LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton made waves recently with its announcement of the fashion house, Fenty, led by Rihanna. This was a first in many aspects for LVMH. What stood out the most to me was LVMH was investing in someone whose original profession was not that of a designer. Yes, Rihanna was widely accepted in the fashion world as a trendsetter and had various collaborations under her belt, but she was not a traditional designer.
This got me thinking. If LVMH was willing to take on this investment in Fenty, had I underestimated the power of celebrity and overestimated what originally drew me into fashion? A recent article in WWD by Bridget Foley summed this all up quite well. Here's an excerpt.
“'It used to be that it was all about the product and it was all about the craft and all about the workmanship and the training and the background and devoting your singular focus to just that,' said Robert Burke, founder of consultants Robert Burke Associates, [and] name-checking a quartet of greats — McQueen, Galliano, Oscar, Saint Laurent. 'Today it’s not. I think it speaks to how society has changed, how the consumer has changed, how luxury has changed. I think ultimately the product is key. But the product alone today is not enough to carry it…it’s not enough to appeal to the consumer.'"
Foley herself explores various view points in the article, including how this move helps fashion reach the masses and how we need to be open to the fashion industry evolving.
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I just read an article that sounded – to me at least – like “a canary in a coal mine” or an early warning of danger. This piece, written by Joe Pompeo, appeared in the May 2020 issue of Vanity Fair magazine with the title “The British Tabloid Invasion” and a subtitle that read, “How the Daily Mail is conquering American gossip.”
The paparazzi horde, La Dolce Vita, 1960 – photo courtesy of Vanity Fair
Apparently the good old U.S. is a nation of “not great” sleepers. Really? And I thought I was the only one! According to a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention it was revealed that one out of three Americans are chronically sleep-deprived. Yikes!
I think we’re all taken by the incredible mystique of the famous French fashion house, Hermès that has been with us for two centuries and is still owned and operated by the same family. From its beginnings in fine equestrian leather goods, they are – in the tumultuous year 2020 – best known for their handbags and many other items.
My image of Hermès has always been rarified products at equally rarified prices so imagine my surprise when I recently received a very stylish publication of theirs in the mail.
