As the fashion world awaits a new designer, Gucci hits the runway |
PARIS/MILAN, 13 january (Reuters) – Gucci kicked off Milan fashion week on Friday with slouchy, androgynous menswear styles and pushed ahead with its latest collection while waiting for industry owner Kering ( PRTP.PA ) to come up with a new name. designer for the label.
French luxury group Kering is under pressure to quickly find a replacement and restore sales growth at its biggest brand after the sudden departure in November of glamor designer Alessandro Michele, a favorite of Harry Styles and Lady Gaga. Profit in 2021.
The question of who will direct Gucci’s creative direction has been around for the megabrand’s first men’s show in Italy’s fashion capital in three years. Events run until January 17, attracting an audience that includes key retail buyers who determine which styles are likely to be future bestsellers.
Gucci’s catwalk presentation on Friday had echoes of Michelle’s eccentric, gender-fluid styles.
Models circled the darkened room to the blaring music of Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog live band, wearing wide collars and baggy, pleated trousers in pale beige and pastel tones, alongside new renditions of house classics reminiscent of Michel’s work. including furry, horse-embellished slippers.
“It’s a palette cleanser from the collections we’ve seen over the last few seasons,” said Simon Longland, head of menswear and womenswear at London department store Harrods.
He said the show introduced a “fresh approach” to house styles, introducing a range of fabrics and jacket shapes, likely to attract fans of his signature look as well as new customers.
Show records referencing improvisation and collaboration, which buyers scrutinize for signs of the label’s next steps.
“When the free impulses of individual minds intertwine, collective expressions emerge,” the brand notes.
Sparkling silver pants and quilted motorcycle boots added sparkle to the neutral-toned look, with celebrities in the audience including K-pop star Kai, American football player Jalen Ramsey and Italian rock band Maneskin.
UBS expects Kering’s earnings on Feb. 15 to show the label’s fourth-quarter sales fell about 11% as China imposed strict COVID-19 restrictions.
“The longer the wait for Gucci’s new creative director, the worse it will be for Kering,” Bernstein analyst Luca Solca said, noting that “more of the same” will not help the label regain relevance among buyers.
TIMELESS FASHIONS, MARKETING INVESTMENT
HSBC analysts, meanwhile, predicted that the efforts made before Michele’s departure could ease the transition, which will improve this year regardless of who takes the creative direction.
They’ve recently pointed to timeless fashions and higher-priced products, as well as increased marketing spend and a growing number of collections, likely serving to speed up business.
Gucci has halted marketing investments during the pandemic, while larger rival LVMH’s two biggest brands, Louis Vuitton and Dior, have stepped up, a move analysts say has helped them gain ground on rivals.
Kering’s other smaller fashion houses, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta and Balenciaga, were growing rapidly towards the end of last year, but Balenciaga holiday became embroiled in controversy after its ad campaign was accused of featuring inappropriate images of children.
Analysts say despite the current turbulence at Kering, expectations are high given that the group is building on its strong brands.
The group’s brands are known for capturing the “Zeitgeist,” noted Solca, who said Gucci’s past success was “the most impressive turnaround story in luxury history.”
The industry is expecting big changes in other blockbuster labels as well.
Top management changes at Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior announced this week, with design team changes likely to follow at the end of 2021, including at Louis Vuitton’s menswear division, which has relied on a design studio team following the death of creative director Virgil Abloh. caused discussions.
Reporting by Mimosa Spencer in Paris and Elisa Anzoli in Milan Editing by Frances Kerry and Frank Jack Daniel
Our standards: Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
2023-01-14 04:37:29
Source – reuters
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