Estée Lauder Companies Buys Tom Ford
Tom Ford’s eponymous luxury brand has sold to cosmetics and skincare giant Estée Lauder for $2.8 billion, making Ford a billionaire. After speculations that Kering was leading in the competition of buying Tom Ford, Estée Lauder won the final bid. The two companies have been beauty partners for over 15 years since launching the Tom Ford Beauty brand back in 2006. Ford will stay as the brand’s “creative visionary” after the deal closes through the end of 2023. Estée Lauder Companies President and CEO Fabrizio Freda said, “as an owned brand, this strategic acquisition will unlock new opportunities and fortify our growth plans for Tom Ford Beauty.” [CNN]
Louis Vuitton Set To Open First Hotel in Paris
Louis Vuitton has its eyes set on hospitality. The luxury French house chairman and CEO Michael Burke have shared that the brand will convert Louis Vuitton’s corporate offices into a complex including the first Louis Vuitton hotel and its largest store globally. Burke described it as “the most spectacular view in the world” as the space will stretch out from the Eiffel Tower to Notre-Dame de Paris. The hotel is part of LVMH’s experiential space, LV Dream, which also features an exhibition. The space will be open to the public on Dec. 12 and will stay open for one year. The 20,000-square-foot locale will also include a gift store, a café, and a chocolate shop run by Maxime Frédéric, the head pastry chef at Cheval Blanc Paris. Burke said, “It’s going to be a work in progress for the next 10 years. The exhibition space has a one-year shelf life, and then next year, we’re going to do something else. And ultimately, probably the majority of this 400,000-square-foot building is going to be something else than an office.” [WWD]
Thierry Mugler: Couturissime Hits the Brooklyn Museum
The Thierry Mugler: Couturissime exhibition has made its US debut at the Brooklyn Museum of Art this week. The exhibition initially launched in 2019 and appeared in Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, and France. The exhibit includes over one hundred outfits, from couture pieces to stage costumes, custom accessories, sketches, videos, and images by top fashion photographers, and innovative installations of Mugler’s futuristic approach. The Brooklyn Museum’s presentation also introduces a section dedicated to Mugler’s trailblazing fragrance, Angel. To kick off the exhibition, Casey Cadwallader, creative director of Mugler, and celebrities like Kylie Jenner, Lourdes Leon, Laverne Cox, Julia Fox, Marc Jacobs, Tinashe, and Tyler Mitchell were in attendance. The exhibition opens up to the public today until May 7th, 2023. [Vogue] [Brooklyn Musuem]
PETA Launches $1 Million Vegan Wool Grant
Animal rights group PETA has launched a competition to award $1 million to the first individual or small business producing an animal-free wool alternative. Applicants have until Jul. 28, 2023, to submit a fabric sample and production plans. To find out more and how to apply, click here. [PETA] [BoF]
Roe Ethridge releases American Polychronic
Photographer Roe Ethridge has released American Polychronic, the first comprehensive book of Ethridge’s work from 2000 to 2021. Ethridge combines both his artistic and personal work intertwined with his commercial photography, and Ethridge explores how “new visual experiences can be created through the reproduction and recombination of image.” You can buy the book here.
Models.com Interviews Model of the Week, Marie Kippe
Models.com interviewed Marie Kippe for Model of the Week about walking for Balenciaga, her passion for animals, and staying true to herself. Find the interview here.
Models.com Interviews Editor-in-Chief Katie Grand
Models.com interviewed stylist and editor-in-chief of The Perfect Magazine Katie Grand, about her book, Tears and Tearsheets, some of her most memorable subjects, and the art of not looking back. Check out the interview here.
Models.com Interviews Emma Summerton, Ashley Graham, and Lauren Wasser
Models.com interviewed Emma Summerton, Ashley Graham, and Lauren Wasser about their Pirelli 2023 calendar experience. Find the interview here.
And don’t forget some of this week’s Models.com Rankings coverage:
