Fashionclick® News |
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| December 2000 | ||||
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This installment:Gucci
Group Announces Partnership With Alexander
McQueen
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| Alexander
McQueen | Hugo
Boss | Armand
Basi | |
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Amsterdam (The Netherlands) December 4, 2000 - Gucci Group N.V. announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement to develop the luxury designer label "Alexander McQueen" in conjunction with Mr. Alexander McQueen. The accord is for Gucci Group to acquire 51% of the business, with the British designer holding the balance. Mr. McQueen has entered into a long-term arrangement to serve as the Creative Director of the new business effective immediately; this relationship will become exclusive upon the expiration in October 2001 of his other current creative responsibilities. Alexander McQueen stated, "I am very excited having concluded this agreement with Gucci Group. My label and the future of "Alexander McQueen" are incredibly important to me and I believe that this partnership will prove a great success." Domenico De Sole, President and Chief Executive Officer of Gucci Group N.V., added that, "We are delighted that, after several months of discussions, Mr. McQueen has decided to work with our Group to further develop his label as a global luxury brand. "Alexander McQueen" is already established as a luxury label and the prospects for building the brand worldwide are outstanding. The business will be established and managed as a separate entity within our Group, and Mr. McQueen will have full creative independence for his brand." Tom Ford, the Creative Director for Gucci Group and the Gucci and Yves St-Laurent brands, added his welcome to Mr. McQueen by noting, "Alexander is a truly great talent and someone for whom I feel an enormous personal respect and friendship. I am ecstatic that he has agreed to work with Gucci Group." The
financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The Gucci Group noted that
the impact of the transaction on its current and near-term earnings per
share and its financial condition are not expected to be material.
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Hugo Boss > |
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Madrid (Spain) - On November 23, and to announce the introduction of the Hugo by Hugo Boss (men and women's) and the Boss Woman lines in Spain, the German firm held a party in their showroom at Calle Alfonso XII, alongside the historic El Retiro Park. The space, especially conditioned for the occasion, featured mannequins dressed in designs from the Hugo line standing against the walls, alternating with large flasks of the brand's fragrances as well as other accessories such as women's sandals. A large contingent of known musicians was present. Amongst them, José María Cano (from the Spanish group Mecano, and composer of the international hit, "Hijo de la Luna"); Mexican-born singer Alaska and Spanish pop group "La Unión"; as well as designers, members of the in-crowd and local fashion personalities such as María Reyes (ex Miss Spain) and fashion journalist Esther Levy, who flew in from NY for the Thanksgiving Holiday. But one of the most impressive elements of the event - which included a DJ playing dance music, as well as disco lighting in and outside - was the scenery from the penthouse's various terraces. The beautiful view of the Madrid skyline including El Retiro Park, El Prado Museum, the Spanish Post Office building and the Puerta de Alcalá was not to be missed. Hosting the party, Dr. Bruno Sälzer, the firm's Executive Vice-President, alongside Hugo Creative Director, Volker Kaehle. In conversation with them they told us that Hugo (man and woman) and Boss Woman will be introduced in Spain next autumn and spring 2001 respectively. These lines join Hugo Boss, which the company has been retailing in this country since 1997. They also commented that the company has just opened a store in New York's Soho, thus increasing their presence in the US to 8 units - four company-owned stores and four corners. Last
February Fashionclick.com covered the Hugo (man and woman) autumn/winter
2000-01 show in New York. But, according to Kaehle, the German firm's line
has opted not to do more shows, but rather to host this kind of parties. The
label held another one in New York last September and
is preparing one in Miami.
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Madrid (Spain) - The first Armand Basi store in this city was inaugurated mid-November. Located on luxurious and centric Calle Claudio Coello - same commercial street where, just meters away, Spanish designers Antonio Pernas and Angel Schlesser have their own boutiques - the space, a 120sqm, is divided in 2 levels. The street level is dedicated to men while the upper one showcases the women's collection; both feature accessories.At the cocktail, we had the opportunity of conversing with Mr. Lluis Juste de Nin, Creative Director of the Catalonian firm, who commented, "For us Madrid is a way of completing the circle; we had to be here. Yet, we have waited patiently until we found the correct space in the epicenter of fashion in this city". Armand Basi is targeted at 20 to 40 year-old clients, and is quite popular amongst international male models such as Greg Payne and Cameron Alborzion. Their proposals for this season include from men's evening formal wear to apparel for a more modern man featuring high-tech metallic-looking shirts in silver gray, brown or black; wool knitwear with graphic motifs and short parkas and metallic jackets in khaki and black. For women, mohair-embroidered silk tops, velvet pants and skirts, and a collection of silk and velvet shawls, great for cold winter evenings. Armand Basi, whose sales volume last year was around the US$10 million mark (2.000 million Ptas.), started back in 1985 designing men's clothes. Given the acceptance of their designs at the international level, the firm decided in the early 90s to widen their offer with a line for women. Presently, 60% of their production is exported, being the UK their main market with more than 60 clients and a flagship store in London. In the US their designs can be found in Barneys New York, Denny Goodman and Stuart Norman, as well as in 40 other specialized outlets. According to Sarah Potter, the firm's spokeswoman, "One of our objectives for the future is to open a store in New York's Soho to reinforce our image in the North American market." Basi is also looking to develop their Arab and Asian markets and is, thus, looking for partners to distribute their products there. In Spain, Armand Basi
recently opened
another store in the city of Murcia. |
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Madrid (Spain) – International fashion's most famous couple and DKNY image, Esther Cañadas/Mark Vanderloo, has suddenly put an end to their love story after almost two years of marriage, as has been more than mentioned by the Spanish press in the last few weeks.Does this have anything to do with the end of their multi-million contract with American designer Donna Karan this December? In their last visit to Madrid - last October - for the launching of DKNY's Women fragrance in Spain, the Vanderloos appeared on national television as happy as ever and talked about their plans to have children. Nobody imagined they were about to break up, least of all when their image in the midst of a passionate kiss was appearing on billboards and magazines everywhere. Cañadas, probably the most well-known Spanish model, and her Dutch beau met back in 1997 and got married in Tuscany, Italy, two years after. For the moment, the motives behind the break-up are unknown as they have declined any comment. But purportedly, since last summer they do not share their posh apartment in Manhattan, which is now on sale. A
few weeks ago, Esther attended in Madrid a party held by a fashion magazine.
There, she met Spanish actor José Coronado, from the TV show "Periodistas" ('Journalists'), one of this country's most
popular series. Several photographs showing both of them
together on the days after the event flared rumors of a relationship. Most recently a Spanish gossip magazine published
more photos of
them together in the Big Apple. |
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Previous
News
| La
Perla Presents Its Brassiére-bretelle
in Milan
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