Designers Switching Houses & Moving to New Brands

[Lola701]

I guess Ib will be in charge of the styling. So it will go all over the place. Not every house should be a fashion house.

Ferragamo is a nice luxurious brand and should stay this way imo.

I find it so weird that those classic Italian brands are suddenly afraid of classic clothes. YSL is one of the biggest brand in the sector and yet, their offering is still quite « conventional ».

I think that what happened with BV had an influence over this decision but I’m puzzled.

 

[donyan]

Thebe Magugu will design for AZ Factory.

'AZ Factory, the Paris-based fashion company founded in 2019 by the late Alber Elbaz as a joint venture with Richemont, is opening its doors to guest talent, starting with South African designer and LVMH Prize emerging talent winner Thebe Magugu. Magugu will be the first designer brought in by AZ Factory since Elbaz’s 2021 passing.

Under the new project, guest designers will design one collection for AZ Factory, according to a statement. The designs will be sold from June on AZ Factory’s e-commerce site as well as select wholesale partners including Net-a-Porter and Farfetch, according to a spokesperson. AZ Factory did not say how long designers will be in residence under the new project, but called its approach a “collective laboratory”.'

from VOGUE Business

 

[Salvatore]

Interesting choice for Salvatore Ferragamo. To me it seems like multi-layered reasons for this choice as I looked at Maximilian’s work and I am not sure if that’s the right direction creatively for Ferragamo. But as always, I am open to being proven wrong.

 

[fashionista-ta]

Exactly! Who? Here's me thinking that Daniel Lee or at LEAST Frida Giannini could work wonders to revive the brand...

Doesn't Daniel Lee have a cloud over his head?

 

[helmutnotdead]

Doesn't Daniel Lee have a cloud over his head?

he won’t be designing anytime soon…

these rumors about him being a disgusting racist are true.

 

[Lola701]

Doesn't Daniel Lee have a cloud over his head?

Frida too… remember the dramatic way she left Gucci. I mean, everybody had a dramatic exit with KERING but unless you created relationships during your tenure (like Nicolas, Tom and Hedi), it’s very difficult.

 

[Frederic01]

he won’t be designing anytime soon…

these rumors about him being a disgusting racist are true.

Really? Is there any proof and/or substance to these rumours? Because I see a lot of gossip on Twitter etc, but no claims to back it up. Kering went as far as to threaten legal action against that Vogue France contributor for making such claims.

Either way, it's a shame he will be out of the game for a while. He was clearly the more talented and more visionary one one compared to Matthieu Blazy...

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ Personally I won't miss his Bottega. If Galliano can come back--and granted, he's extraordinarily talented--then I reckon anyone can.

 

[Living Proof]

Really? Is there any proof and/or substance to these rumours? Because I see a lot of gossip on Twitter etc, but no claims to back it up. Kering went as far as to threaten legal action against that Vogue France contributor for making such claims.

Either way, it's a shame he will be out of the game for a while. He was clearly the more talented and more visionary one one compared to Matthieu Blazy...

There is no proof. The internet is making the assumption those rumors are true bc that guy was invited to the AW22 show. As far as I’m concerned, the firing was a cumulative result of the on-going conflicts between him and certain senior members of the design team and atelier. But people tend to cling onto the more juicy rumors.

The saddest part is how toxic these rumors can be even when there is no basis to them. Brands are probably keeping their hands clean off him bc they don’t wanna be associated with potential negative press. The internet can be a cruel and unjust place, which is ironic since the social media clean-out was supposedly Lee’s idea.

 

[GERGIN]

 

[dior_couture1245]

Oh great...another tasteful Instagram gay with all the right, curated references.

 

[helmutnotdead]

I wonder how exciting is going to be the work of someone from Martin Margiela and Hermès at such joyful and italian (in the most eccentric way of the expression) like Missoni.
I already know it’s gonna be a snooze fest. Why they couldn’t give a rise to an intern from the design studio? I want to believe that isn’t on purpose but sometimes some brands are digging their own graves.

 

[Lola701]

He comes from Givenchy and Burberry under Tisci.
Im curious. He has a nice resumé.
Mission is one of those brands that have a great name but not necessarily an easy product to pull off.

I think that LVMH should have give him the reign at Givenchy tho…

 

[LostInNJ]

I wonder how exciting is going to be the work of someone from Martin Margiela and Hermès at such joyful and italian (in the most eccentric way of the expression) like Missoni.
I already know it’s gonna be a snooze fest. Why they couldn’t give a rise to an intern from the design studio? I want to believe that isn’t on purpose but sometimes some brands are digging their own graves.

We aren't pleased when the job goes to an already known designer. Then, we aren't pleased when the job goes to an unknown designer, who has been working and for all intents and purpose has the skills to assume the role. But now, we want an intern to be given the top job at a house? All for the sake of what?

Are we really just searching for something to bemoan these days? Let's at least see the first couple of collections before we write someone off.

 

[helmutnotdead]

We aren't pleased when the job goes to an already known designer. Then, we aren't pleased when the job goes to an unknown designer, who has been working and for all intents and purpose has the skills to assume the role. But now, we want an intern to be given the top job at a house? All for the sake of what?

Are we really just searching for something to bemoan these days? Let's at least see the first couple of collections before we write someone off.

I never answer because I’m just lazy but you’re missing my point here we go: I’m not saying that he isn’t a good designer or whatever like that just because I want to complain about something. But in my eyes is just obvious that he won’t be able to play the right cards at Missoni. His experience comes from such opposite place. It’s like Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski going to Etro.

I would give the charge to someone who’s been there for years and understand the dna of the brand. Someone who really cares about being there, you know? Look at Marni: Rosso didn’t want to give it to the design director and now the brand is destroyed and she’s doing great at Colville with Lucinda Chambers (they’re doing a better job to fulfill the empty spot of old Marni than Plan C but that’s another discussion).
Mark my words: this is going to be like when that guy from Acne (LOL) went to Cavalli. Do you remember his tenure? Neither do I.

 

[susseinmcswanny]

I cud be reading into it too much but maybe they just want a stunt. Pure speculation. I just wonder because a few of those newer designers that get chosen to be creative directors have this resume and they end up trying to be copies (or derivatives at least) of their former employers and bring that into the new company they're in for a reboot. I.e. Daniel Lee, Julien Dossena, Demna (sorry demna ily lol). You can work and learn from those inspirational people but your style doesn't have to continue on to be the same... and that's always an excuse I see from fashion "journalists" like "oh he used to work for xyz that's why it looks the same" no it's bc it's the lack of your originality. Relying on the conventions of your mentor and not using your brain (neither the right nor the left side for that matter lmfao) to stay on task and move things forward. Why wouldn't Missoni want to focus on themselves and their heritage and keep things internal with someone that understands it? Keep Missoni Missoni. Nobody wants a collab. I repeat nobody wants a collab. Watch them try to turn Missoni into a brand for 12 year olds who need constant stimulation (aka me but jdsjkjdjdsj I digress)

That's just my pessimistic spiral. He could be really good I don't know anything lol we shall see

 

[bc collector]

"Off-White Names Ib Kamara Art and Image Director"
Source: WWD

Makes sense to me, somehow. Hope they get some new patterncutters too.

 

[Salvatore]

^^ May be a bit daft of me to ask, but is this the same as Creative Director ?

 

[Scotty]

^^ May be a bit daft of me to ask, but is this the same as Creative Director ?

I think they're just calling it that because they're trying to justify him not being a designer but a stylist maybe.

 

[Lola701]

^^ May be a bit daft of me to ask, but is this the same as Creative Director ?

It’s the same thing as what Carine does at Karl Lagerfeld or what Karl Templer does at Ports1961.
It means everything and nothing at the same time. He will probably in charge of the creative direction, collaborations and will work with a designer.
Considering that Virgil wasn’t really a designer, his role will probably be similar to his…And he might take Off White to a more interesting sphere.