Bouchra Jarrar Leaving Lanvin

[Benn98]

Bouchra Jarrar Said Leaving Lanvin
The designer leaves the troubled house after 15 months and two collections.

By Bridget Foley on July 6, 2017

PARIS — Bouchra Jarrar is leaving Lanvin. Sources say the designer, who was named successor to Alber Elbaz in March 2016 and has shown just two collections for the house, will exit her position before the spring 2018 show season.

Rumors have been circulating for some time about friction between Jarrar and chief executive officer Michèle Huiban. Sources say the two sides have been negotiating the terms of the split, which could be finalized as early as this week.

The challenged company, founded by Jeanne Lanvin in 1889 and whose principal owner is Taiwan-based media magnate Shaw-Lan Wang, has seen its sales erode for some time after peaking at more than 250 euros, or $276.3, million several years ago. Last year, the house posted its first loss in more than a decade. Neither Huiban nor Jarrar responded to requests for comment.

Source: http://wwd.com/business-news/business-features/bouchra-jarrar-said-leaving-lanvin-10940488/

 

[mepps]

Wow.

 

[billiejbob]

Not really unexpected. Just another game of musical chairs in the fashion industry.

The big question is who will replace her and whether they'll be able to increase declining sales and turn around profits.

 

[Benn98]

Some more info. So presumably she's out because of the sales slump. I think this is precisely the sort of thing Lucinda Chambers recently spoke about. Boucha's aesthetic and collections aside - brands cannot/will not have immediate results after a mere two seasons. And by the sound of it, Lanvin didnt provide her with enough freedom to make her mark anyway. It seems everybody is looking for a Michele, he's not the norm!

Bouchra Jarrar to Leave Lanvin

Jarrar was appointed artistic director just 16 months ago, but the troubled brand has suffered from falling revenues amidst a lack of investment since the days of her predecessor, Alber Elbaz.

By Tamara Abraham
July 6, 2017 14:19

PARIS, France — Bouchra Jarrar is to leave her role as artistic director at Lanvin after just 16 months, BoF has learned.

Jarrar succeeded Alber Elbaz, who left the brand after 14 years in October 2015 following disagreements with its Taiwan-based Chinese owner, Shaw-Lan Wang.

Jarrar, a talented couturier who shuttered her namesake house to focus on Lanvin, has been unable to single-handedly revive the brand, which has suffered from falling revenues amidst a lack of investment since the days of her predecessor.

“I have pressure,” she admitted in a March interview with the South China Morning Post. “I wanted to dedicate my whole self to Lanvin, to relaunch the maison and brand, so I shut my own label down… But I need the whole house’s support; alone it’s impossible.”

Meanwhile, her minimal, tailored aesthetic was a departure from Elbaz’s much-loved draped eveningwear, and a new direction was always going to take time to resonate with consumers in a way that came anything close to what Elbaz achieved in his 14-year tenure. “That personal connection that Alber fostered between the brand and the audiences was deep,” said Caroline Issa, chief executive and fashion director of Tank magazine, in a September interview with BoF.

Ultimately, initial sell-through was underwhelming, and in June, Lanvin reported a 23 percent fall in revenue for 2016, down to €162 million after a net loss of €18.3 million. In 2015, in comparison, it reported a profit of €6.3 million, and in 2012, at the label’s peak, revenues were reported at €235 million.

The news of Jarrar’s departure follows a catalogue of issues at Lanvin. The company is said to have appointed advisory firm Long Term Partners to conduct an audit and recommend ways to reduce the company's costs, prompting rumours of layoffs.

Founded in 1889, Lanvin is one of France's last major independent fashion brands. Wang, who became the brand’s controlling shareholder in 2001, has been reluctant to invest in the brand for many years. According to reports, she would not let her associate Swiss investor Ralph Bartel, who owns 25 percent of Lanvin, inject more cash into the business to support the brand as it would dilute her stake.

"He disagrees with the options chosen by the management and wants an urgent change in strategy," a source told Reuters of Bartel.

Source: https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/news-analysis/bouchra-jarrar-to-leave-lanvin?utm_source=Subscribers&utm_campaign=11503a1191-breaking-bouchra-jarrar-to-leave-lanvin&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d2191372b3-11503a1191-417355313

 

[maxlinden]

Leaving? mmhhmm

Good riddance. Her collections were terribly mediocre.

 

[Fashionstuff]

Leaving? mmhhmm

Good riddance. Her collections were terribly mediocre.

Agree. I didn't like her Lanvin.

@Benn98 , , yepp, everybody search "own Michele " to revamp the brand, ok, Hedi Slimane and what he did to SL was also very good.
But Marco Bizzari and Alessandro Michele's Gucci success is difficult to repeat and surely Impossible to top.
It will be difficult to find good designer, i don't know if somebody will be ready to work after all what happend in Lanvin in last years.
And Bouchra Jarrar has not own label anymore.

 

[perhydrol]

It's not unexpected at all but isn't it too soon to fire her? I mean she only had two seasons so she couldn't change Lanvin in any way and she needed more time because her aesthetic is so different than Alber's. But it's good for her I guess. After all it's not Jarrar's fault that the brand is having so many problems.

 

[Nymphaea]

I'm not surprised at all, her voice was far too muted.
Annoying that designer brands want immediately succes, it's all about sales while it should be about creativity.

 

[dodencebt]

On the one hand, she was quite boring at Lanvin. On the other hand, I feel terrible for her because she shut down her own brand to dedicate herself to Lanvin and now she is leaving because there wasn't immediate financial gain. It's a terrible state that fashion is in, terrible.

 

[Benn98]

@Benn98 , , yepp, everybody search "own Michele " to revamp the brand, ok, Hedi Slimane and what he did to SL was also very good.
But Marco Bizzari and Alessandro Michele's Gucci success is difficult to repeat and surely Impossible to top.
It will be difficult to find good designer, i don't know if somebody will be ready to work after all what happend in Lanvin in last years.
And Bouchra Jarrar has not own label anymore.

I think the Gucci recipe worked because a huge part of it was actually risk. They had no way of knowing it would work with Michele, but they gradually gave him free rein regardless. It's pure luck that the fashion scope was ready for what he's offering, these things are never set in stone. And that's how it should be.

 

[Scotty]

This brand is so dead now.

 

[liaa]

Good news!!(i don't think she's talented...)

 

[ThatDudeOverTher]

This was a bad appointment from the beginning. Jarrar's designs are way too subdued for the brand and not innovative in terms of cuts and fabric movement. Alber at least had that going for him.

That said, it's still crazy that she has been ousted after only two collections. That's intense. How, though, will any designer be able to change the house with lack of investment and support from management? And because this is fashion, they will refuse Alber back, if only to save face...

 

[Miss Dalloway]

What a mess! You have to give people time, invest in them, and believe in their vision!! Why is everything today about immediate profit results?!? Not everyone can pull a Heidi!

Give talent a chance! Shaw-Lan Wang should sell the brand if there is no real vision for the future of the brand!

 

[Lola701]

We can't say that we didn't expected this. I mean, when the owner of your brand says that if it doesn't sell, you'll be out on national tv, it's already a good indication of your position in the company.

I had hopes for her at Lanvin but it's not a good match. Good for the 180 move from Alber but it cannot work if it's that muted. The house is in such trouble that they can't afford to have clothes that whisper in 2017.

Her collections were fine but boring, we can't say that the press really supported her and with buyers not that enthusiastic about the brand...It was inevitable for her to leave.

Look at Vaccarello. We can't say that his collections have good reviews or something like that but, he got the support of the press, the it girls and the buyers.
Dundas at Cavalli had bad reviews but a great support of the press, buyers & celebrities.
Ok, french ministers loved Bouchra's clothes but that's it.

I think that Lanvin should really consider giving the job to Lucas Ossendrijver. Lanvin menswear is the only thing selling right now for the house and it could be a good story for the press.

 

[madzedre]

good news finally

 

[Marc10]

"Quiet fashion" is deadly in this day and age. If you don't generate big buzz, get Instagram love and have a hit iten within you first two collections you get the boot. And with Lanvin's management sounding even worse than others... good luck to whoever comes next.

Hopefully she'll resume her great namesake brand.

 

[badgalcrush]

That was fast and expected.. not to mention that Lanvin is not in good shape , the controversy about the casting for their last women show...

She is leaving and to be honest I can't see someone right now that could remplace her

 

[StoneSkipper]

On the one hand, she was quite boring at Lanvin. On the other hand, I feel terrible for her because she shut down her own brand to dedicate herself to Lanvin and now she is leaving because there wasn't immediate financial gain. It's a terrible state that fashion is in, terrible.

I fully agree. I could care less about Lanvin at this point, but I hope she can get back on her feet after this. I've really missed her namesake collections.

 

[MulletProof]