Rihanna unveils Fenty in Paris
The much anticipated LVMH-backed Fenty collection arrived this week via pop-up store in the Marais district. Adopting the “see now, buy now” model, the drop assisted by Conner Ives and Matthew Adams Dolan includes clothing, shoes, and accessories like sunglasses and jewelry and is available for purchase online May 29th, or in-store for the next two weeks, starting today. As told to WWD, Rihanna explains her collab-driven directive focused on selling out instead of markdowns, “I think it’s wise to have young, new, fresh ideas be a part of the structure, because you don’t know everything,” she divulges to the trade paper. [Ives and Dolan]”…are cool, they’re smart, they’re talented, and I want to give them the opportunity to come here and be a part of it, be involved, even if it’s for a year or six months. I welcome it.”
Giambattista Valli is H&M’s Next Collaborator
Last night Giambattista Valli and H&M, announced their new collaboration at the mega-luxe Cannes amfAR gala with five designs, worn by high-profile muses unveiled on the red carpet. The Paris-based, Italian couturier created both womenswear and for the first time menswear paraded on the backs of Kendall Jenner, Chiara Ferragni, Chris Lee, Bianca Brandolini, H.E.R., and Ross Lynch. The flash collection ranging from $17.99 to $649 will drop in select H&M stores around the world and on the website tomorrow, Saturday, May 25th with a larger collection coming November 7th. [VOGUE]
Prada Says No More Fur
After months of protests and behind-the-scenes pressure from animal-rights activist groups, Prada Group announced this week that it would no longer use animal fur from the September Spring/Summer 2020 collections onward. Low-demand and shifting conscious has led the Italian company to join others like Gucci, Versace, Burberry, and Chanel in eliminating fur and [for the latter] exotic skins from their collections. Reported by BOF, the fur-ban will present positive marketing optics but doesn’t have much impact on the Prada’s bottom line, as its use accounts for less than 0.1 percent of production material.
Topshop to Close Stores in Major Restructuring
Shocking news came this week from Arcadia Group that the high-street retailer Topshop has major restructuring plans to close all 11 of its US stores and 23 of its 566 UK and Ireland stores. With consumers’ retail spending down, rents and wages going up, and months of negative PR , the retail group that includes Topshop/Topman, Miss Selfridge, and Dorothy Perkins is seeking creditors’ approval via Company Voluntary Arrangements (or CVAs) to avoid bankruptcy. The closure will potentially impact 520 employees. [BOF]
LVMH Says No to Under-18 Ban
Luxury conglomerate LVMH will not be following luxe-rival Kering’s 2020 direction in banning under-18 models, committing to the 2017 charter which sets work limits, school attendance obligations, and mandatory chaperones/guardians for minors aged 16-18. The original charter also placed bans on size-zero and under-16 models for LVMH-owned brands Marc Jacobs, Fendi, Dior, and Givenchy. [WWD]
