Discussion: The State of Kering

[yslforever]

Brought up ad nauseam but it doesn’t help that Anthony isn’t really product oriented. The clothes just don’t feel designed it’s more of the vibe and the ‘vibe is not giving’ anymore.

His YSL worked before because it was an extension of Slimane, but after his breakthrough show they just ran away with it, Francesca Bellettini profiles about how YSL would be a megabrand and all, and the cracks began showing. It’s all a vapid parade of vibe. The bags used to save them but even with those bags there’s no design intent. It’s all cheaply branded. YSL used to have fabulous bags under Stefano and I know they tried since like last year but it’s not sticking. It’s so incongruent the whole thing.

They should try fix YSL too. It could be good. Maybe a separate designer for mens and womens after all it’s one of those brands whose vocabulary is vast and not just a single jacket or dress. They could be legitimate in menswear too and they were.

The menswear - I mean if you can find it and try it in stores, which is rare - is actually better than the impressions from the show. The Fall 25 is tailored and fits absolutly perfectly and is much nicer irl than on photographs, it's really nicely done.
But I agree they do need separate menswear and womenswear designers for YSL (Lucas Ossendrijver please we beg you).
Also the same for Gucci, brands cannot simply reach and maintain a certain size with one unique vision: Dior had two CDs (Anderson is the exception and I don't see how he can sustain scores of collections a year), Hermès, Vuitton too.
At Vuitton's, bags shoppers have the choice of in-house designs, or Pharrell's designs, or Nicholas designs; they cover different tastes and sensibilities while style being very specific to LV.

They just cannot bet a Gucci recovery and reach 8 billions or 10 billions on ONE CD's aesthetic only.
I already said that was one of their main mistake with Ancora, not Ancora himself, but the fact he was alone. With two CDs, if one if miscast, you can always ask more from the other one.
I hope their new 36 millions a year CEO can understand that.

 

[Phuel]

^^^ Have you been able to access the men's rooster-feather coat? That truly looks divine.

His ideal of YSL is… solid enough— as painfully limited as it and he may be. I can see his little brain carefully picking out 3 main looks for a collection from one of Yves’ archival collection; then another 3 looks from that same collection for for his next collection, then another 3 looks… With his men’s, it must be a lot tougher for him to even conjure 3 looks, since Yves was never known for his menswear, and Anthony’s found the confidence to not rely on Hedi and Tom anymore. That he’s ripping off wholesale late-80s Pitti Uomo showroom fodder— with the occasional gorgeous gem: That rooster-feather coat. And as customey as it all is, no doubt the material and construction is at a premium. I understand the appeal. But this great disconnect and divide of his measly ideal vs the commercial offering at retail is so jarring. Once the trash gold diggers and midwest mums are bored with the logo’d merch— and they always will be and apparently the brand's earnings are showing, Anthony’s days are numbered.

Looking at Anthony’s efforts, from designs to campaign, it can be very nice. But it’s not that hard to come up with, if Kering’s generous allowance freely supports him. We’ve seen it all before, and produced far superior. And in a way, he’s almost admirable for living out the TFSer’s dream of wrangling all the content found, discovered and learned here; from designs, to shows, to campaigns and curating it all into a cohesive whole, and making a commercial success of it for an iconic brand. It’s hard to hate on this little mid, frankly.

 

[yslforever]

^^^ Have you been able to access the men's rooster-feather coat? That truly looks divine.

His ideal of YSL is… solid enough— as painfully limited as it and he may be. I can see his little brain carefully picking out 3 main looks for a collection from one of Yves’ archival collection; then another 3 looks from that same collection for for his next collection, then another 3 looks… With his men’s, it must be a lot tougher for him to even conjure 3 looks, since Yves was never known for his menswear, and Anthony’s found the confidence to not rely on Hedi and Tom anymore. That he’s ripping off wholesale late-80s Pitti Uomo showroom fodder— with the occasional gorgeous gem: That rooster-feather coat. And as customey as it all is, no doubt the material and construction is at a premium. I understand the appeal. But this great disconnect and divide of his measly ideal vs the commercial offering at retail is so jarring. Once the trash gold diggers and midwest mums are bored with the logo’d merch— and they always will be and apparently the brand's earnings are showing, Anthony’s days are numbered.

Looking at Anthony’s efforts, from designs to campaign, it can be very nice. But it’s not that hard to come up with, if Kering’s generous allowance freely supports him. We’ve seen it all before, and produced far superior. And in a way, he’s almost admirable for living out the TFSer’s dream of wrangling all the content found, discovered and learned here; from designs, to shows, to campaigns and curating it all into a cohesive whole, and making a commercial success of it for an iconic brand. It’s hard to hate on this little mid, frankly.

No no that feather coat - they said it was already all "pre-ordered" - , but all the tailoring and I even tried those tight-high boots and they indeed felt absolutely ridiculous over trousers, maybe they can work over jeans or even without any pants, in the context of a Berlin club, idk.

 

[FashionPower]

No no that feather coat - they said it was already all "pre-ordered" - , but all the tailoring and I even tried those tight-high boots and they indeed felt absolutely ridiculous over trousers, maybe they can work over jeans or even without any pants, in the context of a Berlin club, idk.

The distribution for those ridiculous leather cuissards is going be:
- Gifted to influencers / brand ambassadors, Anthony's circle (see Marc Jacobs IG post)
- Few pairs bought by gay fashion mafia weirdo (you know, those people you see dressed like clowns at Balenciaga shows, both couture and RTW)
- Maybe some ultra wealth bored woman will buy them too and use them as heel-less thigh high boots?

But yeah, those are perfect to be worn for 5 minutes for dressing, posing and posting an image on IG and then return them to the shop LOL

 

[yslforever]

not sure it goes on this thread but for those interested, the most recent documentary on Gucci, by Arte TV so they might be geographic restrictions :

 

[IndigoHomme]

Gucci In "State of Unrest" As 1000 Employees Threaten to Strike

Adding yet another brand to a growing wave of labor scandals rocking the luxury sector.

hypebeast.com

 

[PDFSD]

Gucci In "State of Unrest" As 1000 Employees Threaten to Strike

Adding yet another brand to a growing wave of labor scandals rocking the luxury sector.

hypebeast.com

“We do not want to, and will not, fall into the trap of a downward trade that removes protections from one side and transfers them to another,”

this top management stealing & mismanagement of funds from company and trying to recoup from lower employees ....history repeats

l this just to recoup 600.000 euro while the new ceo will get 20 million welcompackage + plus more lol

its so embarrassing how badly managed they are

 

[PDFSD]

A Letter to Kering’s New CEO​

Incoming chief executive Luca De Meo needs to urgently tackle two problems, debt levels and management structure, writes Luca Solca.

Kering’s incoming chief executive Luca De Meo needs to urgently tackle debt levels and management structure, writes Luca Solca. (Kering)

By Luca Solca
07 August 2025
BoF PROFESSIONAL


It’s worth commending Luca De Meo’s courage in trying his hand at the helm of a company facing serious issues in a sector that’s new to him. De Meo has had an outstanding career in automotive, with major achievements at Fiat Chrysler, Volkswagen and Renault. The announcement of his departure from Renault for Kering produced a combined €3.6 billion share price move, when the decline at Renault and the increase at Kering are added together. That said, the road ahead won’t be easy.

At Kering, there are two immediate priorities that De Meo needs to tackle:

1. Debt levels must be curbed

Kering embarked on a major M&A and capex spree just as business performance was sinking: Valentino, Creed, real estate, Maui Jim. In total, a good part of €14 billion was spent on these acquisitions, even as growth at both flagship Gucci and some of its other key brands started to slow to the tune of double-digit revenue declines. Continuing to sell back real estate (at a loss) seems a bitter but necessary medicine. Could the group also strike a larger deal with Mayhoola, trading Kering equity for the rest of Valentino? That may well be worth exploring.


2. The management organisation must be fixed

a) I see less and less logic in the dual co-CEOs structure. With company outsider De Meo replacing François-Henri Pinault as CEO, there would likely be too many cooks in the kitchen if a hands-on chairman, a CEO and two co-CEOs were to coexist. Not to mention the brand CEOs.

b) It is important to eliminate the ‘moral hazard’ the brand development position creates. Who will call the shots on Gucci and the other brands? The brand CEOs? The co-CEO responsible for brand development? The group CEO? The chairman? It seems appropriate for brand CEOs to be in charge of their business and fully responsible for it. This eliminates a potential disconnect.

c) It is vital to ensure the right leaders drive the brands, and that their teams are up to the task. Gucci’s performance raises serious questions about its leadership, especially if we look at the high churn in the brand’s core team. Relaunching a brand is a matter of vision (where the brand has to go to find success); team (who is needed to get there); and execution (how well one does what is needed).

d) Miracle expectations on designers need to be put into perspective. Designers are important. But they operate in the context of a vision from the CEO, and in coordination with all other company functions. There appears to be a lack of urgency amongst management “as Demna will fix the problem.” Or even worse, an implicit delegation to the designer of elements management must provide.

 

[fashman]

“We do not want to, and will not, fall into the trap of a downward trade that removes protections from one side and transfers them to another,”

this top management stealing & mismanagement of funds from company and trying to recoup from lower employees ....history repeats

l this just to recoup 600.000 euro while the new ceo will get 20 million welcompackage + plus more lol

its so embarrassing how badly managed they are

Lol, this is a situation of “tighten the belts of the workers so the execs can loosen theirs.”
They’re scrambling over €600,000, but the new CEO’s €20 million welcome package nko? very untouchable.
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