Brooks Brothers has Filed for Chapter 11
The oldest American men’s apparel company Brooks Brothers announced this week that it will be filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The brand – which has survived not only the Civil War, but the Great Depression, World War II, and the Great Recession – cited the reasons for filing as the coronavirus pandemic and difficulty adjusting to digital retailing. [USA Today]
H&M is Closing Stores
H&M will be closing 170 of its stores worldwide representing about three and a half per cent of all sites, with sister brands Monki, Weekday, and COS due to be affected. In their second-quarter report to investors, the Swedish fashion group said that it increased closure plans by around 40 stores after feeling the impact of COVID-19, but that it also intends to open 130 new stores elsewhere during the current year. They join a growing list of retailers that have been impacted by the pandemic, some of which are filing for bankruptcy protection or closing all together including Totokaelo, Need Supply Co., Jeffrey and Sies Marjan. (RETRACTION 7/13/2020: A previous version of this story mistakenly stated COS would be closing indefinitely.) [The Indepedent]
Louis Vuitton Takes Men’s Show on the Road
Instead of showing in Paris during fashion week, Louis Vuitton has announced plans for a seasonless, international approach to future men’s collections. Due to host physical runway displays in Shanghai on August 6 and Tokyo at a later date, this new world-traveling show season is an attempt to deal with inclusivity, sustainability, and the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. According to Virgil Abloh, Vuitton’s artistic director of menswear, “This next show is probably the biggest leap that I’ve made in terms of proposing a new system.” [WWD]
Virgil Abloh Launches $1 Million Scholarship for Black Youth
Virgil Abloh announced this week he is creating the “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund valued at $1 million for “for students of academic promise of Black, African-American, or of African descent.” Speaking to Vogue, the fund includes contributions from Abloh himself, along with Louis Vuitton, Evian, Off-White owner New Guards Group, and Farfetch.
Mônot Features an All-Star Casting for F/W 2020
Eli Mizrahi has enlisted a top-tier roster of talent for his latest campaign for Mônot that was shot by Luigi & Iango earlier this year in Saudi Arabia’s first World Heritage Site, Al Ula. A little over a year old, supermodels Kate Moss, Alek Wek, Amber Valletta, Jourdan Dunn, Xiao Wen Ju, Candice Swanepoel, and Mariacarla Boscono are styled by Carine Roitfeld with a vivid backdrop of desert landscape and reflecting mirrors. The collection that’s already been on the backs of celebrities like Demi Moore, Lizzo, Jurnee Smollett and Zendaya will be available at e-tailers Luisa Via Roma and Moda Operandi.
Valentina Sampaio is Sports Illustrated’s First Trans Model
Sports Illustrated, who’s annual swimsuit issue has defined the careers of models like Tyra Banks, Cindy Crawford, Cheryl Tiegs, and the like has shot Brazilian model Valentina Sampaio, the first trans model to grace its pages. In a touching Instagram post, Sampaio explains how Brazil “hosts the highest number of violent crimes and murders against the trans community in the world—three times that of the U.S.,” making the milestone that more barrier-breaking. She joins Marquita Pring, Josephine Skriver, Anita Marshall, Brooks Nader and Hyunjoo Hwang in the new issue.
