Glenn Martens Exits Y/Project
After more than a decade, Glenn Martens has stepped down as creative director of Y/Project. The brand issued a statement, saying, “Y/Project thanks Glenn for his unique contributions to the label and wishes him the best for the future.” This announcement follows a challenging period for Y/Project, including the cancellation of its Fall 2024 runway show due to cash flow issues and the passing of co-founder Gilles Elalouf last June. Elalouf’s brother, Daniel, has inherited his stake in the Y/Project line. Under Martens, the brand developed a strong cult following, known for his signature trompe-l’œil techniques, molding denim, leather, and silk. Y/Project was scheduled to present its Spring 2025 collection on September 29th during Paris Fashion Week, according to the provisional calendar. However, the show has now been canceled. [WWD]
Haider Ackermann Is The New Creative Director of Tom Ford
Haider Ackermann has been named the new creative director of Tom Ford, the brand owned by Estée Lauder. Born in Bogotá, Colombia, and adopted by a French family, Ackermann will be based in Paris and bringing the line to the city as well. He will lead the creative direction for all Tom Ford collections, including womenswear, menswear, accessories, and eyewear. His first collection will debut at Paris Fashion Week in March, as part of the Fall 2025 season. Tom Ford expressed his admiration, stating, “I have long been a great fan of Haider’s work. I find both his womenswear and menswear equally compelling. He is an incredible colorist, his tailoring is sharp, and above all, he is modern. We share many of the same historical references, and I could not be more excited to see what he does with the brand. I suspect that I will be the first on my feet to applaud after his show in March.” Peter Hawkings, a company veteran who worked under Ford for nearly 25 years, briefly took over but left unexpectedly in July. Ackermann remarked, “It is with tremendous pride that I will seek to honor the legacy of Tom Ford, a man I have long admired and have the utmost respect for.” [Vogue]
Zara Taps Stefano Pilati for Capsule Collection
Zara has collaborated with designer Stefano Pilati for an exclusive capsule collection, which includes 50 menswear styles and 30 womenswear pieces, along with shoes and bags. The collection is set to launch in early October and will be accompanied by a campaign shot by Steven Meisel. Pilati, best known for his tenure as creative director at Yves Saint Laurent from 2004 to 2012, where he succeeded Tom Ford, has also led Ermenegildo Zegna in Milan. More recently, he founded Random Identities, a gender-fluid menswear line now produced and distributed by Dover Street Market Paris. Last year, Pilati made a notable appearance when Pharrell Williams invited him to walk the runway during Williams’ debut as Louis Vuitton’s artistic director of menswear. Additionally, Pilati partnered with Kim Jones for Fendi’s fall collection, contributing under the “Friends of Fendi” initiative. [WWD]
Clare Waight Keller Is Uniqlo’s Creative Director
Clare Waight Keller launched her Uniqlo C collection last year. This week, she was announced as Uniqlo’s new creative director, expanding her responsibilities beyond the Uniqlo C line she developed last year to now include the brand’s broader offerings. Waight Keller, who brings an extensive luxury fashion background, previously served as creative director at Givenchy for three years and at Chloé for six. Reflecting on her vision for Uniqlo, she noted, “I’m observing people constantly and the big takeaways are that everyday style has evolved from Covid. There’s a relaxed sense of wanting to look smart-ish but actually feel super-comfortable. This is my mission at Uniqlo: to create that comfort with a strong sense of fashion, because I think that’s the sweet spot—something that feels great, makes you look good, but actually has a complete ease to it.” [Vogue]
Gigi Hadid Hosts Dinner for Guest in Residence Collab With Caviar Kaspia
The evening before the official start of the shows, Gigi Hadid hosted an intimate dinner on Thursday with friends, including Helena Christensen, Taylor Hill, Daphne Groeneveld, and Patrick Ta. The event celebrated the launch of her knitwear brand Guest in Residence’s collaboration with Caviar Kaspia. The collaboration features two cashmere sweaters inspired by the restaurant’s signature teal hue and tin artwork. Hadid told WWD, “It starts to feel like the best parts of art class when we get to collaborate with other people, brands and places that have such strong memories and are so well-branded really in their own right. We get to take the best of what they’ve created and put it into knitwear. I thought that a great way to celebrate Caviar Kaspia was with that beautiful imagery. And the colors to me are the most fun part of what I do. Sitting down on the floor with all the swatches for that season and diving into the world of that is really fun, and so I wanted that to be celebrated with the teal, especially.” [WWD]
Amelia Gray Rips A Page Out Of Her Model Diary
You think you know, but you have no idea. Sorry, wrong show. But how often do you get to be the fly on the wall of a Gen-Z superstar? Top 50 model Amelia Gray has rapidly ascended among modeling’s biggest names, finding herself on billboards from coast to coast and on your nearest newsstand. In director Columbine Goldsmith’s satirically witty footage, we see she’s no stranger to the limelight as she basks in all her viral career has brought working for a long list of fashion’s biggest players. Whether it’s her “nepo baby” roots, her status as an “it” girl, or her seamless transition from reality TV royalty to fashion megastar, Amelia takes every melodramatic stereotype head-on. Ahead of New York Fashion Week, Models.com went to Amelia’s crib to figure out ourselves if the rumors are true. Check out the interview here.
Model of the Week: Calum Harper’s Love of Acting Has Lead to Social Media Stardom
From acting school to the Gucci runway, Model of the Week Calum Harper never dreamed of a modeling career before getting signed. While at acting school, an application to a modeling agency changed everything, leading to walking for shows like Gucci, Zegna and Luar. Discover more about the rising Brit here.
MDC Selects: Ahead of Fashion Month, These Rookies Are Ready For Their Confirmation
Don’t miss this week’s lineup of MDC Selects. Find out who has a sweet tooth, been a professional dancer, and much more. Click this link here to find out more.
Also, Models.com welcomes six names to the Money List! Confirming clients with long turn payouts and starring in international campaigns, these faces are the stars of billboards and look books. To see the full list, click the link here.
