Discussion: The State of Kering

[Kimihiro]

That reads like a PR piece.

 

[LadyJunon]

This is definitely giving PR puff piece.

Part of Gucci’s step back is to retrench around what made Gucci great in the first place: it’s Italian leather goods expertise. Ironically, it started to step away from that back in Gucci’s Tom Ford days when the shift from its luxury footing to being a fashion-first brand started.

“It moved from speaking about leather craftmanship – the pedigree Italians are known for– to being about fashion,” shared Philippe Mihailovich, founder of brand consultancy HauteLuxe and co-author of Haute ‘Luxury’ Branding.

“Everyone loved Tom Ford clothing and his design aesthetic. It became a big commercial success, but all of a sudden Gucci became the world of Tom Ford and Gucci became about his fashion,” he continued.

In the early days under previous creative director Alessandro Michelle, Mihailovich saw signs of a return to the brand’s Italian roots – “He brought a cultural reference to and reverence for the Italian Renaissance.” But then he seemed to get sidetracked by venturing too far into pop culture.

“Instead of the designer being the guide and interpreter for the world of the brand, the designer became almost bigger than the brand. It no longer looked like a serious luxury brand; it lost its essence,” he continued.

Enter Sabato De Sarno, who had been a luxury journeyman with Prada, Dolce & Gabbana and Valentino before stepping into the design director’s position at Gucci.

“I’m very excited about Sabato. He is into the details, knows about quality and understands a luxury brand is about timelessness. He has the ability to pull the brand back upwards again,” Mihailovich said.

I love how they refuse to acknowlege that the core elements of Gucci's identity is fantasy and opulence. Ford delivered that in a sleek jet-set sensuality. Gianinni took made Ford's aesthetic and made it softer and more romantic. Michele repackaged the Gucci identity in a more whimisical, gender-fluid maximalism. Sabato's doesn't have any fantasy or opulence in his Gucci, be it in the designs, the styling, the casting, the campaigns. It's like their trying to cannibalise on Saint Laurent and Bottega Veneta.

 

[HigthaVandah]

Hedi has never been able to do one sexe-up in his life though. Not everybody is aro-ace.

Hedi has his fetishes. He's been sending them down his men's live/video runways for 25 years. To my eye he's not shy about his tastes at all.

The Celine women, otoh, is "asexual", but I like that. The wearer can add sexiness with her personality when she wants to.

 

[upNorth]

Ooopsies. Again.

Kering Sales Fall 16%

Flagship brand Gucci’s comparable sales fell 25 percent in the third quarter as a market-wide slowdown in luxury demand hit hard.

www.businessoffashion.com

 

[yslforever]

Ooopsies. Again.

Kering Sales Fall 16%

Flagship brand Gucci’s comparable sales fell 25 percent in the third quarter as a market-wide slowdown in luxury demand hit hard.

www.businessoffashion.com

So :
- (minus) 15/16 % for the whole group,
- 25 % for GUCCI (worse than expected),
- 12 % for YSL (worse than expected),
- 15 % other houses (Balenciaga, McQueen, Brioni, etc)
+ 5 % for Bottega Veneta
+ 7 % eyewear.
Good luck to them.

 

[LadyJunon]

So :
- (minus) 15/16 % for the whole group,
- 25 % for GUCCI (worse than expected),
- 12 % for YSL (worse than expected),
- 15 % other houses (Balenciaga, McQueen, Brioni, etc)
+ 5 % for Bottega Veneta
+ 7 % eyewear.
Good luck to them.

Blazy must be punching the air right now.

 

[GivenchyAddict]

^ they will be on his back so fast to save as much as possible. This man is going pressed asf.

For SL, I expect more marketing stunts and no more hosiery- based collections for Vaccarello.

I can not wait for 2025. 😂