“It’s not just about people having less money. People have changed the way they go for luxury, because they realize at a certain point there’s other things to do with your money than buy things like couture that you may not really need. So I am trying to find a new way to excite them and make them buy in another way. Not a reasonable way, because reasonable is always boring. But finding a new way to attract them.”
Bruno Frissoni on ditching Roger Vivier’s couture line
Well, what a storm in a Café de Flore teacup about the use of a – shock horreur – YSL belt in a Chloe fragrance ad. Did stylist Joe McKenna mischievously throw the skinny waist-cincher in the mix or was it an intern mix-up*? Personally I see nothing wrong with a bit of cross branding. When Ines de la Fressange agreed to walk the Chanel ss11 runway, rumour has it that it was with the proviso that she wore Roger Vivier shoes rather than Karl’s creations. Ditto the ad campaign. Likewise, J.Crew was recently in the news for directing website visitors to competing brands alongside its own merchandise.
I would like to see even more deliberate mixing up on the catwalk and in campaigns – say a Comme Des Garcons jacket with a pair of vintage Levi’s or a Ralph Lauren coat with Gap khakis. Why not, isn’t this how people dress now, rather than head to toe in one designer? I think it would show immense confidence for a brand to show its own designs styled with another’s, although still in keeping with its overall aesthetic. After all, almost every name designer of note has done a high-meets-low high street collaboration, isn’t this just a continuation of that idea?
*Oh yes, when in doubt, blame the intern!
I shouldn’t really be lusting after bags, having just taken delivery of a naughty little Celine tote, but what to do when PRs keep bombarding my inbox with treats like this? Margaret Howell‘s stealth satchels are beautifully made in England by Whitehouse Cox, a Midlands factory specialising in saddlery. The bags are made from vegetable tanned bridle leather which will soften and age with wear. Mmmm… *inhales dramatically*… you can just smell it, can’t you?
These bags are a limited edition, available in all stores in two sizes: £455 for the medium and £255 for the small.
You know I love a Swatch and anything with a ‘boyfriend’ prefix. Have we covered boyfriend watches? Swatch’s New Gent watch makes the mens Swatch a fraction bigger (up from 34mm to 41mm) but thankfully hasn’t added any other trimmings. (more…)
