Celine *Ivana Omazic -updated

[runner]

according to FWD, a deal could well be completed next week.

 

[nikos]

perfect choice.
could you do a litle "copy and paste"?

 

[Orochian]

He'd make a hell of a lot better candidate than the Caten twins, that's for sure. But I was always under the impression that he's keen to concentrate on his own label.

I've always liked his work for Burberry Prorsum, though it's safe to say that it was as British as pepperoni . But that's an issue of incompatibility through no fault of his own. He has a strong recognizable aesthetic, and he might have been a big part of the reason why Jil Sander menswear was so well received since its very launch.

 

[runner]

YES, nikos.

 

[Lena]

there you go guys, thanks for bringing this in runner

Celine Poised to Sign Menichetti
By Godfrey Deeny
April 23, 2004 @ 10:45 AM - Paris

Word has it in Paris that Roberto Menichetti will succeed Michael Kors as creative director of Celine.

Both Celine and Menichetti sides are refusing to comment. But well-informed sources indicated that though nothing has been signed, a deal could well be completed next week.

CelineÕs president Jean-Marc Loubier has previously indicated that no announcement would be made until the house had at the very least completed the selling season of the final Kors collection at Celine. That period is pretty much up now.

"There are lots of names still circulating," Loubier demurred to FWD on Friday, declining any other comment. While a spokesman for Menichetti said, " we donÕt talk about rumors."

However, FWD has learned that Menichetti has met with executives of Celine and LVMH, the worldÕs largest luxury group that owns the fashion and luxury house.

If completed, as expected, the deal would mark the return of Menichetti to Paris, where he was a design assistant in the studio of Claude Montana in the early nineties.

Menichetti, a motorbike-fanatic who recently completed a tour of Egypt on his high-powered hog, was born in Buffalo, NY, but grew up with his family in Gubbio, in the central Italian province of Umbria.

He would join Celine with an excellent resume. He first gained international recognition as creative director of Burberry in 1997, a post he held for four years, before differences with the UK labelÕs CEO Rose Marie Bravo saw him leave in 2001.

At Burberry, Menichetti designed the labelÕs top line Prorsum, successfully re-burnishing the once tired Burberry brand into a hip label.

Menichetti joined Burberry from Jil Sander, where he played a key role in the launch of SanderÕs menÕs line. Post Burberry, Menichetti became the creative director Cerruti for barely one season before recently launching his own house with a well-received collection of fast-forward menÕs and womenÕs sportswear in New York this February. He plans to continue with this collection even if he signs with Celine, a label with annual sales of some $200 million.

An announcement would end considerable speculation about an eventual successor to Kors. Among the candidates' names so far mentioned are Martin Grant, Roland Mouret and the Milan-based Dsquared duo of twins Dean and Dan Caten.

Celine was founded in 1946 by Celine and Richard Vipiana, remaining an accessories business for 20 years before introducing its first ready-to-wear collection. Bernard Arnault, the controlling shareholder in LVMH, acquired control of Celine in 1987.

 

[ignitioned32]

Thanks Lena.
Finally, the Dsquared rumours are gone and the fact that Grant has a chance at Givenchy.
Let's see what happens.

 

[Lena]

Originally posted by ignitioned32@Apr 24th, 2004 - 7:58 am
Thanks Lena.
Finally, the Dsquared rumours are gone and the fact that Grant has a chance at Givenchy.
Let's see what happens.

exactly my thoughts igni..

as for the R.M. choice,cant say that i'm thrilled
i find him a tiny bit bland to be honest.

we will see,
wishing him good luck in his new post

 

[catwalker]

He only launched his own collection for A/W 04/05

And it was shocking - bland beyond belief

Bad move if they get him for Celine, they need something a bit more exciting otherwise that brand will go nowhere

Anyone got any news on Givenchy?

 

[Orochian]

I actually find his debut collection very well done. It was simple and beautifully tailored, but not as restrained as his work in Jil Sander (in a good way), and more refined than his Prorsum collections.

And Celine isn't exactly about excitement anyway - they certainly wouldn't benefit in any way by hiring the Caten twins, after all that Kors has laid down for the brand.

 

[Lena]

did he work for JS? i had no idea

 

[Orochian]

Originally posted by Lena@Apr 24th, 2004 - 5:30 pm
did he work for JS? i had no idea

Lena, he helped launch Sander's men's line back in 1997 (or was it '96? can't remember...), and contined to work there until he was poached by Burberry.

 

[Lena]

merci cheri

 

[runner]

Originally posted by Orochian@Apr 24th, 2004 - 1:26 am
He'd make a hell of a lot better candidate than the Caten twins, that's for sure. But I was always under the impression that he's keen to concentrate on his own label.

I've always liked his work for Burberry Prorsum, though it's safe to say that it was as British as pepperoni . But that's an issue of incompatibility through no fault of his own. He has a strong recognizable aesthetic, and he might have been a big part of the reason why Jil Sander menswear was so well received since its very launch.

He is also such a obstinate artisan.
I don't think he'd hit it off well with Celine (or Arnault).
If he signs, it could be that Celine is not the same company Michael Kors used to know.

 

[Lena]

i have to agree with runner, i dont think he's a good choice and i suspect he will have trouble communicating with the LVMH group..
hard job for him since Celine is currently enjoying a 30% rise on sales

here goes mr Menichetti

extracts from a wwd article follow

Celine Finds Its Man: LVMH Expected to Name Menichetti

By Miles Socha and Alessandra Ilari

PARIS — It looks like LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton went fishing in Italy again for its latest high-profile designer.

According to sources close to the deal, the French luxury group is finalizing a contract to name Roberto Menichetti as the new designer for Celine. He would succeed Michael Kors, who had a successful if bumpy six-year run at the house that ended in March when his contract expired.

It is understood Menichetti will present his first collection for Celine in October during Paris Fashion Week. An official announcement is expected shortly.
.....
Menichetti, 37, the son of Italian immigrants, was born in Buffalo, N.Y., and burst onto the fashion radar in 1998 when he was tapped by Burberry chief executive Rose Marie Bravo as creative director of Burberry. With the Burberry Prorsum line showcased on the runways of London and Milan, he helped elevate the firm’s iconic plaid and increase the brand’s fashion currency. Before that, Menichetti headed the design team at Jil Sander and was Claude Montana’s protégé in the Eighties.

Menichetti left Burberry after his three-year contract expired, and was succeeded there by Christopher Bailey.

Following a two-year hiatus, Menichetti returned to the fashion scene with a namesake collection that debuted in New York during Fashion Week last February. Richard Fischer, the chairman emeritus of Morgan Stanley and his wife, Jeanne Donovan, an independent theater producer in New York, financed his project.

Menichetti is expected to continue his own collection, with plans to stage a fashion show in New York this fall.

His fashion approach is of the less-is-more variety, with a collection stretching from luxurious basics to laser-cut dresses and outerwear in unusual fabrics. Menichetti’s collections at Burberry, as well as his own line, have drawn inspiration from activewear, with influences ranging from motorcycle apparel to swimwear, as well as such elements as heraldry. The designer lives and works in    Gubbio, a medieval town nestled in the Umbrian hills where his family owns an apparel factory.

Menichetti arrives at Celine at a time when the house is experiencing strong momentum, with annual sales growth estimated at 30 percent and the profit picture improving rapidly. Market sources estimate Celine’s sales at about $200 million a year.

The brand, which celebrates its 60th birthday next year, started as a children’s footwear firm. Kors was only the second designer at the house after founder Celine Vipianas. Luxury czar Bernard Arnault acquired it in 1987 and made it part of the LVMH fashion universe in 1994. Celine president Jean-Marc Loubier has kept a tight lid on his search for a successor to Kors. Early speculation had centered on the Milan-based Canadian design team of Dean and Dan Caten of DSquared, as well as Paris-based Australian Martin Grant.

In an interview prior to Kors’ last show in March, Loubier said over the last four years he has focused on cutting lead times, improving Celine’s retail network and revamping the design, merchandising and marketing functions at the company. “We worked a lot on the product, and pushed the teams,” he said at the time. “It’s very easy to do beautiful $5,000 bags, but how do you do a good one at $800?”

Ready-to-wear represents about 42 percent of Celine’s sales, followed by leather goods at 41 percent, footwear 11 percent and the balance from other products and royalties.

In discussing the choice of Kors’ successor, Loubier said in March that the designer would be asked to remain faithful to Celine’s optimistic spirit, French flavor and smart clientele. “She’s a woman with a brain, energetic and witty, involved as much in her work as in her leisure,” he said of Celine’s customer. “We know exactly the person we are targeting.”

this here a 'latest design'

 

[runner]

Thanks for the article Lena.

Mr Menichetti & his castle in Gubbio

 

[Scott]

While I think he would be a much better choice than those d2 morons,I'd have to agree with the latter postings. I'm not sure if this is a comfortable arrangement as powerful as LVMH. Burberry was an entirely different field because they expect traditions to be obligitory and Roberto is an artisan in the first right. LVMH,is much too demanding for marketable reasons with stagnant trends....and that's not his game.

 

[Lena]

you are welcome runner

 

[catwalker]

Well I'm very disapointed in this

I actually think Mr Kors wasn't great, but this is a definite step down, his collections for Burberry were just weird, Italian minimalism (think how improved Burberry has become with Christopher Bailey at the helm) and I can't see it working for Celine

As for his own collection - whats the point? J Crew or Club Monaco have more directional product

I don't know why they didn't give a younger designer a chance to do a witty, chic take on Celine, someone like Proenza Scholoer, Sophia Kokosolaki or Luella Bartley (especially after seeing her Fall 04/05 collection) could have really given that house some life whilst keeping the essence of a chic preppy French house

 

[Lena]

Originally posted by catwalker@Apr 26th, 2004 - 4:08 pm
Well I'm very disapointed in this

I actually think Mr Kors wasn't great, but this is a definite step down, his collections for Burberry were just weird, Italian minimalism (think how improved Burberry has become with Christopher Bailey at the helm) and I can't see it working for Celine

As for his own collection - whats the point? J Crew or Club Monaco have more directional product

I don't know why they didn't give a younger designer a chance to do a witty, chic take on Celine, someone like Sophia Kokosolaki or Luella Bartley (especially after seeing her Fall 04/05 collection) could have really given that house some life whilst keeping the essence of a chic preppy French house

i so agree
(apart the Proenza Schouler, nomination)

welcome to tFS catwalker

 

[Orochian]

Italian minimalism was weird?