While the Lagerfeld name is the big headline-grabber here, the wider decision of AM Retail to go fur-free is also important, especially as it operates not only Karl Lagerfeld Paris stores, but chains including Wilsons Leather, GH Bass & Co, and Calvin Klein Performance.The news itself came via anti-animal cruelty campaigning group Peta, which said the move reflects the views of today’s “ethical shoppers”. It added that “these fur bans are proof that the fashion industry is changing to meet the rising demand for luxury animal-friendly alternatives.”
The late Karl Lagerfeld used fur regularly in his collections but in recent years, the number of high-end labels rejecting fur has swelled. Top labels that have pivoted to become fur-free now include Burberry, Chanel, Prada, G…
“With jewellery, they can search for the whole of eternity!” quipped an industry expert, summing up the growing attraction of a segment that sits in a unique position in the world of luxury products. Significant in this respect are the transformations that occurred in the last few years in Paris in rue de la Paix and place Vendôme, jewellery’s iconic stronghold. Several leading brands have upgraded their presence there, resulting in a facelift to the palace that hosts Boucheron, the opening of Gucci’s fine jewellery boutique, and the renovations and upgrades already carried out or planned by many labels, like Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, Bulgari and Chopard, all systematically involving extensions in the stores’ retail area. After a slow-down in Paris and elsewhere in Europ…
The Paris based luxury group, whose single largest fashion house is the Florentine-born Gucci, will contribute to the renovation of the lighting system in the courtyard of Palazzo Vecchio. The main part of the renovation will be the famed Michelozzo courtyard, designed in 1453 and extensively transformed and embellished in the following century by Giorgio Vasari, the artist and single most-read chronicler of the greatest Renaissance artists. The renovation begins this spring and will continue through 2021.“Exactly one year ago, when I was awarded the Fiorino d’Oro, I reiterated that Florence and Tuscany hold a particular significance for me and for the Group,” affirmed François-Henri Pinault, chairman and CEO of Kering. “Precisely for this reason, we genuinely wanted to help th…
The French luxury conglomerate and the Italian label are working with Imperial College London and Central Saint Martins on “a key strategic collaboration that leverages the potential of design-science academic research to prototype new bio-textiles”.It’s a two-year research initiative that “will develop new lab-grown fur fibres for luxury fashion”.
The partners said that “for the first time, keratin will be the focus of a study to develop a fibre capable of mimicking a range of luxury materials including fur”.The announcement comes a few months after Dolce & Gabbana announced that it would stop using fur but would work with furriers “in the creation of eco-fur garments and accessories, a sustainable faux fur alternative that uses recycled and recyclable materials…
When presenting the business’ new hub during a video-conference on Thursday, managing director Jean-François Palus did not want to disclose the amount the firm has committed to this operation. He did, however, stress that it was, “Kering’s largest investment in the peninsular.” “It is by no coincidence that we have chosen Italy,” said Palus. “It is a country where we have historically made our main investments in artistic and artisanal know-how, and now also in logistics skills.”
Since the French business took a stake in Gucci in 1999, a decisive step in the company’s evolution towards its transformation into a pure player in the luxury segment, Italy has continued to grow in importance for the business, in effect making Kering a Franco-Italian group. This i…
In combatting pollution – one billion lipsticks are thrown away each year, increasing water contamination, says the brand – the first eight lipsticks from La Bouche Rouge have been packaged in leather cases, which Gerlier calls fashion accessories (each case sells for 135 euros with a lipstick included). The refills are eco-friendly: without polypropylene and polyoxymethylene (45 euros for a refill cartridge). On the formula side, La Bouche Rouge is getting rid of endocrine disruptors too.Laureate of the CCI-Cosmetic Valley’s national cosmetics contest, La Bouche Rouge is already attracting the attention of major groups, as the brand is housed in research and production at Helios, the cosmetology research centre of LVMH.
Nicolas Gerlier also pointed out that his brand is the first…
Dame Sharon, a former second permanent secretary at the Treasury, said the government “needed to act urgently because families were struggling to pay utility and food costs” as energy bills and inflation soared.Speaking on ITV’s Peston show this week, she added: “The time has absolutely come for action whether it is an emergency budget or whether it is another vehicle.”
The chair of John Lewis Partnership, which also owns the Waitrose supermarket chain, said action needed to be taken before summer, with consumers facing another increase in energy bills of as much as £1,000 annually from October.She said: “The decisive action we saw, I thought the government did incredibly well at the pace and scale during Covid, I think we need to see the same decisive action…
Zero Waste Scotland and the Scottish Government have launched their ‘Circular Textiles Fund’ that will go directly to aid businesses across the industry — from fashion to upholstery.The scheme comes as Zero Waste Scotland’s Carbon Metric report shows textiles have “an extremely high environmental impact… which make up just 4% of waste by weight [but accounts] for nearly a third (32%) of the carbon impact of Scotland’s household waste”.
The Fund will support “innovative projects that have what it takes to be part of Scotland’s circular economy, in which resources are valued and made to last”. Applications to the fund can be from individual businesses or collaborations to achieve these objectives: reduce demand for new textiles; employ sustainable manufacturin…
Digital retail has revolutionised the luxury market, pushing brands to rethink their growth strategies. But now more than ever the phenomenon of e-commerce is shaping the industry, radically changing its power dynamics. First of all, the internet has lowered the hurdles barring access to the market, allowing new brands, in particular accessory labels offering products such as footwear, watches and eyewear, to try their luck in the big leagues without incurring prohibitive costs. South Korean eyewear label Gentle Monster, for example, is a testament to this new accessibility, having skyrocketed to the status of a global brand in a relatively short period of time.
“Digital also brings the shortcomings of physical stores into focus, highlighting large discrepancies in price, for e…
With the launch of the Hudson’s Bay Charter for Change, the foundation is committing $30 million over 10 years to organisations working to advance racial equity and inclusion, through three key areas of focus: education, employment and empowerment.This commitment launches as of Monday with its first five charitable partners: Indspire, Black Youth Helpline, CEE Centre For Young Black Professionals, CPAC Foundation, and MLSE Foundation.
The initiative will bring scholarships and bursaries for First Nations, Métis and Inuit students pursuing post-secondary education, empower Black youth with career readiness and training programs in high-demand fields, and use sport to teach life skills that empower racialized communities and improve academic engagement and workplace readiness.The…
Changing the way natural fur is perceived in the world is a major challenge at a time when the fashion industry is gradually banishing this material from its collections. Still, it’s a challenge that the industry intends to tackle head-on. This is evidenced by the development of a certification program, available worldwide, seeking to guarantee transparency, animal welfare and quality in natural fur.Total transparency
From farm to closet, Furmark-certified products are traceable, verified and guaranteed to meet numerous recognized standards, selected by a panel of industry stakeholders, scientists, sustainability leaders and welfare experts. Consumers can now access a wealth of information that makes the entire supply chain transparent for wild and farmed natural fur, hailing from…
A network of textile manufacturers in the city, including firms that have supplied to Boohoo, are facing accusations of money laundering and VAT fraud.According to the BBC, Boohoo has cut ties with the clothing supplier after it emerged that a director was involved in illegal activities, with the retail group saying it would never knowingly conduct business with anyone outside the law.
A civil lawsuit involving a dispute between the heads of two clothing manufacturers first brought the issue to light. The row involves Leicester-based company director Rostum Nagra, which has been accused of procuring false invoices and using ‘shell’ companies that pretended to be garment suppliers.The case identified 14 manufacturers that “may have been involved in laundering cash”, including T…