification pro- gram. “The course is now geared toward people who sell in the store to help them talk to [consumers] in a more informative way,” Musmanno said. “For some consumers who may be interested, we’re actually upgrading it now, thinking about our language, think- ing about distilling it down Staging a to make it a little bit more palatable for all of us.” “Language is a problem,” Comeback added Vittoria. “Many con- sumers just say when they The Fragrance Foundation like something, ‘it’s fresh has big plans for growth, and clean.’ But fresh and including adding the clean could be fabric con- ditioner or it could be consumer-packaged-goods anything, so we want to fragrance side into the mix. try to build that language. It’s difficult, it’s vocabulary By ALLISON COLLINS that people don’t grow up with in this country…this academy is going to go a long way.” Even with all those changes, The Fragrance Foundation’s mission has Left: Elizabeth remained the same since Musmanno, president of The Fragrance it was founded in 1949 Foundation. Right: Jerry — serve its members as Vittoria, president of a source for innovation, fragrances for North expertise and education. It that our members really perceive the value,” said America at Firmenich, is, however, moving those goals a bit more into modern times. Jerry Vittoria, president of fragrances for North chairman of the One example is the group’s collaboration with Macy’s Flower Show in foundation. America at Firmenich, chairman of the founda- March — which it turned into a 10-day event at 600 Macy’s locations — with tion. “It’s going to be a game-changing year.” displays, store catalogues and appearances by perfumers, Musmanno said. Elizabeth Musmanno, president of the Fragrance “What worked very well is the use of the perfumers, the artists, who were Foundation, is leading a big change — expansion actually in the store but also had videos made to link them to some of the into less traditional scents — like the ones in major launches in the spring,” Vittoria said. “People want to hear about the detergent and other home products. “We’ve been artist and their story and the inspiration behind the fragrance.” thinking…of expanding our reach to consumer Peeling back the curtain to reveal more about the fragrance industry to packaged goods,” Musmanno said. “We’ve set up consumers is one leg of the foundation’s strategy. The organization is also a committee with Wal-Mart, [Procter & Gamble], working on the language barrier and trying to market fragrance in a different the consumer package goods side of the fragrance way, playing up the storytelling aspect. houses, to discuss what that pillar, if you will, of “Traditionally, we’ve spoken about ingredients, and just think of it like a The Fragrance Foundation, could look like — what’s chef, or a great restaurant — if all they told you was ‘it’s a bit of cinnamon, of importance to them,” Musmanno said. and a bit of sugar and then I put a bit of spice’ — that’s not how you sell it,” “We need to be about all scents….America is Musmanno said. “You sell it through the wonderful picture of the roast chicken a land that loves scents, it loves fragrance. And on the cover of Food & Wine.” we haven’t really spoken to them or represented The consumer choice awards is one way The Fragrance Foundation aims them,” Vittoria said. “This is much more relevant to engage consumers. The idea is to have the award act as a catalyst for the than ever that we represent a wide audience, espe- consumer to know about the foundation, according to Musmanno, who has cially to [the] point with 50 percent of the Amer- a clear end goal: “Really have The Fragrance Foundation mean something to ican consumer base not entirely engaged with this consumer, and to whet this consumer’s appetite for fragrance, so they fragrances — so let’s get them in at the shampoos, start thinking about fragrance and they start understanding it a little better.” ■
50 JUNE 2016, No. 1 WWD.COM PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOSHUA SCOTT f the 90-plus fra- grances Sophia Grojsman has Mother created, it is Yves Saint Lau- rent Paris that Knows the perfumer has When I spoke adopted as her Best own signature to [clients], I scent. She keeps a Sophia Grojsman, the “ bottle in the bed- recipient of this year’s room of her home in Hollywood, Fla., which she felt the person Opurchased in 2002 as a respite from her hard-trav- Lifetime Achievement, eling life as a perfumer and senior vice president Perfumer award, is known and what they with International Flavors & Fragrances — a job for her nurturing qualities. that took her on frequent trips back and forth from were looking for New York to Paris. By ELLEN THOMAS
FRAGRANCE FOUNDATION AWARDS FOUNDATION FRAGRANCE Grojsman, who is the recipient of this year’s — that was my Fragrance Foundation Lifetime Achievement, Per- fumer award, has developed a staggering laundry thing.” list of award-winning scents over the course of her career that have stood the test of time — among them, Estée Lauder Beautiful, Calvin Klein Eter- nity and Lancôme Trésor have remained in the top five, top 30 and top 20, respectively, for the past 20 years in the U.S. “It took me a long time to get out of [working],” says Grojsman of easing into retirement. “I loved it so much.” Grojsman’s peers in the industry know her just as well for her stellar résumé as for her efferves- cent personality, nurturing qualities, stubborn confidence and a keen intuition for knowing when could smell the problem. She found the a scent is exactly right. issue in a sub-compound and it was in Christophe Laudamiel, the president and mas- the [last] ingredient she added. That’s ter perfumer of DreamAir, who worked with Sophia — there’s not a lot of people who Grojsman for eight years at IFF, likened her bold would do that.” personality to her formulas. Grojsman’s former boss, IFF group “You have a base that is very strong, down-to- president of fragrances Nicolas Mir- earth [and] reliable, [but] very comforting also. zayantz, noted that Grojsman’s stellar She really likes to take care of people, share her track record extends beyond a passionate experiences,” he said. “And then it goes berserk, work ethic, stating that she possesses but we need that in personalities. We need that in a unique ability to craft fragrances that formulas — otherwise everything is boring.” “women want to wear.” “She’s expressive, evocative [and] emotional — Mirzayantz believes the commer- all these things that kind of light up a room, but cial success stems from her strong, she also has this incredibly warm, giving, caring powerful formulas comprising bold, side,” says Karyn Khoury, creative director and simple accords containing only a few senior vice president of corporate fragrance ingredients, a technique not employed development at Estée Lauder, who worked with by many perfumers in the Eighties and Grojsman is “expressive, Grojsman on hits such as Calyx, White Linen Nineties. evocative [and] and Beautiful. “She calls herself everybody’s emotional,” according Grojsman has always done things her Jewish mother.” own way. KERING WOMEN IN MOTION to Karyn Khoury, creative Ann Gottlieb, founder of Ann Gottlieb Asso- director and senior vice “The first time she wanted me to do ciates, who worked with Grojsman on several president of corporate rose, I showed it to her and she said 2016 Cannes Film Festival fragrances, including Victoria by Victoria’s Secret, fragrance development ‘This is not the rose, it’s what everybody told you to do. Go back and do a came to know Grojsman’s inclusive nature inti- at Estée Lauder. “She rose the way you think a rose should be,’” says Honorine Blanc, a perfumer calls herself everybody’s mately when she took her daughter on a trip to at Firmenich who worked as an assistant to Grojsman in the Nineties. “She Jewish mother.” Russia — Grojsman is a native of Belarus, and didn’t believe in rules, she believed in her intuition.” immigrated to the U.S. with her family in 1965. Grojsman’s trusted her gut so resolutely that she would often purposefully “She put me in touch with her family there and rebuke the wishes of clients. The French luxury powerhouse Kering partnered with Variety at the they not only entertained us, they took us into “When I spoke to [clients], I felt the person and what they were looking their homes, and she was really loving and warm for — that was my thing. And if the person is explaining to me, ‘I would love 69th annual Cannes Film Festival for their acclaimed ‘Women in Motion’ that way.” to have this [or] that’, I would show them two experiments — the way they program celebrating women’s talent in cinema. The Women in Motion Talks Khoury noted that Grojsman went above and wanted and they way I [felt was] better. They would, without knowing, included insightful commentary from notable leading actresses, directors beyond the call of duty without trepidation, [always] pick mine.” and wouldn’t stop until a fragrance was finally The way consumers wear fragrance now has changed, according to Gro- and producers including Jodie Foster, Geena Davis, Susan Sarandon, Chloe complete, recalling many late nights spent at the jsman. Even she herself doesn’t apply her signature Paris as liberally as she Sevigny, Salma Hayek Pinault and others. The 2016 Women in Motion prizes office, with Grojsman compounding fragrances may once have. were awarded to Academy Award-winning actresses Geena Davis and Susan herself and wearing pink slippers “because her Grojsman says consumers are not wearing fragrance as heavily as they once high heels were hurting.” were. “The atmosphere in the world is different now. It used to be clear and Sarandon. In its second year, Women In Motion was highly successful Says Khoury, “When we were finishing Calyx, clean — it’s not the same. [You] put some on your arms and on your face so and encouraged greater awareness for diversity in the film industry. there was one little aspect that bothered me on you can smell yourself but it doesn’t disturb anyone else.” skin. It was a little dusty and dirty after a couple She also does not see as many of the long, complicated formulas that dom- hours and she saw it, too. One evening we were inated the fragrance market in her heyday — the strong, simple accords she in that lab until I don’t know how late and she pioneered are now commonplace. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH compounded that formula and after every ingre- “She ends up creating the trend,” Blanc says. You pick up a fragrance [now]
dient was added we would smell it to see if we and you say, ‘this is Sophia.’” ■ Gabriel Peter by Photograph
52 JUNE 2016, No. 1 WWD.COM Wexner in his Columbus, Ohio, office in front of a paint- FRAGRANCE FOUNDATION AWARDS During a far-ranging interview with Wexner ing by Kenneth in his Columbus, Ohio, office, the conversation Noland titled bounced from the reorganization of Victoria’s “Rest.” Secret to musings about new brands to the fact that color cosmetics are not for him [“a different base of supply, different thinking”], to historical notes — like the fact that the early shopping centers didn’t provide places to eat. Or how the invention of electricity had the biggest impact on the history of retailing. And the strategic impor- tance of providing inviting bathrooms in stores to speculation on what changes will be wrought by the digitalization of everyday life. At one point, The he observed,“in very broad ways, society hasn’t figured out how you deal with globalization. Governments haven’t figured it out, businesses haven’t figured it out, and we know it’s there.” That led to a momentary inquiry into the heart of the mystery of running a business internationally: “Certain brands have a positive perception glob- ally and the amazing thing to me is the sameness of customer purchases globally — why people are Wexner buying fresh balsam candles in Saudi Arabia and Singapore and Toledo, Ohio.” Then there’s that nagging problem that’s taking on renewed urgency: the loss of traffic in malls. Big retailers were the traditional traffic builders, Wexner began, slowly taking aim. “The department stores’ traffic problem isn’t because of the mall,” he said. “The mall’s traffic Way problem is because of the department stores.” No surprise opinion there, given Wexner’s adver- sarial standing as the virtual inventor of modern specialty store retailing. “In most shopping centers today, probably the biggest traffic drivers would be Victoria, Pink, Bath A freewheeling interview with one & Body, maybe Sephora and Apple,” Wexner said, referring to three of his chains. of retailing’s living legends reveals a “Pink gets constant increases and let’s say does about $1,400 a foot. So if there’s a mall traffic prob- sharp eye, a well-read mind and enough lem, is it the stores or is it the customer? I don’t think it’s a customer problem. We know we’re curiosity to build an empire. having increases in Bath & Body, steady increases By PETE BORN in Victoria and in Pink. We know that Restoration Hardware and Crate & Barrel, home stores, certain beauty stores, certain accessory stores, certain eslie H. Wexner doesn’t miss a detail. categories are doing well. An all-consuming curiosity and acute powers “When a retailer doesn’t do well, I’d say — ‘well of observation for spotting slight shifts in popular it’s traffic, it’s the environment, it’s the Internet, culture and consumer behavior have enabled it’s catalogues, it’s Wal-Mart,’” Wexner continued. the chairman and chief executive officer of L “I mean, there are always reasons. And generally Brands to take a groundbreaking fashion concept it’s the merchandise, stupid,” he asserted. “And and morph it into a juggernaut, embracing fine you got to run good stores.” fragrance, bath, body and personal care, plus But he spoke with the greatest ease about home fragrance. The result: 2015 retail sales of observing consumer behavior, a knack that he L an estimated $4.7 billion — one-third of the $12.15 developed into a science in building his original billion grand total for L Brands sales. Limited apparel business into a dominant retail To give that some perspective, the total American department store fine-fra- force. grance business amounted to $4 billion in that same period, putting L Brands He often describes himself simply as a “shop- at the top of the U.S. retail pyramid of fragrance products. It also brought keeper” — but one who was able to transfer his Wexner the Fragrance Foundation’s Hall of Fame Award, which he is due to skills from one world to another. receive June 7 at Lincoln Center. “What I have thought about, and continue to Wexner struck a note of humility, taking his hat off to industry leaders — think about, is that we are specialty merchants Lindsay Owen-Jones of L’Oréal, Leonard Lauder of Estée Lauder and Yoshiharu and our primary skill is knowing about women,” Fukuhara of Shiseido — who have helped him in the past and he considers to Wexner said. be more deserving of such an award. “So then the question is…could you go from “Whether it’s Fukuhara, OJ or Leonard — I think they really belong, and making apparel to lingerie, to beauty? It came I’m just visiting. We sell fragrance and it’s an important part of our business, from looking at our skills and saying, ‘Is there a but fundamentally, I’m a shopkeeper.” specialty store or a specialist opportunity for a Lauder, who in his own right shaped much of the global modern prestige retail business that goes around fragrance?’” beauty industry, holds Wexner in much higher regard. “Les Wexner has always He freely admits not knowing the technical side been the advance guard for so many things. His launch of Victoria’s Secret of manufacturing apparel or fragrance products, [after he bought the brand in 1982] set the stage for so much that has happened but he is always on the alert for new looks and in the cosmetics industry. He deserves all the accolades we can give him.” new trends. Recalling an incident four or five years Elaborating on the significance of the Victoria Secret launch, Lauder contin- ago, he said, “I was in the Mideast and I saw stores ued, “It was a fringe thing, but he wound up making a full deal. He went from that smelled different to me and it was oud. I had what people would normally do — taking a brand and putting it into department never heard of oud. So I thought ‘well, this is kind stores — to launching it in stores — freestanding stores. And he made it work.” of interesting, I wonder whether a fragrance like ►
54 JUNE 2016, No. 1 WWD.COM Photographs by RICKY RHODES FRAGRANCEFRAGRANCE FOUNDATIONFOUNDATION AWARDSAWARDS knowing aboutwomen.” and ourprimaryskillis are merchants specialty think about, isthatwe about, andcontinueto “What Ihave thought 56 JUNE 2016, No. 1
WWD.COM Wexner soured gradually ontheapparel category, shedding anumber of As thefashion businessturnedtougherint at affordable pricesonanationalbasis. retailing. People revolution. talk ButWexner diditby offering wearable design firstLimitedstorehis in1963, which changed thecourse offashion specialty he smiled.“That’s how you express your individuality.” you’re wearing jeans, butyou’re wear lion-dollar-a-year SiliconValley executive, you dress like acivilian because all wear navy blazers,theyallwear withoutties.Ifyou’re shirts amultimil- they didn’t buttheyalldress seeit, exactly alike —theyallwear jeans,they Millennials. Iwasoutthere foraco and makes itacommodity. combination ofglobalcredit andglobalaccesstakes somethingthat’s unique watch andprobably in24hoursget onefrom any placeintheworld. The gocan onlineandshop forthebestpriceinworld andyou order can a which afashion arguably is business,hasbeencommoditizedbecause you Theprestige that. The Internetdoes become commodities. watchbusiness, trend inglobalperfumery. that mightsell,”’hesaid,referring toprobably themostwidespread recent Speed andagility, along withasharp eye fornewlooks,were the drivers. That kindofpower empowered topickupondetails Wexner inopening “I wasinSiliconValley andwithalotofsenior, grown-up people,notthe “You have alotofthingsthat were unique ortreated asfashion thathave uple ofdays anditjuststruckmethat ing $2,000 brown shoes,” leather Italian erms of cost, sourcing andvalue, erms ofcost, weekend goes really well withonefragrance,by the finalorder. observer noted,“Ifa Anindustry adjust on how will hitandtheycan biga product keting executives more timetoget anearly reading process.facturing speed inthemanu- andflat-out agility increased tothequality.testify creates Suchflexibility packaging, according sources, toindustry who ofjuiceand intermsofquality into theproduct gin allows thecompany toinvest more money resources items.More tothehottest-selling mar- anced asmanagers have thefreedom toallocate operation. Thatmeansinventories be bal- can adaptedfrominfrastructure theoldfast-fashion businessmodelandmanufacturingthe vertical tostruggle.” started as theygot theirgroove, stores thedepartment went headtowiththemainstay fragrances; Secret Beauty. onto the sceneand came “They and scentedbody productsofBBW andVictoria’s ofthefragrances late Ninetieswiththepopularity store the declineofdepartment inthe business analyst industry atTheNPDGroup,beauty traced them.” they wanttobuyfr “Consumers want to buy more thanjustperfume, America. ident offragranceatFirmenichNorth in25years,” saidJerryin America Vittoria, pres- and respond quickly tothat.” intoexactlytap what lookingfor theconsumer is lookingfor.fragrance thattheconsumeris They sales at Givaudan, pointedto “therelevance ofthe innovation.” and bringsthatlevel ofinnovation andspeedof retail stores, which somuch brings new choice thedevelopmentis] oftheconceptspecialty fragrance supply company atGivaudan. “[There Mayr-Harting, atthe offinefragrances globalhead fragrance andbringitintotheirlives,” saidFelix whole way enjoy andfind thatconsumerscan because ofhowspecifically hehasreinvented the execution.” to reinvent businessmodelsinbothcontentand keeps himaheadofeveryone else.Itallows him the 78-year-old Wexner. “Itkeeps himengaged, it him young,” saidonemarket observer describing students oftheretailing game. Senza. Candle Co., Henri andLa Bendel apparel,Secret lingerie Pink unit, TheWhiteBarn to sellit.” then ifpeoplecontinue we’ll tobuy it, continue harder. is short-term You have newideasand Sweet Pea, 16years is old. according sources. to industry Anotherfragrance, than $100million,asBBW’s scents,each, toptwo Japanese Blossoms—reportedly Cherry domore ChoiceAwardConsumer in2015, Popular] and Wishes [which won theFragranceFoundation’s long theysellwell. Two ofthelatter—AThousand for aseason,andfragrancesdesignedtolastas groups,fall intotwo fashion scentsthemedtosell Works.and Bath&Body Thefragrancesroughly in 1990withtheadvent Secret ofVictoria Beauty likeproducts, andtraditionalfragrance candles, fragrantbody-care andhome into personal-care, nascent Victoria’s Finally, Secret. hestepped oflingerieattraction ofa withtheacquisition fashion brands,andturnedtothemagnetic A fastermanufacturing process gives themar- ofWexner’sPart to hasbeenattributed success Karen seniorvice president Grant, andglobal company“His thebiggest fragrance purveyor is retail Karen vicepresident Elliott, ofspecialty nodoubtthat theU.S. is “There out stands “He endlessly is curiousandthat’s what keeps Wexner’s strongest pointsare obvious toclose includethehugeOther businesses Victoria’s “Long-term easy,” is Wexner remarked. “The agrance products andhesells agrance products
Portrait photograph by Amy Meadow the store brand, which is still carried bythe store BBW. stillcarried brand,which is The anarraythat carried ofoutsidelabelsin addition to brand,which included ninestorespersonal-care thathethinksaboutthe C.O.interview Bigelow may have gone sideways. He hintedduringthe that atanopportunity anothercrack about taking vate aculture ofcuriosity,” heconcluded. no longer relevant. know, you’re Assoonasyou inthepast. know, it’s in afashion business,you never can know. Ifyou blow yourself up. afford small experiments aslongyou don’t you don’t wanttomake You bigmistakes. can and fixtures tillwe thoughtwe couldfigure itout.” could experiment withalotofdesignsstores a store environment sellthesethings.We thatcan failures.” interpreting andalsointerpreting think, successes few knots. be vexing. “It isn’t magic,butyou endupwitha can thedotsofbusiness ing thatconnecting our friends. We have toknow ourcustomerstheway we know really way. knowing them,notinananalytical through whatever knowing —is thecustomer, our business—through apparel, through lingerie, evolved toanother. from category oneproduct has beenrefined by Wexner’s asit organization andreadto testproduct theconsumermood, and gives advantage.” somefinancial us,Ithink, “itgives direct, usalittlebitmorefactory agility free andis toordermanufacturing from the edged that sincethecompany doesn’t own its fragrancecompetitor.typical Wexner acknowl- asfastthe and produces product atleasttwice butit’sfast, mantra.” his Speedis almostthatfast. they have ontheshelf. product It’s notquite that Monday theyare orders placing andby Friday 1 Then there are where cases Wexner thinks “Any that’s industry changing,you have to culti- “I’m stilllearning,”Wexner you’re said.“When He added,“You’ve got totestthingsbecause we thequestion can create primarily is, “Then “It’s atonofexperimenting, testing,and,I “But itwasn’t thatsimple,”Wexner said,not- skill thatIthinkwe fundamental have“The in model,coupledwithafinely tunedfacility This It hasbeenestimatedthatLBrandsdevelops 2 marketplace willprobably like benefitrascals us.”■ shopping centerof restaurants? Butwhatever thatwillget itis peopletothe cares?’ Butwhat willtheyhave? IsitaWholeFoods, itayoga studio, ita is is the shopping centerdoesordoesn’t have stores, department it’s like, ‘who they wantedtobewithotherpeople. We’re packanimals. Now whether there’s beenrecorded history, peoplehave gone tothemarketplace because butitdoesn’t repeat important, is itself, itinformsthefuture.“History the present, thefuture tendstolookexactly like hecontinued. the past,” events. Theysimply get itwrong. some peoplecan’t seewhat’s really happening. Theycan’t interpret current back tomorrow ithistory. andwe’ll call There’s thingsthatare happening and hasbeen,”hesaid.“That’sa category hard butit’s foundational. know what hashappened, you have senseofwhere or ahistorical anindustry like it’s anidea.” conversation.a short Putitthatway. and I’mnotsure we wanted tobuy. We were maybe sniffingalittle. Itwas as very preliminary. wanted toselltheentire international were then.” primarilybusinessanditwasstruggling inthefine-fragrance looked atitmaybe 10or15 years ago, butitwasvery, very expensive andthey when itwasjustgetting inAmerica. established tobuytheFrench-based chain, been inpreliminary talks Sephoraperfumery and ofthemselves aninternationalbusiness.” andeachoneofthemis business. Soitwent from oneofthemare infantto Each adult. businessesin hesaid,“and now wasasmalldepartment,” it’sPink pushing ata$3billion webundled together from “When started, inoneorganization thebeginning. Victoria’sSecret, Secret Beauty, —was theDirectsellingbusinessandPink be “reinvented, repositioned, rethought.” that apparel loserobustness after brandscan eightor10years, theyhave to mance by Victoria’s followed Secret, by ofthedivision. Noting arestructuring idea ofaproduct lineonly. doing otherthings.” “I thoughtitwasahellofanidea.We didn’t resource itandwe were busy brands.”He paused, asbeingmadeupof“boutique assortment thensaid, Bigelowlast two brandwaslaunched stores Theoriginal closedin2012. in2005. “Do Ibelieve inretail?” heasked rhetorically. “Yeah, because foraslong more you“The know about thepastandifyou’re reasonably accuratewith “In your businesswithacustomer, what’s happening rightnow, we’ll look “If there somethingtoleave is thatit’s peoplewith,itis thatyou important But Wexner now is thinkingabout 2016 andafuture ofchange. “I won’t say theywanted,”hereplied. “I’mnotsure they wanted tosell He speculation thatLVMH alsodisputed Moët Vuitton Hennessy Louis When asked ifheregretted notbuyingthebusiness,hereplied, “No. We A footnote from thepastwas anunconfirmedreport that Wexner had once oftheproblemPart wasthatthedivision —withitscomponentsofVictoria’s L Brandsrecently hadsometurbulence,largely centered onpoorperfor- thecurrentSources focusedonrevisiting the scopeofthinkingis indicate “We thestores’ continue hesaid,describing original tothinkaboutthat,” It wasn’t thatmuch Itwas substance. business, describing theconversationbusiness, describing 3 4 WWD.COM Columbus, Ohio, in1963. store, whichopenedin 4. Street inLondon. store onNew Bond Victoria’s Secret 3. 2. for in1985. WWD 1. Wexner photographed With hiswife, Abigail. The first Limited The renovated
JUNE 2016, No. 1
57 SHOWS ON THE GO
PACK THE TRUNKS: FASHION TAKES ITS
CRUISE SEASON ON THE ROAD AGAIN, TO LOCATIONS
NEAR, FAR, EXOTIC AND OTHERWISE REMARKABLE.
By MILES SOCHA Photographs by GIOVANNI GIANNONI and STÉPHANE FEUGÈRE LOUIS VUITTON LOUIS
Models dressed in Louis Vuitton descend the coiling ramp outside the Niterói Contemporary Art Museum in Rio. T ransporting: It’s the ulti- mate ambition of a great fashion show — to make the audience dream and carry them all to heights of fantasy. For the cruise megaproductions mounted by Europe’s biggest luxury brands, transport of- ten gets them at least halfway there. Over the past months, editors, clients and VIPs boarded planes, trains and automobiles to travel to Cuba, Brazil and England to witness fashion spectacles that rarely fail to impress, occasionally flirting with historical significance. Consider Karl Lagerfeld and Chanel, pioneers in itinerant fashion, which arrived in Havana just as the isolated, frozen-in-the-Fifties island nation is opening up to the world, its May 3 show coinciding
with the arrival of the first American cruise ship VUITTON LOUIS in decades. The open-air event not only dazzled guests, but attracted the attention of many main- CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: stream TV networks — and hundreds of locals. Brazil’s beachwear culture inspired Vuitton women’s designer Nicolas Ghesquière. GUESTS A technical parka from Louis Vuitton’s TRAVELED TO RIO, cruise collection. OXFORDSHIRE Catherine Deneuve, Doona Bae and Alicia AND LONDON TO Vikander soak up the sun. WITNESS CRUISE SPECTACLES.
“Since I put cruise on the road, they all feel they have to do it,” Lagerfeld says of his compet- itors. He and Chanel have ventured to Singapore, Saint-Tropez and Dubai for cruise — not forget- ting the Métiers d’Art collections for pre-fall that have been unveiled in such places as Salzburg, Edinburgh and Shanghai. Fashion brands are learning that such events, scheduled outside of crammed fashion weeks, garner fuller attention, generate more online impressions — and allow them to spin narratives and create compelling content around the collec- tion, and for social media channels. To be sure, itinerant cruise shows represent a co- lossal riposte to the see-now-buy-now juggernaut. So says Michael Burke, chairman and chief ex- ecutive officer of Vuitton, whose women’s de- signer Nicolas Ghesquière chose the groovy, oth- erworldly Niterói Contemporary Art Museum by Oscar Niemeyer in Rio as a backdrop. Eighteen months in the making, showcasing clothes that hang in the stores from November to June, cruise represents Vuitton’s largest and most important delivery, which is why it flew in 300 of its best clients, a sizable international press ► contingent and celebrities including Alicia Vikan- der, Catherine Deneuve and Jaden Smith. “We try to slow down the clock in this day when everything is speeding up,” Burke says. “Instead of seeing 12 shows a day, you see one show and you get to enter into the whole story.” The executive explains that people now rely on smartphones and other devices to remem- ber phone numbers and record experiences. DIOR “We’ve outsourced our memory to the cloud,” he says. “These moments conquer that. These CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: moments allow you to create memories. It hap- Daria Strokous on the Dior pens when you have a conjunction of time, Express train to Blenheim. place and vision.” Hunting scenes on Ghesquière, who favors midcentury architec- the runway were echoed tural marvels as a cruise venue, concurs. in the collection. “I think people love to see the clothes in a differ- Slick hair and leather on the Dior runway. ent context than a fashion show, as there are so Juno Temple and Haley many fashion shows,” he says. “When we travel, Bennett we integrate the landscape of the country we are visiting and I think it’s quite strong.” Beyond a compelling communication tool, such shows become a “cultural event” in the des- tination, he adds.
“SINCE I PUT CRUISE ON THE ROAD, THEY ALL FEEL THEY HAVE TO DO IT.” Karl Lagerfeld
Dior’s cruise showing at Blenheim Palace, amid the green and pleasant land of Oxfordshire, dotted with sheep, was a mega-homecoming the French house embellished with a slew of side events. The late founder had shown there in 1954; his successor Yves Saint Laurent in 1958, and the present fashion flock was duly impressed to ar- rive at the monumental country residence, one of the biggest in England. The journey alone was indulgent and unforgettable as Dior privatized an Orient Express train, decked it out in brand- ing and served wild Scottish salmon, chicken drenched in mushroom cream and blackber- ry-apricot crumble to the likes of Kate Mara, Ri- ley Keough and Emma Roberts. Ruinart flowed as freely as the rain fell. The wining and dining had started the night be- fore as Dior re-branded the Audley pub in Lon- don’s Mayfair with the image of an elegant lady in all her New Look splendor raising a pint of beer. Mirrors, coasters and the bunting over the bar all bore the humorous Lady Dior logo, as did the muscled arms of the waiters who were serving trays of Champagne. Next stop was a tour of Dior’s art-stuffed new flagship on New Bond Street. It shelters a slew of exclusive home wares and Lady Dior bags reimagined by Marc Quinn, one of those buzzy Young British Artists. Ceo Sidney Toledano notes that the company accelerated renovations of the four-story bou- tique so the palatial store, its biggest in Europe, could open in tandem with the cruise event, which sprawled over three days and ended with a farewell brunch at the Chiltern Firehouse. Gucci’s coup was to win permission from West- minster Abbey, one of the holiest places in Britain, to parade Alessandro Michele’s collection under
the stone arches of the cloisters, the audience ► Salgado Antonio by photograph and Bennett Temple seated on embroidered pillows to protect their pampered bottoms from the chilly stone pews. Alexa Chung says she was smitten not only with the choir music, “but especially that naughty feel- ing of doing something you shouldn’t be: Being in a church, but being there for fun. It was kind of like gossiping in the chapel at school.” Michele filled his runway with a cast of eccentric English characters, from punks in studded jeans jackets to frumpy church ladies with headscarves toting boxy purses in the crooks of their arms. Later, Michele and company let their hair down
“WE WANTED THE CRUISE SHOW TO KEEP MAINTAINING THE MOMENTUM.” Marco Bizzarri, Gucci
at the after party, staged in an 18th-century man- sion on Piccadilly with a performance by Annie Lennox and a host of DJs. Gucci president and ceo Marco Bizzarri says itinerant cruise spectacle helps the brand ampli- fy its new design direction, with Michele scarcely 18 months into the job and having made a U-turn from its jet-set, Capri sensibility to unhinged ec- centricity and androgyny. “We wanted the cruise show to keep maintain- ing the momentum and to keep communicating what we are doing,” he says. “At the beginning of change, the more you communicate the different position and the different aesthetic, the better it’s going to be because you’re shortening the period in which the consumer understands what you’re doing.” Who knew long trips could be a shortcut? ■ GUCCI
FROM LEFT: English eccentricity bloomed at Gucci’s cruise show at Westminster Abbey’s cloisters. Designer Alessandro Michele let his decorative impulses run wild. Bridget Foley’s Diary Working Retail: A New Reality
“If I had to chose a time in history in which I could be born, I — skill set, age, mojo. The best work ethic in the world can’t change certain realities. A 50-year- would choose June, 1, 2016. In the future, we will be far better old who has been on the selling floor of a major department store for 30 years is likely ill-equipped off in every dimension,” Joel Mokyr, professor of economics in terms of current skill set to do anything else, and probably even less equipped financially to retire. and history at Northwestern, said in a phone conversation last Even if such a person is tireless, whip-smart and willing to retrain, what are the prospects really, week. Mokyr wanted to conclude on a positive note. But June and the prospects for similarly unemployed work- ers, multiplied by 4,000 in a given month and newborns weren’t our conversation’s primary demographic. many thousands more over the course of a year? In the short run, people — people with families, Our talk was more concerned with a subset of mortgages, tuitions, Con Ed bills and a possible people born on June 1, 1966, their contemporaries lifespan into their 90s — are suddenly adrift, with and those born a decade or so before and after. the clock ticking on unemployment benefits. That subset: traditional retail employees. Those workers who find new employment typi- The first-quarter retail results that came in cally take a significant cut in pay. Younger workers recently were mostly abysmal. On the heels of may recoup those losses over time; older workers those results, May’s job numbers out last week almost certainly will not. “Losing a permanent showed a loss of 4,100 jobs at apparel and acces- job, which you’ve had for more than six years or sories retailers. so in a sector where you’ve had a lot of specific Asked about that one-two punch, Jack Klein- skills, there’s a large psychological cost and there henz, chief economist of the NRF, maintained seems to be some health effect,” says Lawrence that overall, the state of retail is strong, “growing Katz, professor of economics at Harvard. “This modestly and consistently…” he wrote in an is very worrisome for a lot of people. Less so for e-mail. “Retail employment continues to grown on the 28-year-old who has a lot of other possibilities. an annual basis. In March 2016, there were more For 50-year-olds who have worked 25 years in this than 564,000 job openings within the industry sector, we don’t do a whole lot. There are few and 737,000 hires according to the [Bureau of training opportunities.” Labor Statistics] JOLTS report.” Should the private sector or a specific industry Kleinhenz addressed the layoffs only obliquely: not to say companies don’t care about people — or company bear responsibility to displaced work- “Shifting a company’s resources is a tough deci- whether their own people or the world’s people. ers beyond paying into unemployment? Absent sion made every day by businesses in a variety Reams of evidence indicates they do. But corpo- legal responsibility, which is virtually nil, moral of industries, not just in the retail world. And rate h.r. initiatives and global philanthropies aside, responsibility is moot for a company fighting retailers are making these decisions as part of the first concern of business is business. for its own survival. “Some large employers will their ongoing strategies to change and evolve to For employees, the human side plays out, often provide outplacement services,” says Katz. “For meet customer demands. Retail is going through on very intimate terms. What’s to become of indi- companies that are in severe financial distress like an evolution and change is inevitable.” viduals and generations of workers, if and when current department stores, I doubt you’re going Exactly. As Kleinhenz pointed out, some job loss they’re laid off? What’s the psychological weight to see that sort of treatment.” is about more than general economic vicissitudes. on an employee who lives in constant fear of being Katz advocates for the development of a wage At the retail level, the department store model is next? The impact on communities of mass layoffs insurance program similar to unemployment ben- under universal duress. Modern life in general is due to, say, a major store closure? efits. Such insurance, he explains, would “cover in the throes of a riotous tech-driven revolution. In historical terms, jobs made archaic in one half the gap in your wages. It would decrease over On the other side, it may indeed be better for all, a sector may convert to other types of jobs. The time. So say you take a 50 percent wage cut while glorious click-here/click-there cyber Utopia. (If there oft-cited historical example: The shift from an you’re starting in the new sector, we’ll get it back is the other side. Who knows? Constant high-stakes, agrarian to manufacturing economy. As late as the up to 75 percent. Over time, while your wage high-speed, high-trauma change may just be the new Civil War years, between 53 and 58 percent of U.S. rises, we will cut back the amount that we need normal.) Certainly all kinds of new jobs, many we workers were agricultural; today it’s less than 2 to provide as you get into a stronger trajectory.” can’t even fathom now, will be created, while others percent. “Where did all of the farmers go?” Mokyr Obviously, such a program would benefit only fall prey to Rhonda the Robot. The big-picture future poses. “A lot of them [had trouble] adjusting, and the underemployed, leaving the unemployed on of work is a fascinating and complicated topic. there were farm protests and farm movements. their own. A similar insurance program could fund But that unfolding Jetson-ian big picture isn’t But in the end, [progress] couldn’t be stopped. retraining initiatives. Katz says that some Euro- the only picture that matters. In the present and Most of the farmers and their offspring moved to pean countries have experimented with such ini- short-term future, more retail employees will see the cities and worked in service industries. These tiatives. In the U.S., wage insurance, supported by their jobs lost either to literal tech takeover of the things happen all the time. [Otherwise], you’re President Obama, has gone nowhere in Congress. position (when’s the last time a human scanned basically living in a stagnant economy, and in I’m not advocating for it. I don’t know nearly your toothpaste at CVS?) or by the increasing many ways, that’s even worse.” enough about it to offer an intelligent opinion encroachment of e-commerce on bricks-and- Most of us are probably supremely subliminally not co-opted from Katz. Nor can I here even get mortar. I’m going to buy my underwear online or grateful for those forces that led our forebears to to several talking points made by Katz and Mokyr in a physical store. I’m not going to buy it twice. pack up their wheel barrows and head city-way. in brief, and what were likely for them, barely Against this backdrop, where does the rank-and- Through our current tech-driven social revolution, surface-scratching conversations. I do know that as file retail employee, let’s say the sales associate, the workforce will, knock wood, adjust and pros- more retail migrates online, more employees who stand? We work in a huge industry. It’s a business. per. That’s large-scale and over time. Right now, clock in every day at physical stores will find their Our business’ primary concern for the human what are the small-scale prospects for a laid-off employment threatened. Their plight deserves condition relates directly to consumerism. That’s retail employee? It depends upon many factors proactive industry-wide consideration. ■
66 JUNE 2016, No. 1 WWD.COM Illustration by ANDREW HOLDER