Renzo Rosso buys Sophia Kokosalaki

[JJohnson]

January 8, 2007 10:23 p.m. EST

Josephine Roque - All Headline News Staff Writer
Milan, Italy (AHN) - The Italian entrepreneur who founded Diesel, Renzo Rosso, has bought the majority stake in the young fashion house - Sophia Kokosalaki. The label is deemed to be the most important designer to come out from London this century.
Rosso's investment wing Staff International had also previously acquired the avant-garde designer Martin Margiela. In addition, the businessman also has control of a blocking minority stake in DSquared, the Milanese label made by Dean and Dan Caten.
"Due to these acquisitions, a plethora of well-known designers have contacted the group driven by Rosso to discuss potential forms of collaboration and support. However, Mr. Rosso has chosen to focus on the research and development of young talents with incredible depth - often against the mainstream - in order to realize their and his vision of the future of fashion," Staff International said in a press release.
Details of the acquisition have not been confirmed but it is presumed that the start-up nature of Kokosalaki would not result in a major sum.
Kokosalaki is a Greek-born, London-based designer. She will debut her new business partnership in March in sync with the 2007 Fall/Winter fashion shows in Paris.
The new deal will not hinder the designer's position as Creative Director of Vionnet.
Kokosalaki said: "I'm very excited about this new partnership, I admire and consider Renzo a great business person...I have a clear vision about the future of my brand and I'm more than confident that with Staff's support and expertise I will get the perfect balance between growth and independent creativity."
As a desginer, Kokosalaki has garnered numerous awards that include Best New Designer 2001, Art Foundation Award for Fashion 2002 and Best New Generation Designer 2003 at the British Style Awards.

[Courtesy of: All Headline News]

 

[softgrey]

i didn't realise that he owned staff international...
but that makes some sense now...

looks like things are looking up for her finally....

 

[JJohnson]

Indeed he owns a lot of stuff...it's better he bought her than Victor and Rolf. He told me he would never buy them anyway lol...

 

[Meg]

I'm not sure I would call her 'the most important designer to come out of London this century' seems a bit grandiose to me. Was she really struggling softie? It will be interesting to see how this moves forward.

 

[Scott]

i wonder though,like MMM's mainline,if the collection will ultimately become a bit more watered down? will be interesting to see how her work will evolve because it happened with MMM. jj,did he say that about V&R,with an air of sarcasm? lol if he did i would have a newfound respect for him....

i think Sophia is ONE of the most prolific talents to come out of London this century. I think saying most is over doing a bit,but she's certainly in great company though.

 

[Meg]

But there are so many talents and how do you determine talented? because there is obviously people who are talented purely in the technical design sense but what about those who are able to blend those with business sensibility to create a functioning business? I'm not saying she's not talented, i've been a HUGE fan of hers for ages, but i think this is not an accolade to be given out lightly

 

[zamb]

I like this,
I like him
her seems to be interested in allowing really creative designers to survive and do well.
at one point he was interested in buying Icarus de menses Label (brazilian)
not sure why it failed. and im not even sure what happened to Icarus.......

It is too early though to call her the most important designer out of London this century.................
we are not even as yet a decade into this century

 

[Whitelinen]

I hope this brings something positive to her, she really is talented but I wouldn't want to see a change because she's under someone else.

 

[Scott]

it is difficult to name such a thing but i think given her success since and her constant innovation,she's definitely one of the most important to come out this century. i dunno when i think of the most important--the one's who have really made that stamp in fashion--i think of three designers and that's she,Boudicca and Preen.

 

[Meg]

are we talking literally this century or inclusive last century? Because preen, boudicca, her have been around for over 10 years non? What about early mcqueen and galliano just off the top of my head (obvious a lot other important designers). sorry i know this is offtopic but i still think it's grandiose statement

 

[Whitelinen]

I don't think it is appropriate to think of the most influental designers of the 21st century yet ... it's still all personal preference at the moment.

 

[zamb]

disd she come ou this century, or was she before 2000?
I will check, as i think i knew her work before 2000,
and if so, this creates a whole new discussion, as designers like chalayan (whch in my opinion, as contributed more than anyone in the last 10 years to broadening the scope of what fashion can be) has to be seen in this subject.
maybe this requires a new thread or something..............

Maybe, the greates designer of this century ? so far
or greatest designer of the last ten years?
i gotta go though
skirts to make......

 

[Scott]

well,she did first formal show and really started recieving attention in 2000. i remember distinctly because so much of press and industry were very excited about her potential. and that time,she was quite proficient and innovative in her work with leather....which was why she got the position the following year at Ruffo Research.

 

[zamb]

well,she did first formal show and really started recieving attention in 2000. i remember distinctly because so much of press and industry were very excited about her potential. and that time,she was quite proficient and innovative in her work with leather....which was why she got the position the following year at Ruffo Research.

yea i remember that.
thre collection was filled with colour blocked pieces with leather and draped jersey.
that year she was also featured in a magazine with benjamin cho and Tess Giberson..........

 

[belletrist]

I really hate Diesel but honestly, it worked for Margiela, MUCH better than if he would have been bought by LVMH/Gucci/Prada. I don't think MMM makes A LOT of money but everything seems okay. I haven't bought Margiela for ages so I don't really know about the quality but it seems to be fine isn't it.
I totally see it working for Kokosalaki, even if I don't find her THAT talented. I loved Bjork's dress though haha.

 

[Meg]

Marjan Pejoski designed Bjork's swan dress.....is that what you are talking about? Maybe we should start a thread on the most influential designer of this century but seeing as we are just 7 years in it seems a bit early .

 

[Scott]

may I ask why do you not think she's that talented?

zamb,exactly. loads of butterscotch leathers she did in that first one....

 

[belletrist]

Marjan Pejoski designed Bjork's swan dress.....is that what you are talking about? quote]

Nein. Overture of the Olympic Games, Athena.

Scott --> I didn't say she wasn't talented of course she is, but honestly, I don't see her as one of the MOST talented designers of this century. It's quite repetitive to me (the whole godess thing...) - love this winter collection though. Plus honestly, I don't see the point in revamping Vionnet house. Doesn't have any sense at all to me that me except if the houses have got the workers/etc which is no longer the case for M. V.

 

[susie_bubble]

I love Kokosalaki..... the label 'most' is a bit too much....
I'm not loving her Vionnet work though....... I thought it would be a lot more interesting and dynamic....

 

[JJohnson]

i wonder though,like MMM's mainline,if the collection will ultimately become a bit more watered down? will be interesting to see how her work will evolve because it happened with MMM. jj,did he say that about V&R,with an air of sarcasm? lol if he did i would have a newfound respect for him....

i think Sophia is ONE of the most prolific talents to come out of London this century. I think saying most is over doing a bit,but she's certainly in great company though.

no scott he sincerely told me it was made up and 'from the journalist's imagination.'