Helmut Lang sold to Link Theory

[rach2jlc]

Well I like his style// he has to come back with a nice brand new concept for his fans

You just said you didn't like him like 1 page ago on this thread. Good grief.

 

[pasfoti]

Something I don't understand...
If Theroy just wants to make Helmut Lang a contemporary line, why spent a fortunate buying it? Can HL contemporary line appeal to HL's old customers?

 

[rach2jlc]

Something I don't understand...
If Theroy just wants to make Helmut Lang a contemporary line, why spent a fortunate buying it? Can HL contemporary line appeal to HL's old customers?

Yes, THAT'S the question. It will be VERY difficult for them to make HL work in this way. If they produce a very consistently strong collection at a good price point, it just might work. I don't think HL's old customers would necessarily be opposed to buying it, if it is a strong collection. I'd RATHER buy from Lang himself, of course, but if the aesthetic of the new collection is interesting, provocative, strong, etc... I might buy some.

But, if it is produced anything like Theory, I don't see how it could work. I mean, I like Theory as much as the next guy, but I've never found it terribly distinctive, especially at its price point (though perhaps not "luxury", nevertheless at retail it is far from affordable). Thus, being of limited budget, if I had $250 to spend on a shirt or pair of pants, I certainly would look somewhere more distinctive, with a little more SOMETHING to it than Theory had. I always found their prices high for their lack of distinction. Though the quality was okay, nevertheless their stuff looks like everybody else's contemporary tapered shirt, or flat-front pants, or short blazer, etc... only with an extra 2% elastane in the weave.

John

 

[Miss Galliano]

I don't like every collections.. some pieces and style .. just some pieces there very military ,sturdy and i always like some metal delais on pants and dresses very gothic a little i think it very original. Do you nderstand what I think about him now?

 

[tricotineacetat]

Prada has always pushed the buyers to buy more into the jeans and sportswear look that Helmut offered in the collection than the actual collection highlights, the few pieces that you could still find in the late days of Helmut´s Parisian shop, all those horrible jeans and chinos with patch pockets, the printed t-shirts with Helmut Lang logos plastered all over, that´s exactly how Prada thought they´d make money with the Helmut Lang brand name.

Unfortunately, and that I think had been the biggest problem with Helmut Lang in the late Prada days, is that the quality left much to be desired, any A.P.C., any Acne Jeans is of better quality and fit than what Helmut Lang did, it´s frustrating how EVERY single of my female customers tried to fit Helmut´s jeans, yet out of 10 women, only one could fit them properly (let´s say it that way, they are not really forgiving for female curves). The same goes for his blazers, which were quite snug in the arm, yet unfitted at the torso, it´s really been frustrating as a salesfloor experience!

Anyway, I hope these Japanese investors understand that cutting on quality is not the way to go with the Helmut Lang brand image. As the clothes themselves are very purist, everything has to be of amazing quality, both from the sewing and the fabrics... and please, no more silly details on the jeans, please...!!!

 

[Lena]

hmmm here comes the update ..a greek guy and his wife

Helmut Lang has found its new designer — make that designers.

Link Theory Holdings Co. Ltd., which bought the label from Prada in March, is expected to announce today that it has tapped Michael and Nicole Colovos, the founders of the Habitual label, as design directors of Helmut Lang, effective immediately.

The husband-and-wife team, who recently left Habitual and will end creative ties with the Los Angeles label with the fall collection, is slated to relaunch Helmut Lang with a capsule collection for spring 2007.

The collection will be presented during the spring market in September. At the moment, no runway show is planned for the collection, which Link Theory wants to turn into a contemporary label.Nicole Colovos, 36, and Michael Colovos, 35, are studying the Helmut Lang archives, but they are deliberately steering away from guessing what Lang would have done had he stayed at the label that bears his name. Instead, they hope to take some of the label's trademarks, including its minimalist spirit, sharp tailoring, utilitarian edge and knack for fabric experimentation, and add their own design sensibility.

"We're not trying to be Helmut and continue in the way he would have continued," Michael Colovos said, in an exclusive interview with his wife and Andrew Rosen, Theory's president, on Friday. "We're trying to come in and put our own spin onto the essence of the label."

Nicole Colovos concurred: "We're not Helmut Lang and aren't trying to re-create what he did. There's room to inject your own idea into it, and there's a thread we will follow. We just started looking at the archives to explore the things we loved about Helmut's work."

Rosen, who has been running the Helmut Lang business since the acquisition and has been charged with putting together a team and structure for the label, said, "Ricky [Sasaki, Link Theory's chief executive officer] and I have always believed that our opportunity globally is in the contemporary marketplace. We will continue to do things to stimulate that marketplace. Helmut Lang has the opportunity to be a global business with a strong wholesale presence in upper-end department and specialty stores and eventually its own stores."

extracts from a www.wwd.com article of today by Marc Karimzadeh
Photo by Kyle Ericksen

 

[Mutterlein]

I'm sorry to hear this.

 

[machinist|]

Is it just me or did anyone else felt like this ''designer couple'' were quite arrogant on the interview?

"We're not trying to be Helmut and continue in the way he would have continued," "We're trying to come in and put our own spin onto the essence of the label."
^ Already that first phrase alienated me from this new contemporary HL brand. It just scares the crap out of me seeing the brand after their attempted brand mutilation. To the second phrase I could only think of one thing, ''What spin are you talking about and do you mean that you have enough talent and vision to do so?''

"We're not Helmut Lang and aren't trying to re-create what he did. There's room to inject your own idea into it, and there's a thread we will follow. We just started looking at the archives to explore the things we loved about Helmut's work."
^ Well I guess now you got the rest of the old HL users running top speed miles away from you. They're not trying to be Helmut Lang, yet they want to respect his designs, make up your minds please.

Anyway overall I find this new HL line very bizarre and scary thing to come, not waiting eagerly on this one for sure.

 

[Lena]

i dont see them as arrogant, they are just doing what they are told

 

[tricotineacetat]

I am somewhat disgusted, Helmut Lang being such a strong name with a lot of history and influence in fashion... now being designed by some random American denim designers?! Obviously the intention is to revive the Helmut Lang jeans and give them some casual wear along, this is a formulla that didn't work out well under Prada, and I don't see how it should now.

Like I said earlier, they should have gone for somebody that is closer and much better in the know of Helmut Lang's spirit and customer but that is also bringing in some new blood... Jens Laugesen would have been a PERFECT match, Nicolas Andreas Taralis, Preen or even somebody as Martin Grant could have done really well under the Helmut Lang rooftop... I am really disappointed and worried if this is going to be the tombstone on Helmut Lang's legacy.

 

[Baizilla]

^ I couldn't agree more..

It's really sad to see his legacy and his name being treated like this...

 

[JuiceMajor]

Didn't surprised me at all. I read from an interview somewhere where Helmut himself concluded that he may never return to fashion. That chapter of his life has ended! He is into being an artist now!

 

[liberty33r1b]

i somehow can't really imagine them to carry on the label, and i initially thought its a bad choice......
but then again, i think i would probably refuse everyone continuing in helmut's name because its just tooo sad he himself is not there anymore....

 

[Lena]

i'd also prefer someone as Preen or Taralis but, this is just a huge company that grabbed the HL label and they just want to make money with a tiny bit of hype..
nobody who liked helmut's work will ever be happy with the way this deal is going, but still, lets wait and see what those people come around with.. or else we deserve the 'biased' budge

 

[rach2jlc]

Jost,

I totally agree with you and your earlier post. But, as for those names you mentioned, I'm guessing that Link Theory didn't want to PAY for those top-tier designers, nor would they want to pay for what their ideas would cost in materials/design/etc.

Since Link Theory are wanting to make this a "contemporary" label (eek!), I'm guessing that these two designers came more "affordably." I'm going to wait until I see the collection to decide, of course, but something tells me that the collection almost HAS to me middle of the road, so-so, completely safe and non-distinctive. The reason that I say this is that a middle of the road, so-so company bought them, wants to turn them into a "contemporary" label, and hired middle of the road, so-so designers to do it.

There is no way it will be amazing. The question is whether it will be tolerable.

John

 

[djork]

we sell theory where i work and it just sits on the rack, even on sale. $250 for a shirt that was made in hong kong. they are cut well, which is it's only saving grace compared to it's lower price counterparts. i really wish helmut lang would either come back or let his name fade into the past of designers now defunct. this sort of reminds me of sears purchasing the name structure from the limited corporation. it wont be the same, why even bother? said sadly, all they care about is making money.

 

[Honey~Blade]

This might be tolerable if weren't for the Helmut Lang name involved.

And $250 for a shirt made in HK? That cost more than what some some bespoke tailors charge for shirts.

 

[tricotineacetat]

Jost,

I totally agree with you and your earlier post. But, as for those names you mentioned, I'm guessing that Link Theory didn't want to PAY for those top-tier designers, nor would they want to pay for what their ideas would cost in materials/design/etc.

Since Link Theory are wanting to make this a "contemporary" label (eek!), I'm guessing that these two designers came more "affordably." I'm going to wait until I see the collection to decide, of course, but something tells me that the collection almost HAS to me middle of the road, so-so, completely safe and non-distinctive. The reason that I say this is that a middle of the road, so-so company bought them, wants to turn them into a "contemporary" label, and hired middle of the road, so-so designers to do it.

There is no way it will be amazing. The question is whether it will be tolerable.

John

Well, knowing most of these designers personally I guess money is not an objective, both Taralis' and Laugesen's businesses are pretty small of size yet and it would certainly mean a next step up in their career to score a job as executive designer at Helmut Lang.

No, I guess the intention was basically to attract the American market and the "prestigous" department stores in specific as their clientele. Habitual is yet an unknown name in continental Europe and their style is by far more casual wear than what the others I was mentioning are doing. To re-position the brand in a totally different context as before without the designer himself is a difficult task, and I guess it will be hard for his loyal customer to follow. Pity that Miss Ward is now with karl lagerfeld, she would have been the most obvious successor of Helmut's.

 

[Spacemiu]

I really like Habitual, but they arn't really the designers I would hope to take over HL. But I think if they are going to just turn it into a contemporary label they are not such a bad choice.

 

[tricotineacetat]

Question is, if Theory wants to start a new business with a lower-priced contemporary line, why waste the money and buy the rights to use the Helmut Lang name to sell the goods under? They could have started with something totally new, the money could have easily been spent elsewhere, if they would have simply started an entirely new brand.