Combining Western silhouettes and shapes with a Middle Eastern flair for ornamentation and embellishment, Elie Saab s romantic evening wear has earned him fans from all over the world, particularly with brides-to-be. Born and raised in Damour, a coastal suburb of #Beirut, Saab began teaching himself how to sew before the age of 10, dressing his sister in scraps of fabric from their mother s closet that he would put together. By 1982, at age 18, he had launched his own label in Beirut, after a brief stint at design school in #Paris. Despite the civil war that broke out in #Lebanon in 1975 that displaced many people, including Saab s own family, he insisted on opening his dressmaking studio in his native country.
The designer is also popular with royal families in the Middle East; Queen Rania of Jordan famously wore one of his gowns for her coronation ceremony in 1999. On the red carpet, Halle Berry put Saab on Hollywood s fashion map when she accepted her 2002 Academy Award in a sheer embroidered gown with a crimson taffeta skirt. He became the first non-Italian designer to be accepted into the Camera Nazionale della Moda, the country s governing body for Milan Fashion Week, where he debuted his ready-to-wear line. Shortly thereafter, in 2003, Saab was invited by the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture in Paris to be a member and still remains one of the few officially ordained #hautecouture labels in the world. Saab s company is now based in Paris and he splits his time between Lebanon, France and Switzerland, with his wife Claudine. On his birthday, discover more about the designer at businessoffashion.com [Link in bio]
![Combining Western silhouettes and shapes with a Middle Eastern flair for ornamentation and embellishment, Elie Saab s romantic evening wear has earned him fans from all over the world, particularly with brides-to-be. Born and raised in Damour, a coastal suburb of #Beirut, Saab began teaching himself how to sew before the age of 10, dressing his sister in scraps of fabric from their mother s closet that he would put together. By 1982, at age 18, he had launched his own label in Beirut, after a brief stint at design school in #Paris. Despite the civil war that broke out in #Lebanon in 1975 that displaced many people, including Saab s own family, he insisted on opening his dressmaking studio in his native country.
The designer is also popular with royal families in the Middle East; Queen Rania of Jordan famously wore one of his gowns for her coronation ceremony in 1999. On the red carpet, Halle Berry put Saab on Hollywood s fashion map when she accepted her 2002 Academy Award in a sheer embroidered gown with a crimson taffeta skirt. He became the first non-Italian designer to be accepted into the Camera Nazionale della Moda, the country s governing body for Milan Fashion Week, where he debuted his ready-to-wear line. Shortly thereafter, in 2003, Saab was invited by the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture in Paris to be a member and still remains one of the few officially ordained #hautecouture labels in the world. Saab s company is now based in Paris and he splits his time between Lebanon, France and Switzerland, with his wife Claudine. On his birthday, discover more about the designer at businessoffashion.com [Link in bio]](https://scontent-sin6-2.cdninstagram.com/vp/548afe17850493e94654e19fe409648e/5DA92DDC/t51.2885-15/sh0.08/e35/c0.180.1440.1440a/s640x640/65096269_671831773279728_953568196978625934_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-sin6-2.cdninstagram.com)
![It s time to hold a mirror up to our industry. As it transforms before our very eyes, consider how much more change is needed and what exciting opportunities that could bring. For session 2, we invited photographers Juergen Teller as well as Alexi Lubomirski to the #BoFVOICES stage to talk about their passion. We also took a look at the fashion industry in Iran and manufacturing fashion in #Africa, as well as women at the forefront of the #sustainablefashion revolution.
Some of the questions the panelists tried to answer included 'should there be a Vogue Africa?' and 'what makes a photograph successful?' Don't miss the takeaways and catch up on the talks on our live blog. [Link in bio]](https://scontent-sin6-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-15/sh0.08/e35/c241.0.957.957a/s640x640/72235997_565192584237060_4573871095170559357_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-sin6-2.cdninstagram.com&_nc_cat=100&oh=58a3f40c3393f23e4f8766c0ae85f30d&oe=5E8694AC)
![Ugg was once the hottest boot around, before overexposure tarnished its image. Owner Deckers Brands is determined not to make the same mistake with its new hot shoe, Hoka One One sneakers. The brand was co-founded by Jean-Luc Diard and Nicolas Mermoud, former Salomon employees, who trained as endurance runners in the French Alps. The duo landed on a lightweight design featuring an oversized outsole, which they say is more comfortable for trail #running, especially downhill.
The #sneaker came on the scene at a time when minimalist running shoes were trending and instead offered the complete opposite a puffy, clown-like sole that promised #athletes the most comfortable ride possible. While the fashion world eventually embraced chunky dad sneakers, Hoka s prominent logo and shades made the brand a tough sell to the casual #fashion consumer.
But, the brand s remarkable run isn t a complete surprise. Strong word-of-mouth, the rise of #athleisure and some well-timed collaborations have won Hoka plenty of new fans in recent years. BoF analyses how parent company Deckers has made a science out of turning ugly shoes into #viral sensations. [Link in bio] : @hokaoneone x @openingceremony](https://scontent-sin6-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-15/sh0.08/e35/c143.0.1149.1149a/s640x640/72845086_834866313642772_4086168448476814773_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-sin6-2.cdninstagram.com&_nc_cat=1&oh=994b2c68d0470bec268f23542af348e1&oe=5E8AB44B)
![The RealReal is taking a stand regarding accusations that it sells #counterfeit products. In an email sent to customers on Wednesday, Chief Executive Julie Wainwright wrote that the second-hand #luxury marketplace strives for perfection, but may not be perfect every single time. Wainwright s note, which was sent with the subject line Our Pledge to You, told customers to send items back if they had issues with authenticity.
The email comes on the heels of several reports of counterfeit merchandise being sold on the site. Earlier this week, CNBC published an investigation about the #fashion company, revealing that the platform s listings include a fake Prada dress and a mislabeled Loro Piana scarf. On Forbes.com, a shopper recently recounted how he spent $3,600 on a Dior bag that was later proven to be a fake.
The RealReal has typically denied or downplayed allegations that it sells counterfeits. Wainwright told CNBC in 2016 that there no fakes on our site. But when The RealReal filed for an initial public offering earlier this year, it acknowledged that identifying a counterfeit item can be a tricky process, open to human error. Our success depends on our ability to accurately and cost-effectively determine whether an item offered for consignment is an authentic product, the company wrote in its SEC filing. While we have invested heavily in our authentication processes and we reject any goods we believe to be counterfeit, we cannot be certain that we will identify every counterfeit item that is consigned to us. But the company s authentication process has also come under fire. In an investigation conducted by The Capitol Forum in September found that contrary to The RealReal s claims that its merchandise was being authenticated by experts, employees such as copywriters were also inspecting luxury goods. Continue the read the full story on businessoffashion.com [Link in bio] : screenshot taken from @therealreal](https://scontent-sin6-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/b197d1063f42c8ab72c899e1564e36e6/5E4A1868/t51.2885-15/sh0.08/e35/c0.159.1277.1277a/s640x640/73232878_1809088285891345_3620598248421830240_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-sin6-1.cdninstagram.com&_nc_cat=1)
![Gucci is kicking off a series of global, themed #popup stores designed to create more reasons for customers to shop across the year, especially in regions where the Kering-owned #luxury brand may not already have a physical outpost. The first shop opens today in Hong Kong, followed by Fukuoka, Seongnam, Paris and Denver in the first wave of openings throughout the month. Target destinations over the next year include Chengdu, São Paulo, Taipei, Bangkok, Moscow, Mexico City, Dubai and more.
Called Gucci Pin , the temporary outposts will each be open an average of five weeks. In some cases, shops will open and close over the course of a year in the same city or location, dependent on the occasion. Each pop-up event will be amplified by dedicated digital content. Gucci Chief Executive Marco Bizzarri said in an email that the Gucci Pin stores will allow the brand to reach different consumer segments than it can with its brick and mortar stores. We are therefore looking at Gucci Pin as a new map for new territories, combining an immersive digital activation to further enhance the physical experience, he wrote.
For established brands, pop-up shops are a way to feed the growing demand for constant newness, especially among younger consumers buying entry-level price point items. Limited edition runs create a sense of can t-miss urgency. This strategy is meant to make it easier for #Gucci to execute these kinds of ephemeral #shopping experiences, as the company calls them, at scale and across multiple locations. It s especially important because Gucci s sales growth has slowed down this year. Can it work? Read the full story on businessoffashion.com [Link in bio] : @gucci](https://scontent-sin6-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/9c12e7e7d5a6eabccdd48bbebf049fd1/5E4276DF/t51.2885-15/sh0.08/e35/s640x640/75554035_439090260143427_39799684538876248_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-sin6-1.cdninstagram.com&_nc_cat=1)
![Can Nanushka be more than just an influencer brand? Just three years ago, the Budapest-based brand s sales came mainly from boutiques in designer Sandra Sandor s native Hungary. Today, the label has racks at top-tier retailers in the US, Europe and Asia. Sandor started #Nanushka in 2006. But the version of the label favoured by jet-setting #influencers and magazine #editors was born in the digital space in more recent years, says Peter Baldaszti, Sandor s longtime life partner, who she brought on as an investor and to serve as chief executive in 2016.
Now, Nanushka is betting it s a big enough name to build out stores of its own in key markets around the world, starting with a location in #Manhattan that opens on Thursday. More outposts are planned for Los Angeles and London, with a goal of five locations by the end of 2020. Most of our customers, especially the ones in New York, Los Angeles and London, they either know the brand from Instagram or they have crossed paths with us at major retailers, says Baldaszti. There s no real relationship between the brand and the customer other than the garment itself, so [opening stores] is really important for us to solidify our presence in their lives, he explains.
Nanushka is one of a number of labels that are looking to parlay an immense following on social media into international #retail success. Can it work? Read the full story on businessoffashion.com [Link in bio] : Jen Carey for @nanushka](https://scontent-sin6-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/8f0e1f7359f4424f7ccf2b0787bf4a71/5E4ECA1C/t51.2885-15/sh0.08/e35/c0.180.1440.1440a/s640x640/75231136_146387483404772_776456484916153277_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-sin6-1.cdninstagram.com&_nc_cat=1)
![#FentyBeauty took to Instagram last week to announce that it was further expanding into Asia, entering the Chinese and South Korean markets in September. The brand is already available in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. The news comes two years after Fenty exploded onto the beauty scene with its 40 shades of foundation, generating nearly 500 million in sales for parent #LVMH in its first year and igniting a global conversation around inclusivity in the beauty industry.
The push includes Hong Kong and Seoul two cultural hotspots that influence trends across the continent as well as Macau and the Korean resort island of Jeju. The expansion may prove to be a dry run for a far bigger milestone: Fenty s eventual entry into China, the world s second-biggest #beauty market after the US. While it sounds like an eternity in a digital age that s breeding Instagram-first beauty lines and new product launches by the day, two years isn t long for a Western brand to make its way to Asia.
But #Fenty may need to tweak its messaging to ensure lasting popularity. The brand s #inclusivity campaigns have mainly focused on women of colour who feel underrepresented by the beauty industry in terms of both products and visuals. But such messaging hasn t penetrated as deeply in some Asian beauty markets. Traditional beauty stereotypes and perceptions still prevail in Hong Kong. Diversity is not celebrated in local [or] regional beauty ad campaigns, says South China Morning Post s Senior Fashion Correspondent Divia Harilela.
Even so, Fenty is pushing forward with its Beauty for All mantra. According to a brand representative in Hong Kong, it will carry its full shade range of foundations and concealers spanning 50 shades in the city. Getting the messaging right is only the beginning and Fenty is likely to benefit from shifts underway in Asia s beauty market. They won t be buying the brand because it celebrates diversity... they will be buying it because it reflects Rihanna s styles, tastes and aesthetic, says Harilela. So, does Fenty Beauty have a future in Asia? [Link in bio]
: @fentybeauty](https://scontent-sin6-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/69c557d5f38bc0d51621b5728f9a1ebf/5DCF7E39/t51.2885-15/sh0.08/e35/c0.0.1080.1080a/s640x640/66063775_443409849840887_2959629811004889338_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-sin6-1.cdninstagram.com)
![Sales at Gucci rose more slowly than expected in the second quarter, taking the shine off a jump in margins at the Italian fashion label and an otherwise solid performance at parent Kering. The conglomerate relies on #Gucci for the bulk of its sales and profit, and investors are keeping a close watch on the extent to which it might lose steam after three years of explosive growth. The brand is partly at a disadvantage due to a high comparison base, but the slowdown, while expected, comes just as sales growth at rivals including LVMH's Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior brands leapt ahead of forecasts in the period.
A weak performance in the United States, linked partly to a drop in Chinese visitors there, dragged on Gucci's sales and that of other #Kering labels, which include Saint Laurent, explains the group's financial director Jean-Marc Duplaix. "It's a market that's becoming more difficult, we've seen that for all our brands," he says. But Gucci's margins jumped to 40.6 percent at the end of June, already exceeding the medium-term goals set out a year ago, and bucking an industry trend of flatlining profitability in the second quarter. Margins were helped by the group improving its sales per square meter in stores.
Overall, Kering reported a 15.9 percent rise in revenue for the April to June period to 3.85 billion ($4.3 billion), up 13.2 percent on a comparable basis roughly in line with analyst forecasts and helped by a slight turnaround at its Bottega Veneta label. [Link in bio] : @reuters](https://scontent-sin6-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/27a8d0574cc17d6726c6b526a1d2fde4/5DB3FADF/t51.2885-15/sh0.08/e35/c0.169.1349.1349/s640x640/66247976_2081765622125691_4045241053846421309_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-sin6-1.cdninstagram.com)
![Stella McCartney wants to save the planet. She also wants to sell new clothes. Her latest ad campaign is an attempt to do both. Featuring an unlikely mix of models and activists from the environmental group #ExtinctionRebellion, the Agents of Change campaign is intended to promote the brand s more environmentally conscious clothes while also calling for #climateaction.
It s an unlikely association, even for a brand that has long been an industry leader on environmental issues. Extinction Rebellion has been vocal in highlighting fashion s negative impact on the planet and earlier this year called for consumers to stage a year-long boycott on buying new clothes a message seemingly at odds with a seasonal ad campaign. The decentralised movement didn t coordinate the individual activists participation in the campaign, but said it is in positive talks with #StellaMcCartney. We believe that the world has enough clothing and textiles in circulation. We invite the good people in the fashion industry to join us in calling for an end to unnecessary consumption, excess and waste, the group said in an emailed statement.
The move is hardly the first time a fashion brand has aligned itself with a cause or weighed in on a controversial topic. But McCartney s latest campaign is another sign that mainstream players in the industry are becoming bolder in their activism. Still, for some, the campaign missed an opportunity to do something more ambitious, to drive greater change and a more meaningful conversation. Weigh in with your thoughts below and continue the story at businessoffashion.com [Link in bio] : @stellamccartney](https://scontent-sin6-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/73c5121879b5e97fa340f50fb6844994/5DEAF900/t51.2885-15/sh0.08/e35/s640x640/67478838_2366559053670385_6997336355761835485_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-sin6-1.cdninstagram.com)
![Just in, Sonia Rykiel, founded by the legendary designer best known for her stripy knits, will liquidate operations effective immediately.
The decision was made after a Paris commercial court judge rejected the lone remaining bidder for the company, Lévy, a Paris-based family operating in the real estate and medical sectors. Their plan involved a focus on digital and the divestment of the Boulevard Saint-Germain flagship.
#SoniaRykiel has 134 employees. The brand's six stores in France and Monaco, as well as its intellectual property and archives will be sold. Read the full story on businessoffashion.com [Link in bio] : @indigital.tv](https://scontent-sin6-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/48cf695588421d2f3d57db246a6b8bb8/5DD32391/t51.2885-15/sh0.08/e35/c244.0.951.951a/s640x640/67528566_2362955253798299_6871677003102807656_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-sin6-1.cdninstagram.com)
![What pushed #Barneys New York to the edge? For the past few weeks, one of America s most important sellers of high-end fashion, has been the talk of the industry for all the wrong reasons. In July, Reuters reported that the luxury department store chain was exploring bankruptcy after a steep rent increase at its #MadisonAvenue flagship, which pushed monthly rates to $27.9 million, up 72 percent from $16.2 million. I want to emphasise that this is an ongoing process and no decisions have been made, Barneys Chief Executive Daniella Vitale wrote in a recent email to staff, which was seen by BoF. Our business is operating normally and we are continuing to serve our customers and work with our business partners as usual, she added. But business as usual it wasn t at Barneys earlier this week, when the vendor that manages maintenance, cleaning crews and housekeeping for the Madison Avenue store suspended its work with the retailer, which owed it more than $500,000, according to an email viewed by BoF. As of Monday, several of the store s bathrooms were closed.
Barneys financial woes, combined with increased competition from multi-brand e-commerce sites and fundamental changes in the way people buy clothes including the rise of direct-to-consumer retail and the blossoming of the second-hand luxury market has meant that the retailer is perhaps no longer in a position to take as big of bets on emerging labels, the thing that long set it apart from competitors. Instead of owning cool, Barneys began chasing it, much to the detriment of the store and many of the smaller labels whose brands and businesses it once cultivated.
However, even if Barneys is indeed making the right bet on physical retail, finding a buyer willing to invest further may be more challenging than ever. And with the future of retail in flux, there s no guarantee that Barneys will survive. Like many other great American fashion stores that have come before it, from Charivari to Henri Bendel to Marshall Fields, it's time may simply have passed. It will be up to Barneys and an enthusiastic new buyer to prove that notion wrong. [Link in bio] : @gettyimages](https://scontent-sin6-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/4e2731e5150ac783d519e87e3fe1b0fe/5DCEA466/t51.2885-15/sh0.08/e35/s640x640/66280142_123058125633437_6228348145510604386_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-sin6-1.cdninstagram.com)
![LVMH s creative shuffle is paying off. The luxury conglomerate's sales breezed past analysts estimates as creative revamps at Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior helped fuel growth. While analysts expected a 14.4 percent gain, sales of fashion and leather goods rose 20 percent on an organic basis in the second quarter. The company s overall sales grew 12 percent.
The robust growth in the key fashion and leather division is a sign that LVMH s move to reshuffle its #menswear designers last year is proving successful. In his first year at Christian #Dior, new designer Kim Jones has won fans by reworking the brand s classic Saddlebag for men, as well as designing leopard-print sneakers and romantic double-breasted suits. His counterpart at #LouisVuitton, Virgil Abloh, issued crocodile utility harnesses, puffer coats and runway collections rife with references to pop culture like the Wizard of Oz. Another star designer, Hedi Slimane, took over at #Celine, where he is overseeing women s collections and has added the brand s first menswear line. Brands consistently refreshed creativity was key to LVMH s success, Chairman Bernard Arnault, who briefly overtook Bill Gates as the world s second-richest person last week, said in a statement. [Link in bio] : @bloomberg](https://scontent-sin6-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/6725a25804962024e0014a5c1649f220/5DCC74F1/t51.2885-15/sh0.08/e35/c0.169.1349.1349a/s640x640/66292705_149669306110054_2523314716218067442_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-sin6-1.cdninstagram.com)
Leave a comment