Designers Switching Houses & Moving to New Brands

[Olaffo]

It make sense to announce his exit after the release of the visuals for Prefall 2025.

But his pre fall 2024 was realised on May 3rd 2024 and his pre fall 2023 was released on May 17th 2023… so his pre fall for 2025 will be in May 2025…plus he just dropped resort 2025 on October 31st 2024. I think they just wrapping up some admin / stuff before announcements…

 

[Lola701]

But his pre fall 2024 was realised on May 3rd 2024 and his pre fall 2023 was released on May 17th 2023… so his pre fall for 2025 will be in May 2025…plus he just dropped resort 2025 on October 31st 2024. I think they just wrapping up some admin / stuff before announcements…

No the collection is done. When they are releasing the images in May, is to match with the arrival of early pieces in stores in June.
If there’s indeed a change of creative direction, in order to wrap things up and not create any confusion, it makes more sense to release the images at that same time as when the buyers are seeing the collections in showrooms.

They are not going to release the images of an ex CD while the new CD is in charge.

 

[Olaffo]

^ got you, but isn’t like that with campaigns also ? Slimane left and yet his images and campaigns are keep coming ? Bit confusing is the transition in general I feel.

 

[Beun]

It’s really crazy MB will become Chanel’s CD… Even when everybody was mentioning every name possible in the world of fashion, nobody said MB.

I don’t dislike him, I think he has some talent, but he’s super meh… can’t picture him doing 10 collections per year at a brand like Chanel. He’s not a pure “esthete”, he is not funny, he’s not specially creative, he doesn’t even have a world of his own…

He was not even able to create a world for his Bottega, it’s all Daniel Lee still…

I don’t know.

I respectfully disagree. I think Chanel incredibly boring, and think that he is the right person to bring it back to life. I don't love all of his propositions, but at least he has an identity, he has cultural references, he dares to go down some unexpected avenues, he can be playful, and his Bottega has shown that he can be quite diverse in his offering, catering to different body types, ages, backgrounds. Seeing some of his BV clothes from up close, I was also impressed by their construction. He has the necessary tailoring chops to take on this job, and I would be very curious to see him doing couture.

 

[Lola701]

^ got you, but isn’t like that with campaigns also ? Slimane left and yet his images and campaigns are keep coming ? Bit confusing is the transition in general I feel.

The brand still has the right to exploit the visuals.
It’s not confusing at all at Celine in fact. Hedi designed and shot the collection for SS2025. They will probably run the visuals until the new era start.
Mind you the RTW by Hedi will start to hit the stores from January to March.

The departure of the CD doesn’t mark the end of the era.

A confusion could happen if after the presentation of Michael Ryder (that start the new era), they still run the campaigns shot by Hedi for the womenswear and menswear (I don’t necessarily count the accessories/fragrances shot in it).

See at Tom Ford. Haider was announced. Peter left but the aesthetic in place is still the one installed under Peter.
Until there’s a visual or collection from Haider, the Haider era hasn’t started.

At Valentino however they « killed » PPP’s era as he left the brand without shooting a campaign.

 

[style_expert]

I thought the Hedi leaving / Michael Rider incoming announcement at Celine was rather refreshing in terms of timing. Just immediately announce the successor if known anyway.

For Bottega it can be more tricky now, as all the attention is and will be on the Chanel announcement.
Which also makes me wonder how Chanel will announce it and whether they will make a big thing out of it on their social media, press releases, interviews etc or whether they will be relatively low-key.

 

[NoInvite]

Uh oh it will be another great year for Kering.

 

[yslforever]

Uh oh it will be another great year for Kering.

And they are pretty desperate right now. Many departments are running like headless chickens at the moment (is that the English saying ? they are cost-cutting everywhere and people are behaving like sharks in a fish tank (another English saying ?). I mean they are meaner and pettier than they used to be 2 years ago. Plain rude.
They will certainly cling to Anthony and Demna as long as Gucci, and BV now, are not fixed.

I told them my unrequested advice to hire 2 CDs by brand, one for menswear and one for womenswear. They were really surprised, as if they have never thought about it.

 

[jeanclaude]

And they are pretty desperate right now. Many departments are running like headless chickens at the moment (is that the English saying ? they are cost-cutting everywhere and people are behaving like sharks in a fish tank (another English saying ?). I mean they are meaner and pettier than they used to be 2 years ago. Plain rude.
They will certainly cling to Anthony and Demna as long as Gucci, and BV now, are not fixed.

I told them my unrequested advice to hire 2 CDs by brand, one for menswear and one for womenswear. They were really surprised, as if they have never thought about it.

Are there any people with actual brains at Kering?? Because frankly, it does not seem so!

 

[oioioi]

From what I'm told, next Creative Director of BV could be Fabio Zambernardi ...

Where did you hear that from? I heard another deputy from Prada group.
Fabio has been approached for many brands since his departure from Prada Spa (and rightly so), he has openly said to friends, peers and coworkers he didn't want to work for another big brand in the near future. He's a millionaire and could not work for the rest of his life, and is a very behind the scenes person.

 

[pplex]

I’m told that several names were bandied about as Kering began interviewing successors—including Jacquemus (poor guy can’t stay out of a creative director conversation) and Miu Miu’s Dario Vitale. However, I’m also told that the leading candidate, and likely appointee, is Louise Trotter, the current designer of Carven. Trotter, who previously worked at Lacoste and Joseph, collaborates closely with the stylist Suzanne Koller, and the Frankie Shop-meets-Old Céline aesthetic of Carven is their mind meld. She’s a grown-up commercial designer and can certainly handle managing a big team. But can she inspire the way Blazy did?

RE Bottega CD replacements - CC Lauren Sherman

Personally I was enjoying the beginnings of Louise's Carven, and I've heard it's selling fairly well albeit a small business, I think it would be a shame for her to leave so soon but for BV who could blame her

 

[Creative]

I respectfully disagree. I think Chanel incredibly boring, and think that he is the right person to bring it back to life. I don't love all of his propositions, but at least he has an identity, he has cultural references, he dares to go down some unexpected avenues, he can be playful, and his Bottega has shown that he can be quite diverse in his offering, catering to different body types, ages, backgrounds. Seeing some of his BV clothes from up close, I was also impressed by their construction. He has the necessary tailoring chops to take on this job, and I would be very curious to see him doing couture.

As I said, Blazy is an okayish designer, but:

- He is not a creative director. That’s the most important thing. His Bottega is still Daniel Lee’s.

- He has no strong identity

- He didn’t manage to create a single memorable campaign or any memorable visual

- All of his collections look the same, and just does 2 + the pre collections. Imagine him doing rtw, HC, mda, precollections…

- unexpected avenues? Where?

- playful? Where? Just because of the fish bag? 👀

- the body types thing… not like luxury brands go beyond size 42 trying to find size 44 is a nightmare.

- the construction thing… that should be like a basic if you are paying two or three average salaries for a piece of clothing.

 

[youthinasia]

Louise Trotter considered for BV

 

[FashionPower]

Where did you hear that from? I heard another deputy from Prada group.
Fabio has been approached for many brands since his departure from Prada Spa (and rightly so), he has openly said to friends, peers and coworkers he didn't want to work for another big brand in the near future. He's a millionaire and could not work for the rest of his life, and is a very behind the scenes person.

100% this.
Most people don't realize how much a design director for a big brand like Prada or Fendi can earn.
Fabio was Miuccia's right hand for YEARS, he earned so much money he doesn't need to work anymore unless he wants to. That's why I believe he's gonna start doing some sporadic consulting sooner or later (until he gets bored of doing the absolute nothing).
Same considerations apply for Alessia Pellarini at Fendi, she was Karl's right hand for 10 years, she's fixed for life LOL

 

[helmutnotdead]

100% this.
Most people don't realize how much a design director for a big brand like Prada or Fendi can earn.
Fabio was Miuccia's right hand for YEARS, he earned so much money he doesn't need to work anymore unless he wants to. That's why I believe he's gonna start doing some sporadic consulting sooner or later (until he gets bored of doing the absolute nothing).
Same considerations apply for Alessia Pellarini at Fendi, she was Karl's right hand for 10 years, she's fixed for life LOL

as much as I love them both, keeping themselves out of the conversation it’s the most intelligent thing they could do.

 

[GivenchyAddict]

If the results are promising at BV and Blazy leaving, they should just keep going and have Ilaria Icardi as CD then.

Kering do not have the privilege to shake things off at BV.

 

[oioioi]

If the results are promising at BV and Blazy leaving, they should just keep going and have Ilaria Icardi as CD then.

Kering do not have the privilege to shake things off at BV.

That is a great idea. Although she left BV this year and has been at Prada since 3 months, as a sort of token fake design director, since the real design director of many years is still there.
They should consider her though, over Louise Trotter if they want that 'art gallery, woman' aesthetic to continue (no idea they were considering LT until that quoting from PUCK).

 

[GivenchyAddict]

^ oh I missed this info! Well she did Celine, VB, BV and now Prada : I think she deserves to have a CD role. I really like her.

 

[vogue22]

 

[Olaffo]

He must be going to Bottega Veneta...