Dear Shaded Viewers,
It’s often a busy week in terms of fashion news, but then generally centred around a fashion week or. Single hot topic. In terms of end of the year, December is perhaps best described as a month of winding down, reviewing the year and looking forward, plus of course gathering strength for the coming onslaught of the spring collections.
Well, December 2024 and the week of the 9th may well go down as one of the most newsworthy and tumultuous ever!
We had so many announcements, new developments, moves, losses and events it’s hard to know where to start.
The loss must be the first to talk about. The passing of The Great Polly Mellon ends links to iconic imagery, outstanding fashion moments and memories and a force of fashion whose contribution must be valued by anyone with any sense of style. Her work across the decades with brilliant and innovative photographers, her ability to transform models in actresses and performers and her innate sense of drama and narrative in fashion styling, set the scene for countless followers. Yet she also knew exactly how to take away, edit and reduce, distilling the essence of chic, often in her own appearance which had a certain rigour. Her ability to cut to the chase, to analyse, and offer, by some magical power and intuition, exactly what was required was beyond fashions normal requirements. Her images, back in the day were often not credited with her name, many years of her work remains known only to connoisseurs, but perhaps this is relevant in that she was a star to those in the know, not to the world at large. Thank you, Polly, for your images which will inspire and inform generations of apprentices. If you’d only ever done The Great Fur Caravan in 1966 with Richard Avedon, and Verushka in Japan for American Vogue you’d still be a legend.
Dries van Noten had announced his retirement from his company back in March, and the choice of successor would obviously be his. Julian Klausner has been with the house since 2018 eventually becoming head of womenswear. He will now become creative director for for the Puig owned label. Dries van Noten first appeared as one of the Belgian Six back in 1986, and he then spent thirty-eight years running his own company, and showed one hundred and twenty-nine times, meaning his departure was well earned. Although Klausner will issue a look book for menswear his first runway show will be for womenswear in March 2024. We can look back on the oeuvre of Dries van Noten through videos and books but the greatness of his work in a way is the pieces themselves, collectibles of enchantment from tailoring to lavish embroidery, from a neat jacket to a huge sweep of scarf. His clothes were for all ages and all sizes they crossed cultures, genders, and seasons, and they remained true to his creative ethos. It was fashion with integrity and heart, his audiences and clients responding to his work with love. Good luck to Julian Klausner, as they say, “a hard act to follow.”
In a flurry of activity Bottega Veneta announced the departure of Matthieu Blazy, the arrival of Louise Trotter and Chanel announced the arrival of Matthieu Blazy.
Trained at the Le Cambre, Blazy has previously been at Maison Margiela including Artisanal, Celine with Phoebe Philo and Calvin Klein with Raf Simons. He joined Bottega Veneta in 2020 working with then creative director Daniel Lee. However, in 2021 he succeeded Lee and immediately made the house a “one to watch” each season. Combining fashion with craft and the great heritage of the house, he plugged into the less is more style which reflected troubled times for consumers, it’s not about looking for extrovert, flash the cash, instant looks, investment, and quality is key. Even back during his time at Margiela his aesthetic drew attention when he used vintage Poiret and found extraordinary samples of printed fabric to create looks. He’s a true fashion designer and it’s exciting that he will have Haute Couture and Métiers d’art collections to harness his imagination too. His move to Chanel will engage with his aesthetic of valuing the heritage whilst moving it forward, his respect for the artisans and the history of the house and what made it a success in the first place.
Like Matthieu Blazy, Louise Trotter has an impressive curriculum vitae, with her two most recent designer roles at Lacoste from 2018 to 2022 and at Carven since 2023. Prior to this she was at London’s Joseph found by the fashion impresario Joseph Ettedgui in 1983; and further back she spent time at brands Whistles, Calvin Klein, Gap, Tommy Hilfiger, and Jigsaw. Trained at Northumbria University, Louise is known for her sleek aesthetic and attention to detail and seems the perfect match both to follow Blazy, and in harmony with the house signatures of Bottega Veneta.
As if all this wasn’t enough John Galliano exited Maison Margiela after ten years and a hugely discussed and featured collection shown in January this year. The rumours are rife, as they always are, but a return to the house of Dior, a launch of Galliano as a stand-alone label seem the two most popular and strongest possibilities right now. This is alongside mentions of the name Fendi, who have no womenswear designer following the departure of Kim Jones. Galliano is now sixty-four and the stresses and pressures of taking on multiple collections and the sheer demands of a huge house may not appeal. So we still have exciting possible announcements to anticipate.
Talking of Dior this week they launched an amazing concept store in Bangkok. Based within a reproduction of the façade of the original maison at 30, Avenue Montaigne, the entire concept is gold, thus Dior Gold House. Inside one will discover the collections of menswear by Kim Jones womenswear by Maria Grazia Chiuri and the ever divine, Dior Maison, plus there will also be original works of art by Thai artists. There is a Dior Café by Mauro Colagreco so one may rest and consider further purchases, and most of all marvel at this unique environment dreamt up by the house of Dior.
Finally, although judging by the rest of the week this may not be so, the brilliant Public Relations firm founded in 2007 by Lucien Pagès, Lucien Pagès Communication has joined Bureau Betak, Karla Otto, Atelier Lum Inca Productions, and others as part of The Independents group founded in 2017 by CEO Isabelle Chouvet. Pagès numbers Jacquemus, Schiaparelli, Courrèges, Coperni, Loewe, Carven, Victoria Beckham and Byredo amongst his clients. Since for many people the PR teams support our work, it is good to know that he will remain in charge with slick professionals at his side.
We now need a replacement for Louise Trotter at Carven, and still for Jones at Fendi so the designer musical chairs are still being played, and for the fashion crowd our full attention is required every moment.
Later,
Tony Glenville
