A look from Valentino’s Pre-Fall 2019 runway show in Japan. Photo: Courtesy of Valentino
Gucci to launch a fine jewelry collection next summer
Alessandro Michele loves to accessorize, whether that be with live birds or baby dragons. But next summer, the eccentric Gucci designer will take his outlandish adornments slightly further down to reality with a debut line of fine jewelry. Kering chairman and chief executive officer François-Henri Pinault revealed the news in an interview with Le Figaro, saying, “the jewelry sets he is creating for Gucci will take their place naturally on the market.” He also added that the collection will consist of 200 pieces, which will all made in Italy and be infused with colored stones. {WWD}
Abercrombie & Fitch posts strong third quarter results
On Thursday, Abercrombie & Fitch Co. reported that sales from its last quarter at both its namesake and Hollister Co. brands surged as much as 29 percent. According to the company, sales last quarter benefited from a 16 percent bump in digital sales growth thanks to its online expansion efforts, which included starting a web series and adding Venmo as a payment option. {Bloomberg}
Tips for Western brands designing marketing campaigns for China
Following the Dolce & Gabbana Shanghai fiasco, Jing Daily created a handy guide for Western brands on how to avoid cultural insensitivity when designing marketing campaigns for China. Among the list of things to avoid: references to old China and cliché motifs from the stereotypical Chinese chain restaurants found abroad. Instead, the publication suggests showing appreciation of China’s social progress and technological advancements. {Jing Daily}
Alber Elbaz on fixing the fashion system
Alber Elbaz stopped in at Voices, Business of Fashion‘s annual conference in England, to share what he’s learned since his abrupt exit from Lanvin in 2015. During his speech, the designer touched on our image-obsessed culture and why brands need to pare back to grow more sustainably. He also spoke about the importance of dreaming in the digital age: “Glamour is electrifying and maybe electricity is better generated by engineers,” he said. “Fashion might not be that fast and not as electrifying, but we remain an industry that creates dreams.” {Business of Fashion}
Calvin Klein’s third-quarter revenue fell short of expectations
PVH isn’t too pleased with Calvin Klein‘s third-quarter performance, which saw the company’s earnings before interest and taxes decrease to $121 million, from $142 million a year earlier. “While many of the product categories performed well, we are disappointed by the lack of return on our investments in our Calvin Klein 205W39NYC halo business and believe that some of Calvin Klein Jeans’ relaunched product was too elevated and did not sell through as well as we planned,” PVH’s chairman and chief executive officer Emanuel Chirico said in a statement accompanying the earnings report. {WWD}
Stella McCartney launches a nonprofit charity platform dedicated to sustainability
Stella McCartney is expanding her nonprofit charity, which launched in October with a focus on breast cancer awareness, with a new platform dedicated to supporting her ongoing sustainability efforts. Dubbed “Stella McCartney Cares Green,” the foundation will work with innovators, support on the ground efforts to protect the environment, offer grants and developing awards programs with an underlying focus on knowledge sharing that will drive the next generation of disruptive animal-free, sustainable materials. “This new platform will enable me to realize a dream I have had for a long time of creating a true open source and empowering the next generation of designers to bring sustainability values into their practice,” the British designer said in an official press statement. {Fashionista inbox}
