Sustainability and fashion – two words full of meaning that seem to collide, but where the social power of this mesmerizing industry strikes again, creating synergies between an apparent dichotomy. Environmental impact has been a hot issue in the recent years, and the fashion industry has often been placed on the other side of the spectrum, and classified as one of the most polluting industries in the planet. Last week, Kering published an ambitious sustainability report marking an important step towards a more sustainable luxury. Let’s see what its implications are. Kering has been the first luxury giant to share publicly the environmental impact of its operations. Last weesk’s report…
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Rihanna X Manolo-Denim Desserts
Rihanna and famed designer Manolo Blahnik have teamed up to create their first collaboration together, it’s named Denim Desserts and it’s a super exclusive footwear line featuring six limited edition styles sold only at three store locations in London, New York and Hong Kong. A limited number of 400 pairs were stocked within each of the London, New York and Hong Kong stores, plus the web site is taking special orders that will be delivered with a sketch signed by Riri. Inspired by the singer’s amazing hand tattoos, each unique shoe is fashioned with denim and sequins. Riri admitted her favorite piece is the 9 to 5 boot; we are…
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Lineapiù Italia
Disclaimer: The following is not an advertisement for Lineapiù. The author visited Lineapiù as part of a school excursion. People often think of big brands and corporate-styled conglomerates when it comes to the business of fashion. However, manufacturers and contractors play an important role in the fashion ecosystem too. Without them, it would be difficult for companies that run on a horizontal system (put simply, they do not own their own mills and ateliers) to sustain themselves because owning everything cost money. Despite the importance of these manufacturers, there is little awareness on their creativity and the innovation they bring to the fashion industry. Lineapiù Italia is a great example. A Florentine based company,…
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The Luxury Market Spectator: LVMH
(DISCLAIMER: The purpose of this article is merely to illustrate the performance of a luxury company that I care about. I’m not a market guru, manage your money wisely.) When I buy a bag, I try to expiate my sins (and to forget the negative balance on my bank account) by convincing myself that I’ve made a good investment which is going to last. But you know what? Why don’t’ you make a real fashionable investment buying a stock – of a luxury company, of course? The company I’m analyzing today is LVMH. Decrypting the acronym, Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy. The company, given its fame, doesn’t even need an introduction, but…
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LVMHxBOCCONI Spring 2016
If you are a Bocconian, your geolocation can oscillate around piazza Straffa for the whole day. Looking for a place in the library for fifteen minutes makes sense, as well as having no time for studies because of studies. However, in spite of all the hard times we share times of pride. As part of the cooperation program between Università Bocconi, ESSEC and LVMH the last couple of days our university hosted the “LVMH days”. The main event of the program was the inauguration held on the 16th of March. Toni Belloni, the Group Managing Director, started off with the introduction of LVMH (though the 78-billion-worth conglomerate does not seem…
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Is The Luxury Market In Trouble?
The luxury industry has continually experienced growth in the last 5 years, and has rightfully gained its nickname as the “recession-proof” industry with the major consumers located in America, Europe and Asia. The largest one, Asia, accounts for 40% of global luxury sales in 2015. Recently, however, the luxury market has been put to the test. In the last few years, China has played an increasing role in the growth of the luxury market. Chinese natives are now players in international tourism, and this has given a huge boost to luxury brands worldwide, especially in Paris, Milan and New York. Every name brand has since opened stores in China, and…
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A Round Table in Fashion: Moschino, Startuppers and a New Book.
Barbara Nicolini and Paola Occhipinti are not just two names written on the cover of the latest book about working in fashion, but they were also the reason of an outstanding gathering of interesting figures working in the industry: Beatrice De Grandi, a young and bold entrepreneur in the fashion e-commerce, Tom & Bart, the creative spirits behind Les Hommes, Corrado Masini, the CEO of Moschino, Jean Luc Battaglia, Managing Director for C&A Italy, Valeria Vantaggi from Vanity Fair, Adriana Zerboni, headhunter, Luisa Sarpi, Gianfranco Ferrè ex première and the two creators of Le Pandorine bags. Not to mention the authors themselves, respectively a fashion & luxury headhunter and journalist…
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How to have a Successful Career in Luxury: Our Talk with one of the CFOs of Hermès Italia
Yesterday, the BS4F team as well as students who demonstrated a keen interest in the field, had the chance to speak to and learn from Steve Trow, the CFO of Hermes in Milan. Having a fairly atypical path to the luxury industry, he offered us insights on what it takes to succeed in not only fashion, but in every professional environment. Here is what we learned from him. Mr. Trow comes from a very modest background stating that his high school was ranked at the bottom 5% of all UK schools. He worked at a supermarket, as a factory worker and as a cleaner to pay off his student…
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Suit 101: The white shirt – camicie su misura
Note: This is part of an ongoing series known as Suit 101. A white shirt can create emotion, even if it is just a shirt. And if we look at shirt-making as an artform and an act of craftsmanship, then we began to sense the possibilities of making this staple…something special. – Sonya Glyn Nicholson, Parisian Gentlemen Bespoke shirts are no stranger to the man’s world — akin to how stilettos are no stranger to a woman’s world (Feminists may argue otherwise but let’s not get too deep here). Like shoes, a dress shirt — with its various permutations of patterns and colours — can give the entire outfit a fresh look. This could explain…
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Suit 101: The types of suit
Note: Suit 101 is a series dedicated on the finer side of menswear. Last week, we spoke of the suit as if there exists only one kind of suit. In fact, there are different kinds of suits that some guys may not have even heard or know about. As per usual, team BS4F will take you through an educational journey to further furnish your knowledge about suits, starting from… 1. The single breasted suit The single breasted suit is the most common form of suit. Its ubiquity lies in its practical nature — after all, it is much better to fiddle with one row of buttons than two, no? There…
