Rochas to close

[tricotineacetat]

*edit: i wish i had enough money to buy the dragonfly jacket i saw on sale yesterday! definitely a collector's item now..

Funny that you were mentioning this one, I just "saved" two of these dresses from the Galeries Lafayette blow-out sale in paris where they were up for only 160 euros each (I remember that they came with a hefty 2000€ tag when I browsed through the racks of the Rochas shop for the very first time)... I couldn't stand seeing them being handled with bad care and everything in a department store situation where customers are browing through collections like they were on a cheap flea market.

The interesting thing though is that I got one in french size 36 (for a private customer I had in mind that was desperately looking for a nice summer dress) and the other in 42 (knowing that my mum could wear it) ... BOTH sizes worked perfectly well, even though it is obvious that the same dress had to function on different bodytypes.

I still remember someone from TFS saying that Rochas' sizing used to be insane at the start, but the experiences I made were that the clothing had always been very customer friendly and forgiving, if not flattering, for a lot of people of different size, age and build. So in that regard, taking all the "fantasy" and gowns aside, there was a lot of really great daywear, especially tailleur, dresses, skirts and suits, that could be worn by almost every woman.

 

[JJohnson]

Ikram Goldman does carry AMAZING things here in Chicago and I can admit she is "rochas crazy" due to the fact that amazing gowns by Theyskens adorn her window, but its so odd, she will lose $$$ too from this transaction. Perhaps Gucci group or LVMH can negotiate? but then again the brand will certainly goto hell if that happens

 

[JJohnson]

woah- theyskens at de la renta?...
in nyc?...

...

that could be good!!...

that would be interesting...i wonder how he can transition over, but thats a BIG responsiblity

 

[tricotineacetat]

(picture credit: firstview.com)

as for the De La Renta rumour, it would make me want to puke big time... I wouldn't want Olivier to solely address the New York uptown lady of a certain age that wears tasteful in beige... the thing is that Rochas always had an edge as well - people that use to wear Yohji, Margiela, Comme or Ann Demeulmeester I could totally see adding a piece or two from Rochas (which is the way I saw most people wearing it - a dress with boots, a jacket with skinny black pants and flats, it always worked fabulously well) - but at De La Renta, this sensibility would be entirely lost. I don't want to see him becoming an American designer, you know?

 

[Pastry]

^yes, yes! get out of my head! i'd rather see theyskens become a florist than an american designer. no offense of course.. i'd rather see new york fashion week stay the way it is. i want the 7 days in paris to remain special. unless de la renta completely changes the customer and moves its show to paris.

* btw tricotine, that's amazing. that's just a little over $200 CND..even i could afford that. i guess rochas is one fashion house that doesn't burn their unsold stock.

 

[tiffany]

But...noooooo! Rochas collections are always so beautiful, this is so sad

 

[tricotineacetat]

they also had two of those guepière, the corsets/bra tops that were on the show as well in many of the outfits, underneath the Aloise Corbaz' inspired deep neckline coats... you know, those in silver lamé with similar lace overlay... in the end I couldn't allow myself buying it all, but it was terrible knowing that these clothes will be part of fashion history.... ahhh, I don't want to think about this any further, it really just sickens me to death...

 

[JJohnson]

they also had two of those guepière, the corsets/bra tops that were on the show as well in many of the outfits, underneath the Aloise Corbaz' inspired deep neckline coats... you know, those in silver lamé with similar lace overlay... in the end I couldn't allow myself buying it all, but it was terrible knowing that these clothes will be part of fashion history.... ahhh, I don't want to think about this any further, it really just sickens me to death...

aaaaaaw Ive never seen you this upset Tricotine Im kinda sad too, ill miss it all...perhaps it wasnt selling as much as PG wanted it? Leave all those sickos a msg PG.com is their site! ugh!

 

[softgrey]

Funny that you were mentioning this one, I just "saved" two of these dresses from the Galeries Lafayette blow-out sale in paris where they were up for only 160 euros each (I remember that they came with a hefty 2000€ tag when I browsed through the racks of the Rochas shop for the very first time)... I couldn't stand seeing them being handled with bad care and everything in a department store situation where customers are browing through collections like they were on a cheap flea market.

The interesting thing though is that I got one in french size 36 (for a private customer I had in mind that was desperately looking for a nice summer dress) and the other in 42 (knowing that my mum could wear it) ... BOTH sizes worked perfectly well, even though it is obvious that the same dress had to function on different bodytypes.

I still remember someone from TFS saying that Rochas' sizing used to be insane at the start, but the experiences I made were that the clothing had always been very customer friendly and forgiving, if not flattering, for a lot of people of different size, age and build. So in that regard, taking all the "fantasy" and gowns aside, there was a lot of really great daywear, especially tailleur, dresses, skirts and suits, that could be worn by almost every woman.

it was me saying that the sizing was VERY small...
but i agree that the cuts and shapes were generally forgiving and flattering...
IF you could get them on!!...
i have always been a size 4 or 6 and have very narrow shoulders...
and i found it difficult to squeeze into the earlier collections..
McQueen has had a similar issue as well...

but the construction is close to couture in its attention to details...
an absolute joy too behold-both inside and out...

i don't think it's fair to compare rochas to lanvin (though i understand the tendency to do so)
they are simply two different concepts and though they are both small houses with 'edgy' designers at the helm...
i think the similarity ends there...

as far as balenciaga goes...i think the accessories business really helps them...you can see lanvin desperately trying to steal a bit of the accessories business...but they have yet to make a bag that becomes a real 'IT' bag...

rochas never even tried......
i do wonder why they didn't go forward with the fragrance development sooner...especially while Olivier received so much attention from the press...it certainly would have been the right move...
seems like a bit of mismanagement there...

the fact that he just received an award means that Olivier is in the best position possible to make his next move, so that is something positive at least...

i certainly wish him the best of luck and i hope he doesn't let this get him down...

onward and upward!!...

 

[JJohnson]

Olivier at Dior Homme?

 

[softgrey]

(picture credit: firstview.com)

as for the De La Renta rumour, it would make me want to puke big time... I wouldn't want Olivier to solely address the New York uptown lady of a certain age that wears tasteful in beige... the thing is that Rochas always had an edge as well - people that use to wear Yohji, Margiela, Comme or Ann Demeulmeester I could totally see adding a piece or two from Rochas (which is the way I saw most people wearing it - a dress with boots, a jacket with skinny black pants and flats, it always worked fabulously well) - but at De La Renta, this sensibility would be entirely lost. I don't want to see him becoming an American designer, you know?

who is to say he couldn't do that at de la renta?...
you know that oscar's loyal regulars are a dying breed..
someone who could bring in a new customer is exactly what that brand needs!!!..

new york hasn't always been boring...
new york has given birth to many many many amazing designers...
don't forget that mcQeen's first show was here, that roland mouret came to the attention of the world showinng here...that helmut lang showed here for years, that stephen sprouse came out of ny, that claire mcardell was american... how halston revolutionized fashion ...and on and on...

fashion is ever evolving and new york fashion NEEDS to change and develop...it's time!!...

 

[Pastry]

^ tricotine..if i had to pick my least favourite rochas collection, spring 2004 would be it. but that's not to say that it was bad, in fact it was very good. theyskens just loosened up a little bit later, that's all...

speaking of spring 2004..i remember seeing the video of it where someone commented on how different people will wear it: an older woman might well wear the entire suit, while a girl might wear the skirt with a wornout t-shirt (which to me, is the most beautiful way!)

thinking of it now, those bra tops are very much what prada does every season. they could be worn underneath a sheer top or like a bustier.
i think i just wasn't a huge fan of the "cocoon" dresses..too much.

a lot of the stuff olivier was doing seems so fitting for right now, which makes him a visionary. and that much bigger of a loss to the fashion industry.

 

[pink_lipgloss]

OMG i'm in shock...

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ i think they just have a different approach..theyskens has a very gingerly one..obviously, where he takes care of everything
..whereas elbaz is much more spontaneous.

BUT, let's not turn this into a "who's better" argument. i honestly just feel like talking about theyskens. that's all that's on my mind right now, which is weird becasue i spent most of yesterday going over rochas collections since the first one in the fall of 2003. it's like i knew..creepy.

*edit: i wish i had enough money to buy the dragonfly jacket i saw on sale yesterday! definitely a collector's item now..

I love that dragonfly jacket

 

[Pastry]

^

guys, can i just say that we are LIVING FASHION HISTORY!..sad fashion history, but..

 

[JJohnson]

^

guys, can i just say that we are LIVING FASHION HISTORY!..sad fashion history, but..

lol aaaw...but the question i have is, is this true? has it been confirmed?

 

[pink_lipgloss]

lol aaaw...but the question i have is, is this true? has it been confirmed?

Thats exactly what i was about to say! I just have my fingers crossed its not . Its funny i spent all last night looking through all of Olivier's work at Rochas, making Avatars from my favourites (Avatar Library if anyones interested ) staring in awe at the clothes ... and then to wake up to this news is just horrible.

 

[JJohnson]

Thats exactly what i was about to say! I just have my fingers crossed its not . Its funny i spent all last night looking through all of Olivier's work at Rochas, making Avatars from my favourites (Avatar Library if anyones interested ) staring in awe at the clothes ... and then to wake up to this news is just horrible.

aaaw thats so sad that is kinda weird tho was this just published today e.g. WWD news

 

[jennifer~]

First Syd Barrett, now this, I'm so happy I could cry

Hopefully August will be a better month...

 

[Trista]

This is a very sad day though-first Rochas closing and now my town's NBA team (Seattle Sonics) are leaving.

I really wish I were older or had the money to get a few pieces.