McQueen Names New Designer; Gaultier Out At Hermès
Latest- Sarah Burton, who has worked for Alexander McQueen since 1996, was named its new creative director. Cathy Horyn came out in support of Burton as a potential McQueen successor in March. Burton was previously head of women’s wear. [WWD, Telegraph]
- Naturally, Horyn‘s pleased with this development: “She’s the only person really qualified for the job. She was a student at Central Saint Martins in London when she began working in 1996 in Mr. McQueen’s studio as part of a work-study program. As she told me in March, ‘We got on very well and he said, “Why don’t you just stay?” I went back to school for a year and I continued working there at the same time. He completely taught me everything.’…In promoting the best-qualified person for the job, and not going outside the house for a name designer not intimately connected to the McQueen story, Gucci Group and McQueen executives have a very positive statement about the business.” [On The Runway]
- Madonna went all 80s — think lingerie, fishnets, and crucifixes — for the campaign shoot for her MDG sunglasses line, as these behind-the-scenes shots attest. [Daily Mail]
- Hermès is parting ways with Jean-Paul Gaultier. The house confirms that his last collection for the brand will be the one he presents this October in Paris. Replacing him will be Christophe Lemaire, presently the designer for Lacoste. The Wall Street Journal notes that Gaultier’s complex designs (is that a euphemism for “crocodile dungarees”?) sometimes caused production delays; he had been with Hermès for 7 years. The company will retain its 45% stake in Gaultier’s namesake brand. [WSJ]
- Eric Wilson says that Hermès has a tradition of unusual head designer picks — preceding Gaultier was Martin Margiela. Lemaire is hardly an unknown, but he is not a huge name. [On The Runway]
- The Daily would like to point out that it reported on a rumor that Gaultier would leave Hermès — nearly a year ago. We suppose if you wait long enough, you can predict almost anything and have it be right. [DFR]
- Gabrielle Union, at a party for Armani Exchange: “In this economy, you don’t feel like a jerk stepping around in some Armani Exchange shoes, as opposed to a pair of $2,000 red-soled shoes.” [WWD]
- Scourge-of-the-larger-lady Cintra Wilson is apparently out for good at the New York Times‘ Critical Shopper column. (Apparently that’s why we were treated to Jon Caramanica‘s tedious trip to the Crocs store yesterday.) There’s now a no-freelancers rule in effect for Critical Shopper. [Racked]
- Jerry Hall and Georgia May Jagger are the joint faces of something called Invisible Zinc. [Daily Mail]
- In other strange sunblock news, a Mets player named David Wright is now shilling for Mission Skincare sunscreen. [WWD]
- Christopher Sauvé gave Candace Bushnell one of his “I Was Touched By Terry” t-shirts at her reading the other night. [The Cut]
- Karl Lagerfeld shot a dark, moody spread featuring Iris Strubegger — for a European catalog giant, Trois Suisses. What the old lady in Dusseldorf will make of that, who knows. [WWD]
- Some belts commemorating Michael Jackson go ons sale for $1,500 online today — but because they feature trademarks owned by the Jackson estate, the sale may be illegal. Nonetheless, Joe Jackson and Katherine Jackson, plus apparently several of Michael’s kids, signed one belt, for auction. Opening bid: $5,000. [TMZ]
- Antonio Berardi made Leona Lewis stage costumes for her upcoming tour. The clothes are, naturally, all vegan-friendly. [Sun]
- Armani is going to design interiors for some luxury residences in Istanbul. [WWD]
- The ad for those Huggies trompe l’oeil denim diapers features shots of a baby wandering around in the aforementioned undergarment, inspiring longing looks from grown women. “My diaper is full,” says a voiceover, as nightclub music booms. “Full of chic.” This is the dirtiest thing ever, and not because it’s about baby shit. [The Cut]
- Some bags at chain stores are getting more expensive — Abercrombie & Fitch‘s offerings are nosing into the $300 range, Talbot’s has a $425 bag, and Ann Taylor sells $298 totes. This seems self-evidently stupid; you can only get away with charging prices like that if you can give customers the cachet of a brand and the illusion of exclusivity. Who wants to be the woman with the $425 embossed python bag from Talbot’s? [WSJ]
- Olivier Theyskens, absent from the fashion world since he was fired from Rochas last year, will design a capsule collection for Theory. Details are scant, but the collection will be for the spring-summer 2011 season. An interesting choice to pair up with a mass-market brand, given one of the reasons for Theyskens’ departure was his inability or unwillingness to design anything less than astronomically expensive clothes. [WWD]
- Angie Sanclemente Valencia, a former model and beauty queen who allegedly recruited other models to serve as mules for cocaine, has been arrested in an Argentine youth hostel after a five-month search. [BBC]
- Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen were sued in New York by two photographers who claimed the couple’s security guards shot at them during Gisele and Tom’s Costa Rican wedding last year. But a judge has thrown out the suit, because of jurisdictional issues. The photographers may re-file in Costa Rica. [TMZ]
- Giles Deacon refers obliquely to the turmoil at Ungaro, the house he now heads: “It’s such an easy thing for the more salacious writers to get bogged down in, but the legacy of the house is so immense that the last two years have been a week in its lifetime.” [Style.com]
- The Times on Venus Williams‘ lingerie-inspired French Open get-up: “In tennis fashion, the deepest curiosity usually focuses on women and what they reveal. Suzanne Lenglen, for whom one of the major show courts at Roland Garros is named, arrived at Wimbledon more than 90 years ago, creating a sensation with her bare arms and a calf-length pleated dress. Helen Wills Moody, one of the game’s greatest champions, often wore skirts above her knees and a sporty visor. In 1949 the American Gertrude Moran wore a short skirt at Wimbledon that intentionally revealed lace-trimmed undershorts. Court-side photographers crouched as low as possible to get a shot up her skirt. Moran, nicknamed Gorgeous Gussy, was appalled at the attention.” [NYTimes]
- There’s a slideshow. [NYTimes]
- Stefano Tonchi is finally putting Countess Louise J. Esterhazy‘s column in W to death. We consider this a mercy killing — merciful to the readers, that is. The Countess was the pen-name of John Fairchild. [P6]
- Some people are wearing long skirts and dresses. Trend pieces! Always keeping us up with the latest, most shocking news. [NYTimes]
- Kenneth Cole swung back to profitability last quarter, compared with the same period last year. [Crain’s]
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