*gucci group drama/ mcQueen turns down YSL offer

[Atelier]

Wednesday December 24, 2003
Smart Money Bets On Narciso for Gucci, McQueen for YSL

By Eric Wilson with contributions from Samantha Conti, London, and Jennifer Weil, Paris

NEW YORK — There are strong indications that Gucci Group has identified its ideal successors for the departing Tom Ford: Narciso Rodriguez for Gucci and Alexander McQueen for Yves Saint Laurent.

Numerous sources said on Tuesday that Rodriguez is the lead candidate to take over the Gucci label, while McQueen might have already signed an agreement to design YSL. No official word on the hunt to designate successors at two of fashion’s most powerful labels is expected before March, when Ford is to present his final ready-to-wear collections prior to his departure from the company, but close associates of Ford have begun to talk about Rodriguez and McQueen as if they had been named to the respective posts.

Key retail sources also said they had heard that Rodriguez would take over Gucci and McQueen would design YSL. Asked about the latest developments, spokesmen for Gucci Group in New York, London and Paris all declined comment.

McQueen’s spokeswoman denied a contract had been signed, and Rodriguez’s spokesman would only say the designer is “out of the country, so he can’t be reached for comment.” Rodriguez departed New York this week on a vacation to Brazil.

Gucci executives have publicly said they would withhold comment on the selection process for Ford’s successors until he presents his final collections for the houses three months from now, but sources said this week there was strong pressure inside the company to deliver replacements prior to the end of the year for two reasons: to reassure investors of the company’s ability to continue its growth in the post-Tom-and-Dom era, and also because of Gucci’s competitive rivalry with LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, which has spawned several fresh reports of potential talent hijacking and behind-the-scenes maneuvering.

“There’s an awful lot of smoke signals coming about this,” said one top retailer on Tuesday. “And Narciso and McQueen make perfect sense for a quick fix.”

Apart from their relative availability, however, Rodriguez and McQueen are among the most talented designers working today, delivering increasingly stronger collections under their signature labels each season. McQueen’s “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?” moment for spring was one of the most talked about shows in recent memory, while Rodriguez took metaphorical inspiration from his travels in Brazil, delivering reliably sexy and sophisticated collections that have made him an increasingly high-profile designer.

Plus, they’re both young, ambitious and experienced with designing for conglomerates, and seemingly share a distaste for LVMH. McQueen pledged his allegiance to the Gucci camp three years ago when he walked away from LVMH’s Givenchy collection and sold a 51 percent stake in his signature brand to Gucci. When Rodriguez left his role at Loewe shortly beforehand to focus on the growth of his signature label, he maintained cordial relations with LVMH executives, although some inside the company have said his departure was considered internally as “burning his bridges.”

Both designers have in recent months downplayed their interest in taking on other collections, at least publicly, decrying the constant travel, headaches and egos involved. But Gucci is reportedly offering big bucks to secure major talents to fill Ford’s shoes, and Rodriguez and McQueen are each at delicate points in their careers — they are internationally famous, but not quite fashion powerhouses — and their association with the Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent labels could thrust them far beyond their competition.

Gucci’s crucial headhunting went into full gear in November, when, after months of difficult contract negotiations, Ford and Domenico De Sole, chief executive officer, confirmed they will leave Gucci Group on April 30 over issues of control with the company’s one-time savior, Pinault-Printemps-Redoute, and its executives: PPR chairman Serge Weinberg; François-Henri Pinault, chairman of PPR’s parent, Artemis, and his father, Artemis founder François Pinault.

Ford and De Sole’s remarkable turnaround of Gucci’s fortunes has been the iconic story of brand reinvention of the past decade, building the company into one of the most powerful forces in luxury apparel with $2.54 billion in sales and orchestrating the acquisition of YSL, Bottega Veneta, McQueen, Balenciaga, Boucheron, Sergio Rossi, Stella McCartney and YSL Beauté. One point of contention in Ford’s contract talks with PPR was in continuing his role as designer of both the Gucci and YSL labels, while PPR wanted separate designers for the brands.

By all indications, PPR is looking to hire separate designers for the future, with rumors to date centering around McQueen, who was earlier identified as the likely Gucci successor, and other possible names mentioned for YSL having been Rodriguez, Nicolas Ghesquière, Thomas Maier, Hedi Slimane and Viktor & Rolf.

The headhunting company Russell Reynolds is said to be involved in identifying possible replacements for Ford, but since the recruitment efforts began, PPR officials are said to have directly reached out to a number of top designers. Sources close to Marc Jacobs said the designer was approached with an incredible package, but that he declined to be considered for either role because of his long history with Louis Vuitton and the mounting success of his own label. Nevertheless, word of possible LVMH raiding by Gucci has prompted what sources have described as a series of contract renegotiations with all LVMH designers and key executives like Yves Carcelle and Sidney Toledano, binding them to the conglomerate.

Regardless, in Gucci’s search, Rodriguez and McQueen might ultimately also be the popular choice.

Despite his critical success, Rodriguez, whose label is financed by the Italian manufacturer Aeffe, has been struggling to expand his commercial prospects and putting out feelers about how to get there. A spokesman acknowledged in October that “there are many possibilities, but nothing is set. He is in a growth mode and is looking at how the business is going to keep growing.”

Rodriguez is considered to be an ideal choice for the Gucci job based not only on the strength of his designs, which have a sleek and architectural feel that could complement Ford’s past work in complicated corsetry and seam details, but also his personality, as he is media savvy much in the same vein as Ford, who has set a new standard. There was no immediate indication of what would happen with Rodriguez’s signature business, but one source speculated, “I wouldn’t be surprised if Pinault bought that, too.”

McQueen, meanwhile, has demonstrated an increasingly intellectual approach to the thought and styling behind his collections, certainly as evidenced by his spring show that re-created the Depression-era film’s dance-till-you-drop montage with models falling to the floor. Stylistically and personally, McQueen is a far cry from the look of the designer Yves Saint Laurent — farther anyway from that of YSL doppelgängers Viktor & Rolf, who were believed to be front-runners for the job — but there is an eerie parallel in the ability of McQueen and Saint Laurent to provoke more meaningful change in fashion and their choices in presentations. Plus, it would be an opportunity for McQueen to prove his designs for a world famous brand have commercial viability in a way he could not achieve during his tenure at Givenchy, where others have since similarly failed to spark much interest.

 

[kit]

Exceedingly well spotted , ATELIER

I noticed this headline on WGSN but was unable to read the full story as I do not have a subscription . I would actually have thought that it should be the other way round - YSL going to Narciso Rodriguez and GUCCI going to Alexander McQueen but either way they are major talents and will give the two houses what they need. I read somewhere recently that Vittorio Radice ( late of Selfridges and now at Marks and Spencer 's Home Furnishing division ) or Rose Marie Bravo of Burberry had been approached to replace Domenico de Sole . Time only will tell .........!
' There's many a slip twixt cup and lip ' as they say .

regards KIT

 

[kit]

PS

I just wonder what Pierre Berge and Yves himself will say if Alexander McQueen gets the job at YSL !!! ( Berge seemed to favour Victor& Rolf ) .

regards KIT

 

[mikeijames]

narciso is king of the line so i can see gucci evolving in another beautiful direction under narciso...and mcqueen is a good fit for ysl simply because of his history with the house of givenchy.

eager to see what happens...and to see what tom's farewell show will be

 

[ignitioned32]

I don't think and want Narciso to do Gucci, for two reasons. Firstly because he is fastly becoming a pillar of the New York industry (along with Anna Sui and Marc Jacobs) and is doing great for his line. If he does Gucci he might not be able to devote 100% attention to his label (look at Galliano). Another is because he is too minimal for Gucci. Though one thing in common (with Ford) is they both do sexy clothes but they're both on different pages.

Now McQueen for YSL.. not to sure but it can work. Remember M. Saint Laurent was the first retro designer and Lee can do that. His S/S '04 collection proves that. Which he was inspired by the Depression era. The bad-boyness attitude seems to be gone too based on his last two collections. So it can work.

Thanks Atelier.

 

[Meg]

ooh very excited, although I didn't read the whole article from my personal attitude and opinions of the different designers and houses, I think it could be a good fit. I agree about narciso being quite minimal but maybe he could move the house in a different direction. As well I think it's a test of how good a designer is, if they can design for the house, and not for themselves primarily. I think McQueen has the innovtion that is required at YSL (which Tom Ford lacked IMO) and hopefully will stay true the YSL. We shall see.

 

[Scott]

Very keen observations from you all,I must say.

I'm not sure really of how this will pan out since McQueen has repeatedly refused to comment much regarding GG, the past few weeks,instead laying to rest the rumours that he was even interested. And how this will affect his signature...seems like he's at an all-time high with his own and with sales. With four very good collections thus far with GG,I just don't know if he would want to spoil the good karma.

 

[chanel_girl]

Mcqueen for YSL I think it could work out but Narsico for gucci? no

 

[pradaromance]

Mcqueen for YSL

 

[chanel_girl]

There are alot of rumors going on right now so we can't be 100 percent sure until there is a press release from gucci....or something and I think I saw in a few articles that they were questioning tom ford on the opening song because the lyrics were "If you feel that you can't go on" then I think he said you can draw your own conclusions or something

 

[Lena]

thanks for the wwd article atelier

*i will agree with igni regarding Narciso.
He's finally building up his own brand, and it took him quite long, but he also needs the money and Gucci's glam wont hurt him a bit. Personally I believe Narciso works better fro his own line than for others (see his boring stint at Loewe)
Could he do a good job for Gucci? hmm thats another question, i find him too sophisticated for Gucci -it sounds good, but it could make Gucci lose a certain kind of clients

*mcQueen for ysl? not sure, still why not? if he tries to concentrate on his tailoring and leave theatrics for his own label, he might be quite good for ysl

 

[Spacemiu]

I find narciouses really boring, he has a few ncie ideas and a few nice pieces wich he repeats EVERY season, and its boring. Mcqueen could do YSl.

 

[Scott]

Narciso basically does the same dress just in different colours,imo. He doubt he'll be able to accomplish what Tom did AT ALL. Loewe,ineed,Lena

 

[Meg]

Originally posted by Scott@Dec 25th, 2003 - 7:48 am
Narciso basically does the same dress just in different colours,imo. He doubt he'll be able to accomplish what Tom did AT ALL. Loewe,ineed,Lena

Booo to Tom. His greatest accomplistment at Gucci was making it mainstream. A household name. You never know what narciso might do for Gucci. I think he deserves a chance at least. I haven't liked Gucci's past collections at all and its time for someone new...if narciso sucks, well then he can be replaced too

 

[mikeijames]

Originally posted by mehg@Dec 26th, 2003 - 12:21 am
...if narciso sucks, well then he can be replaced too

completely agree...the funny thing about tom's work is that he did such a good job in revitalizing the houses, it would take something like fashion espionage to derail the progress tom has set in place...i agree that narcisco may not be the best fit at gucci but a lot of times designers grow in different directions when given the charge of doing not their own line but living up to a tradition (look at marc at vuitton....he has done things i would have never guessed)...and i think marc is also a great example that one can have two thriving brands one being in new york and one being in paris

but totally agree that narcisco could be our next de la renta...i'd hate to see his american legacy stripped because of the work he'd have to commit to gucci.

 

[Scott]

Yes,but I think Marc has also got quite lazy in designing his signature since a couple years after taking on LV.

Gucci and Tom Ford=aggression. Something which I think Narciso lacks and will most likely lack once there,if there that is. That's what Tom did and that's what got Gucci in the mainstream. But you never know with PPR they might not be so keen on that aggression(which I am not either) and may in fact want to calm it down a bit. Either way,whilst Narciso may not be the greatest(if in true that he gets the job),it will be nice to see Tom Ford plastered on every fashion headline or every review.

 

[kit]

HI ALL

I actually took time out today to unearth a video from FTV of Alexander McQueen's 1998-1999 pret-a-porter collection for GIVENCHY ( The one where Jodie Kidd claps her hands over her head at the finale ) . The tailoring of both fabric and leather in the suits shows the influence of Yves and it really does prompt the thought that , if this rumour turns out to be true , it really could work out for Lee at YSL Rive Gauche !!!

I don't feel really qualified to make a projection about Narciso Rodriguez at Gucci as I have never taken that much of an interest in the label . All I would say is that he does seem to be an enormously gifted designer who did wonders at Cerruti imho . ( Perhaps that label would not be in the parlous state that it is , if he still were there ! ).

regards KIT

 

[Scott]

God is my typing bad these past couple days!

He Doubt...?

I doubt,I mean.

AND

...now it will be nice NOT to see Tom...

Anyhoo,I loved that collection from McQueen,Kit*! Esther DeJong coming out on that horse at the beginning....beautiful cobweb knits and the tailoring you mention was brilliant! It did have a rather YSL feel about it.

 

[kit]

NICE to have support SCOTT

We'll have to see what happens ! The WWD article would seem to suggest an announcement PRIOR to the end of the February/March women's collections of the respective houses . PPR would not want a declaration to frighten the horses ( or rather the shareholders ) and as they say , ANY publicity pays dividends eg. the headlines that you refer to .

regards KIT

 

[ignitioned32]

OT

A lot of people say "Narciso? Sooo boring.. " well that's no surprise because they don't understand what he does and see clearly what he does. If you look closely at his collections there is an evolution of his work like in his S '04 collection you could see the more precision of his tailoring. As seen in an outfit placed over cigarette pants. The lines he used also were more to accentuate the body compared to seasons past.