Altuzarra S/S 2024 New York

[LadyJunon]

Good question. I checked his distribution and it's quite a mystery how this brand can survive with its current wholesale distribution. He has literally NO stockists in Paris, not available at any of the major London stores, only one shop in Japan and Italy, two shops in the whole of China only. In the US the usual department stores.
I don't think this brand is profitable at all. And it's not surprising as it's lacking a unique POV/ identity

That explains why he moved his shows to Paris before the pandemic. Also, explains why Kering dumped him afterwards.

 

[Lola701]

Good question. I checked his distribution and it's quite a mystery how this brand can survive with its current wholesale distribution. He has literally NO stockists in Paris, not available at any of the major London stores, only one shop in Japan and Italy, two shops in the whole of China only. In the US the usual department stores.
I don't think this brand is profitable at all. And it's not surprising as it's lacking a unique POV/ identity

Tbh, while it would be interesting to see if the brand is profitable, when you look at his website to see his offering…It kind of make sense to imagine how he could be still around.

He is doing very conservative clothes after all (he knows his clientele) and the prices are more than decent.He probably does a lot trunkshows too.
He opened his store after 12 years in the business. If it’s well managed, it totally explains the longevity.

‘Tbh, having a store in Paris for most of those brands in NYFW wouldn’t make sense. When you are showing in NY, already your reach is more limited (which is why Tom Ford showing in the US with so many stores around the world doesn’t make sense). Only Ralph Lauren can get away with that.

 

[Phuel]

^^^ Yes, even with a small stockist list— and no profile in European markets, as long as there’s a dedicated clientele locally, along with a reasonable retail price point for what is elevated dressmaking, a smaller brand can still be profitable. There’s another demographic that other than the ones that have to wear the most hyped brands and designs of the moment. Not every customer knows/cares/needs to be validated by Phoebe Philo.

His fashions are derivative of course. But that’s just his generation that includes Proenza/Prabal/Derek Lam etc having made a career by copying greater talents wholesale and styling it for a more commercial consumption. The best that they can do is concentrate on their dressmaking/tailoring skills and with premium materiel selections, so that at least their customers will have the confidence of assurance that their purchases are a solid investment in fashion staples. And good for him, and all the other American labels like his that are still here in such harsh days and up against those giant conglomerates Kering/LVMH/Prada Group. At least BlackRock Inc haven’t turned their sights on purchasing up these American labels…That’s all I’ve got if I’m trying to be supportive rather than catty...

(...But more importantly, why do people drag out their child, a child, for the finale bow? Did the toddler contribute as a muse? Same with celebs dragging their clueless child/children onto the stage when they win an award.)

 

[Lola701]

^^^ Yes, even with a small stockist list— and no profile in European markets, as long as there’s a dedicated clientele locally, along with a reasonable retail price point for what is elevated dressmaking, a smaller brand can still be profitable. There’s another demographic that other than the ones that have to wear the most hyped brands and designs of the moment. Not every customer knows/cares/needs to be validated by Phoebe Philo.

His fashions are derivative of course. But that’s just his generation that includes Proenza/Prabal/Derek Lam etc having made a career by copying greater talents wholesale and styling it for a more commercial consumption. The best that they can do is concentrate on their dressmaking/tailoring skills and with premium materiel selections, so that at least their customers will have the confidence of assurance that their purchases are a solid investment in fashion staples. And good for him, and all the other American labels like his that are still here in such harsh days and up against those giant conglomerates Kering/LVMH/Prada Group. At least BlackRock Inc haven’t turned their sights on purchasing up these American labels…That’s all I’ve got if I’m trying to be supportive rather than catty...

(...But more importantly, why do people drag out their child, a child, for the finale bow? Did the toddler contribute as a muse? Same with celebs dragging their clueless child/children onto the stage when they win an award.)

I’m coming for you with my fellow Philophiles! Lol.

But irl, there are a lot of fashion houses that exists in that setting. They are very clients oriented and in terms of products, they have nothing to envy to those big brands.

There’s this designer that I love, Martin Grant. He is a bit in the same vain. He has been around for years and his clientele is super faithful. Maybe his strength is that he has an international clientele but there are a lot of brands operating on that very focused model.

‘I think about Alexandre Vauthier. He is only operating through wholesale and E-commerce. He has fantastic business partners (The wife of Bruno Pavlovski) and he is doing great.

The mystery about NYFW though is how saturated the market seems to be. There are a lot of brands doing the new conservative chic thing, around the same price tag. And around that, there are massive brands like Michael Kors. I must admit that while MK Collection is a highlight of NYFW, it’s sometimes so hard to look at it as something else as a Redcarpet / Friends of the house operation. I wonder if it makes at least 5% of the overall revenues of the brand.

‘It’s like Calvin Klein Collection. It existed during FW, on Redcarpet but that’s it.

‘And about the child thing…To his defense, I saw a video and she was in the attendance and run when she saw her father.
I get why it can bother some but I see it as this is their work and their lives and their family is involved but where do reach the line of it being exploitative can be a question itself…Maybe if it becomes a pattern I would have an issue with it.

 

[Phuel]

^^^ LOL Yes— I get that’s his child, and maybe it was a spontaneous moment etc etc It’s still cringe to me once it’s selected as the finale bow… Eh.

You know, even with Phoebe and her Celine, I would wager that there’s a huge contingent of customers that only invested into the brand because they bought the hype. It’s deserved hype of course, but nonetheless these women bought into it, and likely also bought Proenza because it’s so similar to Phoebe’s. They’re not scrutinizing how much of a ripoff Proenza is— just that they like the coat/dress/jacket and want to wear it without a second thought to its original inspiration/ripoff/design source etc etc. That’s the buying principle that so many brands rely on amongst so many customers; the (overly)critical analysis that’s often displayed on TFS is not present IRL retail customers LOL (It’s why an e-commerce entity like Revolve can still exist today: Many women just want cute dresses.)

 

[bc collector]

^^^ LOL Yes— I get that’s his child, and maybe it was a spontaneous moment etc etc It’s still cringe to me once it’s selected as the finale bow… Eh.

One last thing on the kids subject:
since Phoebe has been mentioned, I remember how her elder daughter used to attend her mother's Céline shows, but you only knew if you happened to know, she was in the background. Phoebe knew better than bowing out hand in hand with her (I retch at the very thought). Her job and her family were kept separate and she steered clear of showing her kids to make you like her.

 

[style_expert]

Well, not to be cynical but he DID launch a kids furniture line just now with a company named West Elm Kids. Don't know if it has anything to do with that bow with his daughter (hope not!)

 

[style_expert]

‘Tbh, having a store in Paris for most of those brands in NYFW wouldn’t make sense. When you are showing in NY, already your reach is more limited (which is why Tom Ford showing in the US with so many stores around the world doesn’t make sense). Only Ralph Lauren can get away with that.

I didn't mean having his own monobrand store, I meant his line can not be purchased in any Paris multibrand or department store. So not even a small rack at Le Bon Marche, Lafayette or Printemps, which quite a lot of NYFW designers actually have (even if it's probably not exactly flying off the racks)
It's more symbolic being available in the fashion capital in the world rather than a huge revenue driver of course. And he used to show a few times in Paris, so I found it remarkable.
With so little multi-brand stores globally carrying his line, his e-commerce should be doing very well.

The revenue of his brand dropped to about $5-6 million recently, where in the past it has been between 10 and 20 a year. But if he can operate in this way, kudos to him obviously. His show has a good production value with the casting and the styling, so hence I was wondering about how he's operating business wise.

 

[Phuel]

^^^ Interesting. Rather impressive if his brand reached a revenue of 20 million a year ago. Whether that’s an inflated figure or not, that he surpassed the 10 million mark— and even if there is a drop in revenue, is still a solid earning. If his brand can ensure steady and secure profit earnings even at teh current profits, then there’s no point to stop at his (un)creative trajectory. Someone is buying it. From a business perspective and model, brands like his are absolutely aspirational, even if creatively, it’s not the least inspirational.

One last thing on the kids subject:
since Phoebe has been mentioned, I remember how her elder daughter used to attend her mother's Céline shows, but you only knew if you happened to know, she was in the background. Phoebe knew better than bowing out hand in hand with her (I retch at the very thought). Her job and her family were kept separate and she steered clear of showing her kids to make you like her.

I’m of the mindset that people that throw extravagant birthday parties… for themselves, are on the tackier side of taste. But I get it: You do you , and all that (…even if it may be a strategic branding move to associate with the children’s furniture venture…). This sort of toddler come-to-daddy-when-he’s-taking-a-bow is the sort of thing that can only be encouraged by surrounding adults to further the Hallmark family moment narrative. I just find it on the tackier side of taste.

 

[Nimsay]

What are his margins 10 million in revenue is like 500k in his pocket. A good lifestyle for sure.


Anyway I thought Altuzarra had a shoe presence.

 

[Bernie Flood]

Altu-Prada, Altu-ciaga and Altu-miu-miu

What I was thinking too. Same stylist maybe

 

[Bernie Flood]

What are his margins 10 million in revenue is like 500k in his pocket. A good lifestyle for sure.


Anyway I thought Altuzarra had a shoe presence.

And the bag

 

[michael123]

What are his margins 10 million in revenue is like 500k in his pocket. A good lifestyle for sure.


Anyway I thought Altuzarra had a shoe presence.

I think you're thinking of Aquazzura.

 

[Nimsay]

I think you're thinking of Aquazzura.

i didnt even realize these are different brands. Haha.

 

[Cerise Vendome]

Unpopular opinion: I liked it. Yes it was very Prada but as Prada isn’t just Muccia now it’s nice to see something distinctly Muccia’s Prada. Also not everything was that Prada, there was really quite a variety of looks.

 

[Cerise Vendome]

Unpopular opinion: I liked it. Yes it was very Prada but as Prada isn’t just Muccia now it’s nice to see something distinctly Muccia’s Prada. Also not everything was that Prada, there was really quite a variety of looks.

Here are my favorite looks:

 

[HazJW]

The mystery for me with most of these American brands is who buy their clothes ? They don’t have an it bag , it shoes to survive and their rtw is just not good and knock offs of European collections.

is not expensive to have a brand in NY ? I thought it would have close way before Christopher Kane for example.

I think (don't quote me on it!) he has some sort of role with the CFDA, to do with mentoring, and is paid to give talks at their incubator events, so I'd imagine that helps bring in a bit more income and thicken his contacts book.