Budding Belgian fashion-design star Veronique Branquinho will close her eleven-year-old label after a steep decline in orders for fall and numerous canceled orders and nonpayments for the spring collection. The label had about 50 wholesale clients and one stand-alone store in Antwerp, where merchandise should go on clearance pretty soon. Branquinho herself has another gig, as the new artistic director of Belgian leather-goods brand Delvaux. But this is sad news — and just a day after Christian Lacroixeffectively filed for bankruptcy. Who will the economy claim next? Veronique Branquinho to Liquidate [WWD]
I am so sadden by this news....
She is so immensely talented and one of the few designers who has kept a consistent POV over the yrs....
I am sure she will find work elsewhere... perhaps a creative director position??
Best of luck to her in this difficult time....
__________________ You are my center when I spin away...
just like Lacroix, this is the terrible truth!!!!!
very sad, bt i hope this is a wake up call to all designer out there whether established or the newer ones.. you simply CANNOT rely on your reputation and need to adjust to the climate. that includes being HUMBLE, be present at buyers appointments to listen to the reasons WHY something is NOT selling and what would be selling.
nowadays, designers sit back in their chair once the collection is made whereas the cycle continues UNTIL the garment is sold to the end customer so if anything they should be involved as much as possible to learn from mistakes and improve...
but leyla that's what is ironic....here you have a designer who was able counter-balance that humble quality,e.g. commerce,with creativity. she made clothes not mere fashion.
true scott even though i have to admit i have not been following her work lately.
i was just having a rant as i am face to face with designers all the time and some very bluntly tell you they dont wanna change. whether it sells or not, many do not care.
it is very very frustrating and unless they have great management they DO go down eventually.
specially this season, a couple of my designers have gone 'missing' or have simply given up altogether
one thing is for sure, her sunglasses SELL OUT ... no kidding, customers keep asking for more...
i do hope she manages to re emerge at some point!
ETA
she must have had a weakness for it to get to this point.
if the collections were good and sellable then the company probably lacked somewhere else?!