PARIS — As the race for prime Parisian real estate heats up, luxury giant Kering and private equity firm Ardian have signed a binding agreement to create a joint venture of prime real estate assets. Kering will transfer three of its prestigious addresses to the new entity. The deal is valued at 837 million euros, … Read more
PARIS — Will GenAI replace fashion designers? The debate has heated up since French contemporary brand The Kooples partnered with French start-up Imki last year on a 100 percent AI-generated capsule collection, cementing machine learning’s growing influence on design. As high street and e-commerce players embrace the powerful technology, luxury brands remain cautious about allowing … Read more
MILAN — Walking by Via Montenapoleone or Milan’s luxury shopping arcade Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, it’s hard to miss Gucci’s new window displays. The Italian brand on Wednesday rolled out its new global window concept, dubbed “Endless Narratives.” Surrounding a Jackie bag, for example, high, mirrored and lacquered bookcases in a new bluish-green hue stand … Read more
French luxury brand Chanel has named former Bottega Veneta creative boss Matthieu Blazy as its new artistic director, one of the biggest jobs in fashion, where he will be tasked with finally turning the page on the Karl Lagerfeld era. Blazy, 40, will be replaced at Bottega Veneta by British designer Louise Trotter, currently director … Read more
PARIS — At a time when luxury brands are cycling through designers at increasing speed, Chanel hopes to have found a long-term match in Matthieu Blazy. The French house said on Thursday it has selected the former Bottega Veneta creative director as its new artistic director of fashion activities, putting an end to months of … Read more
PARIS – Paris celebrated the reopening of the Notre-Dame cathedral with an elaborate ceremony welcoming heads of state from around the globe. LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton chair and chief executive officer Bernard Arnault and Kering president and chief executive officer Francois-Henri Pinault attended the ceremony with French President Emmanuel Macron, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, … Read more
Gucci creative director Sabato De Sarno used the red carpet as his runway Saturday night at the LACMA Art+Film Gala in Los Angeles, debuting his second eveningwear collection at the fundraiser attended by Kim Kardashian, Troye Sivan, Andrew Garfield, Chloë Sevigny and Anna Wintour, among others, with a performance by Charli XCX. Featuring 12 looks … Read more
PARIS – What luxury slowdown? Hermès International continues to buck the trend and outpace its peers, with sales up 11.3 percent at constant currency in the third quarter to 3.7 billion euros. That puts the Birkin bag maker well ahead of other French luxury goods players, such as Kering, which reported sales down 16 percent, … Read more
PITCHING UP: Who knew that Paris had a second football team? The French capital’s soccer scene is about to heat up, amid reports that luxury magnate Bernard Arnault’s family holding is poised to buy a majority stake in Paris FC, the second-divison club that lives in the shadow of Paris Saint-Germain. The Arnault family’s holding … Read more
MILAN — Kering on Tuesday named Stefano Cantino the new chief executive officer of Gucci. He will succeed Jean-François Palus on Jan. 1 and report to Francesca Bellettini, deputy CEO of Kering in charge of brand development. Cantino joined Gucci in May as deputy CEO and will have a seat on Kering’s Executive Committee. Palus … Read more
