Tom Ford's Heirs

[kit]

Looks like this is it , Folks !!!

http://www.btopenworld.com/news/entertainm...4640523,00.html

Any comments ?

KIT

 

[Lena]

its up since very early in wwd,
does it take only assistants to replace Tom?

but then, of course, they were doing all the work...

good luck to all three of them on their new posts

here main extracts from kit's link

AMSTERDAM/PARIS (Reuters) - Luxury goods maker Gucci has picked its in-house designers John Ray and Alessandra Facchinetti to join a team to succeed Tom Ford, newspapers have reported.

Citing a person familiar with the matter, the Wall Street Journal said on Thursday that Ray and Facchinetti will replace chief designer Ford as part of a three-person team.

It said Ray would become chief designer for men`s ready-to wear and Facchinetti for women`s, while a third designer for Gucci`s accessories had been identified.

In-house designer Stefano Pilati is expected to take over as creative director for Yves Saint Laurent, the group`s second largest brand.

Fashion paper Women`s Wear Daily (WWD) also listed those three names in an article on Thursday, but named Alfreda Giannini as the designer who will take over as head of accessories.

Giannini previously worked at Fendi, the Italian furrier now part of the LVMH group, and was "instrumental in creating the horse-bit handbag that reignited Gucci sales last fall", WWD said.

 

[kit]

Originally posted by Lena@Mar 4th, 2004 - 9:04 am
its up since very early in wwd,
it takes assistants to replace Tom?
but then, of course, they were doing all the work...
good luck to all three of them on their new posts

AMSTERDAM/PARIS (Reuters) - Luxury goods maker Gucci has picked its in-house designers John Ray and Alessandra Facchinetti to join a team to succeed Tom Ford, newspapers have reported.

Citing a person familiar with the matter, the Wall Street Journal said on Thursday that Ray and Facchinetti will replace chief designer Ford as part of a three-person team.

It said Ray would become chief designer for men`s ready-to wear and Facchinetti for women`s, while a third designer for Gucci`s accessories had been identified.

In-house designer Stefano Pilati is expected to take over as creative director for Yves Saint Laurent, the group`s second largest brand.

Fashion paper Women`s Wear Daily (WWD) also listed those three names in an article on Thursday, but named Alfreda Giannini as the designer who will take over as head of accessories.

Giannini previously worked at Fendi, the Italian furrier now part of the LVMH group, and was "instrumental in creating the horse-bit handbag that reignited Gucci sales last fall", WWD said.

Agreed in EVERY way , LENA

Only time will tell...............

KIT

 

[faust]

Originally posted by Lena@Mar 4th, 2004 - 9:04 am
its up since very early in wwd,
does it take only assistants to replace Tom?

but then, of course, they were doing all the work...

good luck to all three of them on their new posts

here main extracts from kit's link

AMSTERDAM/PARIS (Reuters) - Luxury goods maker Gucci has picked its in-house designers John Ray and Alessandra Facchinetti to join a team to succeed Tom Ford, newspapers have reported.

Citing a person familiar with the matter, the Wall Street Journal said on Thursday that Ray and Facchinetti will replace chief designer Ford as part of a three-person team.

It said Ray would become chief designer for men`s ready-to wear and Facchinetti for women`s, while a third designer for Gucci`s accessories had been identified.

In-house designer Stefano Pilati is expected to take over as creative director for Yves Saint Laurent, the group`s second largest brand.

Fashion paper Women`s Wear Daily (WWD) also listed those three names in an article on Thursday, but named Alfreda Giannini as the designer who will take over as head of accessories.

Giannini previously worked at Fendi, the Italian furrier now part of the LVMH group, and was "instrumental in creating the horse-bit handbag that reignited Gucci sales last fall", WWD said.

Bad mistake on the part of Gucci. They needed a brand name. Granted, it was these designers that made all the clothes - also granted that the clothes was bought because Ford's name was behind it, not because it was great fashion. Oh, well - short Gucci stock!!!

 

[softgrey]

i'm sure they come a lot cheaper than some big name B) and good for them...i'm sure they've been slaving away over there, coming up with tons of ideas that tom ford took all the credit for..so i'm glad they got promoted...most of the time in this industry, you have to leave to get a better job...it's nice to see a company promote from within it's ranks...

and i don't think we need a 'figurehead'...if the clothes are good enough, they will speak for themselves!!!

 

[marc jacobs addict]

here's the WWD article:

PPR Picks Gucci’s Foursome

LONDON — Gucci Group is losing a star in Tom Ford, and now the plan is to create four new bright lights.

Pinault-Printemps-Redoute will announce next week that Alessandra Facchinetti, Alfreda Giannini and John Ray will helm Gucci, while Stefano Pilati will take up the design reins at Yves Saint Laurent, sources told WWD on Wednesday.

All four designers are Ford-trained, and sources say PPR’s plan is to promote them as rising talents — and give them their fair share of the spotlight.

Serge Weinberg, chief executive of PPR, declined to comment on the expected appointments.

Meanwhile, Gucci on Wednesday named Alexis Babeau chief financial officer, replacing Robert Singer, a longtime Gucci executive who resigned this week — a move expected since last November. Singer, who was also executive vice president of Gucci, will step down at the end of April, along with Ford and Gucci Group chief Domenico De Sole.

Babeau is chief financial officer and general counsel at Finaref, a credit and financial services company formerly owned by PPR and now controlled by Credit Agricole SA.

Regarding the Gucci and YSL creative teams, all the designers have worked alongside Ford, and some — like Pilati — are personal friends.

Facchinetti is the number-one designer under Ford in Gucci’s women’s wear division. She had been fashion coordinator at Miu Miu, and will take over the women’s wear design at Gucci.

“She’s the ideal person to head a team because she’s focused, knows how to construct a collection, how to emphasize details,” said a source close to Gucci. “She’s also very dedicated.”

Giannini, who will become accessories chief, came to Gucci from Fendi, working initially on silk lines before tackling accessories during her three-year tenure there. Giannini is said to have been instrumental in creating the horsebit handbag that reignited Gucci sales last fall.

Ray is Ford’s main assistant in men’s wear, and had previously worked for Katharine Hamnett. He studied at London’s Royal College of Art and will oversee the men’s line.

Pilati is currently women’s design director at YSL and is widely considered one of the group’s unsung talents. He also worked at Prada and Miu Miu before joining YSL in 2001.

It is believed that Ford and Gucci brand president and managing director Giacomo Santucci were carefully grooming these people — and others on the design team — to eventually replace Ford. As reported, the original plan was for Ford to take over as chairman and chief executive of Gucci Group when De Sole retired some time in the next few years.

It is believed De Sole’s advice has recently been solicited by the selection committee, which consists of Weinberg, Artemis chairman François-Henri Pinault and Gucci supervisory board member Adrian Bellamy.

While the likelihood of the foursome becoming individual design stars is up for debate, it’s clear Gucci Group has produced designers to watch, including Burberry’s Christopher Bailey and Calvin Klein women’s wear designer Francisco Costa.

The importance of superstar versus unknown designer to a brand has been a hot-button topic at PPR and in various media, while this season’s fascination with the Gucci saga knows no bounds. Several publications have been quick to tout the end of the star designer era, with the departure of Ford. On Wednesday, Weinberg lent credence to the argument in the Wall Street Journal Europe. “No one talks about Miuccia Prada,” he said. “No one knows it’s [she] who designs the brand.”

Although there are those who might disagree with that Ford. On Wednesday, Weinberg lent credence to the argument in the Wall Street Journal Europe. “No one talks about Miuccia Prada,” he said. “No one knows it’s [she] who designs the brand.”

Although there are those who might disagree with that specific example, the industry is divided on how important it is for a marquee name to be attached to a brand.

In fact, both Prada and her husband, Patrizio Bertelli, chief executive of Prada Group, declined to comment specifically on Weinberg’s remark, but Bertelli told WWD: “There is no doubt the designer of a brand is important. Since Jil Sander returned to her namesake brand last year, we have witnessed great results in terms of overall brand image and increased orders. We couldn’t be happier to have her back.”

That happiness has been hard-won and represents quite a shift in perspective for Bertelli. After falling out with Sander five months after purchasing her company in 1999, Bertelli (now famously) declared: “The individual fashion designer is less important than the company. How many designers can launch a collection without being a business? A designer label is a private label, and that label dies when the designer goes, unless it is a company.”

On the flip side — or the anti-star camp — Max Mara has relied on a low-key design team for the last 53 years, and is one of Italy’s most profitable fashion houses.

“We worked with famous designers, but we didn’t need their names,” Luigi Maramotti, chairman at Max Mara, said last year. “At the end of the day, our mission is to make the best product possible. It’s dangerous for a company that says it makes fashion to assign the most important task to just one person.”

This week, designer Hussein Chalayan, who is parting ways with Asprey next month, said: “Having one star designer is a very old-fashioned approach to the business — unless the business started out that way. I think the team approach is much more modern —especially for my generation. A chief designer can have a strong personal vision, but without a team, nothing happens.”

Meanwhile, sources confirmed that under PPR, all of Gucci Group’s divisions will be run independently, with power most likely to shift from the chief executive to each individual brand chief.

Furthermore, sources say the person who takes over De Sole’s role as chief executive of the group will have a more limited role than De Sole. It is believed PPR has whittled down its global search to two executives, both from sectors other than fashion and luxury.

“It’s clear Weinberg wants to be in the spotlight, he wants to be the one talking to the media, he wants to be the protagonist. I honestly cannot imagine anyone with a strong personality taking on the job of Gucci Group chief right now.”

Another source said there would be no immediate changes to the Gucci portfolio — although the new and newly acquired brands, such as Bottega Veneta and Stella McCartney, will be under increasing pressure to move into the black. “The plan is not to sell these brands now,” said the source. “but there will be pressure on management to turn a profit very quickly.”

— WWD Staff

 

[Lena]

Originally posted by softgrey@Mar 4th, 2004 - 8:46 pm
i'm sure they come a lot cheaper than some big name B) and good for them...i'm sure they've been slaving away over there, coming up with tons of ideas that tom ford took all the credit for..so i'm glad they got promoted...most of the time in this industry, you have to leave to get a better job...it's nice to see a company promote from within it's ranks...

and i don't think we need a 'figurehead'...if the clothes are good enough, they will speak for themselves!!!

i agree with you softgrey,
still its Gucci's last slap at Tom's uber ego... if you get my point

 

[softgrey]

i'm with you lena... take that, tom ford-you egomaniac...HA!

 

[tealady]

Originally posted by softgrey@Mar 4th, 2004 - 12:46 pm
i'm sure they come a lot cheaper than some big name B) and good for them...i'm sure they've been slaving away over there, coming up with tons of ideas that tom ford took all the credit for..so i'm glad they got promoted...most of the time in this industry, you have to leave to get a better job...it's nice to see a company promote from within it's ranks...

and i don't think we need a 'figurehead'...if the clothes are good enough, they will speak for themselves!!!

So true! Let the clothes speak for a change...

 

[Jentlemen]

i like how it takes three people to replace Tom Ford

 

[marc jacobs addict]

Originally posted by Jentlemen@Mar 4th, 2004 - 2:09 pm
i like how it takes three people to replace Tom Ford

 

[Orochian]

I think it's always a good idea to promote within, since, as many of you have pointed out already, they are the ones most familiar with Tom's work and have contributed a fair share to it themselves. A smooth transition is always a good thing - lots of people, myself included, are still down in the drains about Tom's departure.

Its only downside is the lack of hype and buzz - but Gucci doesn't need that. It isn't LVMH, afterall.

 

[ignitioned32]

I think they would only be promoted if they did most-if not all- of the work. I'm sure Tom was just there to attract clients and, mostly, marketing. I am happy for them.

I agree though, as said above, that the downside is there will be a lack of hype and buzz, important for a brand like Gucci. But I'm sure the clothes will be able to change that, in the coming seasons.

 

[e-Tom]

egomaniac ?????? WOAHH

AFTER READ HIS INTERVIEW WITH " WWD " HE DOSEN'T SEEM TO ME AS
" EGOMANIAC "
I THINK THERE LESSONS TO TAKE FROM MR.FORD HIMSELF

TF : Quite honestly, I wasn’t amused, I was shocked. Unfortunately, I think that this is a very sort of clear indication of how naïve Serge is about our industry. Miuccia has a point of view, a vision with a purpose. Not only am I a great fan of what she does from a design standpoint, but a great fan in terms of the way she has been able to pinpoint her vision with Prada.
Which is also why, I have to say, I don’t quite understand a team strategy at Gucci. First of all, we have left out a few product categories here. I mean, what’s happening with watches, what’s happening with eyewear? What’s happening with jewelry, with home, with visual display? What’s happening with the ad campaigns? I mean, there are a lot of things that aren’t addressed by the people whose names have been mentioned.

TF: They’re still buying the point of view. And there are a lot of people who buy Gucci who don’t know who I am. That isn’t the point. There is a point of view, there is a focus, and that’s what comes from the designer.

LESSON 4 CHAPTER 1CONTINUES WWD TOM FORD ARTICLE

" ATALLIER " thanks for the thread ,

 

[Orochian]

I think we all have MANY lessons to take from Mr. Ford. And if there's anyone in the industry that's the antithesis to being an egomaniac, it's him. Which is remarkable considering just how much he's managed to accomplish at 42.

I'll leave it at that. I have a lot of thoughts after reading his interview, and I find myself marvelling at just how "right" he is on every issue and every facet of the business, but I'll refrain from elaborating any further. It seems that with his departure, running him down suddenly has become a very chic thing to do, and I certainly don't look forward to participating in an all-out flame war.

 

[Lena]

i dont get how Ford attacks the Gucci product developement since until now he was responsible for it's fate.
he HAD control over the firm and its only when his control was questioned by PPR that he decided to leave the company.
he's wondering on

we have left out a few product categories here. I mean, what’s happening with watches, what’s happening with eyewear? What’s happening with jewelry, with home, with visual display? What’s happening with the ad campaigns?

leaves me open mouthed, he was the one to orchestrate all those things mentioned, and he sure was head master on the advertising look for Gucci.

btw, the wwd interview is VERY interesting, and yes, he's a good - a very good- brand manager, i dont think anyone ever objected that.
people are not bashing him since the news of his departure,
on the contrary, he's somehow turning to the Jean D'Ark of fashion..
he is more 'famous' than ever, just for saying 'no' to the PPR people.

he's a true genious of PR

 

[Orochian]

Originally posted by Lena@Mar 5th, 2004 - 5:40 am
i dont get how Ford attacks the Gucci product developement since until now he was responsible for it's fate.
he HAD control over the firm and its only when his control was questioned by PPR that he decided to leave the company.
he's wondering on

we have left out a few product categories here. I mean, what’s happening with watches, what’s happening with eyewear? What’s happening with jewelry, with home, with visual display? What’s happening with the ad campaigns?

leaves me open mouthed, he was the one to orchestrate all those things mentioned, and he sure was head master on the advertising look for Gucci.

btw, the wwd interview is VERY interesting, and yes, he's a good - a very good- brand manager, i dont think anyone ever objected that.
people are not bashing him since the news of his departure,
on the contrary, he's somehow turning to the Jean D'Ark of fashion..
he is more 'famous' than ever, just for saying 'no' to the PPR people.

he's a true genious of PR

He's referring to the splitting of the creative responsibilities into the 3 seperate designers, instead of one single chief at the helm of everything, which happened AFTER his departure, and a decision to which he has made no contribution. He had been grooming the very same people before his deal with PPR fell through, but I'm sure what he had in mind was to have ONE of those designers take over as creative director when he would step down from that post. He has always stressed the utmost importance to have a coherent vision and design terminology, or "point of view" in his words, in the management of a brand.

He is now objecting to the splitting of responsibilities and creative control, and the numerous facets of the brand's production which are being neglected as a result of the split. Which is totally understandable since a tight grip on the overall aesthetic was what pulled Gucci out of its grave and made it the most successful luxury goods company of our time. Without that grip, and Gucci would be another Dior - a schizophrenic, headless, soul-less, vision-less giant factory of logoed souvenirs.

 

[Lena]

keeping the "heirs" thread 'on topic'
please lets continue this conversation on the new Tom Ford interview topic

 

[faust]

Originally posted by softgrey@Mar 4th, 2004 - 12:46 pm
and i don't think we need a 'figurehead'...if the clothes are good enough, they will speak for themselves!!!

my sentiments exactly, WE don't need a figure head, THEY do, and the clothes HAVEN'T spoken for theselves - so they needed the figure head to push the mute clothes

 

[VersaceW11]

The Gucci Group has named the three designers from it's current team...Stefano Pilati will be taking charge of YSL Rive Gauche...Alessandra Facchinetti a fromer design director for the past 4 years will be head of the womens dicision...Scttish designer John Ray takes over menswear and Frida Giannini joined Gucci in 2002 will become creative director of accessories...And Giacomo Santucci will take Domenico de Sole spot as CEO.