Ann Demeulemeester to Exit Label

[Phuel]

You know, I used to immediately dismiss the people and posters that always said "fashion is dead", "creativity is gone", "fashion has become brainless", thinking they were nothing but purists, conspirationsts, apocalyptic thinkers. With all the news of experienced designers leaving their labels, I can't help but recognize there's some truth to their argument - the era of fashion that valued creativity and expression is slowly fading away and giving space to the era of fashion that values commerciality and customer satisfaction. Whether that's gonna last is a mystery, but anything that devalues creativity, especially in a field as personal as fashion is, is sad in my book.
I'm devastated by the news, and I wish Ann the best in her future endeavors.

Creativity and individuality in fashion has been on a decline-- there's no denying that. If you're one of those (I don't mean you specifically, StonesSkipper) who only care for bling, trendiness, celebrities and it-bags and it-shoes, and an orange tan, then fashion is the same as it ever was. Status labels, of-the-moment and flashy expensive clothes have always been a mainstay-- just look at the parade of vapid mouth-breathers in that "Africa Disco" party: Those types will always be around, and that's what most people think of when they think fashion.

But there are also pockets of genuine talent still plugging away, doing their own thing. There always will be. So that's reassuring. I just hope they're afforded the opportunities to showcase and develop their work in the current climate of corporation. I hear of their frustrations because good friends of mine are these individuals plugging away doing their own thing. And you're right Scott, since fashion by nature must always reinvent and revise, things will come around again.

I never judge those H&M collaborations as the epitome of soulless corporate admittance for any designer-- because I just don't see them on the same level as the designers' own line. They're like official knock-offs. To me anyways.

Designers have to be sensible, if not smart business individuals in these days. Having a business mind doesn't immediately cancel out individuality and creativity. H&M affords them that advantage to advertise their label to the masses. And on a purely democratic-- or capitalist motive, depending on your own perspective, these collaborations are affordable, and serve as an introduction of sort, to the designers, for many people. I think that's an encouraging thing. So had Ann done the H&M-collaboration, it wouldn't change my mind about her. God knows how many sub-labels and perfumes Rei churns out monthly, but she still remains a visionary with her mainline label (for the most part, although S/S 2014 was dreadful).

That handwritten letter is sweet. She seems to be genuinely positive with no grudge if we're to believe the tone of the letter. But there's obviously more to the story. And she's right: To be successful in her chosen arena while keeping true to her ideals to the very end is what matters the most. I guess the Queen Ann is dead. Long live Ann!

(Looking forward to her return already.)

 

[MulletProof]

first real thought: omg faust.

but yeah, bummer, though in a way fashion's become so irrelevant that people like her do the right thing in setting their eyes elsewhere...

 

[dancorpse]

I only know this news till now! NO!! It's too SAD. Who will be the successor?

 

[glamrockgal]

The last time I was super sad about a designer quitting fashion was RIFAT OZBEK.He was my hero and reason of fashion interest.I could never own a piece of his designs.Now I am sad that Ann D. is leaving as I was lately super interested in her shoe designs and dark collections. I hope this is a nightmare and we would all wake up.

 

[dancorpse]

Mcq died, MMM left, Ann D left... gone all those artistic designers, and remain those commerical stuffs in fashion world,oh,still poet Yohji Yamamoto,,,if one day he left.....

 

[VogueDisciple93]

Ann Demeulemeester for Fall: A Team Effort
February 27, 2014
By Miles Socha

PARIS — Ann Demeulemeester started preparing her exit from fashion almost eight years ago — and leaving behind an anonymous team was never in the cards.

A trio of talents — Mirjam van den Akker, Sébastien Meunier and Patrick van Ommeslaeghe — designed the fall women’s and men’s collections to be paraded in Paris today, and they elected Meunier to take the bow.

Anne Chapelle, the managing director and controlling shareholder of Ann Demeulemeester, revealed the names in a rare interview on Wednesday, three months after the founding designer revealed her retirement.

“I think it’s important that they are rewarded for it,” she told WWD. “These are three people who have been in fashion for a long time.”

An alumna of Maison Martin Margiela, Meunier has worked on Demeulemeester’s men’s wear since 2010. Van den Akker accompanied the founding designer on the women’s wear side for two decades while van Ommeslaeghe is a new addition, joining the company last September from Jil Sander.

“It was a very smooth transition,” Chapelle said, sipping coffee in the lobby of her Paris hotel off the picturesque Place des Vosges. “They’re confident, and full of love for what they do.”

A nurse, medical researcher and pharmaceutical executive earlier in her career, Chapelle learned the ropes of the fashion industry by studying the racks at stores like Bergdorf Goodman and Barneys New York after partnering with Demeulemeester in the Nineties to build her fashion house, always charting slow, sustainable growth.

She said she’s confident that her 480 wholesale customers will accompany the brand in its next chapter, citing a 2 percent bump in orders for the men’s fall collection, which was sold here last January.

“We have very loyal customers, and they have a lot of faith in us,” she said. “I think we have a lot of potential still.”

The company has typically logged seasonal growth of about 3 to 8 percent, said Chapelle, stressing a high sell-through is her key benchmark.

She said she would continue to concentrate on the American market, “which is getting its confidence back,” and Asia, where the firm’s wholesale partner, I.T Ltd., recently opened freestanding stores in Shanghai and Beijing, and where business in Seoul is humming.

Chapelle said she’s keeping an eye on BRIC countries and other emerging markets, but warily. “We are in such a niche market; we have to be very careful not to introduce ourselves too early,” she explained.

She said the company is profitable, and generates wholesale revenues of 22 million euros, or $30.2 million at current exchange.

An earnest executive who stands beaming through fashion shows, Chapelle also backs Haider Ackermann’s business, and is incubating another protégé, Jean-Paul Lespagnard, the subject of an exhibition at Galeries Lafayette’s art space.

Up front about her business strength — the wholesale channel — Chapelle said she would be open to taking on a partner that could bring retail expertise, while cautioning, “I don’t want to become corporate.”

Emblematic of the company’s familial legacy, she noted that Demeulemeester’s husband, Patrick Robyn, continues to work on the brand’s stores and shops-in-shop, and that their 27-year-old son does graphic design for the company, including prints for clothes. In fact, Demeulemeester and Robyn are to travel to Shanghai in April for the official opening of the I.T store.

“It’s family, we go together,” Chapelle said, beaming once more. “She’s a living person, she’s my friend. That’s a moment we have to share together.”

wwd.com

 

[TREVOFASHIONISTO]

^so touching, she will be missed

 

[Not Plain Jane]

They showed mens and ladies together; did Ann usually do that? Seems to me, not. And it's definitely already different...some nice thing but "softer" somehow than Ann's usual aesthetic.

 

[Scott]

i didn't know patrick van ommeslaeghe was on her team! you know,it seems like such tight-knit group of people,many connected in various degrees,i think they'll do a wonderful job. sebastien has already been designing the men's for several years now and he's been doing a marvelous job.

 

[cholo]

Wasn't the show today??

 

[Scott]

btw,NPJ,that used to be ann's only way of presenting pre-2005. seems like this is more a celebration of ann going back to that way and also showing the transition.

 

[Nymphaea]

Ann Demeulemeester in Book Deal With Rizzoli

Ann Demeulemeester, who dispatched a hand-written letter last November to reveal her exit from fashion, is now working on a book. The hardcover Rizzoli tome, written by the Belgian designer and with an introduction by musician Patti Smith, is due out in mid-October, and billed by the publisher as “the first and highly personal perspective into the work and processes of Ann Demeulemeester, one of the most influential and inspiring fashion designers of our time.”

wwd

 

[mistress_f]

oh
my
god

 

[Scott]

like an autobiography or something similar to margiela's giant retrospective compilation book? that should be good either way.

 

[mistress_f]

I think it'll be something like the margiela book, if not better.
A magazine curated by just posted this preview on their facebook page and i feel like i have to repeat myself and say 'oh my god'

facebook.com/amagazinecuratedby

 

[Pricciao]

That's amazing, I could pre-order one right now

 

[Scott]

looks as thoughtful and poetic as her work...naturally! and it feels very personal which unfortunately despite the nature of MMM's book(the big one not the street publication)didn't really have that component about it. love the slide-out cover. cannot wait to get this.