Selection of published work
CEO interviews
Moncler chief on defying China’s new normal to ‘build the strongest brand ever’ (Financial Times)
Hot off investment from LVMH, Moncler wants to make greater inroads into the world’s second-largest economy. Remo Ruffini explains why
Valentino’s Jacopo Venturini: ‘We are selling dreams, emotions and entertainment’ (Financial Times)
The CEO on his strategy for the Italian luxury house — and the new creative direction under Alessandro Michele
Big deals and Hollywood: where fashion marketing is headed next (Financial Times)
The co-founder of communications group The Independents on its latest acquisitions and feeding the fashion entertainment machine
Pietro Beccari: ‘There is no household in the world that doesn’t have Louis Vuitton’ (Financial Times)
The Louis Vuitton chief wants to turn the LVMH-owned luxury brand into a cultural juggernaut
Diesel and Margiela owner Renzo Rosso is prioritising product over entertainment (Financial Times)
OTB Group’s latest acquisition and forthcoming IPO is part of the founder’s plans to future-proof the business
Reporting
Hot in Hollywood — the fashion designers signing with top talent agencies (Financial Times)
Companies including CAA, WME and UTA are adding designers to their rosters, marking a shift in the sector
From Tom Ford to Chanel, luxury brands rocked by creative upheaval (Financial Times)
A shake-up across the high-end fashion sector marks an unprecedented period of change
Milan probes into Dior suppliers’ illegal labour unsettle luxury sector (Financial Times)
Revelations show industry not immune to questionable practices
Independent fashion labels are struggling (Financial Times)
In a rocky, risk-averse retail landscape, diversification and caution have become key to survival
Knitwear label John Smedley wants to bring manufacturing home (Financial Times)
By opening up its factory to third parties, the British heritage brand hopes to encourage domestic production
TikTok ushered in dupe culture. Now it’s grappling with fakes (Vogue Business)
Unauthorised beauty sellers have long plagued open marketplaces. Now, TikTok faces similar challenges with counterfeits and dupes
The havoc and hype of ultra-realistic ‘fake’ fashion campaigns (Vogue Business)
The internet is awash with fantastical creations from brands that consumers will never see in the flesh. The creator behind Jacquemus’s viral Le Bambino bag-shaped buses discuss the opportunity and risks
Why puffer jackets are at the centre of South Korea’s class divide (BoF)
While the explosive popularity of puffer jackets is a boon for outerwear brands like The North Face and Moncler, the trend highlights some uncomfortable truths about South Korean society
Can ‘sick-cute’ fashion break Japan’s silence on suicide? (BoF)
With garments spelling ‘I Want to Die’ and accessories like syringes and bandages, a dark offshoot of ‘kawaii’ culture is addressing the hush-hush topic of depression and mental illness in Japan
Fashion
Christopher Kane: ‘To be a designer is to be cultural, not trendy’ (Financial Times)
The Scottish designer reflects on his namesake label and return to fashion via a new womenswear collection with Self-Portrait
Maximilian Davis wants Ferragamo to feel ‘relatable’ (Financial Times)
The designer on the sticky job of reviving a heritage label and creating a crossover between menswear and womenswear
Designer Riccardo Tisci: ‘I’m ready to start a new chapter’ (Financial Times)
The former creative director of Burberry on dressing Michaela Coel and his next moves
Dover Street Market Paris: a home for fashion’s independent minds (Financial Times)
Luxury retail pioneers Adrian Joffe and Carla Sozzani reflect on their radical approach
The Fendis on family, fragrance and future direction (Financial Times)
Mother and daughter join artistic director Kim Jones to talk about the forging of a ‘new chapter’ at the luxury powerhouse
Where is the next great Japanese fashion designer? (Financial Times)
A wave of Japanese designers revolutionised fashion in the 1980s. New talents are emerging — but can they hope for the same global influence?
Donatella Versace and Dua Lipa talk creating a successful celebrity collab (Vogue Business)
The show prioritises accessibility and indicates a new era for celebrity collaborations
Why Margiela's Tabi boot is minting money (BoF)
As the enigmatic designer's split-toe shoe gains a celebrity following years after its initial release, retailers are cashing in
Men are changing. Are brands keeping up? (BoF)
Advertisers have invested billions in constructing an image of manhood defined by strength and power. But the mainstream perception of masculinity is changing
Show reviews
Burberry closes London Fashion Week with a ‘stealth wealth’-inspired show (CNN)
Burberry's latest collection was rooted in sumptuous materials, neutral colours and discreet details — all the hallmarks of “stealth wealth” dressing
Valentino undergoes a vibe shift (Financial Times)
Alessandro Michele’s debut show for the luxury house in Paris demonstrated that having a strong design language is a virtue
At Gucci, making fashion wearable (Financial Times)
Designer Sabato de Sarno stuck to his guns in Milan and presented a collection rooted in reality
New York Fashion Week: grappling with the idea of America (Financial Times)
Designers wanted to focus on the clothes, but the political climate was hard to ignore
How Frieze Seoul left the city’s fashion week in the dust (Vogue Business)
Despite moving its dates forward to align with the art fair, the city’s fashion week was largely overlooked
How Milan found its quiet power (Vogue Business)
With fresh talent reinvigorating heritage brands and young labels achieving milestones, the Italian capital had a renewed vitality — enough to give Paris a run for its money
Beauty
The internet is raving about ‘nature’s Botox.’ Does it work? (CNN)
After years of a high-end skincare boom, beauty enthusiasts are turning to ingredients you’d usually find in the food aisle, as a way to hydrate the skin and reduce acne.
What’s the future of Too Faced without its founders? (Vogue Business)
In her first interview as global brand president, Tara Simon and Estée Lauder Companies’ executive group president Stephane De La Faverie discuss steering the high-wattage makeup brand into the future
Dries Van Noten talks beauty (Vogue Business)
The Belgian designer is cutting the ribbon on a dedicated store for fragrance, makeup and accessories in Paris. Pushing further into the category has been a learning curve, he says
What’s behind the lip gloss boom? 90s nostalgia, wellness and tinder (BoF)
High-shine lacquered lips are back on the beauty radar. But like its consumers, lip gloss has grown up