Versace picks Plokhov

[kikidior]

^ morbid thought

 

[Mutterlein]

perhaps we'll be seeing oiled down boys in tiny swimsuits with tall boots and military jackets...
...

Oh boy!




I actually like the idea. I know Versace has been keen on getting a talented and fairly avante garde menswear designer to take the helms. They had previously tried to get Raf Simons to take over at one point. This is perfect for both Versace and Plohkov.

If Plohkov does a good job they'll be able to get aesthetes like Faust, with all of their resilience, to buy Versace. Why not make Versace cool again? People talk about famous houses that should or shouldn't be revived but why not Versace? Gianni was a very innovative designer and I see no reason why his name shouldn't denote that still. Versace has been in a funk but they're coming out of it. And they're smart by hiring talented designers to consult, to bring their product up to standards so to speak.

This whole practice of consulting seems to be a trend in how business gets down now in fashion.

 

[zamb]

I just do not know what is in it for Versace. Obviously Plokhov is broke, so he needed something like this to come along (you'd thing someone cooler would have picked him up, but w/e), but Versace is missing such a chord by bringing him in. What do they think? That by having one of the coolest menswear designers onboard they are going to shatter decades of horrible connotations of their clothes ESPECIALLY their mens?

What is more upsetting is that no body has gotten behind Plokhov's own label, LVMH or Gucci Group could have bought him and made him profitable within a few years with his editorial and public good favor, but they didn't. super strange.

Well why would Gucci or LVMH pich him up?
There is something that we seem to ignore or fail to realize about mens fashion.
there is almost no mens designer who has/is doing the kind of clothing that alexandre does that has been successful.
I honestly believe that thier is Just not enough Mens customer in that market to generate a successful business with the kind of expenses that such businesses incur.
Dior Homme may be an exception, only because of its cross-gender appeal and LVMH resouces
Raf simons, though often seen in this category is really geared towards a different kind of customer and only became profitable after hev restructured his business .
the few examples of success that we have seen (CCP, Carpe Diem etc) operate by a compltely different business model. They avoid the high overheads of fashion shows etc, and produce smaller number of items at a higher price point focus thier distribution to boutiques and speciality stores, thus maximizing profit.
the reality is that mainstream menswear has still not caught up with "high fashion" menswear


While I pretty much hate this pairing, Alexandre Is offered an opportunity to use his Talents and have access to resources and Facilities that he did have under his own label...............
He will also have an opportunity to reach a customer that he never had before,
Believe me versace menswear SELLS.
I know a lot of people from the caribbean community in Europe and they mostly wear Versace (Moschino etc), lots of it!!!!!, they have huge disposable incomes (Drug money) they party almost every day, always want something new to wear .
When you cannot have success by maintaining Integrity, sometimes you have to be a mercenary......................... Which is what Alexandre has now become...........

 

[birdofparadise]

This has Anna Wintour written all over it.

 

[Salvatore]

This should be extremely exciting! Love the pieces for women, but some of the things on the runway is hard for me to like because it's too much. Very good and smart business move for Versace! Love that!

 

[softgrey]

zam- the people you talk about are exactly who i imagine wearing versace...
but now try to imagine them in cloak......


and the cloak customer is generally such a 'snob' that i think it will be hard to get them to put on what drug dealers wear...

so it's going to be hard to get any 'crossover' customers imo...
so i hope they aren't really counting on that...

the ones who i think will be interested and possibly buying will be the true blue fashionistas...*not the fashion victims* but the folks who are peacocks and just love clothes....

 

[KhaoticKharma]

I, for one, am excited. Plokhov's work is similiar to the direction that Versace seems to be moving in, a darker look. Plus, Versaces menswear line could use a boost in creativity.

 

[zamb]

zam- the people you talk about are exactly who i imagine wearing versace...
but now try to imagine them in cloak......


and the cloak customer is generally such a 'snob' that i think it will be hard to get them to put on what drug dealers wear...

so it's going to be hard to get any 'crossover' customers imo...
so i hope they aren't really counting on that...

the ones who i think will be interested and possibly buying will be the true blue fashionistas...*not the fashion victims* but the folks who are peacocks and just love clothes....

Well, It will now be different of course,
He will be designing , er......."consulting with restrictions.
the thing is, these people do not necessarily buy versace for style but for status. they have also dropped off a bit , as these customers (drug dealers and Celebs ) were buying other brands that were a bit less mainstream ( I saw Beenie Man wearing WL&T)
Alexandre will offer them something more appropriated for now, with a Versace label on it.
I dont think they need a crossover customer, was there really much cloak (aesthetic) customers?
I think in may not be a win (in my eyes it is) for Alexandre, but it is a win for versace, in terms of industry publicity and cool factor...............

 

[zamb]

^ my brother will like this, as he owns a lot of versace,
For the record, I dont own any!!!!! and probaly never will, i dont really even buy clothes anymore (shoes is my addiction!! About 10 pairs in the last two weeks, help!!!!! Ive fallen into a relapse Lindsay, Britney, Mel!!!! Im coming to join you in Rehab !!!!!!!!!) and am feeling the its to restart my menswear, beggining with making a lot of spring summer items for myself..............
Fabric shops here i come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Scott]

a bit on the fence with this. kind of funny in the way that makes you say,huh? but i dunno....i was never the biggest cloak fan(i was not part of the cult following,must say) but i was not so ignorant in that i never recognised his talents. because as far as i was concerned he was one the best next to raf and CCP. but this pairing seems a bit strange to me,just as you all described perfectly,one cannot shake that gaudy image of versace....it would be like asking veronique branquinho to consult for roberto cavalli...

 

[MUXU]

after giving it some thought...i think this agrangement could work. like alot of you said already...can be very sexy if done properly.

giving that plokhov's last collection for cloak is rather sporty and has gotten lighter from his gothic/military start, i can see plokhov doing something better for versace
i dont think versace men really have a strong identity anyways...so plokhov should have plenty of freedom as to what he wants to do

im hoping for the best

 

[Squizree]

The point is Versace men is just not cutting it these days, and Cloak is offering some decent designs. As far as Donatella is cnocerned anyone would be good right about now.

 

[JJohnson]

^ my brother will like this, as he owns a lot of versace,
For the record, I dont own any!!!!! and probaly never will, i dont really even buy clothes anymore (shoes is my addiction!! About 10 pairs in the last two weeks, help!!!!! Ive fallen into a relapse Lindsay, Britney, Mel!!!! Im coming to join you in Rehab !!!!!!!!!) and am feeling the its to restart my menswear, beggining with making a lot of spring summer items for myself..............
Fabric shops here i come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm waiting in line for some Zam B menswear....use a wide cut please... hahaha

 

[jadorelamode]

you all bring up good points. all in all, this will be really interesting to see which way versace menswear goes now. i like the idea, have always been a fan of cloak, but versace and cloak are two different spectrums. we shall see.



www.iegimagegroup.us

 

[reese06]

The men's Versace line hasn't stayed relevant in fashion so trying something really can't hurt the Versace men's brand too much. Donatella is successfully re-vamping the women's line but I can't say the same for the mens. the men's collections have been very hit and miss the past few seasons as it seems they are struggling to find an identity for the mens. Can't wait to see what happens since Versace is my favorite fashion house....

 

[indie]

Didn't see that one coming