Hermès throws down the gauntlet to LVMH

What a sight for sore eyes in today's Le Figaro business section: "Hermès repousse LVMH" - Hermès fights back.

Ten days after the rather surprising and sudden announcement that LVMH had at last managed to buy its way in on his competitor, French artisanry maison Hermès, the gloves between the two competitors - or the shock waves that shook the industry- are off.

Despite a statement of Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy that there are no current intentions of making an official offer or taking over the Hermès Group though to become a long-term investor, the article published today suggests that this coup was not as amicable and friendly as it was presented at first glance.

Heir Betrand Puech - direct descendant of the founder Thierry Hermès, who in 1837 established Hermès, and CEO Patrick Thomas insist in today's in Le Figaro that the purchase of 17.1% of Hermès shares was an unwanted, undesired and stealth action of Monsieur Bernard Arnault and his conglomerate. 72% of the remaining shares are dispersed within the family.
The duo also point out that the maison clearly was not in need of any capital support, mentoring, guidance or whatsoever from LVMH, as its financial performance has been showing a steady healthy growth since 1993. Hermès' performance was particularly strong during the last year, where many high-end fashion and luxury companies struggled significantly. In the interview, Patrick Thomas goes to such lenghts as to publicly doubt the correctness of the incident and calls the business transactions that have happened end of October 2010 more than just a little strange and even dubious - refering to LVMH business branches in Panama that were involved in the hostile buy into the company.

According to WWD, the French market regulator (AMF) is currently examining the circumstances purchase of the 17.1% shares

To the declaration that the buy-in was of amicable nature, Patrick Thomas and Bertrand Puech reacted indignantly with the response: "If you want to be amicable, Monsieur Arnault, you have to withdraw." - for the sake of completeness, one has to mention at this point that in a phone conversation following the buy-in, Monsieur Arnault had even stated that he does not even claim a seat on the board of Hermès International.

A conspicuous uproar of the last insurgent standing up against being locked in the golden cage of LVMH - after all, "'C'est n'est pas un combat financier, c'est un combat de cultures." Seems like front men Patrick Thomas and Betrand Puech will stop at nothing to impede Hermès International becoming the Koh-i-Noor in Monsieur Arnault's LVMH crown jewels.


xoxo
Glamazone



Source: lefigaro.com, WWD.com
Picture Source: magazine.wsj.com, lefigaro.fr

Lanvin goes Mainstream III - Official Footage

Et voilà, the official footage revealing the complete Lanvin ♥ H&M collection, which will hit the stores on 23rd of November 2010.
The four-and-a-half-minute short film directed by Mike Figgis is a Alice-in-Wonderland meets Kafka curiosity, which accentuates some of the ideas Alber Elbaz is voicing in the trailers explaining the odd collaboration of haute couture house Lanvin and mass retailer H&M.





The bizzare, quirky film portrays an motley excerpt of a nightmarish dream of the young Alber, displaying his influences and thoughts in a creative-chaotic mélange of strands of plots in the most fashionable hotel ever known to mankind. With the likes of Natasha Poly and Hannelore Knuts modelling Alber's beautiful collection, the short film promises printed shirts, diverse skirts, a zebra trenchcoat, a faux-fur jacket, funky accessories and a variety of assymetric ruffled dresses in colours ranging from moutarde to geranium red, black or floral prints as the key items to the collection.

In one of his trailers, Alber Elbaz expresses his bemusement about that fact that couture is interchangeable between three generations -  daughter, mother and grandmother could wear the same dress and interchange it- a theme that has been taken up in his short film as well.

"A happy collection for happy people" , which will be visible online at hm.com on the 4th of November


xoxo
Glamazone

Source: lanvin.com, hm.com
Picture Source: fabsugar.com

Lanvin goes Mainstream II - Preview

After Alber Elbaz nailed the Lanvin spring/summer '11 collection on the catwalk, the desirability of the affordable luxury collection Lanvin ♥ H&M has been increased even further and has created a major buzz within the industry.

As the collection is about to hit the stores on 23rd November 2010, the pictures and footage of the complete collection will be officially published on 2nd November 2010. To ease the countdown, the first two pictures for the much-anticipated collection have been published in addition to the teasers featuring Alber Elbaz.

According to the pictures, the collection promises to contain Lanvin's signature assymetrical necklines, puff sleeved dresses, feminine silhouettes and ruffle details.
Prices are quoted to range from £14.99 for sunglasses, £24.99 for bracelets and clutches, £34.99 for skirts and £99.99 for the asymetrical dresses. Loving the black one shoulder dress!

All I can say is: Who is going camping with me???

Glamazone ♥ Lanvin!!!

xoxo
Glamazone


Source: vogue.co.uk
Picture Source: vogue.co.uk

Stepping Up: YSL Spring/Summer 11

This season, Stefano Pilati deviated from a few of his habitual patterns - and it seems it paid off. Instead of showing the défilé of his Yves Saint Laurent spring/summer '11 collection in the Grand Palais where he had been showing in previous seasons, Stefano Pilati decided to have the show in the more intimate setting of a Rothschild townhouse, the Hôtel Salomon de Rothschild in Paris' eigth arrondissment. 

Also, this season, Stefano Pilati had two trends in favour of the YSL look - the interplay between femininity and masculinity and the homage that several designers had paid to the heritage of their brands.
The Yves Saint Laurent retrospective, which had been exhibited in the Grand Palais from March until September 2010 might have just been the inspiration - the one missing component- that put the Milanese designer at ease with the challenging heritage of the brand.
It seemed as if a heavy weight had finally been lifted of his shoulders as he managed to present a collection that was so classic Yves Saint Laurent, yet felt so contemporary and coherent at the same time.

The duality between strict, sharply cut jackets, bourgeouis pantsuits, timeless trenchcoats and romantic paysanne ruffles, gypsy dresses, semi-translucent pussy bow blouses, lantern-sleeve tops was executed perfectly and reflected the maison's bourgeouis spirit.The through and through elegant and sophisticated collection combined softness and feminity effortlessly with sharp masculine smoking jackets, trenchcoats and glamorous jumpsuits.

A colour palette ranging from classic black, white and navy to sophisticated taupe was spiced up by the mesmerizing tangerine blouses and dashes of turqouise and blue.
Beautifully cut dresses, subtle displays of just enough skin, great cross-shaped collars, cinched waistlines, elongated 40ies lines - the Yves Saint Laurent spring/summer collection '11 was an impeccable display of subtle elegance and sophistication. The styling of the models featured sleek braided updos with centre parting  that brought out the elaborate neckline of the dresses and blouses even better. The make-up consisted of a flawless porcelaine complexion, bleached brows and timelessly chic rouge noir lips and fingernails that were just the icing on the cake.

With subtle eroticism, powerful YSL signature looks, fine details and effortless sophistication, Stefano Pilati finally delivered the collection the industry had been waiting for so impatiently. To check video footage of the show, go to ysl.com.

xoxo
Glamazone

Source: style.com, WWD.com, ysl.com
Picture Source: style.com, WWD.com, breaktherules.com

Jean Paul Gaultier's fulminant farewell

An era has come to an end, Jean Paul Gaultier presented his last collection for French traditional house Hermès on October 6th 2010.

It was not a silent goodbye - it was a swan song with stomping, clapping and attitude. The flamenco sounds thudding out of the speakers were accompanied by appreciative applause of the audience, which had gathered to witness the last extravaganza the designer had created for Hermès' womenswear.

Working with Hermès' best colours, black, chocolat, gold, etoupe, crème, Rouge Hermès and a dash of the signature orange that Hermès uses for all its packaging, Jean Paul Gaultier presented a collection reflective of Spanish dressage look. A whiff of flamenco, a dash of gaucho and a lot of classic noble Hermès equestrian style inclusive of riding crops and harnesses.
The former enfant terrible of French fashion, managed to combine austere elegance, soigné artisanry and signature craftsmanship with a hint of eroticism and his characteristical mischievous wink.

Beautiful tailoring, the savoir-faire of handling the most precious leathers (an exceptional translucent crocodile leather jacket!), Jean Paul Gaultier delivered Hermès chic with the likes of classic pantsuits, ultra-high-waisted pants, leather skirts in various lengths, jodhpur influended pants and elegant mousseline capes. The actual tone of the collection however was set by the fetish-looking, body conscious leather bustiers and torsolettes as well as the elegant blouses endorsed with harnesses. What was it with the harnesses this season? We saw them everywhere (Lanvin, Rag & Bone...).
Naturally, there were also plenty of splendid Hermès accessories (the to-die-for leather bracelets (!) and gloves) and playful modifications of the maison's signature bags (miniature Birkins, miniature Birkins inside semi-translucent Kelly bags, a wicker Kelly...).

A majestic goodbye for Jean Paul Gaultier. We shall see where Christophe Lemaire is leading Hermès' reins to in future collections.

xoxo
Glamazone


Sources: WWD.com, style.com, thebaghagdiaries.com
Picture Sources: WWD.com