The Luxe Chronicles

Louis Vuitton: A Luxury Brand Is Dead, A Fashion Brand Is Born

As regular readers of The Luxe Chronicles know well, one of the recurring themes on this blog is the 'dumbing down' or diluting of a luxury brand that comes from mass expansion and mass distribution. This is understandably a sore point for some luxury brands who have aggressively pursued an expansion policy dubbed 'democratization of luxury' and have reaped considerable profit from it. For many critics of the industry however, this term has become code for ubiquitous branding of all manner of merchandise to increase short term profit with little regard for the brand's integrity and in turn, the industry's long term prospects. Journalist Dana Thomas in her highly acclaimed book "Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster" compared Louis Vuitton's expansive growth over the past decade to that of McDonald's suggesting that the 'LV' logo had become almost as ubiquitous as that of the fast food chain's. This statement famously got her "disinvited" to the Louis Vuitton runway show by an irate Yves Carcelle, CEO of Louis Vuitton. There were many protestations, denials and general hoopla surrounding Thomas' claims at the time of her book's launch coming from LVMH and other luxury groups. Yet, several news items of this past week suggests to me that her assessment, not to mention her fast food analogy with all its connotations, may have been dead on the money.

The 39 Steps: A Fine Example Of British Brand Placement

As advertisers increasingly abandon traditional forms of advertising, we can expect to see more product placements intertwined with plot lines in movies, television series and theater productions alike. While there are definite advantages associated with high-profile product placement including exposure to new markets, communicating with a captive audience and reflected glory from a popular movie or television series, it is not without risk. Take for instance Sex And The City - The Movie. While no one doubts that the movie itself will be hugely popular, the sheer orgy of brand placement involved in this production is likely to dilute the impact for any one brand featured in the film. Also, for luxury brands who are accustomed to maintaining tight control over their brand image via glossy advertising campaigns, it can result in protracted and expensive negotiations with writers and producers over exactly how the product will be used and in what context it will appear. Yet, despite the risks and costs, luxury brands continue to seek out opportunities for product sponsorship and placement.

Photographic Reference:

Scene from The 39 Steps, New York City production. Photo courtesy of The New York Times.

Diane Von Furstenberg Honored With Star On Seventh Avenue: It's About Time!

Diane von Furstenberg was awarded a star on New York City's Seventh Avenue last week, the equivalent of a star on Hollywood's 'Walk of Fame' for New York City-based designers. It's a fact that fashion, women's fashion in particular, tends to be a man's world - designers, investors, advertising and retail executives and magazine publishers are predominantly men. Ironic (not to mention somewhat moronic) given the billions of their hard-earned dollars women spend on apparel and accessories each year but so be it. Every so often however, a woman comes along and leaves an unmistakable and indelible imprint on the fashion industry and nothing is ever the same again. Coco Chanel did just that leaving us with a number of iconic style references - the little black dress, the suit, costume jewelry, the 2.55 handbag, the two-toned shoes and so on. The formidable Diana Vreeland changed how we think about fashion encouraging Harper's Bazaar readers and later Vogue readers to use fashion as a form of self-expression. She would push her loyal staff to achieve new heights of whimsy and routinely instructed them to "(...) give them what they never knew they wanted!". More recently in the realm of fashion retailing, Nathalie Massenet's innovative online fashion retail site Net-A-Porter.com has changed how we think about shopping and more importantly, by expanding our options and our access to fashion, she has changed how we actually shop.

While plenty of designers come along and make an initial splash, few of them will have the mettle to slug it out for several decades and build a brand with longevity. This is precisely what Diane von Furstenberg has achieved and it's no fluke. While many still remember her as the woman who gave us the wrap dress in the 1970's, it would be simplistic to reduce her considerable influence on fashion to a mere dress, as fantastically practical and elegant as that dress may be. From the start, her fashion shows have been among the few that consistently feature models of every hue and ethnicity, her fashions can be worn elegantly by women of all shapes, sizes and ages and at its core, her corporate message is about the empowerment of women. So, it's about time the fashion industry recognized her considerable contributions to women's fashion. Congratulations DVF - the star on Seventh Avenue is well deserved!

Sincerely,

The Luxe Chronicles

Diane Von Furstenberg photo montage at Le Printemps department store in Paris (April 2008). Photo property of The Luxe Chronicles. All rights reserved.

Martine Sitbon's Rue Du Mail: The Beginning Of A Long Fashion Friendship

This past weekend, I went out to dinner at Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester Hotel. I was celebrating an important personal milestone so I really wanted to dress up for the occasion. I wanted something chic and elegant but wanted to depart slightly from my usual low key looks. Perhaps its all the media coverage of the Cannes Film Festival and the shots of all those yachts docked in various ports on the French Riviera but I found myself somewhat unconsciously channeling Lee Radziwell and Jackie O. and their cool, late 60's jet-set chic for style inspiration. I wanted glamour damn it! As usual, I didn't really have a whole lot of time to put together the look I was going for so I went onto Net-A-Porter.com. I also didn't want to spend too much money so I decided to look beyond the big brands for some of the younger, edgier up-and-comers. That's when I came across Rue du Mail, the French fashion brand designed by talented designer Martine Sitbon. While strictly speaking Martine Sitbon is not exactly new to the fashion scene (she designed under her own name for a number of years), her new label "Rue du Mail" marks her comeback after a few years absence.

Once I saw the dress (pictured below) it took about ten seconds for the entire look to come together in my head and so click, click, click and a few hours later, I had my lovely dress. When it arrived I slipped it on and I was immediately smitten with it. It hangs just right and feels really luxurious against your skin when you move. I had a brief moment of panic when I discovered that the dress is actually open on each side such that a slight gust of wind would have me flashing my knickers to passersby. I remedied the situation by a few discreet superimposed stitches on each side at the hem thereby closing the dress and maintaining a modicum of modesty. The dress is slate grey and actually quite simple despite the slinky draping so I jazzed it up with bold accessories. I paired the dress with some of my beloved David Webb jewelry including a pair of chunky gold hoops, a large cocktail ring with green onyx and tiger's eye set in gold (it has a slightly vintage-inspired vibe to it which I love) and my interlocking dragon cuff bracelet with cabochon emerald eyes. I then donned a fabulous pair of Christian Louboutin "Fontanete" platform stilettos in python with subtle metallic flecks and just a touch of aqua. While the shoes may sound "blingy" on paper, the effect when you have them on is really quite understated. I was really happy with the overall look and so it set the tone for the rest of the evening which turned out to be really memorable. Like any good piece of fashion, it turns out it's pretty versatile. I look forward to wearing the dress again at an up-coming garden party where I think I'll pair it with a gray metallic belt and a pair of bejeweled Giuseppe Zanotti flat sandals from last summer for a more low-key look. In short, I'm so happy I pushed myself beyond my usual fashion comfort zone to try a new designer and a more glamorous look. I definitely look forward to the next opportunity to expand my fashion horizon.

Sincerely,

The Luxe Chronicles

All photos courtesy of Net-A-Porter.com.

True Luxury: LVMH Denies Intent To Purchase Hermes

Clients and admirers of true luxury can all breath a little easier. Rumors had been circulating since late last week according to which LVMH had been quietly buying up stock in Hermes for a possible takeover of the French luxury brand. Some of these rumors went so far as to suggest that LVMH head Bernard Arnault was currently in talks with representatives of the Dumas family. While a small proportion of Hermes' capital is publicly traded on Paris' CAC 40, control of Hermes is firmly within the grips of the Dumas family thanks to a complicated family trust structure that gives them control of a whopping 72% of the capital. The corporate structure also includes a number of "poison pills" that make it nearly impossible for an outside investor to gain a significant block of shares. Arnault denied the rumors during an annual LVMH shareholders' meeting. Hermes' president, Patrick Thomas, also reiterated that the Dumas family had no intention of selling. The rumors originated in Belgium and stemmed from the belief that Belgian financier and mentor of Bernard Arnault, Albert Frere, had bought a substantial block of shares in Hermes. The rumor caused a significant spike in the Hermes share price earlier this week. (Source)

Take-over rumors relating to Hermes tend to pop up now and then and never fail to strike fear in the hearts of the French luxury brand's legions of devoted clients and admirers. In this case, no one wants to see LVMH work its particular brand of bling-bling "magic" on one of the world's very last true luxury brands. An ad campaign featuring L'il Kim straddling an Hermes saddle? Ce serait tragique!

Sincerely,

The Luxe Chronicles

Photo courtesy of Vanity Fair.com.

Repetto Opening New Paris Rive Gauche Store

For all of you who have a little thing for Repetto ballet flats and have been put off by the perpetual crowds in the main store on rue de la Paix, I have some very good news. On May 21, the iconic dance brand is opening a new location on Paris' Left Bank at 51, rue du Four. The opening of this new store coincides with the brand's 60th anniversary and will house all of the brand's various collections (classical ballet and dancewear, ballet flats and the brand's new handbag collection).

For further details, please visit the Repetto Website.

Photos courtesy of Repetto, Paris.

Net-A-Porter Cements Its Status As The Premier Online Fashion Retailer

Net-A-Porter announced recently the nomination of respected U.K. fashion writer and historian, Colin McDowell as "Creative Editor At Large", a newly created position that signals the online retailer's commitment to pursuing its unique blend of fashion retail and editorial content. This nomination coincides with recent enhancements to the Net-A-Porter site including "Notes Weekly", the site's innovative online magazine that chronicles fashion trends while offering a "Get The Look" option whereby a viewer clicks on an item from the editorial pages and is taken directly to the item's shopping page. McDowell, the Senior Fashion Writer for The Sunday Times Style and author of many books on fashion, will work with Net-A-Porter's editorial team to develop video content for the site's editorial web pages.

Those of you familiar with Net-A-Porter will recall that it is McDowell who wrote and narrated the commentary for the brief biographical video on Roy Halston featured on Net-A-Porter's Halston-dedicated web page for the brand's relaunch and the groundbreaking runway-to-retail coup orchestrated by Net-A-Porter last February. Net-A-Porter is in turn a sponsor of McDowell's brainchild Fashion Fringe, a design competition and mentoring program for promising young U.K. design talent. The winning designs are sold on Net-A-Porter. McDowell's status in the fashion industry brings additional editorial depth and bolsters Net-A-Porter's already considerable fashion credentials. More importantly, it effectively cements Net-A-Porter's status as the premier online fashion retailer and innovator. It is precisely this type of relationship with fashion cognoscenti cultivated by Massenet and her team which contribute to Net-A-Porter's unassailable fashion credentials amongst the hard-core followers of fashion. Congratulations Mr. McDowell. Well done Net-A-Porter!

Sincerely,

The Luxe Chronicles

Photographic References:

Left to right: Net-A-Porter founder Nathalie Massenet; Screen shot of Net-A-Porter's Halston page; Colin McDowell (photo by Greg Kessler courtesy of Style.com).

Sex And The City The Movie: Homage To London Fashion Whimsy

Given that Manhattan was widely considered the fifth character in the Sex And The City television series, it raised more than one expertly groomed eyebrow when the producers of SATC-The Movie chose London for the film's world premiere. While many fashion commentators have interpreted this to signal the surpassing of New York City by London as the premiere fashion capital, I see it more as a testament to the global status of the SATC brand than anything else. (Source) I also see Sarah Jessica Parker's pairing of a whimsical Philip Treacy* hat worthy of the late fashion eccentric Isabella Blow with an Alexander McQueen* confection to walk the red-carpet in Leicester Square as an homage to London's fashion moxie. Or rather, a graceful nod to what sets London apart sartorially from NYC - a willingness to take fashion risks and an eschewing of the perfectly-pulled-together-polish of your average U.S. movie premiere. I say "well done" to you Carrie Bradshaw. When in Rome, (...).

Sincerely,

The Luxe Chronicles

* Both milliner Philip Treacy and designer Alexander McQueen were proteges of Isabella Blow.

London's V&A Museum Is Proud To Present The Supremes

As mentioned in previous posts, there are few places in London I love more than The Victoria & Albert Museum (or the "V&A" for short). Since moving to London from New York City, I've developed a deep and abiding respect for this institution and its particularly dynamic curators who never cease to amaze with the breadth of their vision. No where is this dynamism more evident than in the V&A's fashion and costume department. The same institution that brought us The Golden Age Of Couture last fall now offer us The Story Of The Supremes From The Mary Wilson Collection.

As the name suggests, the exhibit involves the display of performance costumes worn by The Supremes, one of the most successful and influential singing groups of the 1960's. The exhibit traces the evolution of the group's sartorial style from their humble inner-city beginnings in Detroit to the glamorous designer attire that eventually became their trademark. It also explores the use of fashion and stage costumes to shape the group's image and enhance their cross-over appeal at a time in American history when African American recording artists were all but absent from mainstream popular culture. The exhibit opens on May 13 and runs until October 19, 2008. The exhibit kicks off with a special event featuring original group member Mary Wilson. "Mary Wilson - In Conversation" will take place on Tuesday May 13 at 7:00 p.m. (V&A Lecture Theatre). For more information, please visit the V&A Website.

Photographic Reference:

The Supremes being presented to the Queen Mother following a Royal Variety Performance, London, circa 1968. Photo courtesy of The Victoria & Albert Museum.

House Of Dereon Girls' Collection: Cringe-Worthy Advertising Campaign For A Cringe-Worthy Brand

Speaking as someone who has been reading fashion magazines since the age of 7, I can safely say that I've come across more than my share of offensive adverts over the years. As a result, my tolerance for tacky, tasteless and sexist ads is therefore fairly high (sad as this may be). After all, sexual objectification of women is nothing new in advertising and no where is this more true than in fashion and beauty industry advertising. Yet, despite my finely honed cynicism, I recently came across an advertisement that is so disturbing, so cringe-worthy, that I couldn't help but be deeply offended by it.

The advert in question is for The House of Dereon Girls' Collection, a line of children's wear recently launched by the brand fronted by Beyonce and "designed" by her mother Tina Knowles. (Source) It depicts a group of four little girls aged between 5 and 6 years old (at most) dressed in a variety of outfits ranging from leopard-print fedoras, hot pink feather boas and high-heeled shoes. The little girls are heavily made up, their hair is teased and styled and they are photographed in various adult poses complete with hands on hips and insolent little pouts. In other words, the little girls were intentionally made up to look like little tarts for the purpose of promoting children's clothing. How perverse is that? While House of Dereon is, at its core, a cynical exercise motivated by little more than celebrity greed, the brand's line of children's wear and the advertising campaign designed to promote it goes beyond mere greed. In this instance, the brand crosses into corporate irresponsibility and the brand's management as well as the celebrity who cynically fronts it should be held accountable.

Sincerely,

The Luxe Chronicles