Designer & Fashion Insiders Behavior (PLEASE READ POST #1 BEFORE POSTING)

[MulletProof]

^ that’s awful, I do feel bad and I’m sure this is a language thing but the ‘this is so disrespectful’ is cracking me up. Like no s*it lol..

Now.. any way to find out which company is the truck owned by? (want to google in French but don’t have that extra energy).. I know the French get really good in this more.. esoteric area of crime and, dying for the details!

 

[Nimsay]

I dont understand where these pieces were coming from ? Isnt Balmain made in Paris ? Isnt lesage et al in Paris?

I guess. It must have been like intarsia knit - which they dont do in France.

 

[upNorth]

I feel quite bad for saying this and am trying to understand where this feeling is coming from, but… feels like a PR stunt.

 

[Lola701]

^^
A PR stunt for what? He is gaining absolutely nothing substantial by sharing that for the world.
I hope that news will alert studios around in Paris. Clearly a big company like Balmain can impulse something with the authorities. Maybe now designer clothes needs the same type of security as Haute Joaillerie…

It’s a terrible news to have.
I can only imagine the panic and the anger to went through the atelier…

But it’s not surprising at all. Luxury is more and more visible in media and everybody wants their piece of it. Thankfully the driver is safe but it was either people linked to the transportation company or to customs who knew about the delivery of 50 Balmain pieces.

I dont understand where these pieces were coming from ? Isnt Balmain made in Paris ? Isnt lesage et al in Paris?

I guess. It must have been like intarsia knit - which they dont do in France.

The days of made in Paris are long gone for Balmain. It was the case when Christophe Decarnin was at the helm…
Those pieces probably came from India as they make their embroideries there or Italy, if it was prototypes that made it to production.

 

[Thefrenchy]

Thankfully the driver is safe but it was either people linked to the transportation company or to customs who knew about the delivery of 50 Balmain pieces.

Agreed, because I doubt they were driving away in a Balmain-branded car. That's such a pity, especially for the studio, seamstresses and suppliers working on those pieces who are gonna have a nightmare of a next few days.

If it's RTW, I wonder what even is the point of stealing that. Who are they going to sell a potentially unfinished garment in a tiny size to? There's a black market for luxury RTW? It's just a bizarre move.

 

[fenty]

What can you do with Balmain samples? or any samples at that lol, if this is his way of saying the collection is not finished then just say that/

 

[MulletProof]

^ I know, is it even tagged?.. it’s all a bit odd to me.. the driver called?! they didn't have a middle person? so is it through a company or is it just some random guy in a random truck?. The more I read it, the more it's all .. I know this isn’t high-value so no extra security and I certainly know nothing about.. fashion industry logistics, but I was imagining something like Hizkia handling this stuff, and some next-level thieves obviously intercepting their trucks because they know what ‘Hizkia leaving CDG’ means (way more $$ than clothes). But now it's all so.. vague, so he was kidnapped with the truck, and released? was it a shuttle then, and the Balmain stuff is just roadkill?! I HAVE QUESTIONS!

On the bright side, given the time restrictions now, maybe he'll deliver some nice 'less is more' collection.

 

[Lola701]

Agreed, because I doubt they were driving away in a Balmain-branded car. That's such a pity, especially for the studio, seamstresses and suppliers working on those pieces who are gonna have a nightmare of a next few days.

If it's RTW, I wonder what even is the point of stealing that. Who are they going to sell a potentially unfinished garment in a tiny size to? There's a black market for luxury RTW? It's just a bizarre move.

I genuinely don’t think that the people who stole those pieces knew things about samples or things of that nature…

It’s all speculations but I think it has more to be about a situation where they were informed that there would be a delivery of Balmain clothes at CDG (Charles De Gaulle) and they stole it.
Because the circuit of delivery of samples is likely more informal than the one of actual pieces delivered in stores, all they had to do is hijacked the driver.

The story as spectacular as it sounds, is very believable to me. Those are Balmain clothes, they will find people to sell them to anyway…

‘This is another level of « Tombé du camion ».

 

[MulletProof]

^ but of all things, why on earth would you target Balmain? (or any other fashion house). If you work in cargo at a major airport, you know that stuff is not worth the risk. Hundreds of high-value artworks pass through their entrances on a daily basis.

I hope they release more info. I'm leaning towards a shuttle (a truck serving multiple clients- they tend to collect all at once) and that Balmain was not the target (just sadly affected). That's why I was wondering about the type of crime here, because it is actually not rare, and certainly not rare for a tacky thief to lust after these brands, but when you do something like this, it's a more 'sophisticated' level of crime and you know Balmain is just not worth it when, for less trouble, you could so easily make way more out of one painting the size of your hand.

 

[Thefrenchy]

Ms Wintour and friends just standing up and mingling while girls are still on the runway at JWA... We're used to seeing her running away before the last girl is out of the runway but that feels like the extra step

 

[Lola701]

^^
I love how he is gaslighting his followers…

‘That’s why it’s always preferable for designers to take their bow once all the models are backstage. Unfortunately, Mr Anderson didn’t.

‘That’s typical rude fashion behaviour…

‘Lol at 7 millions Fashion show. He knows how to play with emotions…

^ but of all things, why on earth would you target Balmain? (or any other fashion house). If you work in cargo at a major airport, you know that stuff is not worth the risk. Hundreds of high-value artworks pass through their entrances on a daily basis.

I hope they release more info. I'm leaning towards a shuttle (a truck serving multiple clients- they tend to collect all at once) and that Balmain was not the target (just sadly affected). That's why I was wondering about the type of crime here, because it is actually not rare, and certainly not rare for a tacky thief to lust after these brands, but when you do something like this, it's a more 'sophisticated' level of crime and you know Balmain is just not worth it when, for less trouble, you could so easily make way more out of one painting the size of your hand.

You made a point but at the same time you maybe over analyze what could have been just an easy grab for them…

That’s why it’s always best to have people who travel with the samples in their regular luggage.

I don’t think everybody who doesn’t care that much about HF knows about the nuances and values of some brands over others. You go to Balmain, it’s expensive…You go to Dior, it’s expensive…Easy math, done deal.

Art Work and things like that goes through different protocol than designer pieces, even more samples that don’t have a retail value yet.

They got 50 designer pieces for free, so even if they sell it at 1000€ each, it’s already 50000€ in the pocket for them…

It’s off topic but Olivier needs to stop with those braids…

 

[KoV]

Everyone in the Instagram comments is so goofy. The runway snaked around a huge space, and the last of the models were gone from the sections where people were standing up and chatting/leaving. Given the helter skeltor fashion week schedules, it’s no surprise people are in a rush to leave, especially when they think rushing out will make them look more important/less impressed.

Why does everyone show up looking like a slob is the real question. The whole fashion week scene gets more and more embarrassing by the minute.

 

[LostInNJ]

^ but of all things, why on earth would you target Balmain? (or any other fashion house). If you work in cargo at a major airport, you know that stuff is not worth the risk. Hundreds of high-value artworks pass through their entrances on a daily basis.

I hope they release more info. I'm leaning towards a shuttle (a truck serving multiple clients- they tend to collect all at once) and that Balmain was not the target (just sadly affected). That's why I was wondering about the type of crime here, because it is actually not rare, and certainly not rare for a tacky thief to lust after these brands, but when you do something like this, it's a more 'sophisticated' level of crime and you know Balmain is just not worth it when, for less trouble, you could so easily make way more out of one painting the size of your hand.

Isn't it a lot harder to unload a high value piece of artwork immediately than it is to unload, say, a bunch of dresses? I doubt the thieves knew that these were samples, and as Lola pointed out, they heard Balmain (which, like it or not - is still popular amongst certain people) and thought they struck gold.

I do think, as these are samples and haven't even hit the runway yet, they will have a harder time unloading this without getting caught, as people LOVE to show off their goods on social media. All it takes is for once idiot to post about their new Balmain piece, that is unreleased, before the entire thing starts to unravel. Especially if there are pieces that cannot be duplicated in time or they are tweaked.

Also, it isn't uncommon for clothes to be driven that way, in a truck with a driver that works directly for the house or via a company that works directly for the house. And yes, the driver did call someone to inform them of what happened and Olivier got a call.

Not blaming anyone on this board in particular, but it is crazy how everyone tends to believe these things are made up for press, or for kicks.

Didn't the same thing happen to Marc Jacobs back in the day?

 

[MulletProof]

but at the same time you maybe over analyze what could have been just an easy grab for them…

Because it doesn't sound like an easy grab at all! .. they literally had the truck pull over and somehow rerouted it ('hijacked' it), and the driver was, what, taken hostage then released? and then he calls Balmain HQs himself (!) to let them know their stuff is bye bye?.

Isn't it a lot harder to unload a high value piece of artwork immediately than it is to unload, say, a bunch of dresses?

No more than 15 minutes (customs clearance included).

The dresses take longer because they don't get to skip the line due to value.

I don't know who you're referring to but who thought this is 'made up'? it just sounds like a hot mess and like they went cheap with their transport services.

 

[KoV]

I’m sure it happened, but the details do seem nebulous. A hijacking? For Balmain samples? I think the theory that Balmain was not the (or at least not the only) target makes the most sense.

Smart to publicize it, I suppose. Everyone from WWD to Bloomberg to Vogue is publishing stories about it. A halfway decent show on the 27th will be framed as a triumph against all odds and a rubbish show will be framed as but they had to put together this all together last minute after the collection was tragically stolen! Plus it’s just free press and I suppose could imply to the casual consumer that your brand is the most desirable in town.

 

[yslforever]

Ms Wintour and friends just standing up and mingling while girls are still on the runway at JWA... We're used to seeing her running away before the last girl is out of the runway but that feels like the extra step

I just thought she was very direspectful, not her 1st time.

 

[LostInNJ]

Because it doesn't sound like an easy grab at all! .. they literally had the truck pull over and somehow rerouted it ('hijacked' it), and the driver was, what, taken hostage then released? and then he calls Balmain HQs himself (!) to let them know their stuff is bye bye?.



No more than 15 minutes (customs clearance included).

The dresses take longer because they don't get to skip the line due to value.

I don't know who you're referring to but who thought this is 'made up'? it just sounds like a hot mess and like they went cheap with their transport services.

I suppose him saying "hijacked" has people in a tizzy. But, according to the sequence of events, if the driver was transporting the goods and people stopped him and stole the goods, it makes sense. Perhaps, the word "stolen" would make everyone feel better.

Unloading the artwork as in selling it...not stealing it; which is typically why something like this would be stolen in the first place - to profit.

Someone literally said that this sounded like a PR stunt. (I'm not sure why he wouldn't put it on his social media...he puts everything else on there).

And as I pointed out, this is pretty standard (the way certain things are transported) for many brands, especially when a collection is about to be shown. It is very similar to an item being hand carried on a plane; except this is 50 pieces.

 

[MulletProof]

Unloading the artwork as in selling it...

Interesting. Just re-read your previous post and you do use it as 'selling'. Is this fashion lingo?. Unloading literally means just that in fine art. 'Unloading immediately' = take the crate yesterday from airplane to truck/truck to truck.

Frankly, I don't see anything standard given the lack of information. We don't know if it was an ex truck, a shuttle, a hand-carry or worst of all: a one-man logistics company, but from the driver calling, it doesn't sound white glove at all and that's just careless when it's a critical shipment (critical in terms of timeline, not value).

 

[Lola701]

Interesting. Just re-read your previous post and you do use it as 'selling'. Is this fashion lingo?. Unloading literally means just that in fine art. 'Unloading immediately' = take the crate yesterday from airplane to truck/truck to truck.

Frankly, I don't see anything standard given the lack of information. We don't know if it was an ex truck, a shuttle, a hand-carry or worst of all: a one-man logistics company, but from the driver calling, it doesn't sound white glove at all and that's just careless when it's a critical shipment (critical in terms of timeline, not value).

It’s very standard in Paris unfortunately…
Jewelers are stole every month literally Place Vendôme and they don’t even use violence anymore. It’s more and more sophisticated and slick…
The same thing with delivery people. Once you have middle people in transactions, it’s a risk you take.
This is probably the first time it happens to him but as you said, he is open about his life on social media, why wouldn’t he share this…

‘I know the society has forced us to be cynical no matter what happens but this situation is not rocket science.

It was a matter of time before people went to that way of stealing.
The only precaution they need is to have someone from the factory that can travel with the goods. It’s more anonymous…

‘Because it’s also possible that the driver was regularly used by Balmain for that particular operation, therefore followed.

 

[MulletProof]

^ I meant the transportation methods, not the level of crime. Seriously, I think the root of the problem is frugality. I'm not sponsored by them I promise but even a company like Hizkia (with the highest standards, protocols, levels of confidentiality, next to no incidents, and serving the very best in Paris) will not charge more than $2k to move 50 low-value items from CDG to Balmain. When you're using companies that can't even afford a middleman, you stayed under $700 so.. there you have it.