Business of fashion

Hedi Slimane’s ‘age of indieness’ returns for Celine AW23



Celine AW23

“You can only be lucky enough to have one style, a style of your own that becomes a caricature of you, your own ‘sound. I’m probably synonymous [with] punk rock and indieness in fashion, beside being known for my androgynous models. I have been precisely this in fashion for more than 20 years. This is the caricature I gladly own.”
Hedi Slimane

Proof that if you just stand still and do your thing, fashion eventually catches up with you, Hedi Slimane is once again haute stuff. With revenue doubled since his arrival, Slimane’s recent LA Celine AW23 show (part fashion show, part ‘indie sleaze’ rock concert) unapologetically brought his own greatest hits front and centre. (more…)



Raf Simons is quitting his label



Raf Simons

Oof, I wasn’t expecting that. With a lone post on his IG, Raf Simons announced that after 27 years, he’s quitting his own label.

Say it ain’t so!

No concrete explanation has been given and responses have been varied, from “finally – because no one was buying it” to an outpouring of crying emojis (mine).

Of course, he’s continuing as co-creative director of Prada, which has led to some speculation that Raf is being groomed as Miuccia’s successor should she decide to retire. Others suggested maybe there’s a ‘second act’ to come. After all, his note ends on, “Forward always”. (more…)



Maureen Doherty, a good egg



Maureen Doherty Egg

“I’m not trying to make anything new. There’s so much pressure in fashion to every six months have this newness. When I opened Egg, I wanted it to be like a chair: well that’s OK for 10 years. It’s not for six months; it’s 10 years. I like the fact that it can be an heirloom.”
Egg founder, Maureen Doherty, Hole & Corner (more…)



Quote of the day: Gagosian COO Andrew Fabricant



Jean-Michel Basquiat Equals Pi Tiffany LVMH

“You have [Bernard] Arnault buying Tiffany’s and then buying a Basquiat painting and then producing a Patek Philippe limited [edition] watch that is first seen on Jay-Z’s wrist. The interaction of art and commerce and fashion is inevitable. It’s just being accelerated by the consolidation of all these issues, whether it’s Kardashian, Arnault or the Gagosian Gallery having 19 galleries. It’s just more, more, more. It’s also mutually beneficial.”
Andrew Fabricant, COO of Gagosian, WWD (more…)