Givenchy Taps Sarah Burton as Creative Director
Following her departure from Alexander McQueen last September, where she served as creative director for 13 years, Sarah Burton has now been appointed as the new creative director of Givenchy. Burton will oversee the creative direction for all women’s and men’s collections. Her exit from McQueen marked the end of a 26-year tenure with the brand, which she took over in 2010 after the passing of its founder, Lee Alexander McQueen. Under her leadership, McQueen’s sales surged to approximately €830 million by 2022, according to industry estimates. Since her departure, the fashion industry has eagerly awaited her next move. Givenchy announced in December that its former creative director, Matthew Williams, would be stepping down as of January 1, 2024, after three years in the role. In the interim, the brand’s studio teams led design while Williams focused fully on his brand, 1017 Alyx 9SM. Burton’s arrival now positions her as one of only five women holding the title of creative director at an LVMH house, alongside Maria Grazia Chiuri for Dior, Camille Miceli for Pucci, Silvia Fendi (with Kim Jones) for Fendi, and Stella McCartney. “I am so excited to be able to write the next chapter in the story of this iconic house and to bring to Givenchy my own vision, sensibility and beliefs,” said Burton. Her debut collection for Givenchy will be for Fall/Winter 2025, showcased at Paris Fashion Week in March. [Vogue]
The CFDA 2024 Nominees Are Out
The Council of Fashion Designers of America has announced the nominees and honorees for the 2024 CFDA Fashion Awards, presented by Amazon Fashion. The ceremony and gala dinner will take place at the American Museum of Natural History in New York on October 28th. The nominees for American Womenswear Designer of the Year are Rachel Scott for Diotima, Marc Jacobs, Jack McCollough + Lazaro Hernandez for Proenza Schouler, Thom Browne, and Tory Burch. For American Menswear Designer of the Year, the nominees are Mike Amiri for Amiri, Emily Adams Bode Aujla for Bode, Thom Browne, Todd Snyder, and Willy Chavarria. In the category of American Accessory Designer of the Year, the nominees are Ana Khouri, Stuart Vevers for Coach, Catherine Holstein for Khaite, Raul Lopez for Luar, and Tory Burch. The Shop With Google American Emerging Designer of the Year nominees include Tanner Richie and Fletcher Kasell for Tanner Fletcher, Jackson Wiederhoeft for Wiederhoeft, Connor McKnight, Presley Oldham, and Henry Zankov for Zankov. Daniel Roseberry for Schiaparelli will receive the International Designer of the Year award. The Positive Change Award will be presented to Michael Kors for his advocacy in fighting hunger through Watch Hunger Stop, a campaign supporting the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), as well as his work with God’s Love We Deliver. The CFDA Board of Directors is renaming its namesake award to the Isabel Toledo Board of Directors’ Tribute in honor of the late Cuban-American designer, who passed away in 2019. Isabel Toledo will posthumously receive the newly renamed award, to be accepted by her husband, Ruben Toledo. Stephen Burrows will be honored with the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award, while the Media Award in honor of Eugenia Sheppard will go to photographer Annie Leibovitz. Hamish Bowles will receive the Founder’s Award in honor of Eleanor Lambert. [WWD]
Hodakova Wins 2024 LVMH Prize
Swedish designer Ellen Hodakova Larsson has won the 2024 LVMH Prize for Young Designers for her upcycled pieces, highlighting the growing emphasis on sustainability as the fashion industry struggles with overproduction and a slowdown in luxury spending. The Stockholm-based designer triumphed over more than 2,500 applicants from 80 countries, securing a prize of €400,000 and a year of expert coaching from luxury giant LVMH. Larsson said, “Everyone knows that this beautiful earth is hurting because of our lust to create, to make money, and that’s why I’m here, to have a little bit of a different take on it. I feel thankful that…in this big company, they actually see the potential of it.” Duran Lantink, another designer who has made circularity a core principle of his work, received the runner-up Karl Lagerfeld Special Jury Prize, which was presented by Robert Pattinson. This award includes €200,000 and a year of mentorship covering various topics, such as sustainable development, communication, copyright, legal matters, and marketing. Ana de Armas, one of Louis Vuitton’s ambassadors, presented the inaugural Savoir-Faire Prize to Michael Stewart of Standing Ground This prize, which focuses on promoting the transmission of skills, also includes a €200,000 grant and a one-year mentorship. [WWD]
The New Zara Icons Collection Is Out
Zara has unveiled its Icons Shirt Collection, photographed by Annie Leibovitz at New York’s renowned Electric Lady recording studio, featuring Models.com Icon Karen Elson. The collection showcases five distinctive interpretations of the classic shirt, incorporating trends such as bubble hems and sheer fabrics. Designed for a range of occasions, these elevated pieces are priced higher than Zara’s usual offerings, ranging from $349 to $499.
Calvin Klein x Nensi Dojaka Collab
Calvin Klein teased its upcoming collaboration with London-based Albanian designer Nensi Dojaka this past Thursday. The partnership will be unveiled during Dojaka’s Spring 2025 show, scheduled for Saturday evening at the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel in London. This event marks her return to London Fashion Week, following two seasons where she released her collections in lookbook format. The collaboration comes as Calvin Klein prepares for a formal runway return next year, after a five-year hiatus, under the current creative direction of Veronica Leoni, who now leads the brand’s revived Collection business. [NYT]
The Row Gets Additional Investments
The Row, founded by the Olsen sisters, has recently attracted additional investments. The family that owns French luxury house Chanel and the billionaire heiress of L’Oréal have both acquired stakes in the brand. According to Bloomberg, the Wertheimer brothers, who own Chanel, have purchased a minority stake in The Row through their family office, Mousse Partners, while L’Oréal heiress Françoise Bettencourt Meyers has invested through her family’s vehicle, Tethys Invest. Fashion entrepreneur Natalie Massenet, former executive chairman of Net-a-Porter, is also set to invest through her company Imaginary Ventures, alongside Nick Brown. The Olsen sisters will remain the majority shareholders of The Row, but these new investments are expected to raise the company’s valuation to $1 billion USD. [BoF]
NYFW Street Style
New York Fashion Week has wrapped up! It was a whirlwind week filled with top models, celeb sightings, a Love Islander or two and a few Olympians on the runway or at front rows. Dive into the final days of model street style here from Days 3 to 7, featuring off-duty looks as models made their way between the Michael Kors, Luar, and COS shows. All photos by Melodie Jeng.
Jason Wu Has an Artistic Reset for S/S 25
For the Jason Wu Collection Spring/Summer 2025 show that debuted at Hudson Yards, Wu blended art and fashion with striking sculptures by Elise Co and Ben Borden to complement the catwalk. Inspired by Chinese artist Tong Yang-Tze, the collection featured canvas-like textures, soft pastels, and sharp contrasts, showcasing Wu’s effortless sophistication. Find more of the casting and collection here, photographed by Sonny Vandevelde.
MDC Selects: These Model Rookies Know What is Essential
Here’s a break from fashion week content to bring you some of the newest model rookies making waves this week on Models.com. From China to Brazil, learn more about how they started and more here.
And don’t forget Models.com’s Confirmed Series featuring Top 50 models and Hot Listers to rising new faces, Day In the life’s during NYFW with Kai Isaiah Jamal, at Willy Chavarria, Omahyra Mota at Off-White, Victoria Fawole at Michael Kors, and Jaylon Dawson at Luar, alongside our Runway Spotlight at Carolina Herrera, and new additions to the Hot List.
